Product Description
This book offers an accessible introduction to Sonoran Desert ecology. Eight original essays by Sonoran Desert specialists provide an overview of the practice of ecology at landscape, community, and organism levels. The essays explore the rich diversity of plant life in the Sonoran Desert and the ecological patterns and processes that underlie it. They also reveal the history and scientific legacy of the Desert Laboratory in Tucson, which has conducted research on the Sonoran Desert since 1903. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Good General Overview
Author does a good job discussing the many factors involved in desert life. General overview of biology, but the human aspect is not up to the level of the rest of the book. ... Read more

Product Description
Conventional wisdom considers deserts stark, harsh regions that support few living things. Most people also believe that water alone makes the desert bloom. Ecology of Desert Systems challenges these conventional views.

This volume explores a broad range of topics of interest to ecosystem, population, community, and physiological ecologists. Climate, weather patterns, geomorphology, and wind and water processes are examined as variables that affect the distribution of biota through fundamental ecosystem processes. Descriptions of morphological, behavioral, and physiological adaptations of desert biota illuminate, through the lens of patch dynamics, principles for understanding observed patterns of primary production, nutrient cycling, and the effects of consumers. Desertification, and the techniques for monitoring and quantifying it, is examined within the framework of desert ecosystem patterns and processes.



* Focuses on the interactions of climate, soil, and biota along a spectrum of spatial and temporal scales
* Details the role of animals in desert ecosystems and landscape processes
* Examines watershed scale processes, the ecology of ephemeral lakes, and the ecological changes identified with desertification
* Outlines the fundamental concepts relevant to sustainable development of arid lands ... Read more

Product Description
"There is quite simply nothing else around that can tell you anywhere near as much about desert sheep, by anywhere near so distinguished a crew of authors."--"Safari." (Animals) ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Original Bible for Bighorns
Great book. Somewhat dated, but a must for those wanting a comprehensive book about the desert bighorn. ... Read more

Product Description

Scientists and conservationists are beginning to understand the importance of top carnivores to the health and integrity of fully functioning ecosystems. As burgeoning human populations continue to impinge on natural landscapes, the need for understanding carnivore populations and how we affect them is becoming increasingly acute.

Desert Puma represents one of the most detailed assessments ever produced of the biology and ecology of a top carnivore. The husband-and-wife team of Kenneth Logan and Linda Sweanor set forth extensive data gathered from their ten-year field study of pumas in the Chihuahua Desert of New Mexico, also drawing on other reliable scientific data gathered throughout the puma's geographic range. Chapters examine:

• the evolutionary and modern history of pumas, their taxonomy, and physical description
• a detailed description and history of the study area in the Chihuahua Desert
• field techniques that were used in the research
• puma population dynamics and life history strategies
• the implications of puma behavior and social organization
• the relationships of pumas and their prey

The authors provide important new information about both the biology of pumas and their evolutionary ecology-not only what pumas do, but why they do it. Logan and Sweanor explain how an understanding of puma evolutionary ecology can, and must, inform long-term conservation strategies. They end the book with their ideas regarding strategies for puma management and conservation, along with a consideration of the future of pumas and humans. Desert Puma makes a significant and original contribution to the science not only of pumas in desert ecosystems but of the role of top predators in all environments. It is an essential contribution to the bookshelf of any wildlife biologist or conservationist involved in large-scale land management or wildlife management. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Desert Puma
If you love Pumas this is the book for you, it is very complete in all aspects of life of the wonderful Cats. ... Read more

Product Description
This book offers a concise but comprehensive introduction to desert ecology and adopts a strong evolutionary focus. As with other titles in the Biology of Habitats Series, the emphasis in the book is on the organisms that dominate this harsh environment, although theoretical and experimental aspects as well as conservation and desertification are also considered

Deserts are defined by their arid conditions; a consequence of this aridity is that most of the area occupied by desert is barren and monotonous, leading many people to regard it as wasteland. However, deserts are widespread and represent surprisingly biodiverse environments, although it is the relative simplicity of these ecosystems that makes them more tractable for study than more complex environments. In these resource-poor locations, natural selection is working at its most extreme and provides some of the best-known examples of Darwinian selection.

The Biology of Deserts includes a wide range of ecological and evolutionary issues including morphological and physiological adaptations of desert plants and animals, species interactions, the importance of predation and parasitism, food webs, biodiversity and conservation. It features a balance of plant and animal (both invertebrate and vertebrate) examples, and also emphasizes topical applied issues such as desertification and invasive species. The book concludes by considering the positive aspects of desert conservation.

Each of the books in the Oxford Biology of Habitats Series introduces a different habitat, and gives an integrated overview of the design, physiology, ecology, and behaviour of the organisms found there. The practical aspects of working within each habitat, the sorts of studies that are possible, and habitat biodiversity and conservation status are all explored. ... Read more

Product Description
Newly revised and updated, The Deserts of the Southwest is a comprehensive field companion to the plants, animals, geology, topography, climate, and ecology of the American Southwest. A perennial classic, it describes the four deserts -- the Great Basin, Mohave, Chihuahuan, and Sonoran -- which together stretch into nine southwestern states and Mexico. The topography, geology, and climatic conditions of these arid lands set the stage for one of the most fascinating of ecological studies: the survival and adaptation of animal and plant life in the severe, often extreme desert climate and terrain.

Abundantly illustrated with line drawings, maps, charts, and diagrams, The Deserts of the Southwest offers both the outdoor adventurer and the armchair naturalist a clear and detailed portrait of this complex, beautiful, and fragile wilderness.

"This book should help any desert adventurer, neophyte or         seasoned traveler, to be better prepared."
-- Desert News

"Peggy Larson has given us...a fine handbook for the newcomer        who wants to know more about what he sees, and even for those         of us who have lived here for many years."
-- Arizona Highways



... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Southwest Deserts Come Alive
We camped for a week in the Davis Mountains in west Texas in a section of the Chihuahuan desert last summer.This was not our first desert experience - we have hiked and camped across much of the Southwest over thelast twenty years or so. This was an unplanned trip as we were headedtoward southern Colorado, but we became fascinated by the Chihuahuan desertand somehow we never drove any further.

We were similarly quite lucky tofind a copy of the first edition of Peggy Larson's Sierra Guidebook in abookstore in Alpine, Texas.She presents the deserts of the Americansouthwest (and northern Mexico) in a literate and educated fashion.Shemanages to discuss individual plants and animals in some detail whilepainting a large scale, beautiful portrait of the four major deserts ofNorth America. Detailed ink drawings - landscape, geology, plants, andanimals - are scattered throughout the narrative and add considerablevalue. She knows her subject and shares her knowledge in an intriguingfashion.She effectively uses scientific names of desert plants andanimals interchangeably with common (but less unique) names withoutintimidating the reader. This is not a novel and it is quite possible toskip to selected chapters of personal interest, but I highly recommendexploring all chapters, all topics.Peggy Larson's style is really quitegood.

If you are already familiar with the American deserts, you willfind "The Deserts of the Southwest" a rewarding visit with an oldfriend.If you are somewhat new to the deserts and possibly have onlysampled the deserts from a highway perspective, I suspect that afterreading Peggy Larson's book you will likely change your travel plans toinclude a personal visit to an American desert. ... Read more

Product Description
This highly readable, spectacularly illustrated compendium is an ecological journey into a wondrous land of extremes. The California Deserts explores the remarkable diversity of life in this harsh yet fragile quarter of the Golden State. In a rich narrative, it illuminates how that diversity, created by drought and heat, has evolved with climate change since the Ice Ages. Along the way, we find there is much to learn from each desert species-- whether it is a cactus, pupfish, tortoise, or bighorn sheep--about adaptation to a warming, arid world. The book tells of human adaptation as well, and is underscored by a deep appreciation for the intimate knowledge acquired by native people during their 12,000-year desert experience. In this sense, the book is a journey of rediscovery, as it reflects on the ways that knowledge has been reclaimed and amplified by new discoveries. The book also takes the measure of the ecological condition of these deserts today, presenting issues of conservation, management, and restoration. With its many sidebars, photographs, and featured topics, The California Deserts provides a unique introduction to places of remarkable and often unexpected beauty. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

Comprehensive, Current & Useful
This is the type of book we have all been waiting for - holistic, comprehensive, current and easy to follow. It is not for those who substitute oil for knowledge riding their ATVs, but rather those who walk the land and want to get to know the desert first-hand. What are the climate, soils, hydrology, metabolism, light, perturbations and cycles that make up the Mojave & adjacent deserts within California? Find it here. Deserts are areas where evapotranspiration exceeds precipitation by a factor of 6 to 10. It's not what you get (precipitation), but what you keep (effective moisture), that counts. Moisture is a dominant factor, but so many other things control what deserts are and how we see them.

This is about seeing - what are the different types of metabolism plants and animals use to deal with extreme aridity and heat? This provides answers with easy to understand illustrations. What is desert pavement and how does it form? Find solutions and processes here. What are the ecotones (boundaries) between humid & arid ecosystems and how are they defined? This is a dynamic process book, not a "look-it-up-and-forget-it book".

When I stand on the eastern slope of the Sierra Nevada and look eastward into the Great Basin this book gives me a sense of understanding of colors, cryptograms, herbs, shrubs & trees. Soil fungi are important nutrient cyclers in desert soils. Ride an ATV over "barren" sand and you wipe out soils and plants for many years to come. What do soil fungi look like? Find it here. Soil fungi bacteria relationships are important in all soils and especially in desert soils.

What is the role and niche of desert fish? How long have they been around (a long time). How do dunes form and what is the source of the sand that makes up dunes? How often does it snow in the desert? How do human communities affect desert ecosystems and are these activities sustainable? Human communities may flourish for a short time by spending the natural capital stored over the last 10,000 years, but they cannot be sustained.

This book comes through with colors, viewsheds, airsheds, plants, animals and outside influences. It gives you insight into fire, flood, wind, heat, cold and travel. This is a valuable addition to my desert bookshelf. I will look at all deserts (Atacama, Karakum, Antarctic, Patagonia, Sonora, Mojave, Chihuaua, Talkla Makan, as well as the Sahara in a new light.

The California Deserts
Bruce Pavlik has written and produced an extremely useful, informative, well written and well done book with "The California Deserts: An Ecological Rediscovery".Anyone who treasures these wonderful deserts with treks in to them will love this book; it is obviously written by a scholar and a man who grew up in and loves the California deserts.

Rediscovery
This book is a must for everybody who is interested in the desert.
Beautiful images, sufficient scientific explanations (but not too much) , very easy to read, buy it now !
A comment from snowy Switzerland

The Glorious Desert
One of our last beautiful natural treasures is described in a most readable manner - in fact, I can think of no previous book on the topic that comes close to the grand scope of Pavlik's ecological work. Try reading the first few pages and not continue until you have finished! Magnificent color photos of the animals and plants, the landscapes are enhanced on every page by Pavlik's superb descriptions.In addition, he covers conservation, management, and restoration of the deserts. It deserves a prize!

Hard Science With a Human Voice
Wow! Detailed technical mastery, big-picture ecological smarts, passionate politics, and lyrical writing, all presented in a beautifully conceived, designed, illustrated,and produced book. If you like deserts you will love it. If you don't you will change your mind. Buy this book. ... Read more

Product Description
The Sonoran Desert is one of the most wildly diverse and fascinating regions in the world. Covering southeastern California, the southern half of Arizona, most of Baja California, and much of the state of Sonora, Mexico, this vast area is home to an amazing variety of plants and animals. Its terrain varies dramatically, from parched desert lowlands to semiarid tropical forests and frigid subalpine meadows. 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.
The authors--experts in many fields--begin with a general look at the region's geology, paleoecology, climate, human ecology, and biodiversity. The book then looks in depth at hundreds of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, native fishes, and invertebrates that live in the northern part of the Sonoran Desert. Throughout, the text is supplemented with anecdotes, essays, color and black-and-white photographs, maps, diagrams, and 450 finely-rendered drawings. This comprehensive, accessible natural history is written for nonscientists and will surely become an invaluable companion for nature enthusiasts, birdwatchers, hikers, students, and anyone interested in the desert Southwest.
A copublication with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

I wish it was even bigger!
This is one of the best natural history books I've ever read. The incorporation of a variety of expert authors makes it a gem. I can pick it up anytime, open to any page, and enjoy myself. A great companion on any trip to the Sonoran Desert, to pick up where the field guides leave off.

Great read for nature lovers in AZ
If you live in AZ and love the out doors, this is a great book for you to have as a reference or as a fun read.

An Essential Guide to a Great Desert
I grew up in the Sonoran Desert, in the ultra hot (and humid!) city of Yuma, Arizona. During my time there I visited the Californian and northern Baja Californian sections of this huge hyperarid land.I eventually moved to the less humid (if less hyperarid in terms of rainfall) city of Tucson, where I explored a considerable part of the eastern Arizonan part of the desert, as well as taking trips into the desert in southern Baja California and Sonora itself.This is a fascinating land and one with great surprises, such as a fauna of fish and aquatic insects, desert crusts of cyanobacteria, tropical birds, army and leaf-cutting ants and strange plants.

Now Steven J. Phillips and Patricia Comus of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum have edited a neat guide to the area in "A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert".The various sections contain numerous bits of information, many of which were new to me despite about 25 years of wandering in the Sonoran Desert. The discussions of the structure and history of the desert are particularly informative. This book should be in the bookshelf, and indeed in the knapsack (despite its size), of all travelers in this fantastic desert.

I have to admit that I know five of the authors- namely Steve Prchal, Renee Lizotte, Gary Paul Nabhan, Carl A. Olson and Thomas Van Devender- excellent writers all- but I can also say that it is a worthwhile book based just on the work of writers whom I've never met and so I can claim some non-bias.

To add to this praise I have a few very minor quibbles.I wish that there had been more reference sections- certainly there are several books on the identification of desert plants, birds, mammals and fish! Also, as a jumping spider specialist I was disappointed that the quite readily seen red and black Apache jumping spider (Phidippus apacheanus), which appears to mimic velvet ants, was not mentioned (but then I am prejudiced!). Also not mentioned were the bright red velvet mites that emerge after desert rains (I get these brought to me all the time by people wanting to know what they are.) In addition, I could not find any reference in the index to tadpole shrimp- a very abundant inhabitant of desert temporary pools. I suppose that there was little room to add such in this already over 600 page work, but it is a pity, as I think they are of interest to the visitor. One other quibble is that I personally dislike the term "brown spider" as there are lots of "brown spiders"- including wolf spiders, some crab spiders, and many others.I prefer "violin spider" as being more specifically descriptive, although I could never get W. J. Gertsch to agree with me on this (I believe that he is the original sourceof this common name!)

Having said this, I will reiterate that anybody who wants to have some idea of what they are seeing in the Sonoran Desert has to have this book! They can find no better guide on the market!

Scholarly
Subjects are thoroughly covered and the information is written in a friendly and interesting manner.If you have a question about the Sonoran Desert, you will most likely find the answer here.Among other surprises, this book offered my first look at the "creeping devil cactus" - how interesting!I'd never even heard of it before."A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert" is a book you will turn to for detailed information that can be trusted as well as entertainment. Very nice photographs and illustrations.A great book for a nature lover, even if the Sonoran Desert holds no particular interest to them.

Armchair nature watching
This is the ideal book to take along on trips to the Sonora Desert. Whether it is the Cailfornian , including Baja, Arizonian(it actually covers five states) or Mexican portions of the vast and diverse Sonara Desert,the details and complexities of this eco system are truly amazing. This book is an indespensible guide to all facets of this immense gift, including the many plants and animals that inhabit this harsh yet bountiful environment. It is a book to read before, as well as after the trips to the desert. Since it is so diverse and vast , covering some 100, 000 sq.mi., the amount of information given is quite a bit but done in such a mannner that one can easily navigate the text to the desired area of interest Inevitably one will stray into an area of newfound interest. The little known facts are a lay persons path to knowledge about what the heck they just saw or are about to see. The black and white illustrations for the plants and animals you will or did encounter are excellent and extremely helpful for identification. There is a section with color photographs as well to further illustrate the beauty of the Sonora Desert. With contributions by some thirty five different experts in their pespective field this book is the ultimate guide. Do not hesitate to buy this book if you are visting the Sonora Desertas it will prove to be a valuble reference tool that can be used over and over. Since there is so much to learn about the Sonora Desert and it's inhabitants, this book can be read anytime, anywhere since it is nearly impossible to experience it all. Recommended for the tourist, naturalist or anyone interested in learning more about the 2000 species of plants, 550 species of verbratesand thousands of unknown invertebrate species who make the Sonora Desert home. This is truly fascinating material that only nature can provide so don't hesitate to purchase this book. ... Read more

Product Description
Almost half the world is comprised of desert or dryland regions. Life in these harsh environments depends upon spectacular rivers that are constantly changing between states of flood and drought, but compared to the other rivers of the world, our knowledge of their ecology is limited. Ecology of Desert Rivers provides a comprehensive account of the variable ecology of these areas and how they determine the behaviour and composition of the organisms that survive in this 'boom and bust' environment. It also covers how human interventions such as the creation of dams affect desert rivers and the animals and plants that depend on them for survival. This book provides an up-to-date synthesis of all aspects of desert river ecology and will appeal to researchers and students in ecology, hydrology and geomorphology as well as conservation managers and policy-makers. ... Read more

Product Description
It's a sun-scorched world where clouds rarely come and nothing seems to move. That is, until children ages 6 - 9 up look a little closer to find tortoises, toads, and lizards, not to mention the scary rattlesnake and scorpion. Here, plants send their roots deep into the earth to find water, beetles stand on their head and shoot a stinky spray to fight off enemies, and roadrunners whiz by sleepy turtles and nervous desert mice on their way to ... where? Kids need only light clothes and a few simple pieces of equipment to explore the enchantments of cactus country. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Informative and Captivating for kids
We used this book to prepare for a trip to the Sonoran Desert with our 5 and 9 year old.We read a few pages each day and they then journaled about that day's reading. It gave us lots of things to look for and consider when we visit and was a perfect introduction for elementary aged kids.

Both interesting and informative
I reviewed this book for The Home School Manual =============================

One Small SquareOne Small Square, Cactus Desert"Whew! It's hot: 115°F (46°C), and the temperature is stillclimbing. . . . Welcome to cactus country. Home of rattlesnakes androadrunners, yuccas and chuckwallas. . . . In this desert you will discoveranimals that never take a drink of water and plants that double as'apartment houses.' . . ." On turning the page we are told thatexploring offers many surprises, but to be prepared in case one of thesurprises happens to be a scorpion or another dangerous creature.

Thewords, "small square," emphasize the idea that carefulobservation, even in a small space, yields a wealth of interestinginformation. And the book itself is square (9" X 9"). You areshown life under the ground as well as above it. Notes in the illustrationspoint out interesting facts, and each chapter of two or more pages dealswith a general topic like protection from the heat, dangers in the night,or how certain plants and animals take quick advantage of a rare rainfall.One chapter near the end explains that some deserts (including Antarctica)are cold. Names are given for all the plants and creatures shown. Studyingthis book is, in some ways, even better than visiting the desert itself.The book offers good science and would even make a great gift.

One of aseries of Small Square books by Donald M. Silver. This one is illustratedby Patricia J. Wynne. For readers 7 to 12 (as if adults wouldn't have funlearning all these things, too). Hardcover, 48 pp. Was $14.95. 1995, fromanother publisher. ... Read more

Product Description
Ages 4 to 8 years.The desert is a habitat of extreme climate that provides plants and animals with unique survival challenges. This book provides an introduction to one of the world's most fascinating desert habitats: the Sonoran Desert. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Another Great Addition to the Kendall-Hunt Pathways Theme book "Cactus Hotel"
[...]

"A Desert Habitat" is a charming book selection to accompany "Cactus Hotel"!Its beautiful close-up color photography lends reality to the water color illustrations of "Cactus Hotel". It portrays the sonoran desert animals that inhabit the desert along with their habitats. The text is clear and bold-very inviting to first and second grade readers. It is especially suited for vocabulary enrichment. My students enjoyed it as a read-aloud and as a resource book for drawings and reports."A Desert Habitat" is a must-have read-aloud to accompany the Kendall-Hunt Pathways Theme book "Cactus Hotel"!

Introducing Habitats
These introducing habitats books work well in my classroom of kindergarten and first grade students.They are repetitive enough to help children learn new vocabulary and concepts while they are different enough to keep children interested and curious. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

Lyrical approach to introducing life in the southwestern desert, complemented by beautiful illustrations
The "Here is..." series of books featuring animals in their natural habitats by author Madeleine Dunphy are well-written and educational. Most are also beautifully illustrated with vibrant full-color pictures which enhance the cumulative verse style employed by the author.

In "Here is the Southwestern Desert", readers are introduced to the animals that inhabit the
southwestern desert, i.e. hawks, lizards, roadrunners, bobcats, badgers, squirrels, coyotes, snakes, and hares, amongst others. The native plants of the desert are also featured, e.g. the cactus and trees. The cumulative style employed here makes this book a perfect read-aloud for young children (ages 4-8), and may also motivate beginning/intermediate readers. Illustrator Anne Coe's vivid and bold pictures complement the text perfectly. Highly recommended for children ages 4-8.

Great addition to Kendall-Hunt's Pathways Theme book "Cactus Hotel"
Cactus Hotel

"Here is the Southwestern Desert" is a great read-aloud to go with any theme unit on the Sonoran Desert. I liked it because it was a nice contrast with the straight reporting text of the Pathways main theme book "Cactus Hotel"."Here is the Southwestern Desert" is so poetic, yet it delivers realistic art and nonfiction facts on the sonoran desert habitat.My class LOVED the book!

Marvelous book for a child
I just loved Here is the Southwestern Desert, but what's more important is that my twenty-one month old daughter can't get enough of it.We read it to her at least once a day, because if we don't she protests quite audibly. The story is simple and insightful, and the art is just amazing. There areso many things that she picks out of each painting.She loves the animalsand flowers.All the desert flora and fauna in the book are represented ina way that she can truly enjoy. ... Read more

Product Description
Full-color photography is paired with clearly written text in these exciting first reference books about history and the natural world. ... Read more

Product Description
Describes the activities of various animals in Arizona's Sonoran Desert. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Great desert story and 3-D pop-ups
Children in our christian school really loved this book.I did to.Great for all ages to look at.

A little concerned
thought it might be too much pop up and wouldn't hold up. I kind of
expected more pictues like the cover detailing the animals.

But my grandson loved it.

Wonderful book
We actually live in the Sonoran Desert in SE Arizona and have all the animals listed in the book around us.I bought this for my son before he was even born and he has been enjoying it since he was approx. 1 year old.He is now 5 and still loves it and enjoys making the tarantula get the beetle and the owl feed her baby. (all the pages have 'move the animals' features.)A great book for anybody living anywhere in the world to learn about the Arizona Sonoran Desert!

Absolutely outstanding and sturdy
When I owned a bookstore, we could not keep this wonderful book on our shelves.We put out a demo and wrapped the rest of the copies to prevent damage.Even then, the demo lasted for quite some time despite enthusiastic use by our young customers.There are a surprising number of very creative moving creatures on each page in addition to the pop-ups.The illustrations are colorful and outstanding.This one is a winner!

Fun and educational!
We've had this since my son was born. He and his little sister have really enjoyed it. They love to have the animals move, search for the hiding animals, and have us read the text. A great book! ... Read more

Product Description
A comprehensive field guide, fully illustrated with color photographs, to the wildflowers, insects, birds, reptiles and other natural wonders of North America's deserts, from Oregon to Mexico.Amazon.com Review
This essential guidebook to the North American deserts, one ina distinguished Audubon Society series devoted to continental biomes,contains in outline just about all the natural-history information adesert rat will need in the field. Drawing on the expertise ofornithologists, botanists, mammalogists, herpetologists, and otherscientists across the country, editor James MacMahon offers an accountof desert ecology, followed by life histories of characteristic floraand fauna, range maps, and illustrations. Of particular interest areMacMahon's notes on Native American uses of indigenous plants andanimals. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Customer Reviews (13)

So glad I found it again!
I had a copy of this book a few years back, loaned it to someone, and never saw it again. It was like a bible to me. I started searching for another copy of it on Amazon, and lo and behold I found it! It had little use, and I got it for a great price. This made my year!

disapointed!
The book I received was exactly what I wanted, however.... the entire back cover was torn away from the book. I purchased the book as in good/very good condition. I didn't know that I would have to glue the book together before I could "use" it! Very disapointing!

A Must Have for anyone travelling the southwest
If you travel the southwest and want to know what you are looking at then this book is a Must Have.

Good descriptions, clear and concise photos and drawings, excellent maps make it a great buy too.

It is not a do it all guide, but by far the best one out there, it is one resource you will find yourself turning to time and time again.

So-so, pretty circumscribed
I saw a pair of American avocets in Death Valley in March, 2006. With the help of a ranger at Furnace Creek, I was able to identify them from a National Geographic guide.

Are they in this guide? Even though Death Valley is part of their normal flyover range? No.

And that's exactlywhy this -- and other Audubon guides, from my experience -- just fall short in many ways compared to National Geographic or Peterson.

Now, it's true, you'll get more depth of coverage in the species that are actually covered. But, whether birds, trees, or shrubs, if the lifeform isn't pictured or described, all the "depth of coverage" in the world does you no good.

Beautiful pictures
Not many field guides for deserts out there. This one has great pictures. ... Read more

Product Description
This lavishly illustrated and informatively written book offers readers a guide to the Sonoran Desert that will enhance their understanding of the plants and animals that live there. Designed to be carried easily when traveling, it will enable the whole family to identify commonly found annuals, perennials, cactuses, shrubs, and trees, as well as fascinating them with pictures and accounts of creatures. More advanced readers will find tables and keys to species, genera, and families, allowing identification of more than 300 plant species from seventy families, as well as illustrated descriptions providing insight into the behaviors of many Sonoran Desert dwellers. With more than 400 superb color photographs made up of 1,200 images, and a glossary covering more than 200 easy-to-understand technical terms, no one venturing out into the special and unique ecosystem of the Sonoran Desert should be without this book. “The author has admirably achieved his goal of guiding the desert enthusiast toward a more sophisticated, more accurate, and ultimately a more enjoyable appreciation of the Sonoran Desert.” —John Alcock, Regents’ Professor of Biology, Arizona State University, and author of Sonoran Desert Spring ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A brilliant description of the Sonoran Desert
Finally, someone who lives in the Sonoran desert has written & photographed a simple, intelligent description of this wonderful part of the world. ... Read more

Product Description
Longtime residents of the Sonoran Desert, the Tohono O'odham people have spent centuries living off the land-a land that most modern citizens of southern Arizona consider totally inhospitable.Ethnobotanist Gary Nabhan has lived with the Tohono O'odham, long known as the Papagos, observing the delicate balance between these people and their environment.Bringing O'odham voices to the page at every turn, he writes elegantly of how they husband precious scant water supplies, grow crops, and utilize wild edible foods.Woven through his account are coyote tales, O'odham children's impressions of the desert, and observations on the political problems that come with living on both sides of an international border. Whether visiting a sacred cave in the Boboquivari Mountains or attending a saguaro wine-drinking ceremony, Nabhan conveys the everyday life and extraordinary perseverance of these desert people in a book that has become a contemporary classic of environmental literature. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Desert Smells Like Rain
My wife and I found it interesting how the Tohono O'odham used rainfall alone to successfully subsist in the desert.We were also fascinated with the knowledge and use of herbs to maintain their physical well-being and to ward off disease.We found some of the folk tales amusing.Having lived in the Tucson area, we found we could identify with the book.We thoroughly enjoyed it.The author did an excellent job of capturing the essence of the Tohono O'odham (Papago) culture and lifestyle. ... Read more

Product Description
Describes some of the plants and animals that live in the desert. ... Read more

Product Description

You may think of the desert as a harsh, dry place where no one would ever want to live -- but think again.

The Desert People know. so do the animals. Both love the land, and "share the feeling of being brothers in the desert, of being desert creatures together."

Byrd Baylor's spare, poetic text and Peter Parnall's striking illustrations lime the sky, stone and sand of the desert in this haunting book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Desert Poetry
Byrd Baylor's book are classified as "children's" literature--and in some ways they are.But The Desert Is Theirs, like her other books is a joy to read for both adults and children.And the illustrations by Parnall) for this book, like most of her others, are breathtaking.

.Sands Of Life Time
The Desert story is beautifully depicted, wonderfully written, enjoyed and gives a vivid insight into life stories and cultures.
I have purchased and read many of "Byrd Baylor's" books. Read them to grandchildren and also read them to very elderly frail folk in nursing home care and been very much enjoyed by all.

ALL TEACHERS MUST READ IT!
HELLO, I AM 24 AND I WILL START TEACHING ON JANUARY.I WILL USE THIS BOOK WHEN TALKING ABOUT ANIMALS AND NATURE. IT IS A USEFUL BOOK FOR GRADES 4TH AND UP BECAUSE OF THE ILLUSTRATIONS AND THE MESSAGE IN POETIC FORM. A MUST READ BOOK!I RECOMEND IT HIGHLY. I AM USING IT NOW FOR MY CHILDREN'S LITERATURE CLASS.

Life in the desert.
This children's book describes the animal- and plant-life found in the desert in the southwest U.S., including the Papago Indians. Children learn more about what it is like to live in such an environment. The book wasillustrated by Peter Parnall and was a 1976 Caldecott Honor book (i.e., arunner-up to the Medal winner) for best illustrations in a book forchildren. ... Read more