Author : Matt Lilley
Publisher : ABDO
Page : 35 pages
File Size : 22,30 MB
Release : 2020-12-15
Category : Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN : 1532169566
This book introduces readers to the many fairy circles in Namibia and the debate about what causes this natural phenomenon. Features include a table of contents, fun facts, infographics, Making Connections questions, a glossary, and an index. QR Codes in the book give readers access to book-specific resources to further their learning. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. DiscoverRoo is an imprint of Pop!, a division of ABDO.
Author : Andrew Goudie
Publisher : Springer
Page : 164 pages
File Size : 50,29 MB
Release : 2014-10-15
Category : Science
ISBN : 940178020X
The landscapes of Namibia are of world-class quality in beauty, diversity and interest. This book provides the first ever overview of the most important of these landscapes, explains why they look as they do, and evaluates why they are of note. Writing from a geomorphological perspective, the authors introduce the key processes and controls which influence landscape and landform development in Namibia. Geological and tectonic background, climate now and in the past, vegetation and animals (including humans) are all identified as crucial factors influencing the landscape of Namibia today. The book presents twenty one richly-illustrated case studies of the most significant landscapes of Namibia, ranging from the iconic Etosha Pan at the heart of the biggest wildlife conservation area in the north, to the famous dunes and ephemeral river at Sossus Vlei in the heart of the Namib desert. Each case study also contains a full list of the key references to the scientific work on that landscape. The authors provide an assessment of the current state of conservation of these landscapes, and their importance to tourism. The book is recommended reading for anyone with a professional or amateur interest in the spectacular and intriguing landscapes of this part of southern Africa. It provides a useful handbook for those travelling around Namibia, and an invaluable reference guide for those interested in how landscapes develop and change.
Author : Michael Welland
Publisher : Reaktion Books
Page : 400 pages
File Size : 21,47 MB
Release : 2014-09-15
Category : Nature
ISBN : 1780233892
From endless sand dunes and prickly cacti to shimmering mirages and green oases, deserts evoke contradictory images in us. They are lands of desolation, but also of romance, of blistering Mojave heat and biting Gobi cold. Covering a quarter of the earth’s land mass and providing a home to half a billion people, they are both a physical reality and landscapes of the mind. The idea of the desert has long captured Western imagination, put on display in films and literature, but these portrayals often fail to capture the true scope and diversity of the people living there. Bridging the scientific and cultural gaps between perception and reality, The Desert celebrates our fascination with these arid lands and their inhabitants, as well as their importance both throughout history and in the world today. Covering an immense geographical range, Michael Welland wanders from the Sahara to the Atacama, depicting the often bizarre adaptations of plants and animals to these hostile environments. He also looks at these seemingly infertile landscapes in the context of their place in history—as the birthplaces not only of critical evolutionary adaptations, civilizations, and social progress, but also of ideologies. Telling the stories of the diverse peoples who call the desert home, he describes how people have survived there, their contributions to agricultural development, and their emphasis on water and its scarcity. He also delves into the allure of deserts and how they have been used in literature and film and their influence on fashion, art, and architecture. As Welland reveals, deserts may be difficult to define, but they play an active role in the evolution of our global climate and society at large, and their future is of the utmost importance. Entertaining, informative, and surprising, The Desert is an intriguing new look at these seemingly harsh and inhospitable landscapes.
Author : Chris Marais
Publisher : Penguin Random House South Africa
Page : 371 pages
File Size : 20,98 MB
Release : 2012-07-23
Category : Travel
ISBN : 1920545581
Namibia Space takes the reader on a virtual tour of every corner of this haunting and beautiful country. It is packed with glorious full-colour photographs and first-hand experiences. We come to know the appeal of Namibia for travellers: the history, close-up Nature, infinite sand shaped by constant wind, exotic people (many of whom have turned their backs on civilisation and still practise their old ways), great herds of animals – and there is The Road, with its infinite possibilities. Through a remarkable series of photographs and writings we share Chris and Julie's experiences on the Namibian road. Namibia Space shows us their Namibia. Award-winning photo-journalist Chris Marais is well known for his work in Country Life and Sawubona magazines. He has worked on assignment in more than 50 countries and is part of the pack of wanderlust journalists who love nothing better than to travel with a camera and an open mind. Julienne duToit has built an international reputation in the world of environmental journalism. Currently specialising in southern African environmental issues and poverty relief projects, she is also a lifestyle and travel writer who travels throughout the region with her husband, Chris.
Author : Lonely Planet
Publisher : Lonely Planet
Page : 576 pages
File Size : 33,3 MB
Release :
Category :
ISBN : 1837582858
Author : Jörg S. Pfadenhauer
Publisher : Springer Nature
Page : 858 pages
File Size : 18,8 MB
Release : 2020-09-09
Category : Science
ISBN : 3030498603
This up-to-date textbook of global vegetation ecology, which comprises the current state of knowledge, is long overdue and much-needed. It is a translation of the textbook “Vegetation der Erde” (Springer-Spektrum, Heidelberg). A short introductory chapter deals with the fundamentals of vegetation ecology that are of importance for the delimitation and characterization of the global vegetation presented in this book (chorology, evolution of plants, physiognomic and structural characteristics, phytodiversity and the human impact on it as well as general terminology concerning both plant growth forms and on vegetation structure types). In the following chapters the zonal and azonal vegetation from the tropics to the polar regions including high mountains is described and discussed. The main focus is on the characterization of interactions between the spatial location of plants and plant communities on the one hand and site conditions, historic and genetic processes, spatial and temporal patterns, ecophysiology and anthropogenic influences on the other hand. Additional information on specific topics is provided in 51 boxes.
Author : Pauline Couper
Publisher : SAGE
Page : 281 pages
File Size : 43,58 MB
Release : 2014-12-01
Category : Social Science
ISBN : 147391132X
This ism-busting text is an enormously accessible account of the key philosophical and theoretical ideas that have informed geographical research. It makes abstract ideas explicit and clearly connects it with real practices of geographical research and knowledge. Written with flair and passion, A Student′s Introduction to Geographical Thought: Explains the key ideas: scientific realism, anti-realism and idealism / positivism / critical rationalism / Marxism and critical realism/ social constructionism and feminism / phenomenology and post-phenomenology / postmodernism and post-structuralism / complexity / moral philosophy. Uses examples that address both physical geography and human geography. Use a familiar and real-world example - ‘the beach’ - as an entry point to basic questions of philosophy, returning to this to illustrate and to explain the links between philosophy, theory, and methodology. All chapters end with summaries and sources of further reading, a glossary explaining key terms, exercises with commentaries, and web resources of key articles from the journals Progress in Human Geography and Progress in Physical Geography. A Student′s Introduction to Geographical Thought is a completely accessible student A-Z of theory and practice for both human and physical geography.
Author : Hans G. Kaper
Publisher : Springer Nature
Page : 385 pages
File Size : 15,13 MB
Release : 2019-11-01
Category : Mathematics
ISBN : 3030220443
Since its inception in 2013, Mathematics of Planet Earth (MPE) focuses on mathematical issues arising in the study of our planet. Interested in the impact of human activities on the Earth’s system, this multidisciplinary field considers the planet not only as a physical system, but also as a system supporting life, a system organized by humans, and a system at risk. The articles collected in this volume demonstrate the breadth of techniques and tools from mathematics, statistics, and operations research used in MPE. Topics include climate modeling, the spread of infectious diseases, stability of ecosystems, ecosystem services, biodiversity, infrastructure restoration after an extreme event, urban environments, food security, and food safety. Demonstrating the mathematical sciences in action, this book presents real-world challenges for the mathematical sciences, highlighting applications to issues of current concern to society. Arranged into three topical sections (Geo- and Physical Sciences; Life Sciences, Ecology and Evolution; Socio-economics and Infrastructure), thirteen chapters address questions such as how to measure biodiversity, what mathematics can say about the sixth mass extinction, how to optimize the long-term human use of natural capital, and the impact of data on infrastructure management. The book also treats the subject of infectious diseases with new examples and presents an introduction to the mathematics of food systems and food security. Each chapter functions as an introduction that can be studied independently, offering source material for graduate student seminars and self-study. The range of featured research topics provides mathematical scientists with starting points for the study of our planet and the impact of human activities. At the same time, it offers application scientists a plethora of modern mathematical tools and techniques to address the various topics in practice. Including hundreds of references to the vast literature associated with each topic, this book serves as an inspiration for further research.
Author : Ammi-Joan Paquette
Publisher : Simon and Schuster
Page : 34 pages
File Size : 31,80 MB
Release : 2011-09-08
Category : Juvenile Fiction
ISBN : 1933718455
What better way to celebrate the wonderful world of nature all around us than a hunt for local fairies? Children learn to spot the tell-tale signs of fairies in residence in this delightful mix of photos and illustrations. Then children can take their tracking skills outside to discover the magic in their own backyard. A perfect book for spring or summer!
Author : Lily Jouve
Publisher : Penguin Random House South Africa
Page : 262 pages
File Size : 29,5 MB
Release : 2012-05-30
Category : Travel
ISBN : 1920545107
Namibia is a vast, ancient place, its legacy an endless expanse of desert sand fringed by coastal plain and rugged mountain terrain and dotted with geological wonders that remain the country's most impressive features. Intrigued by the scenic splendour and entranced by the everchanging landscape that emerges beyond every corner, every towering dune and every mountaintop, Lily and Marcel Jouve travelled the length and breadth of the country to discover the varying facets of the land and its geology. In Secret Nambia, they share their exploration of the terrain, and reveal its secrets, from the geomorphological make-up to the best routes to follow and the finest places to stay. From the famed Spitzkoppe to Kaokoland, Etosha National Park to the Fish River Canyon, Sossusvlei to Sandwich Harbour, this is Namibia through their lens, their celebration of its rock and sand, valley, canyon and plain, and the unique flora and fauna found in these landscapes. Secret Namibia is an invitation to discover, through word and images, the intriguing natural features of this wild country.
