Dear ECOLOG-L:
The University of California Press is pleased to announce the publication of:
The California Deserts: An Ecological Rediscovery
Bruce M. Pavlik, Professor of Biology at Mills College, is coauthor
of Oaks of California and _California's Changing Landscapes: The
Diversity and Conservation of California Vegetation.
http://go.ucpress.edu/CAdeserts
This highly readable, spectacularly illustrated compendium is an
ecological journey into a wondrous land of extremes. The California
Deserts explores the remarkable diversity of life in this harsh yet
fragile quarter of the Golden State. In a rich narrative, it
illuminates how that diversity, created by drought and heat, has
evolved with climate change since the Ice Ages. Along the way, we
find there is much to learn from each desert species- whether it is a
cactus, pupfish, tortoise, or bighorn sheep-about adaptation to a
warming, arid world. The book tells of human adaptation as well, and
is underscored by a deep appreciation for the intimate knowledge
acquired by native people during their 12,000-year desert experience.
In this sense, the book is a journey of rediscovery, as it reflects
on the ways that knowledge has been reclaimed and amplified by new
discoveries. The book also takes the measure of the ecological
condition of these deserts today, presenting issues of conservation,
management, and restoration. With its many sidebars, photographs, and
featured topics, The California Deserts provides a unique
introduction to places of remarkable and often unexpected beauty.
Full information about the book is available online:
http://go.ucpress.edu/CAdeserts
