California Desert Plants

Details

The desert areas of California include the northwestern portion of the Sonoran Desert, the largest part of the Mojave Desert, and the western margin of the Great Basin. A key ecological
feature of the remarkable California desert region is winter-rainfall coupled with dry summers. This rainfall regime, a gradient of temperatures from low- to high-elevations, and a complex array of geologic substrates has produced highly specialized habitats for plant survival. California Desert Plants explores these vast and intimate desert landscapes through their diverse, colorful, and dynamic flora.

California Desert Plants includes:

• Over 400 color photographs of plants and landscapes
• Descriptions and photos of dominant plant species
• Overview of plant adaptations to desert environments
• Discussion of major desert habitats

Table of contents:

• Chapter 1 Desert Environments
• Chapter 2 California Deserts
• Chapter 3 Ecological Strategies of Desert Plants
• Chapter 4 Creosote Bush Scrub and Joshua Tree Woodlands
• Chapter 5 Cactus and Succulent Scrub
• Chapter 6 Wash Woodlands and Arroyos
• Chapter 7 Desert Wetlands: Palm Oases, Riparian Woodlands, and Marshes
• Chapter 8 Saline Habitats: Playas, Saltbush Scrub, and Alkali Sinks
• Chapter 9 Sand Dunes
• Chapter 10 The Flowering Desert
• Chapter 11 Great Basin Shrublands and Woodlands
• Chapter 12 Conserving the California Desert