From windswept tundra to humid subtropical everglades, from gracious coniferous forests to austere deserts, North America is blessed with an incredibly diverse array of natural environments, each supporting a unique system of plant and animal life. These systems--also known as biomes--are tightly woven webs of life that have taken millennia to evolve. This lavishly illustrated book introduces readers to this extraordinary array of natural communities and to the subtle interactions of minerals, plants, and animals that take place within them.

Professor Eric Bolen takes a...