Sierra Nevada Natural History - (California Natural History Guides) by Tracy I Storer & Robert L Usinger & David Lukas (Paperback)

About the Book

Drawings and color plates accompany the over 750 scientifically accurate, but easy-to-understand descriptions in this guide to the plants, animals, climate, geology, physical features and human influence in the Sierra Nevada.

Book Synopsis

The magnificent and much-loved Sierra Nevada, called the "Range of Light" by John Muir, is the dominant feature on the California landscape. First published forty years ago, this handbook has become an enduring natural history classic, used by thousands to learn more about virtually every aspect of this spectacular mountain range--from its superb flora and fauna to its rugged topography. Comprehensive yet concise and portable, the book describes hundreds of species: trees and shrubs, flowering plants and ferns, fungi and lichens, insects and fish, amphibians and reptiles, and birds and mammals. Now completely updated and revised, it will continue to be the essential guide to the Sierra Nevada for a new generation of hikers, campers, tourists, naturalists, students, and teachers--everyone who wants to know more about this unique and beautiful mountain range.

* Describes more than 750 of the species most likely to be encountered with more than 500 new color photographs and 218 detailed black-and-white drawings

* Includes engaging and accessible introductory sections on Sierra Nevada topography, climate, geological history, and human history

* The compact, updated species accounts make identification easy, provide informative remarks on ecology and life history, and note which species are threatened or endangered

From the Back Cover

"In this single, portable volume there is enough information to satisfy the most voracious naturalist, whether Sierra resident or visitor, while also providing a wealth of useful illustrations (maps, line drawings, color photos) to assist in field identification. This is the book that can easily go backpacking with the plant enthusiast, birder, or butterfly collector."--Bruce Pavlik, Series Editor, California Natural History Guide Series and author of Oaks of California

"Storer and Usinger's Sierra Nevada Natural History is the only book that covers so many aspects of this region's natural history in a compact form. I am thrilled to see that David Lukas has made the careful revisions necessary to update this classic book and make it even more useful and comprehensive. I plan to take it on every hike."--Edward C. Beedy, author of Discovering Sierra Birds

About the Author

Tracy I. Storer was Professor of Zoology at the University of California, Berkeley, coauthored California Grizzly with Lloyd P. Tevis, Jr. (California, revised edition 1996), and wrote many other books and articles. Robert L. Usinger was Professor of Zoology at the University of California, Berkeley, and author of Aquatic Insects of California (California, 1959), among other publications. David Lukas is a professional naturalist and author of Wild Birds of California (2000) and Watchable Birds of the Great Basin (1999).