The Natural History of the Trans-Pecos
The Natural History of the Trans-Pecos

Author: Brian R. Chapman

Publisher: Texas A&M University Press

Published: 2020-09-25

Total Pages: 193

ISBN-13: 1623498627

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The last frontier in Texas, the Trans-Pecos region is an immense and remote series of desert basins in the western-most part of the state. Columns of rock and stony debris dot the landscape, with various peaks, such as the notable El Capitan, rising from a long-forgotten sea floor. While the acidic and shallow desert soil only allows for scrubby vegetation in many places, what survives is rugged, colorful, and adaptable. Far from just an arid region, however, the Trans-Pecos is also home to grasslands, wetlands, and even woodlands. Animal life varies considerably, from the Black-tailed Jackrabbit and Desert Cicada to Bighorn Sheep, Black Bears, and Mountain Lions. Complete with an introduction chronicling the stories of biologists and naturalists who have explored and defined the ecological areas of Texas over time, The Natural History of the Trans-Pecos explores the formation of the region more than 600 million years ago, the adaptability of its ecosystems, and the conservation efforts to keep these wildly diverse environments flourishing. Detailed descriptions, vivid anecdotes, and vibrant pictures of the features that make this region so unique emphasize the rugged grandeur of the Trans-Pecos.

Woody Plants of the Big Bend and Trans-Pecos
Woody Plants of the Big Bend and Trans-Pecos

Author: Louis A. Harveson

Publisher: Texas A&M University Press

Published: 2016-02-04

Total Pages: 226

ISBN-13: 1623493536

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Winner, 2018 Carroll Abbott Memorial Award, sponsored by the Native Plant Society of Texas The Trans-Pecos region of Texas is home to a variety of big game species, including desert mule deer, pronghorn, desert bighorn sheep, white-tailed deer, elk, feral hog, and javelina; several species of exotics, such as aoudad, axis deer, and blackbuck antelope; and domestic livestock that includes cattle, horses, goats, sheep, and bison. Prepared by a team of range specialists at the Borderlands Research Institute in Alpine, Texas, this field guide will allow the area’s ranch managers, private landowners, resource professionals, students, and other outdoor enthusiasts to identify the key woody plants that serve as valuable forage for these animals. Encompassing 18 West Texas counties, with application in like habitats in the western Hill Country and southern Rolling Plains as well as in northern Mexico and eastern New Mexico, the book provides a thorough introduction to the natural features of the region and descriptions, nutrition values, and management prescriptions for 84 species of browse plants. In addition to informing readers about the diet of the region’s large animals, this fully illustrated, user-friendly reference also intends to inspire the continued good stewardship of the land they inhabit.

The Natural History of Texas
The Natural History of Texas

Author: Brian R. Chapman

Publisher: Integrative Natural History Se

Published: 2018-03

Total Pages: 390

ISBN-13: 9781623495725

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From two veteran ecologists comes a new and sweeping exploration of the natural history of Texas in all its biological diversity and geological variation. Few states, if any, can match Texas for its myriad species, past and present, and its many distinctive landscapes, from prairie grasslands and hardwood forests to coastal lagoons and desert mountains. Beginning with the stories of how biologists and naturalists have over time defined the ecological areas of this very big state, the authors visit each of the eleven regions, including the Texas coast. They describe the dominant flora and fauna of each, explain the defining geologic features, and highlight each region's unique characteristics, such as carnivorous plants in the Piney Woods and returning black bears in the Trans-Pecos. Throughout, the authors remain especially conscious of the conservation and management issues affecting the natural resources of each region, revealing their deep affection for and knowledge about the state. Bolstered by a glossary, further reading suggestions, a description of state symbols, and an appendix of scientific names, this is an educational and essential volume for all Texans. ECOREGIONS Piney Woods Post Oak Savanna Blackland Prairies Cross Timbers and Prairies Rolling Plains Edwards Plateau High Plains Trans-Pecos South Texas Brushland Coastal Prairies Texas Gulf Coast

Cacti of the Trans-Pecos & Adjacent Areas
Cacti of the Trans-Pecos & Adjacent Areas

Author: A. Michael Powell

Publisher: Texas Tech University Press

Published: 2004

Total Pages: 604

ISBN-13: 9780896725317

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A Southwest Book of the Year * 2005 Southwest Book Award "[A] monumental study." --Review of Texas Books "A reliable and handy general reference for those with an interest in cacti inside and outside this region. Recommended." --Choice "These authors have . . . provided the world with the much needed scientific clarification on this family of succulent plants that humans have loved and hated for thousands of years." --Sida "Information: Wow! . . . For both lay readers and for researchers looking for lots of data about the cacti of this rich flora, this book offers fascinating details presented in a very readable fashion." --Cactus and Succulents Journal "This will be the standard reference for decades to come."--Southwest Books of the Year Of the 132 species and varieties of cacti in Texas, about 104 of them occur in the fifteen counties of the Trans-Pecos region. This volume includes full descriptions of those many genera, species, and varieties of cacti, with sixty-four maps showing the distribution of each species in the region. The descriptions follow the latest findings of cactus researchers worldwide and include scientific names; common names; identifying characters based on vegetative habit, flowers, fruit, and seeds; identification of flowerless specimens; and phenology and biosystematics. The introduction--full of details about the biology and morphology of the family Cactaceae, the uses of cacti, and the horticulture and conservation of cacti--is an important reference for general readers. More than three hundred beautiful full-color photographs of the cacti in flower and in fruit, all cross-referenced to their description in the text, highlight the book. A glossary of cactus terms, an exhaustive list of literature, and a thorough index complete the book.

Texas' Last Frontier
Texas' Last Frontier

Author: Clayton W. Williams

Publisher:

Published: 2000-06

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781585440719

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For almost three hundred miles, the Pecos River cuts across far West Texas. It is an arid land, a land that in the last century offered danger and hardship to those who crossed it and those who settled it. Yet they came--army posts like Fort Stockton to challenge the Apaches' claim to the rugged land, settlers to supply the posts, cattlemen to eke out a living from the vast but sparse grazing ranges. They came and they stayed because the land held one overriding appeal: it was Texas' last frontier. The newcomers--cattlemen and sheepmen, individuals and corporations--included sturdy, law-abiding, industrious citizens, such as O.W. Williams, a renowned surveyor, jurist, and historian with a law degree from Harvard; Mexicans, both poor laborers and well-to-do entrepreneurs; kindly German merchants; fighting Irishmen; and fearless Anglo cowboys. There were also the gunslingers, including Sheriff A.J. Royal, who terrorized the citizenry, even after Texas Rangers had arrived, until he was mysteriously shot to death one afternoon, possibly by one of the town's leading men. The most detailed and thorough account available of the history of far West Texas, this tale is colored with human interest and drama. It will prove invaluable to scholars and richly rewarding to all those interested in the history of Texas and of the West.

The Mammals of Trans-Pecos Texas
The Mammals of Trans-Pecos Texas

Author: Franklin D. Yancey

Publisher: Texas A&M University Press

Published: 2023-12-14

Total Pages: 408

ISBN-13: 1648430252

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One hundred and five species of mammals are native to the Trans-Pecos region of Texas. The greatly varied terrain, climate, and vegetation make its mammalian life exceptionally varied, ranging from tiny shrews to great elks, from bats to aquatic beavers and muskrats, from desert-dwelling kangaroo rats to forest-loving chipmunks, and from an assortment of mice and rats to predatory cougars and coyotes. This fully revised and updated edition of The Mammals of Trans-Pecos Texas provides a guide to the identification of these animals and summarizes important facts about their lives. With nearly every species illustrated with accurate, detailed pen-and-ink drawings by artist Chester O. Martin and color plates of some of the most iconic mammals that live in the Trans-Pecos region, it exemplifies how biologists integrate art with science to develop a wider appreciation for nature. The account of each species is arranged to contain a brief description of the animal, the geographic distribution of the species, and a discussion of the natural history of the mammal. This authoritative work brings together an appreciation for and understanding of the diversity of fauna, life histories, and ecologies within a unique and fascinating landscape.

Little Big Bend
Little Big Bend

Author: Roy Morey

Publisher:

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 348

ISBN-13: 9780896726130

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A photographic and descriptive guide to the diverse plant life of the Big Bend region of Texas, including uncommon or rare species such as orchids.

Tales of Texas Cooking
Tales of Texas Cooking

Author: Frances Brannen Vick

Publisher: University of North Texas Press

Published: 2015-12-15

Total Pages: 407

ISBN-13: 1574416189

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According to Renaissance woman and Pepper Lady Jean Andrews, although food is eaten as a response to hunger, it is much more than filling one's stomach. It also provides emotional fulfillment. This is borne out by the joy many of us feel as a family when we get in the kitchen and cook together and then share in our labors at the dinner table. Food is comfort, yet it is also political and contested because we often are what we eat--meaning what is available and familiar and allowed. Texas is fortunate in having a bountiful supply of ethnic groups influencing its foodways, and Texas food is the perfect metaphor for the blending of diverse cultures and native resources. Food is a symbol of our success and our communion, and whenever possible, Texans tend to do food in a big way. This latest publication from the Texas Folklore Society contains stories and more than 120 recipes, from long ago and just yesterday, organized by the 10 vegetation regions of the state. Herein you'll find Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson’s Family Cake, memories of beef jerky and sassafras tea from John Erickson of Hank the Cowdog fame, Sam Houston's barbecue sauce, and stories and recipes from Roy Bedichek, Bob Compton, J. Frank Dobie, Bob Flynn, Jean Flynn, Leon Hale, Elmer Kelton, Gary Lavergne, James Ward Lee, Jane Monday, Joyce Roach, Ellen Temple, Walter Prescott Webb, and Jane Roberts Wood. There is something for the cook as well as for the Texan with a raft of takeaway menus on their refrigerator.

Texas Mountains
Texas Mountains

Author: Laurence Parent

Publisher: University of Texas Press

Published: 2001-11-15

Total Pages: 164

ISBN-13: 0292765924

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A collection of photographs by Laurence Parent which profile the beauty of the Texas mountains.