Natural History Guide to the Northwestern Gulf of California and Adjacent Desert

About the Book

This field guide can be used both by students and the general public. Many of the illustrations reflect what a person would see in the real world (e.g. a jackrabbit in the distance instead of close up or silhouettes of birds in flight). The manuscript is divided into the following areas: a. an introduction the Northern Gulf of California with a brief discussion of the local environments, their geology and climate, b) a systematic overview and survey of the diversity of animal and plant groups that are discussed in the book, and c) the guide to the common animal and plant species with the focus on habitats.

About the Author

Roy S. Houston is a Professor of Marine Biology at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, where he teaches courses in Marine Biology and Marine Ecology and is the founder and Director of the Loyola Marymount University Baja California Biological Station, which is located south of San Felipe, Baja California, Mexico. For over 35 years he has been studying the marine life and teaching summer classes in the Northern Gulf of California. Dr. Houston and his students are active in local underwater research projects along the coast of California and Baja California. Also, Roy is active in the San Felipe community where he gives lectures on marine biology and conducts tide pool excursions for the residents in the area. Roy is a NAUI and a PADI Scuba Instructor and a member of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences (AAUS) where he is the Dive Safety Officer at LMU. He is also a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee at the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific where he oversees and reviews research programs at the Aquarium. Roy is also a member of the Kelp Forest Technical Advisory Committee of the California Coast keepers, which oversees the California kelp forest restoration project. In addition, he is a member of the Dive Control Board for the Long Beach Aquarium of the Pacific and the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium.