In their rapid colonization of soil exposed by fires, floods, and
grazing animals, weeds resemble the human specialists we label Emergency
Medical Technicians (EMTs). Weeds are the first responders when
disasters occur in nature. They occupy bare soil and prevent erosion by
wind and water. In extreme cases such as a landslide, weeds are
essential to the healing processes that replace the lost soil. Like a
Band-Aid on a skinned knee, weeds protect the land while it recovers.
Besides protecting the soil after disaster, weeds provide food for
wildlife, and some of them provide food and medicine for people. Able to
withstand harsh conditions, weeds will proliferate as global warming and
other human impacts intensify. Thus, nature's EMTs will increase while
all other plants decline. The book provides a succinct definition of
weeds according to their form and function in ecosystem processes. The
narrative uses a representative set of weed species from a desert
location to illustrate the full range of weed characteristics.