Description
Discover the captivating history of one of the Earth's most iconic regions in 'When the Sahara Was Green.' This enlightening book reveals the transformation of the Sahara Desert from a lush, green landscape teeming with life to the arid expanse we know today. Delve into the remarkable environmental changes that turned a thriving ecosystem, offering a bounty of rivers and diverse fauna, into the world's largest hot desert. Authored by Harvard geologist Martin Williams, this publication from Princeton University Press provides a meticulous account that intertwines geology, archaeology, and climatology.
This eye-opening read takes you on a journey through the Sahara’s past, exploring the once fertile land that sustained animals such as hippos and crocodiles and was home to ancient human civilizations. Discover key insights into how climate change and human activities contributed to the desertification of this majestic region. Learn about the fascinating adaptation strategies of flora and fauna and the lessons they offer for sustaining ecosystems in changing conditions. 'When the Sahara Was Green' is an essential addition to the library of anyone interested in geology, climate science, and environmental history.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691201627
Format: Trade binding
Year: 2022
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691201627
Format: Trade binding
Year: 2022
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Description:
The little-known history of how the Sahara was transformed from a green and fertile land into the largest hot desert in the world.
The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world, equal in size to China or the United States. Yet, this arid expanse was once a verdant, pleasant land, fed by rivers and lakes. The Sahara sustained abundant plant and animal life, such as Nile perch, turtles, crocodiles, and hippos, and attracted prehistoric hunters and herders. What transformed this land of lakes into a sea of sands? When the Sahara Was Green describes the remarkable history of Earth’s greatest desert—including why its climate changed, the impact this had on human populations, and how scientists uncovered the evidence for these extraordinary events.
From the Sahara’s origins as savanna woodland and grassland to its current arid incarnation, Martin Williams takes us on a vivid journey through time. He describes how the desert’s ancient rocks were first fashioned, how dinosaurs roamed freely across the land, and how it was later covered in tall trees. Along the way, Williams addresses many questions: Why was the Sahara previously much wetter, and will it be so again? Did humans contribute to its desertification? What was the impact of extreme climatic episodes—such as prolonged droughts—upon the Sahara’s geology, ecology, and inhabitants? Williams also shows how plants, animals, and humans have adapted to the Sahara and what lessons we might learn for living in harmony with the harshest, driest conditions in an ever-changing global environment.
A valuable look at how an iconic region has changed over thousa
This eye-opening read takes you on a journey through the Sahara’s past, exploring the once fertile land that sustained animals such as hippos and crocodiles and was home to ancient human civilizations. Discover key insights into how climate change and human activities contributed to the desertification of this majestic region. Learn about the fascinating adaptation strategies of flora and fauna and the lessons they offer for sustaining ecosystems in changing conditions. 'When the Sahara Was Green' is an essential addition to the library of anyone interested in geology, climate science, and environmental history.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691201627
Format: Trade binding
Year: 2022
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Note: Shipping for this item is free. Please allow up to 6 weeks for delivery. Once your order is placed, it cannot be cancelled.
Condition: BRAND NEW
ISBN: 9780691201627
Format: Trade binding
Year: 2022
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Description:
The little-known history of how the Sahara was transformed from a green and fertile land into the largest hot desert in the world.
The Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world, equal in size to China or the United States. Yet, this arid expanse was once a verdant, pleasant land, fed by rivers and lakes. The Sahara sustained abundant plant and animal life, such as Nile perch, turtles, crocodiles, and hippos, and attracted prehistoric hunters and herders. What transformed this land of lakes into a sea of sands? When the Sahara Was Green describes the remarkable history of Earth’s greatest desert—including why its climate changed, the impact this had on human populations, and how scientists uncovered the evidence for these extraordinary events.
From the Sahara’s origins as savanna woodland and grassland to its current arid incarnation, Martin Williams takes us on a vivid journey through time. He describes how the desert’s ancient rocks were first fashioned, how dinosaurs roamed freely across the land, and how it was later covered in tall trees. Along the way, Williams addresses many questions: Why was the Sahara previously much wetter, and will it be so again? Did humans contribute to its desertification? What was the impact of extreme climatic episodes—such as prolonged droughts—upon the Sahara’s geology, ecology, and inhabitants? Williams also shows how plants, animals, and humans have adapted to the Sahara and what lessons we might learn for living in harmony with the harshest, driest conditions in an ever-changing global environment.
A valuable look at how an iconic region has changed over thousa