Animals and plants have to adapt to the dry environment by storing liquids such as water for extended periods of time
Example: Cacti
Hundreds of different animals that live in deserts; however, most can only be found at dawn or dusk because of the intense heat
Animals that come out at night are called nocturnal
Animals in the desert eat plants and each other to survive; many feed on the roots, stems, leaves, and seeds of plants
Camels are the most well known desert animals -- Their humps are mainly used to store fat reserves that can be broken down into food when crossing the desert
Some animals include: kangaroos, gazelles, camels, desert antelopes, snakes and lizards
Some plants have very long roots which grow into the ground to reach underground water sources -- they suck up and store the water
Other plants have shallow roots that are able to take in surface moisture quickly from heavy dews and occasional rains
Shortly after a big storm occurs, billions of seeds come to life in the form of flowering plants, or ephemerals
Some plants include: The mesquite tree, palo verde, sotol cactus, barrel cactus, and saguaro cactus