Applied ecology Books

Book Synopsis'Simply wonderful.' - BEN FOGLE'Kate's book has the warmth and calming effect of a log fire and a glass of wine. Unknit your brow and let go. It's a treat.' - GARETH MALONE'Kate Humble pours her enviable knowledge into attainable goals. It's a winning combination and the prize - a life in balance with nature - is definitely worth claiming.' - LUCY SIEGLE'As ever, where Kate leads, I follow. She has made me reassess and reset.' - DAN SNOW'Kate Humble's new book is a lesson in moving on from a tragedy and finding our place in the world' - WOMAN & HOME'A Year of Living Simply is timely, given that the pandemic has forced most of us, in some way to simplify our lives, whether we planned to or not. Kate wrote it before any of us were aware of the upcoming crisis, but it captures the current moment perfectly... It's not necessarily a "how to" book, more of a "why not try?" approach.' - FRANCESCA BABB, MAIL ON SUNDAY YOU'What I particularly love is her philosophy for happiness, which is the subject of her new book, A Year of Living Simply. The clue is in the title. Remember the basics. Instead of barging through the day on autopilot, really stop to think about the tiniest little things that added a moment of joy. No, of course stopping and smelling the flowers won't cure all our ills and woes. But taking the time to savour the things that bring pleasure, really being in that moment and appreciating it, can remind you that most days have moments that buoy your mood.' - JO ELVIN, MAIL ON SUNDAY YOUIf there is one thing that most of us aspire to, it is, simply, to be happy. And yet attaining happiness has become, it appears, anything but simple. Having stuff - The Latest, The Newest, The Best Yet - is all too often peddled as the sure fire route to happiness. So why then, in our consumer-driven society, is depression, stress and anxiety ever more common, affecting every strata of society and every age, even, worryingly, the very young? Why is it, when we have so much, that many of us still feel we are missing something and the rush of pleasure when we buy something new turns so quickly into a feeling of emptiness, or purposelessness, or guilt?So what is the route to real, deep, long lasting happiness? Could it be that our lives have just become overly crowded, that we've lost sight of the things - the simple things - that give a sense of achievement, a feeling of joy or excitement? That make us happy. Do we need to take a step back, reprioritise? Do we need to make our lives more simple? Kate Humble's fresh and frank exploration of a stripped-back approach to life is uplifting, engaging and inspiring - and will help us all find balance and happiness every day.

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Book SynopsisCall it ?Zen and the Art of Farming? or a ?Little Green Book,? Masanobu Fukuoka?s manifesto about farming, eating, and the limits of human knowledge presents a radical challenge to the global systems we rely on for our food. At the same time, it is a spiritual memoir of a man whose innovative system of cultivating the earth reflects a deep faith in the wholeness and balance of the natural world. As Wendell Berry writes in his preface, the book ?is valuable to us because it is at once practical and philosophical. It is an inspiring, necessary book about agriculture because it is not just about agriculture.? Trained as a scientist, Fukuoka rejected both modern agribusiness and centuries of agricultural practice, deciding instead that the best forms of cultivation mirror nature?s own laws. Over the next three decades he perfected his so-called ?do-nothing? technique: commonsense, sustainable practices that all but eliminate the use of pesticides, fertilizer, tillage, and perhaps most significantly, wasteful effort.Whether you?re a guerrilla gardener or a kitchen gardener, dedicated to slow food or simply looking to live a healthier life, you will find something here?you may even be moved to start a revolution of your own.

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Book Synopsis''One of the most influential books about the natural world ever published'' Paul Kingsnorth, Guardian''There are some who can live without wild things, and some who cannot,'' begins Aldo Leopold''s totemic work of ecological thought. Ranging from lyrical observations of the changing seasons over a year on his Wisconsin farm to his hugely influential idea of a ''land ethic'' signifying moral equilibrium between humans and all other life on earth, A Sand County Almanac changed perceptions of the natural world and helped give birth to the modern conservation movement.''An unequivocal statement of conscience that will carry down the generations ... his argument seems more urgently true now than ever'' The New York TimesTrade ReviewWise and lyrical meditations on environmental ethics, human and natural history, and the passage of time. Some measure of how fiercely good it is: a well-read, retired U.S. Army colonel once told me that he considered Leopold to be better than Shakespeare * Helen Macdonald *These beautiful essays, based on the restoration of an exhausted 80-acre farm in the sand country of central Wisconsin, are full of insights rooted in intelligent humility that inform naturalists to this day * Isabella Tree *A classic ... there are moments of soft beauty [and] his epigrams are whipcrack smart -- Robert Macfarlane * Wall Street Journal *A trenchant book, full of vigor and bite * The New York Times *One of the seminal works of the environmental movement * Boston Globe *

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Book SynopsisAre you excited about permaculture but unclear how to put it into practice for yourself? In this unique, full colour guide, experienced permaculture teacher Aranya leads you through the design process from beginning to end, using clear explanations, flowcharts and diagrams. It is based on course worksheets which have been designed, refined and tested on students over time. Linking theory to practice, he places the ethics, principles, philosophies, tools and techniques directly into the context of the process itself. While written for anyone with a basic grasp of permaculture, this book also has plenty to offer the more experienced designer. This guide covers: Systems and patterns ~ Working as part of a design team ~ Land and non-land based design ~ Design frameworks ~ Site surveying and map making ~ Interviewing clients ~ Working with large client groups ~ Identifying functions ~ Choosing systems and elements ~ Placement and integration ~ Creating a design proposal ~ Project management ~ Presenting your ideas to clients ~ and much more. A great reference for anyone who has done, or is thinking of doing, any kind of permaculture course.Trade ReviewFor most people, taking the permaculture design course is a major life event. It opens the door on a new way of looking at the world, a new way of being in the world. It affects you on so many levels that, however well you took notes, inevitably some of what you learnt passes you by. That s why Aranya wrote this book: so that people could go away from the design courses he teaches and have a reference to the design methods he s taught them. In effect it s a toolbox of permaculture design methods. So this book provides two useful functions. It s a useful primer to prepare you for the major life event that is a permaculture design course, giving you many insights into applying the design process. And if you ve already done the course, it will consolidate and reinforce the many design skills you ve learned, enabling you to put permaculture into practice on the ground. Patrick Whitefield is an author, teacher and permaculture consultant

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Book SynopsisBat detector surveys are carried out by ecological consultants, researchers, conservationists and hobbyists. Understanding and categorising non-bat sounds in surveys offers the potential of knock-on benefits for informing development projects (e.g. other important records discovered within a site), as well as the possibility of associated conservation benefits. In recent years the number of people carrying out these surveys and recording calls with bat detectors has grown considerably. These surveys often generate vast amounts of audio recordings, resulting in the heavy workload associated with completing the sound analysis and reporting process. Those carrying out analysis can be distracted, intrigued or delayed owing to the occurrence of recordings that are unfamiliar and not identifiable to them. These recordings can relate to ‘difficult to ID’ bat species, but also, often, sounds not related to bats. This can be especially true when noise triggers such as insects, small mammals or birds look like bat-related noise. Therefore, only knowing what bats sound like is not enough. It is extremely useful to know what other sources of noise look and sound like within the same soundscape. This resource will help bat workers, in whatever environment they are in, to be more confident in recognising, categorising and dismissing other sounds. The book includes a substantial downloadable sound library (.wav format) that readers can listen to by ear or process through sound analysis software. Is That a Bat? also caters for sounds that are also heard by ear alone, in the field, during the hours of darkness. These scenarios often have bat surveyors intrigued or confused as to what they are listening to. Occasionally, knowing what these sounds are could be important, or at the very least, of interest. The first chapter caters for the subject overall, including suggestions from the author as to why the subject matter is of value. It also discusses bat-related calls (including social calls) with a view to offering comparisons against the other sources of sound discussed in separate chapters. Continuing through the book, there are chapters covering the following: small mammals; amphibians; insects; birds; electrical/mechanical noise; and other noise/nuisances. Within each chapter there are sub-sections about bat detector recorded sound, sound by ear, as well as advice on techniques and methods to reduce or increase the likelihood of recording other sounds. The book concludes with associated appendices, including a ‘Problem Solving Key’ to help those encountering an unfamiliar sound to narrow it down to the likely source. With technology advancing at pace, the technical ability of the analyst is of huge importance. With a wider perspective and more knowledge, those responsible for interpreting field encounters can be more confident when making decisions about sources of sound. Apart from that, ‘knowing stuff’ makes the job far more interesting and gives the bat worker a greater appreciation of the natural world within which they are working.Trade ReviewIn fact it is an invaluable read and reference for anyone identifying bats through sound analysis at any level, from beginners to the more experienced. .… This book succeeds brilliantly in encouraging appreciation of the rich and varied world of sound around us. These sounds can sometimes confound our attempts to accurately identify bat species from their calls but at the same time they greatly increase our scope for evaluating and enjoying the biodiversity around us (very timely in the context of current multi-taxa monitoring initiatives). It also makes an important contribution to helping raise standards in the acoustic identification of bats. -- Philip Briggs, Bat Conservation Trust.. this is the book highlight for me this year. -- Stuart Newson * BTO News *Very readable book... I expect to use it regularly as a source of reference. I recommend it not just to those members interested in bats and ultrasonics, but to the growing number of us doing nocmig, or using an Audiomoth or other long-term monitoring device. -- Simon Elliott * Wildlife Sound *… a nice overview of problems a non-expert in bat echolocation research might encounter during a nightly excursion, or when analysing their recordings. -- Martin K. Obrist * Bioacoustics *Without a doubt, anyone who intends to record bats in their natural environment, would do well with a copy of this book. -- Al Milano * batdetecting.blogspot.com *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgements Preamble: Before We Get Started Downloading Files from the Sound Library 1. Well, What On Earth Could It Be? 2. Terrestrial Mammals 3. Birds 4. Amphibians 5. Insects 6. Electronic & Mechanical 7. Weather, People & Other Nuisances References Appendix I Supporting Figures Appendix II Problem Solving Appendix III Useful Additional Resources Appendix IV Test Yourself Appendix V Glossary Index

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Book Synopsis?“Gets deep into the weeds, so to speak, of the microscopic architecture of plants and the biochemical processes at play.” —Washington Post Most gardeners realize that plants need to be fed, but many of us know little about the nature of the science involved. In Teaming with Nutrients, Jeff Lowenfels explains the basics of plant nutrition from an organic gardener’s perspective. In his trademark down-to-earth, style, Lowenfels explains the role of both macronutrients and micronutrients and shows gardeners how to provide these essentials through organic, easy-to-follow techniques. Along the way, Lowenfels provides easy-to-grasp lessons in the biology, chemistry, and botany needed to understand how nutrients get into the plant and what they do once they’re inside.

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Book SynopsisLoved Goodbye Christopher Robin? Learn more about the real place that inspired the beloved stories. Delve into the home of the world’s most beloved bear! The Natural World of Winnie-the-Pooh explores the magical landscapes where Pooh, Christopher Robin, and their friends live and play. The Hundred Acre Wood—the setting for Winnie-the-Pooh’s adventures—was inspired by Ashdown Forest, a wildlife haven that spans more than 6,000 acres in southeast England. In the pages of this enchanting book you can visit the ancient black walnut tree on the edge of the forest that became Pooh’s house, go deep into the pine trees to find Poohsticks Bridge, and climb up to the top of the enchanted Galleons Lap, where Pooh says goodbye to Christopher Robin. You will discover how Milne's childhood connection with nature and his role as a father influenced his famous stories, and how his close collaboration with illustrator E. H. Shepard brought those stories to life. This charming book also serves as a guide to the plants, animals, and places of the remarkable Ashdown Forest, whether you are visiting in person or from the comfort of your favorite armchair. In a delightful narrative, enriched with Shepard’s original illustrations, hundreds of color photographs, and Milne’s own words, you will rediscover your favorite characters and the magical place they called home.

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Book SynopsisHow do we get to know air? Aeropolis: Queering Air in Toxicpolluted Worlds offers a speculative and interdisciplinary framework to reorient common understandings of air and air pollution as matter “out there.” Aeropolis contests regimes of managing air which ultimately operate toward upholding dominant modes of world-making that are dependent on forms of exclusion and inequity. Instead, Aeropolis proposes that air is thought of as a city, to center its social, cultural, political, ecological entanglements. Drawing upon feminist technoscience and queer ecological frameworks, Aeropolis moves away from solutions toward a methodology of “designing-thinking-making” that redirects and connects our understandings of air—as designers, as citizens—with ongoing struggles for just futures. Moving through a series of design interventions, histories of air, and theoretical coordinates, Aeropolis thinks with air across its many forms—through smog and dust, bodies and breath, pollen and weeds, and from urban design to geopolitics, polluted environments to open data, parks to aerial infrastructures. It insists that we acknowledge the diversity of air and its relation to humans, non-humans, and environments, both physically and affectively. That we become sensible to air by following its unruliness—by living, breathing, seeing, holding, touching, queering airs.With contributions from María Puig de la Bellacasa and Timothy K. Choy.Trade ReviewThe airs of Aeropolis are full of political agonism and liberatory potential, and this book serves as a guide to navigating the world of the potently-affective and semi-visible. -- Jaffer Kolb * BOMB Magazine *

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Book Synopsis A landmark book that overturns everything we think we know about humankind’s greatest idea.

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Book SynopsisAn absorbing celebration of the ecology, biology and cultural history of the rich hedgerow heritage in the British Isles.Much of the UK is intensively farmed, and in such landscapes hedges are often the only refuge for wildlife. In addition to providing shelter, protection and food for animals, they also connect and bind together the patches of habitat that do remain, as well as playing vital roles in soil conservation and flood prevention in short, they are vital for nature's recovery.In Hedges, Robert Wolton brings together decades of research, while also incorporating personal experiences from his farm in Devon, to explore the ecology, nature conservation and wider environmental values of our hedges. From improving water quality and producing wood fuel as a renewable energy source to the use of hedges in boosting crop pollination, this engaging and authoritative book will help to inspire people to value and look after the remarkably rich hedgerow he

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Book Synopsis''One of history''s most impressive field studies; an instant animal classic'' TIMEJane Goodall''s classic account of primate research provides an impressively detailed and absorbing account of the early years of her field study of, and adventures with, chimpanzees in Tanzania, Africa. It is a landmark for everyone to enjoy.

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Book SynopsisAn engaging and expertly illustrated field guide to over one hundred grasses, sedges, and rushesTrade ReviewWinner of 2020 Library Journal Best Reference Pick of the Year in the Science & Technology category“No one will be able to claim that the identification of grasses, sedges, and rushes, which are of fundamental importance both environmentally and economically, are simply ‘too difficult’ after they have learned to use this excellent guide.”—Peter Raven, President Emeritus, Missouri Botanical Garden“Brown’s homey and friendly illustrations, in combination with clear diagnostic photos, make for an important book that can be an entryway into the world of grasses.”—Bryan Connolly, Framingham State University“A significant aid and resource for those of us seeking to deepen our understanding of the tremendous diversity of plant life on this miraculous planet.”—Ted Watt, Hitchcock Center for the Environment, Amherst MA "Lauren Brown's Grasses: An Identification Guide is a trusted resource I've known for decades. It is wonderful to see a natural history masterpiece updated so beautifully. Grasses, Sedges, Rushes: An Identification Guide will take an honored place among my core reference books."—Patrick Lynch, author of A Field Guide to Cape Cod“The classic practical guide to some of most ubiquitous – but most overlooked – of all the plants around us.”—Peter Crane, author of Ginkgo: The Tree that Time Forgot

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Book SynopsisProgress requires the conquest of nature. Or does it? This new account overturns conventional interpretations of Marx and in the process outlines a more rational approach to the current environmental crisis. Marx, it is often assumed, cared only about industrial growth and the development of economic forces. John Bellamy Foster examines Marx's neglected writings on capitalist agriculture and soil ecology, philosophical naturalism, and evolutionary theory. He shows that Marx, known as a powerful critic of capitalist society, was also deeply concerned with the changing human relationship to nature. Marx's Ecology covers many other thinkers, including Epicurus, Charles Darwin, Thomas Malthus, Ludwig Feuerbach, P. J. Proudhon, and William Paley. By reconstructing a materialist conception of nature and society, Marx's Ecology challenges the spiritualism prevalent in the modern Green movement, pointing toward a method that offers more lasting and sustainable solutions to the ecological crisis.Table of ContentsThe materialist conception of nature; the really earthly question; parsonian naturalism; the materialist conception of history; the metabolism of natue and society; coevolution and sustainability.

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Book SynopsisA thrilling exploration of nature's symbiotic relationships, some comforting and familiar, others wildly alien, by the award-winning author of Forget Me Not.What can nature teach us about living together? Investigating eight symbiotic relationships trying to survive the climate and biodiversity crises, Sophie Pavelle explains why it has never been more vital for us to understand symbiosis. Symbiotic relationships regulate ecosystems, strengthen resilience and bind pivotal connections.Species living together in symbiosis is no accident these dynamics evolved. Species form and sever alliances everywhere, from deep within temperate rainforests to the open ocean, quiet tidal pools or chalk grasslands, and nature thrives on relationships as glamorous as they are grotesque and as bizarre as they are engrossing.In To Have or To Hold, Sophie relishes the interconnectedness between species and celebrates the relationships that under

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Book SynopsisA plethora of different theories, models, and concepts make up the field of community ecology. Amid this vast body of work, is it possible to build one general theory of ecological communities? What other scientific areas might serve as a guiding framework? As it turns out, the core focus of community ecologyunderstanding patterns of diversity and composition of biological variants across space and timeis shared by evolutionary biology and its very coherent conceptual framework, population genetics theory. The Theory of Ecological Communities takes this as a starting point to pull together community ecology''s various perspectives into a more unified whole.Mark Vellend builds a theory of ecological communities based on four overarching processes: selection among species, drift, dispersal, and speciation. These are analogues of the four central processes in population genetics theoryselection within species, drift, gene flow, and mutationand together they subsume almosTrade Review"In 1986, Thomas W. Schoener wrote a thought-provoking book chapter describing ecological communities along five organismal and five environmental axes. It was thought-provoking in the sense that Schoener attempted to unify community ecology using a minimal set of variables at a time when ecologists were doubtful of any unifying principle in community ecology. After three decades of Schoener's chapter, community ecologists are still divided about whether there could be a general theory of community. . . . Mark Vellend elegantly attempts to bridge this divide by introducing the theory of high-level processes in ecological communities in his Princeton Population Monograph entitled The Theory of Ecological Communities."---Madhav P. Thakur, Trends in Ecology and Evolution"Vellend (biology, Univ. de Sherbrooke, Canada) provides a useful historical account of the wide variety of methods used in the field to lay the foundation for his proposed resolution of the resulting ‘mess.' The book is well written, profusely referenced, and a worthy addition to the distinguished ‘Monographs in Population Biology’ series from Princeton University Press." * Choice *"Vellend does a tremendous job, and accomplishes for the field of community ecology what few have attempted, and even fewer, if any, have achieved. . . . With its overall plain language and clear prose, his book is excellent material for pre- and postgraduate students."---Lars Götzenberger and Jan Lepš, Conservation Biology"[Vellend] brings together diverse empirical and theoretical traditions in an unprecedented, engaging, and productive manner."---Max W. Dresow and Jake J. Grossman, Metascience"This is a very useful book for students and researchers."---Kevin S. McCann, Quarterly Review of Biology

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Book SynopsisA manifesto?and a field guide?for a new dawn of natural history, practiced by community scientists in their own urban jungle.Imagine taking your smartphone-turned-microscope to an empty lot and discovering a rare mason bee that builds its nest in empty snail shells. Or a miniature spider that hunts ants and carries their corpses around. With a team of citizen scientists, that?s exactly what Menno Schilthuizen did?one instance in the evolutionary biologist?s campaign to take natural science to the urban landscape where most of us live today. In this delightful book, The Urban Naturalist, Schilthuizen invites us to join him, to embark on a new age of discovery, venturing out as intrepid explorers of our own urban habitat?and maybe in the process do the natural world some good.Thanks to the open science revolution, real biological discoveries can now be made by anyone right where they live. Schilthuizen shows readers just how to go about making those discoveries, introducing them to the tools of the trade of the urban community scientist, from the tried and tested (the field notebook, the butterfly net, and the hand lens) to the newfangled (internet resources, low-tech gadgets, and off-the-shelf gizmos). But beyond technology, his book holds the promise of reviving the lost tradition of the citizen scientist?rekindling the spirit of the Victorian naturalist for the modern world.At a time when the only nature most people get to see is urban, The Urban Naturalist demonstrates that understanding the novel ecosystems around us is our best hope for appreciating and protecting biodiversity.

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Book SynopsisAn accessible and comprehensive guide to all things acoustic bat detection. This highly illustrated handbook provides an in-depth understanding of acoustic detection principles, study planning, data handling, properties of bat calls, manual identification of species, automatic species recognition, analysis of results, quality assurance and the background physics of sound. No other method of detecting bats is so popular and widespread in the context of environmental assessment and voluntary work as acoustic detection, and its increased use has driven the development of a large number of sophisticated devices and analytical methods. Acoustic detection has become a standard approach for establishing the presence of bats, carrying out species identification and monitoring levels of activity. The resolution, accuracy and scale with which these tasks can be done has risen dramatically with the availability of automated real-time recording. But anyone interested in acoustic recording will quickly recognise that there are still quite a few open questions about the limits and possibilities of acoustic detection. Clear definitions of how to handle the data are usually missing, for example, and there are no clearly described activity indices. In response to the lack of thorough information on the underlying science of acoustic detection, the authors present this handbook.Trade ReviewAcoustic detection has become a standard method for determining the presence of bats, and for species identification and monitoring. The resolution, accuracy and scale with which these surveys can be carried out has risen dramatically with the availability of automated real-time recording. Acoustic monitoring does have its limitations, however, and The Handbook of Acoustic Bat Detection addresses these by providing an in-depth understanding of the properties of bat calls, manual species identification, analysis of results and the background physics of sound. First published in German in 2018, this English translation includes new content that was not included in the original. * Conservation Land Management *This well-written and ably translated volume presents a thorough but accessible compendium on a timely subject. Runkel et al. give excellent coverage of highly technical systems applied to the biology of the animals. They explain methods with direct application to large-scale industrial developments, but never lose sight of the fundamental importance of the experienced observer who understands the animals and the environment. -- Winston C. Lancaster * The Quarterly Review of Biology *Table of Contents1 - Acoustic recording 2 - Examples of acoustic studies 3 - The planning of acoustic studies 4 - Manual and automatic acoustic recording 5 - Manual identification of species 6 - Automatic species recognition 7 - A comparison of identification methods 8 - The complexities of call analysis 9 - Criteria for detector systems 10 - Interpretation of the results 11 - Quality assurance of reports 12 - Nacelle monitoring – its benefits and its limitations 13 - Bat calls 14 - The physics of sound

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Book SynopsisThe practice of ecological restoration, firmly grounded in the science of restoration ecology, provides governments, organisations, and landowners a means to halt degradation and restore function and resilience to ecosystems stressed by climate change and other pressures on the natural world. Foundational theory is a critical component of the underlying science, providing valuable insights into restoring ecological systems effectively and understanding why some efforts to restore systems can fail In turn on-the-ground restoration projects can help to guide and refine theory, advancing the field and providing new ideas and innovations for practical application. This new edition of Foundations for Restoration Ecology provides the latest emerging theories and ideas in the science of restoration ecology. Fully one-third longer than the first edition and comprehensive in scope it has been dramatically updated to reflect new research. Included are new sections devoted to Concepts critical to all restoration projects as we'll as restoration of specific ecosystem processes, including hydrology, nutrient dynamics and carbon.Also new to this edition are case studies that describe real-life restoration scenarios in North and South America, Europe, and Australia. They highlight supporting theory for restoration application and other details important for assessing the degree of success of restoration projects in a variety of contexts. Lists at the end of each chapter summarise new theory introduced in that chapter and its practical application. Written by acclaimed researchers in the field, this book provides practitioners as well as graduate and undergraduate students with a solid grounding in the newest advances in ecological science and theory.

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Book SynopsisThe social calls of bats are an area about which relatively little is known, with more research still required to expand our understanding. However, these calls are increasingly recognised as a useful aid to identification: they appear to be species specific and are indicative of behaviour – as in territorial activity of males during the mating season. Because the gathering and interpretation of bat echolocation data are a matter of course during research, conservation and consultancy, it is a logical progression to build momentum behind the consideration of social calls in mainstream bat-related work. A better understanding of this subject could mean that non-intrusive survey methods are developed, ensuring that what is being observed is, as far as possible, purely natural behaviour. In turn this will contribute to better interpretation and more suitable mitigation, compensation and/or enhancement solutions. The book summarises what is understood so far about social calls of the bat species occurring in Britain and Ireland, and north-west Europe. This new edition has been updated and expanded throughout, now containing: foreword by the bat authority Michel Barataud, author of Acoustic Ecology of European Bats almost double the number of figures and tables as appeared in the first edition completely overhauled call library, all in full spectrum format, with new additional examples three entirely new chapters, covering bat-related acoustics, settings for social interaction, and survey guidelines The material will be useful to people carrying out bat studies, at whatever level and for whatever purpose, and will also encourage others to undertake further research. What's more, social calls are fascinating to listen to: they are, after all, produced with listeners in mind (other bats). In light of this, the book is accompanied by an extensive downloadable library of sound files which offer a unique gateway into the private life of bats. Trade ReviewThis much expanded 2nd edition provides a thorough overview of bat social calls and the current state of knowledge...I hope for continued expansions of this book in future, but in the meantime, there is plenty within this second edition to further illuminate some of the most fascinating yet often mysterious aspects of bat vocalisations. -- Philip Briggs, Bat Conservation TrustThe authors can be congratulated for their work and for opening up new insights and offering a better understanding of this complex area of research. -- Wiesław Bogdanowicz * Acta Chiropterologica *Table of ContentsForeword Preface Acknowledgements About the Authors Important Notices 1 An Overview of Bats in Britain and Ireland 2 Bat-related Acoustics: An Introduction 3 Settings for Social Interaction 4 Classification of Social Calls 5 Analysis of Social Calls 6 Considerations in Survey Design 7 Survey Guidelines (Bat Social Calls) 8 Species Groups Appendix Bibliography References Index

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Book SynopsisIn this book, 20 religionists and environmentalists examine Buddhism's understanding of life's web. In noting the cultural diversity of Buddhism, they highlight aspects of the tradition that may help formulate an effective environmental ethics, citing examples from Asia and the U.S. of socially engaged Buddhist projects to protect the environment.Trade ReviewWhat a significant advance these articles represent for the study of religion and ecology. The potential contribution to the new field of religious ecology is immense. These papers will help to create a coherent field for the study of Buddhism and ecology. What is even more important, though this is not the precise task of scholarship: these papers will help define the modern Buddhist response to ecological ethics. -- John Berthrong, Associate Dean for Academic and Administrative Affairs, Boston University School of Theology, and Director, Institute for Dialogue among ReligionsA volume of this kind is an important step in engaging scholarship to address critical issues of our time. The potential of religious traditions offering resources for rethinking our relation to the earth is one of the most exciting themes to emerge from scholarship in many years. This volume will be a first important step to the full understanding of the contribution humankind’s perceptions of the sacred can make to the way we care for our earth. -- Rodney L. Taylor, Professor of Religious Studies and Associate Dean of the Graduate School, University of Colorado

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Book SynopsisAs environmental problems grow larger and more pressing, conservationists have had to adapt. With a shrinking window of time to act, they are turning to broad approaches to combat continental- and global-scale crises of biodiversity loss, invasive species, and climate change. Pathways to Success—the long-awaited successor to the classic volume Measures of Success—is a modern guide to building large-scale transformative programs capable of tackling the complex conservation crises we face today. In this strikingly illustrated volume, coauthors Nick Salafsky and Richard Margoluis walk readers through fundamental concepts of effective program-level design, helping them to think strategically about project coordination, funding, and stakeholder input. Chapters in the first part of the book look at all aspects of designing and implementing large-scale conservation programs while the second part focuses on how to use data and information to manage, adapt, and learn from program strategies. In addition, the authors offer practical advice for avoiding pitfalls, such as formulaic recipes and simplistic silver-bullet solutions that can trip up otherwise well-intentioned efforts. Abundant graphics help to explain and clarify concepts presented in the text, and a glossary in the back matter defines technical terms for the reader. Pathways to Success is the definitive guide for conservation program managers and funders who want to increase the scale and effectiveness of their work combating biodiversity loss, climate change, and other pressing environmental issues.Table of ContentsForeword Aileen Lee Preface Taking Conservation to Scale in Complex Systems About This Book Acknowledgements Introduction Focus of This Book How This Book Is Organized Overarching Themes Sources and Further Information PART I. Designing and Implementing Your Program Chapter 1. Framing and Assessing the Situation Clarifying Your Purpose Understanding the System in Which You Are Working Developing a Shared Situation Model Situation Model and Situation Pathway Examples Sources and Further Information Chapter 2. Planning Your Strategies Understanding Your Overall Impact Trajectory Finding Key Intervention Points in Situation Models Identifying Candidate Actions Creating Strategy Pathways to Show Theories of Change Developing Your Approach for Going to Scale Determining Your Program’s Investment Approach Sources and Further Information Chapter 3. Operationalizing and Implementing Your Program Setting SMART Goals and Objectives Analyzing Trade-Offs and Conflict Turning Your Strategic Plan into an Actionable Work Plan Assembling a Programmatic Investment Portfolio Awarding Contracts and Grants That Enable Adaptation Sources and Further Information PART II. Using and Expanding Your Evidence Base Chapter 4. Synthesizing Existing Evidence Determining Investment in Evidence Based on Your Burden of Proof Identifying Critical Claims Requiring Evidence Compiling Evidence Sources and Assessing Claims Sources and Further Information Chapter 5. Monitoring and Adapting Developing Your Monitoring Plan Monitoring Your Strategy Effectiveness Defining and Measuring Long-Term Program Success Analyzing Data and Using the Results to Adapt Reporting to Your Team and Stakeholders Exiting Responsibly Sources and Further Information Chapter 6. Promoting Collaborative Learning Contributing to the Global Evidence Base Developing Collaborative Learning Programs Building the Discipline of Conservation Sources and Further Information Some Final Words Glossary Keys to Diagrams Used in This Book About the Authors Index

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Book SynopsisA handbook that lists and illustrates key principles in the field of landscape ecology, presenting specific examples of how the principles can be applied in a range of scales and diverse types of landscapes around the world.

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Book SynopsisGrowing from the seafloor and extending along the ocean surface in lush canopies, giant kelp provides an extensive vertical habitat in a largely two-dimensional seascape. This book provides a discussion of kelp species and forest ecology worldwide, with considerations of human uses and abuses, management and conservation, and more.Trade Review"A detailed, multifaceted synthesis of knowledge... Recommended." -- R. Schmid CHOICE connect "Remarkable... as comprehensive as could conceivably be attempted... A pleasure to read." -- John J. Bolton PhycologiaTable of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Introduction PART I. THE BIOLOGY OF GIANT KELP 1. Introduction to Giant Kelp Forests Worldwide 2. The Structure, Function, and Abiotic Requirements of 3. The Abiotic Environment 4. Demography, Dispersal, and Connectivity of Populations PART II. THE GIANT KELP ECOSYSTEM 5. Giant Kelp Communities 6. Detached Giant Kelp Communities, Production, and Food / Control Webs 7. Facilitative and Competitive Interactions in Giant Kelp Forests 8. Grazing in Kelp Communities 9. Predation and Trophic Cascades in Kelp Communities PART III. HUMAN USAGE, MANAGEMENT, AND CONSERVATION 10. Anthropogenic Effects on Kelp Forests 11. Human Usage of Giant Kelp and Kelp Forest Organisms 12. Marine Protected Areas and Fisheries Effects PART IV. GLOBAL CHANGE AND THE FUTURE 13. Global Change 14. Giant Kelp Forests: Conclusions and Final Thought Afterword References Index

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Book SynopsisPlacing twenty first-century climate change in deep context, A Brief History of Earth is an indispensable look at where we’ve been and where we’re going.Features original illustrations depicting Earth history and nearly 50 figures (maps, tables, photographs, graphs).Trade Review“A fantastic distillation of Earth's history, from one of the world’s leading geologists: Andrew H. Knoll has written an engrossing, witty, and eminently readable romp through our home planet’s 4.5 billion years, from trilobites and dinosaurs to human origins and our rapidly changing modern times.” — Steve Brusatte, New York Times bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs "Having spent decades at the forefront of discovery and research, Andrew H. Knoll has been one of our planet's leading scientists. In A Brief History of Earth, Knoll treats us to a 4.6-billion-year detective story revealing the origins and inner workings of our home in the solar system. In these pages you'll discover something profound: how our past, present, and future are grounded in Planet Earth." — Neil Shubin, author of Your Inner Fish and Some Assembly Required "Covers the arc of our planet’s history from its earliest formation to the present day in a succinct and deftly-written way." — Forbes “Charts the planet’s history in accessible style, from its beginning as ‘a small planet accreted out of rocky debris circling a modest young star’ through the development of minerals, geographical formations, atmosphere, and life forms large and small.” — Associated Press "Skillfully condenses the history of the Earth. ... An expert primer on the history of everything." — Kirkus Reviews "A sublime chronicle of our planet’s formation and beginnings, the perhaps unlikely yet awe-inspiring interactions that created life, diverse and abundant, and mass extinctions and recoveries. Knoll skillfully presents the extreme conditions, violence, and delicate fragility that mark the cycles and evolution of our home." — Booklist (starred review) "The type of book that is sorely needed at this moment in history. ... Knoll assembles facts from a wide variety of fields to tell our planet’s story in a clear and accessible narrative." — Scientific Inquirer “An eloquent call to action.” — CNN.com "In spite of its sweeping scale, the Harvard geologist and natural history professor’s primer not only makes the titular four billion years understandable – his accessible expertise makes it interesting." — Globe and Mail (Toronto)

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Book SynopsisGrowing more mushrooms may be the best thing we can do to save the environment, and mushroom expert Paul Stamets explains how in this groundbreaking manual. The science goes like this: fine filaments of cells called mycelium, the fruit of which are mushrooms, already cover large areas of land around the world. As the mycelium grows, it breaks down plant and animal debris, recycling carbon, nitrogen, and other elements in the creation of rich new soil. What Stamets shows is that the enzymes and acids thatmycelium produces to decompose this debris are superb at breaking apart hydrocarbons--the base of many pollutants. Stamets discusses the various branches of this exciting new technology, including mycorestoration (biotransforming stripped land), mycofiltration (creating habitat buffers), myco-remediation (healing chemically harmed environments), and mycoforestry (creating truly sustainable forests)--From publisher description.

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Book SynopsisThis treatise argues that literary criticism must re-establish connections to a wide range of social activities. It sets out a new type of criticism, called ecological literary criticism, which aims to make humanistic studies more socially responsible.

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Book SynopsisProposes the existence of widely-recurring plant functional types with predictable relationships to vegetation structure and dynamics. This title features chapters on Assembling of Communities, Rarification and Extinction, Colonisation and Invasion, Principles and methodologies of a range of international tests including case study examples.Table of ContentsPreface xii Preface to First Edition vii Introduction xix Chapter Summaries xxvii Part I Plant Strategies 1 Chapter 1 Primary Strategies in the Established Phase 3 Chapter 2 Secondary Strategies in the Established Phase 116 Chapter 3 Regenerative Strategies 138 Part II Plant Strategies and Vegetation Process 177 Chapter 4 Dominance 179 Chapter 5 Assembling of Communities 199 Chapter 6 Rarification and Extinction 218 Chapter 7 Colonisation and Invasion 225 Chapter 8 Succession 238 Chapter 9 Co-existence 257 Part III Plant Strategies and Ecosystem Properties 301 Chapter 10 Trophic Structure, Productivity and Stability 303 References 349 Species list 404 Index 410

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Two of the most important political movements of the late twentieth century are those of environmentalism and feminism. In this book, Val Plumwood argues that feminist theory has an important opportunity to make a major contribution to the debates in political ecology and environmental philosophy. Feminism and the Mastery of Nature explains the relation between ecofeminism, or ecological feminism, and other feminist theories including radical green theories such as deep ecology. Val Plumwood provides a philosophically informed account of the relation of women and nature, and shows how relating male domination to the domination of nature is important and yet remains a dilemma for women.

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Book SynopsisAward-winning scientist Richard Fortey, upon his retirement, purchased four acres of ancient woodland in the Chiltern Hills of Oxfordshire, England. The Wood for the Trees is the joyful, lyrical portrait of what he found there. Fortey leads us through the seasons over the course of a year, as he fells trees in winter, admires bluebells in spring, and hunts moths in June and mushrooms in September. Along the way he reconstructs the geology and history of the area, tracing the rich variety of plants, animals, and people who have shaped it, from Neolithic hunters to Tudor gentry to present-day Russian oligarchs. The result is evocative and illuminating: an exuberant biography of a small patch of land and the miraculous web of life that it sustains.

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Book Synopsis“[All That the Rain Promises and More] is certainly the best guide to fungi, and may in fact be a long lasting masterpiece in guide writing for all subjects.”—Roger McKnight, The New York TimesMushrooms appeal to all kinds of people—and so will this handy pocket guide, which includes key information for more than 200 Western mushroomsOver 200 edible and poisonous mushrooms are depicted with simple checklists of their identifying features, as David Arora celebrates the fun in fungi with the same engaging bend of wit and wisdom, fact and fancy, that has made his comprehensive guide, Mushrooms Demystified, the mushroom hunter’s bible.“The best guide for the beginner. I’d buy it no matter where I lived in North America.”—Whole Earth Catalog

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Book SynopsisThis guide provides descriptions of when the bat species resident in Britain and Ireland use natural and human-made rock habitats, how they use them, and the environments each species occupies therein. For the first time it brings together findings from historical scientific investigations, useful photographic accounts and open-access biological records, along with a rich seam of new data – all in a practical and user-friendly structure. The book encompasses: ~ Descriptions of the features that a climber, caver or professional ecologist might encounter on and in rock habitats where bats roost. ~ Recording criteria for both the physical and environmental attributes of different features and situations. ~ Identification of suitability thresholds against which the recorded information can be compared to assess the likelihood that a specific feature might be exploited by a particular bat species. ~ Suggestions for how to avoid mistakes and difficulties when performing a survey. The intention is that using this book will help generate standardised biological records which can feed into the fully accessible online database at www.batrockhabitatkey.co.uk. These data will be analysed to search for patterns that can increase the confidence in the suitability thresholds and help build roost features that deliver the environment each species really needs. As well as offering many new insights, this book allows the reader to participate in cutting-edge research.Trade ReviewAn invaluable aid to ecologists, conservationists, bat biologists, and citizen scientists seeking to increase our overall understanding of the roosting habits of various bat species. -- Danny A. Brass * The Underground Movement, The National Speleological Society *Cavers with the slightest interest in bats are likely to be fascinated by some of the detail revealed in Bat Roosts in Rock. -- Descent magazine...an invaluable tool for studying different rock roost features. Not being a bat biology book, it offers a new and refreshing view of the way conservationists study bat roosts, and it will surely ignite new curiosity in both junior and senior bat researchers. -- Journal of Bat Research and Conservation

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Book SynopsisRivers, landscapes, whole territories: these are the latest entities environmental activists have fought hard to include in the relentless expansion of rights in our world. But what does it mean for a landscape to have rights? Why would anyone want to create such rights, and to what end? Is it a good idea, and does it come with risks? This book presents the logic behind giving nature rights and discusses the most important cases in which this has happened, ranging from constitutional rights of nature in Ecuador to rights for rivers in New Zealand, Colombia, and India. Mihnea Tanasescu offers clear answers to the thorny questions that the intrusion of nature into law is sure to raise.Table of ContentsAcknowledgments; Introduction; Rights Meet Nature; From Theory to Practice; Diversity of Practice; The Perils of Totality; From Practice to Theory; Conclusions; Bibliography.

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Book SynopsisPopulations of cities have grown at unprecedented rate, consuming ever more land, placing severe strain on the environment and also on cash-strapped governments. Nature needs to be reintroduced to our cities. This book is focused on urban nature conservation, aspects that will resonate with advisors to local government, people interested in bringing back nature to our cities and anyone with a keen interest in nature. Our ecosystems are under threat and green infrastructure needs to be better managed so that there will be less fragmentation and habitat loss. All of us have to live more towards a sustainable urban nature environment. This book guides all of us how to address nature on our doorsteps. There are 214 photos, 6 tables and 25 illustrations on principles of urban nature conservation. The book informs how to participate and synchronise lifestyles to contribute to sustainable urban nature environments. Urban wetlands, watercourses, riparian zones, buffer zones, ecological corridors and functions are explained. The annexures in the book described owl boxes, bird feeders, earthworm bins and how to produce organic compost.What is important is that more and more people move to cities and city developments encroach upon nature areas. These encroachments can be managed to accommodate ecologically sensitive urban nature areas. These areas can be utilised in ways that it will benefit the environment people live in.

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Book SynopsisPlacing twenty first-century climate change in deep context, A Brief History of Earth is an indispensable look at where we’ve been and where we’re going.Features original illustrations depicting Earth history and nearly 50 figures (maps, tables, photographs, graphs).Trade Review“A fantastic distillation of Earth's history, from one of the world’s leading geologists: Andrew H. Knoll has written an engrossing, witty, and eminently readable romp through our home planet’s 4.5 billion years, from trilobites and dinosaurs to human origins and our rapidly changing modern times.” — Steve Brusatte, New York Times bestselling author of The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs "Having spent decades at the forefront of discovery and research, Andrew H. Knoll has been one of our planet's leading scientists. In A Brief History of Earth, Knoll treats us to a 4.6-billion-year detective story revealing the origins and inner workings of our home in the solar system. In these pages you'll discover something profound: how our past, present, and future are grounded in Planet Earth." — Neil Shubin, author of Your Inner Fish and Some Assembly Required "Covers the arc of our planet’s history from its earliest formation to the present day in a succinct and deftly-written way." — Forbes “Charts the planet’s history in accessible style, from its beginning as ‘a small planet accreted out of rocky debris circling a modest young star’ through the development of minerals, geographical formations, atmosphere, and life forms large and small.” — Associated Press "Skillfully condenses the history of the Earth. ... An expert primer on the history of everything." — Kirkus Reviews "A sublime chronicle of our planet’s formation and beginnings, the perhaps unlikely yet awe-inspiring interactions that created life, diverse and abundant, and mass extinctions and recoveries. Knoll skillfully presents the extreme conditions, violence, and delicate fragility that mark the cycles and evolution of our home." — Booklist (starred review) "The type of book that is sorely needed at this moment in history. ... Knoll assembles facts from a wide variety of fields to tell our planet’s story in a clear and accessible narrative." — Scientific Inquirer “An eloquent call to action.” — CNN.com "In spite of its sweeping scale, the Harvard geologist and natural history professor’s primer not only makes the titular four billion years understandable – his accessible expertise makes it interesting." — Globe and Mail (Toronto)

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Book SynopsisThe concept and values of wilderness, along with the practice of wilderness preservation, have been under attack for the past several decades. In Rethinking Wilderness, Mark Woods responds to seven prominent anti-wilderness arguments. Woods offers a rethinking of the received concept of wilderness, developing a positive account of wilderness as a significant location for the other-than-human value-adding properties of naturalness, wildness, and freedom. Interdisciplinary in approach, the book combines environmental philosophy, environmental history, environmental social sciences, the science of ecology, and the science of conservation biology.Trade Review“Rethinking Wilderness articulates a thoughtful, rigorous, and reformist case for wilderness. It could not be more timely. Everyone who cares about defending the natural world should read this book.” — Dale Jamieson, New York University“In Rethinking Wilderness Mark Woods carefully works through the most prominent recent criticisms of the idea of wilderness. Woods’ analysis is careful and his discussions are wide-ranging, touching on issues in environmental history, social theory, ecology, and conservation biology. This is an important piece of scholarship, essential reading for critics and defenders of wilderness alike.” — Katie McShane, Colorado State University“Rethinking Wilderness could as well be titled Rethinking Rethinking Wilderness. Mark Woods analyzes with great clarity those who have critiqued the original wilderness idea in anti-wilderness directions. Hence my doublet title, to emphasize doubly how this is a permanent contribution to thinking about wilderness.” — Holmes Rolston III, author of A New Environmental Ethics: The Next Millennium for Life on Earth“… a valuable resource for understanding and accessing a rich and diverse array of resources on wilderness from across multiple disciplines. The book contributes importantly to debates over wilderness in the thoughtfulness and nuance it offers: this is an especially valuable intervention, given that the ‘great wilderness debates’ at times have tended to foster all-or-nothing thinking with respect to wilderness.” — Marion Hourdequin, Environmental ValuesTable of Contents Introduction Chapter 1 – Wilderness: Conceptual and Historical Background Chapter 2 – Naturalized Human Distinctiveness: The Naturalist Argument Chapter 3 – An Other-than-Human World: The Social Constructivist Argument Chapter 4 – Trammeling Wilderness: The No-Wilderness Argument Chapter 5 – Trammeling People I: The Imperial Argument Chapter 6 – Upsetting the Balance of Nature: The Ecological Argument Chapter 7 – Trammeling People II: The Environmental Justice Argument Chapter 8 – Wilderness Preservation and the Other-than-Human World: The Management Argument Chapter 9 – Natural, Wild, and Free: Toward a Wilderness Ethic

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Book SynopsisWade Davis has been called 'a rare combination of scientist, scholar, poet and passionate defender of all of life's diversity'. In "Shadows in the Sun", he brings all of those gifts to bear on a fascinating examination of indigenous cultures and the interactions between human societies and the natural world. Ranging from the British Columbian wilderness to the jungles of the Amazon and the polar ice of the Arctic Circle, "Shadows In The Sun" is a testament to a world where spirits still stalk the land and seize the human heart. Its essays and stories, though distilled from travels in widely separated parts of the world, are fundamentally about landscape and character, the wisdom of lives drawn directly from the land, the hunger of those who seek to rediscover such understanding, and the consequences of failure.

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