Final answer:
Planting trees in an open desert increases surface friction because trees create obstructions that air must move around. This ecological change can impact local climate and ecosystem, potentially increasing biodiversity under the right conditions.
Step-by-step explanation:
The planting of a row of trees in an open desert landscape would impact surface friction by increasing it. Trees add roughness to the landscape, which in turn creates more friction because the moving air has more obstructions to contend with. Contrastingly, a barren desert has a much smoother surface, offering less resistance to wind. In the context of a desert ecosystem, it's also worth noting that water conservation is critical, and desert plants have adaptations such as smaller leaves to minimize water loss through evaporation. On hot, dry days, plants close their stomata to conserve water, which, while reducing water loss, also limits their ability to perform photosynthesis because it reduces the internal carbon dioxide levels, leading to a decrease in the rate of photosynthesis.
Over time, the presence of trees and the resulting increased friction can lead to changes in the local climate and ecosystem, including potentially providing a habitat that supports other forms of vegetation and wildlife. This sequence of ecological changes can promote biodiversity, although it depends on the ability of the new species to adapt to the harsh desert conditions.