In the desert, succulent plants such as cacti, aloes and agaves beat the dry heat by storing water in their roots, stems, or leaves. All plants are covered by tiny pores known as stomates. These pores allow plants to take in gasses for photosynthesis. Many succulent plants have a different way of performing photosynthesis. Other plants open their stomates during the day to take in carbon dioxide for photosynthesis. Many succulent plants, however, keep their stomates closed during the day and open them in the night to take in carbon dioxide, which they store until the next day.