771055651&s_kwcid=utah%20map|771055651|Desert plants tend to be widely scattered. The plants that survive compete for the small amount of water available, and so they cannot grow close together. Some desert plants obtain water from deep beneath the ground surface. For example, the mesquite tree has roots that extend as deep as 263 feet (81 meters). Other plants store large amounts of water in their leaves, roots, or stems. The stem of a barrel cactus swells with water after a rainfall and shrinks as the plant uses the water. Other plants survive by reducing their water loss. Most of this loss occurs through the leaves, and so some plants shed their leaves in dry periods. After a rainfall, colorful flowers cover parts of a desert. This dramatic change occurs because many desert plants do not grow in dry periods. After a rainfall, these plants quickly sprout, flower, and die.
Desert WQ
Precipitation:Less than 10" of rainfall a year
Elevation:
Biomes of Utah
Habitat
Precipitation total