Symbiosis [Tucson]

What lies before your eyes? Creosote, brittle bush, cholla, prickly pear, and the towering saguaros. To me, it's a breathtaking ecosystem—a testament to life's ability to not just survive but thrive in the harshest of conditions.

Did you know that bushes like creosote and brittle bushes, along with trees such as palo verde and ironwood, serve as nurse trees for young saguaros? They provide shade, protection from predators, and nourishment from their leaf litter, making this a perfect nursery for growth. As the saguaro matures, it inevitably outpaces its nurturing tree in a cycle that nature frequently reveals.

However, it doesn't stop there. The saguaro becomes a haven and a source of sustenance for other desert inhabitants—the gilded flicker carves cavities into it, red-tailed hawks construct nests upon it, and jackrabbits and mule deer rely on it as a vital food source during the scorching summer months.

Coming from a coastal background, I once pictured the desert as an arid, lifeless expanse—a place of tumbleweeds and dust, reminiscent of my childhood cartoons. But my initial trip to Tucson opened my eyes wide. 

This image symbolizes the symbiotic connection I feel with this landscape. I hold deep respect for the desert's flora and fauna, marvelling at their impeccable adaptation to conditions that would desiccate and wither me. I honour the beings, both seen and unseen, that call the Sonoran Desert home.