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Title:
Ecology of desert systems / Walter G. Whitford, USDA-ARS Jornada Experimental Range, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, U.S.A., with Benjamin D. Duval, New Mexico Institute of Mining, Department of Biology.
Author:
Whitford, W. G. (Walter G.), 1936- author.

Duval, Benjamin D., author.
Publication Information:
London, United Kingdom ; San Diego, CA : Academic Press, an imprint of Elsevier, [2020]
Call Number:
QH541.5.D4 W55 2020
Abstract:
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.--Provided by publisher.
Edition:
Second edition.
ISBN:
9780128150559
Physical Description:
xi, 462 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
Contents:
Conceptual framework, paradigms, and models -- Landforms, geomorphology, and vegetation -- Characterization of desert climates -- Wind and water processes -- Patch : mosaic dynamics -- Adaptations -- Primary production -- Consumers and their effects -- Decomposition and nutrient cycling -- Nonnative, exotic, or alien species -- Anthropogenic climate change in deserts -- Desertification -- Rehabilitation of degraded landscapes -- Monitoring and assessment -- The human footprint (roads; urbanization; energy developments).
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