<< 1 >>
Rating: 
Summary: A step above any field guide
Review: Dennis Knight's "Mountains and Plains" fills a surprisingly open niche- a guide that explains how whole ecosystems work. This invaluable reference is nicely organized according to recognizable ecosystems (shortgrass plains, sagebrush steppe, riparian forest, montane woodlands, high-country conifers, and alpine zones), and describes not only who lives there, but why they live there, and how all of these parts fit together. "Mountains and Plains" is a perfect marriage of scientific ecology and natural history, and is one of the most valuable references on my professional bookshelf. Knight's insights have proven equally valuable throughout the Central Rocky Mountains, from Montana to northern New Mexico.If you want to catalog flowers and birds, pick up a field guide. If you want to understand Rocky Mountain landscapes, pick up "Mountains and Plains."
Rating:
Summary: A step above any field guide
Review: Dennis Knight's "Mountains and Plains" fills a surprisingly open niche- a guide that explains how whole ecosystems work. This invaluable reference is nicely organized according to recognizable ecosystems (shortgrass plains, sagebrush steppe, riparian forest, montane woodlands, high-country conifers, and alpine zones), and describes not only who lives there, but why they live there, and how all of these parts fit together. "Mountains and Plains" is a perfect marriage of scientific ecology and natural history, and is one of the most valuable references on my professional bookshelf. Knight's insights have proven equally valuable throughout the Central Rocky Mountains, from Montana to northern New Mexico. If you want to catalog flowers and birds, pick up a field guide. If you want to understand Rocky Mountain landscapes, pick up "Mountains and Plains."
<< 1 >>
| 
