Lands lost to desert may effectively be lost for ever, so desertification is humanity's most obvious despoliation to the planet. It is certainly one of the most serious environmental problems facing the world today. In this book the author describes what is happening and where. Although the problem is greatest in developing countries, it is by no means confined to them. Australia, Africa, the USA and India are all affected. In the 1970s an international Plan of Action was drawn up to bring the phenomenon under control, but it was never implemented. Now that the situation is more serious than ever before, this book urges new action and describes many of the myriad ways in which it is possible to arrest the progress of desertification. It describes, too, not just the failures, but the considerable successes that have been achieved. Originally published in 1990

First Published in 2009. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

This book aims to fulfil this long felt need giving details of ex-situ conservation of 20 arid species. Each chapter has information on taxonomic citation, physiognomic description, uses of these species, threats faced and its regeneration protocols. The presentation with large number of coloured photographs is in question answer style to increase the readability so as to get across the wide spectrum of conservation fraternity. This book will be useful to the students, teachers and researchers engaged in conservation biology, forestry, horticulture, plant ecology, agroforestry and desertification control programmes.

This report delves into the implications for communities at risk of losing their primary source of credible news. By documenting the shifting news landscape and evaluating the threat of media deserts, this report seeks to raise awareness of the role interested parties can play in addressing the challenges confronting local news and democracy. The Expanding News Desert documents the continuing loss of papers and readers, the consolidation in the industry, and the social, political and economic consequences for thousands of communities throughout the country. It also provides an update on the strategies of the seven large investment firms--hedge and pension funds, as well as private and publicly traded equity groups--that swooped in to purchase hundreds of newspapers in recent years and explores the indelible mark they have left on the newspaper industry during a time of immense disruption.

This report, divided into four sections, documents dramatic changes over the past decade. With the industry in distress, local newspapes are shrinking, and some are vanishing. At the same time, a new type of newspaper owner has emerged, very different from traditional publishers, the best of whom sought to balance business interests with civic responsibilty to the community where their paper was located. As newspapers confront an uncertain future, the choices these new owners make could determine whether vast 'news deserts' arise in communities and regions throughout the country. This has implications not just for the communities where these papers are located, but also, in the long-term, for all of America."--page 5.

Although the desert is a dry biome, it has a variety of animals. Readers explore both hot and cold deserts, and are introduced to endangered species such as the Sahara Desert’s slender-horned gazelle. Also explained, are the subjects of climate change, poaching, and human activities that are affecting the world’s deserts. Accessible, informative text illustrates how these threats can be lessened.

The Ming dynasty becomes a battleground for the Brotherhood of Assassins and the Order of the Templars in this blockbuster action novel from a previously unexplored part of the beloved Assassin’s Creed universe. China, 16th century. The Assassins are gone. Zhang Yong, the relentless leader of the Eight Tigers, took advantage of the emperor's death to eliminate all his opponents, and now the Templars hold all the power. Shao Jun, the last representative of her clan, barely escapes death and has no choice but to flee her homeland. Vowing to avenge her former brothers in arms, she travels to Europe to train with the legendary Ezio Auditore. When she returns to the Middle Kingdom, her saber and her determination alone will not be enough to eliminate Zhang Yong: she will have to surround herself with allies and walk in the shadows to defeat the Eight Tigers.