{"product_id":"the-desert-islands-of-mexicos-sea-of-cortez-paperback","title":"The Desert Islands of Mexico's Sea of Cortez - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eStewart Aitchison\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe desert islands in the Sea of Cortez are little known except to a few intrepid tourists, sailors, and fishermen. Though at first glance these stark islands may appear barren, they are a refuge for an astounding variety of plants and animals. While many of the species are typical of the greater Sonoran Desert region, some are endemic or unique to one or two islands. For example, Isla Santa Catalina is home to the world's only rattlesnake that has lost its ability to grow a rattle. Other islands host nesting birds, such as Isla Rasa, a tiny, flat flow of basalt lava that attracts nearly half a million elegant and royal terns and Heermann's gulls each spring.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Desert Islands of Mexico's Sea of Cortez\u003c\/i\u003e is one of the few books devoted to the biogeography of this remarkable part of the world. The book explores the geologic origin of the gulf and its islands, presents some of the basics of island biogeography, details insular life--including residents of the intertidal zone --and provides a brief outlook for preserving this area. More than a simple guidebook, Aitchison's writing will take both actual and armchair travelers through a gripping tale of natural history.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLike the rest of our fragile planet, the Sea of Cortez and its islands are threatened by humans. Overfishing has eliminated or greatly diminished many fish stocks, and dams on rivers that once flowed into the gulf prevent certain nutrients from reaching the sea. The tenuousness of this area makes the book's extraordinary photographs and the firsthand descriptions by a well-known teacher, writer, and photographer all the more compelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFront Jacket\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMore than a simple guidebook, Aitchison's writing will take both actual and armchair travelers through a gripping tale of natural history. The tenuousness of this area makes the book's extraordinary photographs and the firsthand descriptions by this well-known teacher, writer, and photographer all the more compelling.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAuthor Biography\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStewart Aitchison is a zoologist and geologist by training and a naturalist and photographer by passion. He has been exploring, photographing, teaching, and writing for more than 40 years. He escorts educational excursions for the National Audubon Society, the Smithsonian, Lindblad Expeditions, National Geographic Expeditions, Exploritas (formerly Elderhostel), and other organizations across the globe. He has written more than 20 books, including \u003ci\u003eGrand Canyon's North Rim and Beyond\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eA Traveler's Guide to Monument Valley, \u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eA Guide to Southern Utah's Hole-in-the-Rock Trail.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 120\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.23 x 8.4 x 5.54 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eIllustrated:\u003c\/strong\u003e Yes\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e November 15, 2010\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"BooksCloud","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":61842900386162,"sku":"9780816527748","price":25.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0975\/6485\/2594\/files\/8ESi79dOH19780816527748.webp?v=1778437929","url":"https:\/\/shop.tecolotebookstore.com\/products\/the-desert-islands-of-mexicos-sea-of-cortez-paperback","provider":"Tecolote","version":"1.0","type":"link"}