This unique and comprehensive treatment of physiological and floristic aspects of plant ecology in the Basin and Range Province of Western North America will appeal to those interested in the region itself, as well as those searching for examples of novel approaches and general principles in this field. Experts working in this fascinating region of a high-elevation cool desert also known as the Great Basin review most aspects of plant life as influenced by atmospheric, soil, water, temperature, biotic and historical factors. The environmental gradients and the vegetation types of the Great Basin with its variety of forests and shrublands permit evaluation of many of the underlying physiological principles of plant ecology.