Ecology of Desert Environments

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Most of the arid zones of the world have undergone vast ecological changes over the last five decades due to escalation of human population and alteration in landuse pattern. As a consequence of the human intervention in desert environments, their biodiversity is also changing. The earlier ecologists who have carried out researches on typical deserticolous elements are the pioneers. Prof. John Leonard Cloudsley-Thompson is one of those who initiated research on the fauna of Middle East and has builtup a school of desert biology. John is attaining the age of 80 years and we thought it appropriate to felicitate him by publishing a Festschrift. This compendium contains 28 articles contributed by Johnâ€™s, colleagues, acquaintances and friends from all over the world. The chapters are spread over a wide spectrum of subjects like climate, grasslands, ecology and physiology of invertebrates and vertebrates. It is expected that this multiauthored treatise will be quite beneficial for the students of desert ecology and we earnestly hope that this assemblage of arid zone subjects will be a fitting Honour to John, the last â€œTitan of the Sahara Desertâ€ as one of the Authors has called him.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR Ishwar Prakash

Dr. Ishwar Prakash was born, broughtup and educated in the desert. He has spent all his career carrying out research on ecology of the Thar. He was the Professor of Eminence at Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur and Senior Scientist of Indian National Science Academy, New Delhi. His latter researches have been supported by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. For the last ten years he has been associated with the Desert Regional Station, Zoological Survey of India, Jodhpur. With his devotion over five decades to the Thar Desert, his continuing research work ranges from the ecology of vertebrates, especially mammals, biochemical communication among rodents, rodent pest management, wildlife conservation, montane small mammals; to the desertification processes and impact assessment of the biotic pressure on the xeric environment. Dr. Prakash has published over 325 papers, 20 monographs and books. He is considered an authority on desert ecology. Dr. Prakash, by virtue of his pioneering and outstanding work, has been the recipient of several National Awards. He is Fellow of various national and international scientific academies and is serving on a number of policymaking committees.