The biology of deserts / David Ward.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Ward, David, 1961 June 15- author.

Series:

Biology of habitats.

Biology of Habitats Series

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Desert ecology.

Desert biology.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (395 p.)

Edition:

2nd ed.

Place of Publication:

Oxford : Oxford University Press, 2016.

Summary:

A revised and thoroughly updated edition of this concise but comprehensive introduction to desert ecology.

Contents:

Cover; Preface to the First Edition; Preface to the Second Edition; Contents; Plates; 1 Introduction; 1.1 General introduction; 1.2 What creates a desert?; 1.3 Deserts have low precipitation and high variability in precipitation; 1.4 How old are deserts?; 1.5 Deserts are created by a lack of precipitation and not high temperatures; 1.6 Aridity indices; 1.7 What denies rainfall to deserts?; 1.8 Global change and deserts; 2 Abiotic Factors; 2.1 Precipitation; 2.1.1 Rainfall; 2.2 Temperature; 2.2.1 Hot deserts; 2.2.2 Cold deserts; 2.3 Declines in pan evaporation; 2.4 Geology

2.4.1 Desert landscapes2.5 Fire; 2.6 Wind erosion; 3 Morphological and Physiological Adaptations of Desert Plants to the Abiotic Environment; 3.1 Classifications of desert plants; 3.2 Types of photosynthesis; 3.3 Biological soil crusts; 3.4 Annual plants; 3.4.1 Desert versus mesic annual species; 3.4.2 Seed germination and dispersal strategies; 3.4.3 Why is long-range dispersal rare in desert plants?; 3.4.4 Delayed germination; 3.4.5 Seed heteromorphism; 3.5 Grasses, forbs, and shrubs/perennials; 3.5.1 Clonality; 3.5.2 Photosynthesis and stomatal opening; 3.5.3 Heat shock proteins

3.5.4 Specific leaf area3.5.5 Leaf pubescence; 3.5.6 Fog-an unusual water source; 3.5.7 Grasses; 3.6 Geophytes; 3.6.1 Hysteranthy and its consequences; 3.7 Stem and leaf succulents; 3.7.1 Stem succulents; 3.7.2 Leaf succulents; 3.8 Halophytes; 3.9 Phreatophytes; 3.9.1 Hydraulic lift; 4 Morphological, Physiological, and Behavioural Adaptations of Desert Animals to the Abiotic Environment; 4.1 Evaders and evaporators; 4.1.1 Snails; 4.1.2 Frogs; 4.1.3 Rodents; 4.1.4 Spider burrows and termite mounds; 4.1.5 Physiological mechanisms of controlling heat gain

4.2 Adaptations to handle unique situations4.2.1 Salt glands in birds and reptiles; 4.2.2 Mammals that consume halophytes; 4.2.3 Animals in temporary pools; 4.3 Endurers; 4.3.1 Ants; 4.3.2 Large mammals; 4.4 Removing the effects of phylogeny; 4.4.1 Insects (tenebrionid beetles); 4.4.2 Birds; 4.4.3 Marsupial mammals; 5 The Role of Competition and Facilitation in Structuring Desert Communities; 5.1 Plant communities; 5.1.1 Annual plant communities; 5.1.2 Interactions among desert shrubs; 5.1.3 Fairy circles, heuweltjies, and mima mounds-competition, herbivory, or self-organization?

5.1.4 Facilitation and nurse-plant effects5.2 Competition between animals; 5.2.1 Patch scale; 5.2.2 Habitat selection models; 5.3 Indirect interactions: keystone species and apparent competition; 5.3.1 Keystone species; 5.3.2 Short-term apparent competition; 6 The Importance of Predation and Parasitism; 6.1 Direct mortality; 6.2 Predation risk; 6.3 Apparent predation risk; 6.4 Priority effects; 6.5 Spiders; 6.6 Scorpions; 6.7 Visually hunting predators; 6.8 Snakes, scent-hunting predators; 6.9 Keystone predation; 6.10 Animal parasites and parasitoids; 6.10.1 Parasites; 6.10.2 Parasitoids

7 Plant-Animal Interactions in Deserts

Notes:

Description based upon print version of record.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

0-19-873276-7

0-19-179698-0

0-19-104730-9