fortelife.com

E: The Environmental Magazine, Nov-Dec, 2004 by Rebecca Bowe

Though the landscape may be barren, deserts harbor some of the most extraordinary flora and fauna on the planet. Introducing fish equipped with lungs for survival when the water dries out, plants whose strip-like leaves can continue to grow for 2,000 years, and herds of Arabian Oryx that were re-introduced after being hunted to near-extinction, Sara Oldfield’s captivating new book provides a detailed tour of life in the world’s most inhospitable regions. Deserts: The Living Drylands (MIT Press, $29.95) is an inventory of the rare, quickly shrinking species of ancient landscapes set beside stunning, vibrantly colored images. In addition to descriptions of desert species on every continent, the book features sections on traditional lifestyles of desert people, threats facing unique ecosystems, and a discussion of international conservation efforts geared toward future protection of these breathtaking regions.

–R.B.