Energetics of Desert Invertebrates

Desert invertebrates live in an environment where resources alternate unpredictably between brief periods of plenty and prolonged scarcity. This text describes the adaptive strategies of desert invertebrates in acquiring energy and sustaining life under such vicissitudes. Some co-operate in foraging; others compete for resources. Some are nomadic and migrate to more favourable sites as conditions change. Others conserve energy by going into a deep dormancy until better conditions return. Still others store food during plenty and retreat underground during less favourable times. The adaptive modes of husbanding scarce energy resources are diverse and lead to an appreciation of the intricate interactions of animals living near their environmental limits.