Desert Ecology

Water harvesting strategies and boom-bust population cycles
Sim Speed: 2x
Plants: 0
Herbivores: 0
Predators: 0
Water: 50%
Day: 0

Water Harvesting

Fog beetles collect dew on hydrophilic bumps. Cacti channel runoff to shallow roots. Namibian web spiders build fog-trapping webs. Every drop matters.

Boom-Bust Cycles

Desert rains trigger explosive wildflower blooms, insect hatches, and lizard population spikes. Busts follow as resources collapse. Cycles can span years.

Adaptations

CAM photosynthesis opens stomata at night. Kangaroo rats never drink — metabolic water only. Spadefoot toads encyst for years awaiting rain.