Abiotic and Biotic Factors
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Abiotic Factors in the Mojave Desert:
Since the Mojave is a desert, it is not filled with blooming life. Although these things are not alive, they play a large part in making a desert biome’s ecosystem what it is. Abiotic factors in the desert include water flow, temperature, wind, soil quality, movement along fault lines, and elevation.
Biotic Factors in the Mojave Desert:
Although the Mojave isn’t blooming with life, that does not mean that there is no life in the desert at all. Living organisms help make the desert what it is. Biotic factors play a great role, if not bigger than abiotic factors in the desert biome. Some of the biotic factors in the Mojave Desert are Joshua trees, white firs, ravens, cactus wrens, tarantulas, and the Mojave rattlesnake.
Since the Mojave is a desert, it is not filled with blooming life. Although these things are not alive, they play a large part in making a desert biome’s ecosystem what it is. Abiotic factors in the desert include water flow, temperature, wind, soil quality, movement along fault lines, and elevation.
Biotic Factors in the Mojave Desert:
Although the Mojave isn’t blooming with life, that does not mean that there is no life in the desert at all. Living organisms help make the desert what it is. Biotic factors play a great role, if not bigger than abiotic factors in the desert biome. Some of the biotic factors in the Mojave Desert are Joshua trees, white firs, ravens, cactus wrens, tarantulas, and the Mojave rattlesnake.
Density Dependent and Density Independent Limiting Factors
Density Dependent Limiting Factors in the Mojave Desert:
Density dependent limiting factors are plants or animals that rely on the density of the population to survive. For example, parasitism, food, predation, disease, and migration are all density dependent limiting factors. With food, if there are too many animals in the desert biome at the time, some animals will not be able to get enough food, and soon die because the food will be taken by the larger predators. Density dependent limiting factors depend mainly on carrying capacity and other animals
Density Independent Limiting Factors in the Mojave Desert:
Density independent limiting factors are non-living things that affect the population size regardless of thepopulation density. Examples of density independent limiting factors are natural disasters, weather conditions, water flow, and the soil quality. Soil quality could affect the population by, if it’s dry soil, not allowing plants to grow there, therefore creating less of a food source for herbivores. If there is less of a food source for one type of species, eventually lots of that species will die of hunger, or evolve into eating a new material.
Density dependent limiting factors are plants or animals that rely on the density of the population to survive. For example, parasitism, food, predation, disease, and migration are all density dependent limiting factors. With food, if there are too many animals in the desert biome at the time, some animals will not be able to get enough food, and soon die because the food will be taken by the larger predators. Density dependent limiting factors depend mainly on carrying capacity and other animals
Density Independent Limiting Factors in the Mojave Desert:
Density independent limiting factors are non-living things that affect the population size regardless of thepopulation density. Examples of density independent limiting factors are natural disasters, weather conditions, water flow, and the soil quality. Soil quality could affect the population by, if it’s dry soil, not allowing plants to grow there, therefore creating less of a food source for herbivores. If there is less of a food source for one type of species, eventually lots of that species will die of hunger, or evolve into eating a new material.
Consumers
A consumer is an animal that eats other animals, or their organic waste. In the food chain, a consumer is the middle link. The lowest is a producer, the highest is a predator, and the middle is a consumer. A good example of a consumer is rabbit. Rabbits eat plants such as grass and vegetables that grow naturally in the desert, as well as smaller animals and their organic wastes. There are two types of consumers, primary consumers and secondary consumers. A rabbit, which eats the grasses and weeds, is a primary consumer. A coyote, which eats rabbits and other small animals, is a secondary consumer. Ten examples of consumers in the Mojave are... insects, rats, lizards, quails, deer, snakes, hawks, coyotes, lions and spiders.
Producers
In the desert (especially the Mojave), producer plants have trouble finding nutrients because of lack of rainfall. Therefore, these producers rely heavily on creating their own food through photosynthesis and other methods of storing water. Cacti, for example, keep water in pouches under their thorny outer layer. Some animals can cut open cacti to get water. Ten examples of producers in the Mojave Desert are... Barrel Cacti, Brittle Bush, Chainfruit Cholla, Creosote Bush, Desert Ironwood, Joshua Tree, Jumping Cholla, Mojave Aster, Ocotillo and Palo Verde.
Predator-Prey Relationships
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There are multiple predator-prey relationships in the Mojave Desert. One of the more prominent predator-prey relationships is the bobcat and the mule deer. The mule deer makes up about sixty to eighty percent of the bobcat’s diet. The bobcat is very sensitive to changes in the mule deer’s population; it would be greatly affected if the mule deer’s population changed to be greater or lower in numbers. Both animals’ population would fluctuate similar to one another.
Another type of predator-prey relationship in the Mojave Desert is the relationship between the tarantula and the tarantula hawk. The tarantula hawk is a wasp that flies down and stings the tarantula, paralyzing it, allowing the tarantula hawk to lay its eggs on the back of the spider. When the eggs hatch, the spider is fully paralyzed and the newborn tarantula hawks eat the spider alive for nourishment. Again, both animals’ population would fluctuate similarly.
A hawk, a predator, eating a lizard, prey, is an example of a predator-prey relationship. A hawk eats many types of rodents, insects, and lizards. Once the lizard is spotted on the ground, the hawk dives down and attacks. In a situation like this, the hank is almost guaranteed to catch the lizard. The hawk does not have to drink water because it receives it from its prey.
Another type of predator-prey relationship in the Mojave Desert is the relationship between the tarantula and the tarantula hawk. The tarantula hawk is a wasp that flies down and stings the tarantula, paralyzing it, allowing the tarantula hawk to lay its eggs on the back of the spider. When the eggs hatch, the spider is fully paralyzed and the newborn tarantula hawks eat the spider alive for nourishment. Again, both animals’ population would fluctuate similarly.
A hawk, a predator, eating a lizard, prey, is an example of a predator-prey relationship. A hawk eats many types of rodents, insects, and lizards. Once the lizard is spotted on the ground, the hawk dives down and attacks. In a situation like this, the hank is almost guaranteed to catch the lizard. The hawk does not have to drink water because it receives it from its prey.
Endangered Species
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The Desert Tortoise is the most endangered species in the Mojave Desert. The scientific name for the Desert Tortoise is Gopherus agassizii. The tortoise is endangered due to human expansion, which is taking over the tortoise's habitat. Another factor that is dealing with human impact on the endangerment of the Desert Tortoise is the building and installment of solar power plants. There are currently about 100,000 tortoises in the Mojave Desert.
Role of Predation
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Predation is the consuming of one organism by another. While it seems that it is not necessary, it is completely is. Predators help maintain the ecosystem the way it is. The prey of the predators would become overpopulated and out of hand. The predators eat the prey so that their population is maintained, as well as the predators. Without as much prey, predators would not have a large food source, and they would die. There are many relationships in the Mojave that are based off of the role of predation. For example, the coyote feeds on jackrabbits. The coyote population keeps the jackrabbit population in check, without it jackrabbits would become overpopulated. Jackrabbits can reproduce very easily, which can make them a nuisance. Luckily, coyotes are not the only animals that feed on jackrabbits. Other animals such as hawks, snakes, and other birds of prey use jackrabbits as one of their primary food sources. Another example, that also has to do with the jackrabbit, is eating plants. Jackrabbits are herbivores, which means they eat only plants. Again, jackrabbits reproduce very easily so with all of the food, they would be a thriving species. In addition to all of the carnivores keeping their population in check, they are monitored by herbivores as well. Other herbivores eat a lot of the plants, so that the jackrabbits do not eat all of the food. The last relationship is between mule deer and mountain lions. The mule deer is one of the main parts of a mountain lions diet. If they were not a part of the diet, mule deer would become overpopulated and die from lack of resources. Since they are a part of the diet, the mountain lions make sure that does not happen. In addition to mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, and bears keep the mule deer population in check as well.
Keystone Species
The Keystone Species is the Desert Tortoise. It is the Desert Tortoise because of the fact that the tortoise creates microhabitats for many other species of animals.