AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Root hairs grow quickly when there is rain to increase the surface area of absorption and later die when the ground dries up.

Detailed explanation-2: -Spines or hairs shade plants and break up drying winds across the leaf/stem surface. The roots of desert plants are also adapted to help them survive. Some plants have shallow, widespread roots to absorb a maximum of rainfall moisture. Others have deep taproots to get water that is deep underground.

Detailed explanation-3: -plants have shallow roots to help capture nutrients from the top level of soil. Drip-tips on leaves help shed excess water. Prop roots help support plants in the shallow soil. Some plants collect rainwater into a central reservoir.

Detailed explanation-4: -Some desert plants, like many succulents, have very shallow root systems under ground. By keeping their roots close to the surface, these plants are able to quickly take up water when there is even a small amount of rainfall.

Detailed explanation-5: -The two adaptations of desert plants that enable them to survive a scarcity of water are: Desert plants have fleshy stems, known as succulent stems, that can store water. The leaves of many desert plants, such as cacti are modified into spines to reduce loss of water.