Taiga is a biome of the Northern Hemisphere, between tundra to the north and broad-leaved forest and temperate grassland to the south. Taiga includes dense forest, open forest, and jigsaw puzzles of forests, wetlands, and lakes that can be found in northwestern and northeastern America, northern Europe, Siberia, and East Asia. Examining its geography, geology, climate, and biodiversity, Taiga describes this unique ecosystem in a clear, complete manner....

Life in the desert holds a range of biological adaptations. From camels to desert scorpions to snakes, the biodiversity of these areas is fascinating. Deserts presents the intricacies of this seemingly barren and harsh ecosystem, explaining how and why deserts form, where they are found on Earth, and their basic characteristics. Chapter-by-chapter coverage describes the fauna of the desert, the history of these habitats, the relationship of humanity...

The geography and geology of lakes and rivers is a fascinating subject. From plankton to larger fishes and wildlife, rivers and lakes contain a great deal of biodiversity. The earliest civilizations were based around rivers including the Nile, Tigris and Euphrates, and Indus and Huang Ho valleys. Illustrating the physical geography, hydrology, ecology, and human use of these areas, Lakes and Rivers provides an excellent overview of the past, present,...

Climate plays a major role in the existence of temperate forests. These areas experience seasonal changes and sometimes extreme weather patterns. Temperate Forests explores the environment, life, and future of this type of habitat in a concise, accessible format. A discussion of the geography and geology of these areas provides an introduction to temperate forest systems, and chapter-by-chapter coverage explains where these forests are found and why...

Describes the climate, land formations, plant life, and animals of the frozen arctic land called tundra. The geography and geology of tundra habitats have many physical and climatic constraints. Yet while biodiversity is low, ecosystems still exist in this environment. Much of the mega fauna that we are familiar with such as wooly mammoths and giant elkinhabited tundra environments, and much of what we know of early human activity took place in this...