ABSTRACT
This chapter describes what makes something a shrub and lists the characteristics of shrubland. It characterizes the locations of the vast diversity of ecological communities that qualify as shrubland. The ten best known types of shrubland are listed, including Mediterranean, healthland, Grand Choco, Fynbos – Cape Region of South Africa, and others. It also describes some of the common practices used to conserve shrubland. This chapter also defines desert and describes characteristics of this biome. Locations on western sides of continents and in the rain shadow of mountains are briefly described. The phenomenon of lake formation in deserts is included, as is an explanation for how species generally make their way to a desert via a river that flows from a non-desert area. Plant and animal life forms in deserts are described. The major ecological processes in deserts are described, as are major conservation problems.
