Imagine you are road-tripping across parts of the southwestern U.S.and decide to go hiking near a desert.You make some-observations bout the overall environment It's extremely hot, sunny, and dry. The soil looks sandy and rocky, and there are lots of spiky cacti dotting the landscape. During your hike,you see several lizards and snakes, and later in the day you notice a few mice running around. Additionally the locals have told you it hasn't rained in months and that it can get very cold at night when the sun sets. Which environmental factors of this desert would be considered abiotic? Select all that apply. Abundance of lizard species Temperature Soil mineral composition Abundance of mice species Lack of precipitation Cacti diversity Part 2 How might the biotic and abiotic factors in this desert affect the organishis that live there? Select all plausible options. Plants like cacti rely exclusively on rainfall as their water source. Lizards and snakes stay hydrated by eating other organisms or plant fluids. Desert plants prevent water loss by having an extra thick cuticle. Mice can overheat quickly.so they tend to rest underground during the day and are more active aboveground at night.

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Imagine you are road-tripping across parts of the southwestern U.S.and decide to go hiking near a desert.You make some-observations bout the overall environment It's extremely hot, sunny, and dry. The soil looks sandy and rocky, and there are lots of spiky cacti dotting the landscape. During your hike,you see several lizards and snakes, and later in the day you notice a few mice running around. Additionally the locals have told you it hasn't rained in months and that it can get very cold at night when the sun sets. Which environmental factors of this desert would be considered abiotic? Select all that apply. Abundance of lizard species Temperature Soil mineral composition Abundance of mice species Lack of precipitation Cacti diversity Part 2 How might the biotic and abiotic factors in this desert affect the organishis that live there? Select all plausible options. Plants like cacti rely exclusively on rainfall as their water source. Lizards and snakes stay hydrated by eating other organisms or plant fluids. Desert plants prevent water loss by having an extra thick cuticle. Mice can overheat quickly.so they tend to rest underground during the day and are more active aboveground at night.

Answer 1

**Part 1: Abiotic Factors**The abiotic (non-living) factors in the described desert environment are:* **Temperature:** The extreme heat is a non-living component of the environment.* **Soil mineral composition:** The sandy and rocky nature of the soil, including its mineral content, is an abiotic factor.* **Lack of precipitation:** The absence of rain is a non-living, climatic condition.**Part 2: Biotic and Abiotic Factor Interactions**The following statements plausibly describe how biotic (living) and abiotic factors interact in the desert:* **Lizards and snakes stay hydrated by eating other organisms or plant fluids.** Since water is scarce, desert animals have adapted to obtain water from their food sources.* **Desert plants prevent water loss by having an extra thick cuticle.** A thick cuticle is an adaptation that helps plants conserve water in arid environments.* **Mice can overheat quickly, so they tend to rest underground during the day and are more active aboveground at night.** This behavioral adaptation helps mice avoid the extreme daytime heat. The temperature (abiotic) influences the behavior (biotic) of the mice.The statement "Plants like cacti rely exclusively on rainfall as their water source" is **incorrect**. While cacti benefit from rainfall, they have adaptations to store water and survive extended periods of drought. They don't rely *exclusively* on rainfall.

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