Final answer:
Plants effective in colonizing coastal and desert areas have adaptations such as drought tolerance, desiccation resistance, hairy leaves with a thick cuticle, and the capacity for rapid life cycles, allowing them to thrive in harsh environments.
Step-by-step explanation:
What Features Make Plants Effective Colonisers in Coastal Areas and Deserts: In coastal areas and deserts, plants such as members of the Poaceae family are often the first to colonize bare sand dunes due to their unique adaptation features. These plants exhibit specific characteristics that allow them to thrive in harsh environments with limited resources. One key feature of such plants is drought tolerance, which enables them to survive periods of dryness. For example, mosses can dry out and then quickly absorb water when it becomes available, regaining their healthy green appearance. Desiccation resistance is another critical adaptation, as seen in cacti, which can minimize water loss to survive in extremely dry environments.
Some plants also have hairy leaves and a thick cuticle, which serve to reduce water loss by trapping moisture and protecting against the harsh sun and wind. Moreover, pioneer species like bacteria and lichens can weather bare rock and facilitate soil formation allowing grasses and other robust plants to establish themselves. These early settlers improve the soil over time, enabling more sensitive plants to move in. In arid regions, such as parts of the Australian desert, some plants have adapted through quick life cycles, bursting into growth and reproduction after rare rainfalls, followed by a return to dormancy to withstand long periods without water.