Vegetation of the Arabian Peninsula - Geobotany Softcover reprint of the original 1st ed. 2002 edition

Marc Notes: Originally published: Dordrecht; London: Kluwer Academic, 1998.; Includes bibliographical references.; This is a book on all aspects of the vegetation, phytogeography and conservation of the vast and varied region of the Arabian Peninsula. This title synthesizes the information on all aspects of the flora and vegetation, from the mountains, sand seas, coasts, water bodies and desert plains to the plants of economic importance. Table of Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction; S. A. Ghazanfar, M. Fisher. 2. Climate; M. Fisher, D. A. Membery. 3. Geology and Geomorphology; I. Guba, K. Glennie. 4. Biogeography and Introduction to Vegetation; H. Kurschner. 5. Bryophytes and Lichens; H. Kurschner, S. A. Ghazanfar. 6. Montane and Wadi Vegetation; U. Deil, A.-N. al Gifri. 7. Vegetation of the Plains; S. A. Ghazanfar. 8. Vegetation of the Sands; J. P. Mandaville. 9. Coastal and Sabkha Vegetation; U. Deil. 10. Water Vegetation; S. A. Ghazanfar. 11. Plants of Economic Importance; S. A. Ghazanfar. 12. Biodiversity and Conservation; M. Fisher, et al. References. Index."Publisher Marketing: The inspiration for this book came from our ten years of journeys and wanderings through the varied landscapes of Arabia, and in particular through those of its hospitable southeastern corner, Oman. We owe a particular debt to Sultan Qaboos University, which during this time has provided us with both a stimulating working environment and a home. Transliteration of Arabic place and other names into English script is a task fraught with difficulties. We have followed 'accepted' spellings wherever these were not contrary to our common sense, and in other cases we have rendered names into Roman English script using phonetic spellings. Our main task in this respect was to ensure conformity between the fIfteen contributing authors. Diacritical signs have mostly been avoided, since their use is neither widely followed nor readily understood. Arabic words which have been commonly taken into the English language, such as 'sabkha' for a salt flat and 'wadi' for a valley with a seasonal watercourse, are not italicised in usage. However, other Arabic terms which are occasionally used in English but not as widely known, such as harrah for a basaltic lava fIeld and hima for a traditional grazing reserve, are italicised throughout the text.