Sonoran Desert Summer

Author : John Alcock
Publisher : University of Arizona Press
Page : 201 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 1994-02-01
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9780816514380

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Sonoran Desert Summer by John Alcock Pdf

What could seem less inviting than summer in the desert? For most people, this prospect conjures up the image of relentless heat and parched earth; for biologist John Alcock, summer in Arizona's Sonoran Desert represents an opportunity to investigate the wide variety of life that flourishes in one of the most extreme environments in North America. "Only very special plants and animals can survive and reproduce in a place that may receive as little as six inches of rain in a year," observes Alcock, "a place where the temperature may rise above one hundred degrees each day for months on end." Yet he and other biologists have discovered here startling signs of life hidden in plain view under the summer sun: ¥ male digger bees compete to reach virgins underground during the early summer mating season; ¥ the round-tailed ground squirrel goes about its business, sounding alarm calls when danger threatens its kin; ¥ the big-jawed beetles Dendrobias mandibularis emerge in time to feast on saguaro fruits and to use their mandibles on rival males as well; ¥ Harris's hawks congregate in groups, showing their affinity for polyandry and communal hunting; ¥ robberflies mimic the appearance of the bees and wasps on which they prey; ¥ and peccaries reveal the adaptation of their reproductive cycle to the desert's seasonal rains. The book's 38 chapters introduce readers to these and other desert animals and plants, tracing the course of the season through activities as vibrant as mating rituals and as subtle as the gradual deterioration of a fallen saguaro cactus. Enhanced by the line drawings of Marilyn Hoff Stewart, Sonoran Desert Summer is both an account of how modern biology operates and a celebration of the beauty and diversity that can be found in even the most unpromising places.

Author : Steven J. Phillips,Patricia Wentworth Comus
Publisher : Univ of California Press
Page : 676 pages
File Size : 44,8 Mb
Release : 2000
Category : History
ISBN : 0520219805

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A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert by Steven J. Phillips,Patricia Wentworth Comus Pdf

"A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert provides the most complete collection of Sonoran Desert natural history information ever compiled and is a perfect introduction to this biologically rich desert of North America."--BOOK JACKET.

Author : William J. Little
Publisher : Dog Ear Publishing
Page : 160 pages
File Size : 51,9 Mb
Release : 2012
Category : Desert plants
ISBN : 9781457508769

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A Sonoran Desert Scrapbook by William J. Little Pdf

The author Bill Little introduces the reader to the seven divisions of the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, Sonora and Baja California, and then takes you on a tour to discover desert plants from Nogales to Kino Bay with side trips to Puerto Libertad and Tastiota - all in the state of Sonora. Along the way you'll see the weird, the exotic, the rare, and many other beautiful plants of this unique piece of the Sonoran Desert. Written in an easy-to-understand manner, the Sonoran Desert Scrapbook has close-up and general view color photos for each plant, a complete description, including flowering time, and a location where each plant can be seen. Sonora is also the ancient homeland of the Seri Indians, and this book covers the ethnobotany and supernatural beliefs of the Seri for many of the plants they used. The detail and photography in this book will be enjoyed by tourists as well as the more serious native plant enthusiast. William J. Little has a degree in Forest-Range Management from Colorado State University. During a thirty year career with the U.S. Forest Service, he worked in Oregon, Idaho, and Utah, serving as either a forester, forest ranger, or range specialist. After retiring from the Forest Service, he was a range and environmental consultant. Bill has now turned his attention to one of the more fascinating desert areas of the world and has spent the past fifteen years roaming the Sonoran Desert in Arizona, Sonora, and Baja California to study and photograph its unique variety of plants. The result is this guide to some of the most interesting and unusual plants found in the deserts lining the Sea of Cortes near Kino Bay, Sonora, Mexico.

Author : Thomas R. Van Devender
Publisher : University of Arizona Press
Page : 404 pages
File Size : 44,5 Mb
Release : 2006-09-01
Category : Science
ISBN : 0816526060

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The Sonoran Desert Tortoise by Thomas R. Van Devender Pdf

One of the most recognizable animals of the Southwest, the desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii) makes its home in both the Sonoran and Mohave Deserts, as well as in tropical areas to the south in Mexico. Called by Tohono O'odham people "komik'c-ed," or "shell with living thing inside," it is one of the few desert creatures kept as a domestic petÑas well as one of the most studied reptiles in the world. Most of our knowledge of desert tortoises comes from studies of Mohave Desert populations in California and Nevada. However, the ecology, physiology, and behavior of these northern populations are quite different from those of their southern, Sonoran Desert, and tropical cousins, which have been studied much less. Differences in climate and habitat have shaped the evolution of three races of desert tortoises as they have adapted to changes in heat, rainfall, and sources of food and shelter as the deserts developed in the last ten million years. This book presents the first comprehensive summary of the natural history, biology, and conservation of the Sonoran and Sinaloan desert tortoises, reviewing the current state of knowledge of these creatures with appropriate comparisons to Mohave tortoises. It condenses a vast amount of information on population ecology, activity, and behavior based on decades of studying tortoise populations in Arizona and Sonora, Mexico, and also includes important material on the care and protection of tortoises. Thirty-two contributors address such topics as tortoise fossil records, DNA analysis, and the mystery of secretive hatchlings and juveniles. Tortoise health is discussed in chapters on the care of captives, and original data are presented on the diets of wild and captive tortoises, the nutrient content of plant foods, and blood parameters of healthy tortoises. Coverage of conservation issues includes husbandry methods for captive tortoises, an overview of protective measures, and an evaluation of threats to tortoises from introduced grass and wildfires. A final chapter on cultural knowledge presents stories and songs from indigenous peoples and explores their understanding of tortoises. As the only comprehensive book on the desert tortoise, this volume gathers a vast amount of information for scientists, veterinarians, and resource managers while also remaining useful to general readers who keep desert tortoises as backyard pets. It will stand as an enduring reference on this endearing creature for years to come.

Author : Forrest Shreve,Ira Loren Wiggins
Publisher : Stanford University Press
Page : 1818 pages
File Size : 49,6 Mb
Release : 1964
Category : Science
ISBN : 0804701636

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Vegetation and Flora of the Sonoran Desert by Forrest Shreve,Ira Loren Wiggins Pdf

A Stanford University Press classic.

Author : Steven John Phillips,Patricia Wentworth Comus,Mark Alan Dimmitt,Linda M. Brewer
Publisher : Univ of California Press
Page : 588 pages
File Size : 55,9 Mb
Release : 2015-11-17
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9780520287471

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A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert by Steven John Phillips,Patricia Wentworth Comus,Mark Alan Dimmitt,Linda M. Brewer Pdf

"The landscape of the Sonoran Desert Region varies dramatically from parched desert lowlands to semiarid tropical forests and frigid subalpine meadows... "A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert" takes readers deep into its vast expanse, looking closely at the relationships of plants and animals with the land and people, through time and across landscapes"--

Author : Wayne Lynch
Publisher : Taylor Trade Publishing
Page : 64 pages
File Size : 55,5 Mb
Release : 2009-03-16
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN : 9781589794061

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The Sonoran Desert by Wayne Lynch Pdf

Amazing photography and tons of factual information on the animals, plants, climate and landscape come together to give a complete picture of this ecosystem in action. Subjects cover the wide diversity of living things in this habitat from the giant saguaro cactus and ocotillo to javelinas, rattlesnakes and dozens of desert birds.

Author : Raymond M. Turner,Janice Emily Bowers,Tony L. Burgess
Publisher : University of Arizona Press
Page : 532 pages
File Size : 42,9 Mb
Release : 2005-08
Category : Science
ISBN : 0816525196

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Sonoran Desert Plants by Raymond M. Turner,Janice Emily Bowers,Tony L. Burgess Pdf

The Sonoran Desert, a fragile ecosystem, is under ever-increasing pressure from a burgeoning human population. This ecological atlas of the region's plants, a greatly enlarged and full revised version of the original 1972 atlas, will be an invaluable resource for plant ecologists, botanists, geographers, and other scientists, and for all with a serious interest in living with and protecting a unique natural southwestern heritage. An encyclopedia as well as an atlas, this monumental work describes the taxonomy, geographic distribution, and ecology of 339 plants, most of them common and characteristic trees, shrubs, or succulants. Also included is valuable information on natural history and ethnobotanical, commercial, and horticultural uses of these plants. The entry for each species includes a range map, an elevational profile, and a narrative account. The authors also include an extensive bibliography, referring the reader to the latest research and numerous references of historical importance, with a glossary to aid the general reader. Sonoran Desert Plants is a monumental work, unlikely to be superseded in the next generation. As the region continues to attract more people, there will be an increasingly urgent need for basic knowledge of plant species as a guide for creative and sustainable habitation of the area. This book will stand as a landmark resource for many years to come.

Author : Julie J Laity
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
Page : 360 pages
File Size : 47,9 Mb
Release : 2009-01-28
Category : Science
ISBN : 9781444300741

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Deserts and Desert Environments by Julie J Laity Pdf

Taking a global perspective, this book provides a concise overviewof drylands, including their physical, biological, temporal, andhuman components. Examines the physical systems occurring in desert environments,including climate, hydrology, past and present lakes, weathering,hillslopes, geomorphic surfaces, water as a geomorphic agent, andaeolian processes Offers an accessible introduction to the physical, biological,temporal, and human components of drylands Investigates the nature, environmental requirements, andessential geomorphic roles of plants and animals in this stressfulbiological environment Highlights the impact of human population growth on climate,desertification, water resources, and dust storm activity Includes an examination of surface/atmosphere interactions andthe impact of ENSO events.

Author : Anonim
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 322 pages
File Size : 55,6 Mb
Release : 1982
Category : Desert ecology
ISBN : UCBK:C049254047

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Special Report by Anonim Pdf

Author : Lawrence R. Walker,Frederick H. Landau
Publisher : University of Arizona Press
Page : 343 pages
File Size : 41,7 Mb
Release : 2018-03-27
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9780816532629

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A Natural History of the Mojave Desert by Lawrence R. Walker,Frederick H. Landau Pdf

Invites readers to explore the smallest and most unique southwestern desert, the beautiful Mojave--Provided by publisher.

Author : Jaime Kigel
Publisher : CRC Press
Page : 876 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 1995-01-04
Category : Science
ISBN : 0824792297

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Seed Development and Germination by Jaime Kigel Pdf

This text is intended for plant physiologists, molecular biologists, biochemists, biotechnologists, geneticists, horticulturalists, agromnomists and botanists, and upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in these disciplines. It integrates advances in the diverse and rapidly-expanding field of seed science, from ecological and demographic aspects of seed production, dispersal and germination, to the molecular biology of seed development. The book offers a broad, multidisciplinary approach that covers both theoretical and applied knowledge.

Author : George Olin
Publisher : Western National Parks Association
Page : 230 pages
File Size : 51,8 Mb
Release : 1994
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN : 1877856398

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House in the Sun by George Olin Pdf

Author : William Vincent Turnage
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 64 pages
File Size : 48,9 Mb
Release : 1941
Category : Rain and rainfall
ISBN : UCSD:31822005673470

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An Analysis of Rainfall in the Sonoran Desert and Adjacent Territory by William Vincent Turnage Pdf

Author : Michael A. Mares
Publisher : University of Oklahoma Press
Page : 695 pages
File Size : 45,6 Mb
Release : 2017-01-19
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9780806172293

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Encyclopedia of Deserts by Michael A. Mares Pdf

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.