Arthur C. Gibson Knihy

Focusing on the unique ecology of the Mojave Desert, this book explores the delicate balance of its plant and animal life within a challenging environment marked by winter rains and summer droughts. It compiles extensive research data, particularly from Rock Valley, Nevada, to analyze community structure and dynamics in desert ecosystems. Aimed at ecologists and conservation biologists, it highlights the importance of preserving this fragile region amidst various external disruptions.

The book explores the fascinating adaptations of desert plants, highlighting their significance in demonstrating natural selection under extreme conditions. It addresses common misconceptions and errors that have arisen from their frequent use in educational contexts, aiming to provide a clearer understanding of how these unique organisms thrive in harsh environments. Through a detailed examination, it seeks to correct misunderstandings and deepen appreciation for the complexities of desert plant biology.

For centuries biologists have been extremely interested in the structure of desert plants as examples of natural selection to harsh environmental conditions. Indeed, desert plants are frequently used as examples in many biology classes and textbooks to illustrate natural selection, but this has led to an unfortunate litany of errors and misconceptions about desert plant adaptations. This new synthesis focuses on plants of lowland tropical and subtropical arid deserts. Readers will be surprised to discover that many features commonly ascribed to desert plants are rareley observed in the most common species. Instead, the typical structural adaptations of nonsucculent warm desert plants are now viewed as ways to maximize photosynthetic rate.