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Author: John L. Cloudsley-Thompson Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media ISBN: 3642609775 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 214
Book Description
The exigencies of life in the desert environment have resulted in the se lection of a diversity of adaptations, both morphological and physiologi cal, in the flora and fauna. At the same time, many plants and most small animals are able not merely to exist but even to thrive under desert conditions - mainly by avoiding thermal extremes and by the refine ment of pre-existing abilities to economise in water. In the same way, the biotic interactions of the flora and fauna of the desert do not involve many new principles. Nevertheless, conditions in arid regions frequently do invoke refinements of the complex interrelations between predators and their prey, parasites and their hosts, as well as between herbivores and the plants upon which they feed. In this book, I shall discuss not only such interactions and their feedback effects, but also community processes and population dynamics in the desert. The physical conditions of the desert that principally affect predators and their prey are its openness and the paucity of cover. This is re stricted to scattered plants, occasional rocks, holes, and crevices in the ground. Furthermore, nightfall does not confer relative invisibility, as it does in many other ecobiomes, because of the clarity of the atmosphere. The bright starlight of the desert renders nearby objects visible even to the human eye, while an incandescent moon bathes the empty landscape with a flood of silver light. Consequently, adaptive coloration is func tional at all hours of the day and night.
Author: John L. Cloudsley-Thompson Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media ISBN: 3642609775 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 214
Book Description
The exigencies of life in the desert environment have resulted in the se lection of a diversity of adaptations, both morphological and physiologi cal, in the flora and fauna. At the same time, many plants and most small animals are able not merely to exist but even to thrive under desert conditions - mainly by avoiding thermal extremes and by the refine ment of pre-existing abilities to economise in water. In the same way, the biotic interactions of the flora and fauna of the desert do not involve many new principles. Nevertheless, conditions in arid regions frequently do invoke refinements of the complex interrelations between predators and their prey, parasites and their hosts, as well as between herbivores and the plants upon which they feed. In this book, I shall discuss not only such interactions and their feedback effects, but also community processes and population dynamics in the desert. The physical conditions of the desert that principally affect predators and their prey are its openness and the paucity of cover. This is re stricted to scattered plants, occasional rocks, holes, and crevices in the ground. Furthermore, nightfall does not confer relative invisibility, as it does in many other ecobiomes, because of the clarity of the atmosphere. The bright starlight of the desert renders nearby objects visible even to the human eye, while an incandescent moon bathes the empty landscape with a flood of silver light. Consequently, adaptive coloration is func tional at all hours of the day and night.
Author: R. A. Perry Publisher: CUP Archive ISBN: 9780521218429 Category : Nature Languages : en Pages : 920
Book Description
This comprehensive account of arid-land ecosystems will be of importance to university teachers and professional ecologists throughout the world.
Author: Walter G. Whitford Publisher: Academic Press ISBN: 0081026552 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 476
Book Description
Nearly one-third of the land area on our planet is classified as arid or desert. Therefore, an understanding of the dynamics of such arid ecosystems is essential to managing those systems in a way that sustains human populations. This second edition of Ecology of Desert Systems provides a clear, extensive guide to the complex interactions involved in these areas. This book details the relationships between abiotic and biotic environments of desert ecosystems, demonstrating to readers how these interactions drive ecological processes. These include plant growth and animal reproductive success, the spatial and temporal distribution of vegetation and animals, and the influence of invasive species and anthropogenic climate change specific to arid systems. Drawing on the extensive experience of its expert authors, Ecology of Desert Systems is an essential guide to arid ecosystems for students looking for an overview of the field, researchers keen to learn how their work fits in to the overall picture, and those involved with environmental management of desert areas. - Highlights the complexity of global desert systems in a clear, concise way - Reviews the most current issues facing researchers in the field, including the spread of invasive species due to globalized trade, the impact of industrial mining, and climate change - Updated and extended to include information on invasive species management, industrial mining impacts, and the current and future role of climate change in desert systems
Author: Troy Sternberg Publisher: MDPI ISBN: 3039213474 Category : Social Science Languages : en Pages : 380
Book Description
Understanding deserts and drylands is essential, as arid landscapes cover >40% of the Earth and are home to two billion people. Today's problematic environment–human interaction needs contemporary knowledge to address dryland complexity. Physical dimensions in arid zones—land systems, climate and hazards, ecology—are linked with social processes that directly impact drylands, such as land management, livelihoods, and development. The challenges require integrated research that identifies systemic drivers across global arid regions. Measurement and monitoring, field investigation, remote sensing, and data analysis are effective tools to investigate natural dynamics. Equally, inquiry into how policy and practice affect landscape sustainability is key to mitigating detrimental activity in deserts. Relations between socio-economic forces and degradation, agro-pastoral rangeland use, drought and disaster and resource extraction reflect land interactions. Contemporary themes of food security, conflict, and conservation are interlinked in arid environments. This book unifies desert science, arid environments, and dryland development. The chapters identify land dynamics, address system risks and delineate human functions through original research in arid zones. Mixed methodologies highlight the vital links between social and environmental science in global deserts. The book engages with today's topical themes and presents novel analyses of arid land systems and societies.
Author: Edith B. Allen Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 1000305104 Category : Political Science Languages : en Pages : 211
Book Description
This volume emphasizes application of the basic ecological relationships among plants, animals, microorganisms, the physical environment and man to reconstruct wildland ecosystems. It contains the proceedings of a symposium sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Author: Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma Publisher: Academic Guru Publishing House ISBN: 8119025989 Category : Study Aids Languages : en Pages : 243
Book Description
Fundamentals of Arid Zone Ecology include a wide range of landforms, soils, animal and plant life, water balances, and human activities. It is impossible to pin down exactly what conditions qualify as "arid" because of this variation. Nevertheless, aridity itself is the common thread that ties together the world's driest places. The degree of aridity is often quantified as a function of average annual precipitation and average annual temperature. A region is deemed to be dry when there is a significant dearth of water resources, to the point that plant and animal growth and development are hampered or prevented. Arid regions are sometimes described as xeric or desertic because of their absence of flora. Foundations of Arid Zone Ecology, including geography, physiography, and Rajasthan's climate, are some of the primary themes covered in this book. Another is how to comprehend how deserts arise and are distributed. The book also discusses how wastelands are distributed and how plants and animals may adapt to dry environments, both of which are important in this topic. Also, we discuss the ecological effects of the Indira Gandhi Canal in this book.
Author: Enrique Campos-Lopez Publisher: Routledge ISBN: 0429705069 Category : Political Science Languages : en Pages : 370
Book Description
In this book, the authors integrate various perspectives on the evaluation of natural resources in arid and semiarid zones, analyze development options, and discuss systems analysis tools that could be important for the management of technology.
Author: Eva Nora Mueller Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media ISBN: 9400757271 Category : Nature Languages : en Pages : 388
Book Description
This book explores the theory of ecogeomorphic pattern-process linkages, using case studies from Europe, Africa, Australia and North America. Sets forth a research agenda for the emerging field of ecogeomorphology in drylands land-degradation studies.
Author: Michael A. Mares Publisher: University of Oklahoma Press ISBN: 0806172290 Category : Nature Languages : en Pages : 695
Book Description
Encyclopedia of Deserts represents a milestone: it is the first comprehensive reference to the first comprehensive reference to deserts and semideserts of the world. Approximately seven hundred entries treat subjects ranging from desert survival to the way deserts are formed. Topics include biology (birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, invertebrates, plants, bacteria, physiology, evolution), geography, climatology, geology, hydrology, anthropology, and history. The thirty-seven contributors, including volume editor Michael A. Mares, have had extensive careers in deserts research, encompassing all of the world’s arid and semiarid regions. The Encyclopedia opens with a subject list by topic, an organizational guide that helps the reader grasp interrelationships and complexities in desert systems. Each entry concludes with cross-references to other entries in the volume, inviting the reader to embark on a personal expedition into fascinating, previously unknown terrain. In addition a list of important readings facilitates in-depth study of each topic. An exhaustive index permits quick access to places, topics, and taxonomic listings of all plants and animals discussed. More than one hundred photographs, drawings, and maps enhance our appreciation of the remarkable life, landforms, history, and challenges of the world’s arid land.
Author: John L. Cloudsley-Thompson
Author: John L. Cloudsley-Thompson
Author: R. A. Perry
Author: Walter G. Whitford
Author: Troy Sternberg
Author: Edith B. Allen
Author: Dr. Manoj Kumar Sharma
Author: 
Author: Enrique Campos-Lopez
Author: Eva Nora Mueller
Author: Michael A. Mares