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Author : Kenneth Walton
Publisher : Transaction Publishers
ISBN 13 : 0202369471
Total Pages : 178 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (23 download)
Download or read book The Arid Zones written by Kenneth Walton and published by Transaction Publishers. This book was released on with total page 178 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Author : Hilton Kramer
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 1351485881
Total Pages : 162 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (514 download)
Download or read book The Arid Zones written by Hilton Kramer and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-07-05 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The hot and temperate deserts and their marginal steppe lands comprise one-third of the land surface of the world and are an increasingly critical area for the economic wellbeing of world populations. The remarkable mechanisms of floral, faunal, and human adaptation to the distinct and difficult environment of these arid zones, as well as the potential of modern technology for facilitating adaptation, are described and explained by Walton in the light of our most recent knowledge of the phenomena and processes involved.Beginning with a clarification of the definitions of arid and semi-arid regions and with the delineation of techniques for measuring the degree of aridity in these areas, the author shows that there is wide variation among the arid zones in landscape and climate and that there are numerous local and microclimates within any single arid region. The life cycles of the plants and animals of the arid zones are described and the water resources, including problems of salinity, mineral contamination, and the construction of reservoirs, are examined. Extensive treatment is given to potential agricultural adaptations and to pastoralism as the most widespread response to dry land. A final chapter summarizes attempts at adaptation to prevailing drought and discusses the kinds of future development that the author deems most likely in arid zones.Throughout the book emphasis is placed on specific, detailed analysis, with adequate tables and formulas for in-depth understanding of particular aspects of aridity. Examples from both Old and New Worlds are used to demonstrate the spheres in which progress is being made and to show the mistakes in past and present land use in arid areas. An essential supplement for courses in physical geography, the book will be useful in many area studies and in studies of economic development.
Author : David S. G. Thomas
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 0470519096
Total Pages : 658 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (75 download)
Download or read book Arid Zone Geomorphology written by David S. G. Thomas and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-03-14 with total page 658 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The new edition of Arid Zone Geomorphology aims to encapsulate the advances that have been made in recent years in the investigation and explanation of landforms and geomorphological processes in drylands. Building on the success of the previous two editions, the Third Edition has been completely revised and updated to reflect the latest developments in the field. Whilst this latest edition will remain a comprehensive reference to the subject, the book has been restructured to include regional case studies throughout to enhance student understanding and is clearly defined into five distinct sections; Firstly, the book introduces the reader to Large Scale Controls and Variability in Drylands and then moves on to consider Surface Processes and Characteristics; The Work of Water, The Work of the Wind. The book concludes with a section on Living with Dryland Geomorphology that includes a chapter on geomorphological hazards and the human impact on these environments. Once again, recognised world experts in the field have been invited to contribute chapters in order to present a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of current knowledge about the processes shaping the landscape of deserts and arid regions. In order to broaden the appeal of the Third Edition, the book has been reduced in extent by 100 pages and the Regional chapters have been omitted in favour of the inclusion of key regional case studies throughout the book. The Editor is also considering the inclusion of a supplementary website that could include further images, problems and case studies.
Author : Diana K. Davis
Publisher : MIT Press
ISBN 13 : 0262333546
Total Pages : 302 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (623 download)
Download or read book The Arid Lands written by Diana K. Davis and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2016-03-25 with total page 302 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An argument that the perception of arid lands as wastelands is politically motivated and that these landscapes are variable, biodiverse ecosystems, whose inhabitants must be empowered. Deserts are commonly imagined as barren, defiled, worthless places, wastelands in need of development. This understanding has fueled extensive anti-desertification efforts—a multimillion-dollar global campaign driven by perceptions of a looming crisis. In this book, Diana Davis argues that estimates of desertification have been significantly exaggerated and that deserts and drylands—which constitute about 41% of the earth's landmass—are actually resilient and biodiverse environments in which a great many indigenous people have long lived sustainably. Meanwhile, contemporary arid lands development programs and anti-desertification efforts have met with little success. As Davis explains, these environments are not governed by the equilibrium ecological dynamics that apply in most other regions. Davis shows that our notion of the arid lands as wastelands derives largely from politically motivated Anglo-European colonial assumptions that these regions had been laid waste by “traditional” uses of the land. Unfortunately, such assumptions still frequently inform policy. Drawing on political ecology and environmental history, Davis traces changes in our understanding of deserts, from the benign views of the classical era to Christian associations of the desert with sinful activities to later (neo)colonial assumptions of destruction. She further explains how our thinking about deserts is problematically related to our conceptions of forests and desiccation. Davis concludes that a new understanding of the arid lands as healthy, natural, but variable ecosystems that do not necessarily need improvement or development will facilitate a more sustainable future for the world's magnificent drylands.
Author : Scott E. Ingram
Publisher : University of Arizona Press
ISBN 13 : 0816502188
Total Pages : 391 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (165 download)
Download or read book Traditional Arid Lands Agriculture written by Scott E. Ingram and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2015-04-02 with total page 391 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Traditional Arid Lands Agriculture is the first of its kind. Each chapter considers four questions: what we don’t know about specific aspects of traditional agriculture, why we need to know more, how we can know more, and what research questions can be pursued to know more. What is known is presented to provide context for what is unknown. Traditional agriculture, nonindustrial plant cultivation for human use, is practiced worldwide by millions of smallholder farmers in arid lands. Advancing an understanding of traditional agriculture can improve its practice and contribute to understanding the past. Traditional agriculture has been practiced in the U.S. Southwest and northwest Mexico for at least four thousand years and intensely studied for at least one hundred years. What is not known or well-understood about traditional arid lands agriculture in this region has broad application for research, policy, and agricultural practices in arid lands worldwide. The authors represent the disciplines of archaeology, anthropology, agronomy, art, botany, geomorphology, paleoclimatology, and pedology. This multidisciplinary book will engage students, practitioners, scholars, and any interested in understanding and advancing traditional agriculture.
Author : Michael Hill
Publisher : Hodder Murray
ISBN 13 : 9780340800324
Total Pages : 154 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (3 download)
Download or read book Arid and Semi-arid Environments written by Michael Hill and published by Hodder Murray. This book was released on 2002 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Arid and Semi-Arid Environments focuses upon major themes in the study of desert landscapes, processes and landforms. The book considers the physical causes of aridity, the desert hydrological cycle and the problems of water supply. Particular attention is paid to desert ecosystems and how they are related to aridity. A detailed study is made of the wide range of landforms which are unique to desert areas and how they were formed. Evidence in the landscape of past climates is examined in relation to the current debate on desertification.
Author : A.E. Hall
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 3642673287
Total Pages : 357 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (426 download)
Download or read book Agriculture in Semi-Arid Environments written by A.E. Hall and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 357 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The semi-arid zones of the world are fragile ecosystems which are being sub stantially modified by the activities of mankind. Increasing human populations have resulted in greater demands on semi-arid zones for providing human susten ance and the possibility that this may enhance desertification is a grave concern. These zones are harsh habitats for humans. The famines that resulted from drought during the late 1960's and the 1970's in the African Sahel illustrated the unreliability of present agricultural systems in this zone. Large fluctuations in ag ricultural production have occurred in semi-arid zones of Australia, North Ameri ca, and the Soviet Union due to periodic droughts, even though considerable ag ricultural technology has been devoted to agricultural development in these zones. The challenge to mankind is to manage these different semi-arid zones so that pro ductivity is increased and stabilized, and environmental deterioration is decreased. Irrigation can be used to increase and stabilize agricultural production in semi-arid zones as discussed in Volume 5 of this series, Arid Zone Irrigation. The present volume, Agriculture in Semi-Arid Environments, focuses on dryland farming in semi-arid zones, and is relevant to the large areas of the world where rainfall is limiting and where water is not available for irrigation. This volume is designed to assist agricultural development in these areas and consists of reviews and analyses of available information by scientists working in Africa, Australia, and at the U ni versity of California.
Author : Gerald E. Wickens
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 3662037009
Total Pages : 348 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (62 download)
Download or read book Ecophysiology of Economic Plants in Arid and Semi-Arid Lands written by Gerald E. Wickens and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-04-17 with total page 348 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book deals with arid and semi-arid environments and their classification, and the physiological restraints and adaptations of plants to the environment. Further, it discusses economic botany and the needs and methods of conserving economic plants. A broad view is taken regarding the definition of economic plants, taking into account their value to the environment as well as to man and to livestock. The individual deserts and associated semi-arid regions are described in separate chapters, providing background information on the regional environments in terms of climate and major plant formations. The economic plants within these formations, their usages, geographical distribution together with their morphological and physiological adaptations are treated in detail.
Author : G.E. Wickens
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 940116830X
Total Pages : 458 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (11 download)
Download or read book Plants for Arid Lands written by G.E. Wickens and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 458 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Economic plants have been defined by SEPASAT as those plants that are utilised either directly or indirectly for the benefit of Man. Indirect usage includes the needs of Man's livestock and the maintenance of the environment; the benefits may be domestic, commercial or aesthetic. Economic plants constitute a large and so far uncalculated percentage of the quarter of a million higher plants in the World today. However, it has been calculated that 10% (25 000) of these species are now on the verge of extinction and extinction means that a genetic resource that could be of benefit to Man will be lost for ever. Furthermore, for every species lost an estimated 10-30 other dependent organisms are also doomed. Fewer than 1 per cent of the World's plants have been sufficiently well studied for a true evaluation of the potential floral wealth awaiting discovery, not only in the rain forests, which man is now actively destroying at a rate of 20 ha a minute, but also in the very much neglected dry areas of the World.
Author : Reginald W. Herschy
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 0412740605
Total Pages : 793 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (127 download)
Download or read book Encyclopedia of Hydrology and Water Resources written by Reginald W. Herschy and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 1998-07-31 with total page 793 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The fresh water supplies of the Earth are finite and as the world's population continues to grow humanity's thirst for this water seems unquenchable. Intense pressure is being exerted upon freshwater resources and a lack of adequate clean water is seen as one of the most serious global problems for the 21st century. Indeed it has been said that the next war will be fought over water, not oil. Human health and the health of supporting ecosystems increasingly depends upon our ability to find, control, manage and understand water. In a single volume, The Encyclopedia of Hydrology and Water Resources provides the reader with a comprehensive overview and understanding of the diverse field of hydrology. The intimate inclusion of material on water resources emphasizes the practical applications of this field, applications which are indispensable in any modern approach to the subject. This volume is a vital reference for all hydrologists, hydrogeologists and water engineers worldwide, whether they are concerned with the exploitation of new sources of water, the protection and management of existing reserves, or the science of surface water and groundwater flow. 114 eminent scientists from 17 countries worldwide have contributed to this authoritative volume. Superbly illustrated throughout, it includes almost 300 entries on a range of key topics, including arid and semi-arid zones, climates and climate change, floods and droughts, desertification, entropy, flow measurement, groundwater, hydrological cycle, hydrological models, infiltration, karst hydrology, paleohydrology, precipitation, remote sensing, river pollution prevention, rivers, lakes and seas, satellite hydrology, soil erosion, water treatment, water use, weather radar, and world water balance.
Author : Enrique Campos-Lopez
Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 0429705069
Total Pages : 370 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (297 download)
Download or read book Natural Resources And Development In Arid Regions written by Enrique Campos-Lopez and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2019-03-08 with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book, the authors integrate various perspectives on the evaluation of natural resources in arid and semiarid zones, analyze development options, and discuss systems analysis tools that could be important for the management of technology.
Author : Mohammad Jafari
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 331954828X
Total Pages : 267 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (195 download)
Download or read book Reclamation of Arid Lands written by Mohammad Jafari and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-10-31 with total page 267 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides an overview of arid and semi-arid lands conditions, their general characteristics, methods of management, conservation, exploitation and reclamation. It also focuses on how to utilize the potential of arid lands with the minimum manipulation and alteration. Arid and semi-arid areas represent a major part of natural ecosystems not only in Iran, but around the world, and mismanagement and inappropriate exploitation of these areas may lead to further gradual degradation. As such, an understanding of the characteristics of these areas is vital if they are to be conserved and reclaimed.
Author : Mostafa M. Soliman
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 143985839X
Total Pages : 514 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (398 download)
Download or read book Engineering Hydrology of Arid and Semi-Arid Regions written by Mostafa M. Soliman and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2010-06-23 with total page 514 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The natural scarcity of water in arid and semiarid regions, aggravated by man-made factors, makes it difficult to achieve a reliable water resources supply. Communities in these areas pay the price for thousands of years of water manipulation. Presenting important insight into the complexities of arid region hydrology, Engineering Hydrology of Arid
Author : Kurt Schwabe
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 940076636X
Total Pages : 507 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (7 download)
Download or read book Drought in Arid and Semi-Arid Regions written by Kurt Schwabe and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-07-08 with total page 507 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Offering a cross-country examination and comparison of drought awareness and experience, this book shows how scientists, water managers, and policy makers approach drought and water scarcity in arid and semi-arid regions of Spain, Mexico, Australia, South Africa and the United States.
Author : A.S. Alsharhan
Publisher : Elsevier
ISBN 13 : 9780080534329
Total Pages : 366 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (343 download)
Download or read book Hydrogeology of an Arid Region: The Arabian Gulf and Adjoining Areas written by A.S. Alsharhan and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2001-11-16 with total page 366 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides comprehensive information about the water resources of the Arabian Gulf region, an area that is symbolic as an arid to extremely arid belt. Filling an information gap it provides in-depth analyses of both natural and human-related constraints on water resources, and presents a new vision on efficient management of available water resources. It contains an overview of the physical geography and climatic constraints on water resources, systematic inventory of available traditional and non-traditional water resources, water-related problems, water conservation and legislations, comprehensive water laws applicable to the region, and modern techniques of water resources investigation. This work meets the needs of scientists, environmentalists, engineers, planners and decision makers. Senior undergraduate, graduate students and researchers of the Gulf area, and more generally of arid regions, will also find this volume valuable.
Author : Gustave Gintzburger
Publisher : Editions Quae
ISBN 13 : 9782876145559
Total Pages : 440 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (455 download)
Download or read book Rangelands of the Arid and Semi-arid Zones in Uzbekistan written by Gustave Gintzburger and published by Editions Quae. This book was released on 2003 with total page 440 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This abundantly illustrated book presents a panorama of the biodiversity, climatology and flora of the arid zones of Uzbekistan and describes around 150 dominant range species, with their ecology, utilization and range rehabilitation techniques. It should contribute to a better understanding of these little-known arid zones of Central Asia and to the conservation and rational use of their fragile natural resources.
Author : Walter Leal Filho
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319662392
Total Pages : 392 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (196 download)
Download or read book Rainwater-Smart Agriculture in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas written by Walter Leal Filho and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-12-28 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book introduces state-of-the-art approaches, methods and research, focusing on smart management of rainwater. In addition, it provides an overview of projects from across the world, illustrating how rainwater-smart management has been implemented in drylands. Focusing on the scientific perspective it demonstrates how rural dryland agriculture can be improved. It also documents the wealth of rainwater-smart know-how available today, and replicates and transfers results to other countries and regions, to encourage cross-sector interactions among various stakeholders, such as practitioners from governmental and public organisations, policy- and decision-makers, and teaching staff from academic scientific institutions. The contributors showcase vital lessons learned from research, field projects and best-practice examples. They address the integrated use of rainwater harvesting management with landscape restoration practices and water-, and climate-smart agriculture for food security and poverty alleviation in arid and semi-arid areas. Original research, combined with the contributors’ synthetic approach, lays a foundation for new concepts and ideas. Through case studies and research reports, the book discusses all the relevant issues necessary for the comprehensive analysis and successful implementation of the technologies in rainwater management. Highlighting the working principles and technical recommendations with regard to cost-efficient rainwater-smart solutions, it is of interest to practitioners. It is also a valuable resource for academic specialists, professionals and students, since many development agencies are funding rainwater harvesting for irrigation purposes.
