Download or read book Amphibians Reptiles and Their Habitats at Sabino Canyon written by David Wentworth Lazaroff and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2006 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Even in paradise, one needs to be mindful of whatÕs underfoot. The Sabino Canyon Recreation Area is a desert oasis in the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, a rich repository of wildlife and a favorite destination for Tucsonans and visitors for more than a century. This book presents annotated and illustrated descriptions of the amphibians and reptiles found at Sabino Canyon and an overview of their natural environment. Representing a study spanning nearly twenty-five years, it documents their present and past distribution and examines environmental and herpetofaunal change due to physical, biological, and human impact on species and habitats. In this first publication to describe Sabino CanyonÕs biota in scientific detail, three expert authors pool their knowledge to provide a detailed discussion of ecological changeÑespecially as a consequence of drought, flooding, the introduction of exotic species, and direct human impact. Suburbia has arrived on the canyonÕs doorstep, and human visitation has soared, inalterably affecting the area. Of particular concern, breeding habitats for amphibians were profoundly altered by flash flooding in SabinoÕs streams following the 2003 Aspen Fire, which ravaged large parts of the Santa Catalina Mountains. The book contains richly detailed accounts of the 57 species found at SabinoÑ25 snakes, 17 lizards, 8 toads and frogs, 6 turtles, and 1 salamanderÑemphasizing their local ecology and the behavior likely to be witnessed by visitors. Physical descriptions and numerous photographsÑmany in colorÑfacilitate identification. Up-to-date distribution maps provide an essential baseline against which future researchers can measure change. Amphibians, Reptiles, and Their Habitats at Sabino Canyon is essential for anyone who seeks to understand this desert oasis, how it has changed, and how it may change in the future. Written with minimal technical jargon to make it as useful to students and visitors as it will be to scientists and resource managers, it makes a vital contribution to our understanding of creatures underfoot whose habitat we seek to share.
Download or read book Frogs of the United States and Canada written by C. Kenneth Dodd Jr. and published by JHU Press. This book was released on 2023-06-20 with total page 991 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The most thorough, updated guide to frogs and toads in the United States and Canada available. A stunning diversity of frog species can be found from coastal swamps to lofty mountain peaks, and from the Florida Keys to the Arctic Ocean. They live in subtropical lowlands, grassland prairies, deserts, and alpine-tundra habitats. Some species have restricted habitat requirements, whereas others occur contiguously from the arid plains or humid southeastern forests to the high tundra. In this new edition of Frogs of the United States and Canada, C. Kenneth Dodd Jr. tours the reader through the marvelous world of North American frogs. Covering 114 native and introduced species from all US states and Canadian provinces, this comprehensive reference on the biology, behavior, and conservation of the Order Anura includes detailed and updated information on • past and present distribution • life history and demography • reproduction and diet • landscape ecology and evolution • diseases, parasites, and threats from toxic substances • conservation and management Hundreds of occurrence maps, line drawings, and new color photographs of frogs and their habitats enhance the text. The most thorough treatment of the life histories, distribution, and status of North American frogs ever produced, Frogs of the United States and Canada has been the go-to reference for naturalists, scientists, and resource managers in their efforts to understand and conserve frogs, their habitats, and biodiversity for over a decade. Based on a meticulously updated examination of more than 8,000 references current through 2021, this second edition ensures Dodd's master work will remain an unparalleled resource for years to come.
Download or read book Picturing Sabino written by David Wentworth Lazaroff and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2023-04-04 with total page 457 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sabino Canyon, a desert canyon in the American Southwest near Tucson, Arizona, is enjoyed yearly by thousands of city residents as well as visitors from around the world. Picturing Sabino tells the story of the canyon’s transformation from a barely known oasis, miles from a small nineteenth-century town, into an immensely popular recreation area on the edge of a modern metropolis. Covering a century of change, from 1885 to 1985, this work rejoices in the canyon’s natural beauty and also relates the ups and downs of its protection and enjoyment. The story is vividly told through numerous historical photographs, lively anecdotes, and an engaging text, informed by decades of research by David Wentworth Lazaroff. Along the way the reader makes the acquaintance of ordinary picnickers as well as influential citizens who helped to reshape the canyon, while witnessing the canyon’s evolving relationship with its growing urban neighbor. The book will fascinate readers who are already familiar with Sabino Canyon, as well as anyone with an interest in local or regional history, or in historical photography.
Download or read book California Amphibian and Reptile Species of Special Concern written by Robert C. Thomson and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2016-06-21 with total page 407 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the most important hotspots of herpetological biodiversity in the United States, California is home to many endemic amphibians and reptiles found nowhere else on earth. Many of these taxa have unique ecological and morphological specializations, and their management is an important conservation challenge. Increasing climate change impacts, human development, and extreme drought mean many of these species face an ever-greater risk of extinction. California Amphibian and Reptile Species of Special Concern provides an up-to-date synthesis of the current state of knowledge regarding the biology and conservation risks faced by 45 of California’s most sensitive amphibian and reptile species. With the goal of enhancing management based on the best available science, the authors developed a novel set of risk metrics to identify special concern species and the threats they face, including population declines, range size and restrictions, and ecological specializations and niche restrictions. In addition to detailed species accounts, this book provides a quantitative analysis of the conservation status and pressing management issues facing individual species and the state’s amphibian and reptile fauna as a whole. The volume focuses on identifying threats, concrete recommendations for management and recovery, and future research needs. The text is complemented by detailed distribution maps, color photos, and graphs. Written in nontechnical language, California Amphibian and Reptile Species of Special Concern will be a valuable resource to a broad range of users from resource managers, field biologists, and academic herpetologists to students and recreational naturalists. Published in association with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Download or read book Arizona Wildlife Views written by and published by . This book was released on 2006 with total page 248 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Natural Landmarks of Arizona written by David Yetman and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2021-11-02 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Natural Landmarks of Arizona celebrates the vast geological past of Arizona’s natural monuments through the eyes of a celebrated storyteller who has called Arizona home for most of his life. David Yetman shows us how Arizona’s most iconic landmarks were formed millions of years ago and sheds light on the more recent histories of these landmarks as well. These peaks and ranges offer striking intrusions into the Arizona horizon, giving our southwestern state some of the most memorable views, hikes, climbs, and bike rides anywhere in the world. They orient us, they locate us, and they are steadfast through generations. Whether you have climbed these peaks many times, enjoy seeing them from your car window, or simply want to learn more about southwestern geology and history, reading Natural Landmarks of Arizona is a fascinating way to learn about the ancient and recent history of beloved places such as Cathedral Rock, Granite Dells, Kitt Peak, and many others. With Yetman as your guide, you can tuck this book into your glove box and hit the road with profound new knowledge about the towering natural monuments that define our beautiful Arizona landscapes.
Download or read book Plant Life of a Desert Archipelago written by Richard Stephen Felger and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2013-01-31 with total page 623 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The desert islands of the Gulf of California are among the world's best-preserved archipelagos. The diverse and unique flora, from the cardón forests of Cholludo to the agave-dominated slopes of San Esteban remain much as they were centuries ago, when the Comcaac (Seri people) were the only human presence in the region. Almost 400 plant species exist here, with each island manifesting a unique composition of vegetation and flora. For thousands of years, climatic and biological forces have sculpted a set of unparalleled desert worlds. Plant Life of a Desert Archipelago is the first in-depth coverage of the plants on islands in the Gulf of California found in between the coasts of Baja California and Sonora. The work is the culmination of decades of study by botanist Richard Felger and recent investigations by Benjamin Wilder, in collaboration with Sr. Humberto Romero-Morales, one of the most knowledgeable Seris concerning the region's flora. Their collective effort weaves together careful and accurate botanical science with the rich cultural and stunning physical setting of this island realm. The researchers surveyed, collected, and studied thousands of plants—seen here in meticulous illustrations and stunning color photographs—providing the most precise species accounts of the islands ever made. To access remote parts of the islands the authors worked directly with the Comcaac, an indigenous community who have lived off marine and terrestrial life in this coastal desert region for centuries. Invaluable information regarding indigenous names and distributions are an intrinsic part of this work. The flora descriptions are extraordinarily detailed and painstakingly crafted for field biologists. Conservationists, students, and others who are interested in learning about the natural wealth of the Gulf of California, desert regions, or islands in general are sure to be captivated by this rich and fascinating volume.
Download or read book The Saguaro Cactus written by David Yetman and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2020-02-25 with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The saguaro, with its great size and characteristic shape—its arms stretching heavenward, its silhouette often resembling a human—has become the emblem of the Sonoran Desert of southwestern Arizona and northwestern Mexico. The largest and tallest cactus in the United States, it is both familiar and an object of fascination and curiosity. This book offers a complete natural history of this enduring and iconic desert plant. Gathering everything from the saguaro’s role in Sonoran Desert ecology to its adaptations to the desert climate and its sacred place in Indigenous culture, this book shares precolonial through current scientific findings. The saguaro is charismatic and readily accessible but also decidedly different from other desert flora. The essays in this book bear witness to our ongoing fascination with the great cactus and the plant’s unusual characteristics, covering the saguaro’s: history of discovery, place in the cactus family, ecology, anatomy and physiology, genetics, and ethnobotany. The Saguaro Cactus offers testimony to the cactus’s prominence as a symbol, the perceptions it inspires, its role in human society, and its importance in desert ecology.
Download or read book A Desert Feast written by Carolyn Niethammer and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2020-09-22 with total page 233 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Southwest Book of the Year Award Winner Pubwest Book Design Award Winner Drawing on thousands of years of foodways, Tucson cuisine blends the influences of Indigenous, Mexican, mission-era Mediterranean, and ranch-style cowboy food traditions. This book offers a food pilgrimage, where stories and recipes demonstrate why the desert city of Tucson became American’s first UNESCO City of Gastronomy. Both family supper tables and the city’s trendiest restaurants feature native desert plants and innovative dishes incorporating ancient agricultural staples. Award-winning writer Carolyn Niethammer deliciously shows how the Sonoran Desert’s first farmers grew tasty crops that continue to influence Tucson menus and how the arrival of Roman Catholic missionaries, Spanish soldiers, and Chinese farmers influenced what Tucsonans ate. White Sonora wheat, tepary beans, and criollo cattle steaks make Tucson’s cuisine unique. In A Desert Feast, you’ll see pictures of kids learning to grow food at school, and you’ll meet the farmers, small-scale food entrepreneurs, and chefs who are dedicated to growing and using heritage foods. It’s fair to say, “Tucson tastes like nowhere else.”
Download or read book The Great Cacti written by David Yetman and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2008-01-31 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Towering over deserts, arid scrublands, and dry tropical forests, giant cacti grow throughout the Americas, from the United States to Argentina—often in rough terrain and on barren, parched soils, places inhospitable to people. But as David Yetman shows, many of these tall plants have contributed significantly to human survival. Yetman has been fascinated by columnar cacti for most of his life and now brings years of study and reflection to a wide-ranging and handsomely illustrated book. Drawing on his close association with the Guarijíos, Mayos, and Seris of Mexico—peoples for whom such cacti have been indispensable to survival—he offers surprising evidence of the importance of these plants in human cultures. The Great Cacti reviews the more than one hundred species of columnar cacti, with detailed discussions of some 75 that have been the most beneficial to humans or are most spectacular. Focusing particularly on northwestern Mexico and the southwestern United States, Yetman examines the role of each species in human society, describing how cacti have provided food, shelter, medicine, even religiously significant hallucinogens. Taking readers to the exotic sites where these cacti are found—from sea-level deserts to frigid Andean heights—Yetman shows that the great cacti have facilitated the development of native culture in hostile environments, yielding their products with no tending necessary. Enhanced by over 300 superb color photos, The Great Cacti is both a personal and scientific overview of sahuesos, soberbios, and other towering flora that flourish where few other plants grow—and that foster human life in otherwise impossible places.
Download or read book Mexico s Valleys of Cuicatl n and Tehuac n written by David Yetman and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2023-09-26 with total page 377 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mexico’s Valleys of Cuicatlán and Tehuacán: From Deserts to Clouds provides an accessible and photographic view of the culture, history, and environment of an extraordinary region of southern Mexico. The Valleys of Cuicatlán and Tehuacán are lauded by botanists for their spectacular plant life—they contain the densest columnar cacti forests in the world. Recent archaeological excavations reveal them also to be a formative Mesoamerican site as well. So singular is this region that it is home to the Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Through firsthand experience and engaging prose, the authors provide a synthesis of the geology, ecology, history, and cultures of the valleys, showing their importance and influence as Mesoamerican arteries for environmental and cultural interchange through Mexico. It also reveals the extraordinary plant life that draws from habitats ranging from deserts to tropical forests. The authors, both experts in their respective fields, begin with a general description of the geography of the valleys, followed by an introduction to climate and hydrology, a look at the valleys’ often bewildering geology. The book delves into cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the valleys and discusses archaeological sites that that encapsulate the valleys’ fascinating history prior to the arrival of Europeans. The book concludes by describing the flora that makes the region so singular.
Download or read book Michael Chiago written by Michael Chiago and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2022-08-30 with total page 136 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book offers an artistic depiction of O’odham lifeways through the paintings of internationally acclaimed O’odham artist Michael Chiago Sr. Ethnobiologist Amadeo M. Rea collaborated with the artist to describe the paintings in accompanying text, making this unique book a vital resource for cultural understanding and preservation. A joint effort in seeing, this work explores how the artist sees and interprets his culture through his art. A wide array of Chiago’s paintings are represented in this book, illustrating past and present Akimel O’odham and Tohono O’odham culture. The paintings show the lives and traditions of O’odham people from both the artist’s parents’ and grandparents’ generations and today. The paintings demonstrate the colonial Spanish, Mexican, and Anglo-American influences on O’odham culture throughout the decades, and the text explains how wells and windmills, schools, border walls, and nonnative crops have brought about significant change in O’odham life. The paintings and text in this book beautifully depict a variety of O’odham lifeways, including the striking Sonoran Desert environment of O’odham country, gathering local foods and cooking meals, shrines, ceremonies, dances, and more. By combining Chiago’s paintings of his lived experiences with Rea’s ethnographic work, this book offers a full, colorful, and powerful picture of O’odham heritage, culture, and language, creating a teaching reference for future generations.
Download or read book Ethnobiology for the Future written by Gary Paul Nabhan and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2016-04-15 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The book centers on a call to define/redefine the field of ethnobiology and the need for doing so. It points a major way forward for ethnobiology: toward engagement with people and communities that are saving ecosystems and lifestyles through reviving traditional agricultural items and techniques, and integrating them into the contemporary world"--Provided by publisher.
Download or read book lamos Sonora written by John Messina and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2022-05-10 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The town of Álamos in the state of Sonora, Mexico, a one-day drive from the Arizona border, is one of the most intact colonial-era cities in northern Mexico. Álamos has been declared a National Historic Monument by the Mexican government and is one of only fourteen towns to be designated as Pueblos Mágicos. Founded by Spaniards who discovered silver deposits nearby, Álamos was a prosperous city from its inception. It is situated in a “dry tropical” valley where both desert flora and tropical plants intermingle. The propitious combination of wealth, climate, and New World Hispanic town planning principles led to the development of a remarkable architecture and city plan. Until now, there has never been a book about the architecture and urban form of Álamos. In this much-needed work, John Messina, who teaches architecture and is a practicing architect, provides a well-informed history and interpretive description of the town. He also examines building materials and construction techniques, as well as issues of building preservation and restoration. At the same time, the author considers what other cities might learn from Álamos. Particularly for cities in the American Southwest that are struggling to reduce sprawl and increase density without compromising their quality of life, Álamos offers a range of possible solutions. Thoroughly illustrated and designed for lay readers and professionals alike, this engaging book captures the essence and the uniqueness of Álamos while asking what lessons can be drawn by architects and planners who are attempting to reshape our own cities and towns into more livable, viable, and people-friendly environments.
Download or read book Baja California Missions written by and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2013-07-04 with total page 185 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Baja California Missions is a beautiful and informative book about the lovely but seldom-seen missions of Baja that remain intact today. With gorgeous photographs and useful descriptions that include both historical backgrounds and contemporary driving directions, Baja California Missions is both a photography book and a guidebook.
Download or read book Just Between Us written by Guillermo Nu–ez Noriega and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2014-05-15 with total page 231 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Just Between Us, set in the context of Mexico's cultural codes, challenges norms in thinking about men's identities, their pleasures, and their sense of belonging. Author Guillermo Nâuänez Noriega offers a groundbreaking study that contests patriarchal concepts limiting male relationships and masculinity"--Provided by publisher.
Download or read book Last Water on the Devil s Highway written by Bill Broyles and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2014-02-06 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The DevilÕs HighwayÑEl Camino del DiabloÑcrosses hundreds of miles and thousands of years of Arizona and Southwest history. This heritage trail follows a torturous route along the U.S. Mexico border through a lonely landscape of cactus, desert flats, drifting sand dunes, ancient lava flows, and searing summer heat. The most famous waterhole along the way is Tinajas Altas, or High Tanks, a series of natural rock basins that are among the few reliable sources of water in this notoriously parched region. Now an expert cast of authors describes, narrates, and explains the human and natural history of this special place in a thorough and readable account. Addressing the latest archaeological and historical findings, they reveal why Tinajas Altas was so important and how it related to other waterholes in the arid borderlands. Readers can feel like pioneers, following in the footsteps of early Native Americans, Spanish priests and soldiers, gold seekers and borderland explorers, tourists, and scholars. Combining authoritative writing with a rich array of more than 180 illustrations and maps as well as detailed appendixes providing up-to-date information on the wildlife and plants that live in the area, Last Water on the DevilÕs Highway allows readers to uncover the secrets of this fascinating place, revealing why it still attracts intrepid tourists and campers today.
