Great Basin Naturalist

Volume 58 Number 1 Article 12

1-30-1998

Few and far between: moments in the North American Desert by John Martin Campbell

Andrew H. Barnum Dixie College, St. George, Utah

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Recommended Citation Barnum, Andrew H. (1998) "Few and far between: moments in the North American Desert by John Martin Campbell," Great Basin Naturalist: Vol. 58 : No. 1 , Article 12. Available at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/gbn/vol58/iss1/12

This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the Western North American Naturalist Publications at BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Great Basin Naturalist by an authorized editor of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. Great Basin Natur.wst 58(1), e 1998. pp. 92-95

BOOK REVIEW

Few and Far Between: Moments in the North book and for using technical information with­ American Desert. John Martin Campbell. out documentation. Museum of New Mexico Press, Santa Fe, The author has been described as an arche­ NM. 1997. $29.95 paperbound. $40.00 ologist, anthropologist, photographer, and re­ clothbound. naissance writer, and the book reveals all of those characteristics. By its title and theme, Few and Far Between Perhaps only the author knows the mean­ could be intended as a scholarly book of sci­ ing to the title Few and Far Between. It cer­ ence. After all, the study of deserts is science, tainly cannot refer to the animals that are dis­ and archeology and anthropology are forms of cussed in the book, because animals are com­ science. Photographs, too. can introduce one mon in deserts. It might refer to the scarcity of to science when presented accurately and fac­ trees or other perennial plants because many tually. However, to one who has been trained of the photographs depict these organisms, academically about the deserts of orth Amer­ but it couldn't mean plants in general. Deserts ica (and who has trained others), to one who are covered with ephemenlls and other forbs has lived in the deserts for a lifetime, the book when physical conditions are optimal. presents a pictorial introduction to deserts for The 14 color photographs are a part of the someone who is not trained in science. There introduction to each of the 3 sections, and the is little in the book of scientific worth. Fur­ 59 black-and-white photographs each occupy thermore, it contains too many errors to be of a full page accompanied by descriptive infor­ much value to a scientist, but even the reader mation on a facing page. This information is with limited knowledge of science should be limited to 1 or 2 paragraphs, usually less than presented with accurate information. half a page. About half of these black-and-white The book consists of the author's photo­ photographs are in the section entitled ''The gnlphs with captions and minimal discussions. Face of the Desert." While lhe bonk is about In addition, one of the illustnltions is a map of the desert, not all photogmphs are appropriate part of western North America showing the 4 to the desert. Photogmphs not related to the different deserts of the continent, or present· desert are marginally appropriate or totally ing the "one desert" which the author repeat­ inappropriate to the book's title and main edly uses in his writing. The photogmphs, pri­ theme. marily studies in blacks, grays, and white, with From a scientist's perspective there are sev­ a few in color, are the fundamental contribu­ eral objections to the book's thesis. One is the tions to the publication. The written patt ofthe repetitive reference to the "North American volume is limited. From Tony HiDerman's fore· Desert" as a single geographic area. This is word and Campbell's preface, it presents 3 noted in the subtitle to the book and is repealed sections-"Origins," "The Face ofthe Desert," throughout the writing. The "Origins" section, and "Desert People"-concluding with an page 2, contains a briefdescription ofall Earth's extensive though incomplete bibliography. deserts. The statement is made that the "North The Museum of New Mexico Press is com­ American [desert] is fifth in size," further sug­ mended for the clean copy and reproduction gesting there is a single desert. Science recog­ of photographs and Campbell is compli­ nizes both physiographically and biologically 4 mented for his talents as a photographer, even velY different geographic areas and 4 unique those pictures not directly of the desert. He is deserts. Additionally, smaller reginns such as criticized for the many errors found in the eastern Washington and eastern Utah are desert,

92 1997] BOOK REVIEW 93 but decidedly not a part of the speciHc desert in geographic area. (References: Physiography claimed by Campbell. ofWeswm United State8, Nevin M. Fenneman, One common entity is found in all these McGraw-Hili Book Company, 1931; Natural dilJerent deserts-the lack of adequate water Regions of the United States ami Canada, throughout most of tbe year. However, this is Charles B. Hunt, WHo Freeman and Com­ only 1 reason for a region to be designated as pany, 1974; ExpWring the Great Basin, Gloria desert. Other physical features include loca­ Griffen Cline, University of Oklahoma Press, tion of mountain ranges and direction of pre­ 1963; The Trees ami Shrubs of tJw Southwest-­ vailing winds. Some of this is explained in ern Deserts, Lyman Benson and Robert A. Campbell's introductory statements. Darrow, University of Ariwna Press and Uni­ In his discussion of deserts on the different versity of ew Mexico Press, 1954; Deserts, continents, Campbell almost apologetically in­ James A. MacMahon, Alfred A. Knopf, 1985, cludes the Arctic and Antarctic regions in his this latter being one of The Audubon Society statement that "30 percent of the earth's land Nature Guides and the only reference of these surface is covered by desert" The Arctic and 5 included in Campbell's bibliography.) Antarctic regions are, in fact. extremely cold Campbell's map is also incolTect for the deserts because water is not readily available Mojave Desert. One ofthe important evidences to support life. However, the book is aboot the of this desert is ti,e Larrea/Ambrosia shrub deserts of North America and, while illustra­ association which extends into southwestern tions of the Antarctica "desert" would be inap­ Washington County ofUtah, into northwestern propriate, photographs of the Arctic region of Mohave County of Arizona (both areas are North America would have made the book more shown on the map incorrectly as being Great complete. If one would read in some 19th­ Basi.n Desert), and along the Colorado River century historical writings of North America, a fartller south than shown hy Campbell's map. reference would be Jaund to the "Great Ameri­ The book contains many errors and incon­ can Desert" of central North America, extend­ sistencies in writing. On page 4 the caption to ing from Mexico into Canada. This extensive the color photograph uses the binomial of ti,e geographic region, now referred to as the arrowweed as Pulchea servicea. The correct grasslands biome of the continent, is no longer scientific name of this shrub is Pukhea seTicea. described as desert. However, it may be con­ A statement is made on page 6 that the sidered as appropriate an example of a desert desert "encompasses all of Nevada," which state­ as some of those written about and shown by ment is in error. High mountains, certainly at Campbell. This Great American Desert might elevations immediately below timberline on the also have been included as a part ofthe "North northern slopes, are not desert, even though American Desert" presented hy the author. they are surrounded by desert. These high Another objection to Campbell's presenta­ mountains are sometimes referred to as «islands tion in photograph and dialogue is the idea in the sky," but these islands are not part of that the Gre.,t Basin Desert is found north and the desert. A statement is made on page 50 east of its actual physiographic boundaries (map about "the various desert mountains,'" with a on page xii). Admittedly, these extended regions specific reference to "elevations of from more are desert, but they cannot be correctly defined than nine thousand feet to more than fourteen as Great Basin. Excluding the Arctic, the 4 pri­ thousand feet above sea leve!." This is implied malY deserts of North America arc detailed in hy Campbell to he desert. this map. Campbell's map shows both the Creat On page 16 the author states that "the rain Basin Desert and the Mojave Desert incor­ forests of the Northwest Coast, [are] the only rectly. The Great Basin Desert, for instance, true jungles of any temperate-zone region on does not extend northward into the state of earth." This is not true of all such regions on Washington, nor eastward into central and Earth, but why is this even considered in a southern Wyoming, nor into eastern Utah, nor discussion on deserts? On unnumbered page into northwestern or southwestern Colorado. 45 is the sentence, "Not a single major desert It certainly does not extend into northeastern plant species of the Mexican state of Sonora, Alizona nor into New Mexico. The Great Basin for example, grows in the desert of Washing­ Desert conforms to the area covered hy tbe ton." With the great difference in latitudes Basin and Range Province and is more restricted (Sonora 30oN, Washington 45°N), how could 94 GREAT BASIN NATURALIST [Volume 57 anyone knowledgeable of plants expect them Southwest where arroyos do produce diverse to be similar in these geographically separated species and large numbers ofplants. areas? Campbell reverts to the 19th- and early The caption to the photo on unnumbered 20th-century reference to the "life zones of C. page 61 is "storm on San Rafael Reef." This Hart Merriam" instead ofusing the now scien­ photo shows clouds, but no storm. Similarly, tifically acceptable biomes idea. that on page 62 and unnumbered page 63 is On page 50 an incorrect statement is made "cloudburst on the Red Desert" without any that the "sage grouse is exclusive to the Great evidence ofwater. Basin." The known distribution of the Sage Ground temperatures are discussed on page Grouse extends into southern Canada and cen­ 64 with the note that they "have reached a tral North America, far beyond the reaches of staggering 190 degrees F." In the opinion of the Great Basin. Also on page 50 is a reference the writer of this review, documentation of to "pronghorn antelope." This mammal is admit­ this temperature should be included. Another tedly a pronghorn, but it is assuredly not an inconsistency is found on page 72 in reference antelope even though the once-popular song to the photo of a playa. The statement is made refers to "where the deer and the antelope that the floor of a playa may be "as flat as a play." tabletop and as solid as a rock." There is no On page 52 is the statement that "the Great objection to the statement, but the playa shown Basin Desert grows relatively few plant species." is fractured with mud cracks and is anything The plant species may be few in number com­ but flat and certainly not solid because of pared to a tropical rain forest, perhaps, but a these cracks. On page 74 a statement is made great variety of Forbs and annuals are found in that quagmires are "bottomless." Perhaps this all North American deserts. is included as a form of poetic expression, but Reference to the creosotebush (this should quagmires are not really bottomless. be 2 words, not 1) occurs on pages 53 and 54, A "north country prickly pear" is shown and with the statement that "each ... parent root discussed on page 90 and unnumbered page may produce dozens ofbushes over thousands 91. In reference to fruit size, the expression is of square feet of desert floor." The creosote used that "desert prickly pears bear fruit two bush does clone to produce other plants over inches long; others, as with those of this little time and over limited areas, but over "thou­ northernmost species, are as big as thimbles." sands ofsquare feet" is an exaggeration. Compared to 2 inches, a thimble should be The full-color illustration on page 55 is of referred to as small rather than big. Is there the purple prickly pear (Opuntia via/acea). such a thing as a 2-inch thimble? According to N.L. Britton and IN. Rose (The Swallows' nests are shown on unnumbered Caetaceae, Volume 1, page 144), this scientific page 107 with the name of the Cliff Swallow name is questionable. These authors explain given as Hirundo pyrrhanota on the facing page. that this plant "can never be critically identi­ The genus name for this bird is Petrochelidon, fied" because it was described from drawings not Hirunda. brought back from the Southwest and not A statement is made on page 112 that the from actual specimens. Jashna tree "nearly exclusively belongs to the It is stated on page 56 that "the Sonaran Mojave [Desert]." The map on page xii shows [Desert] runs right down to the sea" and "it the Mojave Desert scarcely in Arizona where has its equally unique shore fauna, including Joshua trees are common and not at all in great sea turtles." How can an animal, such as southwestern Utah where they are abundant. a sea turtle, that spends its entire life in the The word "nearly" probably justifies these ocean, except for brief moments on land for inclusions. oviposition, be referred to as a desert animal? In the narrative on page 116 the first para­ The photo and narrative on page 58 and graph is about the accompanying picture of a unnumbered page 59 claim that "arroyos Mexican blue palm. The binomial used for the result ... from the absence of close-gro,,~ng plant, however, is a synonym and not the vegetation." This appears to be quite true about accepted scientific name. The second para­ the one pictured in New Mexico, but there are graph about the Cochimi Indians has no rec­ countless examples throughout the American ognizable reference to the picture of the palm. 1997] BOOK REVIEW 95

The logical explanation might be that this sec­ hook review, Duchesne County, Utah (refer­ ond paragraph introduces "Desert People," ence page 144), is not even remotely near a which is the last section ofthe hook beginning desert. on the next page. Despite these technical criticisms, the reader The caption to the color photograph on page of Few and Far Between should be entertained 120 is about the prickly pear caelus as a food by the writing, especially such poetic expres­ source. The photograph, however, shows a tree sions as "I got to go along" (page xl, "deserlic cholla, not a prickly pear cactus. Pacific coast" (page 16), the "poisoned water to The discussion on page 121 is about "rabbit boot" (page 20), the "honest river" and the drives." The author then states that "fifteen or "exotic rivers" (page 68). On the other hand, more species ofother rodents were eaten" (em­ the reader may find it monotonous with some phasis added). This statement suggests that ofthe redundancies that occur. rabbits are rodents. Campbell may have been more at peace According to the information on page 127, with his science readers had the draft been "Chaco Canyon lies squarely in a Great Basin more carefully critiqued and edited by a com­ Desert environment." As stated previously in petent scientist, and had the author and editors this review, New Mexico is not in the Great paid more attention to detail and documenta­ Basin, although the environment may be some­ tion of what supposedly is fact. Few and Far what similar, and certainly the area in and Between is obviously not intended for the sci­ around Chaco Canyon is suggestive ofdesert. entist, but it is a photographer's contribution The photo on unnumbered page 136, show­ showing his ability to record in that medium. ing a salmon fisher's roost in Wasco Gounty, Oregon, is interesting historically, hut the Andrew H. Barnum Columbia River and its tributaries are deB· Professor Emeritus nitely not in any desert. Like so many other Dixie College references, some of which are stated in this 51. George, UT 4770