1 00:00:00,083 --> 00:00:02,209 FUNDING FORTHE DESERT SPEAKSHAS BEEN PROVIDED BY 2 00:00:02,209 --> 00:00:06,751 ASARCO INC. AN INTEGRATED PRODUCER OF NON-FERROUS METALS 3 00:00:06,751 --> 00:00:09,375 AND OTHER INDUSTRIAL MINERALS AND PRODUCTS. 4 00:00:09,375 --> 00:00:13,751 ASARCO INC. ADDING VALUE TO NATURE'S RESOURCES. 5 00:00:13,751 --> 00:00:15,999 AND HEADQUARTERED IN TUCSON, ARIZONA, 6 00:00:15,999 --> 00:00:18,042 INTERGROUP HEALTHCARE CORPORATION IS A MANAGED 7 00:00:18,042 --> 00:00:20,999 HEALTHCARE COMPANY SERVING MORE THAN A QUARTER MILLION MEMBERS. 8 00:00:20,999 --> 00:00:26,167 AND BY, THE ARIZONA GAME AND FISH HERITAGE FUND, 9 00:00:26,167 --> 00:00:30,999 ARIZONA'S LOTTERY DOLLARS WORKING FOR WILDLIFE. 10 00:00:30,999 --> 00:01:05,834 [MUSIC AND NATURE SOUNDS] 11 00:01:05,834 --> 00:01:09,999 NO ONE SEES THE WIND, NOT REALLY; JUST WHAT IT IT TOUCHES. 12 00:01:09,999 --> 00:01:12,167 A LEAF SHIVERS IN THE CORNER OF YOUR EYE 13 00:01:12,167 --> 00:01:16,918 AND YOU KNOW THE WIND HAS COME CLOSE. BUT THE WIND'S INVISIBLE 14 00:01:16,918 --> 00:01:20,334 EVEN WHEN IT'S NOT GENTLE AND WHOLE BUILDINGS SHIVER 15 00:01:20,334 --> 00:01:24,042 AND THINGS COME LOOSE FROM THE EARTH AND FLY. 16 00:01:24,042 --> 00:01:26,292 HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS MOODY GHOST IS ALSO 17 00:01:26,292 --> 00:01:29,292 A SYSTEMATIC AND PATIENT BUILDER. 18 00:01:29,292 --> 00:01:31,209 THE DESERT'S SAND DUNES ARE MADE WITH A TOUCH 19 00:01:31,209 --> 00:01:34,125 SO GRACEFUL THEY'RE NOT PILES OF SAND AT ALL. 20 00:01:34,125 --> 00:01:41,667 THEY'RE CREATURES.THEY CREEP, THEY GROW, THEY'RE NOT THE SAME 21 00:01:41,667 --> 00:01:44,999 TWO DAYS IN A ROW, LIKE LIVING THINGS. 22 00:01:44,999 --> 00:01:49,000 IT'S REALLY THE WIND OF COURSE BUT WHAT AN ANIMATOR. 23 00:01:49,000 --> 00:01:51,999 MAYBE IN WALT DISNEY'S WILDEST VISIONS THE EARTH 24 00:01:51,999 --> 00:01:54,999 CAN CREEP LIKE A VAPOR. BUT THESE VISIONS 25 00:01:54,999 --> 00:02:01,334 ARE REAL. AND THEY'RE MADE OF STONE. 26 00:02:01,334 --> 00:02:04,584 THIS IS MATURE DUNE SAND. SAND IS CONSIDERED 27 00:02:04,584 --> 00:02:07,125 MATURE WHEN IT'S GONE A LONG WAYS. 28 00:02:07,125 --> 00:02:09,125 WHEN IT'S TRAVELED DOWN A LOT OF RIVERS AND BLOWN IN 29 00:02:09,125 --> 00:02:14,292 A LOT OF WIND. AND THE WAY THAT YOU CAN TELL IT'S REAL MATURE IS 30 00:02:14,292 --> 00:02:17,292 BECAUSE IF YOU WERE TO LOOK AT THIS UNDER A MICROSCOPE, 31 00:02:17,292 --> 00:02:19,584 YOU WOULD SEE THAT IT'S VERY FINE GRAIN, 32 00:02:19,584 --> 00:02:24,542 VERY WELL ROUNDED, VERY--ON THE AVERAGE, SMALL GRAINS. 33 00:02:24,542 --> 00:02:28,501 AND ALSO, THAT IT HAD A VERY HOMOGENEOUS COMPOSITION. 34 00:02:28,501 --> 00:02:35,876 IT'S MOSTLY QUARTZ GRAINS, OVER NINETY PERCENT QUARTZ. 35 00:02:35,876 --> 00:02:37,999 SOMETIMES SAND GRAINS CAN ROLL A MILLION MILES 36 00:02:37,999 --> 00:02:38,999 JUST GOING BACK AND FORTH ON A BEACH 37 00:02:38,999 --> 00:02:41,999 OR UP AND DOWN IN THE WIND OF A DESERT. AND THAT WILL REALLY 38 00:02:41,999 --> 00:02:45,834 ROUND THE SAND GRAIN AND MAKE IT OBVIOUSLY VERY MATURE. 39 00:02:45,834 --> 00:02:48,999 THE WIND HAS THE POWER TO MAKE A SAND GRAIN MATURE 40 00:02:48,999 --> 00:02:52,125 BECAUSE IT CAN BLOW A SAND GRAIN A HUNDRED MILES AN HOUR, 41 00:02:52,125 --> 00:02:55,125 WHEREAS A STREAM IS NEVER GOING TO GO THAT FAST. 42 00:02:55,125 --> 00:02:58,334 A RIVER CAN FLOW SEVERAL MILES AN HOUR, BUT THE WIND 43 00:02:58,334 --> 00:03:07,999 CAN CARRY IT FAST ENOUGH TO CHIP OFF ALL THOSE CORNERS. 44 00:03:07,999 --> 00:03:12,250 THE SAND OF THIS DESERT ESSENTIALLY CAME DOWN 45 00:03:12,250 --> 00:03:16,626 THE COLORADO RIVER. AND ALL THE TRIBUTARIES THAT COME INTO 46 00:03:16,626 --> 00:03:18,959 THE COLORADO ARE CARRYING SAND, 47 00:03:18,959 --> 00:03:20,083 AND SO IF YOU WERE TO GO OUT, 48 00:03:20,083 --> 00:03:22,042 IF YOU LIVED SAY IN THE SOUTHWEST JUST ABOUT 49 00:03:22,042 --> 00:03:25,417 ANYWHERE OR IN UTAH OR IN ARIZONA OR SOUTHEAST CALIFORNIA, 50 00:03:25,417 --> 00:03:28,209 YOU COULD LOOK AT YOUR LOCAL MOUNTAIN RANGE, 51 00:03:28,209 --> 00:03:30,999 AND THREE HUNDRED MILLION YEARS FROM NOW, 52 00:03:30,999 --> 00:03:32,626 THAT'S ALL GOING TO BE RIGHT DOWN HERE 53 00:03:32,626 --> 00:03:34,999 IN THIS DESERT SOMEWHERE OR ALONG THE SEA OF CORTEZ. 54 00:03:34,999 --> 00:03:36,042 THE REASON THAT'S HAPPENING IS BECAUSE 55 00:03:36,042 --> 00:03:37,999 THE COLORADO RIVER IS TAKING ALL THOSE DRAINAGES 56 00:03:37,999 --> 00:03:40,834 AND ALL THAT SAND'S JUST GOING DOWN TO THE BEACH. 57 00:03:40,834 --> 00:03:42,999 AND ONCE IT GETS TO THE BEACH, 58 00:03:42,999 --> 00:03:47,667 THEN IT FORMS--THE WAVES ROLL IT AROUND ON 59 00:03:47,667 --> 00:03:50,042 THE BEACH FOR A WHILE UNTIL THE WIND COMES ALONG, 60 00:03:50,042 --> 00:03:51,751 WE GET MOST OF OUR WEATHER FROM THE WEST, 61 00:03:51,751 --> 00:03:56,209 AND THE WIND COMES IN AND BLOWS THE SAND OFF THE BEACH 62 00:03:56,209 --> 00:04:02,999 AND THEN ACROSS THE DESERT AND CAN FORM DUNES LIKE THESE. 63 00:04:02,999 --> 00:04:04,999 TWO OF THE SONORAN DESERT'S DUNE SYSTEMS 64 00:04:04,999 --> 00:04:09,000 LIE ALONG EITHER SIDE OF THE LOWER END OF THE COLORADO RIVER: 65 00:04:09,000 --> 00:04:14,167 THE ALGODONES DUNES AND THE MOHAWK DUNES. 66 00:04:14,167 --> 00:04:17,459 THE DUNES.THE WAY THE SAND GRAINS MOVE IS IN 67 00:04:17,459 --> 00:04:19,792 A LIGHT WIND, THEY JUST CREEP ALONG UP THE 68 00:04:19,792 --> 00:04:24,375 BACK SIDE OF A DUNE UNTIL THEY GET TO THE TOP OF IT, 69 00:04:24,375 --> 00:04:25,250 WHICH IS ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE, 70 00:04:25,250 --> 00:04:26,876 AND THEN THEY JUST SPILL DOWN IN SHEETS 71 00:04:26,876 --> 00:04:29,250 DOWN THE STEEP SLOPE ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE. 72 00:04:29,250 --> 00:04:31,667 THAT'S CALLED THE SLIP FACE. 73 00:04:31,667 --> 00:04:34,042 THE SAND GRAINS, WHEN THEY'RE ACTUALLY MOVING 74 00:04:34,042 --> 00:04:36,999 IN A LITTLE BIT STRONGER WIND, WILL START TO BOUNCE UP 75 00:04:36,999 --> 00:04:38,999 OFF THE GROUND AND BE CARRIED FOR A SHORT DISTANCE 76 00:04:38,999 --> 00:04:41,375 IN THE WIND BEFORE THEY LAND BACK ON THE SAND DUNE AGAIN. 77 00:04:41,375 --> 00:04:43,959 AND AFTER THEY'RE CARRIED FOR A FEW FEET AND LAND AGAIN, 78 00:04:43,959 --> 00:04:46,751 THEY'VE DEVELOPED QUITE A BIT OF SPEED, AND WHEN THEY HIT, 79 00:04:46,751 --> 00:04:48,999 THEY'LL KNOCK OTHER SAND GRAINS UP IN THE AIR. 80 00:04:48,999 --> 00:04:51,459 SO, THE SAND GRAINS IN A LITTLE BIT STRONGER WIND 81 00:04:51,459 --> 00:04:53,459 ARE ACTUALLY HOPPING UP THE SLOPE, 82 00:04:53,459 --> 00:04:54,959 A PROCESS THAT WE CALL SALTATION, 83 00:04:54,959 --> 00:04:57,125 OR JUST THE HOPPING OF THE SAND GRAINS. 84 00:04:57,125 --> 00:04:58,125 AND THEN WHEN THEY GET TO THE TOP, 85 00:04:58,125 --> 00:05:00,792 THEY CAN FALL DOWN THE OTHER SIDE. NOW THIS WON'T HAPPEN 86 00:05:00,792 --> 00:05:02,918 IN A VERY SMALL DUNE WHEN IT'S JUST BEGINNING. 87 00:05:02,918 --> 00:05:05,999 BUT, ONCE A DUNE GETS TO BE ABOUT FIFTEEN FEET LONG, 88 00:05:05,999 --> 00:05:07,792 IT HAS ENOUGH LENGTH ON IT TO BE A, 89 00:05:07,792 --> 00:05:11,959 KIND OF HAVE A SHADOW EFFECT FOR THE WIND. 90 00:05:11,959 --> 00:05:14,792 SO, THE WIND BLOWING ACROSS IT IS PARTIALLY STOPPED, 91 00:05:14,792 --> 00:05:16,918 AND IT CAUSES THE SAND GRAINS TO FLOW 92 00:05:16,918 --> 00:05:19,083 IN LITTLE EDDIES ON THE DOWNWIND SIDE OF THE DUNE 93 00:05:19,083 --> 00:05:21,999 AND STOP THERE AND IT'LL MAKE THE DUNES START 94 00:05:21,999 --> 00:05:23,999 TO GROW BIGGER AND BIGGER AND BIGGER AND BIGGER. 95 00:05:23,999 --> 00:05:25,999 BECAUSE THE BIGGER THE DUNE GETS, 96 00:05:25,999 --> 00:05:28,876 THE MORE IT BLOCKS THE WIND AND THE MORE SAND IS ADDED. 97 00:05:28,876 --> 00:05:30,876 SO, IT'S THE MORE YOU GET, THE MORE YOU GET. 98 00:05:30,876 --> 00:05:32,834 IT'S WHAT WE CALL A POSITIVE FEEDBACK PROCESS, 99 00:05:32,834 --> 00:05:35,959 WHICH IS SIMILAR TO THE IDEA THAT THE RICH GET RICHER: 100 00:05:35,959 --> 00:05:41,959 THE MORE YOU GET, THE MORE YOU GET. 101 00:05:41,959 --> 00:05:44,292 AFTER A DUNE GETS A COUPLE HUNDRED FEET HIGH, 102 00:05:44,292 --> 00:05:45,876 IT CAN'T GROW ANY HIGHER BECAUSE THE SAND 103 00:05:45,876 --> 00:05:48,751 IS BLOWING SO FAST THAT IT BLOWS THE TOP OFF THE DUNE. 104 00:05:48,751 --> 00:05:50,999 SO THAT'S CALLED A NEGATIVE FEEDBACK PROCESS. 105 00:05:50,999 --> 00:05:53,918 IT'S JUST THE OPPOSITE. ONCE THE DUNE GETS A CERTAIN HEIGHT, 106 00:05:53,918 --> 00:05:55,999 IT HAS A SELF-REGULATING MECHANISM BY WHICH IT CAN'T 107 00:05:55,999 --> 00:06:02,792 GROW ANY HIGHER BECAUSE OF THE WIND SPEED THAT IT GENERATES. 108 00:06:02,792 --> 00:06:05,999 SOME OF THESE SAND GRAINS, IF YOU LOOK AT THEM CLOSELY, 109 00:06:05,999 --> 00:06:08,792 CAN TAKE ON ALMOST A FROSTED APPEARANCE, SORT OF LIKE 110 00:06:08,792 --> 00:06:11,709 FROSTED GLASS THAT'S BEEN SANDBLASTED OR SOMETHING. 111 00:06:11,709 --> 00:06:14,959 AND THEY FOR A LONG TIME THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS BECAUSE OF 112 00:06:14,959 --> 00:06:16,167 JUST THE SAND GRAINS RUNNING INTO EACH OTHER 113 00:06:16,167 --> 00:06:18,584 AND BOUNCING OFF EACH OTHER AND MAKING IT FROSTED, 114 00:06:18,584 --> 00:06:20,584 BUT NOW IT'S REALIZED THAT THAT'S NOT TRUE. 115 00:06:20,584 --> 00:06:22,667 THAT THE FROSTING ON THESE LITTLE SAND GRAINS IS 116 00:06:22,667 --> 00:06:28,417 A RESULT OF THE DEW ACTUALLY ETCHING THE GRAIN A LITTLE BIT. 117 00:06:28,417 --> 00:06:31,501 AND WHEN IT DOES THAT, IT SHOWS YOU THAT SILICA, 118 00:06:31,501 --> 00:06:33,792 WHICH IS WHAT SAND IS MADE OUT OF, EVEN THOUGH 119 00:06:33,792 --> 00:06:36,334 IT'S A VERY HARD MATERIAL CAN BE SLOWLY DISSOLVED. 120 00:06:36,334 --> 00:06:38,667 NOW IF YOU DIG DOWN FAR ENOUGH IN THIS DUNE, 121 00:06:38,667 --> 00:06:41,000 YOU'RE GOING TO COME TO A PLACE WHERE IT'S DAMP AND 122 00:06:41,000 --> 00:06:42,999 WHERE THERE'S ENOUGH MOISTURE TO REALLY START 123 00:06:42,999 --> 00:06:46,876 DISSOLVING A LITTLE BIT OF THE SAND, JUST A TINY BIT. 124 00:06:46,876 --> 00:06:49,999 BUT THAT DISSOLVED SILICA THEN IS IN THE GROUND WATER, 125 00:06:49,999 --> 00:06:52,292 AND IT WILL MOVE SLOWLY OUT TO SEA. 126 00:06:52,292 --> 00:06:53,959 AND WHEN IT GETS TO THE SEA, 127 00:06:53,959 --> 00:06:56,501 A VERY INTERESTING SEQUENCE OF EVENTS BEGINS TO OCCUR 128 00:06:56,501 --> 00:06:58,918 BECAUSE LITTLE SEA CREATURES, 129 00:06:58,918 --> 00:07:02,709 THE PLANKTON OF THE SEA, DIATOMS AND RADIOLARIANS 130 00:07:02,709 --> 00:07:04,876 AND OTHER SEA CREATURES, WILL BUILD THEIR 131 00:07:04,876 --> 00:07:07,959 LITTLE SHELLS OUT OF DISSOLVED SILICA. 132 00:07:07,959 --> 00:07:10,000 AND ONCE THEY'VE BUILT THEIR SHELLS OUT OF THIS 133 00:07:10,000 --> 00:07:13,999 DISSOLVED SILICA, THEN THE ANIMAL FLOATS ALONG IN THE SEA 134 00:07:13,999 --> 00:07:18,834 AND IT USES VARIOUS COMPOUNDS AND HAS A METABOLIC PROCESS, 135 00:07:18,834 --> 00:07:20,792 JUST AS HUMANS DO OR ANY OTHER ANIMAL, 136 00:07:20,792 --> 00:07:23,292 AND ONE OF THE BYPRODUCTS OF THE PROCESS 137 00:07:23,292 --> 00:07:27,000 OF THIS PLANKTON IS WHAT WE CALL DIMETHYL SULFIDES, 138 00:07:27,000 --> 00:07:29,999 WHICH IS A COMPOUND CONTAINING CARBON AND SULFUR. 139 00:07:29,999 --> 00:07:32,375 AND WHEN THEY GIVE OFF THE DIMETHYL SULFIDES, 140 00:07:32,375 --> 00:07:35,834 THESE LITTLE SEA CREATURES THAT ARE USING SILICA, 141 00:07:35,834 --> 00:07:37,999 THE SAME STUFF THAT SAND'S MADE OUT OF, 142 00:07:37,999 --> 00:07:40,999 THEY GIVE OFF THIS MATERIAL INTO THE ATMOSPHERE, 143 00:07:40,999 --> 00:07:46,999 IT GOES UP INTO THE AIR AND FORMS SEEDS FOR CLOUDS TO GROW. 144 00:07:46,999 --> 00:07:48,584 SO THE MORE PLANKTON THERE IS, 145 00:07:48,584 --> 00:07:51,375 THE MORE CLOUDS WILL COVER THAT IMMEDIATE REGION. 146 00:07:51,375 --> 00:07:55,209 THE MORE CLOUDS THERE ARE, THE MORE REFLECTIVITY THE EARTH HAS 147 00:07:55,209 --> 00:07:57,542 IN THAT REGION, AND SO THESUNLIGHT DOESN'T HIT 148 00:07:57,542 --> 00:08:00,542 THE EARTH AS HARD, AND THE SUNLIGHT BOUNCES OFF THE CLOUDS, 149 00:08:00,542 --> 00:08:02,667 AND THE EARTH COOLS DOWN THEN BECAUSE 150 00:08:02,667 --> 00:08:04,626 NOT AS MUCH SUN IS HITTING THE EARTH. 151 00:08:04,626 --> 00:08:08,876 SO WE NOW REALIZE THAT THE PLANKTON ARE COOLING 152 00:08:08,876 --> 00:08:11,999 THE EARTH TO SOME EXTENT, POSSIBLY SOME KIND OF 153 00:08:11,999 --> 00:08:13,667 A NEGATIVE FEEDBACK PROCESS FOR 154 00:08:13,667 --> 00:08:15,918 THE HEATING THAT THE EARTH CAN UNDERGO. 155 00:08:15,918 --> 00:08:18,999 SO IT MIGHT BE A SELF-REGULATING THERMOSTAT 156 00:08:18,999 --> 00:08:20,542 FOR THE EARTH THAT INVOLVES SAND, 157 00:08:20,542 --> 00:08:22,999 OR INVOLVES SILICA FROM SAND LIKE THIS, 158 00:08:22,999 --> 00:08:26,918 AND ALSO INVOLVES A LIVING CREATURE. WHEN YOU GET CLOSE 159 00:08:26,918 --> 00:08:31,709 ENOUGH TO SEE ACTUAL GRAINS OF SAND, YOU'RE ALSO AT A GOOD 160 00:08:31,709 --> 00:08:35,000 DISTANCE FOR WATCHING SOME TRULY LIVING CREATURES. 161 00:08:35,000 --> 00:08:37,292 INSECTS MAKE HOMES IN THE WINDY DUNES. 162 00:08:37,292 --> 00:08:42,792 BUT THEN INSECTS DIDN'T GET TO BE THE MOST NUMEROUS CREATURES 163 00:08:42,792 --> 00:08:47,999 ON EARTH BY DECLINING TO ADAPT IN THE TOUGHER PLACES. 164 00:08:47,999 --> 00:08:52,125 THE INSECTS IN THE DUNES HAVE TO ADAPT TO THE DESERT JUST LIKE 165 00:08:52,125 --> 00:08:55,876 ANYTHING IN ANY DESERT AREA. AND THEY HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT 166 00:08:55,876 --> 00:08:59,999 THE HEAT AND WHAT TO DO TO AVOID THE HEAT. 167 00:08:59,999 --> 00:09:01,999 SO THEY'RE MOSTLY ACTIVE DURING THE DAY, 168 00:09:01,999 --> 00:09:07,501 IN THE MORNING AND IN THE EVENING. 169 00:09:07,501 --> 00:09:10,834 THE FRINGES ON THE TOES OF THE SAND TREADER CRICKET 170 00:09:10,834 --> 00:09:14,209 ALLOW THEM TO DIG THEIR DEEP BURROWS INTO THE SAND. 171 00:09:14,209 --> 00:09:17,999 AND THE WAY THAT THEY CAN DO THIS IS THAT THEY WILL 172 00:09:17,999 --> 00:09:20,000 ACTUALLY DIG WITH THEIR FRONT LEGS AND THE BACK LEGS HAVE 173 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:23,999 THESE FRINGES WHICH MAKE THEIR BACK LEGS LIKE LITTLE BASKETS. 174 00:09:23,999 --> 00:09:26,918 AND THEY'LL THROW THE SAND OUT OF THE HOLE AS IF THEY'RE 175 00:09:26,918 --> 00:09:29,999 TAKING BASKETS FULL OF SAND AND THROWING THEM OUT. 176 00:09:29,999 --> 00:09:36,584 THE FRINGES PROBABLY ALSO HELP THEM WALK ON THE SAND 177 00:09:36,584 --> 00:09:38,626 BECAUSE IT'S LIKE WEARING SNOW SHOES. 178 00:09:38,626 --> 00:09:40,834 YOU'RE EVENING OUT YOUR WEIGHT ON THE TOP 179 00:09:40,834 --> 00:09:42,292 AND YOU'RE NOT FALLING INTO THE SAND. 180 00:09:42,292 --> 00:09:47,751 I'M SURE THEY CAN LOCOMOTE A LOT BETTER THAT WAY. 181 00:09:47,751 --> 00:09:51,000 THE SAND TREADER SPENDS MOST OF ITS LIFE UNDERGROUND, 182 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:54,834 AND ESPECIALLY MAY AND JUNE WOULD BE HOTTEST TIMES 183 00:09:54,834 --> 00:09:58,334 OF THE YEAR, AND IT'S ALMOST EXCLUSIVELY UNDERGROUND. 184 00:09:58,334 --> 00:10:02,042 THE EGGS ARE LAID, AND THEY'RE ROOTED IN THE CHAMBER, 185 00:10:02,042 --> 00:10:04,542 WHICH MAY BE UP TO TWO FEET IN THE GROUND, 186 00:10:04,542 --> 00:10:09,083 AND THEN AFTER THE RAINS BEGIN IN THE SUMMERS, THE YOUNG WILL 187 00:10:09,083 --> 00:10:16,999 START COMING OUT AND THEY'LL BUILD THEIR OWN BURROW. 188 00:10:16,999 --> 00:10:19,667 THE GIANT HAIRY SCORPION, WHICH IS ALSO FOUND IN THE DUNES, 189 00:10:19,667 --> 00:10:23,876 IT MODIFIES ITS BEHAVIOR THE SAME WAY OTHER INSECTS WOULD 190 00:10:23,876 --> 00:10:27,250 TO AVOID THE HEAT AND AVOID BEING DESICCATED. 191 00:10:27,250 --> 00:10:29,292 IT ALSO IS ABLE TO DIG FAIRLY DEEP 192 00:10:29,292 --> 00:10:31,999 BURROWS IN THE SAND LIKE THE SAND TREADER, 193 00:10:31,999 --> 00:10:35,334 AND IT'S GOT A NICE ADAPTATION IN THAT IT HAS EIGHT LEGS 194 00:10:35,334 --> 00:10:38,000 RATHER THAN SIX AND IT CAN DIG A LITTLE BIT MORE 195 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:40,292 EFFICIENTLY THAN SAY A SIX-LEGGED ANIMAL. 196 00:10:40,292 --> 00:10:43,125 BUT, IT DOESN'T HAVE ANY SORT OF SPECIAL FRINGES 197 00:10:43,125 --> 00:10:45,292 ON ITS TOES THE WAY THAT THE SAND TREADER DOES. 198 00:10:45,292 --> 00:10:48,167 BUT IT'S A PRETTY GOOD DIGGER ITSELF AND IT WILL DIG IN, 199 00:10:48,167 --> 00:10:50,042 TAKE A REST, DIG SOME MORE, 200 00:10:50,042 --> 00:10:53,751 UNTIL IT GETS ITSELF INTO THE SOIL AND IT'S IN A RELATIVELY 201 00:10:53,751 --> 00:11:00,999 MOIST AND WARMER, RATHER, COOLER PLACE TO STAY. 202 00:11:00,999 --> 00:11:04,584 ONE OF THE BEETLES THAT'S REALLY COMMON IS THE PINACATE BEETLE, 203 00:11:04,584 --> 00:11:08,501 AND THERE'S SEVERAL DIFFERENT SPECIES OF IF THAT OCCUR THERE. 204 00:11:08,501 --> 00:11:11,667 THEY WILL ALSO BE ACTIVE PRIMARILY IN THE EARLY MORNING 205 00:11:11,667 --> 00:11:15,459 HOURS, AND THEY WOULD EVEN BE ACTIVE MORE IN THE EVENING. 206 00:11:15,459 --> 00:11:18,751 TO AVOID THEIR PREDATORS, THEY HAVE A CHEMICAL DEFENSE 207 00:11:18,751 --> 00:11:20,751 WHICH THEY USE, AND YOU CAN SEE, 208 00:11:20,751 --> 00:11:23,459 SOMETIMES WHEN YOU SEE THEM WALKING, THEY'LL BE WALKING 209 00:11:23,459 --> 00:11:25,542 WITH THEIR HIND ENDS STUCK UP IN THE AIR. 210 00:11:25,542 --> 00:11:28,542 AND THIS IS IN PREPARATION FOR DEALING WITH A PREDATOR. 211 00:11:28,542 --> 00:11:31,417 IT WOULD EXUDE A CHEMICAL FROM ITS HIND END THAT WOULD 212 00:11:31,417 --> 00:11:39,959 DETER PREDATORS. SOMETIMES THESE BEETLES MAY EVEN PLAY DEAD. 213 00:11:39,959 --> 00:11:41,667 AND IF A PREDATOR HAS COME ALONG AND GOTTEN 214 00:11:41,667 --> 00:11:43,959 A GOOD DOSE OF ITS CHEMICAL DEFENSE, 215 00:11:43,959 --> 00:11:48,375 THE BEETLE MAY STILL PLAY DEAD TO AVOID BEING ACTIVE 216 00:11:48,375 --> 00:11:51,918 AND NOT MOVING, AND MOVEMENT OFTEN CUES 217 00:11:51,918 --> 00:11:53,626 PREDATORS TO GO AFTER SOMETHING. 218 00:11:53,626 --> 00:11:55,959 SO IF IT'S PLAYING DEAD AND IT ALSO HAS THIS 219 00:11:55,959 --> 00:11:58,042 TERRIBLE CHEMICAL SCENT TO IT, 220 00:11:58,042 --> 00:12:04,792 MOST PREDATORS ARE GOING TO LEAVE IT ALONE. 221 00:12:04,792 --> 00:12:07,751 THE ANTS THAT ARE IN THE DUNES HAVE THE SAME 222 00:12:07,751 --> 00:12:11,584 PROBLEMS THAT ANY DESERT ANIMAL DOES. 223 00:12:11,584 --> 00:12:13,959 ONE OF THEIR OTHER PROBLEMS IN ADDITION TO THAT 224 00:12:13,959 --> 00:12:16,167 IS GOING TO BE THEIR FOOD. 225 00:12:16,167 --> 00:12:18,542 THERE ISN'T A LOT OF VEGETATION THAT GROWS IN THE DUNES, 226 00:12:18,542 --> 00:12:23,083 AND THEY'RE VERY DEPENDENT ON THE SEEDS OF THE GRASSES. 227 00:12:23,083 --> 00:12:25,834 SO THEY HAVE TO TIME THEIR ACTIVITY TO WHEN 228 00:12:25,834 --> 00:12:30,999 THE GRASSES ARE ACTUALLY IN SEED. 229 00:12:30,999 --> 00:12:32,250 THE ANTS, WHEN THEY'RE BUILDING THEIR TUNNELS 230 00:12:32,250 --> 00:12:35,999 IN THE DESERT, IN THE DUNES MIGHT HAVE SOME PROBLEMS 231 00:12:35,999 --> 00:12:38,999 WITH THE SAND BEING SO LOOSE. 232 00:12:38,999 --> 00:12:44,999 THEIR TUNNELS MIGHT COLLAPSE AND SUCH LIKE THAT. 233 00:12:44,999 --> 00:12:48,999 I WOULD SUSPECT THAT UNDER THE TOP LAYERS OF SAND, THE SAND IS 234 00:12:48,999 --> 00:12:54,542 A BIT MORE MOIST AND IT STICKS TOGETHER BETTER. 235 00:12:54,542 --> 00:12:58,584 THE ROBBER FLY SEEMS TO BE PRETTY COMMON IN THE DUNE AREA. 236 00:12:58,584 --> 00:13:01,876 AND THESE FLIES TYPICALLY ARE PREDATORS. 237 00:13:01,876 --> 00:13:04,667 EVEN AS LARVAL FORMS, THEY'RE PREDATORS. 238 00:13:04,667 --> 00:13:07,792 THEY EAT OTHER SMALL INSECTS. 239 00:13:07,792 --> 00:13:10,501 THE ROBBER FLY, AS FAR AS LIVING IN THE DUNES, 240 00:13:10,501 --> 00:13:13,000 HAS NO SPECIAL ADAPTATIONS, PHYSICALLY, 241 00:13:13,000 --> 00:13:16,501 BUT THESE INSECTS SEEM TO BE ABLE TO ADAPT 242 00:13:16,501 --> 00:13:21,959 BEHAVIORALLY TO THIS KIND OF CLIMATE. 243 00:13:21,959 --> 00:13:24,999 FOR MOST INSECTS, LIFE ON THE DUNES IS GOING TO BE A REAL HARD 244 00:13:24,999 --> 00:13:30,667 TIME. IT'S VERY ARDUOUS BECAUSE THERE'S VERY LITTLE WATER, 245 00:13:30,667 --> 00:13:33,125 THERE'S VERY LITTLE FOOD, AND THE FACT THAT THE 246 00:13:33,125 --> 00:13:37,042 INSECTS OCCUR HERE MEANS THAT THEY ARE INCREDIBLY 247 00:13:37,042 --> 00:13:39,542 ADAPTIVE BEHAVIORALLY TO BE ABLE TO DEAL WITH 248 00:13:39,542 --> 00:13:43,459 DIFFERENT SORTS OF ENVIRONMENTS. 249 00:13:43,459 --> 00:13:46,918 FOR THINGS THAT WALK AND CRAWL IT'S DEFINITELY A CHALLENGE 250 00:13:46,918 --> 00:13:50,626 TO HAVE THE EARTH BENEATH YOUR FEET SHIFTING ALL THE TIME. 251 00:13:50,626 --> 00:13:54,334 BUT PLANTS CAN'T EVEN STEP ALONG AND TRY ANOTHER SPOT. 252 00:13:54,334 --> 00:13:58,834 THEY'VE GOT TO GET IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME. 253 00:13:58,834 --> 00:14:00,834 ONE OF THE CHARACTERISTICS THAT ALL OF THE 254 00:14:00,834 --> 00:14:04,083 DUNE PLANTS SHARE IN COMMON IS THE ABILITY TO SURVIVE 255 00:14:04,083 --> 00:14:08,542 IN THE UNIQUE ENVIRONMENT OF THE SAND. 256 00:14:08,542 --> 00:14:10,209 THE WIND BLOWS IT BACK AND FORTH, 257 00:14:10,209 --> 00:14:12,709 BLOWS IT AWAY FROM THE ROOTS OF PLANTS, 258 00:14:12,709 --> 00:14:14,999 PILES IT UP ON PLANTS, BURIES PLANTS. 259 00:14:14,999 --> 00:14:17,209 AND THE OTHER CHARACTERISTIC SAND HAS 260 00:14:17,209 --> 00:14:19,709 IS THAT IT HAS SPACE BETWEEN THE GRAINS. 261 00:14:19,709 --> 00:14:23,999 AND THAT SPACE ALLOWS WATER TO INFILTRATE 262 00:14:23,999 --> 00:14:26,375 DEEPLY INTO THE SAND, ALLOWS THE SAND TO HOLD WATER LIKE A SPONGE 263 00:14:26,375 --> 00:14:30,292 SO THAT IT DOESN'T DRY OUT AS FAST AS OTHER SOILS DO. 264 00:14:30,292 --> 00:14:32,667 WHAT YOU FIND IS THAT PLANTS THAT LIVE IN THE SAND 265 00:14:32,667 --> 00:14:35,834 HAVE VERY FAST GROWING ROOTS. 266 00:14:35,834 --> 00:14:37,834 AS SEEDLINGS, THE ROOTS GROW DEEP, 267 00:14:37,834 --> 00:14:38,999 STRAIGHT DOWN VERY RAPIDLY, 268 00:14:38,999 --> 00:14:43,209 MUCH FASTER THAN THEY SEND ENERGY TO ABOVE GROUND GROWTH. 269 00:14:43,209 --> 00:14:45,999 AS WELL, WHEN THE PLANTS ON THE DUNES GET 270 00:14:45,999 --> 00:14:49,250 EXCAVATED BY THE WIND, AS SAND BLOWS AWAY FROM THE ROOTS, 271 00:14:49,250 --> 00:14:50,250 THEY'RE ABLE TO SURVIVE THAT. 272 00:14:50,250 --> 00:14:53,918 THE ROOTS DEVELOP A HARDENED SURFACE AND 273 00:14:53,918 --> 00:14:55,000 THEY GET VERY WOODY, AND THEY'RE ABLE TO 274 00:14:55,000 --> 00:14:58,042 ACTUALLY PERSIST WITH A DEEP EXCAVATION OF THE ROOTS, WHEREAS 275 00:14:58,042 --> 00:15:03,375 MANY OTHER PLANTS MIGHT NOT SURVIVE THAT KIND OF EXCAVATION. 276 00:15:03,375 --> 00:15:05,667 ANOTHER FEATURE YOU SEE IN SOME DUNE PLANTS, 277 00:15:05,667 --> 00:15:09,626 SOME OF THE DUNE ENDEMICS, IS THAT THEY DEVELOP VERY ERECT 278 00:15:09,626 --> 00:15:13,584 UPRIGHT GROWTH FORM, WHEREAS THEIR CLOSE RELATIVES IN THE 279 00:15:13,584 --> 00:15:16,250 NON-DUNE HABITAT MIGHT SPREAD OUT AND BECOME VERY BUSHY. 280 00:15:16,250 --> 00:15:20,501 THE DUNE SPECIES GROWS VERY RAPIDLY, VERY ERECT, AS A 281 00:15:20,501 --> 00:15:23,584 MECHANISM TO AVOID GETTING BURIED BY THE MOVING SAND. 282 00:15:23,584 --> 00:15:26,542 SO YOU FIND THAT COMBINATION OF CHARACTERS IN SOME SPECIES, 283 00:15:26,542 --> 00:15:28,792 THE ABILITY TO WITHSTAND BEING EXCAVATED BY THE WIND, 284 00:15:28,792 --> 00:15:30,876 AS WELL AS THE ABILITY TO WITHSTAND BEING BURIED BY THE 285 00:15:30,876 --> 00:15:36,999 BLOWING SAND. WELL, SEVERAL OF THE PLANTS THAT WE FIND AROUND 286 00:15:36,999 --> 00:15:39,501 HERE THAT ARE RESTRICTED ALMOST ENTIRELY TO DUNES. 287 00:15:39,501 --> 00:15:41,709 HERE IN THE MOHAWK DUNES, WHERE WE ARE NOW, 288 00:15:41,709 --> 00:15:45,000 THE COMMON GRASS WE SEE HERE, 289 00:15:45,000 --> 00:15:46,999 BIG GALLETA GRASS IS, ALTHOUGH YOU CAN FIND 290 00:15:46,999 --> 00:15:49,542 IT HERE AND THERE IN OTHER PARTS OF THE DESERT, IT'S BY FAR 291 00:15:49,542 --> 00:15:52,792 MORE DOMINANT HERE IN THE SAND THAN IT IS ELSEWHERE. 292 00:15:52,792 --> 00:15:57,751 ALSO WE SEE DICORIACANESCENS, ALSO KNOWN AS BUGWEED, 293 00:15:57,751 --> 00:16:04,250 STEPHANOMERIASCHOTTII, SCHOTT'S WIRELETTUCE. THE PRIMARY 294 00:16:04,250 --> 00:16:06,834 POPULATIONS ARE FOUND PRIMARILY IN THE SAND DUNES. 295 00:16:06,834 --> 00:16:09,250 AND AS WE MOVE DOWN INTO THE HEART OF THE GRAN DESIERTO, 296 00:16:09,250 --> 00:16:11,792 THERE'S A NUMBER OF OTHER SPECIES THAT WE ADD 297 00:16:11,792 --> 00:16:14,918 TO THE LIST OF DUNE ENDEMICS, 298 00:16:14,918 --> 00:16:17,501 INCLUDING THINGS LIKE WIGGINS' CROTON, 299 00:16:17,501 --> 00:16:20,417 A SAND FOOD, WHICH IS A VERY UNUSUAL ROOT PARASITE. 300 00:16:20,417 --> 00:16:23,626 IT GROWS FROM THE ROOTS OF OTHER SPECIES OF SHRUBS 301 00:16:23,626 --> 00:16:26,751 IN THE SAND--COMES TO THE SURFACE FOR TWO OR THREE 302 00:16:26,751 --> 00:16:28,999 WEEKS EVERY YEAR TO PRODUCE FLOWERS AND THEN 303 00:16:28,999 --> 00:16:31,999 DIES BACK UNDER THE SAND AGAIN. 304 00:16:31,999 --> 00:16:35,125 THINGS LIKE THE FLATSEEDED EUPHORBIA, 305 00:16:35,125 --> 00:16:38,751 THE DUNE SUNFLOWER, HELIANTHUS NIVEUS, 306 00:16:38,751 --> 00:16:42,250 VARIETYTEPHRODES; IT'S ONE OF THOSE SPECIES THAT HAS 307 00:16:42,250 --> 00:16:44,209 A VERY ERECT RAPID-GROWING GROWTH FORM TO IT 308 00:16:44,209 --> 00:16:47,417 TO ALLOW IT TO OUTGROW THE SAND THAT MIGHT OTHERWISE BURY IT. 309 00:16:47,417 --> 00:16:49,292 IN THE YUMA AREA, ON THE ALGODONES DUNES, 310 00:16:49,292 --> 00:16:52,334 WE ALSO FIND A DUNE FORM OF CREOSOTEBUSH. 311 00:16:52,334 --> 00:16:53,999 ALL OF THEIR STEMS ARE VERY ERECT, 312 00:16:53,999 --> 00:16:56,709 GROWING TO A HEIGHT OF TEN OR TWELVE FEET 313 00:16:56,709 --> 00:16:59,000 IN CONTRAST TO THE FIVE OR SIX FOOT HIGH 314 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:04,209 CREOSOTEBUSH IN THE SURROUNDING DESERT. 315 00:17:04,209 --> 00:17:07,751 THE CLIMATE OUT HERE IN THE DUNES IS VERY UNPREDICTABLE. 316 00:17:07,751 --> 00:17:09,999 WE CAN HAVE ENTIRE YEARS GO BY WITH NO RAIN, 317 00:17:09,999 --> 00:17:11,999 OR AS WE HAD THIS YEAR, WE CAN HAVE ALL OF THE RAIN, 318 00:17:11,999 --> 00:17:17,667 THE ANNUAL ALLOTMENT FOR THE YEAR, FALL WITHIN ONE MONTH. 319 00:17:17,667 --> 00:17:20,751 SO THE DUNE PLANTS, MANY OF THEM, HAVE THE ABILITY 320 00:17:20,751 --> 00:17:21,999 TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE RAIN WHEN IT COMES 321 00:17:21,999 --> 00:17:25,584 AND THE ABILITY TO WAIT MAYBE FOR YEARS UNTIL THE RAINS COME 322 00:17:25,584 --> 00:17:29,250 AGAIN TO BECOME PHYSIOLOGICALLY ACTIVE TO REPRODUCE. 323 00:17:29,250 --> 00:17:33,125 TYPICALLY, WE SEE WINTER RAIN COMING TO THE DUNES 324 00:17:33,125 --> 00:17:36,042 IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY. 325 00:17:36,042 --> 00:17:38,584 BUT THEY CAN ALSO EXPERIENCE SUMMER RAINS AS WELL. 326 00:17:38,584 --> 00:17:40,876 SO THERE'S SPECIES HERE THAT CAN GREEN UP 327 00:17:40,876 --> 00:17:42,667 AND FLOWER AT VIRTUALLY ANY TIME OF YEAR. 328 00:17:42,667 --> 00:17:44,876 A GOOD EXAMPLE OF THAT IS THE SPANISH NEEDLE. 329 00:17:44,876 --> 00:17:47,999 IT'S A PLANT WHICH THERE'S AN ENDEMIC DUNE VARIETY. 330 00:17:47,999 --> 00:17:51,042 AND WE CAN FIND THAT PLANT BLOOMING AT VIRTUALLY 331 00:17:51,042 --> 00:17:57,792 ANY TIME OF THE YEAR IF THERE'S SUFFICIENT MOISTURE IN THE SAND. 332 00:17:57,792 --> 00:17:59,292 WELL, HERE IN THE YUMA AREA, THE AVERAGE 333 00:17:59,292 --> 00:18:02,918 ANNUAL RAINFALL IS AROUND FOUR INCHES EVERY YEAR. ALTHOUGH IT'S 334 00:18:02,918 --> 00:18:07,792 NOT UNCOMMON FOR A WHOLE YEAR OR MORE TO GO BY WITH NO RAIN. 335 00:18:07,792 --> 00:18:09,292 IT'S ALSO NOT TERRIBLY UNCOMMON, 336 00:18:09,292 --> 00:18:10,999 MAYBE ONE YEAR OUT OF TEN OR FIFTEEN, 337 00:18:10,999 --> 00:18:13,999 TO HAVE TWICE THAT MUCH RAIN FALL IN ANY GIVEN YEAR. 338 00:18:13,999 --> 00:18:16,000 AND TYPICALLY THAT MUCH RAIN WILL FALL IN A PERIOD 339 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:19,459 OF ONE OR TWO MONTHS DURING THE RAINY SEASON. 340 00:18:19,459 --> 00:18:22,042 SO THE EXTREMES ARE TREMENDOUS FROM YEAR TO 341 00:18:22,042 --> 00:18:24,125 YEAR AS TO HOW MUCH RAIN MIGHT FALL. 342 00:18:24,125 --> 00:18:26,999 SIMILARLY THE TEMPERATURES OCCASIONALLY MAY FALL DOWN TO 343 00:18:26,999 --> 00:18:30,250 FREEZING HERE, ALTHOUGH NOT COMMONLY AND THEN IN THE SUMMER 344 00:18:30,250 --> 00:18:34,334 MAY OFTEN HIT ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTEEN, ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY. 345 00:18:34,334 --> 00:18:36,167 IN FACT, THE SAND'S SURFACE MAY HIT 346 00:18:36,167 --> 00:18:38,542 ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY VERY COMMONLY. 347 00:18:38,542 --> 00:18:41,999 SO WE SEE EXTREMES OF MOISTURE, EXTREMES OF TEMPERATURE. 348 00:18:41,999 --> 00:18:44,459 THE PLANTS AND THE ANIMALS BOTH HAVE TO BE ABLE 349 00:18:44,459 --> 00:18:46,792 TO TOLERATE SOME PRETTY DRAMATIC CHANGES 350 00:18:46,792 --> 00:18:54,000 FROM DAY TO DAY AND FROM YEAR TO YEAR. 351 00:18:54,000 --> 00:18:57,000 THESE DUNES ARE SORT DUNES ARE SORT OF AN EDGE OF THE DESERT. 352 00:18:57,000 --> 00:19:00,834 THE COMBINATION OF SAND AND WIND WITH DESERT HEAT 353 00:19:00,834 --> 00:19:04,709 AND DRYNESS MAKE IT NEAR THE LIMIT FOR LIVING THINGS. 354 00:19:04,709 --> 00:19:07,417 MUCH MORE AND IT WOULDN'T BE AN OUTPOST FOR EVEN THESE 355 00:19:07,417 --> 00:19:14,999 TOUGH SPECIES. AT THAT POINT THE DESERT BECOMES TRULY DESERTED. 356 00:19:14,999 --> 00:19:17,792 THE LIMITS OF THE DUNES COME DOWN TO QUANTITY. 357 00:19:17,792 --> 00:19:23,999 THERE'S NOT ENOUGH GROWING HERE FOR MAYBE BUFFALO. 358 00:19:23,999 --> 00:19:25,250 BUT THERE'S ENOUGH FOR MORE THAN THE INSECTS. IN FACT, 359 00:19:25,250 --> 00:19:28,834 THE INSECTS THEMSELVES ARE PART OF THE MENU FOR REPTILES. 360 00:19:28,834 --> 00:19:34,375 THE DESERT'S HARDY REPTILES SURVIVE IN THE DUNES, TOO. 361 00:19:34,375 --> 00:19:37,626 MOST OF THE ANIMALS WE SEE IN THE DUNES ARE ADAPTED BOTH IN 362 00:19:37,626 --> 00:19:41,667 COLOR AND IN BEHAVIOR AND IN MEANS OF LOCOMOTION. 363 00:19:41,667 --> 00:19:45,959 MOST OF THESE SPECIES OCCUR IN HABITATS OTHER THAN DUNES, 364 00:19:45,959 --> 00:19:47,999 BUT ON THE DUNES TYPICALLY HAVE A LIGHTER COLOR, 365 00:19:47,999 --> 00:19:51,542 AND OF COURSE SEVERAL ARE VIRTUALLY ENDEMIC TO THESE 366 00:19:51,542 --> 00:19:59,167 HABITATS WHERE THEY'VE EVOLVED UNIQUE METHODS OF LOCOMOTION. 367 00:19:59,167 --> 00:20:03,667 THE SIDEWINDER OF COURSE IS ABLE TO MOVE ON TWO 368 00:20:03,667 --> 00:20:06,999 CONTACT POINTS OF THE BODY AT ANY GIVEN TIME, 369 00:20:06,999 --> 00:20:09,999 MOVING IN SORT OF AN S-SHAPED FASHION, 370 00:20:09,999 --> 00:20:13,667 ADVANCING ONE COIL, POSITIONING IT ON THE SUBSTRATE, 371 00:20:13,667 --> 00:20:16,667 AND THEN ROLLING THE SECOND LOOP 372 00:20:16,667 --> 00:20:21,751 AHEAD OF THE FIRST, AND THUS MOVING VERY EFFICIENTLY 373 00:20:21,751 --> 00:20:24,999 OVER THIS DIFFICULT TERRAIN. 374 00:20:24,999 --> 00:20:29,125 NOW WHEN THEY ELEVATE THEIR BODIES OFF THE SAND, 375 00:20:29,125 --> 00:20:34,459 THIS OF COURSE REDUCES THE OVERHEATING FACTOR FROM CONTACT 376 00:20:34,459 --> 00:20:36,999 WITH THE HOT SUBSTRATE AND ALLOWS THEM TO BE 377 00:20:36,999 --> 00:20:45,459 ACTIVE FOR GREATER PERIODS OF TIME. 378 00:20:45,459 --> 00:20:46,999 THE SHOVEL-NOSED SNAKE HAS A WEDGE-SHAPED HEAD, 379 00:20:46,999 --> 00:20:50,083 A COUNTERSUNK LOWER JAW, NASAL VALVES WHICH ENABLE 380 00:20:50,083 --> 00:20:54,918 THE NOSTRILS TO BE CLOSED WHEN THE SNAKE IS MOVING THROUGH THE 381 00:20:54,918 --> 00:20:59,083 SAND AND VERY, VERY SMOOTH SCALES WHICH REDUCE FRICTION 382 00:20:59,083 --> 00:21:02,584 WHEN THE SNAKE IS MOVING BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE SAND. 383 00:21:02,584 --> 00:21:06,999 THAT, COMBINED WITH A VERY ANGULAR UNDERBELLY WITH 384 00:21:06,999 --> 00:21:11,542 ANGLES ALONG THE EDGES OF THE VENTRAL SCALES, 385 00:21:11,542 --> 00:21:14,918 ENABLES THE SHOVEL-NOSED SNAKE TO NEGOTIATE 386 00:21:14,918 --> 00:21:23,999 VERY EFFECTIVELY THROUGH THIS LOOSE SHIFTING SAND. 387 00:21:23,999 --> 00:21:27,834 AROUND THE WORLD, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF LIZARDS 388 00:21:27,834 --> 00:21:30,999 WHICH HAVE ADAPTED TO LIFE IN THE DUNES. 389 00:21:30,999 --> 00:21:33,999 THE FRINGE-TOED LIZARD IN THE NORTH AMERICAN DESERTS 390 00:21:33,999 --> 00:21:37,292 IS AN EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THESE. 391 00:21:37,292 --> 00:21:42,000 IT HAS EVOLVED FRINGE-LIKE SCALES ON ITS TOES, 392 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:43,876 ITS HIND FEET, WHICH ENABLE IT TO MOVE ABOUT ON 393 00:21:43,876 --> 00:21:47,083 THE SURFACE OF THE SAND WITHOUT GETTING MIRED DOWN, SOMETHING 394 00:21:47,083 --> 00:21:51,334 ON THE ORDER OF SNOWSHOES, ONLY ADAPTED FOR SAND. 395 00:21:51,334 --> 00:21:55,167 THE LIZARD ALSO HAS A WEDGE-SHAPED HEAD, 396 00:21:55,167 --> 00:21:57,209 VERY MUCH LIKE THE SHOVEL-NOSED SNAKE, 397 00:21:57,209 --> 00:21:59,834 A COUNTERSUNK LOWER JAW, WHICH REDUCES FRICTION 398 00:21:59,834 --> 00:22:00,999 WHEN IT DIVES INTO THE SAND, 399 00:22:00,999 --> 00:22:07,999 AND IT TOO IS SOMETHING OF A SAND SWIMMER. 400 00:22:07,999 --> 00:22:10,167 THE FRINGE-TOED LIZARD ALSO HAS 401 00:22:10,167 --> 00:22:12,709 SPECIALIZED SCALES OVER THE EAR OPENINGS, 402 00:22:12,709 --> 00:22:15,999 WHICH PROTECT THE EARDRUM FROM DAMAGE FROM SAND, 403 00:22:15,999 --> 00:22:21,918 AND THEY TOO HAVE CRESCENT-SHAPED NOSTRILS 404 00:22:21,918 --> 00:22:25,959 WHICH HAVE MUSCLES WHICH ALLOW THEM TO CLOSE 405 00:22:25,959 --> 00:22:29,042 WHEN THE LIZARD GOES BENEATH THE SURFACE, 406 00:22:29,042 --> 00:22:36,209 THUS AVOIDING INHALING THE SAND. 407 00:22:36,209 --> 00:22:37,834 THERE ARE OTHER LIZARDS IN THE DUNES, 408 00:22:37,834 --> 00:22:40,209 MOST OF THEM NOT QUITE AS WELL ADAPTED FOR THIS 409 00:22:40,209 --> 00:22:43,000 SPECIALIZED HABITAT AS THE FRINGE-TOED LIZARD. 410 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:46,999 BUT, AMONG THESE WE WOULD SEE DESERT IGUANAS, 411 00:22:46,999 --> 00:22:49,709 MOST OFTEN AROUND THE DUNE'S EDGES 412 00:22:49,709 --> 00:22:52,959 RATHER THAN ON THE OPEN DUNES THEMSELVES. 413 00:22:52,959 --> 00:22:58,250 OF COURSE THEY'RE ADAPTED TO LIVING IN AND AROUND CREOSOTE, 414 00:22:58,250 --> 00:23:00,751 UPON WHICH THEY FEED, 415 00:23:00,751 --> 00:23:04,125 AND THEY ALSO EAT A GOODLY QUANTITY OF INSECTS 416 00:23:04,125 --> 00:23:07,167 IN ADDITION TO THAT PLANT FARE. 417 00:23:07,167 --> 00:23:09,042 WE ALSO SEE WHIPTAIL LIZARDS; 418 00:23:09,042 --> 00:23:10,876 THE SAME SPECIES AS WE FIND IN OTHER PARTS OF 419 00:23:10,876 --> 00:23:14,999 THE SONORAN DESERT, BUT HERE AGAIN THE POPULATIONS 420 00:23:14,999 --> 00:23:19,834 ON AND NEAR THE DUNES GENERALLY ARE MUCH LIGHTER GRAY IN COLOR, 421 00:23:19,834 --> 00:23:24,792 AGAIN, A FACTOR RENDERING THEM LESS 422 00:23:24,792 --> 00:23:32,999 VISIBLE TO PREDATORS, AND IN PARTICULAR BIRDS. 423 00:23:32,999 --> 00:23:35,667 THE ADAPTABILITY OF THESE LIVING THINGS IS AMAZING. 424 00:23:35,667 --> 00:23:40,209 BUT THE HEART OF IT, FOR ME, IS THE PERSISTENCE. LIFE WILL 425 00:23:40,209 --> 00:23:43,918 TAKE HOLD ALMOST ANYWHERE AND HANG IN THERE SOMEHOW. 426 00:23:43,918 --> 00:23:47,334 PEOPLE ARE LIKE THAT, TOO, BUT NOT INCLINED TO SUFFER IN THE 427 00:23:47,334 --> 00:23:56,501 SAND LONG ENOUGH FOR FRINGE TO GROW AROUND THEIR FEET. 428 00:23:56,501 --> 00:23:59,542 THEY DO COME TO THE DUNES, THOUGH. 429 00:23:59,542 --> 00:24:01,999 WHAT BRINGS THEM IS THE SAME THING THAT TAKES PEOPLE 430 00:24:01,999 --> 00:24:06,999 DOWN TO THE DEEPEST WATERS AND UP TO THE ICIEST MOUNTAINTOPS. 431 00:24:06,999 --> 00:24:10,918 THE MOST UNCONFINED OF ALL THE SPECIES ON EARTH SEEMS TO NEED 432 00:24:10,918 --> 00:24:23,999 TO KEEP TESTING THIS FREEDOM. MANAGING THE ALGODONES DUNES 433 00:24:23,999 --> 00:24:28,751 WEST OF YUMA HAS RESULTED IN TWO EXTREMES SIDE BY SIDE. 434 00:24:28,751 --> 00:24:31,667 ON ONE SIDE OF THE ROAD, OFF-HIGHWAY VEHICLES 435 00:24:31,667 --> 00:24:33,626 ARE PERMITTED TO PLAY IN THE SAND. 436 00:24:33,626 --> 00:24:39,375 THE OTHER SIDE IS A PROTECTED WILDERNESS. 437 00:24:39,375 --> 00:24:42,334 EAST OF YUMA, THE MOHAWK DUNES ARE HANDLED VERY 438 00:24:42,334 --> 00:24:47,999 DIFFERENTLY BUT THAT'S BECAUSE HERE THERE'S A MILITARY FACTOR. 439 00:24:47,999 --> 00:24:54,667 THE MOHAWK DUNES ARE PART OF THE LARGER BARIUM GOLDWATER RANGE ON 440 00:24:54,667 --> 00:24:59,125 THE MARINE CORPS SIDE OF IT, WHICH IS FROM THE MOHAWKS TO THE 441 00:24:59,125 --> 00:25:04,334 WEST, IS AN INSTRUMENTED AIR TO AIR TYPE TRAINING REFUGE. 442 00:25:04,334 --> 00:25:06,626 THERE IS NO ORDINANCE THAT'S DELIVERED TO THE 443 00:25:06,626 --> 00:25:08,999 GROUND OR ANYTHING THAT WOULD IMPACT ON THE GROUND. 444 00:25:08,999 --> 00:25:11,999 WE HAVE SPECIFIC ROADS THAT WE'RE NOT ALLOWED 445 00:25:11,999 --> 00:25:15,709 TO LEAVE AS WE TRANSIT THE AREA. 446 00:25:15,709 --> 00:25:18,584 WE ALSO HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO MANAGE 447 00:25:18,584 --> 00:25:20,667 AND CONTROL VISITOR ACCESS OUT THERE THROUGH 448 00:25:20,667 --> 00:25:23,417 ISSUING PERMITS AND INSTRUCTIONS TO THEM AS TO WHICH AREAS 449 00:25:23,417 --> 00:25:26,999 AND WHICH ROADS THEY CAN GO ON SO THAT THERE AREN'T ANY 450 00:25:26,999 --> 00:25:30,083 ADDITIONAL ROADS BEING MADE OUT IN THAT AREA THAT WOULD 451 00:25:30,083 --> 00:25:34,709 ALLOW ACCESS TO IT. I THINK THAT AREA, AS WELL AS ALL THE AREAS 452 00:25:34,709 --> 00:25:40,417 IN THE GOLDWATER RANGE, ENJOY A MUCH GREATER PROTECTION. 453 00:25:40,417 --> 00:25:42,918 THEY ARE NOT MANAGED FOR MULTIPLE USES. 454 00:25:42,918 --> 00:25:46,999 THEY ARE STRICTLY FROM MILITARY USE ONLY. 455 00:25:46,999 --> 00:25:50,918 HOWEVER, THEY ARE- THE ACCESS IS NOT RESTRICTED. 456 00:25:50,918 --> 00:25:52,417 SO THERE'S NO GRAZING, NO MINING, 457 00:25:52,417 --> 00:25:55,292 NO OFF-ROAD ACTIVITIES FROM THAT STANDPOINT, 458 00:25:55,292 --> 00:26:03,501 SO THEY ENJOY A MUCH HIGHER LEVEL OF PROTECTION. 459 00:26:03,501 --> 00:26:05,417 NEXT TIME YOU HEAR THE WIND WHISTLIN' 460 00:26:05,417 --> 00:26:08,959 AND A DOOR BANGING SOMEWHERE AND YOU GET A CHILL 461 00:26:08,959 --> 00:26:10,999 AND THINK OF THINGS BLOWIN' AWAY. 462 00:26:10,999 --> 00:26:13,542 REMEMBER THE WIND BUILDING SOMETHING PERFECT 463 00:26:13,542 --> 00:26:16,918 IN THE DESERT, ADDING AND SUBTRACTING, LIFTING AND 464 00:26:16,918 --> 00:26:23,417 SHIFTING EACH GRAIN OF SAND. YOU'LL FEEL A LOT BETTER. 465 00:26:23,417 --> 00:27:17,959 [MUSIC] 466 00:27:17,959 --> 00:27:21,209 FUNDING FORTHE DESERT SPEAKS HAS BEEN PROVIDED 467 00:27:21,209 --> 00:27:25,959 BY ASARCO INC. AN INTEGRATED PRODUCER OF NON-FERROUS METALS 468 00:27:25,959 --> 00:27:28,959 AND OTHER INDUSTRIAL MINERALS AND PRODUCTS. 469 00:27:28,959 --> 00:27:32,751 ASARCO INC. ADDING VALUE TO NATURE'S RESOURCES. 470 00:27:32,751 --> 00:27:35,125 AND HEADQUARTERED IN TUCSON, ARIZONA, 471 00:27:35,125 --> 00:27:37,709 INTERGROUP HEALTHCARE CORPORATION IS A MANAGED 472 00:27:37,709 --> 00:27:41,999 HEALTHCARE COMPANY SERVING MORE THAN A QUARTER MILLION MEMBERS. 473 00:27:41,999 --> 00:27:45,918 AND BY, THE ARIZONA GAME AND FISH HERITAGE FUND, 474 00:27:45,918 --> 00:27:50,667 ARIZONA'S LOTTERY DOLLARS WORKING FOR WILDLIFE.