Plant Adaptations

Which two traits best help a cactus conserve water in the dry conditions of a West Texas desert ecosystem?

• Large flowers and sweet fruit

• Sweet fruits and sharp spines

• Sharp spines and waxy stems

• Waxy stems and large flowers

The ocotillo is a desert plant with long, straight branches. Its leaves are small and appear for only a short time after a rain. Most of the time, the branches of the ocotillo do not have leaves. Maple trees grow in areas where water is more abundant than in the desert. Maple leaves can be very large and are present for most months of the year. Ocotillo plants are better adapted for surviving in the desert than maple trees because the characteristics of ocotillo leaves_______.

• allow more sunlight to reach the soil

• prevent the plant from producing flowers

• encourage the release of carbon dioxide from the stems

• reduce the amount of water lost through evaporation

Why might some plants have thorns?

• to stay safe from animals that want to eat the plant
• to attract insects that spread pollen to other plants
• to take in nutrients from the air
• to provide shade for the plant

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Which adaptation of a cactus allows it to prevent water loss in dry desert conditions?

• Shallow roots that spread out very widely

• Bright flowers that attract insects

• Waxy outer covering on stems

• None of these

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Some grasses grow in hot dry areas. Why might they grow very deep roots?

• to protect the plant from sun damage

• to take in as much light as possible

• to spread seeds to new places

• to reach water that is underground

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Desert plants have a coat of wax on their leaves to

• keep water from escaping

• protect them from animals eating them

• absorb water from the air

• release scent to attract animals

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What is one reason why some plants have scents?

• to shed extra water off the plant
• to take in nutrients from the soil
• to attract animals to spread its pollen
• to conserve water during dry periods

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Why might some plants that grow on the shady rain forest floor have large leaves?

• to stay safe from predators
• to attract different animals
• to survive harsh winters with heavy snowfall
• to take in as much sunlight as possible

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Which type of seed dispersal would most likely be used by the organism shown in the diagram above?

• Animal dispersal

• Wind dispersal

• Water dispersal

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What is one possible reason for seeds to have hooks of barbs?

• to stay warm during the winter
• to protect themselves from sunlight
• to get attached to passing animals and get carried away
• to stick to animals and steal nutrients from them