The Nature of Nebraska - (Natural History) by Paul A Johnsgard (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Where the eastern and western currents of American life merge as smoothly as one river flows into another is a place called Nebraska. There we find the Platte, a river that gave sustenance to the countless migrants who once trudged westward along the Mormon and Oregon trails. We find the Sandhills, a vast region of sandy grassland that represents the largest area of dunes and the grandest and least disturbed region of mixed-grass prairies in all the Western Hemisphere. And, below it all, we find the Ogallala aquifer, the largest potential source of unpolluted water anywhere. These ecological treasures are all part of the nature of Nebraska. With characteristic clarity, energy, and charm, Paul A. Johnsgard guides us through Nebraska's incredible biodiversity, introducing us to each ecosystem and the flora and fauna it sustains and inviting us to contemplate the purpose and secrets of the natural world as we consider our own roles and responsibilities in our connection with it. Paul A. Johnsgard is Foundation Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and winner of several state and national writing awards for his books. He is the author of more than forty books, including Prairie Dog Empire: A Saga of the Shortgrass Prairie, Crane Music: A Natural History of American Cranes, and Sandhill and Whooping Cranes, all available from the University of Nebraska Press.

Review Quotes

"A magnificent resource."-"Bloomsbury Review,"

"A splendid view of Nebraska and its diverse ecoregions and biodiversity. . . . Paul Johnsgard puts his love of nature and Nebraska into "The Nature of Nebraska: Ecology and Biodiversity," His excursions into childhood memories adds an excellent flare that makes the reader long for simpler days and the beauty of nature. The book is an excellent read for lovers of the natural both present and past."--Elmer J. Finck, "The Great Plains Newsletter"

"A valuable resource for longtime naturalists, teachers, and others who want to learn about Nebraska's natural history.. Johnsgard writes beautifully, his writing reflecting the subtlety and depth of emotions that aficionados of natural history feel as they study their environment.."--L. LaReesa Wolfenbarger, "Great Plains Research,"

"What Paul Johnsgard has done is created the new reference book on Nebraska natural history. You'll need no other."-Joel Sartore, "National Geographic" photographer.

"A magnificent resource."-"Bloomsbury Review."

"What Paul Johnsgard has done is created the new reference book on Nebraska natural history. You'll need no other."

"What Paul Johnsgard has done is created the new reference book on Nebraska natural history. You'll need no other."

About the Author

Paul A. Johnsgard is Foundation Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and winner of several state and national writing awards for his books. He is the author of more than forty books, including Prairie Dog Empire: A Saga of the Shortgrass Prairie, Crane Music: A Natural History of American Cranes, and This Fragile Land: A Natural History of the Nebraska Sandhills, all available from the University of Nebraska Press.