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cacti live deserts and semiarid habitats in which rainfall is low and the mount of Most water present in the soil is very limited for much of the year. Under these dry conditions the key to survival is water management. How does a desert plant use the water available in the soil to grow, flower, and set seed before the soil dries out and growth stops or parts are killed by lack of water? Interestingly, there is no single strategy for all desert plants. For example, some plants are spendthrifts and use water freely, only to die or lose shoots when the supply is exhausted or cannot keep up with the demand. Some plants pace themselves and are more economical in water usage until the soil dries. Others are able to grow slowly or retain their leaves even when the soil is very dry. Still other plants rely upon their own large water reserves, and this strategy, of course, is what has made cacti so famous. Any cactus enthusiast would be happy to tell you how long a certain cactus plant in the collection survived without any water.
Approximate Word count = 680
Approximate Pages = 2.7
(250 words per page double spaced)
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