No Species Is an Island

Bats, Cacti, and Secrets of the Sonoran Desert

Nonfiction, Science & Nature, Nature, Environment, Ecology
Cover of the book No Species Is an Island by Theodore H. Fleming, University of Arizona Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Theodore H. Fleming ISBN: 9780816537556
Publisher: University of Arizona Press Publication: September 5, 2017
Imprint: University of Arizona Press Language: English
Author: Theodore H. Fleming
ISBN: 9780816537556
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
Publication: September 5, 2017
Imprint: University of Arizona Press
Language: English

In the darkness of the star-studded desert, bats and moths feed on the nectar of night-blooming cactus flowers. By day, birds and bees do the same, taking to blooms for their sweet sustenance. In return these special creatures pol­linate the equally intriguing plants in an ecological circle of sustainability.

The Sonoran Desert is the most biologically diverse desert in the world. Four species of columnar cacti, including the iconic saguaro and organ pipe, are among its most conspicuous plants. No Species Is an Island describes Theodore H. Fleming’s eleven-year study of the pollination biology of these species at a site he named Tortilla Flats in Sonora, Mexico, near Kino Bay.

Now Fleming shares the surprising results of his intriguing work. Among the novel findings are one of the world’s rarest plant-breeding sys­tems in a giant cactus; the ability of the organ pipe cactus to produce fruit with another species’ pollen; the highly specialized moth-cactus pollination system of the senita cactus; and the amazing lifestyle of the lesser long-nosed bat, the major nocturnal pollinator of three of these species.

These discoveries serve as a primer on how to conduct ecological re­search, and they offer important conservation lessons for us all. Fleming high­lights the preciousness of the ecological web of our planet—Tortilla Flats is a place where cacti and migratory bats and birds connect such far-flung habitats as Mexico’s tropical dry forest, the Sonoran Desert, and the temper­ate rain forests of southeastern Alaska. Fleming offers an insightful look at how field ecologists work and at the often big surprises that come from looking carefully at a natural world where no species stands alone.
 

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

In the darkness of the star-studded desert, bats and moths feed on the nectar of night-blooming cactus flowers. By day, birds and bees do the same, taking to blooms for their sweet sustenance. In return these special creatures pol­linate the equally intriguing plants in an ecological circle of sustainability.

The Sonoran Desert is the most biologically diverse desert in the world. Four species of columnar cacti, including the iconic saguaro and organ pipe, are among its most conspicuous plants. No Species Is an Island describes Theodore H. Fleming’s eleven-year study of the pollination biology of these species at a site he named Tortilla Flats in Sonora, Mexico, near Kino Bay.

Now Fleming shares the surprising results of his intriguing work. Among the novel findings are one of the world’s rarest plant-breeding sys­tems in a giant cactus; the ability of the organ pipe cactus to produce fruit with another species’ pollen; the highly specialized moth-cactus pollination system of the senita cactus; and the amazing lifestyle of the lesser long-nosed bat, the major nocturnal pollinator of three of these species.

These discoveries serve as a primer on how to conduct ecological re­search, and they offer important conservation lessons for us all. Fleming high­lights the preciousness of the ecological web of our planet—Tortilla Flats is a place where cacti and migratory bats and birds connect such far-flung habitats as Mexico’s tropical dry forest, the Sonoran Desert, and the temper­ate rain forests of southeastern Alaska. Fleming offers an insightful look at how field ecologists work and at the often big surprises that come from looking carefully at a natural world where no species stands alone.
 

More books from University of Arizona Press

Cover of the book Nikkei in the Interior West by Theodore H. Fleming
Cover of the book México Beyond 1968 by Theodore H. Fleming
Cover of the book Reopening the American West by Theodore H. Fleming
Cover of the book Indigenous Pop by Theodore H. Fleming
Cover of the book Arizona by Theodore H. Fleming
Cover of the book A Pima Remembers by Theodore H. Fleming
Cover of the book Doing Good by Theodore H. Fleming
Cover of the book Activist Biology by Theodore H. Fleming
Cover of the book Ceramics and Community Organization among the Hohokam by Theodore H. Fleming
Cover of the book In the Shadow of Cortés by Theodore H. Fleming
Cover of the book The Ancient Maya Marketplace by Theodore H. Fleming
Cover of the book Sanctioning Matrimony by Theodore H. Fleming
Cover of the book Undermining Race by Theodore H. Fleming
Cover of the book Marking Indigeneity by Theodore H. Fleming
Cover of the book Apache Indian Baskets by Theodore H. Fleming
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy