Deserts

A Very Short Introduction
Erscheinungsjahr 2009
ISBN: 978-0-19-956430-9
Verlag: Oxford University Press

Buch, Englisch, 160 Seiten, Format (B × H): 113 mm x 178 mm, Gewicht: 128 g

Reihe: Very Short Introductions

Deserts make up a third of the planet's land surface, but if you picture a desert, what comes to mind? A wasteland? A drought? A place devoid of all life forms?

Deserts are remarkable places. Typified by drought and extremes of temperature, they can be harsh and hostile; but many deserts are also spectacularly beautiful, and on occasion teem with life. Nick Middleton explores how each desert is unique: through fantastic life forms, extraordinary scenery, and ingenious human adaptations. He demonstrates a desert's immense natural beauty, its rich biodiversity, and uncovers a long history of successful human occupation.

This Very Short Introduction tells you everything you ever wanted to know about these extraordinary places and captures their importance in the working of our planet.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

Zielgruppe

General readers interested in the natural world and students of geography, ecology, and environmental science

Autoren/Hrsg.

Middleton, Nick

Fachgebiete

• Geowissenschaften Umweltwissenschaften Angewandte Ökologie
• Geowissenschaften Geographie | Raumplanung Trockengebiete und Wüsten
• Interdisziplinäres Wissenschaften Wissenschaften: Allgemeines Populärwissenschaftliche Werke

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Introduction
1: Desert Climates
2: Desert Landscapes
3: Nature in Deserts
4: Desert Peoples
5: Deserts Connections
Epilogue

Über Autor(innen)

Nick Middleton is a geographer, writer, and presenter of television documentaries. He teaches at Oxford University where he is a Fellow of St Anne's College. His main research interest is in the nature and human use of deserts, and he has written more than 200 articles and 16 books.