Sofia-Moscow Pensoft Publishers 2001 Hard cover New The present book is an outcome of 10 years of research by the Ramon Science Center staff and scientists from other institutes in Israel (Jacob Blaustein Institute for Desert Research, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev) and from abroad. The book is a comprehensive and richly illustrated survey of the geology and natural history of the Makhteshim Country, situated in the desert zone of Israel. The various topics of study, ranging from the tectonics and local geological parameters to plant and animal diversity and intervention of man in the past and present times. After a decade of operation of the Ramon Science Center, it may be concluded that the Makhteshim Country has indeed evolved into a Laboratory of Nature. The book is an indispensable treatise for specialists in geology and natural history of deserts as well as ecologists, nature conservationists and specialists in sustainable development, monitoring and landscape planning.