University of Utah geologist Jeff Moore incorporates vibration-analysis techniques used on arches and rock towers to study how giant saguaro cacti move and respond to their desert environment.
Moore reveals how these towering, centuries-old cacti sway with wind and ground motion and why that subtle movement is essential to their survival. His team used lightweight seismometers to measure each cactus’ resonance frequencies, revealing how stiffness varies along their pleated columns and what that says about their internal structure.
The approach offers a fully noninvasive way to study plant biomechanics and monitor saguaro cactus health.
