▁Des ert s ▁support ▁diverse ▁communities ▁of ▁plant ▁and ▁animals ▁that ▁have ▁evol ved ▁resistance , ▁and ▁circum vent ing ▁methods ▁of ▁extreme ▁temper atures ▁and ▁ar id ▁conditions . ▁For ▁example , ▁desert ▁grass lands ▁are ▁more ▁hum id ▁and ▁slightly ▁cool er ▁than ▁its ▁surrounding ▁e cos ystem s . ▁Many ▁animals ▁obtain ▁energy ▁by ▁e ating ▁the ▁surrounding ▁veget ation , ▁however , ▁desert ▁plants ▁are ▁much ▁more ▁difficult ▁for ▁organ isms ▁to ▁consume . ▁To ▁avoid ▁inten se ▁temper atures , ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁small ▁desert ▁m amm als ▁are ▁no ct urn al , ▁living ▁in ▁bur rows ▁to ▁avoid ▁the ▁inten se ▁desert ▁sun ▁during ▁the ▁day time . ▁These ▁bur rows ▁prevent ▁over he ating ▁and ▁de h yd r ation ▁as ▁they ▁maintain ▁an ▁optimal ▁temperature ▁for ▁the ▁m amm al . ▁Des ert ▁e col ogy ▁is ▁character ized ▁by ▁dry , ▁al kal ine ▁so ils , ▁low ▁net ▁production ▁and ▁opportun istic ▁feed ing ▁patterns ▁by ▁her b iv ores ▁and ▁car n iv ores . ▁Other ▁organ isms ' ▁surv ival ▁tact ics ▁are ▁phys i olog ically ▁based . ▁Such ▁tact ics ▁include ▁the ▁completion ▁of ▁life ▁cycles ▁ahead ▁of ▁anticip ated ▁dr ought ▁seasons , ▁and ▁storing ▁water ▁with ▁the ▁help ▁of ▁special ized ▁org ans . ▁ ▁Des ert ▁clim ates ▁are ▁particularly ▁demand ing ▁on ▁end oth erm ic ▁organ isms . ▁However , ▁end oth erm ic ▁organ isms ▁have ▁adapted ▁mechan isms ▁to ▁aid ▁in