Explore the critical issue of land degradation in the world’s unique Mediterranean-climate regions with “Land Degradation in Mediterranean Environments of the World.” This comprehensive book provides an integrated geographical assessment, covering the Mediterranean basin, California, central Chile, South Africa’s Southwest Cape, and southern Australia. Discover the nature, extent, historical causes, and wide-ranging implications of soil, vegetation, and water degradation, including fire, drought, and flooding. The text critically examines human responses, both historical and contemporary, and evaluates diverse solutions – from animal management and cultivation to agro-forestry and integrated catchment planning. It emphasizes the specific environmental challenges posed by seasonally dry climates, inflammable vegetation, and steep topography, and their complex interplay with human populations and cultures. An essential resource for understanding and addressing environmental challenges in these fragile landscapes.