Description
At the intersection of environmental science and human biology, this book deals with dry ecosystems, the societies so affected, and the inventiveness of those living under such conditions. It also tries to answer the question of whether long-lasting development is possible in dry environments. General Introduction.- 1 The Spatial Framework, the Concepts of Aridity and Drought: the Soils and the Vegetation.- 2 Resources vs. Hydrological and Aeolian Constraints.- 3 Human Genius: The Search for Water and Its Management – Battle Against the Wind.- 4 From Ingenuity to Decadence: Geohistory of an Actual Decline – Grounds for Hope?.- General Conclusion.- References.- Geographic Index.
