Applied ecology Books

Book SynopsisNATIONAL BESTSELLER “An antidote to the loneliness of our species.”—ROBIN WALL KIMMERER“A master class in how to love the world.”—MARGARET RENKLA thrilling book about the abounding queerness of the natural world that challenges our expectations of what is normal, beautiful, and possible.Growing up, Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian felt most at home in the swamps and culverts near her house in the Hudson Valley. A child who frequently felt out of place, too much of one thing or not enough of another, she found acceptance in these settings, among other amphibious beings. In snakes, snails, and, above all, fungi, she saw her own developing identities as a queer, neurodivergent person reflected back at her—and in them, too, she found a personal path to a life of science.In Forest Euphoria, Kaishian shows us this making of a scientist and introduces readers to the queerness of all the life around us. Fungal species, we learn, commonly encompass more than two biological sexes—and some as many as twenty-three thousand. Some intersex slugs mutually fire calcium carbonate “love darts” at each other during courtship. Glass eels are sexually undetermined until their last year of life, a mystery that scientists once dubbed “the eel question.” Nature, Kaishian shows us, is filled with the unusual, the overlooked, and the marginalized—and they have lessons for us all.Wide-ranging, richly observant, and full of surprises, Forest Euphoria will open your eyes and change how you look at the world.

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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 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 SynopsisIn twenty short books, Penguin brings you the classics of the environmental movement.This is Jared Diamond''s haunting account of visiting the mysterious stone statues of Easter Island, showing how a remote civilization destroyed itself by exploiting its own natural resources - and why we must heed this warning.Over the past 75 years, a new canon has emerged. As life on Earth has become irrevocably altered by humans, visionary thinkers around the world have raised their voices to defend the planet, and affirm our place at the heart of its restoration. Their words have endured through the decades, becoming the classics of a movement. Together, these books show the richness of environmental thought, and point the way to a fairer, saner, greener world.

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Book Synopsis"In presenting us with a vision of organic exuberance and human delight, which ecology and ecological design promise to open up for us, McHarg revives the hope for a better world. " --Lewis Mumford "...Table of ContentsCity and Countryside. Sea and Survival. The Plight. A Step Forward. The Cast and the Capsule. Nature in the Metropolis. On Values. A Response of Values. The World Is a Capsule. Processes as Values. The Naturalists. The River Basin. The Metropolitan Region. Process and Form. The City: Process and Form. The City: Health and Pathology. Prospect.

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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 SynopsisAn engrossing and revealing study of why we deem certain animals ?pests? and others not?from cats to rats, elephants to pigeons?and what this tells us about our own perceptions, beliefs, and actions, as well as our place in the natural worldA squirrel in the garden. A rat in the wall. A pigeon on the street. Humans have spent so much of our history drawing a hard line between human spaces and wild places. When animals pop up where we don?t expect or want them, we respond with fear, rage, or simple annoyance. It?s no longer an animal. It?s a pest.At the intersection of science, history, and narrative journalism, Pests is not a simple call to look closer at our urban ecosystem. It?s not a natural history of the animals we hate. Instead, this book is about us. It?s about what calling an animal a pest says about people, how we live, and what we want. It?s a story about human nature, and how we categorize the animals in our midst, including bears and coyotes, sparrows and snakes. Pet or pest? In many cases, it?s entirely a question of perspective.Bethany Brookshire?s deeply researched and entirely entertaining book will show readers what there is to venerate in vermin, and help them appreciate how these animals have clawed their way to success as we did everything we could to ensure their failure. In the process, we will learn how the pests that annoy us tell us far more about humanity than they do about the animals themselves.Trade Review"👍!" — Mary Roach, author of Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law “Deeply reported and vividly told, Brookshire’s exploration of our most reviled animal neighbors will forever change how you see nature and our relationship to it. Elephants and boas and bears, oh my! Pests is natural history writing at its best.” — Riley Black, author of The Last Days of the Dinosaurs: An Asteroid, Extinction, and the Beginning of Our World “Brookshire convincingly argues that many of the problems we blame on pests arise not from the creatures themselves but from our own self-centered ways of looking at the world. A fascinating look at how culture, traditions, and human behavior shape the way people coexist or come into conflict with the animals that share their habitats.” — Christie Aschwanden, author of Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of Recovery “As human populations expand and the climate changes, these animals are not going away. Brookshire has a magnificent ability to bring the ecological context of our epic conflicts with everything from snakes to elephants down to the entertaining and personal.” — John Shivik, author of The Predator Paradox: Ending the War with Wolves, Bears, Cougars, and Coyotes “A deeply thoughtful yet entertaining tour of our thorny and morally complicated relationships with the creatures we consider pests. Integrating first-rate storytelling with ecology, natural history, wildlife management, cultural anthropology, and ethics, Pests provides a compelling perspective on a misunderstood aspect of human-animal interactions.” — Hal Herzog, author of Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It’s So Hard to Think Straight About Animals “In this scintillating, searching, and surprisingly funny debut, Brookshire weaves together history, research, and Indigenous knowledge to reveal our complicity in creating animal conflict—and argues for a new model of coexistence in which neither we nor the animals have to end up as the villains.” — Maryn McKenna, author of Big Chicken, Superbug, and Beating Back the Devil "[An] excellent natural history...the author delivers fascinating accounts of a score of widely deplored pests...Outstanding, possibly mind-changing natural history." — Kirkus Reviews (starred review) “…An eye-opening account of why certain animals are demonized…Animal lovers will adore this clever survey.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) "An entertaining and pensive perusal of the human-wildlife conflict problem that calls to mind Mary Roach's Fuzz." — Booklist

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Book SynopsisTrade ReviewSustainability is the hot buzzword these days. Does it take a whole book to explain what it means? Yes and how lucky we are to have it. This is a book about how to think about what it takes to keep systems going. The Q and A format makes difficult and contested concepts especially easy to follow. * Marion Nestle, Professor Emerita, New York University, and author of Let's Ask Marion: What You Need to Know about Food, Nutrition, and Health *This book may surprise many readers by exploring sustainability from such diverse fields as business and scientific realms to social justice and the arts. Their lens of 'systems thinking' helps explain why sustainability and resilience increasingly dominates public and private sector agendas today. * Christine Ervin, Former President and CEO, U.S. Green Building Council *Thompson and Norris are some of the most distinguished academics in the field of sustainability. Although the book is clearly underpinned by a considerable body of evidence, the writing style is engaging and easily digestible. It will serve as an excellent introduction to the topic for students and curious readers alike. * Michael Braungart, Chemist and Founder of EPEA International GmbH, and Co-Founder of MBDC *Systems thinking shows that seeking sustainability is a learning process in which we need to remain faithful and embrace uncertainty. * L. Díez Sanjuán, Agriculture and Human Values *Table of ContentsChapter 1. What is Sustainability? Chapter 2. Sustainability and Business Chapter 3. Sustainability and Ecology Chapter 4. Sustainability and Environmental Quality Chapter 5. Sustainable Development Chapter 6. Sustainability and Social Justice Chapter 7. Sustainable Governance Chapter 8. Sustainability in Science, Education, Religion, and the Arts Chapter 9. Sustainability: What Everyone Needs to Ask

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Book SynopsisA clear grasp of economics is essential to understanding why environmental problems arise and how we can address them. So it is with good reason that Markets and the Environment has become a classic text in environmental studies since its first publication in 2007. Now thoroughly revised with updated information on current environmental policy and real-world examples of market-based instruments, the primer is more relevant than ever. The authors provide a concise yet thorough introduction to the economic theory of environmental policy and natural resource management. They begin with an overview of environmental economics before exploring topics including cost-benefit analysis, market failures and successes, and economic growth and sustainability. Readers of the first edition will notice new analysis of cost estimation as well as specific market instruments, including municipal water pricing and waste disposal. Particular attention is paid to behavioural economics and cap-and-trade programmes for carbon. Throughout, Markets and the Environment is written in an accessible, student-friendly style. It includes study questions for each chapter, as well as clear figures and relatable text boxes. The authors have long understood the need for a book to bridge the gap between short articles on environmental economics and tomes filled with complex algebra. Markets and the Environment makes clear how economics influences policy, the world around us, and our own lives.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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Book SynopsisThe pace, intensity, and scale at which humans have altered our planet in recent decades is unprecedented. We have dramatically transformed landscapes and waterways through agriculture, logging, mining, and fire suppression, with drastic impacts on public health and human well-being. What can we do to counteract and even reverse the worst of these effects? Restore damaged ecosystems. The Primer of Ecological Restoration is a succinct introduction to the theory and practice of ecological restoration as a strategy to conserve biodiversity and ecosystems. In twelve brief chapters, the book introduces readers to the basics of restoration project planning, monitoring, and adaptive management. It explains abiotic factors such as landforms, soil, and hydrology that are the building blocks to successfully recovering microorganism, plant, and animal communities. Additional chapters cover topics such as invasive species and legal and financial considerations. Each chapter concludes with recommended reading and reference lists, and the book can be paired with online resources for teaching. Perfect for introductory classes in ecological restoration or for practitioners seeking constructive guidance for real-world projects, Primer of Ecological Restoration offers accessible, practical information on recent trends in the field.

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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 One of the earliest warnings about climate change and one of environmentalism''s lodestars''Nature, we believe, takes forever. It moves with infinite slowness,'' begins the first book to bring climate change to public attention.Interweaving lyrical observations from his life in the Adirondack Mountains with insights from the emerging science, Bill McKibben sets out the central developments not only of the environmental crisis now facing us but also the terms of our response, from policy to the fundamental, philosophical shift in our relationship with the natural world which, he argues, could save us. A moving elegy to nature in its pristine, pre-human wildness, The End of Nature is both a milestone in environmental thought, indispensable to understanding how we arrived here.Trade ReviewPart science and part poetry, a sensitive and provocative essay of alarm, a kind of song for the wild, a lament for its loss, and a plea for its restoration -- Daniel J. Kevles * New York Review of Books *Permeated with the immediacy of the Adirondack Mountains, the trees he can see from his window, the changing seasons, the wild creatures he encounters. An extraordinary book -- Jonathon Porritt * Sunday Telegraph *The fundamental book about the planetary change we are undergoing -- Gaia VinceMcKibben explores the philosophies and technologies that have brought us here, and he shows how final a crossing we have made -- James Gleick

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Book SynopsisThe first book to chronicle how innovation in laboratory designs for botanical research energized the emergence of physiological plant ecology as a vibrant subdiscipline

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Book SynopsisWhy have island ecosystems always suffered such high rates of extinction? Over the past eight years, David Quammen has followed the threads of island biogeography on a globe-encircling journey of discovery.Trade ReviewNot only is this book compulsively readable - a masterpiece - it is maybe the masterpiece of science journalism -- Bill Mckibben * Audobon Magazine *A moving book... Quammen is a good writer who has taken the time to master an important subject and do it justice -- Richard Dawkins * The Times *Not since Gerald Durrell's books 30 years ago have I encountered such writing about the natural world. The witty, pithy, modest prose and the clever interweaving of science and storytelling are of a quality unrivalled in th field -- Matt Ridley * Sunday Telegraph *Impressive and deeply moving...blends first-rate science journalism with superb travel and nature writing * Financial Times *David Quammen is a brilliant young star of nature writing... His book is an important example of the genre, written in an enchanting style. His knowledge, based on years of research and adventure around the world, is truly impressive -- Edward O. Wilson, author of 'The Diversity of Life'

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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 SynopsisForeword by Gillian Burke This is a lovely little book that could and should have a big impact....Let’s all get rebugging right away! Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall Meet the intelligent insects, marvellous minibeasts and inspirational invertebrates that bring life to our planet. Discover how we can ‘rebug’ our attitudes and embrace these brilliant, essential insects, so that we can avoid an ‘insectageddon’ and help each other thrive. In Rebugging the Planet, Vicki Hird shows us that bugs are beautiful, inventive and economically invaluable. They are also responsible for pollinating plants, feeding birds, defending crops and cleaning water systems. But with 40% of insect species at risk of extinction and a third more endangered, our planet is headed towards an insect apocalypse. We have to start giving worms, spiders, beetles, ladybirds and butterflies the space they need to flourish! Discover how to: Grow your garden a little wild and plant weedkiller-free, wildlife-friendly plants Take your kids on a bug treasure hunt and build a bug palace in your garden Rebug parks, schools, pavements, verges and other green spaces Make bug-friendly food choices and support good farming practices Rebugging the Planet shows how small changes will have a big impact on our littlest allies – and our planet. Hird’s joy in bug life is infectious and her knowledge encyclopaedic...If you’ve ever asked what bugs have done for us, read this book! Caroline Lucas, Green Party MPTrade Review"This is a lovely little book that could and should have a big impact. The decline of insect life in the UK and globally is one of the biggest concerns of our biodiversity crisis. We often feel so helpless about nature loss, so it’s hugely inspiring to find out that there is something we can actually do about it. Let’s all get rebugging right away!"—Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, multi-award-winning writer and broadcaster"A bold and educational call to action and call to arms in one of the most crucial challenges facing society – halting the dreadful destruction of the amazingly little animals we call invertebrates or bugs. Time to get rebugging!"—Matt Shardlow, author and chief executive of Buglife – The Invertebrate Conservation Trust"Everyone should read Vicki’s delightful bug book! She’s been a committed environmentalist and campaigner for nature ever since the 1980s, when I first met her. Like me, she’s a Londoner, but unlike me, she’s realised that her lifelong fascination for nature in general and insects in particular can be explored in an urban setting. Her passion for bugs is palpable and wonderfully illuminated through individual bug stories, which makes this book totally accessible. Vicki has done a service to the planet and the insects we share it with."—Patrick Holden, CBE organic farmer, and founding director and chief executive of the Sustainable Food Trust"What a fantastic, timely and important book! For too long, our society has taken bugs for granted when in reality they represent the very foundations of our food system, our economy, our civilisation. With her well-researched but personable and highly readable writing style, Vicki Hird offers an engaging and hopeful narrative about what we can and must do to make insects matter, and reverse the appalling declines in insect populations that have taken place these last few years. In doing so, she doesn’t just stick with the easy stuff like what needs to happen in your garden or local park – much as she covers this brilliantly. She also tackles the need for system level change; in agriculture, in politics, in the economy, in culture, if we’re going to succeed in rebugging the planet – all while gaining fascinating insights from the remarkable world of insects."—Craig Bennett, chief executive of the Wildlife Trusts"Rebugging the Planet is a joyous and impassioned song to the insect life on which we all depend. Brimming with wisdom but accessibly written, it is a call to arms to avert Insectaggedon. Without bugs, we’re in deep trouble!"—Guy Shrubsole, environmental campaigner and author of Who Owns England?"A passionate, accessible, and in-depth introduction to the wonderful world of ‘bugs’. Packed with eye-opening facts and leaving not a stone unturned in her efforts to understand and explain the causes of their decline, Vicki inspires each and every one of us to re-evaluate our relationship with these magnificent minibeasts. Whoever we are, whatever our circumstances, there is always more that we can do to help if we only knew how. This book provides us with the tools and advice we need to ‘rebug’ our gardens, our lives and our world."—Brigit Strawbridge Howard, author of Dancing with Bees"Hird’s joy in bug life is infectious and her knowledge encyclopaedic. I defy even the most bug-phobic reader not to finish Hird’s book without, if not sharing her love of them, at least joining in her admiration. Bugs are essential to a thriving natural world, and indeed to our own future on this planet, yet they’re under threat like never before. If you’ve ever asked what bugs have done for us, read this book – and then join the movement to protect them!"—Caroline Lucas, Green Party MP"In 1987 E.O. Wilson told us that ‘bugs’ were the little things that run the world. We didn’t listen and instead have forced millions of species of these essential creatures to the brink of extinction. Just in time, Vicki Hird tells us how and why we need to change our cultural relationship with ‘bugs’ and reverse these disastrous declines. Despite the serious nature of this subject matter, Rebugging the Planet is a light-hearted and delightful read."—Douglas W. Tallamy, author of Nature’s Best Hope"This book is a delightful exploration into the world of ‘bugs’ – broadly defined to include insects, spiders, centipedes, and even snails – replete with creative use of words like ‘rebug’, ‘rewild’, ‘insectageddon’, ‘invertosphere’, ‘entomophage’ (the practice of eating bugs) and ‘fog basking’ by the Namib beetle to obtain water. Full of colourful stories about specific novel species like the cockchafer, the hummingbird hawkmoth and money spiders, it is also a call to action to do everything we can to stop the modern assault on bugs. The author shows how so many aspects of modern life – chemical-based agriculture, EMFs, plastics and forever chemicals – are forcing many species into extinction, but she also warns that we will come to appreciate what bugs do for us best when we see the carnage left behind when they are gone."—Stephanie Seneff, author of Toxic LegacyPublishers Weekly— "Brimming with tips and tools, this [book] is sure to leave nature-lovers inspired."

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Book SynopsisBees are enigmatic creatures that have long attracted human admiration and fascination. But even more than that, they are a key lynchpin in the workings of the entire natural world. And we’re not just talking about honey bees. There are over 20,000 species of bees worldwide and only a handful of those actually make honey. Some live in colonies but others are solitary. We can all help protect them - and they desperately need protecting - but you can’t save what you don’t love. And you can’t love what you don’t know. The Good Bee is a celebration of this most vital and mysterious of nature’s wizards. Here you’ll discover the complexities of bee behaviour - as well as the intriguing bits that continue to baffle us - the part they play in the natural world, their relationship with us throughout history, how they are already under serious threat, and, crucially, what we can all do about

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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 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 SynopsisFeatures almost 300 colour photographs and brings together more than 60 years of research by a leading voice in British woodland ecology. Trees define woodland. They provide a complex, multi-layered habitat for a great range of wildlife, but they are also wildlife themselves, reacting to their circumstances and each other. Woodlands are important to people, supplying timber, food and fuel, accumulating carbon, and offering places of refuge and refreshment. But they are also under threat: some stand in the way of progress', and all are becoming increasingly vulnerable to disease and climate change.In Trees and Woodlands, George Peterken brings together decades of scientific research, while also incorporating his personal experiences, to explore the ecology, nature conservation and wider cultural value of our native trees and shrubs, and the various ways they have combined as woodland. Peterken accepts that all woodlands have been shaped by people as well as nature, and heTrade ReviewGeorge Peterken has written a multilayered book about British woodland that is hugely informative, laced with insights and opinions, and superbly illustrated with carefully chosen photographs, most of which were taken by himself. Few, if any, people can match Peterken’s knowledge of the woodlands of Britain built over a long career embracing intertwined strands of research, conservation and forestry -- Rob Fuller * British Wildlife *This is a fascinating and insightful commentary on trees and our relationship with them. * Countryside *I doubt there is anyone living who is better experienced and skilled to write this book ... George Peterken's book is the one for you. * BSBI News *Yet another great example of the British Wildlife Collection […] I loved this book * Birdwatching Magazine *Peterken writes very clearly and complex issues are carefully explained in a straightforward and entertaining manner. The book is beautifully produced and the photographs and tables add greatly to the strong line of argument … a splendid book which will be invaluable for all those with an interest in landscape history, conservation and management -- Charles Watkins * Landscape History *Table of ContentsPreface 1. Introducing woodlands 2. The forms of trees and shrubs 3. Forest dominants 4. Pioneers, small trees, shrubs and climbers 5. Natural woodland 6. History: how people have used woodland 7. Woodland types 8. Woodland and trees as habitats 9. Utility and well-being 10. Cultural appreciation of woodland 11. Looking forward Bibliography Index

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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 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 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 SynopsisSome of the world's most advanced work on biodiversity is being carried out deep in the jungles of Papua New Guinea by a team including local tribes-people. Novotny's entertaining, engaging, and unique diaries reflect on the wisdom of the ancient culture, bringing to life the people and the sometimes tragi-comic interactions between it and the WestTrade ReviewHugely entertaining and thought provoking in equal proportions. * E. Geoffrey Hancock, Glasgow Natural History Society *Table of ContentsBY WAY OF INTRODUCTION: HOW I GOT TO PAPUA NEW GUINEA...AND WHAT CAME NEXT; ISLAND OF A THOUSAND TONGUES AND A WILD, WILD LANDSCAPE; OLD AND NEW CUSTOMS OF A TRIBAL SOCIETY; FOREIGNERS AND THEIR ODD IDEAS; HOW TO DO SCIENCE IN PAPUA NEW GUINEA; IN CONCLUSION: TRAVEL REPORT

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Book SynopsisDuring the nineteenth century, Britain maintained a complex network of garrisons to manage its global empire. During their tours abroad, many British officers engaged in formal and informal scientific research. In this ambitious history of ornithology and empire, Kirsten A. Greer tracks British officers as they moved around the world.

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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 Synopsis“Shows us that guiding natural processes rather than fighting them is the key to creating healthier landscapes and happier gardeners.” —Doug Tallamy, author of Bringing Nature Home Larry Weaner is an icon in the world of ecological landscape design, and now his revolutionary approach is available to home gardeners. Garden Revolution shows how an ecological approach to planting can lead to beautiful gardens that buck much of conventional gardening’s counter-productive, time-consuming practices. Instead of picking the wrong plant and then weeding, irrigating, and fertilizing, Weaner advocates for choosing plants that are adapted to the soil and climate of a specific site and letting them naturally evolve over time. This lushly-photographed reference is for anyone looking for a better, smarter way to garden.

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Book SynopsisHealthy Planet offers a clear and concise overview of the global ecological crisis that humanity has brought upon itself, and what options we still have to save a benevolent climate, to restore biodiversity, reduce pollution, and heal the ecosphere of this planet, including ourselves. Since well before the Covid-19 crisis the United Nations have been emphasizing that only a healthy planet can support healthy people. The degradation and pollution of nature also poisons our own bodies. Climate breakdown and the global loss of biodiversity also threaten the human species. But what is a "healthy planet"? How does it work, how much do we disrupt the planet’s life support systems, and what changes are overdue? We have all the necessary means at our disposal, though just patching up the worst symptoms won’t do anymore, we have to address the underlying causes, including our habits, values, and paradigms. We are at a crucial crossroads, and time is running short. If we act fast enough, a dignified and truly sustainable healthy future awaits.

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Book SynopsisDr Mark Fisher is a recently retired scientist with a more than 40 years' experience in farming, research and philosophy. He draws onhistory, literature, common understandings and personal experiences to create a distinctive narrative. Mark was until 2021 a Principal Adviser to the NZ Ministry for Primary Industries (formerly Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry) and Director of Kotare Bioethics. He has been a board member of the Toi te Taiao: the Bioethics Council, the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC), and was the New Zealand chair of the Australian and New Zealand Council for the Care of Animals in Research and Teaching (ANZCCART).

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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 SynopsisIn twenty short books, Penguin brings you the classics of the environmental movement.From the ravages of the global economy to the great pleasures of growing a garden, Wendell Berry''s powerful essays represent a heartfelt call for humankind to mend our broken relationship with the earth, and with each other.Over the past 75 years, a new canon has emerged. As life on Earth has become irrevocably altered by humans, visionary thinkers around the world have raised their voices to defend the planet, and affirm our place at the heart of its restoration. Their words have endured through the decades, becoming the classics of a movement. Together, these books show the richness of environmental thought, and point the way to a fairer, saner, greener world.

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Book SynopsisThis is a guide to finding tree-roosts. It is the result of the collaborative efforts of professional surveyors and amateur naturalists across Europe as part of the Bat Tree Habitat Key project, and represents a combination of firsts: It is the first time legislation and planning policy have been reviewed and put to practical use to define an analysis framework with clearly identifiable thresholds for action. Yet, despite its efficacy in a professional context, it is also the first time a guide has been produced that is equally effective in achieving its objective for amateurs. It is the first time such a method has been evidence-supported throughout, with summary reviews of each aspect of the roosting ecology of the individual 14 tree-roosting species, with illustrative photographs and data to which the reader has open access. It is the first time a repeatable analysis framework has been defined against which the surveyor may compare their results at every stage, from the desk-study, through ground-truthing, survey and analysis, thereby ensuring nothing is overlooked and that every result can be objectively compared. The survey and analysis framework itself is ground-breaking in that it may readily be adapted for any taxa; from moths, through amphibians, reptiles, birds and all other mammals. Used diligently, these methods will reward disproportionately and imbue the reader with renewed confidence as they quickly progress from beginner to competency. Thus, this book is for everyone who has ever wanted to find a tree-roost, or to safeguard against inadvertently damaging one.Trade ReviewThis work will serve as an invaluable reference for field biologists who might be called upon to conduct relevant survey work and environmental impact assessments. -- Danny A. Brass * National Speleological Society News *... for anyone wanting to learn more about this fascinating subject it will be the landmark work for many years to come. -- Mark Tunmore * Atropos *I would highly recommend this book for tree-care and ecology professionals. It brings into one place a wealth of knowledge and experience. The links to resources held on the BTHK are very useful. I know that it will be on the shelves of many ecologists but I would urge everyone to read it right through at least once and then dip back into it as you need. That way you will get the most from the knowledge being shared. -- Carol Williams, Director of Conservation, Bat Conservation TrustI would strongly recommend this book (and framework) to tree-care and ecology professionals, and it is potentially of broader interest within the scientific community. -- Stuart Newson, Senior Research Ecologist, BTO * BTO About Birds *Table of ContentsCh 1. Rationale -Introduction -Pre-existing published advice -Motivation -Objective -Proportionality Ch 2. Tree-Roosting Bats -Tree-roosting bat species -Wooded habitat and tree species -Sensitivity to isolation -Seasonal tree-roost occupancy and roost size -Roost heights -General tree-roost preferences Ch 3. Potential Roost Features -Introduction -The Disease and Decay PRF -The Damage PRF -The Association PRF Ch 4. Intelligence-Gathering -Introduction -Resources -Collation of the results Ch 5. The Desk-Study -Introduction -The desk-study objective -The test of 'reasonable likelihood' -To survey or not to survey Ch 6. Ground-Truthing -Introduction -Ground-truthing method -Ground-truthing interpretation Ch 7. Choosing Surveillance Methods -Introduction -Close-inspection -Remote-observation -Static-netting -Radio-tracking -Putting it all together -The proportionality text Ch 8. Close-Inspection -Introduction -Equipment -Health and Safety -Close-inspection method -Interpretation Ch 9. Remote-Observation -Introduction -Confounding factors -Equipment -Health and Safety -Remote-observation method -Interpretation Ch 10. Static-Netting -Introduction -Equipment -Health and Safety -Static-netting method -Interpretation Ch 11. Surveillance Effort -Introduction -Detectability variables -Surveillance periods and intensity therein Ch 12. Trouble-Shooting -Introduction -Fundamental principles -Inconclusive and 'null' results -Indirect damage and disturbance -Comparative assessment of environment -Late commissions -Unlicensed assessments -Getting a second-opinion -Fault-finding

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Book SynopsisEngaging and quirky; full of ideas and inspiration for garden projects that you'll be itching to try for yourself. Dave Goulson, author of The Garden Jungle A thoughtful and practical guide Country Life Design a garden for the future – because what we grow matters. Transform your garden into a self-sustaining haven for nature and wildlife. Ecological garden designer Matt Rees-Warren shares inspirational design ideas and practical projects to help you create a garden that is both beautiful today and sustainable tomorrow. The Ecological Gardener will give you the tools to create an abundant, healthy garden from the soil up – a garden that welcomes birds and bees and allows native planting and wild flowers to flourish, with minimal carbon impact or need for fresh water. This book can guide both novice and experienced gardeners alike in their journey to a more ecological approach, and is full of practical projects and information, including: Finding the right design for your space Creating a wildflower meadow Building rainwater catchments and other tips for water conservation Making compost from kitchen waste, leafmould, compost tea and more Creating a space for wildlife such as hedgehogs, bees and other pollinators Finding beauty in your garden during the winter Matt will show you how to reimagine how you garden, working with nature instead of controlling it, to create a space that promotes both wildlife and beauty. Trade Review‘Engaging and quirky; full of ideas and inspiration for garden projects that you’ll be itching to try for yourself.’—Dave Goulson, author of The Garden Jungle‘Finally, a book for UK gardeners who recognise the desperate need to share their gardens with nature. In The Ecological Gardener, Matt Rees-Warren explains why every square inch of planet Earth, including our gardens, has ecological significance, and he tells us exactly how to increase that significance in ways that will benefit us all. Excellent, timely, essential!’—Douglas W. Tallamy, author of Nature’s Best Hope‘Matt Rees-Warren has distilled his experience, observation and passion for the natural world into an incredibly informative narrative, with practical examples to help us tread lightly on the land. Gardens are for people, but in our endeavour to create beauty, we forget that our space is shared with cohabitants and time. Matt takes us through the garden with an ecological lens – just what we need to view a future that is in harmony with nature itself.’—Arit Anderson, garden designer, chartered member of The Landscape Institute‘Gardening for nature shouldn’t be a radical act, but it takes courage to trade power tools and pesticides for hand tools and native plants. The Ecological Gardener helps you brave the rewilding of your own patch through practical, inspirational advice for growing lightly on the land. With Matt Rees-Warren and the natural world as your guides, you can welcome all your wild neighbors, from slugs to the newts who eat them, to your life-sustaining space.’—Nancy Lawson, author of The Humane Gardener‘Gardening fads and styles come and go, from topiaries to green walls to Tropicalisimo. Yet the arc of understanding what a garden is slowly bends to the less controlled and naturally friendly. As our understanding of the connectedness and mostly concealed weave and warp of “life entire” gains steam, so too does our desire to fully embrace the whole. Within this context, Matt Rees-Warren does an admirable job in explaining the objectives while providing the garden-maker a satisfyingly readable map from which to find one’s personal paradise that welcomes the natural world into our own backyard.’—Daniel J. Hinkley, author of Windcliff and The Explorer’s Garden"The accompanying narrative is what sets this book apart; the breadth and depth of Rees-Warren’s experience allows him reflections that result in a philosophical exploration that is far more than just instruction (though the instruction is high quality, too)."—Booklist

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Book SynopsisDiscover the stories behind Jane Goodall’s visionary approach to community-led conservation. You know of Jane Goodall’s work with wild chimpanzees and her lifelong career advocating for environmental justice. But just as transformative is her work empowering local communities that live on the edge of human settlement to act to protect their natural resources—or to risk losing them forever. Local Voices, Local Choices: The Tacare Approach to Community-Led Conservation is the story of the Jane Goodall Institute’s holistic approach to conservation, which puts the local people in charge of preserving their surrounding ecosystems. Rather than conservationists leading the effort and imposing their solutions, local communities that live in the affected regions make their own decisions. Working with science and technology and with the support of conservationists, these communities grow to understand their human impact on the environment. By choosing to adopt sustainable livelihoods, they decide their own path into the future, finding ways to balance their environmental impact with their communities’ needs. Story by story, Local Voices, Local Choices brings readers into the diverse perspectives behind this approach to community-driven conservation—not only those of JGI staff and program partners but also, and equally, those of the local people who lead these initiatives. Read about: The origins of the Tacare approach, originally designed as a 1994 reforestation project with an abbreviation pronounced “ta-CAR-reh” A retired village member keeping the knowledge of medicinal plants alive in his community Spiritual and cultural story-holders who are vital to the recording and preservation of their traditional ecological knowledge Local people participating as forest monitors, village health workers, beekeepers, small-business owners, and educators of the next generation Former poachers turned advocates for sustainable land management Written for conservationists, fans of Jane Goodall, and readers interested in environmental issues, Local Voices, Local Choices is a vibrant expression of Jane Goodall’s vision and her hope that the Tacare approach will be understood and adopted wherever there is a need for genuine community-driven conservation. Local voices matter, and their choices can make all the difference for generations to come.Table of ContentsForeword by Jack Dangermond Introduction: The birth of Tacare by Jane Goodall The Jane Goodall Institute’s method of community-led conservation. 1 The human-made island: Mzee Jumanne Kikwale meets Jane Goodall at an impressionable age. Dr. Anthony Collins arrives to study Gombe’s baboons. 2 Paradigms and problems: Mzee Jumanne Kikwale moves back to Kigoma to teach the next generation about trees. Dr. Anthony Collins recalls Tacare’s earliest steps — and missteps. 3 1994: Understanding deforestation: George Strunden and the genesis of TACARE. 4 1994: The forester: Mzee Aristides Kashula sees both the forests and the trees. 5 Cultivating a holistic approach: Mzee Emmanuel Mtiti dances with donors. 6 Creating a common language: Dr. Lilian Pintea uses mapping technologies to develop a dialogue between communities and conservationists. 7 Local ambassadors: Learning from and speaking for the chimps: Gabo Paulo, Eslom Mpongo, Hamisi Mkono, Fatuma Kifumu, and Yahaya Almas reflect on decades of chimp observation at Gombe. 8 A confluence of disciplines: Dr. Shadrack Kamenya explains why indigenous researchers are essential to outreach efforts. Dr. Deus Mjungu dedicates his career to creating habitat corridors for endangered wildlife. 9 The cycles of old and new: Japhet Mwanang’ombe educates and inspires the younger generation. Hamisi Matama preserves the traditional ecological knowledge his mother taught him. 10 Seeking homeostasis: KANYACODA, VHTs, PFOs, KIKACODA: Working toward human and ecological health in Uganda. 11 The fatal interface KACODA, Uganda: Finding successful strategies to reduce human/chimp conflict. 12 From the cloud to the ground: Ugandan Wildlife Authority: Obed Kareebi, Frank Sarube, and Philemon Tumwebaze on poverty, technology, and conservation. 13 Outreach through fire: Dario Merlo hears Jane’s words of hope as bombs fall on Goma. 14 The banks and the bees: Phoebe Samwel links microcredit to women’s empowerment Kapeeka Integrated Community Development Association (KICODA) harvests honey — and venom. 15 Changing the retirement plan: Mama Sonja manages difficult conversations about choice. 16 Of women champions: Alice Macharia paves the way for African women in conservation. Yakaka Saweya explains why so many village girls don’t complete their education. 17 The cycle of regeneration: Alice Macharia is in it for the long term — and the short term. 18 A “talking office” with maps: Joseline Nyangoma, Hoima district natural resources officer, wants science to tell a story. 19 People, pixels, and puff adders: Dr. Lilian Pintea contemplates different ways of knowing. Conclusion

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"An excellent grounding in how fire functions, how we think about it and why that matters. In Pyne’s hands, fire becomes more than simply a natural phenomenon." * Los Angeles Times *"Stephen J. Pyne takes a measured, historical, and ecological approach to fire. . . . [A] brief but highly impactful book." * Science *"The Pyrocene is his fullest elucidation yet of how humanity has entered a new age of fire, one that redefines the human-altered era of the Anthropocene. And Pyne . . . is certainly the best writer to make this argument." * Nature *"The Pyrocene may be just the type of analysis that we need to reformulate our understanding of fire and to prepare for the longue duree of a fire age." * Natural Resources and Environment *"A tremendous read, an incisive account of the history and science of fire alongside the evolution of hominids." * Organic Gardener *"Pyne’s book is [a] wonderful and worthy read." * Metascience *"A sweeping, deep biological and geological history of the Earth and how its human inhabitants have for the first time shaped its current state and future." * Utah Historical Quarterly * "Pyne’s book is another wonderful and worthy read. It is a culmination of his work and thinking about fire spanning over forty years." * Springer Nature *Table of ContentsPrologue: Between Three Fires 1 Fire Planet: Fire Slow, Fire Fast, Fire Deep 2 The Pleistocene 3 Fire Creature: Living Landscapes 4 Fire Creature: Lithic Landscapes 5 The Pyrocene Epilogue: Sixth Sun Author's Note Notes Bibliographic Essay Index

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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 SynopsisThis thought-provoking book introduces a way to study ecosystems that is resonant with current thinking in the fields of earth system science, geobiology, and planetology. Instead of organizing the subject around a hierarchical series of entities (e.g. genes, individuals, populations, species, communities, and the biosphere), the book provides an alternative process-based approach and proposes a truly planetary view of ecological science. It demonstrates how the idea of fundamental ecological processes can be developed at the systems level, specifically their involvement in control and feedback mechanisms. This enables the reader to reconsider fundamental ecological processes such as energy flow, guilds, trade-offs, carbon cycling, and photosynthesis, and to put them in a global (and even planetary) context. In so doing, the book places a much stronger emphasis on microorganisms. Since publication of the first edition in 2006, ever growing societal concern about environmental sustainability has ensured that the earth system science/Gaian approach has steadily gained traction. Its integration with ecology is now more important than ever if ecological science is to effectively contribute to the massive problems and future challenges associated with global environmental change. The Fundamental Processes in Ecology is an accessible text for senior undergraduates, graduate student seminar courses, and researchers in the fields of ecology, environmental sustainability, earth system science, evolutionary biology, palaeontology, history of life, astrobiology, planetology, climatology, geology, and physical geography.Table of ContentsPreface Part I: Introduction 1: Introducing the Thought Experiment Part II: The Fundamental Processes 2: Energy Flow 3: Multiple Guilds 4: Trade-offs and Biodiversity 5: Dispersal 6: Ecological Hypercycles: Covering a Planet with Life 7: Merging of Organismal and Ecological Physiology 8: Photosynthesis 9: Carbon Sequestration Part III: Emerging Systems 10: Nutrient Cycling as an Emergent Property 11: Historical Contingency and the Development of Planetary Ecosystems 12: From Processes to Systems

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Book SynopsisA concise but comprehensive introduction to the biology of standing waters (lakes and ponds). As with other books in the Biology of Habitats Series, the emphasis in this book is on the organisms that dominate freshwater environments. Management and conservation aspects are also considered. The first edition of the book published in 1998 with a second, revised edition in 2005. There has been significant development in the field since the last revision appeared, particularly in the ecology of lakes and ponds in subtropical and tropical areas, and a new revision of this now classic text is timely.Trade ReviewLike the first 2 editions (1998, 2005), this one offers an excellent integration of information on limnology, ecology, evolution, and environmental science and a focus on adaptation of organisms to aquatic environments. In this edition, the authors incorporate new concepts, findings of current research, and discussion of new threats to aquatic biodiversity. * Conservation Biology *It does an excellent job at introducing a remarkably wide array of limnological concepts for such a small book. It is very readable and its style will inspire many undergraduate students. * Limnology and Oceanography Bulletin *Table of Contents1: Introduction 2: The abiotic frame and adaptations to cope with abiotic constraints 3: The organisms: the actors within the abiotic frame 4: Biotics: competition, herbivory, predation, parasitism, and symbiosis 5: Food web interactions in freshwater ecosystems 6: Biodiversity and environmental threats

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Book SynopsisCommunity ecology has undergone a transformation in recent years, from a discipline largely focused on processes occurring within a local area to a discipline encompassing a much richer domain of study, including the linkages between communities separated in space (metacommunity dynamics), niche and neutral theory, the interplay between ecology and evolution (eco-evolutionary dynamics), and the influence of historical and regional processes in shaping patterns of biodiversity. To fully understand these new developments, however, students continue to need a strong foundation in the study of species interactions and how these interactions are assembled into food webs and other ecological networks. This new edition fulfils the book''s original aims, both as a much-needed up-to-date and accessible introduction to modern community ecology, and in identifying the important questions that are yet to be answered. This research-driven textbook introduces state-of-the-art community ecology to a Table of Contents1: Community ecology's roots Part I The Big Picture: patterns, causes, and consequences of biodiversity 2: Patterns of biological diversity 3: Biodiversity and ecosystem functioning Part II The Nitty-Gritty: species interactions in simple modules 4: Population growth and density dependence 5: The fundamentals of predator-prey interactions 6: Selective predators and responsive prey 7: The fundamentals of competitive interactions 8: Species coexistence and niche theory 9: Beneficial interactions in communities: Mutualism and facilitation Part III Putting the Pieces Together: food webs, ecological networks and community assembly 10: Species interactions in ecological networks 11: Food chains and food webs: Controlling factors and cascading effects 12: Community assembly and species traits Part IV Patial Ecology: metapopulations and metacommunities 13: Patchy environments, metapopulations and fugitive species 14: Metacommunities Part V Species in Changing Environments: ecology and evolution 15: Species in variable environments 16: Evolutionary community ecology 17: Some concluding remarks and a look ahead

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Book SynopsisPresents the principles, theory, methods, and applications of landscape ecology and is supplemented by numerous examples and case studies from a variety of systems.Trade ReviewWith summarizes her extensive experience in researching and teaching landscape ecology, accompanied by great artwork, in a well-written and clear textbook that will likely make it a frequently consulted source of information for landscape ecology courses. * Ezequiel González, Conservation Biology *Beautifully produced, with high quality full color figures and images throughout, together with lively tables and boxes, chapter summary points and questions,Essentials is the first landscape ecology textbook I've seen that feels completely prepared to serve as the only assigned text for an introductory undergraduatecourse in landscape ecology...with this textbook, landscape ecology is now finally ready to become the mainstream university subject it was always meant to be. * Erle C. Ellis, Landscape Ecology *Table of Contents1: An Introduction to Landscape Ecology: Foundation and Core Concepts 2: Scaling Issues in Landscape Ecology 3: Landscape Heterogeneity and Dynamics 4: Landscape Pattern Analysis 5: Landscape Connectivity 6: Landscape Effects on Individual Movement and Dispersal: Behavioral Landscape Ecology 7: Landscape Effects on Population Distributions and Dynamics 8: Landscape Effects on Population Spatial Spread: Range Shifts, Biological Invasions, and Landscape Epidemiology 9: Landscape Genetics: Landscape Effects on Gene Flow and Population Genetic Structure 10: Landscape Effects on Community Structure and Dynamics 11: Landscape Effects on Ecosystem Structure and Function

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Book SynopsisBiogeography is the study of geographic variation in all characteristics of life - ranging from genetic, morphological and behavioural variation among regional populations of a species, to geographic trends in diversity of entire communities across our planet''s sufrace. From the ancient hunters and gatherers to the earliest naturalists, Charles Darwin, Alfred Russel Wallace, and scientists today, the search for patterns in life has provided insights that proved invaluable for understanding the natural world. And many, if not most, of the compelling kaleidoscope of patterns in biological diversity make little sense unless placed in an explicit geographic context. The Very Short Introduction explains the historical development of the field of biogeography, its fundamental tenets, principles and tools, and the invaluable insights it provides for understanding the diversity of life in the natural world. As Mark Lomolino shows, key questions such as where species occur, how they vary from place to place, where their ancestors occurred, and how they spread across the globe, are essential for us to develop effective strategies for conserving the great menagerie of life across our planet.ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.Trade ReviewThis is a good read on a fascinating discipline that Lomolino's holistic approach, which includes geology, paleontology, anthropology, ecology, evolution, and conservation science, serves well. * Society for Conservation Biology *Table of ContentsAcknowledgements List of illustrations 1: Biological diversity and the geography of nature 2: Dynamics maps of a dynamic planet 3: Geography of diversification 4: Retracing evolution across space and time 5: The geography of biological diversity 6: Macroecology and the geography of micro-evolution 7: The geographic and ecological advance of humanity Further reading Index

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