From the Sahara to the Gobi.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 The Arabian Oryx (Oryx leucoryx) is a bovid and the smallest member of Oryx genus, native to desert and steppe areas of the Arabian peninsula. An endangered species, the Arabian Oryx was largely extinct in the wild by the early 1970s; reintroduction programs have since that were re-introduced after being hunted to near-extinction, Sara Oldfield's captivating cap·ti·vate tr.v. cap·ti·vat·ed, cap·ti·vat·ing, cap·ti·vates 1. To attract and hold by charm, beauty, or excellence. See Synonyms at charm. 2. Archaic To capture. new book provides a detailed tour of life in the world's most inhospitable in·hos·pi·ta·ble adj. 1. Displaying no hospitality; unfriendly. 2. Unfavorable to life or growth; hostile: the barren, inhospitable desert. regions. Deserts: The Living Drylands (MIT MIT - Massachusetts Institute of Technology 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. |
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