Download or read book The Living Deserts of Southern African written by Barry Lovegrove and published by Penguin Random House South Africa. This book was released on 2021-09-01 with total page 559 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For generations, the deserts of southern Africa have intrigued scientists and travellers alike. Seemingly barren wastes, they in fact teem with life – from ants to elephants, stone plants to the curious welwitschia, dainty dik-diks to towering gemsbok, and cart-wheeling spiders to fog-basking beetles. How do they cope with scarce resources, unpredictable rainfall and extreme temperatures? How do they protect themselves against predators? And what is the impact of climate change on these life forms and their habitats? Drawing on an earlier edition, published in 1993, biologist Barry Lovegrove answers these questions and unravels many of the mysteries associated with life in the desert. He describes the four arid biomes of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana – Desert, Arid Savanna, Succulent Karoo and Nama-Karoo – and explains how and why such a great diversity of plants, insects, mammals, reptiles and birds successfully exist in these regions. The text is supported by the most recent research, spectacular photographs, and explanatory diagrams and maps. The Living Deserts of Southern Africa is a compelling, in-depth read that is accessible to both the serious student and academic as well as the interested nature lover. Sales points: A fully revised and updated edition of a classic text (1993) on southern Africa’s desert zones; highly readable, entertaining and informative that draws on the latest scientific research; covers the desert regions of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana; stunning full-colour photographs support the text.
Download or read book The Living Deserts of Southern Africa written by Barry Lovegrove and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Where rainfall is meagre and unpredictable, temperatures fluctuate between extreme hot and cold, and food is scarce, it seems that little can survive.
Download or read book Southern Africa s Beautiful Deserts written by Gordon L. Maclean and published by HPH Publishing. This book was released on 2005 with total page 108 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Get Bushwise On Safari written by Nadine Clarke and published by Penguin Random House South Africa. This book was released on 2012-06-21 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This bumper edition, comprising three lively children’s nature guides, brings together a treasure trove of information, colourful images, games and activities for young readers. A local guide leads adventurers on safaris into three surprisingly varied worlds: the bushveld, a river and a desert. Each environment brings its unique flavour to the adventure; multiple images (both photos and illustrations) and interesting habits and lifestyles. Readers are encouraged to play along by means of engaging activities, games and quizzes, with answers at the end of each section. Nature’s edible treats and useful props are introduced, along with survival techniques for the young explorer. This volume illuminates three important southern African natural arenas, and will engage readers from cover to cover.
Download or read book Ecophysiology of Desert Birds written by Gordon L. Maclean and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-12-11 with total page 188 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the Preface to his volume on Ecophysiology of the Camelidae and Desert Ruminants in this series, Trevor Wilson mentions his hesitation at the invitation from John Cloudsley-Thompson to write the book, because he had been out of direct touch with desert biology for some years. My response to John's invitation to write Ecophysiology of Desert Birds was much the same, and for the same reasons. However, with his encouragement and, taking account of the fact that a colleague of mine who is much better suited to do the job had turned it down because of pressure of work, I accepted the challenge and have enjoyed it immensely. It has been my privilege to spend much time in the deserts of North and South America, southern Africa and Australia, some of it with my wife, Cherie, whose editing of the entire text has improved the work immeasurably. Indeed, I believe it would have been proper for her to accept coauthorship, but she graciously declined the offer! I owe her a debt of gratitude which I hope will be repaid in part by her seeing the text finally between covers. The chapters on water regulation (Chap. 5) and thermo regulation (Chap. 6) have benefited from the refereeing of my colleague, Dr. Barry Lovegrove, of the Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg.
Download or read book Encyclopedia of Deserts written by Michael A. Mares and published by University of Oklahoma Press. This book was released on 2017-01-19 with total page 695 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Encyclopedia of Deserts represents a milestone: it is the first comprehensive reference to the first comprehensive reference to deserts and semideserts of the world. Approximately seven hundred entries treat subjects ranging from desert survival to the way deserts are formed. Topics include biology (birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, invertebrates, plants, bacteria, physiology, evolution), geography, climatology, geology, hydrology, anthropology, and history. The thirty-seven contributors, including volume editor Michael A. Mares, have had extensive careers in deserts research, encompassing all of the world’s arid and semiarid regions. The Encyclopedia opens with a subject list by topic, an organizational guide that helps the reader grasp interrelationships and complexities in desert systems. Each entry concludes with cross-references to other entries in the volume, inviting the reader to embark on a personal expedition into fascinating, previously unknown terrain. In addition a list of important readings facilitates in-depth study of each topic. An exhaustive index permits quick access to places, topics, and taxonomic listings of all plants and animals discussed. More than one hundred photographs, drawings, and maps enhance our appreciation of the remarkable life, landforms, history, and challenges of the world’s arid land.
Download or read book In Search of the African Lion written by Roger de la Harpe and published by Jonathan Ball Publishers. This book was released on 2012-08-01 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The African lion (Panthera leo), long celebrated as the king of beasts, faces unprecedented challenges in the wild today. Loss of habitat through the expansion of human activity increasingly restricts the lion to game reserves and national parks, while diseases such as bovine tuberculosis pose a threat to the health of lion prides. Over a period of two years, Roger and Pat de la Harpe have documented wild lions of South Africa, and the result is a superbly photographed and engagingly written tribute to this often misunderstood predator. In Search of the African Lion enters the complex world of the lion, describing pride dynamics, hunting patterns, the reproductive cycle and interactions with human communities. The book focuses on four main areas: the Kalahari, the Madikwe/Mapungubwe area, the Greater Kruger National Park and Northern Zululand -each with its own problems, challenges and opportunities. In addition, the authors highlight the important work done by game rangers, wildlife managers and scientific researchers in understanding the lion and in protecting existing populations. The In Search of... series focuses on the plight of threatened and endangered species. Also available by the same authors: In Search of the African Wild Dog.
Download or read book Grasses Grazers of Botswana and the surrounding savanna written by Veronica Roodt and published by Penguin Random House South Africa. This book was released on 2015-06-03 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An accessible reference to the grasses and grazers of this region, Veronica Roodt’s book details the fascinating ways in which these plants and animals have evolved together. The book covers: some 100 grass species (includes sketches and photographs of each species) that are preferred livestock and wild game fodder and that serve as indicators of veld condition; the role of grasses in the food chain; grass anatomy and growth; how grazers have evolved to survive on grasses, both physically and in terms of their behaviour; significant grazers that occur in the region and that play a vital role in shaping the savanna biome, and effective grassland management practices. Nature lovers, farmers, students and tourists who seek an in-depth look at the interactions between grasses and the grazers that depend on them for life need look no further than this invaluable guide.
Download or read book Conserving Biodiversity in Arid Regions written by J. Lemons and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 532 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: On the eve of the World Summit for Sustainable Development (WSSD), held in autumn 2002 in Johannesburg, South Africa, United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan recommended five specific areas as focal points of discussion for the global forum: Water, energy, health, agriculture and biodiversity. In his address, "Towards a Sustainable Future," delivered just four months before the WSSD, Secretary General Annan contended that concrete progress in each of these areas, often referred to by their acronym WEHAB, would be key to improving the quality of life not only in the developing world but across the globe. For most people, I think it is fair to say that the inclusion of biodiversity in a list that focuses on basic human needs may not be self-evident. Water, energy, health and agriculture, yes. But why biodiversity? The truth is that biodiversity is just as critical to global well-being as water, energy, agriculture and health. This is because biodiversity both drives and shapes nature's intricate and dynamic structure in an enduring form and force that enables both current and future generations to enjoy its bounty.
Download or read book Namibia written by Chris McIntyre and published by Bradt Travel Guides. This book was released on 2011-01-15 with total page 550 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The leading guide for independent travelers, combining detailed practical information with exceptional coverage of the natural and cultural attractions.
Download or read book Fires of Life written by Barry Gordon Lovegrove and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2019-01-01 with total page 381 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A groundbreaking argument on how endothermy--arguably the most important innovation in vertebrate evolution--developed in birds and mammals "Vividly narrated and illustrated. . . . Provocative and fascinating for specialists and lay readers alike."--Southeastern Naturalist This pioneering work investigates why endothermy, or "warm-bloodedness," evolved in birds and mammals, despite its enormous energetic costs. Arguing that single-cause hypotheses to explain the origins of endothermy have stalled research since the 1970s, Barry Gordon Lovegrove advances a novel conceptual framework that considers multiple potential causes and integrates data from the southern as well as the northern hemisphere. Drawing on paleontological data; research on extant species in places like the Karoo, Namaqualand, Madagascar, and Borneo; and novel physiological models, Lovegrove builds a compelling new explanation for the evolution of endothermy. Vividly narrated and illustrated, this book stages a groundbreaking argument that should prove provocative and fascinating for specialists and lay readers alike.
Download or read book The Living Desert written by Susan Durr Nix and published by . This book was released on 1991 with total page 64 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Geography of South Africa written by Jasper Knight and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-10-03 with total page 326 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edited collection examines contemporary directions in geographical research on South Africa. It encompasses a cross section of selected themes of critical importance not only to the discipline of Geography in South Africa, but also of relevance to other areas of the Global South. All chapters are original contributions, providing a state of the art research baseline on key themes in physical, human and environmental geography, and in understanding the changing geographical landscapes of modern South Africa. These contributions set the scene for an understanding of the relationships between modern South Africa and the wider contemporary world, including issues of sustainable development and growth in the Global South.
Download or read book The Tinkerer s Accomplice written by J. Scott Turner and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2010-09-30 with total page 293 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most people, when they contemplate the living world, conclude that it is a designed place. So it is jarring when biologists come along and say this is all wrong. What most people see as design, they say--purposeful, directed, even intelligent--is only an illusion, something cooked up in a mind that is eager to see purpose where none exists. In these days of increasingly assertive challenges to Darwinism, the question becomes acute: is our perception of design simply a mental figment, or is there something deeper at work? Physiologist Scott Turner argues eloquently and convincingly that the apparent design we see in the living world only makes sense when we add to Darwin's towering achievement the dimension that much modern molecular biology has left on the gene-splicing floor: the dynamic interaction between living organisms and their environment. Only when we add environmental physiology to natural selection can we begin to understand the beautiful fit between the form life takes and how life works. In The Tinkerer's Accomplice, Scott Turner takes up the question of design as a very real problem in biology; his solution poses challenges to all sides in this critical debate.
Download or read book Ecology of Angola written by Brian John Huntley and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-03-07 with total page 467 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This open access book richly illustrates the first, and comprehensive, account of the country’s biomes and ecoregions, the driving forces that account for their diversity and vulnerability, and the ecological principles that provide an understanding of the patterns and processes that have shaped landscapes, ecoregions, and ecosystems. Angola encompasses the greatest diversity of terrestrial biomes and is the second richest in terms of ecoregions, of any African country. Yet its biodiversity and the structure and functioning of its ecosystems are largely undocumented. The author draws on personal field observations from over 50 years of involvement in ecological and conservation studies in Angola and across Southern Africa. The vast recent literature published by researchers in neighboring, better resourced countries provides depth to the accounts of ecological principles and processes relevant to Angola and thus contributing to the understanding and sustainable management of its natural resources.
Download or read book The Kalahari Desert written by Molly Aloian and published by Deserts Around the World. This book was released on 2012-09-24 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Describes the geology & history of the Kalahari Desert in southern Africa. Although it receives an average of more than 250mm of rain a year, the rapidly draining soil & high rate of evaporation have created desert conditions across much of Botswana as well as parts of Namibia & South Africa. This has led to the evolution of a richly diverse & unique ecology.
Download or read book The Mammals of the Southern African Sub region written by J. D. Skinner and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2005-11-15 with total page 900 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comprehensive volume covers all mammals that occur naturally on the African mainland south of the Cunene and Zambezi rivers, and also in the subregion's coastal waters. Extensively revised and updated for the new edition, it now includes the latest data from from mammal research in southern Africa along with the radical taxonomic changes across all levels of mammalian classification. Containing contributions from specialists on each mammalian order, each species description has been reviewed by a range of independent and internationally recognised authorities. Along with the latest taxonomic information, the distribution maps and illustrations have been updated and redrawn, several new colour plates have been added, and the whole design has been enhanced to aid access to key information. This is the most comprehensive and up-to-date survey of southern-African mammals and forms an essential reference for zoologists, evolutionary biologists and anyone wanting an overview of the region's wildlife.
