Natural Hist White–Inyo (Paper): Volume 55 (California Natural History Guides) - Softcover

Hall

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0520068963 ISBN 13: 9780520068964

Publisher: University of California Press, 1992

Synopsis

The White-Inyo Range―rising sharply from the eastern edge of Owens Valley―is one of the most extraordinary landscapes in the world. High, dry, and amazingly diverse, it boasts an expansive alpine tundra and features the oldest living species on earth―the 4,000-year-old Bristlecone Pines. This colorful and authoritative volume assembles a wealth of information of deep interest to the hikers and scientists attracted to White-Inyo's altitude and isolation.

The nearly two dozen contributors to the volume are leading experts on the flora and fauna, the geology, geomorphology, meteorology, anthropology, and archaeology of the area. The book offers descriptions of more than 650 kinds of living organisms, from the handful of fish to the abundance of reptile, amphibian, bird and plant species. (It provides descriptions of hundreds of flowering plants.) It contains an 8-color geologic map and a roadside guide that enables the visitor to make sense of the area's complex geological history. Readers will also learn about air currents that make the range a delight for sailplane pilots and create strange cloud formations. And a special chapter tells what is known of the Native Americans who moved up and down the mountain slopes in response to seasonal changes.

For anyone who wishes to visit this astonishing area or to do research there, this volume will be a unique, comprehensive resource.

About this title

About the Author

Clarence A. Hall, Jr. is Director of the White Mountain Research Station of the University of California. He is also Dean of Physical Sciences and Professor of Geology at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of California Press
• Publication date: 1992
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0520068963
• ISBN 13: 9780520068964
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 560