Ecology of Desert Systems

Ecology of Desert Systems
Author: Walter G. Whitford
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 476
Release: 2019-08-20
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0081026552

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

Gathering the Desert

Gathering the Desert
Author: Gary Paul Nabhan
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
Total Pages: 228
Release: 1985
Genre: Gardening
ISBN: 9780816510146

Looks at the history and uses of plants of the Sonoran Desert, including creosote, palm trees, mesquite, organpipe cactus, amaranth, chiles, and Devil's claw

Faunal Ecology and Conservation of the Great Indian Desert

Faunal Ecology and Conservation of the Great Indian Desert
Author: C. Sivaperuman
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 228
Release: 2008-11-01
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3540874097

The Great Indian Desert is characterized by harsh climatic conditions and different habitats, from grassland to abandoned human habitations. This book examines the regional climate and microclimatic regime of this desert and its diverse faunal inhabitants.

Sowing Seeds in the Desert

Sowing Seeds in the Desert
Author: Masanobu Fukuoka
Publisher: Chelsea Green Publishing
Total Pages: 219
Release: 2012
Genre: Gardening
ISBN: 1603584188

Argues that the Earth's deteriorating condition is man-made and outlines a way for the process to be reversed by rehabilitating the deserts using natural farming.

Climate Change in Deserts

Climate Change in Deserts
Author: Martin Williams
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 653
Release: 2014-08-11
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1107016916

A synthesis of the environmental and climatic history of every major desert and desert margin, for researchers and advanced students.

Management and Development of Agricultural and Natural Resources in Egypt's Desert

Management and Development of Agricultural and Natural Resources in Egypt's Desert
Author: Ahmed A. Elkhouly
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 544
Release: 2021-05-31
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3030731618

This book reviews the economic potential of various natural resources found in the Egyptian deserts that could help fill the food gap in Egypt, e.g., the date palm, olives, and domestic animals. Bearing in mind that the entire country is subject to arid or hyperarid climatic conditions, only a small portion (3% of total area) is agriculturally productive in comparison, the dominant deserts. These aspects, combined with a growing population (ca. 100 million citizens) and water resources scarcity, have produced severe adverse effects on natural resource utilization. This book presents innovative methods for addressing desert soil's key problems (soil erosion, salinity, pollution, decreased fertility, minerals, and weed and pest control). Its goal is to help authorities reclaim the desert and optimally utilize the minerals and the available natural resources to support the sustainability agenda 2030. Besides, it offers researchers guidance on remaining gaps and future research directions. Lastly and importantly, it provides essential information on investment opportunities in desert cultivation, such as the fields of food, fodder, and medicinal plants.

Effects of Agricultural Conservation Practices on Fish and Wildlife

Effects of Agricultural Conservation Practices on Fish and Wildlife
Author:
Publisher:
Total Pages: 404
Release: 2008
Genre: Agricultural conservation
ISBN:

"The bibliography is a guide to recent scientific literature covering effects of agricultural conservation practices on fish and wildlife. The citations listed here provide information on how conservation programs and practices designed to improve fish and wildlife habitat, as well as those intended for other purposes (e.g., water quality improvement), affect various aquatic and terrestrial fauna"--Abstract.

Rewilding Agricultural Landscapes

Rewilding Agricultural Landscapes
Author: H. Scott Butterfield
Publisher: Island Press
Total Pages: 290
Release: 2021-04-08
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1642831263

As the world population grows, so does the demand for food, putting unprecedented pressure on agricultural lands. In many desert dryland regions, however, intensive cultivation is causing their productivity to decline precipitously. "Rewilding" the least productive of these landscapes offers a sensible way to reverse the damage, recover natural diversity, and ensure long-term sustainability of remaining farms and the communities they support. This accessibly written, groundbreaking contributed volume is the first to examine in detail what it would take to retire eligible farmland and restore functioning natural ecosystems. The lessons in Rewilding Agricultural Landscapes will be useful to conservation leaders, policymakers, groundwater agencies, and water managers looking for inspiration and practical advice for solving the complicated issues of agricultural sustainability and water management.

Experimental Ecology

Experimental Ecology
Author: William J. Resetarits
Publisher:
Total Pages: 492
Release: 2001
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780195150421

Experimentation is a dominant approach in contemporary ecological research, pervading studies at all levels of biological organization and across diverse taxa and habitats. Experimental Ecology assembles an eminent group of ecologists who synthesize insights from these varied sources into a cogent statement about experimentalism as an analytical paradigm, placing experimentation within the larger framework of ecological investigation. The book discusses diverse experimental approaches ranging from laboratory microcosms to manipulation of entire ecosystem, illustrating the myriad ways experiments strengthen ecological inference. Experimental ecologists critique their science to move the field forward on all fronts: from better designs, to better links between experiments and theory, to more realism in experiments targeted at specific systems and questions.

Survival Strategies of Annual Desert Plants

Survival Strategies of Annual Desert Plants
Author: Yitzchak Gutterman
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 372
Release: 2002-08-28
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9783540431725

Annual desert plant species of unrelated taxa in the Negev Desert of Israel have developed complementary sets of adaptations and survival strategies as ecological equivalents with physiological, morphological and anatomical resemblances, in the various stages of their life cycles. After 40 years of research in hot deserts Yitzchak Gutterman provides a comprehensive treatise of such adaptations and strategies. In doing so he covers the following topics: post-maturation primary seed dormancy, which prevents germination of maturing seeds before the summer; seed dispersal mechanisms with escape or protection strategies; cautious or opportunistic germination strategies; seedling drought tolerance. The day-length is an important factor in regulating flowering as well as the phenotypic plasticity of seed germination which is also affected by maternal factors.