Guide to Deserts

Philip's Guide to Deserts is a highly illustrated introduction to the world's desert regions - their formation, their highly adapted animal and plant life, their precarious ecologies and natural resources, and their extraordinarily varied human populations. The authors discuss the amazing adaptations that both fauna and flora have evolved to survive. They also look at desert people, their customs and religions, and describe how many have flourished in some of the most inhospitable places on Earth. They provide an in-depth study of the world's desert resources, both the mineral riches and agricultural potential they offer, and how these are impacted by broad regional water strategies. The authors give useful information on which desert locations to visit and their significant cultural, historical and archaeological sites and a thoughtful look at the future ecological and social issues that confront desert peoples. An Atlas section maps the world's deserts region by region, charting their area, resources, and threats both man-made and natural.