Deserts : a very short introduction

Summary:

Deserts are remarkable places. Typified by aridity and extremes of temperature, they can be harsh and hostile or spectacularly beautiful. For much of the time a desert may look desolate and lifeless, but on occasion, it teems with life. Nick Middleton explains how each desert is unique: through fantastic life forms, extraordinary scenery, and ingenious human adaptations. He demonstrates the desert's immense natural splendour, oncovers its rich biodiversity, and explores a long history of successful human occupation. Deserts are among the regions in the world most vulnerable to climate change, and even small changes in climatic factors can have numerous effects on all aspects of the landscape and people. Understanding how deserts respond to change has implications for the planet as a whole, and therefore for all of us.

Record details

ISBN: 9780199564309
ISBN: 0199564302
Physical Description: xiv, 135 pages : illustrations ; 18 cm.
Publisher: Oxford ; Oxford University Press, 2009.

Content descriptions

Bibliography, etc. Note:	Includes bibliographical references (pages 129-130) and index.
Formatted Contents Note:	Desert climates -- Desert landscapes -- Nature in deserts -- Desert peoples -- Desert connections.