How do plants regulate water loss?
If plants are constantly losing water then how do our local plants deal with our dry, sometimes drought-ridden habitats? Many of our local species have evolved various physical and physiological adaptations to survive and even thrive in the dry conditions of our region. A basic example of a physical adaptation that occurs in nearly all land plants is the presence of a cuticle (a layer of wax on the outer surface of the plant) which is impervious to water. In some local plants such as the Beavertail Cactus (Opuntia basilaris) or Desert Agave (Agave deserti) found in the arid Anza-Borrego Desert, the cuticle is especially thick and strongly protective and can be seen as an obvious grayish layer over the exposed parts of the plants. However, having a cuticle that stops water loss means that you still need a way to lose water and to bring in carbon dioxide and this is done by having stomata. Stomata are openings in the epidermis which are controlled by the swelling and shrinking of two gua
