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59-493: Aridoamerica is a cultural and ecological region spanning Northern Mexico and the Southwestern United States , defined by the presence of the drought-resistant, culturally significant staple food , the tepary bean ( Phaseolus acutifolius ). Its dry, arid climate and geography stand in contrast to the verdant Mesoamerica of present-day central Mexico into Central America to the south and east, and

118-616: A continental scale are also referred to as "worlds", "spheres", or "civilizations", such as the Islamic world . The term cultural bloc is used by anthropologists to describe culturally and linguistically similar groups (or nations) of Aboriginal peoples of Australia . It may have been coined first by Ronald Berndt in 1959 to describe the Western Desert cultural bloc , a group of peoples in central Australia whose languages comprise around 40 dialects. Other groups described as

177-679: A cultural bloc include the Noongar people of south-western Australia; the Bundjalung people of northern New South Wales and southern Queensland ; the Kuninjku / Bininj Kunwok bloc and the Yolngu cultural bloc in Arnhem Land , Northern Territory . A music area is a cultural area defined according to musical activity. It may or may not conflict with the cultural areas assigned to

236-403: A geographic region and time sequence ( age area ) is characterized by shared elements of environment and culture. A precursor to the concept of culture areas originated with museum curators and ethnologists during the late 1800s as means of arranging exhibits, combined with the work of taxonomy . The American anthropologists Clark Wissler and Alfred Kroeber further developed this version of

295-407: A geography with one relatively homogeneous human activity or complex of activities ( culture ). Such activities are often associated with an ethnolinguistic group and with the territory it inhabits. Specific cultures often do not limit their geographic coverage to the borders of a nation state , or to smaller subdivisions of a state. A culture area is a concept in cultural anthropology in which

354-407: A given region. The world may be divided into three large music areas, each containing a "cultivated" or classical musics "that are obviously its most complex musical forms", with, nearby, folk styles which interact with the cultivated, and, on the perimeter, primitive styles. [REDACTED] Media related to Cultural regions at Wikimedia Commons Sonoran Desert In phytogeography ,

413-590: A more regular bi-seasonal pattern. According to the Köppen climate classification system, the majority of the Sonoran Desert has a hot desert climate ( BWh ). Hot semi-arid climate ( BSh ) exists on some of the higher elevation mountains within the desert, as well as in a continuous swath on the eastern and northeastern fringes as elevations gradually rise toward the Madrean Sky Islands in

472-474: A population close to 900,000. Ciudad Obregón, Sonora , in the southern part of the desert, has a population of 375,800. The Coachella Valley , located in the Colorado Desert section of the Sonoran Desert, has a population of 365,000. Several famous Southern California desert resort cities such as Palm Springs and Palm Desert are located here. During the winter months, from November to April,

531-600: A stump to encourage the growth of slender shoots. These willow shoots were woven tightly to produce waterproof, cooking baskets. Fire-heated rocks were plunged into a gruel in the baskets to cook. The elevation in the Chihuahuan Desert varies from 1970 to 5500 feet, as there are several smaller mountain ranges contained in the area, namely the San Andres , Doña Anas , and Franklin Mountains . The Chihuahuan

590-654: A total population of over 180,000 and has a similar climate to that of the Coachella Valley. Other cities include Borrego Springs , Indio , Coachella , Calexico , El Centro , Imperial , and Blythe . Straddling the Mexico–United States border , the Sonoran desert is an important migration corridor for humans and animals. The harsh climate conditions and border militarism mean that the journey can be perilous, usually moving at night to minimize exposure to

649-615: Is Puerto Peñasco ('Rocky Point') in the state of Sonora, Mexico . Sonoran Desert sub-regions include: The Sonoran desert has an arid subtropical climate and is considered to be the most tropical desert in North America . In the lower-elevation portions of the desert, temperatures are warm year-round, and rainfall is infrequent and irregular, often less than 90 mm (approx. 3.5") annually. The Arizona uplands are also warm year-round, but they receive 100–300 mm (approx. 4–12") of average annual rainfall, which falls in

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708-628: Is a " rain shadow " desert, formed between two mountain ranges (the Sierra Madre Occidental on the west and the Sierra Madre Oriental on the east) which block oceanic precipitation from reaching the area. The Chihuahuan Desert is considered the "most biologically diverse desert in the Western Hemisphere and one of the most diverse in the world", and includes more species of cacti than any other desert in

767-743: Is a significant part of a society's culture, but it can also divide subgroups of the same ethnolinguistic group along more subtle criteria, such as the Brünig-Napf-Reuss line in German-speaking Switzerland, the Weißwurstäquator in Germany, or the Grote rivieren boundary between Dutch and Flemish culture. In the history of Europe , the major cultural boundaries are traditionally found: Macro-cultures on

826-507: Is also a great diversity of bat species in the region. There is a large contingent of snakes native to the region. Among them include: the rosy boa ( Lichanura trivirgata ); several sub-species of the glossy snake ( Arizona elegans ); the Trans-Pecos ratsnake ( Bogertophis subocularis ); several sub-species of shovel-nosed snakes; several sub-species of kingsnake, including the desert kingsnake ( Lampropeltis getula splendida ) and

885-609: Is covered by the Mojave Desert . In terms of topography, the Mojave is very similar to the Great Basin Desert , which lies just to its north. The Mojave gets less than six inches of rain annually, and its elevation ranges from 3000 to 6000 feet above sea level. The most prolific vegetation is the tall Joshua tree , which grow as tall as 40 feet, and are thought to live almost 1000 years. Other major vegetation includes

944-590: Is home to the cultures of over 17 contemporary Native American tribes, with settlements at American Indian reservations in California and Arizona , as well as populations in Mexico. The largest city in the Sonoran Desert is Phoenix, Arizona , with a 2017 metropolitan population of about 4.7 million. Located on the Salt River in central Arizona, it is one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in

1003-506: Is now known as the " cultural turn ." The definition of culture areas is enjoying a resurgence of practical and theoretical interest as social scientists conduct more research on processes of cultural globalization. Allen Noble gave a summary of the concept development of cultural regions using terms such as: Cultural "spheres of influence" may also overlap or form concentric structures of macrocultures encompassing smaller local cultures. Different boundaries may also be drawn depending on

1062-477: Is primarily associated with Carl O. Sauer and his colleagues. Sauer viewed culture as "an agent within a natural area that was a medium to be cultivated to produce the cultural landscape." Sauer's concept was later criticized as deterministic , and geographer Yi-Fu Tuan and others proposed versions that enabled scholars to account for phenomenological experience as well. This revision became known as humanistic geography. The period within which humanistic geography

1121-791: Is the saguaro cactus , which is unique to the desert. It is bounded on the northwest by the Mojave Desert, to the north by the Colorado Plateau and to the east by the Arizona Mountains forests and the Chihuahuan Desert. Aside from the trademark saguaro, the desert has the most diverse plant life of any desert in the world, and includes many other species of cacti, including the organ-pipe, senita, prickly pear, barrel, fishhook, hedgehog, cholla, silver dollar, and jojoba. The most northwest portion of Aridoamerica

1180-523: The Arizona mountain kingsnake ( Lampropeltis pyromelana ); the Arizona coral snake ( Micruroides euryxanthus ); the western diamondback rattlesnake ( Crotalus atrox ); the Trans-Pecos copperhead ( Agkistrodon contortrix pictigaster ); the Sonoran sidewinder ( Crotalus cerastes cercobombus ); the Arizona black rattlesnake ( Crotalus oreganus cerberus ); the western rattlesnake ( Crotalus viridis );

1239-596: The Arizona night lizard ( Xantusia arizonae ). Turtles are less numerous than their other reptilian counterparts, but several are found in the region, including: the western painted turtle ( Chrysemys picta bellii ); the Rio Grande cooter ( Pseudemys gorzugi ); the desert box turtle ( Terrapene ornata luteola ); the Big Bend slider ( Trachemys gaigeae gaigeae ); the Sonora mud turtle ( Kinosternon sonoriense ); and

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1298-560: The Arizona tiger salamander ( Ambystoma mavortium nebulosum ) and the painted ensatina ( Ensatina eschscholtzii picta ). The current Mexican states that lie in Aridoamerica are: The northern parts of: The southern portions of the United States that lie within Aridoamerica are: Cultural region In anthropology and geography , a cultural area , cultural region , cultural sphere , or culture area refers to

1357-650: The Baja California desert . Within the southern Sonoran Desert in Mexico is found the Gran Desierto de Altar , with the El Pinacate y Gran Desierto de Altar Biosphere Reserve , encompassing 2,000 square kilometres (770 sq mi) of desert and mountainous regions. The biosphere reserve includes the only active erg dune region in North America. The nearest city to the biosphere reserve

1416-499: The Gambel's quail ( Callipepla gambelii ), common raven ( Corvus corax ), Gila woodpecker ( Melanerpes uropygialis ), gilded flicker ( Colaptes chrysoides ), cactus wren ( Campylorhynchus brunneicapillus ), rock wren ( Salpinctes obsoletus ), and many oriole ( Icterus ), thrasher ( Toxostoma ), gnatcatcher ( Polioptila ), dove ( Columbidae ), rail ( Rallidae ), and tyrant-flycatcher ( Tyrannidae ) species. Mammal species include

1475-564: The Grand Canyon rattlesnake ( Crotalus oreganus abyssus ), found only in Arizona; several sub-species of the ridge-nosed rattlesnake ( Crotalus willardi ), and the desert massasauga ( Sistrurus catenatus edwardsii ). Other reptiles in the region include lizards and turtles. Lizards are highly represented in the region, the most distinctive denizen being the Gila monster , native only to

1534-659: The Great Basin , Mojave , and Chihuahuan deserts ) because it provides subtropical warmth in winter and two seasons of rainfall (in contrast, for example, to the Mojave's dry summers and cold winters). This creates an extreme contrast between aridity and moisture. The Sonoran desert wraps around the northern end of the Gulf of California , from Baja California Sur ( El Vizcaíno Biosphere Reserve in central and Pacific west coast, Central Gulf Coast subregion on east to southern tip), north through much of Baja California , excluding

1593-547: The Kofa National Wildlife Refuge . The Sonoran Desert is home to a wide variety of fauna that have adapted and thrive in the hot, arid desert environment, such as the Gila monster , bobcat , mule deer , antelope jackrabbit , burrowing owl , greater roadrunner , western diamondback rattlesnake , and elf owl . There are 350 bird species, 20 amphibian species, over 100 reptile species, 30 native fish species, and over 1000 native bee species found in

1652-1009: The bobcat ( Lynx rufus ), coyote ( Canis latrans ), collared peccary ( Pecari tajacu ), black bear ( Ursus americanus ), black-tailed jackrabbit ( Lepus californicus ), desert cottontail ( Sylvilagus audubonii ), desert bighorn sheep ( Ovis canadensis nelsoni ), mule deer ( Odocoileus hemionus ), Coues' white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus couesi ), elk ( Cervus canadensis ), feral horse ( Equus caballus ), ringtail ( Bassariscus astutus ), gray fox ( Urocyon cinereoargenteus ), kit fox ( Vulpes macrotis ), mountain lion ( Puma concolor ), river otter ( Lontra canadensis ), long-tailed weasel ( Neogale frenata ), western spotted skunk ( Spilogale gracilis ), pronghorn antelope ( Antilocapra americana ), raccoon ( Procyon lotor ), numerous kangaroo rat ( Dipodomys ), woodrat ( Neotoma ), and pocket mouse ( Chaetodipus ) species, white-nosed coati ( Nasua narica ), jaguar ( Panthera onca ), and Mexican wolf ( Canis lupus baileyae ). There

1711-421: The desert iguana ( Dipsosaurus dorsalis ); the chuckwalla ( Sauromalus ater ); the greater earless lizard ( Cophosaurus texanus scitulus ); several sub-species of horned lizards ( Phrynosoma ); numerous species of spiny lizards ( Sceloporus ); Gilbert's skink ( Plestiodon gilberti ); the western skink ( Plestiodon skiltonianus ); Trans-Pecos striped whiptail ( Aspidoscelis inornata heptagrammus ); and

1770-580: The desert tortoise ( Gopherus agassizii ). Amphibians include numerous toads and frogs. Toads which can be found in the region include: the Great Plains toad ( Anaxyrus cognatus ); the green toad ( Anaxyrus debilis ); the Arizona toad ( Anaxyrus microscaphus ); the New Mexico spadefoot ( Spea multiplicata stagnalis ); and the Colorado River toad ( Incilius alvarius ), also known as

1829-694: The northern cardinal ( Cardinalis cardinalis ) and its close relative the pyrrhuloxia ( Cardinalis sinuous ); the blue grosbeak ( Passerina caerulea ) and black-headed grosbeak ( Pheucticus melanocephalus ); the varied bunting ( Passerina versicolor ), house finch ( Carpodacus mexicanus ), and lesser goldfinch ( Spinus psaltria ); the broad-billed hummingbird ( Cynanthus latirostris ), black-chinned hummingbird ( Archilochus alexandri ), Costa's hummingbird ( Calypte costae ), Anna's hummingbird ( Calypte anna ), Rivoli's hummingbird ( Eugenes fulgens ), blue-throated mountain-gem ( Lampornis clemenciae ), and lucifer hummingbird ( Calothorax lucifer ); and

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1888-624: The roadrunner , the most famous bird in the region. Birds of prey include the red-tailed hawk ( Buteo jamaicensis ), Cooper's hawk ( Accipiter cooperii ), osprey ( Pandion haliaetus ), golden eagle ( Aquila chrysaetos ), Harris's hawk ( Parabuteo unicinctus ), common black hawk ( Buteogallus anthracinus ), zone-tailed hawk ( Buteo albonotatus ), bald eagle ( Haliaeetus leucocephalus ), Swainson's hawk ( Buteo swainsoni ), American kestrel ( Falco sparverius ), prairie falcon ( Falco mexicanus ), peregrine falcon ( Falco peregrinus ), gray hawk ( Buteo plagiatus ), barn owl ( Tyto alba ),

1947-437: The western screech owl ( Megascops kennicottii ), whiskered screech-owl ( Megascops trichopsis ), great horned owl ( Bubo virginianus ), long-eared owl ( Asio otus ), elf owl ( Micrathene whitneyi ), ferruginous pygmy-owl ( Glaucidium brasilianum ), and burrowing owl , ( Athene cunicularia ). among many others. Other bird species include the turkey vulture ( Cathartes aura ) and black vulture ( Coragyps atratus );

2006-538: The American Southwest and the state of Sonora in Mexico. Other lizards include: Sonoran collared lizard ( Crotaphytus nebrius ); several types of geckos, including western banded gecko ( Coleonyx variegatus ), the barefoot banded gecko ( Coleonyx switaki ), and the Mediterranean house gecko ( Hemidactylus turcicus ), the latter species being non-native to the region and confined to developed areas;

2065-544: The Parry saltbush and the Mojave sage, both only found in the Mojave, as well as the creosote bush. The region has an extremely diverse bird population, with hundreds of species being found in Aridoamerica. In the Chiricahua Mountains alone, in southeastern Arizona, there can be found more than 400 species. Species include Canada ( Branta canadensis ) and snow geese , sandhill cranes ( Grus canadensis ), and

2124-499: The Sonoran Desert , Forrest Shreve divided the Sonoran Desert into seven regions according to characteristic vegetation: Lower Colorado Valley, Arizona Upland, Plains of Sonora, Foothills of Sonora, Central Gulf Coast, Vizcaíno Region, and Magdalena Region. Many ecologists consider Shreve's Vizcaíno and Magdalena regions, which lie on the western side of the Baja California Peninsula , to be a separate ecoregion ,

2183-541: The Sonoran Desert is within the Sonoran floristic province of the Madrean Region of southwestern North America, part of the Holarctic realm of the northern Western Hemisphere . The desert contains a variety of unique endemic plants and animals , notably, the saguaro ( Carnegiea gigantea ) and organ pipe cactus ( Stenocereus thurberi ). The Sonoran Desert is clearly distinct from nearby deserts (e.g.,

2242-418: The Sonoran Desert toad. Frog representation includes: western barking frog ( Craugastor augusti ); the canyon tree frog ( Hyla arenicolor ); the Arizona treefrog ( Hyla wrightorum ); the western chorus frog ( Pseudacris triseriata ); Chiricahua leopard frog ( Lithobates chiricahuensis ); and the relict leopard frog ( Lithobates onca ). There are quite a few salamanders throughout the region, including:

2301-561: The Sonoran desert on the Gulf of California slope of the Baja California Peninsula. To the north in California and northwest Arizona, the Sonoran Desert transitions to the colder-winter, higher-elevation Mojave , Great Basin , and Colorado Plateau deserts. The coniferous Arizona Mountains forests are to the northeast. The Chihuahuan Desert and Sierra Madre Occidental pine–oak forests are at higher elevations to

2360-582: The Sonoran. The Sonoran Desert area southeast of Tucson and near the Mexican border is vital habitat for the only population of jaguars living within the United States. The Colorado River Delta was once an ecological hotspot within the Sonoran desert due to the Colorado river in this otherwise dry area, but the delta has been greatly reduced in extent due to damming and use of the river upstream. Species that have higher heat tolerance are able to thrive in

2419-484: The United States. In 2007 in the Phoenix area, desert was losing ground to urban sprawl at a rate of approximately 4,000 square meters (1 acre) per hour. The next largest cities are Tucson , in southern Arizona, with a metro area population of just over 1 million, and Mexicali, Baja California , with a similarly sized metropolitan population of around 1,000,000. The metropolitan area of Hermosillo, Sonora , has

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2478-647: The central northwest mountains and Pacific west coast, through southeastern California and southwestern and southern Arizona to western and central parts of Sonora . It is bounded on the west by the Peninsular Ranges , which separate it from the California chaparral and woodlands (northwest) and Baja California desert (Vizcaíno subregion, central and southeast) ecoregions of the Pacific slope. The Gulf of California xeric scrub ecoregion lies south of

2537-499: The civilizations to the south." The Chichimeca , an umbrella term for several tribes used by the Nahua people , were hunter-gatherers in Aridoamerica grasslands. They gathered magueys , yucca flowers , mesquite beans, chia seeds , and cacti , including the paddles of fruits of nopal cactus. The century plant ( Agave americana ) is a particularly important resource in the region. Despite dry conditions, Aridoamerica boasts

2596-478: The concept on the premise that cultural areas represent longstanding cultural divisions. This iteration of the concept is sometimes criticized as arbitrary, but the organization of human communities into cultural areas remains a common practice throughout the social sciences . Cultural geography also utilizes the concept of culture areas. Cultural geography originated within the Berkeley School, and

2655-421: The conditions of the Sonoran Desert. One such insect species that has evolved a means to thrive in this environment is Drosophila mettleri , a Sonoran Desert fly. This fly contains a specialized P450 detoxification system that enables it to nest in the cool region of exudate moistened soil. Thus, the fly is one of few that can tolerate the high desert temperatures and successfully reproduce. The Sonoran Desert

2714-441: The daytime temperatures in the Coachella Valley range from 70 °F (21 °C) to 90 °F (32 °C) and corresponding nighttime lows range from 46 °F (8 °C) to 68 °F (20 °C) making it a popular winter resort destination. Due to its warm year-round climate citrus and subtropical fruits such as mangoes, figs, and dates are grown in the Coachella Valley and adjacent Imperial Valley . The Imperial Valley has

2773-521: The desert subdivisions found on Baja California, cardon cactus, elephant tree, and boojum tree occur. The California fan palm ( Washingtonia filifera ) is found in the Colorado Desert section of the Sonoran Desert, the only native palm in California, among many other introduced Arecaceae genera and species. It is found at spring -fed oases , such as in Anza Borrego Desert State Park , Joshua Tree National Park , and

2832-426: The distinction between Aridoamerica and Mesoamerica is "useful for understanding the general history of precolonial Mexico," that the boundary between the two should not be conceptualized as "a barrier that separated two radically different worlds, but, rather, as a variable limit between climatic regions." The inhabitants of Aridoamerica lived on "an unstable and fluctuating frontier" and were in "constant relations with

2891-544: The east and the Mogollon Rim in the northeast. There are also a few small areas of cold semi-arid climate ( BSk ) and even hot-summer Mediterranean climate ("Csa") on only the highest mountain peaks within the region. Many plants not only survive, but thrive in the harsh conditions of the Sonoran Desert. Many have evolved specialized adaptations to the desert climate. The Sonoran Desert's bi-seasonal rainfall pattern results in more plant species than any other desert in

2950-536: The east. To the south the Sonoran–Sinaloan transition subtropical dry forest is the transition zone from the Sonoran Desert to the tropical dry forests of the Mexican state of Sinaloa . The desert's sub-regions include the Colorado Desert of southeastern California; and the Yuma Desert east of the north-to-south section of the Colorado River in southwest Arizona. In the 1957 publication Vegetation of

3009-598: The greatest diversity of wild and domesticated tepary beans ( Phaseolus acutifolius ) and is a possible site of their domestication. Maize cultivation reached Aridoamerica by about 2100 BCE. Archaeologists disagree whether the plant was introduced by Uto-Aztecan migrants from Mesoamerica or spread either northward or southward from other groups by cultural borrowing. In Baja California , fishing and hunting provided food, as did harvesting acorns, nopal, pine nuts , and other native plants. Historically, people of Aridoamerica coppiced willows, that is, tree trunks were cut to

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3068-412: The higher, milder "island" of Oasisamerica to the north. Aridoamerica overlaps with both. Because of the relatively hard conditions, the pre-Columbian people in this region developed distinct cultures and subsistence farming patterns. The region has only 120 mm (4.7 in) to 160 mm (6.3 in) of annual precipitation. The sparse rainfall feeds seasonal creeks and waterholes. The term

3127-411: The particular aspect of interest, such as religion and folklore vs dress, or architecture vs language. Another version of cultural area typology divides cultural areas into three forms: A cultural boundary (also cultural border) in ethnology is a geographical boundary between two identifiable ethnic or ethnolinguistic cultures. A language border is necessarily also a cultural border, as language

3186-401: The species and seasonal temperatures. Creosote bush ( Larrea tridentata ) and bur sage ( Ambrosia dumosa ) dominate valley floors. Indigo bush ( Psorothamnus fremontii ) and Mormon tea are other shrubs that may be found. Wildflowers of the Sonoran Desert include desert sand verbena ( Abronia villosa ), desert sunflower ( Geraea canescens ), and evening primroses . Ascending from

3245-457: The valley up bajadas , various subtrees such as velvet mesquite ( Prosopis velutina ), palo verde ( Parkinsonia florida ), desert ironwood ( Olneya tesota ), desert willow ( Chilopsis linearis ssp. arcuata ), and crucifixion thorn ( Canotia holacantha ) are common, as well as multi-stemmed ocotillo ( Fouquieria splendens ). Shrubs found at higher elevations include whitethorn acacia ( Acacia constricta ), fairy duster, and jojoba . In

3304-492: The wild. Cholla ( Cylindropuntia spp.), beavertail ( Opuntia basilaris ), hedgehog ( Echinocereus spp.), fishhook ( Ferocactus wislizeni ), prickly pear ( Opuntia spp.), nightblooming cereus ( Peniocereus spp.), and organ pipe ( Stenocereus thurberi ) are other taxa of cacti found here. Cacti provide food and homes to many desert mammals and birds, with showy flowers in reds, pinks, yellows, and whites, blooming most commonly from late March through June, depending on

3363-453: The world. The Sonoran Desert includes plant genera and species from the agave family, palm family, cactus family, legume family, and numerous others. Many of these adaptations occur in food crops. Mission Garden is a living agricultural museum that showcases foods that have been grown in the Sonoran Desert for over 4000 years. The Sonoran is the only place in the world where the famous saguaro cactus ( Carnegiea gigantea ) grows in

3422-552: The world. The most prolific plants in this region are agave, yucca, and creosote bushes, in addition to the ubiquitous presence of various cacti species. When people think of the desert southwest, the landscape of the Sonoran Desert is what mostly comes to mind. The Sonoran Desert makes up the southwestern portion of the Southwest. Rainfall averages between 4–12 inches per year, and the desert's most widely known inhabitant

3481-516: Was introduced by American anthropologist Gary Paul Nabhan in 1985, building on prior work by anthropologists A. L. Kroeber and Paul Kirchhoff to identify a "true cultural entity" for the desert region. Kirchhoff first introduced the term 'Arid America' in 1954, and wrote: "I propose for that of the gatherers the name 'Arid America' and 'Arid American Culture,' and for that of the farmers 'Oasis America' and 'American Oasis Culture'". Mexican anthropologist Guillermo Bonfil Batalla notes that although

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