The perfect hiker's companion for any naturalist interested in the lichens of the northeastern mountaintops

For a traveler on the black ribbons of highways that stretch across the Great Plains, the sight of the Rocky Mountains rising up in the west is a majestic o the treeless peaks shimmer in winter with a white mantle of snow and, in summer, seem to erupt through the green belt of vegetation encircling the lower slopes. Colorado Above Treeline brings the state's highest country well within your reach. Author Jeremy Agnew describes what defines the tundra, the history that has marked it, and the kinds of plants and creatures that inhabit this unique environment. He then leads you on trips to these open, remote expanses, including scenic drives, rugged 4WD routes, and classic hikes, along the way offering many opportunities for further exploration. Practical information, fullcolor photographs and maps, and alpine anecdotes round out this introduction to some of Colorado's most celebrated scenery. Book jacket.

Field Guide to the Lichens of White Rocks is a careful examination of the lichens that occur at the ecologically important and lichenologically rich urban outcropping of Fox Hills sandstone known as White Rocks Nature Preserve, located in Boulder County, Colorado. This extensively illustrated field guide presents detailed information on the macroscopic and microscopic features needed to identify species, as well as extensive notes on how to differentiate closely related lichens—both those present at White Rocks and those likely to be found elsewhere in western North America. This guide is one of the only complete lichen inventories of a sandstone formation in North America and covers all constituents including the crustose microlichen biota, traditionally excluded from other inventories. A short introduction and glossary equip the reader with basic information on lichen morphology, reproduction, and ecology. Visitors to White Rocks Nature Preserve must schedule staff-led public tours or set up sponsored research projects through the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, and there are many other outcroppings of Fox Hills sandstone across the West, making Field Guide to the Lichens of White Rocks a significant resource for anyone interested in this unique environment. This accessible, user-friendly guide will also be valuable to naturalists and lichenologists around the world as well as educators, conservationists, and land managers concerned with the growing significance of open spaces and other protected urban areas throughout North America. The University Press of Colorado gratefully acknowledges the generous support of the University of Colorado Natural History Museum, City of Boulder Parks & Open Spaces, and the Colorado Native Plant Society board and members toward the publication of this book.

Terricolous lichens, a habitat specialist group of lichens play a vital role in maintenance and ecological stability of soil crusts with reference to their physical stability, hydrology and growth of soil microflora. Terricolous lichens in Indian lichenological studies haven’t been taken up as a functional group. Terricolous Lichens in India, Volume 1: Diversity Patterns and Distribution Ecology is the first ever publication dealing with soil lichens of India. Divided into five chapters, this volume discusses the lichenological researches in India with reference to terricolous lichens, the altitudinal distribution patterns of terricolous lichens, comparative assessment of distribution with global patterns, and the photobiont diversity and influence of novel molecular clades of photobiont in determining ecological preferences of soil lichens in India. Written by experts in the field and supplemented with numerous photographs, Terricolous Lichens in India, Volume 1: Diversity Patterns and Distribution Ecology is a comprehensive resource that addresses the major drivers of terricolous lichens distribution in India.

A companion to The Western San Juan Mountains (originally published in 1996), The Eastern San Juan Mountains details the physical environment, biological communities, human history, and points of interest in this rich and diverse mountain system. A natural division between the eastern and western slopes of the San Juans is the north-south line that runs approximately through Lake City, south of the crossing of the Piedra River by US Highway 160. In this super guidebook, twenty-seven contributors--all experts in their fields--artfully bring the geology, hydrology, animal and plant life, human histories, and travel routes of these eastern slopes to life. Designed to inform researchers, educators, and students about the region's complex systems, The Eastern San Juan Mountains also serves as an informative guidebook to accompany visitors along their travels on the Silver Thread National Scenic Byway, which stretches between South Fork and Lake City. The Eastern San Juan Mountains deserves a place next to The Western San Juan Mountains on the bookshelf of every naturalist, researcher, resident, educator, student, and tourist seeking a greater understanding of this marvelous place and its history.