Even cacti suffer from drying caused by climate change

Cactus via The tribe consists of more than 1,800 species. Many grow in deserts and semi -defects, and even as houseplants, many are popular because they can do with little watering.

One could imagine cacti if that also tolerate drying caused by climate change. However, this is not so individual, telling their success factors that have deepened their success factors.

The reputation of the cactus as a master of drought is based on the fact that the species spectrum is the most abundant in Mexico’s semi -defect. From their birth environments from there and elsewhere in America, cactus has spread with people, especially to dry habitats around the world.

However, cacti in the Americas also live in a variety of humid and cooler environments.

Even the Mexican genre is not due to the enthusiasm of desert conditions. According to development history, the spectrum of cacti did not burst as the region dried up, but later due to other environmental factors.

To find out what cacti really specialize, that is, what has inspired them to produce new species, British, US and Mexican researchers made the learning computer program analyze the evolution of over a thousand cacti species.

Run It is evident that two environmental factors are affected by the day: the daily temperature variation and the sand content of the country of growth. The extreme do not praise cacti in either, but mediocrity is best suited for them.

In the deserts, the difference in temperature of the day and night can be up to 50 degrees. No ideal is for cacti, and one has not inspired them to sort. The most willing to adapt to the daily variation, which is only ten degrees Celsius.

Cacti are not at their best when competing with other plants in humid places, but enjoy storing water that flips through the sandy soil. However, they do not need a desert sand dune but mediocre sand.

Because cacti are more than average, they are also more sensitive to the extreme of climate change, researchers emphasize Nature Communications -in leaf.

Published science in nature 8/2024.