Download or read book Changing Desert Environments written by Lisa McPartland and published by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. This book was released on 2019-07-15 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many people have heard of Earth's largest deserts: the Sahara in northern Africa, the Gobi in east central Asia, and the Arabian in the Arabian Peninsula. However, some people may not know that these deserts weren't always so big. Desertification is the process by which natural or human causes turn previously productive land into desert areas. This book explores the different causes of desertification and the ways even longtime desert lands can change. Fact boxes and sidebars provide readers with additional information relating to the main text.
Download or read book Geomorphology of Desert Environments written by A. D. Abrahams and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-04-17 with total page 1021 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the last twenty years there has been a major expansion of knowledge in the field of landforms and landforming processes of deserts. This advanced-level book provides a benchmark for the current state of science, and is written by an international team of authors who are acknowledged experts in their fields.
Download or read book Deserts and Desert Environments written by Julie J Laity and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2009-01-28 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Taking a global perspective, this book provides a concise overviewof drylands, including their physical, biological, temporal, andhuman components. Examines the physical systems occurring in desert environments,including climate, hydrology, past and present lakes, weathering,hillslopes, geomorphic surfaces, water as a geomorphic agent, andaeolian processes Offers an accessible introduction to the physical, biological,temporal, and human components of drylands Investigates the nature, environmental requirements, andessential geomorphic roles of plants and animals in this stressfulbiological environment Highlights the impact of human population growth on climate,desertification, water resources, and dust storm activity Includes an examination of surface/atmosphere interactions andthe impact of ENSO events.
Download or read book Ecology of Desert Systems written by Walter G. Whitford and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2019-08-20 with total page 476 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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
Download or read book Climate Change in Deserts written by Martin Williams and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2014-08-11 with total page 653 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A synthesis of the environmental and climatic history of every major desert and desert margin, for researchers and advanced students.
Download or read book Understanding the Changing Planet written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2010-07-23 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the oceans to continental heartlands, human activities have altered the physical characteristics of Earth's surface. With Earth's population projected to peak at 8 to 12 billion people by 2050 and the additional stress of climate change, it is more important than ever to understand how and where these changes are happening. Innovation in the geographical sciences has the potential to advance knowledge of place-based environmental change, sustainability, and the impacts of a rapidly changing economy and society. Understanding the Changing Planet outlines eleven strategic directions to focus research and leverage new technologies to harness the potential that the geographical sciences offer.
Download or read book The Power of Deserts written by Dan Rabinowitz and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Hotter and dryer than most parts of the world, the Middle East could soon see climate change exacerbate food and water shortages, aggravate social inequalities, and drive displacement and political destabilization. And as renewable energy eclipses fossil fuels, oil rich countries in the Middle East will see their wealth diminish. Amidst these imminent risks is a call to action for regional leaders. Could countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates harness the region's immense potential for solar energy and emerge as vanguards of global climate action? The Power of Deserts surveys regional climate models and identifies the potential impact on socioeconomic disparities, population movement, and political instability. Offering more than warning and fear, however, the book highlights a potentially brighter future--a recent shift across the Middle East toward renewable energy. With his deep knowledge of the region and knack for presenting scientific data with clarity, Dan Rabinowitz makes a sober yet surprisingly optimistic investigation of opportunity arising from a looming crisis.
Download or read book Geomorphology of Desert Environments written by Anthony J. Parsons and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-03-20 with total page 824 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: About one-third of the Earth’s land surface experiences a desert climate, and this area supports approximately 15% of the planet’s population. This percentage continues to grow, and with this growth comes the need to acquire and apply an understanding of desert geomorphology. Such an understanding is vital in managing scarce and fragile resources and in mitigating natural hazards. This authoritative reference book is comprehensive in its coverage of the geomorphology of desert environments, and is arranged thematically. It begins with an overview of global deserts, proceeds through treatments of weathering, hillslopes, rivers, piedmonts, lake basins, and aeolian surfaces, and concludes with a discussion of the role of climatic change. Written by a team of international authors, all of whom are active in the field, the chapters cover the spectrum of desert geomorphology.
Download or read book Global Deserts Outlook written by Exequiel Ezcurra and published by UNEP/Earthprint. This book was released on 2006 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Namibia Business Intelligence Report - Practical Information, Opportunities, Contacts
Download or read book When the Sahara Was Green written by Martin Williams and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2021-10-05 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The little-known history of how the Sahara was transformed from a green and fertile land into the largest hot desert in the world The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world, equal in size to China or the United States. Yet, this arid expanse was once a verdant, pleasant land, fed by rivers and lakes. The Sahara sustained abundant plant and animal life, such as Nile perch, turtles, crocodiles, and hippos, and attracted prehistoric hunters and herders. What transformed this land of lakes into a sea of sands? When the Sahara Was Green describes the remarkable history of Earth’s greatest desert—including why its climate changed, the impact this had on human populations, and how scientists uncovered the evidence for these extraordinary events. From the Sahara’s origins as savanna woodland and grassland to its current arid incarnation, Martin Williams takes us on a vivid journey through time. He describes how the desert’s ancient rocks were first fashioned, how dinosaurs roamed freely across the land, and how it was later covered in tall trees. Along the way, Williams addresses many questions: Why was the Sahara previously much wetter, and will it be so again? Did humans contribute to its desertification? What was the impact of extreme climatic episodes—such as prolonged droughts—upon the Sahara’s geology, ecology, and inhabitants? Williams also shows how plants, animals, and humans have adapted to the Sahara and what lessons we might learn for living in harmony with the harshest, driest conditions in an ever-changing global environment. A valuable look at how an iconic region has changed over millions of years, When the Sahara Was Green reveals the desert’s surprising past to reflect on its present, as well as its possible future.
Download or read book A Natural History of the Mojave Desert written by Lawrence R. Walker and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2018-03-27 with total page 343 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Invites readers to explore the smallest and most unique southwestern desert, the beautiful Mojave--Provided by publisher.
Download or read book Environmental Change in Drylands Past Present Future written by Kathryn Elizabeth Fitzsimmons and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2022-09-07 with total page 281 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Human Impact on Desert Environment written by Pratap Narain and published by . This book was released on 2003 with total page 656 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the Indian context; contributed papers presented at a symposium held at Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur, in February 2001.
Download or read book Desert Meteorology written by Thomas T. Warner and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2009-01-18 with total page 623 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Aridity prevails over more than one third of the land area of the Earth and over a significant fraction of the oceans as well. Yet to date there has been no comprehensive reference volume or textbook dealing with the weather processes that define the character of desert areas. Desert Meteorology fills this gap by treating all aspects of desert weather.
Download or read book Desert Edens written by Philipp Lehmann and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2024-12-17 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How technological advances and colonial fears inspired utopian geoengineering projects during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries From the 1870s to the mid-twentieth century, European explorers, climatologists, colonial officials, and planners were avidly interested in large-scale projects that might actively alter the climate. Uncovering this history, Desert Edens looks at how arid environments and an increasing anxiety about climate in the colonial world shaped this upsurge in ideas about climate engineering. From notions about the transformation of deserts into forests to Nazi plans to influence the climates of war-torn areas, Philipp Lehmann puts the early climate change debate in its environmental, intellectual, and political context, and considers the ways this legacy reverberates in the present climate crisis. Lehmann examines some of the most ambitious climate-engineering projects to emerge in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Confronted with the Sahara in the 1870s, the French developed concepts for a flooding project that would lead to the creation of a man-made Sahara Sea. In the 1920s, German architect Herman Sörgel proposed damming the Mediterranean in order to geoengineer an Afro-European continent called “Atlantropa,” which would fit the needs of European settlers. Nazi designs were formulated to counteract the desertification of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Despite ideological and technical differences, these projects all incorporated and developed climate change theories and vocabulary. They also combined expressions of an extreme environmental pessimism with a powerful technological optimism that continue to shape the contemporary moment. Focusing on the intellectual roots, intended effects, and impact of early measures to modify the climate, Desert Edens investigates how the technological imagination can be inspired by pressing fears about the environment and civilization.
Download or read book Facing Global Environmental Change written by Hans Günter Brauch and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-06-04 with total page 1546 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The year 2007 could perhaps accurately be described as the year when climate change finally received the attention that this challenge deserves globally. Much of the information and knowledge that was created in this field during the year was the result of the findings of the Fourth - sessment Report (AR4) of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), which were disseminated on a large scale and reported extensively by the media. This was the result not only of a heightened interest on the part of the public on various aspects of climate change, but also because the IPCC itself proactively attempted to spread the findings of its AR4 to the public at large. The interest generated on the scientific realities of climate change was further enhanced by the award of the Nobel Peace Prize to the IPCC and former Vice President of the US, Al Gore. By taking this decision in favour of a leader who has done a great deal to create awareness on c- mate change, and a body that assesses all scientific aspects of climate change and disseminates the result of its findings, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has clearly drawn the link between climate change and peace in the world.
Download or read book Plant Responses to Hyperarid Desert Environments written by Monier M. Abd El-Ghani and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-11-10 with total page 601 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a comprehensive discussion on plant responses in hyperarid regions of Egypt, China, Mexico, and Pakistan. It describes their location, physiographic features, accidental vegetation along two transects, endangered vegetation species, human impact, and variety of plant types (e.g. climbing, succulent, and parasitic). Studies on biotic and abiotic interactions, plant biodiversity, and soil-plant relationships are also covered. Covering a wide range of plant conditions and adaptations, this book analyzes what happens when plants must endure very high temperatures and aridity. Plants have adapted by evolving their physical structure to store and conserve water. Examples are the absence of leaves which reduces transpiration and the growth of extremely long roots, allowing them to acquire moisture at, or near the water table. Plants in hyperarid habitats have also made behavioral adaptations in order to survive by synchronizing with the seasons of greatest moisture and/or coolest temperatures. For example, desert perennials remain dormant during dry periods of the year, then spring to life when water becomes available. The book includes many color illustrations, and has extensive and up-to-date references for further reading.
