Exploration and Valorization of Natural Resources from Arid Zones

Book excerpt: This new book analyzes the exploration and sustainable valorization of natural resources from the arid zones, putting special emphasis on the challenges that the industry faces in an era of sustainable development and ecological conservation programs. The volume describes the geographic and climatic characteristics as well as the natural resources from arid zones, divided into three main groups: a) microbiological resources as biotechnological tools and change agents to produce and/or obtain compounds with industrial or medicinal applications; b) plants as an important source of principal compounds or subproducts produced by natural adaptation to the extreme environmental conditions; and c) animal resources, which includes insects, animal residues, products or subproducts derived from animal sources, as well as poisons. The authors focus on the processes or bioprocesses used in the valorization and transformation of these three main groups for research purposes as well as for biotechnological processing to obtain important compounds for use in various industries. The information provided in this volume, Exploration and Valorization of Natural Resources from Arid Zones, can be used as reference for investigation, training, and education, and also as main tool in under- and postgraduate university education on the sustainable uses of resources from arid zones.