Customer Reviews (1)

Good General Overview
Author does a good job discussing the many factors involved in desert life. General overview of biology, but the human aspect is not up to the level of the rest of the book. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Evolutionary logic
The common view of deserts as "barren" places empty of life is firmly laid to rest by this excellent collection of essays.Alcock's relation demonstrates the wide variety and diversity of lifeforms found in the Sonoran Desert of Arizona.Plants, insects, birds and other animal life abound if you take the trouble to find them.The author is an expert at observing all this life.Better, he's adept at showing you how to follow in his footsteps to see what he sees.

"Footsteps" is the significant term in this book.Not ATVs, aircraft, nor other vehicular means, but walking quietly is the method to employ in behold ing the desert.Alcock provides examples of his techniques in researching various aspects of life.Surprising wasps in their rituals requires finesse and timing.Seemingly, he moves directly from office to landscape - one of his marking tools being a bottle of Liquid Paper.With this "paint" he can identify individual insects - male wasps and butterflies seeking mates.This technique lapses with rattlesnakes and coyotes, however.

More easily identified subjects are the palo verde trees and giant saguaro cactuses.His palo verde trees are numbered [in his memory], but the saguaros are often elusive.Not because these ancient, giant cacti are mobile, but because his urban neighbours see fit to use them for target practice.Many of his jaunts confront him with spent shells, pock-marked rocks and shattered giant cactus plants.Desert soil pockets, often the home of slumbering spade-foot toads are riven with vehicle tracks.Their passage disturbs the dormant toads who believe the noise presages water-delivering thunderstorms.Awakening, they emerge in the belief the water is signalling the time for courtship and reproduction.The disappointment is greater than simply mating deferred.It may mean the toad has expended its resources.It will dry out and expire.

In describing how the details of desert life is seen today, Alcock muses on the roots of life's processes.Why do the Tarantula Wasp and the Great Purple Hairstreak butterfly [which displays nothing visible that's purple] evolve parallel mating rituals?How can some species successfully deal with the spines of the cholla cactus when a human stuck with the spines must endure a full day's pain?Why do some bees fly in solitude while others are flock in swarms?Alcock examines these and similar questions with sound evolutionary logic.He stresses that simple or apparent solutions often require re-examination.Horned lizards only take a few ants from a nest entrance.Are they "prudent predators" saving prey for later exploitation?Alcock reflects on possibilities to arrive at a solution Darwin would have admired.As do we.[stephen a.haines - Ottawa, Canada]

Conversational devil-may-care style involving, enlightening
John Alcock brings us with him on a tour of the Usery Ridge (north of Mesa, near Phoenix, Arizona) after the winter rains, but before the harsh heat of summer.The book mostly discusses evolutionary behavior of plantsand animals found there.There are a few humorous passages which add anunexpected laugh.Dr. Alcock is concerned with the disappearance of thedesert and its treasures. ... Read more

Book Description

Customer Reviews (1)

Marvelous book for a child
I just loved Here is the Southwestern Desert, but what's more important is that my twenty-one month old daughter can't get enough of it.We read it to her at least once a day, because if we don't she protests quite audibly. The story is simple and insightful, and the art is just amazing. There areso many things that she picks out of each painting.She loves the animalsand flowers.All the desert flora and fauna in the book are represented ina way that she can truly enjoy. ... Read more

Book Description

Scientists and conservationists are beginning to understand the importance of top carnivores to the health and integrity of fully functioning ecosystems. As burgeoning human populations continue to impinge on natural landscapes, the need for understanding carnivore populations and how we affect them is becoming increasingly acute.

Desert Puma represents one of the most detailed assessments ever produced of the biology and ecology of a top carnivore. The husband-and-wife team of Kenneth Logan and Linda Sweanor set forth extensive data gathered from their ten-year field study of pumas in the Chihuahua Desert of New Mexico, also drawing on other reliable scientific data gathered throughout the puma's geographic range. Chapters examine:

• the evolutionary and modern history of pumas, their taxonomy, and physical description
• a detailed description and history of the study area in the Chihuahua Desert
• field techniques that were used in the research
• puma population dynamics and life history strategies
• the implications of puma behavior and social organization
• the relationships of pumas and their prey

The authors provide important new information about both the biology of pumas and their evolutionary ecology-not only what pumas do, but why they do it. Logan and Sweanor explain how an understanding of puma evolutionary ecology can, and must, inform long-term conservation strategies. They end the book with their ideas regarding strategies for puma management and conservation, along with a consideration of the future of pumas and humans. Desert Puma makes a significant and original contribution to the science not only of pumas in desert ecosystems but of the role of top predators in all environments. It is an essential contribution to the bookshelf of any wildlife biologist or conservationist involved in large-scale land management or wildlife management. ... Read more

Book Description
It’s a sun-scorched world where clouds rarely come and nothing seems to move. That is, until children ages 6 - 9 up look a little closer to find tortoises, toads, and lizards, not to mention the scary rattlesnake and scorpion. Here, plants send their roots deep into the earth to find water, beetles stand on their head and shoot a stinky spray to fight off enemies, and roadrunners whiz by sleepy turtles and nervous desert mice on their way to ... where? Kids need only light clothes and a few simple pieces of equipment to explore the enchantments of cactus country. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Both interesting and informative
I reviewed this book for The Home School Manual =============================

One Small SquareOne Small Square, Cactus Desert"Whew! It's hot: 115°F (46°C), and the temperature is stillclimbing. . . . Welcome to cactus country. Home of rattlesnakes androadrunners, yuccas and chuckwallas. . . . In this desert you will discoveranimals that never take a drink of water and plants that double as'apartment houses.' . . ." On turning the page we are told thatexploring offers many surprises, but to be prepared in case one of thesurprises happens to be a scorpion or another dangerous creature.

Thewords, "small square," emphasize the idea that carefulobservation, even in a small space, yields a wealth of interestinginformation. And the book itself is square (9" X 9"). You areshown life under the ground as well as above it. Notes in the illustrationspoint out interesting facts, and each chapter of two or more pages dealswith a general topic like protection from the heat, dangers in the night,or how certain plants and animals take quick advantage of a rare rainfall.One chapter near the end explains that some deserts (including Antarctica)are cold. Names are given for all the plants and creatures shown. Studyingthis book is, in some ways, even better than visiting the desert itself.The book offers good science and would even make a great gift.

One of aseries of Small Square books by Donald M. Silver. This one is illustratedby Patricia J. Wynne. For readers 7 to 12 (as if adults wouldn't have funlearning all these things, too). Hardcover, 48 pp. Was $14.95. 1995, fromanother publisher. ... Read more

Book Description
`A wounded mountain lion moves from his mountain habitat to a Papago Indian hut in Arizona's Sonoran desert during a record-breaking July day. All creation adapts to the blistering heat until a cloudburst causes a flash flood. With a measured yet vivid style, this introduction to desert ecology makes a memorable impact." —SLJ.

... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

A dramatic look into an otherworldly environment
Naturalist Jean Craighead George introduces us to the world of the mountain lion, the road runner, the cactus, the kangaroo rat, the ringtailed cat, the swift fox, the elf owl, the coyote, and the bombadier beetle in this book as she did wolves and caribou in JULIE OF THE WOLVES and peregrine falcons in MY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN.A young Papago Indian girl named Bird Wing and her mother live in Arizona's Sonoran Desert.This usually arid place is about to fall victim to a terrible thunderstorm and a flash flood.Bird Wing and all the animals of the desert struggle to find shelter before the flood.Some will survive--and some will not.This is a beautiful story about the close connection between human beings and all living things, and the unpredictable ways of nature.Other books in the ONE DAY series that include exciting natural disasters are ONE DAY IN THE ALPINE TUNDRA and ONE DAY IN THE PRAIRIE.There is also the fascinating ONE DAY IN THE WOODS and ONE DAY IN THE TROPICAL RAIN FOREST.And don't forget Jean Craighead George's 80+ stories about nature, like The Thirteen Moons series and THERE'S AN OWL IN THE SHOWER.

Introducing young readers to the desert world
Yet another wonderful book by an author very much in tune with nature and ecological concerns. She teaches while she entertains. Having lived in the region portrayed in this book, it became a gift to young friends back inMinnesota to introduce them to a COMPLETELY different world. Yielded fundiscussion and comparison. They wondered at and enjoyed it very much!

This book was not that great
As I was reading this book it did't tell me that much about anything except that this did this and that did that. If I were you I would not buy this book. Although it is my opinion on the book, you might really like it. ... Read more

Book Description
The popular Rookie Books expand their horizons - to all corners of the globe! With this series all about geography, emergent readers will take off on adventures to cities, nations, waterways, and habitats around the world…and right in their own backyards. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Great for Emergent Readers, even ESOL students!
This is a terrific series for those who are teaching emergent readers and ESOL students.This books are presented in simplified, clear language for readers, followed by photos to reinforce concepts.This series is great and helps me quite a bit with higher readers learning social studies concepts too. ... Read more

Book Description
Newly revised and updated, this comprehensive field guide describes the four deserts of the American Southwest--the Great Basin, Mojave, Chihuahuan, and Sonoran--which together stretch into nine southwestern states and Mexico. The topography, geology, and climatic conditions of these arid lands set the stage for one of the most fascinating of ecological studies: the survival and adaptation of animal and plant life in the severe, often extreme desert climate and terrain.
Abundantly illustrated with line drawings, maps, charts, and diagrams, The Deserts of the Southwest offers both the outdoor adventurer and the armchair naturalist a clear and detailed portrait of this complex, beautiful, fragile wilderness. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Southwest Deserts Come Alive
We camped for a week in the Davis Mountains in west Texas in a section of the Chihuahuan desert last summer.This was not our first desert experience - we have hiked and camped across much of the Southwest over thelast twenty years or so. This was an unplanned trip as we were headedtoward southern Colorado, but we became fascinated by the Chihuahuan desertand somehow we never drove any further.

We were similarly quite lucky tofind a copy of the first edition of Peggy Larson's Sierra Guidebook in abookstore in Alpine, Texas.She presents the deserts of the Americansouthwest (and northern Mexico) in a literate and educated fashion.Shemanages to discuss individual plants and animals in some detail whilepainting a large scale, beautiful portrait of the four major deserts ofNorth America. Detailed ink drawings - landscape, geology, plants, andanimals - are scattered throughout the narrative and add considerablevalue. She knows her subject and shares her knowledge in an intriguingfashion.She effectively uses scientific names of desert plants andanimals interchangeably with common (but less unique) names withoutintimidating the reader. This is not a novel and it is quite possible toskip to selected chapters of personal interest, but I highly recommendexploring all chapters, all topics.Peggy Larson's style is really quitegood.

If you are already familiar with the American deserts, you willfind "The Deserts of the Southwest" a rewarding visit with an oldfriend.If you are somewhat new to the deserts and possibly have onlysampled the deserts from a highway perspective, I suspect that afterreading Peggy Larson's book you will likely change your travel plans toinclude a personal visit to an American desert. ... Read more

Book Description
The Sonoran Desert is one of the most wildly diverse and fascinating regions in the world. Covering southeastern California, the southern half of Arizona, most of Baja California, and much of the state of Sonora, Mexico, this vast area is home to an amazing variety of plants and animals. Its terrain varies dramatically, from parched desert lowlands to semiarid tropical forests and frigid subalpine meadows. A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert provides the most complete collection of Sonoran Desert natural history information ever compiled and is a perfect introduction to this biologically rich desert of North America.
The authors--experts in many fields--begin with a general look at the region's geology, paleoecology, climate, human ecology, and biodiversity. The book then looks in depth at hundreds of plants, mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, native fishes, and invertebrates that live in the northern part of the Sonoran Desert. Throughout, the text is supplemented with anecdotes, essays, color and black-and-white photographs, maps, diagrams, and 450 finely-rendered drawings. This comprehensive, accessible natural history is written for nonscientists and will surely become an invaluable companion for nature enthusiasts, birdwatchers, hikers, students, and anyone interested in the desert Southwest.
A copublication with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Great read for nature lovers in AZ
If you live in AZ and love the out doors, this is a great book for you to have as a reference or as a fun read.

An Essential Guide to a Great Desert
I grew up in the Sonoran Desert, in the ultra hot (and humid!) city of Yuma, Arizona. During my time there I visited the Californian and northern Baja Californian sections of this huge hyperarid land.I eventually moved to the less humid (if less hyperarid in terms of rainfall) city of Tucson, where I explored a considerable part of the eastern Arizonan part of the desert, as well as taking trips into the desert in southern Baja California and Sonora itself.This is a fascinating land and one with great surprises, such as a fauna of fish and aquatic insects, desert crusts of cyanobacteria, tropical birds, army and leaf-cutting ants and strange plants.

Now Steven J. Phillips and Patricia Comus of the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum have edited a neat guide to the area in "A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert".The various sections contain numerous bits of information, many of which were new to me despite about 25 years of wandering in the Sonoran Desert. The discussions of the structure and history of the desert are particularly informative. This book should be in the bookshelf, and indeed in the knapsack (despite its size), of all travelers in this fantastic desert.

I have to admit that I know five of the authors- namely Steve Prchal, Renee Lizotte, Gary Paul Nabhan, Carl A. Olson and Thomas Van Devender- excellent writers all- but I can also say that it is a worthwhile book based just on the work of writers whom I've never met and so I can claim some non-bias.

To add to this praise I have a few very minor quibbles.I wish that there had been more reference sections- certainly there are several books on the identification of desert plants, birds, mammals and fish! Also, as a jumping spider specialist I was disappointed that the quite readily seen red and black Apache jumping spider (Phidippus apacheanus), which appears to mimic velvet ants, was not mentioned (but then I am prejudiced!). Also not mentioned were the bright red velvet mites that emerge after desert rains (I get these brought to me all the time by people wanting to know what they are.) In addition, I could not find any reference in the index to tadpole shrimp- a very abundant inhabitant of desert temporary pools. I suppose that there was little room to add such in this already over 600 page work, but it is a pity, as I think they are of interest to the visitor. One other quibble is that I personally dislike the term "brown spider" as there are lots of "brown spiders"- including wolf spiders, some crab spiders, and many others.I prefer "violin spider" as being more specifically descriptive, although I could never get W. J. Gertsch to agree with me on this (I believe that he is the original sourceof this common name!)

Having said this, I will reiterate that anybody who wants to have some idea of what they are seeing in the Sonoran Desert has to have this book! They can find no better guide on the market!

Scholarly
Subjects are thoroughly covered and the information is written in a friendly and interesting manner.If you have a question about the Sonoran Desert, you will most likely find the answer here.Among other surprises, this book offered my first look at the "creeping devil cactus" - how interesting!I'd never even heard of it before."A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert" is a book you will turn to for detailed information that can be trusted as well as entertainment. Very nice photographs and illustrations.A great book for a nature lover, even if the Sonoran Desert holds no particular interest to them.

Armchair nature watching
This is the ideal book to take along on trips to the Sonora Desert. Whether it is the Cailfornian , including Baja, Arizonian(it actually covers five states) or Mexican portions of the vast and diverse Sonara Desert,the details and complexities of this eco system are truly amazing. This book is an indespensible guide to all facets of this immense gift, including the many plants and animals that inhabit this harsh yet bountiful environment. It is a book to read before, as well as after the trips to the desert. Since it is so diverse and vast , covering some 100, 000 sq.mi., the amount of information given is quite a bit but done in such a mannner that one can easily navigate the text to the desired area of interest Inevitably one will stray into an area of newfound interest. The little known facts are a lay persons path to knowledge about what the heck they just saw or are about to see. The black and white illustrations for the plants and animals you will or did encounter are excellent and extremely helpful for identification. There is a section with color photographs as well to further illustrate the beauty of the Sonora Desert. With contributions by some thirty five different experts in their pespective field this book is the ultimate guide. Do not hesitate to buy this book if you are visting the Sonora Desertas it will prove to be a valuble reference tool that can be used over and over. Since there is so much to learn about the Sonora Desert and it's inhabitants, this book can be read anytime, anywhere since it is nearly impossible to experience it all. Recommended for the tourist, naturalist or anyone interested in learning more about the 2000 species of plants, 550 species of verbratesand thousands of unknown invertebrate species who make the Sonora Desert home. This is truly fascinating material that only nature can provide so don't hesitate to purchase this book.

natural history of the sonoran desert
we agree with all of the other reveiws.... a great discovery and a great resource....Glad we got it... ... Read more

Amazon.com
This essential guidebook to the North American deserts, one in a distinguished Audubon Society series devoted to continental biomes, contains in outline just about all the natural-history information a desert rat will need in the field. Drawing on the expertise of ornithologists, botanists, mammalogists, herpetologists, and other scientists across the country, editor James MacMahon offers an account of desert ecology, followed by life histories of characteristic flora and fauna, range maps, and illustrations. Of particular interest are MacMahon's notes on Native American uses of indigenous plants and animals. --Gregory McNameeBook Description
A comprehensive field guide, fully illustrated with color photographs, to the wildflowers, insects, birds, reptiles and other natural wonders of North America's deserts, from Oregon to Mexico. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

So-so, pretty circumscribed
I saw a pair of American avocets in Death Valley in March, 2006. With the help of a ranger at Furnace Creek, I was able to identify them from a National Geographic guide.

Are they in this guide? Even though Death Valley is part of their normal flyover range? No.

And that's exactlywhy this -- and other Audubon guides, from my experience -- just fall short in many ways compared to National Geographic or Peterson.

Now, it's true, you'll get more depth of coverage in the species that are actually covered. But, whether birds, trees, or shrubs, if the lifeform isn't pictured or described, all the "depth of coverage" in the world does you no good.

Beautiful pictures
Not many field guides for deserts out there. This one has great pictures.

The Audubon Society Nature Guides - Deserts
A must have book for anyone hiking in the desert and anyone even just interested in the desert. Packed full of info about "everything" you will find in the desert .

Best designed guide
A most comfortable-to-use guide with a great layout & excellent quality in illustrations.Too bad it is out-of-print. Waterproof covers and sturdy cloth backstrip, made for prolonged use, we love it.

Excellent pictures and comprehensive
First you'll want to browse the beutiful photos, then read through the naratives. The book is comprehensive, covering plants, trees, insects, frogs, birds, even mammals. The photo section has a photo, a drawing, common and latin names, and area found for each entry. Photos are great and not too small. The book has narratives for the entries plus lots of general information about each of America's deserts. Good reference for desert lovers. ... Read more

Product Description
Desert Dogs adds dimension to sketchy and often misunderstood portrayals of four species of wild dogs that inhabit the deserts of the southwest: the kit fox, the coyote, the gray fox, and the endangered Mexican wolf. Authors and naturalists Jonathan and Roseann Hanson counter myths about wild dogs-particularly their unmerited reputations as natural stock killers-by replacing fictional images with a closer and sometimes more lighthearted look at the sophisticated skills and social systems of the animals: from the structure and purpose of pack formation and howling patterns to the inspiring ability of coyotes, foxes, and wolves to co-exist without depleting each other's resources.Illustrated with 24 full-color photographs, Desert Dogs is an excellent resource for readers unfamiliar with desert life and anyone who seeks a better understanding of the canines that inhabit our neighboring desert, urban alleyways, and suburban backyards. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Sweet, but too short
This book is just fine for someone who wants to crack the surface on these canines, but is lacking for anyone wanting significant information.After all, a book can cover only so much information in a mere 22 pages! The pictures, however, are very nice, and the smaller boxed text (there are five) are interesting.Nonetheless, if you are looking for a wealth of information on Coyotes, Foxes, and Wolves, keep looking - this book has little that could not be found in any decent book on the subject. ... Read more

Book Description
"There is quite simply nothing else around that can tell you anywhere near as much about desert sheep, by anywhere near so distinguished a crew of authors."--"Safari." (Animals) ... Read more

Book Description
A profusely illustrated and lively primer on the plants and animals of the Sonoran Desert. This classic includes scores of photographs by top southwestern nature photographers. ... Read more

Book Description

Book Description
In the spirit of the avid desert botanist Willis Linn Jepson, The Jepson Desert Manual provides botanical enthusiasts of all backgrounds with the first comprehensive field guide focused exclusively on native and naturalized vascular plants of California's southeastern deserts. Based on The Jepson Manual: Higher Plants of California, the Desert Manual incorporates new illustrations for more than two hundred desert taxa, revised keys to identification, updated distributional information, and 128 color photographs. This guide will allow easier identification of California's fascinating desert plants than would be possible in a manual with broader geographic coverage.
As in The Jepson Manual, detailed descriptions and illustrations of plant characteristics are provided, along with information on native versus alien status, habitats, elevation, endangerment, toxicity, weed status, horticultural requirements, and flowering times. Introductory sections on the desert setting and vegetation offer the reader a broad context and new perspectives for appreciating the more than twenty five hundred plant species included in the Manual. For amateur and professional botanists alike, the Desert Manual will prove to be an invaluable companion in California's spectacular Mojave Desert, Sonoran Desert, and southern Great Basin environments, including the White Mountains. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Complete and Thorough
This book is the most complete book I've come across in terms of covering all the plants which I may encounter in the California deserts. I have eight desert plant books in all and I look at this one as the ultimate authority when it comes to identifying a plant. It's not the most easy book to use, but that's because it attempts to cover every native plant found in the desert. Some plant identification books strive for ease of use at the expense of completeness, the goal of this book is completeness. It is extremely well organized, but it is a bit technical for most people. The drawings are good and there is a limited number of color photographs. I consider this book an indispensable reference when it comes to desert plants with the Munz book "California Flora" being the only higher authority I know of. ... Read more

Book Description
Beautifully illuminated with drawings and paintings by noted artist Mary Frank, Williams, one of the West's most intense and lyrical writers, invokes the lure and drama of the landscape. This is an incandescent meditation--in word and image--on the physical vastness and beauty of the desert and the spiritual place one woman finds for herself there. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Great things come in small packages
Williams has put together a visceral, haunting, beautiful stream ofconsciousness aria here. This little tiny book has become one of my veryfavorite works over the past few years I have owned a copy of it. It is oneof those books that tends to find itself hidden on my bookshelf, and when Irediscover it I am in for a real treat. This is the story of a woman who isso aware of her soul that it is almost ethereal. Walking the slot canyonsof Utah and Arizona has always brought out powerful emotions within me, butafter reading this book a few times I literally lose myself in the earthwhen hiking there now. Yes, this is a tale of love and love-making, but onsuch a spiritual level that it is easy to fall asleep and drift into adreamy, watery place of serenity after reading it. What more can a bookoffer than that???? Save yourself the money usually spent on a"relaxing vacation" to a crowded get-away and set a fire in thefireplace, put on some Loreena McKennit and lose yourself in this treasureof a book. Mary Frank's sketches and watercolors set the stage and TerryTempest Williams provides the magic carpet.

Fascinating, Erotic Travelogue of the Mind
This book is short: 62 pages is an exaggeration, since many of those pages are filled with sketches and since the book itself is only about the size of a CD case. But what it lacks in length it more than makes up for inbeauty. Terry Tempest Williams is an incredible, widely respected writer,and this book was released to much critical acclaim. Her book details awoman hiking in the canyons of southern Utah, and the thoughts that flashthrough her mind as she walks, and the freedom she feels in nature: thekinds of thoughts we all have when we go hiking, but aren't able to putdown on paper as well as she.

The thoughts the author has are the reasonthose of us who love the outdoors love them so much. The solitary,beautiful, amazing feeling of being alone - literally or figuratively -with the earth (or God - your pick) in its magnificent splendor, and of thethrill of being alive. ... Read more