Nevada's Changing Wildlife Habitat : An Ecological History

"For millennia the ecology of the Great Basin has evolved because of climate change and the impacts of human presence. Nevada's Changing Wildlife Habitat is the first book to explain the transformations in the plants and animals of this region over time and how they came about. Using data gleaned from archaeological and anthropological studies, numerous historical documents, repeat photography, and several natural sciences, the authors examine changes in vegetation and their impact on wildlife species and the general health of the environment. They also outline the choices that current users and managers of rangelands face in being good stewards of this harsh but fragile environment and its wildlife." Front Cover Title Page Contents Preface Acknowledgments Part I: Climate Changes and Consequences Chapter 1: The Pleistocene and Holocene Epochs: Prehuman Context Chapter 2: The First People: Hunters and Gatherers Part II: Presettlement Chapter 3: Fire: A Natural Disturbance and Human Tool Chapter 4: Vegetation: A Sea of Sagebrush or Landscape of Great Variety Chapter 5: Wildlife: Abundance and Scarcity Part III: Postsettlement Chapter 6: Climate: Averages and Extremes Chapter 7: Woodcutting: Boomtowns before Fossil Fuels Chapter 8: Livestock Grazing: Herbivory and Range Depletion Chapter 9: Fire: A Changing Force on the Landscape Part IV: Changes on the Landscape Chapter 10: Vegetation: Resilience and Succession Meet Abuse and Decadence Chapter 11: Wildlife: Habitat Relationships Chapter 12: Management Choices: We Cannot Do Nothing Appendix 1: Chronology of Changes in Vegetation, Fire, and Wildlife Appendix 2: Nevada's Wildland Plants Notes Bibliography Index pt. 1. Climate Changes and Consequences The Pleistocene and Holocene Epochs The First People pt. 2. Presettlement Fire : A Natural Disturbance and Human Tool Vegetation : A Sea of Sagebrush or Landscape of Great Variety Wildlife : Abundance and Scarcity pt. 3. Postsettlement Climate : Averages and Extremes Woodcutting : Boomtowns Before Fossil Fuels Livestock Grazing : Herbivory and Range Depletion Fire : A Changing Force on the Landscape pt. 4. Changes on the Landscape Vegetation : Resilience and Succession Meet Abuse and Decadence Wildlife : Habitat Relationships Management Choices Appendix 1: Chronology of Changes in Vegetation, Fire, and Wildlife Appendix 2: Nevada's Wildland Plants. Explains the transformations in the plants and animals of Nevada and how they came about. Using data gleaned from archaeological and anthropological studies, historical documents, repeat photography, and several natural sciences, this book examines changes in vegetation and their impact on wildlife species and the general health of the environment.