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The Thar Desert, also known as the Great Indian Desert, is a large, arid region in the 2 northwesternpartoftheIndiansubcontinent.Withanextentof280,000km ,itisthe 17th largest desert in the world. It lies mostly in the Indian state of Rajasthan, and extends into the southern portion of Haryana and Punjab and into northern Gujarat. The Thar Desert is bounded in the northwest by the Sutlej River, in the east by the Aravalli Range, in the south by a salt marsh known as the Rann of Kutch, and in the west by the Indus River. In spite of the fact that climatic conditions are very harsh, this extremely hot region of the country exhibits a vivid and spectacular biodiversity. It is an important area biologically, at the con?uence of very different habitats, namely grassland, sand dunes and rocky expanses as well as forested domains. Due to the diversi?ed ha- tats, the vegetation and animal life in this arid region are very rich. Some wildlife species, fast disappearing from other parts of India, are found in large numbers in this desert, such as the Great Indian Bustard, Blackbuck, Indian Gazelle and Indian Wild Ass in the Rann of Kutch. The Desert National Park is an excellent example of theThar Desertecosystem, anditsdiverse fauna.The region isahaven formigratory and resident desert birds.
List of contents
The Thar of Rajasthan (India): Ecology and Conservation of a Desert Ecosystem.- Climate and Microclimate Changes Influencing the Fauna of the Hot Indian Arid Zone.- Dung Beetles.- Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) of the Thar Desert of Rajasthan and Gujarat.- Spiders in the Desert National Park.- Species Richness and Dominance of Reptiles in the Aravalli Foothills of Rajasthan.- Present Status of Vultures in the Great Indian Thar Desert.- Structure of an Arid Tropical Bird Community, Rajasthan.- Changing Avian Diversity in Jodhpur, Western Rajasthan.- Avifaunal Diversity in the IGNP Canal Area, Rajasthan, India.- Impact Assessment of the Indira Gandhi Canal on the Avifauna of the Thar Desert.- Eco-Status of Chiropteran Fauna in and Around Jodhpur, Jaisalmer and Bikaner in the Great Indian Desert.- Eco-Biodiversity of Rodent Fauna of the Thar Desert.- Primates in the Thar Desert.- Status of the Indian Gazelle (Gazella bennettii Sykes, 1831) in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan, India.- Revival Prospects of Larger Mammals in the Thar Desert of Rajasthan.
Summary
The Great Indian Desert is characterized by harsh climatic conditions and different habitats, from grassland to abandoned human habitations. This book examines the regional climate and microclimatic regime of this desert and its diverse faunal inhabitants.
