African Wildlife & Environment Issue 80

GOOD READS

GOOD READS Book reviews by Dr John Ledger

because our way of studying the subject has changed significantly during this time." Seemingly barren wastes, the deserts of southern Africa have long intrigued scientists and traveller alike. In fact, these deserts are teeming with life, from ants to elephants, stone-plants to the amazing welwitschia, dainty dik-diks to towering gemsbok, cart-wheeling spiders to fog- catching beetles. How do they cope with scarce resources, unpredictable rainfall and extreme temperatures? How do they protect themselves against predators? These questions are answered in this excellent updated edition, which every nature lover, scientist and traveller will want to lay their hands on. The four arid biomes of South Africa, Namibia and Botswana are the Desert, Arid Savanna, Succulent Karoo and Nama-Karoo. The author reveals how and why such a great diversity of plants, insects, mammals, reptiles and birds successfully exists in these arid environments.The text is supported by the most recent research, superb photography and many explanatory diagrams and maps. This wonderful book is sure to become the 'holy writ' on our deserts for some time to come. Glads

Desert Life Lovegrove, Barry (2021). The Living Deserts of Southern Africa. Struik Nature, an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town. Hard cover, 21x27 cm, 296 pp, illustrated in colour throughout with photographs, sketches and maps. ISBN 978- 1-77584 -704-5. RRP: R450. This is a magnificent,

hard-covered, beautifully illustrated book that has been a classic for many years. In his preface to the new, updated edition, the author writes: "Twenty eight years have passed since Fernwood Press published the first edition of Living Deserts… I was young and unemployed when I wrote the book, and my head was stuffed with the science behind how animals and plants have adapted to living in arid and desolate places – a passion I wished to share with others who love deserts. Now I am older, wiser, retired, but no less fascinated by the remarkable deserts of our region." Professor Lovegrove was persuaded to update his book by Duncan McFadyen who is the Manager, Research and Conservation at Oppenheimer Generations, who provided sponsorship for the new edition. In 2019 and 2020 he undertook four photographic field trips : "…wherever I travelled, in Namaqualand, the Kalahari and the Karoo, I was humbled to learn that in the intervening years Living Deserts had become the holy writ for many: tourist guides, reserve management staff, researchers, students and others." This new edition is a magnificent production, and is sure to be as popular and useful as its predecessor. "Today I understand adaptations to desert environments so much better than before

Saunders, Rod and Rachel, with Fiona Ross ( 2021). Saunders' Field Guide to Gladioli of South Africa. Struik Nature, an imprint of Penguin Random House South Africa (Pty) Ltd, Cape Town. Soft cover, 15x21 cm, 383 pp, illustrated in colour throughout with photographs, sketches and maps. ISBN 978-1-77584 -761-8. RRP R420.

This book is a remarkable tribute to two extraordinary botanists, Rod and Rachel Saunders, who loved the attractive gladioli plants and had set themselves the goal of photographing every species of Gladiolus in South Africa and describing them in a comprehensive field guide. From 2012 they travelled to almost every corner of the land, and by 2018 they had found and photographed all but on the of the known Gladiolus species. In

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