The living desert (Level 1)

Did you know, that deserts are richt in flora and fauna? Despite of harsh living condistions, the animals and plants have evolved interesting strategies to survive in the dry climate. In this quiz you will discover some specialities of desert flora and fauna. Be prepared for some surprises!

You will find more hints and links in the answers.

: Three answers are correct.
: One answer ist correct.

Linktips:
Die UNESCO on the Year of Deserts
Geoscience Online on deserts and desertification.

1	Which of the following survival strategies does really exist?

	Camels can store gallons of water in their humps
	The black beetle makes "handstands" early in the morning before dawn in order to catch as much dew of water with their wings as possible. At the tip of the wings the water runs directly into the mouth of the beetle.
	In the tibet mountains there exists a camel species which can dring salt water.
	Desert turtles can survive several months without taking water to them.
Linktipp: www.lernzeit.de (in german)

2	Camels have developed a series of specialities to survive in the desert. Camels are capable of ...

	... taking up more than 100 Liters in 10 minutes.
	... raising their body temperatures to 41°C, so they have to sweat less and thus loose less water.
	... loosing upto 25% of their body weight through sweating without harmful consequences for their health.
	.. close their nostrils and ears during sandstorms to prevent sand from entering.

3	The giraffe is the tallest land-living animal on earth. How has it adapted to survive in the savanna?

	Giraffes have, unlike all other mammals, more than 7 neck vertebras
	Giraffes can survive weeks without drinking, since they take most of their water from the food.
	The heart of a giraffe is particularly strong in order to pump enough blood to the brain.
	Giraffes defend themselves against predators by kicking with their strong front hooves. Giraffes are therefore attacked very rarely.

4	Survival strategies of plants. Which of the following is correct?

	Some shrubs have networks of roots that are over 600 kilometers long and over 1000 square meters large.
	The Saguaro-Cactus collects upto 8000 Liters of water in its expandible 'stem' and root network.
	Acacias spread out their roots in the air in order to catch dew in the morning.
	«Living stones» are specialised succulents, which are perfectly camouflaged. As they look like the stones surrounding them, they can hardly be found by animals.