Product Description

The Sonoran Desert, a fragile ecosystem, is under ever-increasing pressure from a burgeoning human population. This ecological atlas of the region's plants, a greatly enlarged and full revised version of the original 1972 atlas, will be an invaluable resource for plant ecologists, botanists, geographers, and other scientists, and for all with a serious interest in living with and protecting a unique natural southwestern heritage. An encyclopedia as well as an atlas, this monumental work describes the taxonomy, geographic distribution, and ecology of 339 plants, most of them common and characteristic trees, shrubs, or succulants. Also included is valuable information on natural history and ethnobotanical, commercial, and horticultural uses of these plants. The entry for each species includes a range map, an elevational profile, and a narrative account. The authors also include an extensive bibliography, referring the reader to the latest research and numerous references of historical importance, with a glossary to aid the general reader. Sonoran Desert Plants is a monumental work, unlikely to be superseded in the next generation. As the region continues to attract more people, there will be an increasingly urgent need for basic knowledge of plant species as a guide for creative and sustainable habitation of the area. This book will stand as a landmark resource for many years to come.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #670253 in Books
• Published on: 2005-08-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 501 pages

From the Inside Flap
The Sonoran Desert, a fragile ecosystem, is under ever-increasing pressure from a burgeoning human population. This ecological atlas of the region's plants, a greatly enlarged and full revised version of the original 1972 atlas, will be an invaluable resource for plant ecologists, botanists, geographers, and other scientists, and for all with a serious interest in living with and protecting a unique natural southwestern heritage. An encyclopedia as well as an atlas, this monumental work describes the taxonomy, geographic distribution, and ecology of 339 plants, most of them common and characteristic trees, shrubs, or succulants. Also included is valuable information on natural history and ethnobotanical, commercial, and horticultural uses of these plants. The entry for each species includes a range map, an elevational profile, and a narrative account. The authors also include an extensive bibliography, referring the reader to the latest research and numerous references of historical importance, with a glossary to aid the general reader. Sonoran Desert Plants is a monumental work, unlikely to be superseded in the next generation. As the region continues to attract more people, there will be an increasingly urgent need for basic knowledge of plant species as a guide for creative and sustainable habitation of the area. This book will stand as a landmark resource for many years to come.

About the Author
Janice Emily Bowers is a botanist with the U.S. Geological Survey in Tucson.

Tony L. Burgess, formerly with the USGS, is a plant ecologist who designed the desert, thornscrub, and savanna biomes for Biosphere 2.

Customer Reviews

Unique reference in its subject area and well done.
I found this book to be quite unique in the way it covers its subject area. I know of no other book which seeks to treat in a botanical manner the more conspicuous and important woody plants of the Sonoran Desert biome. I discovered the existence of plants that I previously did not know about. Each species is covered very well, with notes on its appearance, distribution, ethnobotany, and ecology. Excellent half-tone black and white photographs. I can't recommend this book too highly if one is interested in learning more about the Sonoran Desert woody plants.

A superb in-depth manual especially recommended for ecologists studying the Sonoran desert area
Co-authored by plant ecologists Raymond Turner and Tony Burgess along with botanist Janice Bowers, Sonoran Desert Plants: An Ecological Atlas is an enlarged and thoroughly revised edition of the original 1972 atlas. Packed cover to cover with figures, distribution maps, black-and-white photographs, and detailed information concerning the taxonomy and ecology of 339 plants, Sonoran Desert Plants is a superb in-depth manual especially recommended for ecologists studying the Sonoran desert area. A glossary, index, and impressively extensive compendium of cited literature round out this specialist's resource.

A classic, plain and simple
An important major reference work, Sonoran Desert Plants is an exhaustive study of the woody plants native to the Sonoran Desert. 80 species are treated, and each species treatment includes excellent grey tone photographs and distribution maps, in addition to the discussion. This is an absolute sin qua non for students of the Sonoran Desert, botanists, naturalists, and aficionados of the cacti of the region. I reviewed this book several years ago & have not changed my mind about the book even though I am selling my copy now. I have moved "biomes" and really have no need for Sonoran biology texts anymore.