Arid zones, deserts Books

Book SynopsisThe 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.Trade Review"I highly recommend the landmark and important book Arid Zone Geomorphology: Process, Form and Change in Drylands by David S. G. Thomas, to any students, specialists in the field, policy makers, business leaders, and anyone interested in this critical and fascinating field. This book will guide both students and professionals in many disciplines and professionals toward a deeper and richer understanding of the importance of arid regions, and the processes at work in these amazing areas of our planet." (Blog Business World, 27 October 2011) Table of ContentsList of contributors. Preface to the first edition. Preface to the second edition. Preface to the third edition. I Large-scale controls and variability in drylands. 1 Arid environments: their nature and extent (David S.G. Thomas). 1.1 Geomorphology in arid environments. 1.2 Arid zone distinctiveness and the quest for explanation. 1.3 Arid zones: terminology and definitions. 1.4 The age of aridity on Earth. 1.5 The distribution of arid zones. 1.6 Causes of aridity. 1.7 Climate variability. 1.8 Dryland ecosystems. 1.9 Arid zone geomorphology and people. 1.10 Organisation of this book. 2 Tectonic frameworks (Helen Rendell). 2.1 Introduction. 2.2 Tectonic setting of drylands. 2.3 Uplift and erosion, subsidence and sedimentation. 2.4 Lengths of record. 2.5 Existing erosional and depositional records in arid environments. 2.6 Selected examples of the geomorphological impact of active tectonics in arid environments. 2.7 Conclusions. 3 Climatic frameworks: legacies from the past (David S.G. Thomas and Sallie L. Burrough). 3.1 Introduction. 3.2 The significance of arid zone fluctuations in the past. 3.3 Dating arid zone fluctuations. 3.4 Climatic interpretations and issues. 3.5 Conclusions. 4 Dryland system variability (David S. G. Thomas). 4.1 A framework for dryland diversity. 4.2 Geomonotony: how unvarying are the ‘flat’ drylands of the world? 4.3 Within-dryland diversity. 4.4 Summary issues. 5 Extraterrestrial arid surface processes (Jonathan Clarke). 5.1 Introduction. 5.2 What does ‘aridity’ mean beyond Earth? 5.3 Why should planetary scientists understand terrestrial arid geomorphology? 5.4 What can terrestrial geomorphologists learn from a solar system perspective? 5.5 Mars: water-based aridity. 5.6 Titan: methane-based aridity? 5.7 Venus: extreme aridity. 5.8 Future Directions. II Surface processes and characteristics. 6 Weathering systems (Heather A. Viles). 6.1 Introduction. 6.2 What makes arid environments unusual in terms of weathering systems? 6.3 Theoretical underpinnings of weathering systems research. 6.4 Current weathering study methods. 6.5 Linking processes to form in arid weathering systems. 6.6 Explaining the development of weathering landforms in arid environments. 6.7 Weathering rates in arid environments. 6.8 Arid weathering and landscape evolution. 6.9 Scale and arid weathering systems. 7 Desert soils (David L. Dunkerley). 7.1 Introduction: the nature and significance of desert soils. 7.2 Taxonomy of desert soils. 7.3 Some distinctive aspects of desert soil development. 7.4 Stone-mantled surfaces and desert pavements. 7.5 Inorganic seals at the soil surface. 7.6 Vesicular soil structures. 7.7 Conclusions. 8 Desert crusts and rock coatings (David J. Nash). 8.1 Introduction. 8.2 Sodium nitrate deposits. 8.3 Halite crusts. 8.4 Gypsum crusts. 8.5 Calcrete. 8.6 Silcrete. 8.7 Desert rock coatings. 8.8 Palaeoenvironmental significance of crusts. 9 Pavements and stone mantles (Julie E. Laity). 9.1 Introduction. 9.2 Surface types: hamadas and stony surfaces. 9.3 General theories concerning stony surface formation. 9.4 Stone pavement characteristics. 9.5 Processes of pavement formation. 9.6 Processes of clast size reduction in pavements. 9.7 Secondary characteristics of pavement surfaces and regional differences in pavement formation. 9.8 Secondary modifications to pavement surfaces. 9.9 Ecohydrology of pavement surfaces. 9.10 Relative and absolute dating of geomorphic surfaces based on pavement development. 9.11 Conclusions. 10 Slope systems (John Wainwright and Richard E. Brazier). 10.1 Introduction. 10.2 Badlands. 10.3 Rock slopes. 10.4 Conclusion. III The work of water. 11 Runoff generation, overland flow and erosion on hillslopes (John Wainwright and Louise J. Bracken). 11.1 Introduction. 11.2 Infiltration processes. 11.3 Factors affecting infiltration. 11.4 Runoff generation. 11.5 Erosion processes on hillslopes. 11.6 Conclusions. 12 Distinctiveness and diversity of arid zone river systems (Stephen Tooth and Gerald C. Nanson). 12.1 Introduction. 12.2 Distinctiveness of dryland rivers. 12.3 Diversity of dryland rivers. 12.4 Reassessing distinctiveness and diversity. 12.5 Conclusions. 13 Channel form, flows and sediments of endogenous ephemeral rivers in deserts (Ian Reid and Lynne E. Frostick). 13.1 Introduction. 13.2 Rainfall and river discharge. 13.3 Ephemeral river channel geometry. 13.4 Fluvial sediment transport. 13.5 Desert river deposits. 13.6 Conclusions. 14 Dryland alluvial fans (Adrian Harvey). 14.1 Introduction: dryland alluvial fans – an overview. 14.2 Process and form on dryland alluvial fans. 14.3 Factors controlling alluvial fan dynamics. 14.4 Alluvial fan dynamics. 14.5 Discussion: significance of dry-region alluvial fans. 15 Pans, playas and salt lakes (Paul A. Shaw and Rob G. Bryant). 15.1 The nature and occurrence of pans, playas and salt lakes. 15.2 Pan hydrology and hydrochemistry. 15.3 Influences of pan hydrology and hydrochemistry on surface morphology. 15.4 Aeolian processes in pan environments. 15.5 Pans and playas as palaeoenvironmental indicators. 16 Groundwater controls and processes (David J. Nash). 16.1 Introduction. 16.2 Groundwater processes in valley and scarp development. 16.3 Groundwater and pan/playa development. 16.4 Groundwater and aeolian processes. IV The work of the wind. 17 Aeolian landscapes and bedforms (David S.G. Thomas). 17.1 Introduction. 17.2 Aeolian bedforms: scales and relationships. 17.3 The global distribution of sand seas. 17.4 The global distribution of loess. 17.5 Dynamic aeolian landscapes in the Quaternary period. 17.6 Conclusions. 18 Sediment mobilisation by the wind (Giles F. S. Wiggs). 18.1 Introduction. 18.2 The nature of windflow in deserts. 18.3 Sediment in air. 18.4 Determining the threshold of grain entrainment. 18.5 Surface modifications to entrainment thresholds and transport flux. 18.6 Modes of sediment transport. 18.7 Ripples. 18.8 Prediction and measurement of sediment flux. 18.9 The role of turbulence in aeolian sediment transport. 18.10 Conclusions. 19 Desert dune processes and dynamics (Nick Lancaster). 19.1 Introduction. 19.2 Desert dune morphology. 19.3 Dune types and environments. 19.4 Airflow over dunes. 19.5 Dune dynamics. 19.6 Dune development. 19.7 Controls of dune morphology. 19.8 Dune patterns. 19.9 Conclusions. 20 Desert dust (Richard Washington and Giles S. F. Wiggs). 20.1 Introduction. 20.2 Key source areas. 20.3 Temporal changes in dust. 20.4 Future climate change. 20.5 Conclusions. 21 Wind erosion in drylands (Julie E. Laity). 21.1 Introduction. 21.2 The physical setting: conditions for wind erosion. 21.3 Conclusions. V Living with dryland geomorphology. 22 The human impact (Nick Middleton). 22.1 Introduction. 22.2 Human impacts on soils. 22.3 Human impacts on sand dunes. 22.4 Human impacts on rivers. 22.5 Cause and effect: the arroyo debate continues. 22.6 Conclusions. 23 Geomorphological hazards in drylands (Giles F. S. Wiggs). 23.1 Introduction. 23.2 Aeolian hazards. 23.3 The aeolian dust hazard. 23.4 Agricultural wind erosion. 23.5 Drainage of inland water bodies. 23.6 Fluvial hazards. 23.7 Conclusions. 24 Future climate change and arid zone geomorphology (Richard Washington and David S. G. Thomas). 24.1 Introduction. 24.2 Climate change projections: basis and uncertainties. 24.3 Overview of global climate change projections in the context of arid zones. 24.3.1 Methods of establishing climate change impacts in arid zones. 24.4 Climate change and dunes. 24.5 Climate change and dust. 24.6 Climate change and fluvial systems. 24.7 Conclusions. Index.

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Book SynopsisThe landscape of the Sonoran Desert Region varies dramatically from parched desert lowlands to semiarid tropical forests and frigid subalpine meadows. This book looks at the relationships of plants and animals with the land and people, through time and across landscapes.Trade Review"If I were forced to limit my southwestern library to one book, this would be it. In just under 600 pages, handsomely illustrated with color and black-and-white photographs, and prcise pen-and-ink drawings, 35 experts share their considerable knowledge of man and nature in the Sonoran Desert." Southwest Books of the Year "An indispensable guide for any desert visitor... It offers a complete look at Sonoran Desert ecology, with details on individual species and essays that bring the desert alive." Sunset Magazine "The award-winning text includes a calendar of natural events highlighting animal migrations, full moons, and the Sonoran Desert's awesome spring flower show." Outside Magazine "A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert is a monumental work, accessible to amateurs and professionals alike; it is a must for anyone planning to visit the deserts of southwestern United States." Environmental Practice "... immaculately produced... Put together by the museum's exceptional academic and curatorial staff, Natural History is a storybook, a field guide, a lay geology, paleontology, and human ecology textbook, and a handy encyclopedia - and it reads as enjoyable as fiction." The Americus Journal "If I am exiled to a desert isle, I now have that proverbial one book to take along: A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert... It's all here. It's like sitting on the patio with the best experts and having a private tutorial." The Journal of Arizona History "Never before has a book appeared that so deserved a place on the bookshelf of every desert aficionado... This book is destined to become the bible of Sonoran Desert nature literature." -- Jim Cornett, Plam Springs Desert Museum The Desert Sun "This compendium [is] destined to become the mandatory reference for the Sonoran Desert for years to come." New Mexico Magazine "... an authoritative introduction to the Sonoran Desert... remarkably thorough ... the one book on the Sonoran Desert I'd recommend to both novice and experienced naturalists." -- George Middendorf, Howard University Audubon Naturalist News "This book is the next best thing to going there... Thought the emphasis is on the well-known and often-seen organisms of the region, the depth of coverage of those organisms is remarkable for its completeness." -- G. Stevens, University of New Mexico CHOICE "Everything the traveler, birdwatcher, hiker, student, desert-dweller and desert-lover will ever need to know about this region ... is painstakingly presented in clear prose, maps and pictures." Rocky Mountain News "This book is a long, long, love letter... [It] tells you just about all you can think to ask about this lush and most beautiful of America's four deserts." The Sonoran Quarterly "A Natural History of the Sonoran Desert provides a collection of Sonoran Desert natural history information and is a pefect introduction to the most biologically rich desert in North America." AZA Communique "It is heartening to read a no-nonsense and comprehensive description of the natural history of the Sonoran Desert... There is little missing in this book and much to recommend it." -- Julio Betancourt, Desert Laboratory Geotimes "Exquisitly produced, richly illustrated ... definitive account of this hot desert." Taxon 49 "Thirty experts contributed to this 628-page volume - the most complete collection of natural history available on this region." Wildlife Conservation "A Natural History will go with me on my next road trip west." New Mexican "This book provides a comprehensive introduction to the natural history of the Sonoran and Mojave deserts ... It would be an ideal text for a community college or undergraduate course on desert ecology." -- Matthew L. Brooks, USGS Western Ecological Research Center MadronoTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments 1 * Welcome to the Sonoran Desert Part One * The Big Picture 2 * Biomes and Communities of the Sonoran Desert Region 3 * Sky Islands 4 * Sea of Cortez 5 * Sonoran Desert Natural Events Calendar 6 * Nature Watching in the Sonoran Desert Region 7 * Desert Storms 8 * Desert Air and Light 9 * Deep History of the Sonoran Desert 10 * Geologic Origin of the Sonoran Desert 11 * Desert Soils 12 * Human Ecology of the Sonoran Desert 13 * Conservation Iss ues in the Sonoran Desert Region: Protecting Our Future 14 * Pollination in the Sonoran Desert Region 15 * Biodiversity: The Variety of Life that Sustains Our Own Part Two * Plants 16 * Plant Ecology of the Sonoran Desert Region 17 * Flowering Plants of the Sonoran Desert 18 * Desert Grasses Part Three * Animals 19 * A Vertebrate Looks at Arthropods 20 * Desert Ad aptations of Birds and Mammals 21 * Desert Ad aptations of Amphibians and Reptiles 22 * Sonoran Desert Arthropods 23 * Sonoran Desert Birds 24 * Sonoran Desert Mammals 25 * Sonoran Desert Fishes 26 * Sonoran Desert Reptiles and Amphibians Afterword List of Species Glossary Editors Contributors Credits Index

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Book SynopsisOffers information on some of the world's deserts: the lowest point in North America, to the Libyan desert, to Antarctica's vast polar deserts, which have not had ice cover for thousands of years. This book reveals why these landforms are never static, but always changing.

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Book SynopsisStreetcars and the Shifting Geographies of Toronto visually compares historic and contemporary images of different parts of Toronto to better understand how and why the city has changed.Table of ContentsList of Figures List of Tables Introduction: Streetcar Photography and the Changing City 1. The Changing Geography of Toronto 2. Toronto in a Global Context 3. Neighbourhood Change 4. Visual Methodologies and Repeat Photography 5. Photographing Streetcars; Picturing Toronto 6. A short History of Toronto’s Streetcars Portfolio 1: Downtown Portfolio 2: (De)industrialisation Portfolio 3: Neighbourhoods 7. Interpreting Visual Change in a Divided City 8. Neighbourhood Change, Mobility and Socially-Just Solutions References

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Book SynopsisBridging area and postcolonial studies with the critical political economy of South Korea.Table of ContentsList of Abbreviations Introduction: Core Location, Asia as Method, and a Relational Understanding of Places Laam Hae, York University and Jesook Song, University of Toronto 1. The Idea of Chinatown: Rethinking Cities from the Periphery Sujin Eom, Dartmouth College 2. Seeing the Development of Jeju Global Education City from the Margins Youjeong Oh, University of Texas at Austin 3. Against the Construction State: Korean Pro-Greenbelt Activism as Method Laam Hae, York University 4. Marriage Migration as Spatio-Temporal Fix in Pohang’s Post-Industrial Urban Development through Saemaul Hyeseon Jeong, University of Newcastle, Australia 5. "Locations of Reflexivity": South Korean Community Activism and Its Affective Promise for "Solidarity" Mun Young Cho, Yonsei University, South Korea 6. The Education Welfare Project at Pine Tree Hill: A Core Location to Assess Distributional and Transitional Forms of Justice Jesook Song, University of Toronto 7. Situating the Space of Labour: Activism, Work, and Urban Regeneration Seo Young Park, Scripps College Afterword Jesook Song, University of Toronto and Laam Hae, York University

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Book SynopsisValentina Capurri addresses a topic that has been largely ignored, posing new questions on how immigration and disability in Canada have been constructed.Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Personal and the Political 1. The Right Citizen 2. Parliament and Medically Inadmissible Immigrants 3. Medical Admissibility: Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail, 1902-1985 4. Medical Admissibility: Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail, 1985-2002 5. Medical Admissibility in the Federal and Supreme Courts of Canada Conclusion Appendix: Changes to the Medical Admissibility Provision in Canadian Immigration Policy, 1869-2001 Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisInternational borders are among the most significant political inventions of modern times. The borders between national states are not just important to the peoples and governments who face each other across the borderline any international border can become a regional hotspot of global concern. But aside from the significant role borders play in national and international affairs, borders are also places and spaces where people live, work, raise families, and build businesses. Written for students across disciplines, Borders, Boundaries, Frontiers introduces readers to the study of borders and border cultures. Thomas M. Wilson examines both historical foundations and current developments in the field, with an emphasis on anthropological contributions. Ultimately, Borders, Boundaries, Frontiers encourages students to explore the role anthropology plays in the understanding of contemporary borders.Table of Contents1. Introduction: The Anthropology of Borders, Boundaries, and Frontiers 2. Globalization and Borders in a Borderless World 3. Border Walls and the Violence of Security 4. Border Energetics: The Frontiers of Sovereignty and Citizenship 5. Chameleon Borders and Everyday Transnationalism: Border Cultures and Identities 6. Future Borders and New Normals in Border Studies 7. Conclusion: New and Critical Border Thinking

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Book SynopsisNot Good Enough for Canada investigates the development of Canadian immigration policy with respect to persons with a disease or disability throughout the twentieth century. With an emphasis on social history, this book examines the way the state operates through legislation to achieve its goals of self-preservation even when such legislation contradicts state commitments to equality rights. Looking at the ways federal politicians, mainstream media, and the judicial system have perceived persons with disabilities, specifically immigrant applicants with disabilities, this book reveals how Canadian immigration policy has systematically omitted any reference to this group, rendering them socially invisible. Table of ContentsIntroduction: The Personal and the Political 1. The Right Citizen 2. Parliament and Medically Inadmissible Immigrants 3. Medical Admissibility: Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail, 1902-1985 4. Medical Admissibility: Toronto Star and the Globe and Mail, 1985-2002 5. Medical Admissibility in the Federal and Supreme Courts of Canada Conclusion Appendix: Changes to the Medical Admissibility Provision in Canadian Immigration Policy, 1869-2001 Notes Bibliography Index

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Book SynopsisMany historians and political scientists argue that ties between Canada and Latin America have been weak and intermittent because of lack of mutual interest and common objectives. Has this record of diverging paths changed as Canada has attempted to expand its economic and diplomatic ties with the region? Has Canada become an imperialist power? Canada’s Past and Future in Latin America investigates the historical origins of and more recent developments in Canadian foreign policy in the region. It offers a detailed evaluation of the Harper and Trudeau governments’ approaches to Latin America, touching on political diplomacy, bilateral development cooperation, and civil society initiatives. Leading scholars of CanadaLatin America relations offer insights from unique perspectives on a range of issues, such as the impact of Canadian mining investment, security relations, democracy promotion, and the changing nature of Latin American migration to CanadaTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Preface 1. Introduction: Canada’s Past and Future in the Americas: Beyond the “Americas Strategy” Pablo Heidrich and Laura Macdonald 2. Locating Latin America: Geography, Identity, and the Americas in Canadian Foreign Policy Asa Mckercher 3. Life-death-rebirth: The Latin American Working Group and Civil Society Relations with Latin America John W. Foster 4. Canadian Security and Defence Policies Towards Latin America: Liberal Engagement or Harsh Realism? Federmán Rodríguez 5. Canada And Democracy Promotion: The 2015 Electoral Crisis in Haiti Yasmine Shamsie 6. Latin American Migration to Canada: New and Complex Patterns of Mobility Laura Macdonald and Christina Gabriel 7. Trudeau, Harper and Civil Society: Advocacy Chill or Sunny Ways? Kalowatie Deonandan and Toveli Schmuland 8. Mexico-Canada Relations and the Impact of the NAFTA Renegotiations María Teresa Gutiérrez Haces 9. ‘Wrapped in the Canadian Flag’: Precious Metals Mining and Canadian Deadly Diplomacy In Latin America Jen Moore 10. Voluntary or Legislated? The Home-Country Regulation of Canadian Mining Companies in Latin America Paul Haslam 11. Conclusions Pablo Heidrich and Laura Macdonald Contributors Index

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Book SynopsisOrganizing Nature explores how the environment is organized in Canada’s resource-dependent economy. The book examines how particular ecosystem components come to be understood as natural resources and how these resources in turn are used to organize life in Canada. In tracing transitions from ecosystem component to resource, this book weaves together the roles that commodification, Indigenous dispossession, and especially a false nature-society binary play in facilitating the conceptual and material construction of resources. Alice Cohen and Andrew Biro present an alternative to this false nature-society binary: one that sees Canadians and their environments in a constant process of making and remaking each other. Through a series of case studies focused on specific resources fish, forests, carbon, water, land, and life the book explores six channels through which this remaking occurs: governments, communities, built environments, culture and ideas, economieTable of ContentsList of Illustrations and Tables List of Maps List of Boxes Acknowledgments Abbreviations 1. Introduction 1.1 From How to Why 1.2 From Ecosystem Components to Resources 1.3 Politics beyond Policy 1.4 Resourcification through Six Channels 1.5 Book Outline and Common Themes Discussion Questions 2. Channels: From Ecosystem Components to Resources 2.1 Introduction 2.2 Governments 2.3 Communities 2.4 Built Environments 2.5 Culture and Ideas 2.6 Economies 2.7 Bodies and Identities 2.8 Summary and Conclusions Discussion Questions 3. From Fish to Fisheries 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Salmon in British Columbia 3.3 Cod in Newfoundland and Labrador 3.4 Channels in Action: Organizing Fisheries 3.5 Summary and Conclusions Discussion Questions Pedagogical Resources 4. From Forests to Timber 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Growth of Timber: Saint John, New Brunswick 4.3 Trees, Not Timber: Port Renfrew, British Columbia, and Darkwoods 4.4 Channels in Action: Organizing Forests 4.5 Summary and Conclusions Discussion Questions Pedagogical Resources 5. From Carbon to Energy 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Coal in Nova Scotia 5.3 Oil and Bitumen in Alberta 5.4 Natural Gas and Fracking 5.5 Channels in Action: Organizing Carbon 5.6 Summary and Conclusions Discussion Questions Pedagogical Resources 6. From H2O to Water 6.1 Introduction 6.2 Diversions and Damming 6.2.1 Diversion 6.2.2 Damming 6.3 Drinking Water 6.3.1 Vancouver, 2006 6.3.2 Walkerton, Ontario, 2000 6.3.3 Asubpeechoseewagong Netum Anishinabek–Grassy Narrows, Ontario, 1962–? 6.3.4 Drinking Water: Summary 6.4 Channels in Action: Organizing Water 6.5 Summary and Conclusions Discussion Questions Pedagogical Resources 7. From Land to Property 7.1 Introduction 7.2 Soil 7.3 Symbol 7.4 Space 7.5 Channels in Action: Organizing Land 7.6 Summary and Conclusions Discussion Questions Pedagogical Resources 8. From Bodies to Life 8.1 Introduction 8.2 Wild(?)life: Non-Human Animals 8.2.1 Pets and Other Companion Species 8.2.2 Fish and Game: Wildness as Economic Resource 8.2.3 Parks as Spaces for Wildlife 8.3 Human Resources 8.3.1 Blood and Plasma 8.3.2 Surrogacy 8.4 The Channels in Action: Organizing Life 8.5 Summary and Conclusions Discussion Questions Pedagogical Resources 9. Resources: Organized and Organizers 9.1 Channels in Action 9.2 Common Themes 9.2.1 Commodification 9.2.2 Indigenous Dispossession 9.2.3 Artificial Nature–Society Binary 9.3 Why Does ‘Resource Thinking’ Matter? 9.3.1 Winning and Losing 9.3.2 Why Is It Important to Think beyond Policy? Glossary References Index

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Book SynopsisHotter and dryer than most parts of the world, the Middle East could soon see climate change exacerbate food and water shortages, aggravate social inequalities, and drive displacement and political destabilization. And as renewable energy eclipses fossil fuels, oil rich countries in the Middle East will see their wealth diminish. Amidst these imminent risks is a call to action for regional leaders. Could countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates harness the region's immense potential for solar energy and emerge as vanguards of global climate action? The Power of Deserts surveys regional climate models and identifies the potential impact on socioeconomic disparities, population movement, and political instability. Offering more than warning and fear, however, the book highlights a potentially brighter future—a recent shift across the Middle East toward renewable energy. With his deep knowledge of the region and knack for presenting scientific data with clarity, Dan Rabinowitz makes a sober yet surprisingly optimistic investigation of opportunity arising from a looming crisis.Trade Review"The Power of Deserts offers an important argument detailing how the Middle East could be devastated by the impact of climate change—or could generate huge amounts of renewable energy. Dan Rabinowitz skillfully communicates the difficulty these nations will face in adapting to climate change. A provocative work." -- Steven Cohen * the Earth Institute, Columbia University, and author of The Sustainable City *"Only Dan Rabinowitz, who wrote Israel's first book about climate change, has the knowledge, imagination, and optimistic spirit to look at the Middle East and offer this compelling, hopeful vision for the future." -- Alon Tal * Tel Aviv University *"In this timely, compelling book, Dan Rabinowitz deftly explores how climate change amplifies problems of inequality, injustice, and displacement in the Middle East. Rabinowitz's deep knowledge of the region, ability to clearly present complex material, and novel contention that the oil-rich Gulf states may lead the global transition to renewable energy make The Power of Deserts a must-read for anyone interested in these issues." -- Jeannie Sowers * University of New Hampshire, author of Environmental Politics in Egypt: Experts, Activists, and the State *"With his deep knowledge of the region, Dan Rabinowitz makes a sober yet surprisingly optimistic investigation of opportunity arising from a looming crisis." -- Michael Svoboda * Yale Climate Connections *Table of ContentsContents and AbstractsIntroduction: The Heat Is On chapter abstractFolk tales, myths, and physical remains in various Middle Eastern cultures indicate the region saw dramatic climate fluctuations in the past. Climate models suggest that current global warming could have far-reaching consequences for the region. Multiplying socioeconomic inequalities, demographic instability, ethnic tensions, and insecurity, climate change is impacting scientific fields, from the Earth sciences and the natural sciences, to history, sociology, and political science. New vocabularies and methodologies are being developed to help theorize and analyze the profound changes that will characterize the imminent post-normal climate era. A determined, sophisticated global environmental movement has long been trying to convince world leaders to save the planet by instigating major cuts in CO2 emissions for decades, to no avail. Could salvation come from oil-rich countries in the Middle East? 1Parched Future chapter abstractAdvances in climate modeling since 2010 enable scaling down global predictions to region- and country-specific forecasts. Using these new methods, researchers predict that temperature hikes in the Middle East will be sharper than projections for other regions and the world at large. Rainfall quantities in key areas in the northern and western section of the region will go down below 200 millimeters per annum, the level necessary for rain-fed agriculture. This will have serious consequences for agriculture in Turkey, Syria, northern Iraq, and the Maghreb, and dire implications for water cycles and animal husbandry across the region. Dwindling water volumes in the Nile, Tigris, and Euphrates will seriously endanger regional food production. Egypt and the Gulf countries are particularly vulnerable to sea-level rise. 2Burning Inequality chapter abstractClimate change involves three types of inequality. First, wealthier communities consume more, are responsible for higher greenhouse gas emissions, and thus carry a heavier responsibility for the advent of climate change. Second, affluent communities are more resilient to climate perils than poor ones. Third, those unwilling to join the struggle against climate change put others in harm's way. These inequalities, while omnipresent, are particularly prevalent in the Middle East, where socioeconomic gaps between and within countries are the widest in the world. The chapter illustrates that oil-rich Middle Eastern countries are among the highest per capita CO2 emitters in the world, while poorer countries hardly contribute to climate change. The chapter reviews regional gaps in resilience and exposure and demonstrates how oil-exporting countries in the region have played an active role in efforts since the 1990s to subvert global climate agreements. 3Climate of Insecurity chapter abstractExerting pressure on water, agriculture, and food supply, climate change is having devastating consequences for arid regions. The chapter distinguishes between security (small s), a condition with concrete personal and familial resonance, and Security (capita S), a more nebulous, less rational term focused on more abstract collectives such as the state or "the realm." The recent climate-related crises in Syria and South Sudan are reviewed. Given that similar drought spells could become the Middle East's new normal, the chapter seeks to isolate the role of climate in such calamities. Analyzing climate-related migration already underway in the region, it traces the emergence of "climate refugees" as a discursive term and critically examines the perils of climate change becoming securitized. Finally, it highlights the need for proactive, forward-looking planning on behalf of vulnerable rural communities that might be forced to relocate as a result of climate change. 4Solar Prospects chapter abstractIdeas for renewable energy hubs in the Middle East have been floated since the 1920s. With costs of solar energy slashed by 90 percent in a single decade, global investment in renewables is rising quickly. Solar plants are now being constructed across the Middle East, even in oil-exporting countries. With abundant solar irradiation, huge tracts of unproductive land, high liquidity, and a good track record of incorporating new technologies into civil infrastructure, the six oil-rich kingdoms by the Arabian Gulf have an immense potential for solar energy. Consistently pledging to transition their own domestic energy sectors to renewables, they are now beginning to actually do so. Should they indeed follow through with this, could they decide to extract less oil and natural gas? More importantly, are they likely to decide that leading a global energy transition to renewables is in their own best interest? 5Will 200 Men Save the Planet? chapter abstractDisconcerting climate predictions, the imminent demise of oil, and their huge potential for solar energy could convince the oil-rich countries of the Gulf to accelerate the global transition to renewables. To avoid economic ruin they could (a) immediately convert their own energy sectors to renewables; (b) invest heavily in renewable technologies and capacity worldwide; then (c) drastically reduce oil and natural gas production. An already struggling oil industry will be forced to surrender, crowning renewables the primary source of global energy. Like carriage makers who became automobile tycoons, the GCC six will have converted their position in the oil market ante to control of the energy universe of tomorrow. The economic lockdown triggered by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, which brought the oil industry to its knees, may leave the GCC with no other option if they wish to withstand the passage to a post-oil era.

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Book SynopsisThe wild beauty of deserts has always been a source of fascination the world over. Mankind and Deserts 3 – the third and final volume – focuses on wind, frequently present in all deserts, either hot or cold. Wind plays a major role in aridity and landscapes bear numerous forms due to its action, erosion, transportation and surface formations, some discreet and others spectacular, such as vast expanses of towering yardangs. Aeolian dynamics lead to dune formation, simple or associated with sand ridges or ergs, as in the Sahara. Mankind has attempted, to varying degrees of success, to cope with sand accumulation; ignoring aeolian dynamics has led many development projects to failure. This is developed by Yann Callot, a Professor at Lyon University who studied aeolian dynamics in the Sahara. Traditional societies have adapted to live in deserts, establishing vibrant civilizations with original ways of living, managing water resources and creating routes for trade, especially for salt. In a changing environment, useful lessons can be drawn from the genius of mankind�s adaptation to such diverse and fragile environments. This is explained by Marc Côte, who was a Professor at Constantine (Algeria) and Aix-en-Provence Universities. From ancient, almost mythical, exploration to modern scientific studies, deserts have come to be better known yet still hold great appeal. This book traces the history of their knowledge while providing a basis for understanding their features and the tools needed for their protection, in an ever-changing world.Table of ContentsForeword ixYvette Dewolf Introduction: Aeolian Dynamics and Processes xiiiYann Callot Chapter 1. Aeolian Landforms in Deserts 1Yann Callot 1.1. Forms and surface states 1 1.2. Ablation forms 2 1.2.1. Desert pavement 2 1.2.2. Coherent rock landforms 5 1.2.3. A mixed ablation shape: hydro-aeolian depressions 15 1.3. Accumulation formations 16 1.3.1. Amorphous accumulations 18 1.3.2. Smaller aeolian formations 21 1.3.3. Sandy accumulations without sharp crests 27 1.3.4. Dunes with sharp crests 28 1.3.5. Combinations of sifs 36 1.3.6. Non-sandy aeolian accumulations 43 1.4. Aeolian systems 47 1.4.1. Initial combinations: arrow, elb and draa 48 1.4.2. Interdune spaces 50 1.4.3. Polygenic formations 52 1.5. Ergs, the most complex aeolian systems 60 1.5.1. Definition 60 1.5.2. The formation of ergs 61 1.5.3. From the stability of forms... to a whole new scale: the Grand Erg Occidental 65 1.6. Conclusion: a new paradigm to explain the organization and orientation of active dunes 70 1.7. Martian dunes, still mobile… 72 1.8. References 75 Chapter 2. Humans and Winds in Deserts 79Yann Callot 2.1. Traditional societies and the wind 80 2.2. The battle against sand encroachment, or the Barrel of the Danaids: the Zouerate railroads (Mauritania) 83 2.3. The Dust Bowl, the first ecological disaster of the 20th century in a developed country 87 2.4. The western Algerian Green Barrier, or an error in management 91 2.4.1. A “barrier” in an unfavorable physical environment 91 2.4.2. Difficult implementation 93 2.4.3. A basic error in understanding aeolian dynamics 98 2.5. References 105 Chapter 3. Living in Deserts 107Marc Côte 3.1. Humans and the desert 108 3.1.1. A “desert civilization” 108 3.1.2. There are deserts and then there are deserts 108 3.1.3. The desert, Islam and oil 110 3.1.4. Antagonistic and complementary civilizations 110 3.2. Bedouin civilizations 113 3.2.1. Nomads 113 3.2.2. The power of the group 114 3.2.3. Astonishing knowledge 114 3.2.4. The fundamentals of pastoralism 115 3.2.5. Nomad territories 117 3.2.6. Collective lands 118 3.2.7. Dromedaries and Bactrian camels 120 3.2.8. A large-scale ecological transformation: desertification 122 3.2.9. Social transformation: sedentarization 123 3.2.10. New forms of pastoralism 123 3.2.11. The new faces of group structure 125 3.3. Hydraulic civilization 126 3.3.1. Oasis life 126 3.3.2. The fundamentals of hydraulic civilizations 126 3.3.3. Water territories 127 3.3.4. Cradles of hydraulic civilizations 127 3.3.5. Hydraulic techniques 129 3.3.6. Collective and individual hydraulic systems 132 3.3.7. Modes of sharing a rare resource 134 3.3.8. The diffusion of techniques 134 3.3.9. Hot deserts and cold deserts 137 3.3.10. Today: from small wells to deep drilling 138 3.4. A salt civilization? 140 3.4.1. Societies in quest of salt 140 3.4.2. Salt territories 141 3.4.3. The logistics of salt 142 3.4.4. An important period in the history of the Sahara 143 3.4.5. A salt civilization? 144 3.5. Urban civilizations in the desert 144 3.5.1. Cities 144 3.5.2. The fundamentals of urban life 145 3.5.3. The city and the road 147 3.5.4. Networks of urban centers 148 3.5.5. Capitals under the sun 149 3.5.6. The city and water 150 3.5.7. The city and the desert today 153 3.6. Conclusion 153 3.7. References 154 List of Authors 157 Index 159

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisA must-have for every gardener in California looking for a new way to garden in a changing climate In recent years California has been facing extreme drought, and in 2015 they passed state-wide water restrictions that affect home owners. Unfortunately the drought is only going to get worse, and gardeners who aren’t willing to abandon their beloved pastime entirely are going to have to learn how to garden with the absolute minimum of water. The Drought-Defying California Garden highlights the best 230 plants to grow, shares advice on how to get them established, and offers tips on how to maintain them with the minimum amount of water. All of the plants are native to California—making them uniquely adept at managing the harsh climate—and include perennials, annuals, shrubs, trees, and succulents.

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Book SynopsisA design-focused, easy-to-use guide to colorful, eye-catching foliage and flowers for your whole yard, from the ground plane to the canopy, for homeowners and landscapers faced with replacing thirsty gardens in California and other dry regions in the Western US. If readers must reluctantly remove water-guzzling favorites from the garden, they need equally beautiful substitutes! This book is a visual treat that supports the transition to dry gardening by proving that gardeners can have all the gorgeous color and flowers they had in the past using just a fraction of the water. Maureen Gilmer provides chapters on design categories of plants—flowering shrubs, the ground plain, eye-catching accents, ephemeral flowers, perennials for color, animated plants and fine textures, canopy, and edibles—with profiles for each plant plus background info and top picks lists. The Colorful Dry Garden is unique because it features only bold plants that are also heavy bloomers despite heat and limited water. It also features more than just Western native plants by including varieties from the world's driest climates.Trade Review"Compact and easy-to-read, with practical tips for "going dry," a.k.a. transitioning to a drought-resistant yard, along with loads of color photos of flowering shrubs, perennials, ground covers, succulents and grasses."—The Los Angeles Times"[This book] couldn't come at a better time. As we adjust to using less water in every part of our lives, Gilmer's book provides practical guidance to gardeners who want vibrant landscapes in the future while using less of our precious resource, water."—The Oregonian"This book features beautifully illustrated profiles of drought-tolerant plants"—Texas Gardener"Includes guidelines for transitioning yards to an “arid palette,” as well as hundreds of photos and detailed descriptions of flowering plants and trees that provide the punches of color she and other floral fans crave."—Las Vegas Review-Journal "Maureen Gilmer consolidates everything you need to know to get started [in water-wise gardening] based on her 30 years of experience in the field.... The perfect resource for folks who may not be hard-core gardeners but want a beautiful yet unthirsty garden all the same." —Succulents and More

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Book Synopsis

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