North American Deserts: Ecology of Our Arid Lands

£39.95

Available for Pre-order. Due January 2025.
North American Deserts: Ecology of Our Arid Lands Author: Format: Paperback / softback First Published: Published By: Texas A & M University Press
string(3) "392"
Pages: 392 Illustrations and other contents: 194 color, 5 b&w photos. 6 maps. 6 tables. Appendix Language: English ISBN: 9781648432217 Categories: , , , , ,

Deserts cover about one third of the earth’s surface and are the largest terrestrial ecosystem in the world. They are the only biome that is actually expanding, largely due to human activities and climate change. In the United States, six unique desert ecosystems stretch across the country: the Great Basin, Mojave, Chihuahuan, Sonoran, Peninsular, and the Painted Desert. Both a travelogue and science writing, North American Deserts: Ecology of Our Arid Lands is a celebration of these ruthlessly beautiful landscapes. Readers will be transported from the enchanting saguaro forests of Arizona and the precipitous red walls of the Grand Canyon to the monotonous, yet impressive landscapes of Nevada’s Great Basin and Texas’ Chihuahuan Desert. More than 190 vivid, color photographs accompany the lively writing. Biologist Sean P. Graham has extensive field experience in the deserts of the Southwest and Mexico, and in North American Deserts, he takes readers on a journey through both sides of the border. The first half of the book focuses on global climate patterns giving rise to desert regions, and it then delves into how plants and animals survive the physical and biological characteristics of these ecosystems. The second half, which is split into cold and warm regions, features portraits of each desert that explore the unique flora and fauna. Although the work is focused on deserts in the United States, it also surveys the semiarid landscapes that extend into Canada and Mexico. Outdoor enthusiasts, national park visitors, and self-proclaimed “desert rats” will enjoy this reflective yet informative account of our North American deserts.

Weight0.740532 kg
Author

Format

Publisher

Reviews

There are no reviews yet.

Only logged in customers who have purchased this product may leave a review.

Author Biography

Sean P. Graham is a vertebrate biologist and author of over 60 scientific publications. His research has been covered in NPR, Popular Science, National Geographic, and The New York Times. Graham has published two previous books, American Snakes and Kennesaw: Natural History of a Southern Mountain. He cohosts a weekly science radio program and podcast, Science Knights in the Morning, and is an ecologist for OzFish Unlimited. He lives in rural New South Wales, Australia.