When you look at a giraffe, you may marvel at how efficient it is - it has a long neck that is perfect for eating the leaves from the tops of high trees. The long neck is also good for seeing far in the grassy savannah, so giraffes make good lookouts for predators like lions and cheetahs.
The giraffe's long neck is an example of an ADAPTATION.
An ADAPTATION is a characteristic that an organism possesses that suits it to its particular environment. Adaptations determine how successful the organism will be - the better suited the organism, the higher the chances of survival. If an organism doesn't have the adaptations for a certain environment, it won't be able to survive there. That's why cacti don't grow in the tundra - it's far too cold and cacti are adapted to living in hotter climates!
Adaptations are one way that organisms react to the effects of their abiotic and biotic environments. The animals and plants in your area are specifically adapted to living there.
ADAPTATIONS OF PLANTS
Plants form the basis of food chains and so, are important for the survival of all animals above them in the food chain, including humans.
DESERT plants must have adaptations to help them conserve water. A desert receives less than 25 cm of rain every year. The days are scorching hot, and the nights can get very cold. The soil in a desert is very sandy or very rocky - not great for plants. However, there are many plants that can grow in the desert because they have adapted to those conditions.
The cactus has a stem that has large chamber to hold water, so when it does rain in the desert, the cactus can store the water for later use. The "skin" of a cactus is waxy and waterproof, and this prevents evaporation of water from happening. Instead of leaves, a cactus has prickly needles which helps to ward off animals that might be interested in drinking the cactus' water.
Desert plants have short life cycles so they can grow and reproduce quickly during the short rainy periods. Some desert plants are dormant during drought, which means when there is no rain for a long period of time, the plant doesn't die, but goes to sleep for a while. The dormant stage ends when the rains begin again.
