A Sierra Club Naturalist's Guide to the Deserts of the Southwest: The Deserts of the Southwest

This comprehensive field companion describes the Great Basin, Mohave, Chihuahuan, and Sonoran Deserts, which together stretch into nine western states, Baja California, and Mexico. The characteristic and variant topography, geology, and climatic conditions of these arid lands set the stage for one of the most fascinating of ecological studies: The survival and adaptation of animal and plant life in the severe, often extreme desert climate and terrain.Abundantly illustrated with line drawings, maps, charts, and diagrams, this guide brings to both the hiking enthusiast and the armchair observer a clear and detailed portrait of this complex, beautiful, fragile wilderness.Peggy Larson, previously affiliated with the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, has lived in America's deserts for over twenty years, and has traveled extensively throughout world deserts. She is the author of several books, including Deserts of America.About the Sierra Club Naturalist's Guide Series. This unique series of field guides comprehensively describes the natural history of various ecologically distinct regions in North America. Each guide covers plants, animals, geology, and climate, then clearly explains the interrelationships of these elements to generate a full understanding of the ecological whole.