SINCE ITS BEGINNINGS in the latter years of the 19th century, the University of Arizona has recognized, by reason of its location on the semiarid border of the desert, a special responsibility for basic and applied research relating to problems of the arid and semiarid regions of the earth. Research in arid- lands agriculture was a concern of the University of Arizona even before the first undergraduate students were admitted. Since that time many other departments and laboratories, directly and indirectly concerned with the field of water problems, have given these areas increasing attention. These include the Agricultural Experiment Station, the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, the Institute of Atmospheric Physics, the Geochronology Laboratories, the ‘Water Resources Research Center, and the Office of Arid Lands Studies.
The Office of Arid Lands Studies, with the assistance of a major contract from the U.S. Army Research Office, undertook in 1964 the preparation of a compendium publication to result from a project entitled "An Inventory of Geographical Research on Desert Environments.” The purpose of the project was to determine in detail what topics had been or were being investigated for the world’s deserts, to appraise the reported work, and to disclose areas of study where further work was needed. Rather than recapitulate all information known about the deserts of the world, the results were to comprise a compendium-guidebook to past and present research based upon critical review of the published literature augmented by consultations with specialists
With the completion of this project, the Publications Committee of the University of Arizona approved a decision to revise and publish formally the material originally submitted to fill the contract obligation to the U.S. Army Research Office. I believe that this publication provides a working tool for many people seriously interested in advancing the state of knowledge of arid lands. The Office of Arid Lands Studies, under the direction o f Dr. William G. McGinnies, has therefore prepared this information to be of maximum use to those planning, managing, and executing future research efforts.
It is my hope and intention that the University of Arizona, through education, training, research, and publication associated with arid lands, one of its fields of special competence, will continue to carry out its local, national, and international service responsibilities.