Deserts are extreme environments. Occupying about 20 per cent of the world's land surface, they are subject to some of the harshest conditions on the planet, being places of minimal rainfall and epic temperatures, from searing heat to intense cold. Rock, sand and gravel provide the stark physical context. Yet deserts are far from the bleak and lifeless wastelands of popular perception, being surprisingly diverse in terms of wildlife. From elephants to tiny lichens, desert flora and fauna are highly specialized, demonstrating a vast range of adaptations that are designed to cope with the demanding environment and exploit fully the ecological niches on offer. In "The Desert", James Parry explores some the world's last great desert wildernesses and reveals the fascinating range of wildlife they support. This book looks at various types of desert, at their different ecosystems and at the diverse features and types of wildlife that make them such exciting places to visit.
- ISBN10 1847322980
- ISBN13 9781847322982
- Publish Date 1 September 2011
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 24 March 2021
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Welbeck Publishing Group
- Imprint Carlton Books Ltd
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 256
- Language English