Examines the deserts of the world, discussing such topics as history, geography, plants and animals, geology, human cultures and societies, and water resources.

Curious kids want to know everything about their planet. This lively encyclopedia offers a wealth of comprehensive, easy-to-follow insight into our planet in fun-to-read text. It gives kids a rock-solid foundation, reveals the latest research on fragile ecosystems and climate shift, and engages young readers with riveting information, eye-catching illustrations, and, of course, peerless "National Geographic" photography.

With over 6,000 entries, A Dictionary of Zoology is a detailed and authoritative guide to all areas of the field. It offers full taxonomic coverage of arthropods, other invertebrates, fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals. It also includes terms from the areas of ecology, animal behaviour, evolution, earth history, zoogeography, genetics, and physiology. All entries have been fully revised and updated, making this the most up-to-date reference guide of its kind. There are around 400 entries new to this edition covering areas that include taxonomic groups, prefixes, and widely used descriptive terms. These include articles on micronucleus, stoma, platy-, proto-, and terrestrial. The dictionary is enriched through its useful web links, accessible via the companion website, as well as diagrams and detailed appendices. This fifth edition also includes a new Common Names appendix and three new illustrations.

The new edition of this popular student text offers an engaging introduction to environmental study. It covers the entire breadth of the environmental sciences, providing concise, non-technical explanations of physical processes and systems and the effects of human activities. In this second edition the scientific background to major environmental issues is clearly explained. These include: * global warming * genetically modified foods * desertification * acid rain * deforestation * human population growth * depleting resources * nuclear power generation * descriptions of the 10 major biomes. Special student text features include illustrations and explanatory diagrams, boxed case studies, concepts and definitions.

Describes the grassland biome, including climate, geology, geography and biodiversity.

Describes the tropical rain forest biome, including climate, geology, geography and biodiversity.

Describes the temperate forest biome, including climate, geology, geography and biodiversity.

Defines terms, concepts, and theories related to ecology and the natural sciences

This new fourth edition has been completely revised and updated, covering all aspects in the field of plant sciences including biochemistry, plant physiology, cytology, ecology, genetics, evolution, biogeography, earth history, and earth sciences. Over 500 new entries, including Rosales, physical dormancy, menthol, and codeine, enhance the dictionary's coverage of botanical terms, key drugs and medicines derived from plants, and plant orders, families, and genera. It also explains many ecological terms, and expands beyond plants to describe fungi and bacteria and how they affect plants. Numerous appendices include Plant Classification and SI Units, with new timelines showing important moments in plant evolution. For ease of use, vernacular plant names have been transferred to an appendix, fully cross-referenced to the A to Z entries. The dictionary's dedicated companion website points to recommended web links and additional resources. The most up-to-date dictionary available on its subject, this is an essential resource for students of plant sciences and amateur botanists, as well as an entertaining and valuable guide for the plant enthusiast.