Biodiversity / Ecosystems Books

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

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe third and final updated edition of David Attenborough's classic Life trilogy. Life on Earth covered evolution, Living Planet , ecology, and now The Trials of Life tackles ethology, the study of how animals behave.Trade ReviewPraise for the New Edition of Life on Earth: ‘It does not disappoint. The new Life on Earth is as glorious as the first’ Guardian ‘A beautiful and wide ranging work. The breadth of natural history covered is extraordinary and mesmerising. Life on Earth is still breathtakingly rich, and we would know far less about it were it not for Attenborough’s wonderful skills of communication over the years: our cultural and scientific lives would be poorer without him’ New Scientist ‘This natural history masterpiece offers a spectacular snapshot of a once-wild planet’ New Scientist Praise for David Attenborough: ‘A marvellous book … unputdownable … utterly engaging’ Telegraph ‘An elegant and gently funny writer’ The Times ‘His writing is as impressive and as enjoyable as his TV programmes and there can be no higher praise’ Daily Express ‘A great educator as well as a great naturalist’ Barack Obama ‘Sir David is a wizard of television, and, like Gandalf or Dumbledore, he has a near-magical gift for combining warmth and gravitas . . . the man who, for me, exemplifies the best in British broadcasting’ Louis Theroux ‘When I was a young boy I used to love turning on the television and watching David's programmes and really feeling like I was either back out in Africa or I was learning about something magical and almost out of this planet’ HRH Prince William

Read more less

Book Synopsis

Read more less

Book SynopsisBy the Wainwright-Conservation-Prize-winning author of RebirdingSpend a year in an orchard, celebrating its imperilled, overlooked abundance of life. England''s ancient orchards, collaborations between people and nature, are sources of hope for the future. Protecting them promises a far richer England for the centuries to come, for wildlife and for us.As the seasons turn, a wealth of animals and plants are revealed: Bumble and solitary bees apartment-hunting in April; spotted flycatchers migrating in May; redstarts, hedgehogs and owls nesting in June; an explosion of life in the summer and the harvest and homespun cider-making in the autumn. And all throughout the year, the orchard's human and animal inhabitants work together, creating one of the richest ecosystems left in Britain.Explore this unique habitat throughout the course of a year, and marvel at the beauty and strength of nature.Trade ReviewPraise for Orchard ‘Enchanting’ Daily Mail ‘Vivid [and] full of unexpected revelations … Orchard has much to offer in its observations of wildlife’ John Carey, Sunday Times ‘A wonderful new book from Benedict Macdonald and Nicholas Gates, veterans of the BBC’s Springwatch series … moves lyrically and vividly through one calendar year in an old Herefordshire orchard … Particularly moving’ New Statesman ‘From spores to sparrowhawks, there is never a dull moment. Lyrically written, Orchard is a love-letter to its jumbled “magical chaos” and a shining example of the things that can be achieved when humans come to work in balance and in harmony with nature’ BBC Wildlife ‘From slug-hunting toads and snuffling hedgehogs to percussion-playing spiders, woodpecker architects and zombie hoverflies, this wonderful book weaves together fascinating stories of the wildlife that lives in an old organic orchard … Excellent … I would recommend Orchard wholeheartedly’ Kathy Bishop, The Seasonal Table, Countryfile magazine ‘This book looks at an ancient English orchard throughout the course of a year, focusing on the wide range of wildlife that it supports … writing with a lyrical richness that beautifully evokes this unique setting … The result is a book that can be enjoyed on a lot of different levels from professional conservationists, to the most casual of everyday birdwatchers. Passionate and moving, this is highly recommended’ Birdwatch magazine ‘A rich and textured account of a year in this neglected habitat’ Stephen Moss ‘Enjoy this precious habitat and all its glories via this coffee-table worthy book that offers food for thought’ RSPB magazine ‘This beautiful exploration of natural history is an elegy for a disappearing way of life … captivating’ The Garden magazine

Read more less

Book Synopsis**Winner of the 2023 Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize**Discover the world as you've never seen it before - through the eyes of animals.'Immersive and mind-blowing' Peter Wohlleben, author of The Hidden Life of TreesThe Earth teems with sights and textures, sounds and vibrations, smells and tastes, electric and magnetic fields. But every animal is enclosed within its own unique sensory bubble, perceiving only a tiny sliver of this world.In An Immense World, Ed Yong coaxes us beyond the confines of our own senses, welcoming us into previously unfathomable dimensions - the world as it is truly perceived by other animals. Showing us that in order to understand our world we don't need to travel to other places; we need to see through other eyes.A NEW YORK TIMES, GUARDIAN, ECONOMIST, SPECTATOR, TIMES LITERARY SUPPLEMENT and NEW STATESMAN BOOK OF THE YEAR**Winner of 2023 Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction**'Suffused with magic' Siddhartha Mukherjee, author of The Song of the Cell'A book that prompts awe at the world around us' Sunday TimesSunday Times bestseller, July 2023Trade ReviewStanding out even during a recent golden age of nature writing, Ed Yong dazzles with a deeply considered exploration of the many modes of sensory perception that life has evolved to navigate the world, written with exhilarating freshness * Winner of 2023 Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction *[A] wondrous, lustrous, captivating book: Ed Yong's An Immense World... left me awed and stunned - and revolted by humanity's destructive pride and planetary abuse * Times Literary Supplement, *Books of the Year* *Full of extraordinary discoveries... an encyclopaedic, rigorously researched journey... recasts the world in breath-taking, bewildering immensity * Daily Telegraph *A hymn to the wonders of evolution... fascinating * Mail on Sunday *Yong succeeds in bringing a sense of grandeur to life on every scale * Financial Times *Not just a study of the myriad wonders of the natural world - though wondrous they are - but also a panoramic, complex portrait of the sensory capacities that underpin a multitude of life. ... In uncovering all this, Yong also shows why we should give more thought to our place in the world. * New Statesman, *Best Books of 2022* *An Immense World is an exploration of the ways in which our fellow creatures navigate, understand and interact with one another and their environment through senses. ... The result is so mind-boggling, it's tempting to say 'forget looking in deep space for astonishment'. But let's not do that. Let's continue searching there while also paying better attention to the miracles right under our noses. Yong's marvellous book shows us how. * Spectator, *Best Books of 2022* *This book lifts the shroud on previously invisible dimensions of the world itself * Economist, *Books of the Year* *A magic well of surprising, enlightening discoveries about the sensory worlds of other species... A brilliant book, marvellous and mesmerizing -- Jennifer Ackerman, author of The Genius of BirdsA stunning achievement - steeped in science but suffused with magic -- Siddhartha Mukherjee, author The Emperor of All MaladiesA delight... it prompts a radical rethink about the limits of what we know - what the world is, even. It is quite a book. And, I felt, putting it down, quite a world * Sunday Times *I love this book. Reading it is a delightful sensory experience... I truly enjoyed Yong's adventures in Wonderland! * Gaia Vince, author of Transcendence *A journal of discovery and animal magic, a sensory exploration that is a joy to read -- Susan Orlean, author of The Orchid ThiefMagnificent - an unbelievably immersive and mind-blowing account of how other animals experience our world -- Peter Wohlleben, author of The Hidden Life of Trees and The Inner Life of AnimalsLike stepping into a new kind of Alice in Wonderland. The perfect mixture of revelation, curiosity, science, beautiful prose and buckets full of wonders -- Andrea Wulf, author of The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New WorldA cornucopia of wonders... a fascinating reminder of the humbling truth that most of what happens among life forms on Earth is beyond our ken -- David Quammen, author of SpilloverAn expansive, constantly revelatory exploration of the biosphere's sensorium... Ed Yong is my favourite contemporary science writer -- William Gibson, author of Neuromancer and The PeripheralEvery page finds the reader mouthing quiet whoa's, as the world she thought she knew opens out into a hundred others, improbable, strange, and fabulous. -- Mary Roach, author of Fuzz and StiffAn Immense World took my hand and brought me on a journey I'll never forget. After reading this book, I'll never look at our planet the same way again -- Clint Smith, author of How the Word is PassedA whirlwind tour of animal perceptual abilities. A magnificent book * Frans de Waal, author of Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist *

Read more less

Book SynopsisTHE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER'A wonderful book' - Tristan Gooley, author of How To Read A Tree'Unique and thrilling' - Ben Rawlance, author of The Treeline'A celebration of the oak as nature's masterpiece' - Daniel Lewis, author of Twelve Trees'A glorious, revelatory tale of a tree that enlarges our world' - Patrick Barkham, author of The Butterfly IslesThe enchanting biography of an ancient tree.For over two centuries, as rulers have risen and fallen and wars have raged, one majestic oak tree has lived out an epic drama. From germination in 1780 to adapting to the changing climate of the modern age, its struggles and triumphs took place far from human eyes. That is, until one day a young man named Laurent Tillon came across it, and a decades-long relationship began ... In this dazzling book, biodiversity expert Tillon narrates the story of the tree he calls Quercus. Evoking the richness which is all around us, he reveals that Quercus is embedded in a network of ever-shifting relationships, from close alliances between plants and animals to battles between insects, birds and fungi.A book of ecology unlike any other, Being An Oak offers a tree-eyed view of life on earth.Translated by the award-winning translator Jessica Moore.

Read more less

Book Synopsis'Jake Fiennes is changing the face of farming in Britain... a revolutionising force' Isabella TreeOur relationship with our land is broken: we must heal it.Jake Fiennes is on a mission to change the face of the English countryside. As Conservation Manager at Holkham in Norfolk, one of the country's largest historic country estates, his radical habitat restoration and agricultural work has nurtured its species and risen its crop yields - bringing back wetlands, hedgerows, birds and butterflies over 25,000 acres of land.But this isn't rewilding - there is no 'wild' in Britain anymore. Mass farming, crop science and industrial chemicals have destroyed the majority of our natural landscape and wildlife over the last century. Land Healer is the story of Fiennes's ambition to bring back our flora and fauna - by reclaiming our traditions and trialling new experiments which could restore our symbiosis with our land, and save our shared future.Following the farming year and the natural cycle of the seasons, Land Healer chronicles a life of conservation lived at the edges, and is a manifesto for rethinking our relationship with the natural world before it's too late.Trade ReviewJake Fiennes is changing the face of farming in Britain ... A revolutionising force -- Isabella TreeWith mud on his boots and hope in his heart, Fiennes tells a powerful and uplifting story of food, farming and living with nature -- Matthew ParrisWe can only solve the crises of climate, extinction and human ill-health by healing our relationship with the land. Jake Fiennes shows us how in this inspiring, realistic and practical book -- Patrick BarkhamA powerful call to arms, this fascinating book makes a clear case to put farming at the heart of the restoration of our countryside -- Sarah Langford, author of RootedOne of the motive forces behind this new way of looking at the land -- Tony Juniper, Chair of Natural England

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe essential photographic guide to Ireland''s wildlife.Collins Complete Irish Wildlife describes almost all the mammals, birds, fish and butterflies of Ireland likely to be encountered by the keen amateur naturalist, as well as all the common and widespread flowers, trees and shrubs. With over 1,000 colour photographs, this comprehensive guide illustrates every species described. The introduction by Ireland''s best known wildlife expert, Derek Mooney, sets out where you can find the best of Irish wildlife.Reptiles and amphibians, insects and spiders, molluscs and other invertebrates are also featured, and species are organised taxonomically. Each section is coded with a symbol for quick reference and species are grouped according to natural relationships and similarities. Collins Complete Irish Wildlife is a book no nature lover should travel without.Trade ReviewPraise for the Collins Complete series: 'Wonderfully descriptive photographs'BBC Wildlife 'Packs in lots of well-chosen detail in compact form'British Wildlife ‘A bookshelf essential’The Field

Read more less

Book SynopsisThere are fewer grey seals in the world than endangered African elephants, but the British Isles host almost half of this global population. Every year these charismatic animals, with their expressive eyes and whiskers more sensitive than our fingertips, haul out on our shores to breed and raise their pups.Trade ReviewPraise for Susan Richardson 'Cut and precise, archaic and innovative, transcendent and in-the-moment, [Susan Richardson] sees the life of the sea as a mirror of ourselves, and vice versa: always changing, always the same … Vital, glorious and salutary ' Philip Hoare, author of Leviathan ‘[Richardson] writes in prehensile language, capable of grasping something vast, ancient, chthonic: the Earth in must. Jay Griffiths, author of Wild ‘[Richardson] shows how art and writing can furnish both beautiful and challenging reflections on our relationship with animals … Precise and playful; rhapsodic and rebellious’ Andy Brown ‘Sparkling’ Margaret Elphinstone ‘Richardson’s voice swoops – passionate, ribald, funny, fierce – taking you up, on exhilarating flight, out from the cage of the everyday mind.’ Eleanor O’Hanlon, author of Eyes of the Wild ‘[Richardson] balances observation with “unseeing”, science with shamanism and myth’ Chris Kinsey ‘Susan Richardson beautifully marries the landscape of the polar regions with their – and her own – emotional topography.’ Sara Wheeler

Read more less

Book Synopsis''A gripping read for anyone who cares about what we''re doing to the planet and how we can change it'' DAVID SHUKMAN, FORMER BBC NEWS SCIENCE EDITOR''Searing observations focused on our need to protect biodiversity - A tour de force'' SIR TIM SMIT OBE, CO-FOUNDER OF THE EDEN PROJECT''An informative, uplifting and truly important book'' JONATHON PORRITT, AUTHOR AND CAMPAIGNEROne woman''s journey through South America - and the devastating story of our planet''s disappearing biodiversityPedalling hard for thirteen months, eco adventurer Kate Rawles cycled the length of the Andes on an eccentric bicycle she built herself. The Life Cycle charts her mission to find out why biodiversity is so important, what''s happening to it, and what can be done to protect it.From the Pacific Ocean to rainforests and salt flats, Kate learns that armadillos can cross rivers by holding their breath, that Colombia has more species of birds than North America and Europe combined, and that in threatening ecos

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn exploration of the key aspects of life on Earth – now and in the future – through the study of 10 and a half species. 'Entertaining and intellectually stimulating... The book highlights the wonderfully interconnected nature of our fragile planet. If you want big science at an accessible scale, this is for you' BBC Wildlife If an alien visitor were to collect ten souvenir life forms to represent life on earth, which would they be? This is the thought-provoking premise of Marianne Taylor's The Story of Life in 10½ Chapters. Each life form explains a key aspect about life on Earth. From the sponge that seems to be a plant but is really an animal to the almost extinct soft-shelled turtle deemed extremely unique and therefore extremely precious, these examples reveal how life itself is arranged across time and space, and how humanity increasingly dominates that vision. Taylor, a prolific science writer, considers the chemistry of a green plant and ponders the possibility of life beyond our world. She investigates the virus in an attempt to determine what a life form is; and wonders if the human – 'a distinct and very dominant species with an inevitably biased view of life' – could evolve in a new direction. She tells us that the giraffe was one species, but is now four; that the dusky seaside sparrow may be revived through 're-evolution', or cloning; explains the significance of Darwin's finch to evolution; and much more. The 'half' species is artificial intelligence. Itself an experiment to understand and model life, AI is central to our future – although from the alien visitor's standpoint, unlikely to inherit the earth in the long run.Trade ReviewOutstanding work... Taylor's writing is concise and accessible to a wide audience, while the book's vibrant, attractive layout, filled with beautiful illustrations, adds luster to the text. This rich survey of the long evolution of life on Earth will keep readers focused and fascinated' * Publishers Weekly *Taylor draws the reader in, not only with her species selection and detailed science, but also by means of colourful diagrams and photographs... Throughout the book is both entertaining and intellectually stimulating... The book highlights the wonderfully interconnected nature of our fragile planet. If you want big science at an accessible scale, this is for you' * BBC Wildlife *

Read more less

Book SynopsisFollowing on from the success of The Good Bee, this beautifully illustrated celebration of insects by leading entomologist George McGavin highlights the pivotal role they play in our ecosystems, and what we can do to help them survive and thrive.Insects are fascinating and ingenious. They also play an incredibly important role in maintaining life on planet Earth, and are particularly pivotal to our own survival. And yet they are under threat because of us. Since they appeared on land 420 million years ago, these small six-legged animals have been pioneers and ultimate survivors. Around 87 per cent of all plant species need animal pollination and most of this is delivered by insects - they also maintain healthy soil, assist in decomposition and are essential to the food web. This book is a celebration, and also a call to arms. One of the UK’s foremost entomologists and respected academics, George McG

Read more less

Book SynopsisIslands are special because they promote unique forms  of life,  and large proportions of the species they hold are found  nowhere else on Earth. The mammals of the South-west Pacific are no exception, with many distributed only across single islands or archipelagos.Mammals of the South-west Pacific details the natural history for more than 180 species of marsupials, bats and rodents from 24 Pacific nations and territories. Species profiles are accompanied by distribution maps, illustrations and photographs many being the first images ever captured for the species. By combining available knowledge with unpublished data collected over years of field work, Mammals of the South-west Pacific forms a definitive guide to the mammals from this region. Table of ContentsAbout the authors. Preface. Acknowledgements. Foreword. Introduction. Species Accounts. Geology. Flora and Vegetation. Human Presence, Translocation and Extinction. Paleontology. Zoogeography. Conservation of South-west Pacific Mammals. Monotremata. Dasyuromorphia. Peramelemorphia. Diprotodontia. Rodentia. Chiroptera. Introduced Species. Glossary. Appendix A: Annotated Faunal list for the nations and territories of the region

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis comprehensive reader offers in-depth analyses of critical developments in environmental values, bringing together in one volume the most influential scholarship in the field. Each carefully selected contribution assesses some of the most pressing questions of our time, focusing on the relationship between human values, world views and preferences, and the natural world. As the first reader of its kind in a rapidly expanding multidisciplinary field, this text provides students with a valuable framework for understanding the intellectual progress and future development of the study of environmental values. The book clearly emphasizes that environmental values must be understood not only as economic, benefit-cost or 'willingness to pay' considerations, but also as normative principles that are fundamental to behaviour and management practices.Table of ContentsEnvironmental Values: An Introduction * Part I: Economic Themes in Environmental Values * Contingent Valuation: A User's Guide * Economic and Ecological Concepts for Valuing Ecosystem Services * The Development of Environmental Thinking in Economics * Part II: Philosophical and Ethical Themes in Environmental Values * Non-Anthropocentric Value Theory and Environmental Ethics * Environmental Ethics and Weak Anthropocentrism * A Defence of the Deep Ecology Movement * Radical American Environmentalism and 'Wilderness' Preservation: A Third World Critique * Class, Race and Gender Discourse in the Ecofeminism/Deep Ecology Debate * The Biological Basis for Human Values of Nature * Part III: Anthropological and Sociological Themes in Environmental Values * Christianity, Environmentalism and the Theoretical Problem of Fundamentalism * Measuring Endorsement of the New Ecological Paradigm: A Revised NEP Scale * Value Orientations, Gender and Environmental Concern * Environmental Values: A Place-Based Theory * Part IV: Judgement and Decision Making Themes in Environmental Values * Valuing Public Goods: The Purchase of Moral Satisfaction * Protected Values * Aggregation and Deliberation in Valuing Public Goods: A Look Beyond Contingent Pricing * Valuing Environmental Resources: A Constructive Approach * What Should We Do? Human Ecology and Collective Decision Making *

Read more less

Book SynopsisPrato and Fagre offer the first systematic, multi-disciplinary assessment of the challenges involved in managing the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem (CCE), an area of the Rocky Mountains that includes northwestern Montana, southwestern Alberta, and southeastern British Columbia. The spectacular landscapes, extensive recreational options, and broad employment opportunities of the CCE have made it one of the fastest growing regions in the United States and Canada, and have lead to a shift in its economic base from extractive resources to service-oriented recreation and tourism industries. In the process, however, the amenities and attributes that draw people to this 'New West' are under threat. Pastoral scenes are disappearing as agricultural lands and other open spaces are converted to residential uses, biodiversity is endangered by the fragmentation of fish and wildlife habitats, and many areas are experiencing a decline in air and water quality. Sustaining Rocky Mountain Landscapes provides a scientific basis for communities to develop policies for managing the growth and economic transformation of the CCE without sacrificing the quality of life and environment for which the land is renowned. The book begins with a natural and economic history of the CCE. It follows with an assessment of current physical and biological conditions in the CCE. The contributors then explore how social, economic, demographic, and environmental forces are transforming ecosystem structure and function. They consider ecosystem change in response to changing patterns of land use, pollution, and drought; the increasing risk of wildfire to wildlife and to human life and property; and the implications of global climate change on the CCE. A final, policy-focused section of the book looks at transboundary issues in ecosystem management and evaluates the potential of community-based and adaptive approaches in ecosystem management.Trade Review'A timely, large-scale exposition about the natural and human forces that shape the CCE. The authors expertly indicate opportunities to maintain benefits and mitigate environmental damage in the region.' Donald M. McLeod, University of Wyoming 'The natural world is fast deteriorating from human activities. What can be done? A lot, as it turns out . . . Prato and Fagre apply the latest science to one of the largest areas of wilderness in the lower 48 states and Canada. If you are a land manager, hunter, recreationist, academic, or environmentalist - if you love and care about the outdoors - you need this book.' Ben Gadd, Author of Handbook of the Canadian Rockies 'A definitive work . . . By examining issues at regional to subregional scales, this volume informs resource management across geographic and institutional boundaries. This is good science with applications to both management and policy.' David L. Peterson, U.S. Forest ServiceTable of ContentsPart I. Introduction 1. Searching for Ecosystem Sustainability 2. Crown of the Continent Ecosystem: Profile of a Treasured Landscape Part II. Social Dimensions 3. Native Peoples and Archaeology of Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park 4. Economic Growth and Landscape Change 5. Sustaining Wildland Recreation: Issues, Challenges, and Opportunities Part III. Biophysical Dimensions 6. Alpine Ecosystem Dynamics and Change: A View from the Heights 7. Conserving Biodiversity 8. Aquatic Ecosystem Health 9. Conserving Water Resources Part IV. Ecosystem Dynamics 10. Paleo-Perspectives on Climate and Ecosystem Change 11. Modeling and Monitoring Biophysical Dynamics and Change 12. Ecosystem Responses to Global Climate Change 13. Fire Regimes and Their Management Part V. Management Issues and Challenges 14. Cumulative Effects Analysis and the Crown Managers Partnership 15. Transboundary Conservation and the Yellowstone to Yukon Conservation Initiative 16. Adaptive Ecosystem Management 17. Challenges of Managing Glacier National Park in a Regional Context 18. Resolving Transboundary Conflicts: The Role of Community-based Advocacy 19. Achieving Ecosystem Sustainability

Read more less

Book SynopsisA comprehensive and fully illustrated guide, this book is the definitive photographic reference guide for anyone interested in butterflies and moths found in Britain and Ireland.Every species that occurs regularly in Britain and Ireland is included, along with a section dealing with the rarest of the rare' extinct species or very rare immigrants. There follows the main section of the book, which covers our larger moths; every species that occurs regularly in Britain and Ireland is mentioned.Trade ReviewPraise for Paul Sterry: 'Wonderfully descriptive photographs'BBC Wildlife ‘Whether you are a keen amateur or someone with a passing interest, this book will satisfy your needs.’The Sea 'Packs in lots of well-chosen detail in compact form'British Wildlife Magazine ‘A bookshelf essential’The Field

Read more less

Book SynopsisToday there is no place on Earth that does not harbour invasive exotic species. Invasive plants and animals can be found on every continent, including Antarctica, and within all waterbodies, including all oceans. In our increasingly connected world, with speedy commercial and recreational travel and the global movement of biological matter for food, invasive species are showing up at such a fast rate that there is no way to accurately count how many currently exist or how many are likely to emerge in the coming decades. Monitoring these species and controlling their spread is essential, as we increasingly understand the negative impacts they pose: their threat to our health; the toll they take on our commercial production; and the threat they pose to native ecosystems. This Very Short Introduction provides a clear definition of an invasive species, and considers the myriad ways they are moved around the globe, and the ecological, social, and economic impacts they often impose. Exploring the way Earth''s biodiversity is being affected by global change, Julie Lockwood also discusses policy and management approaches to combating the ill-effects of invasive species, and how invasive species fit within the broader context of environmental change. 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.Table of ContentsList of illustrations 1: What is an invasive species? 2: Invasion pathways 3: Establishment 4: Spread 5: Ecological impact 6: Socio-economic impact 7: Policy and management 8: Future of invasion science Future reading Index

Read more less

Book Synopsis______________''Remarkable ... Emma Marris explores a paradox that is increasingly vexing the science of ecology, namely that the only way to have a pristine wilderness is to manage it intensively'' The Wall Street Journal''Ms Marris''s book is an insightful analysis of the thinking that informs nature conservation'' - The Economist''What may be the most important book about the environment in a generation'' - Idaho Statesman______________A paradigm shift is roiling the environmental world. For decades people have unquestioningly accepted the idea that our goal is to preserve nature in its pristine, pre-human state. But many scientists have come to see this as an outdated dream that thwarts bold new plans to save the environment and prevents us from having a fuller relationship with nature. Humans have changed the landscapes they inhabit since prehistory, and climate change means even the remotest places now bear the fingerprints of humanity. Emma Marris argues convincingly that it is time to look forward and create the "rambunctious garden," a hybrid of wild nature and human management.In this optimistic book, readers meet leading scientists and environmentalists and visit imaginary Edens, designer ecosystems, and Pleistocene parks. Marris describes innovative conservation approaches, including rewilding, assisted migration, and the embrace of so-called novel ecosystems.Rambunctious Garden is short on gloom and long on interesting theories and fascinating narratives, all of which bring home the idea that we must give up our romantic notions of pristine wilderness and replace them with the concept of a global, half-wild rambunctious garden planet, tended by us.______________''Marris is a whip-smart writer . . . already being compared to the greatest environmental writers and thinkers of the past century, Rachel Carson and Aldo Leopold'' - San Francisco Chronicle______________

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn eagerly anticipated addition to the New Naturalist series.The shieldbug is an amazing and beautiful species, rich with diversity in shape, form, size, life history, ecology, physiology and behaviour. But they are not commonly known, outside of specialist circles.Richard Jones' groundbreaking New Naturalist volume on shieldbugs encourages those enthusiasts who would otherwise be put off by the, to date, rather technical literature that has dominated the field, providing a comprehensive natural history of this fascinating and beautiful group of insects.Trade ReviewPraise for New Naturalist Shieldbugs:‘Informative and excellent … Very readable and will appeal to all amateur naturalists as well as scientists. I would recommend anyone with an interest in Shieldbugs or insects in general, to get a copy. This one will be added to my book shelf, and is already “well-thumbed”!’ Pauline Rutherford FBNA, British Naturalists Association Praise for Richard Jones’ previous New Naturalist, Beetles: ‘Highly recommended for the bookshelf of anyone wishing to be better acquainted with these remarkable insects.’ British Wildlife Praise for the New Naturalist series: ‘Taken either individually or as a whole, they are one of the proudest achievements of modern publishing’ The Sunday Times ‘The series is an amazing achievement’ The Times Literary Supplement ‘The books are glorious to own’ Independent

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn eagerly anticipated addition to the New Naturalist series.The shieldbug is an amazing and beautiful species, rich with diversity in shape, form, size, life history, ecology, physiology and behaviour. But they are not commonly known, outside of specialist circles.Richard Jones' groundbreaking New Naturalist volume on shieldbugs encourages those enthusiasts who would otherwise be put off by the, to date, rather technical literature that has dominated the field, providing a comprehensive natural history of this fascinating and beautiful group of insects.Trade ReviewPraise for New Naturalist Shieldbugs:‘Informative and excellent … Very readable and will appeal to all amateur naturalists as well as scientists. I would recommend anyone with an interest in Shieldbugs or insects in general, to get a copy. This one will be added to my book shelf, and is already “well-thumbed”!’ Pauline Rutherford FBNA, British Naturalists Association Praise for Richard Jones’ previous New Naturalist, Beetles: ‘Highly recommended for the bookshelf of anyone wishing to be better acquainted with these remarkable insects.’ British Wildlife Praise for the New Naturalist series: ‘Taken either individually or as a whole, they are one of the proudest achievements of modern publishing’ The Sunday Times ‘The series is an amazing achievement’ The Times Literary Supplement ‘The books are glorious to own’ Independent

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis beautifully illustrated overview of the wildlife of the British Isles showcases the diversity of our plant and animal life.Wild Isles is a celebration of the wildlife found on a relatively modest collection of islands positioned at a latitude so northerly to be unattractive to many animals and plants. Despite these unpromising foundations, the islands of Britain and Ireland, together with more than 6,000 lesser islets that make up our archipelago, contain some of the most diverse, beautiful and wildlife-rich landscapes and seas on our planet.This book will explore the fascinating relationships within and between species who make their home on our beautiful isles.Each chapter focuses on a particular kind of wild space. Britain and Ireland are dominated by a wide variety of grasslands from lowland water meadows to upland moors, and we will see how these human-shaped, semi-natural landscapes thrum with insect, bird and mammal life. Life requires water to flourish, and streams and rivTrade Review‘Filled with glorious photography showcasing the biodiversity of our archipelago’ Radio Times Praise for Patrick Barkham 'Barkham is an outstanding author' CHRIS PACKHAM 'Outstanding nature journalism' HORATIO CLARE 'A heralded nature writer' THE TIMES 'A lovely, fluid writer' DAILY MAIL

Read more less

Book SynopsisWe don't know what we've got until it's gone...This brief, lucid book by the Director of Science at Royal Botanical Gardens takes you on an unforgettable tour of the natural world, showing how biodiversity - the rich variety of life in the world and in our own backyards - provides both the source and the salvation of our existence. Combining inspiration stories and the latest scientific research, Alex Antonelli reveals the wonders of biodiversity at a genetic, species and ecosystem level - what it is, how it works, and why it's the most important tool in our battle against climate change.A deeper understanding of biodiversity has never been more important, as the slow violence of habitat loss has put the fate of almost one-fifth of all species on Earth at risk of extinction in the coming decades. These building blocks of life form a network that underpins almost every aspect of our lives, providing invaluable sources of food, medicine, fibre, clothing, building material and more. With simplicity and clarity, The Hidden Universe shows you not only what's at stake, but what can be done (and is already being done) to protect and restore biodiversity around the world. It marks the arrival of a bold new voice in popular science.Trade Review'Engaging and urgent' * Nature *'The Hidden Universe is a smooth read ... biological facts are leavened by personal stories Antonelli tells of his "adventures" as a botanist traveling the world in search of plants.' * NewCity Lit *'For anyone who still needs winning around to our planet's beauty - and wants to know how we can save it - this is the book they should read.' * The Guardian *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'A gripping read for anyone who cares about what we're doing to the planet and how we can change it' DAVID SHUKMAN, FORMER BBC NEWS SCIENCE EDITOR'Searing observations focused on our need to protect biodiversity - A tour de force' SIR TIM SMIT OBE, CO-FOUNDER OF THE EDEN PROJECT'An informative, uplifting and truly important book' JONATHON PORRITT, AUTHOR AND CAMPAIGNEROne woman's journey through South America - and the devastating story of our planet's disappearing biodiversityPedalling hard for thirteen months, eco adventurer Kate Rawles cycled the length of the Andes on an eccentric bicycle she built herself. The Life Cycle charts her mission to find out why biodiversity is so important, what's happening to it, and what can be done to protect it.From the Pacific Ocean to rainforests and salt flats, Kate learns that armadillos can cross rivers by holding their breath, that Colombia has more species of birds than North America and Europe combined, and that in threatening species and ecosystems, we're tearing down our own life support system. En route, she witnesses the devastation of goldmining and oil drilling but finds hope in the incredible people working to regenerate habitats and communities. As she reaches the 'end of the world', she realises that to tackle biodiversity loss we all have a role to play.Trade ReviewThe best travelling companion you could dream up. [Rawles'] conversational style, ear for an anecdote and searing observations focused on our need to protect biodiversity are a tour de force ... Her language is easy and her sense of humour rarely more than a heartbeat away ... I finished the book with a sense of regret that the adventure was over, inspired by the awesome and deeply melancholy at the hells she visited along the way. Welcome to the complexity of the real world -- Tim Smit OBE, co-founder of the Eden ProjectThe Life Cycle's pace is brisk, the vistas magnificent, the many characters encountered along the way compellingly and entertainingly brought to life. Even the all-important diversions ... leave one feeling stronger, more resolute than ever to support the causes and organisations she champions. This is such an informative, uplifting and truly important book, making all the right connections across many different areas of concern -- Jonathon Porritt, author and campaignerProfound and funny, philosophical and gritty, this book shares both the pain of an incredibly brave woman traveller and the enchantment as she meets the pioneers of lifestyles that seek to restore biodiversity rather than exploit it. A gripping read for anyone who cares about what we're doing to the planet and how we can change it -- David Shukman, former BBC News science editor and visiting professor in practice at the LSE’s Grantham Research InstituteThe Life Cycle will change your life. Or it should. Here is one of those rare flowers of a story whose message is as powerful, and urgent, as the beautiful writing used to tell it. It will move you, as it did me. Open it, but don't just read it. Savour it -- Carlos Zorrilla, environmental activist, writer and photographerRawles built a bamboo bike for one, but with this book she takes each reader on her heart-wrenching and heart-warming ride through South America and into the pounding soul of the vibrant biodiversity we have ignored for way too long -- Christiana Figueres, co-host of the Outrage and Optimism podcast and former head of the UN Framework Convention on Climate ChangeA call to arms to protect what's left of our precious natural world. Kate's explorations open up new perspectives, helping us understand how our daily choices impact on people and species that may be far away, but with whom we are intimately linked and co-dependent -- Helen Browning OBE, organic farmer, author and CEO of the Soil AssociationKate's epic 8,000-mile journey on a bamboo bicycle was a fabulous adventure, but she also harnesses the power of adventure to inspire environmental action by bringing to life the tragedy of biodiversity loss that requires profound systemic change to tackle -- Alastair Humphreys, author, adventurer and host of the Living Adventurously podcastA beautifully written story of eco-adventure and eco-pilgrimage. Every page of this book is a testament to courage and commitment. It is as much an inspiring travelogue as it is a plea to care for the diversity of life on our precious planet. Crossing the continent of South America on a self-built bamboo bike and encountering radical eco-activists along the way is an enchanting narrative told passionately by Kate Rawles, herself an eco-warrior. Reading this book is an immensely engaging and entertaining as well as heart-breaking experience. Read this book, you might become an eco-activist! -- Satish Kumar, editor emeritus Resurgence and Ecologist and founder of Schumacher CollegeKate Rawles is an extraordinary woman - keen adventuress, intrepid cyclist, curious thinker, passionate environmentalist and a fabulous storyteller. Riding with her along high Andean roads but also through terrifying traffic, we get fascinating insights into people, environmental projects and the threat to biodiversity and our beautiful planet. I loved this book -- Andrea Wulf, author of The Invention of NatureIn this remarkable journey from one end of South America to another on a self-made bamboo bicycle, Kate Rawles brings the biodiversity crisis to vivid life. And she does it in a way that is at once thrillingly gripping, intimately heart-breaking, touchingly funny and full of fierce hope ... Few books have illuminated so clearly and honestly what is at stake. A magnificent, inspiring and unforgettable ride. -- Julian Hoffman, author of IrreplaceableThis fabulous book will make you want to live more fully, buy less junk and appreciate our world more. It will also make you want to rewire the whole economy and scream about the mess we are making. And it will make you want to jump on your bike -- Mike Berners-Lee, author of There is No Planet BI was captivated by Kate's unique ability to take such complex and paramount matters and craft them into a thrilling, meaningful and accessible story. Her joyful and inquisitive personality shines through as she brings the reader along for the ride, while she and Woody pedal on down to the end of the world. The Life Cycle will be taking pride of place on my bookshelf -- Jenny Graham, world record-breaking endurance cyclist, presenter and author'An epic tale, passionately and powerfully told, which is less a simple travelogue and more a call to arms for urgent action to save our planet's precious biodiversity. Travelling with her self-built bamboo bike Woody (the UK's first 'home-grown' bicycle), Rawles is an authentic, compelling narrator who acts as a living epitome of the eco-values she espouses. Fascinating - and often frightening - facts and figures leap from every page as she works her way down the length of South America, meeting a vast array of inspiring experts, activists and eco-warriors along the way. A deeply thought-provoking and essential read' -- Rebecca Lowe, author of The Slow Road to TehranRiveting, poignant and laugh-out-loud funny. From the "heart of the world" in Colombia to the devastating lead mines in Peru and from the coloured lakes of Bolivia to the final breathless dash for Ushuaia, The Life Cycle is un-put-downable. Its imagery will stay with you long after the last page is turned. From her own extraordinary endurance - and the stories of those she met along the way - Rawles has conjured up a kaleidoscopic "cosmovision" for our times: a passionate call to fight for the soul of the natural world - and, in doing so, to rescue our own. -- Tim Jackson, author of Post Growth: Life After CapitalismRawles clearly and succinctly explains a range of contemporary environmental issues ... Told with high-quality, well-organised writing, it's a coherent message that integrates perfectly with [her] own uncompromising determination to complete this inspiring journey in her own way. -- Chris Fitch * Geographical *[The Life Cycle] is about encountering nature up close, about biodiversity and habitat loss, and the destruction of ecosystems. The writer's observations - of people, places, wildlife - are endlessly diverting, her prose engaging and unpretentious as she takes us along for the ride -- Rose Shepherd * Saga Magazine *First-hand experiences are interwoven with copious facts and figures ... an environmentalist's call to arms. -- Anna Temkin, Times Literary SupplementBritish writer and cyclist Kate Rawles has a penchant for raising awareness about environmental challenges through her own adventures - and inspiring action in the process * Smithsonian Magazine *

Read more less

Book Synopsis'An original, wide-ranging and carefully researched book ... contains important lessons for humanity.' Mark Cocker, The SpectatorA fascinating insight into climate change biology around the globe, as well as in our own backyards.Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid is the first major book by a biologist to focus on the fascinating story of how the natural world is adjusting, adapting, and sometimes measurably evolving in response to climate change. Lyrical and thought-provoking, this book broadens the climate focus from humans to the wider lattice of life.Bestselling nature writer Thor Hanson - author of Buzz (a Radio 4 'Book of the Week') - shows us how Caribbean lizards have grown larger toe pads to grip trees more tightly during frequent hurricanes; and how the 'plasticity' of squid has allowed them to change their body size and breeding habits to cope with altered sea temperatures.Plants and animals have a great deal to teach us about the nature of what comes next, because for many of them, and also for many of us, that world is already here.Trade ReviewAn original, wide-ranging and carefully researched book ... contains important lessons for humanity. -- Mark Cocker * The Spectator *[A] fascinating exploration of climate change, exploring the adaptation of species in different habitats. Hanson is a biologist whose passion and expertise are writ large here, as he combines personal observations . . . with the latest scientific research in a lively, engaging and optimistic assessment of the planet's future. -- Hannah Beckerman * The Observer * Hanson supplies abundant reason to marvel at nature's ingenuity, but also to fear for it in the face of the drastic changes we are generating. -- Philip Ball * The Guardian, 'Book of the Day' *While humans wrestle with net zero targets and greenwashing, other species have had to adapt to the impacts of climate change, as American biologist, Thor Hanson, reveals in this carefully researched book. His accounts of how squid have responded to warmer waters, and lizards to fierce storms, are both poignant and sobering. * Financial Times, Environment Summer Books of 2022 *Nature-lovers ... will marvel at the incredible ingenuity of creatures across the globe. * Publishers Weekly *'This compelling read will spark the interest of everyone who cares about what is happening to the natural world.' * Library Journal (starred review) *A masterful storyteller, Hanson interweaves his own formative experiences into the narrative ... The book's forward-looking approach seems intended to encourage readers' curiosity about climate change, with the notion that, once suitably informed, they will feel compelled to take action. * Science *Hanson is an affable guide and storyteller, with a knack for analogy, a sense of humor and the natural curiosity of a scientist. * New York Times *[Hanson is] an ideal guide to a topic that might otherwise send readers down a well of despair. ... The challenge feels overwhelming, and as a single concerned citizen, much feels out of my hands. Yet Hanson's words did inspire me to take a cue from the rest of the species on this warming world to do what I can. * Science News *Close study of how animals are living with climate change reveals that humans are at the center of more things than we realize ... [Hanson makes] glaringly clear that we are not in command of what we have set in motion. The biodiversity and versatility on display in the animal kingdom of which we are part have lots to teach us. To remain at home in the world, we too will need to change. * The Atlantic *From the author of the much-loved Buzz comes a fascinating look at the transformations that are already underway all round the world . . . Hanson combines an in-depth understanding of climate change biology with lyrical writing and philosophical insight. * The Bath Magazine *Interesting and thought-provoking . . . This book is well worth reading, to embrace and take on the wider perspective that nature is more adaptable and able to change than we might realise. * Irish Tech News *An enjoyable, thought provoking book. * Brian Clegg, Popular Science *[A] whirlwind tour of the biological impacts of climate change ... easy and enjoyable to read. * Tegan Armarego-Marriott, Nature Climate Change *This isn't a doomsday look at the future of the Earth, but encourages the reader to think critically about the impact we have on the planet, offering valuable lessons for humankind to learn . . . [An] excellent read. * How it Works *Effortlessly combining insights into biological and climatological processes, Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid is a well-structured and smooth introduction to climate change biology. -- Leon Vlieger * The Inquisitive Biologist *

Read more less

Book SynopsisPermaculture needs all of us, and all of us need permaculture.Permaculture is a way of farming, gardening, or managing land for sustainable food that emphasizes a reciprocal relationship with nature. It?s also a way of living that has countless benefits for both individual and collective well-being and is an essential tool in the fight of our lives: tackling the climate crisis.Incorporating such concepts and practices as rewilding and community resilience, permaculture is an approach with core principles that center collectivism and stewardship. From these principles, we can take key lessons about how we interact with nature and with others in all areas of life.Exploring the history of permaculture, how it exists today, and combining practical prompts with personal stories, this book is written with expertise, yet is accessible and enjoyable for beginners and the experienced alike.Whether you?re completely new to permaculture, or you?re someone with experience who wants to reconnect and learn more about its history and principles, this book will contain valuable lessons for growth far beyond the garden.

Read more less

Book SynopsisEmblem is the debut collection from Lucy Mercer, winner of the inaugural White Review Poet's Prize. This is a book of ecological poetics, interested in exploring the changing symbols of the natural world in literature. Emblem revitalises this forgotten hybrid form in the present as a frame to contemplate the obscurities of motherhood, faith and the interior. In ghostly conversation with the sixteenth-century emblematist Andrea Alciato – a witness to a lonely time – the poems are carried forward by a non-linear dream logic of metaphor and similitude, speaking pictures who remain silent and a focus on an adjacent imaginal world. As well as reusing images from Alciato's emblem book, the poems fixate on alternating relations between text and image that blur into relations between mind and body, child and mother, red and green, past and present, public and private, the living and the dead.

Read more less

Book SynopsisA beautifully written and illustrated account of the threatened plant species that inhabit the British Isles.Britain and Ireland are home to around 300 species of rare flowering plants, and many more rare ferns, mosses, liverworts and freshwater algae. These are species at the cutting edge of biodiversity: fascinating, often beautiful, and in decline. Yet as some teeter on the brink, more rare species are still being discovered.In Rare Plants, prize-winning author Peter Marren describes the allure of Britain and Ireland's vanishing wild flora, from the simple joy of plant hunting to the wonder and (sometimes) weirdness of the plants themselves, as well as their important place in our landscape and culture. He also explores the condition of rarity in the context of our changing world and climate: why do plants become rare, what threats do they face, and what opportunities do we have to protect them before it is too late? The book concludes with an overvi

Read more less

Book SynopsisA major new look at how Africa's geological history, climate, geography and biology resulted in the wonderful diversity of life found there. It is also the story of how it was the crucible for the evolution most extraordinary species on Earth Homo sapiens.Africa has properties that ensure that most of human evolution could have occurred nowhere else. A greater diversity of mammal, bird and many other forms of life has forced more and more species to squeeze into narrower and narrower niches. Human complexity has evolved directly in response to this, the most complex of continents. On offer here is an intensely personal portrait of a continent bolstered by Jonathan Kingdon''s own animal senses, the same excited set of senses he was born in Africa with. Senses that look, listen, scent and grasp at the mother-continent. Not just his personal motherland but the birthplace of all humanity.Trade Review‘Magnificent. So rich, moving with ease through deep time and biological place, using a lifetime of thought’ Redmond O’Hanlon ‘Africa from the inside … Extremely good stuff’ Paul Theroux ‘Lovely … and the pictures are magnificent’ Richard Dawkins Praise for Jonathan Kingdon 'Jonathan Kingdon's work is one of the things that make the present day such an exciting time for anyone with the slightest intellectual curiosity. His subject matter is our profound and thrilling human origins, and his stance toward it makes his work unique and priceless' Philip Pullman 'Jonathan Kingdon is a subtle amalgam of artist and scientist. He has a deep and up-to-date knowledge of human prehistory, and of the topology and geography of Africa, the continent where most of human prehistory happened. But he is also our leading zoological artist, and I think it must be his artist's eye that gives his writing style its vividness' Richard Dawkins, Times Literary Supplement

Read more less

Book SynopsisFROM THE AUTHOR OF THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER,THE HIDDEN LIFE OF TREESA simultaneously stimulating and soothing blend of nature writing and science Strongly encourages tree hugging for our own, human sake' Guardian Summer Reads 2021A powerful return to the forest, where trees have heartbeats and roots are like brains that extend underground. Where the colour green calms us, and the forest sharpens our senses.In The Heartbeat of Trees, renowned forester Peter Wohlleben draws on new scientific discoveries to show how humans are deeply connected to the natural world. In an era of climate change, many of us fear we've lost our connection to nature, but Wohlleben is convinced that age-old ties linking humans to the forest remain alive and intact. We just have to know where to look.Drawing on science and cutting-edge research, The Heartbeat of Trees reveals the profound interactions humans can have with nature, exploring:the language of the forestthe consciousness of plantsand the eroding Trade Review‘A simultaneously stimulating and soothing blend of nature writing and science’ Guardian ‘Wohlleben confronts [climate change] directly. He is trenchant in his critique of tree plantations and wood-pellet-power plants, which claim to help the climate but, he argues, end up destabilizing it further’ New Yorker ‘[A] detailed, easy-to-read summary of what research has shown us about “the language of the forest, the consciousness of plants, and the eroding boundary between flora and fauna.” In this excellent and updated sequel to his The Hidden Life of Trees,[…] Wohlleben writes beautifully about the reciprocal bonds we can form with trees and all sorts of nature’ Psychology Today ‘It’s hard to dispute the book’s overall message; namely, that time spent in nature can serve as both a balm for anxiety and a bulwark against despair’ Globe and Mail ‘[An] eclectic look at humanity’s relationships with trees… Nature-minded readers will enjoy this episodic deep dive’ Publishers Weekly ‘Drawing on scientific evidence and his many years of experience, [Peter Wohlleben] extolls the wonders of the forest. A persuasive invitation to get outside and bathe in nature, perfect for tree huggers and fans of the author’s other books’ Kirkus Reviews ‘A return to the wonders of trees’ Booklist ‘[The Heartbeat of Trees] showcases the interconnectedness of humans and nature … Wohlleben takes a multidisciplinary approach, incorporating history, science, medicine, and mysticism. He balances poetic descriptions with analytical thoughts; beauty is at the heart of both. The result is a text that is full of wonder and insatiable curiosity, and that invites love for humanity and the natural world’ Foreword Reviews ‘[Like] a walk in the woods…[Wohlleben] urges hope, not despair, about our environmental malaise. [The Heartbeat of Trees] will appeal to fans of popular science and anyone curious about natural history’ Library Journal

Read more less

Book SynopsisThere are fewer grey seals in the world than endangered African elephants, but the British Isles host almost half of this global population. Every year these charismatic animals, with their expressive eyes and whiskers more sensitive than our fingertips, haul out on our shores to breed and raise their pups.As graceful in the sea as they might seem clumsy on land, grey seals have visited our shores and enriched our culture for centuries. Yet we still know relatively little about these captivating animals. As Susan Richardson journeys to the crags and crevices of the coast, she explores the mysteries and mythologies of seals, learning not just how they live but also how we ought to live with them.PRAISE FOR SUSAN RICHARDSONCut and precise, archaic and innovative, transcendent and in-the-moment, [Richardson] sees the life of the sea as a mirror of ourselves, and vice versa: always changing, always the same Vital, glorious and salutary'PHILIP HOARE, AUTHOR OF LEVIATHAN[Richardson] writes Trade ReviewPraise for Susan Richardson 'Cut and precise, archaic and innovative, transcendent and in-the-moment, [Susan Richardson] sees the life of the sea as a mirror of ourselves, and vice versa: always changing, always the same … Vital, glorious and salutary ' Philip Hoare, author of Leviathan ‘[Richardson] writes in prehensile language, capable of grasping something vast, ancient, chthonic: the Earth in must. Jay Griffiths, author of Wild ‘[Richardson] shows how art and writing can furnish both beautiful and challenging reflections on our relationship with animals … Precise and playful; rhapsodic and rebellious’ Andy Brown ‘Sparkling’ Margaret Elphinstone ‘Richardson’s voice swoops – passionate, ribald, funny, fierce – taking you up, on exhilarating flight, out from the cage of the everyday mind.’ Eleanor O’Hanlon, author of Eyes of the Wild ‘[Richardson] balances observation with “unseeing”, science with shamanism and myth’ Chris Kinsey ‘Susan Richardson beautifully marries the landscape of the polar regions with their – and her own – emotional topography.’ Sara Wheeler

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe third edition of this established textbook provides an updated and comprehensive overview of the essential background, concepts, and tools required to understand how genetics can be used to conserve species, reduce threat of extinction, and manage species of ecological or commercial importance.Trade ReviewThis textbook is foremost a great reference for upper level undergraduate or graduate courses, as well as a good go-to reference for conservation genetic professionals. As a teaching resource, the plentiful boxes and guest boxes that present recent literature and contextual examples provide great platforms for student discussion and improved comprehension. * S.J. Galla et al., Conservation Genetics *The book nicely complements the theory with real-world examples and provides important background reading, which I would recommend to each student starting a conservation genomics project. Informed conservationists will also benefit from the overview on what is possible with today's technologies. The authors did an excellent job in summarizing the recent developments and included the most recent discussion in the literature. * G. Segelbacher, Evolutionary Applications *This book provides a solid background on theory and concepts and demonstrates how they underpin the interpretation of genomic data. This is a strength that will see this book stay as one of the few key textbooks in conservation genetics in the future. It is straight to the point and ideal for those coming to grips with the world of conservation genomics. * L.E. Neaves, Biodiversity and Conservation *This book provides conservation biologists with an ideal way to get acquainted with evolutionary genetics and the use of genomics in conservation science. It will help readers gain insightful understanding of the theory of population genetics that underpins conservation genetics. The study of conservation genetics and genomics is assisted by a comprehensive glossary, which even sheds light on such unusual terms as gnomics! If you are using or planning to use a genomic approach in conservation, go for this edition; it will be invaluable. * G. Sramkó, Conservation Biology *Table of ContentsPreface PART I: INTRODUCTION 1: Introduction 2: Phenotypic Variation in Natural Populations 3: Genetic Variation in Natural Populations 4: Population Genomics PART II: MECHANISMS OF EVOLUTIONARY CHANGE 5: Random Mating Populations: Hardy-Weinberg Principle 6: Small Populations and Genetic Drift 7: Effective Population Size 8: Natural Selection 9: Population Subdivision 10: Beyond Individual Loci 11: Quantitative Genetics 12: Mutation PART III: EVOLUTIONARY RESPONSE TO ANTHROPOGENIC CHANGES 13: Hybridization 14: Invasive Species 15: Exploited Populations 16: Climate Change PART IV: CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT 17: Inbreeding Depression 18: Demography and Extinction 19: Population Connectivity 20: Units of Conservation 21: Conservation Breeding and Restoration 22: Genetic Identification 23: Genetic Monitoring 24: guest chapter author Helen R. Taylor: Conservation Genetics in Practice Glossary COMPANION WEBSITE MATERIALS (Available at www.oup.com/companion/AllendorfCGP3e ) Appendix: Probability, Statistics, and Coding References

Read more less

Book SynopsisWritten primarily for 16-19 year old students, this primer introduces the key features of the marine environment and explores the great diversity of life which the ocean supports, as well as discussing the threats to this environment and its biodiversity that result from human activity.Trade ReviewA great resource for any student or practitioner with an interest in marine science. * Dr Cecilia Liszka, The Marine Biologist, 26 April 2023 *It is undeniably an ambitious undertaking and strikes a necessary balance between breadth and depth of subject matter. It also does an impressive job of synthesizing this dynamic multidisciplinary field, and the result is a neat review of cross-cutting concepts and considerations any student of marine science will encounter throughout their career. * Dr Cecilia Liszka, The Marine Biologist, 26 April 2023 *The Marine Environment and Biodiversity certainly fulfils its brief: it provides an overview of some of the core branches of oceanographic science, illustrated with interesting case studies and a glossary of terms; it offers the motivated reader 'pause for thought' problems to explore independently; and each chapter ends with a selection of further reading and questions to stimulate discussion. * Dr Cecilia Liszka, The Marine Biologist, 26 April 2023 *Table of Contents1: The marine environment: United and divided 2: The ocean in motion 3: Seawater matters 4: What is marine biodiversity? 5: Measuring marine biodiversity 6: What does marine biodiversity do for us? 7: What are we doing to marine biodiversity?

Read more less

Book SynopsisWhy grow the same dull vegetables and herbs filling every supermarket shelf? If you''re putting in the effort and growing your own, better make it something sensational! There''s a thrilling diversity of rare and unusual heirloom plants out there: a riot of beauty, colour, and flavour that can only be experienced by growing your own. So saddle up and join the trail blazed by Mitch the Seed Hunter as he shows you how to source, grow, and enjoy the most amazing cropsin the world.The antithesis of mass-produced hybrids and genetically modified seed, heirloom crops provide a connection with the past, seeds that have been passed down through generations, rescued from oblivion, and preserved by a dedicated community of growers.From Italian flat onions to pink broad beans, apple-sized melons beloved of Queen Anne, to purple-and-white Gniff carrots from Switzerland (almost lost to extinction), orange okra from Japan, and ancient Aztec broccoli Mitch shares his passion for growing them all and making the most of their incredible flavours.

Read more less

Book SynopsisThis book is a celebration of the humble gudgeon, the angler's favourite 'tiddler'. This much-loved little fish is long overdue a little book all of its own. Scientist, author and broadcaster Dr Mark Everard tells tales about the biology of the gudgeon, gudgeon fishing, and the diverse social quirks and values of this most popular of little fishes.Table of ContentsIntroduction. What is a gudegeon? Gudgeon fishing. Gudgeon and people. Gudgeon bibliography.

Read more less

Book SynopsisFINALIST IN THE PEOPLE''S BOOK PRIZE FOR NON-FICTION 2022/2023 WRITTEN BY THE WAINWRIGHT-CONSERVATION-PRIZE-WINNING AUTHOR OF REBIRDING. Transform your understanding of the natural world forever and discover the wild forces that once supported Britain's extraordinary natural riches, and could again.Our precious archipelago is ravaged by climate change, bereft of natural ecosystems and lies at the mercy of global warming, flooding, drought and catastrophic biodiversity loss. But could restoring species that once helped protect our islands help turn this crisis around?From familiar yet imperilled honeybees and ancient oak woods to returning natives like beavers and boars, Britain's cornerstone species may hold the key to recovering our biodiversity on land and in our seas. In Cornerstones, we discover how beavers craft wetlands, save fish, encourage otters, and prevent rivers from flooding. We learn how disruptive' boars are seasoned butterfly conservationisTrade ReviewCornerstones makes a bold, riveting and visionary case for reviving the wild species that can help us restore our living planet. This is an exciting read! * Patrick Barkham, author of The Butterfly Isles and Wild Child *By concentrating on 'cornerstones', we have the potential to transform landscapes and lives. A brilliant read. * Bird Watching magazine *Very few writers can navigate the complexities of the interconnectedness of nature and humanity, but Macdonald achieves this with skill and impact. Cornerstones paves a compelling pathway of hope, and it is as bright and brilliant as it is essential. * Sophie Pavelle, author of Forget Me Not *It’s an interesting debate and one we should have. * Simon Lester, Country Life *This celebration of the species that anchor healthy, life-giving ecosystems is a timely reminder to recognise – and urgently protect – our common roots. * New Statesman *A primordially fortifying book. * New Statesman *It is ultimately a hopeful tale, and one well worth reading. * Lorraine Connolly, Country Life *Benedict Macdonald continues to come up with practical and effective solutions to the biodiversity crisis, with his latest book, Cornerstones. -- Stephen MossI think this is this author’s best book, so far, and that makes it excellent. -- Mark AveryMacdonald crams in evidence from a dizzying array of studies and writes with the urgency of an evangelist […] it’s exciting, convincing stuff. * Countryfile *Macdonald's skill is in painting a big picture and communicating the benefits for all to see. -- Keith Betton * Birdwatch magazine *This book is a brave, wonderfully descriptive and immensely important diagnosis of how far the countryside has drifted. -- Chris Fitch * Geographical *From the first sentence of the introduction, I was drawn in by evocative descriptions of Nature at its best. * Lorraine Connolly, Country Life *The author’s great strength is in painting vivid pictures, helping us to imagine a possible future where we have more self-willed, wilder land. -- Ian Carter * British Wildlife *Macdonald excels in describing the who and what of rewilding. He offers fascinating tales of the ways in which animals may transform British landscapes [...] Macdonald’s vision for rewilding reminds us of the potentially transformative animal lives around us. Humans could and should allow them to help restore our natural world. -- Barbara J. King * Times Literary Supplement *From this book you will uncover the important role ‘wild forces’ once played, and could play again, in boosting biodiversity and restoring broken ecosystems — all described in remarkably researched detail [...] one very important book. * Rewilding Britain *Table of ContentsIntroduction Chapter one - Boar Chapter two - Birds of Prey Chapter three - Beavers Chapter four - Whales Chapter five - Bees Chapter six - Cattle and Horses Chapter seven - Trees Chapter eight - Lynx and Wolves Chapter nine - Humans

Read more less

Book SynopsisSHORTLISTED FOR THE 2020 WAINWRIGHT PRIZE A naturalist’s passionate dive into the lives of bees (of all stripes)—and the natural world in her own backyard Brigit Strawbridge Howard was shocked the day she realised she knew more about the French Revolution than she did about her native trees. And birds. And wildflowers. And bees. The thought stopped her—quite literally—in her tracks. But that day was also the start of a journey, one filled with silver birches and hairy-footed flower bees, skylarks, and rosebay willow herb, and the joy that comes with deepening one’s relationship with place. Dancing with Bees is Strawbridge Howard’s charming and eloquent account of a return to noticing, to rediscovering a perspective on the world that had somehow been lost to her for decades and to reconnecting with the natural world. With special care and attention to the plight of pollinators, including honeybees, bumblebees, and solitary bees, and what we can do to help them, Strawbridge Howard shares fascinating details of the lives of flora and fauna that have filled her days with ever-increasing wonder and delight.Trade ReviewKirkus Reviews— A British naturalist offers crisp essays on her relationship with bees. In her debut book, Howard, a devoted bee advocate, pens a lengthy, knowledgeable, and occasionally poetic tribute to honeybees, bumblebees, and other buzzy creatures . . . [She] provides a nice balance between the very real science of studying bees and their function in nature and her cleareyed and eloquent observations about the natural world. Because of that balance, what might have sounded like a dry lecture turns into something far more interesting. Whether she's explaining how different bee species are classified, describing her mother's deteriorating health (and eventual death), or simply ruminating on the beauty around her, Howard creates a text that is compelling and worth your time even if you're not a fellow bee advocate."Library Journal— "[A] fascinating and wide-ranging exploration of nature. . .This satisfying memoir of a woman’s reawakening to the importance of nature in her life will appeal to fans of natural history memoirs, bees, the natural world, or ecology."Booklist, Starred Review— “[An] engaging, richly descriptive tale of natural discovery."“In this delightful book, Brigit Strawbridge Howard brings us into the fascinating and often overlooked world of bees. She introduces us to solitary nesting bees that lay their eggs in empty snail shells, cuckoo bees that make other bees take care of their eggs, and the amazing social lives of bumblebees and honeybees. Her curiosity and wonder at these small creatures are infectious and will inspire a greater appreciation of our natural world.”—Nancy J. Hayden, coauthor of Farming on the Wild Side“Hovering through Brigit Strawbridge Howard’s remarkable encounters with bees, alighting on beautiful and often unexpected descriptions of bumblebees, miner bees, and even parasitizing cuckoo bees, one dips into a world most of us have forgotten. By leading us gently and discretely into the minutiae of nature, Brigit shows how rewarding it is to reconnect—how the world’s tiniest beings can not only lift our spirits, but signal the way to a richer, wilder future.”—Isabella Tree, author of Wilding“Dancing with Bees is a passionate hymn to nature, a joyful celebration not just of bees, but of the power of paying attention. Strawbridge Howard’s rediscovery of the natural world is infused with a sense of wonder both irresistible and infectious. And the promise of this beautiful book is that if we take the trouble to notice our natural surroundings, we too can find a way to reconnect not just to nature, but to a deeper sense of ourselves.”—Caroline Lucas, MP, former Green Party Leader“I devoured this book as I would a jar of exquisite honey. I was as fascinated by it as I would be watching a hive of bees at work. I may read another nature book this year, but not a better one. Or a more important one. As is made so manifestly clear in these pages, we need our bees. Thank God, then, for Brigit Strawbridge Howard, our queen bee-advocate.”—John Lewis-Stempel, author of Still Water and Meadowland“Dancing with Bees is one of the most important and accessible and entertaining books I’ve ever read. Brigit has poured meticulous detail and research into her book, which has left me with even more respect for our precious bees than I ever thought possible. What’s more, it’s a touching, sensitive account of what makes us human and how we connect to the natural world. Everyone should read it.”—Kate Bradbury, author of Wildlife Gardening and The Bumblebee Flies Anyway“A beautiful book and one that hums with good life. Brigit Strawbridge Howard came late to bees but began noticing them at a time when their going was being widely announced. Her attention has been clear-sighted but also loving. By looking closely at the hummers and the buzzers, she has begun to take in the whole of what Charles Darwin called the ‘tangled bank’ of life, where there are bees (and Brigit’s winning descriptions will help you know them) and there are plants, and there are other pollinators and nectar-seekers, including Homo sapiens. No other insect—surely no other animal—has had such a long and life-giving relationship with humans. Bees may well have shaped our evolution; our continued well-being is certainly dependent on them. Bees have long been part of our consciousness and art, buzzing in parables and fables and ancient and modern poems made out of their industry and their organisation and their marvellous sweet products. All that is in this book: It is ambrosia.”—Tim Dee, author of Landfill“While the plight of our overworked honeybees elicits much hand-wringing, the rest of Earth’s splendorous apian diversity has remained unjustly obscure. In this winning tribute to our black-and-yellow fellows, Brigit Strawbridge Howard celebrates the virtues of dozens of less heralded, but no less crucial, wild species—mining bees, leaf-cutting bees, mason bees, cuckoo bees. Like a bee herself, Strawbridge Howard is at once pragmatic and whimsical, flitting lightly between practical advice for crafting a bee-friendly garden and wise digressions about our manipulative relationship with nature. By the end of Dancing with Bees, you’ll wholeheartedly agree that these indispensable creatures should be extolled as ‘our equals, not our minions.’”—Ben Goldfarb, author of Eager“A joy-filled voyage of discovery through the wonderful world of bees.”—Dave Goulson, author of Bee Quest and A Sting in the Tale“Sprinkled with moments of pathos, this exquisite book is the perfect introduction to the often neglected world of wild bees—and the beautiful plants with which they dance an ecosystem into life.”—Hugh Warwick, author of Linescapes and Hedgehog“Brigit Strawbridge Howard is an excellent pollinator of information. Dancing with Bees is a book teeming with love: for bees but also for the natural world as a whole and, by extension, for life itself. Everyone who cares about the future of our planet should read it.”—Tom Cox, author of 21st-Century Yokel“Dancing with Bees is an antidote to the reality of modern life that’s spent nose down in our smartphones while the wondrous stuff—nature—goes on all around us. Brigit Strawbridge Howard chronicles her own journey of reconnecting with the natural world with heartfelt eloquence. Her descriptions of the creatures, plants, and landscapes that populate her journey are made with the unabashed joy of someone for whom a veil has been lifted, revealing a world to be cherished but also in great need of our protection.”—Matthew Wilson, garden designer; author; panelist, BBC Radio 4’s Gardeners’ Question Time“We are handed a lens—light, bright, beautiful things come into focus. Brigit’s flare for observation and description, passion for knowledge, and ease with communication involve us in adventuring through the looking glass to explore with her the intimate life of wild bees. Gently, this timely book reminds us that nature is in trouble and that we must all join the dance.”—Sue Clifford and Angela King, founding directors, Common Ground“Dancing with Bees is a brilliantly described journey of discovery of bees, trees, people, and places, imbued with a childlike wonderment. Learn about cuckoo bees, carder bees, bees that are not bees, the commonplace and the rare. It is never too late to reconnect with nature and rewild oneself.”—Steven Falk, author of Field Guide to the Bees of Great Britain and Ireland“Well written and researched, beautifully illustrated, and packed with natural history detail, Dancing with Bees is a book to start you off on a journey that could well become an obsession. Even if you are well versed in the ways of bees, you will still want to wrap yourself in the warmth of this charming book. Brigit Strawbridge Howard gently shows you all the things you may have been missing; you are about to enter a macro-world of wonder and delight. I absolutely loved this book. If, due to infirmity perhaps, I am ever unable to walk in the countryside, I can now go dancing with bees whenever I choose.”—Dr. George McGavin, president, Dorset Wildlife Trust; honorary research associate, Oxford University Museum of Natural History“Brigit Strawbridge Howard leads us on a wistful pilgrimage of awakening into the world of bees who are among the most fascinating, charismatic, and important of insects. Written in an easy, accessible style without shying away from solid facts and beguiling detail, and beautifully illustrated by renowned Devon naturalist John Walters, Strawbridge Howard’s book is the result of hundreds of hours of watching, listening, and learning in her garden and the wider countryside, wondering what the future might bring and how human excesses may be curbed.”—Stuart Roberts, entomologistTable of ContentsPreface: Realisations Introduction: The Honey Trap 1. Spring on the Wing 2. A Nest of One's Own 3. What's in a Name? 4. The Boys Are Back in Town 5. Bees Behaving Badly 6. The Upside-Down Bird 7. The Cabin by the Stream 8. Cuckoo, Cuckoo 9. On Swarms and Stings 10. To Bee, or Not to Bee 11. Seeking the Great Yellow Bumblebee, Part 1 12. Seeking the Great Yellow Bumblebee, Part 2 13. On Bovey Heathfield 14. In Praise of Trees 15. Sedgehill, a Natural History 16. Cotton Weavers 17. Time for Tea 18. Evergreen 19. Amongst the Snowdrops Epilogue. Reflections Acknowledgements List of Illustrations Selected Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisHow did our relationship with nature become broken, why does it matter and how can we fix it? From a past in which we were embedded in the natural world, revolutions in farming, science and industry have seen the human bond with nature eroded with the promise of prosperity offering happiness and meaning in life. This mindset may have delivered comfortable living for many, but there is growing recognition that the root cause of wildlife loss and the warming climate is people’s disconnection from nature, which is also an important factor in our mental health. Yet solutions focus on technical fixes to treat the symptoms of that damaged relationship, such as reducing carbon emissions and increasing habitat. What we urgently need is a whole new way of thinking. Reconnection explores our hidden links with nature through the science of nature connectedness, setting out a way to revivify the relationship across society. Here is a route to a meaningful life that unites both human and nature’s wellbeing for a truly sustainable future. What's more, everybody has a role to play. From business leaders to conservationists, teachers to medics, from drivers to walkers, we can all reduce the damage we do and find new ways to bring nature into our lives. This timely book considers the problems scientifically, then offers simple, practical, positive steps for how we can all work towards a better world.Trade Reviewhighly stimulating... The author has impressive credentials and a great command of the social science literature (much of which he has been involved in writing). I was grateful that he brought in his own love for, and experience of, nature at frequent intervals because it showed that this wasn’t just an academic exercise – and it clearly isn’t. -- Mark Avery, author and environmental campaignerRichardson's manifesto for re-establishing our connection to nature is heartfelt and never dry. And it couldn't be more needed than now. -- Sam Pryah, Countryfile MagazineThis well-written book... emphasizes the importance of the psychological connection to nature and its role in promoting overall well-being. I found it particularly impressive how Richardson highlights the distinction between ‘exposure’ and ‘connection’ to nature, raising the possibility that the latter holds the greater influence. -- Masashi Soga, Nature Ecology and EvolutionRichardson makes his meticulously researched case in prose that a teenager would understand. He offers redress for the causes of our double ecological crisis rather than just describing the symptoms. My stand-out environmental book of the year. -- Mark Cocker * Spectator Books of the Year *Table of ContentsPreface Part I – The need for reconnection with nature 1. A Broken Relationship with Nature 2. The Great Theft 3. The Technological Ape 4. Hidden Connections with Nature 5. Nature Connectedness Part II – Benefits of reconnection with nature 6. Good for You: Wellbeing Benefits of Reconnection 7. How Does Reconnection Bring Wellbeing? 8. Good for Nature: Environmental Benefits of Reconnection 9. One Health Part III – Creating a new relationship with nature 10. The Good Things in Nature 11. Pathways to Reconnection 12. Scaling Up: Policies for Connection 13. Tools for Change 14. Creating a Nature-Connected Society 15. Designing a Connected Future Acknowledgements Notes Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisEcology is the science of ecosystems, of habitats, of our world and its future. In the latest New Naturalist, ecologist David M. Wilkinson explains key ideas of this crucial branch of science, using Britain's ecosystems to illustrate each point.The science of ecology underlies most of the key issues facing humanity, from the loss of biodiversity to sustainable agriculture, to the effects of climate change and the spread of pandemics. In this accessible and timely addition to the New Naturalist series, ecologist David M. Wilkinson introduces some of the key ideas of this science, using examples from British natural history. Extensively illustrated with photographs of the species and habitats that can be seen in the British countryside, this book shows how the observations of field naturalists link into our wider understanding of the working of the natural world.Investigating ecosystems across the British Isles, from the Scottish and Welsh mountains to the woodlands of southern England aTrade Review‘All books in the New Naturalist series deal with ecology and natural history in one way or another, but this is the first to take ecology itself as the main theme. It provides a broad but comprehensive overview of the subject … The author has a pleasant ‘storytelling’ style, well suited to the task; this is a book that could, I think, be read and understood by anyone with a keen interest. I’ve bought plenty of books in this series over the years but this is the first for a while that I’ve been inspired to read through, cover to cover, within a few days.’ Ian Carter, British Birds ‘Gives a real feel of what ecologists actually have to do, and how their methods and conclusions are changing … Hasbeen done very well, combining the scientific knowledge intoan interesting story … An excellent book’ The Linnean Praise for David M. Wilkinson ‘Wilkinson offers answers as good as science currently can deliver’ Science ‘This is a fascinating book. Every ecologist will profit from reading it’ Basic and Applied Ecology ‘Extraordinarily readable and accessible … Examines some of the very basic questions underlying ecology in its widest sense’ British Ecological Society Bulletin Praise for the New Naturalist series ‘Taken either individually or as a whole, they are one of the proudest achievements of modern publishing’ The Sunday Times ‘The series is an amazing achievement’ The Times Literary Supplement

Read more less

Book SynopsisIan Newton, author of Farming and Birds and Bird Migration returns to the New Naturalist series with a long awaited look at the uplands and its birds.The uplands of Britain are unique landscapes created by grazing animals, primarily livestock. The soils and blanket bogs of the uplands are also the largest stores of carbon in the UK, and 70% of the country's drinking water comes from the uplands. It's a significant region, not least to the multitudes of bird species that hunt, forage and nest there.Once again, Ian Newton demonstrates his mastery of the subject matter at hand, in this beautifully illustrated, authoritative addition to the New Naturalist series.Trade ReviewPraise for Uplands and Birds ‘Everything one would expect from one of the UK’s greatest ornithologists; breadth, depth and clarity … This is a monumental book, and you should read it’ Mark Avery ‘lan Newton gives an in-depth look at all the upland habitats, from bogs to conifer forests, and the wide number of species found in each one. There are numerous colour photos of habitats and birds, with many taken by folk he has met on his travels over his long history of working in this field. Yet another classic in this well-loved series’ Bird Watching magazine Praise for Ian Newton: ‘A masterly and wide-ranging account of the consequences for bird populations of the recent shifts in British farming practices. This book … deserves to be widely read, including, one hopes, by the policy makers of the future.’ BTO News ‘This book is a landmark edition in an already outstanding natural history series, and will make an extremely valuable and treasured addition to the library of anyone serious about birds and their biology.’ Seabirds ‘Truly outstanding – the product of a lifelong inquiry into the annual travels of birds.’ Guardian ‘The New Naturalist series strikes gold with this insight into ultimate avian journeys.’ BBC Wildlife ‘… a work of authority.’ The Daily Telegraph

Read more less

Book SynopsisBig Cat Phonics for Little Wandle Letters and Sounds Revised has been developed in collaboration with Wandle Learning Trust and Little Sutton Primary School. It comprises classroom resources to support the SSP programme and a range of phonic readers that together provide a consistent and highly effective approach to teaching phonics.

Read more less

Book SynopsisSince the release of the documentary Blackfish in 2013, millions around the world have focused on the plight of the orca, the most profitable and controversial display animal in history. Yet, until now, no historical account has explained how we came to care about killer whales in the first place. Drawing on interviews, official records, private archives, and his own family history, Jason M. Colby tells the exhilarating and often heartbreaking story of how people came to love the ocean''s greatest predator. Historically reviled as dangerous pests, killer whales were dying by the hundreds, even thousands, by the 1950s--the victims of whalers, fishermen, and even the US military. In the Pacific Northwest, fishermen shot them, scientists harpooned them, and the Canadian government mounted a machine gun to eliminate them. But that all changed in 1965, when Seattle entrepreneur Ted Griffin became the first person to swim and perform with a captive killer whale. The show proved wildly popular, and he began capturing and selling others, including Sea World''s first Shamu.Over the following decade, live display transformed views of Orcinus orca. The public embraced killer whales as charismatic and friendly, while scientists enjoyed their first access to live orcas. In the Pacific Northwest, these captive encounters reshaped regional values and helped drive environmental activism, including Greenpeace''s anti-whaling campaigns. Yet even as Northwesterners taught the world to love whales, they came to oppose their captivity and to fight for the freedom of a marine predator that had become a regional icon. This is the definitive history of how the feared and despised killer became the beloved orca--and what that has meant for our relationship with the ocean and its creatures.Trade ReviewDetailed, determinedly even-handed and often fascinating. * Lucy Atkins, Times Literary Supplement *Jason Colby's Orca...left me with feelings of gratitude for his hard work, admiration and envy for his skills as a historian and storyteller, and also some new hopes about the possibilities of writing about animals and history.....The characters, human and cetacean, are drawn with extraordinary empathy and care, and their experiences, hopes, and worries, as told by Colby, are powerful....The photographs, of which there are more than forty, are both exceptional and thoughtfully curated. * Nigel Rothfels, Humanimalia *Timely ... Over forty oral history interviews, added to substantial archival and secondary research, allow Colby to weave a history that highlights the agency and complexities of orca capture and captivity ... This engaging book should garner a wide audience of academics and orca enthusiasts. The clear narrative and interesting stories moreover make it suitable for undergraduate courses in both Pacific Northwest history and environmental history * Jen Corrinne Brown, American Historical Review *Colby is an easy and engaging writer... He utilizes extensive interviews he conducted with many of the most colorful and important people involved in the story: those who captured whales, the promoters, fishermen, scientists, and the citizens and politicians who became involved in the fight to halt the capture. * Carmel Finley, Journal of American History *This is an affecting book, personal and political all at once, and written by a scholar who has worked hard to recover and relay painful tales of the wild orcas that encountered humans and the humans that did the encountering. Nearly all those meetings began in panic and pain, most of it the whales', though some of it that of the men who came to believe they were doing the wrong thing wresting these breathtaking animals from their world, to deliver them to our own, which has been changed by the resulting episodes of captivity and captivation. * D. Graham Burnett, author of The Sounding of the Whale *This fascinating history reveals what happens when humans became captivated by captive orcas. Colby poignantly locates the very origins of conservation in the tense, tender, and tragic relationships between humans and cetaceans. This finely textured social history of the Pacific Northwest opens up the story of how 'killer whales', once cast as deadly pests * became popular attractions and emotional, intelligent 'orcas'.Daniel Bender, author of The Animal Game: Searching for Wildness at the American Zoo *With Orca, Jason Colby takes readers on a riveting journey. In a matter of decades, the Pacific Northwest's killer whales traveled from despised vermin to regional sweethearts. Their emotional passage revealed the true wildcard of wildlife management: navigating the swirling opinions of human populations. A timely book, Orca brings history to bear on a fraught relationship between two apex predators. Colby traces the rise in human affection for the whales but also the emergence of a cruel realization as audiences cheered captives' performances in aquariums across the globe. Love and fandom could kill and maim as efficiently as fear and contempt. In the end, it's unclear whether orcas benefited from the connection they forged with people. * Jon Coleman, author of Vicious: Wolves and Men in America *Killer whales, or orcas, the apex marine predators, were once widely feared as dangerous vermin and were shot on sight. Yet over the past fifty years, a sea change in attitudes towards this remarkable animal took place, and today the species is a revered and cherished global icon of the wild marine environment. In this compelling book, Jason Colby chronicles this transition in our relationship with the killer whale and tells an enthralling story complete with drama and excitement. It is sure to be an important addition to the libraries of natural historians and whale enthusiasts alike. * John Ford, Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada *Colby shines a light on how little we understand of these magnificent creatures. His book gives a glimpse into a mysterious yet strangely familiar world, brought to life in a story that's tragic, heartbreaking, and finally hopeful. * Foreword Reviews (starred review) *A good choice for serious fans of Pacific Northwest and marine history. * Kirkus *A revealing look at how the human view of orcas has changed... Colby persuasively contends that, despite legitimate concerns popularized by the 2013 documentary Blackfish, about the effects of captivity on orcas, the animals avoided extinction because their presence in accessible public venues enabled people to relate to them... Colby has produced an originally argued and accessibly jargon-free consideration of a hot-button animal conservation issue. * Publishers Weekly *Killer whales, also known as orcas, are idolized, loved, and even revered. Such sentiments, however, have not always been held toward this species, as historian Jason Colby reveals in his new book, Orca... Colby does an excellent job of framing these events within the larger environmental movement of the time, as well as placing them within the context of the nationalism that was spreading on both sides of the U.S.-Canadian border at the time." * Robin W. Baird, Science *[Told] with the depth and passion the topic deserves. * Lynda V. Mapes, Seattle Times *Immersive and dramatic... Colby demonstrates the speed at which societal attitudes can also shift the baseline of our expectations. In this age of extinction, with ongoing changes in ocean chemistry and physics, it is the potential for a sea change in public attitude that presents hope. * Sascha Hooker, Nature *An exceptional book and a significant contribution to the conservation of killer whales, Orca brings together a wealth of information and tells the stories of the captive whales and the people who pursued, cared for, and studied them - and ultimately fought for their freedom... It instantly takes its place as one of the best books ever written about the interactions between killer whales and settler society on the coastlines of B.C. and Washington State. It should be read by every whale enthusiast, naturalist, fishing guide, graduate student, researcher, marine resource manager, and politician on the Pacific coast. * Anna Hall, Ormsby Review *It is a story not just of the orca business, but also of the evolution of Americans' relationship to the oceans and marine life-the growth of marine parks parallels the shift from an extractive approach to the ocean, as mainly a source of fish, to a recreational one. It intersects, too, with the birth of the modern environmental movement in the 1960s and 70s. * Rachel Riederer, New Republic *[Colby] has produced an exhaustive, nuanced, essential account of the captures, unearthing a forgotten bit of Northwest history. * Nancy Macdonald, Literary Review of Canada *A riveting behind-the-scenes 'tell all,' told from the perspectives of the individuals that witnessed this important period in our history. This book is a historical account of how an industry formed, nearly destroying the very commodity on which it depended, coupled with an infusion of science that helped us to better understand killer whale life history. Colby retells a tragic yet sobering story of the good and dark sides of the delicate relationship between humans and other sentient beings. * Eric L. Walters, Journal of Mammalogy *An exhaustively researched and well-written account. * Paul Brown, Resurgence & Ecologist *An engaging but in-depth history...Orca is an exciting new offering at the intersection between histories of the display of live cetaceans, which generally focus on the environmental movement and its pushback against keeping captive dolphins and orcas, and histories of the modern commercial whaling industry, which generally focus purely on the harvesting of larger whales….The book is both an intensely local history of the Pacific Northwest in the late twentieth century and also a more global history of human relationships with large predators and animals in captivity.….Colby provides an exhaustive account of changing perceptions of killer whales and how this related to the development of the environmental movement into which they were embedded, all over the span of just a couple of decades. * Jakobina Arch, Environmental History *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1. "The Most Terrible Jaws Afloat" 2. The Old Northwest 3. Griffin's Quest 4. Murray Newman and Moby Doll 5. Namu's Journey 6. A Boy and His Whale 7. Fishing for Orcas 8. Skana and the Hippie 9. The Scores at Pender Harbor 10. Supply and Demand 11. The White Whale 12. Penn Cove Roundup 13. Whaling in the New Northwest 14. Big Government and Big Business 15. The Legend of Mike Bigg 16. "All hell broke loose" 17. New Frontiers 18. Haida's Song 19. The Legacy of Capture Epilogue Acknowledgements Notes Bibliography Index

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe Amazon is a land of superlatives. The complex ecosystem covers an area about the size of the continental U.S. The Amazon River discharges 57 million gallons of water per second--in two hours, this would be enough to supply all of New York City''s 7.5 million residents with water for a year. Its flora and fauna are abundant. Approximately one of every four flowering plant species on earth resides in the Amazon. A single Amazonian river may contain more fish species than all the rivers in Europe combined. It is home to the world''s largest anteater, armadillo, freshwater turtle, and spider, as well as the largest rodent (which weighs over 200 lbs.), catfish (250 lbs.), and alligator (more than half a ton). The rainforest, which contains approximately 390 billion trees, plays a vital role in stabilizing the global climate by absorbing massive amounts of carbon dioxide--or releasing it into the atmosphere if the trees are destroyed. Severe droughts in both Brazil and Southeast Asia have been linked to Amazonian deforestation, as have changing rainfall patterns in the U.S., Europe, and China. The Amazon also serves as home to millions of people. Approximately seventy tribes of isolated and uncontacted people are concentrated in the western Amazon, completely dependent on the land and river. These isolated groups have been described as the most marginalized peoples in the western hemisphere, with no voice in the decisions made about their futures and the fate of their forests. In this addition to the What Everyone Needs to Know series, ecologist and conservation expert, Mark J. Plotkin, who has spent 40 years studying Amazonia, its peoples, flora, and fauna. The Amazon offers an engaging overview of this irreplaceable ecosystem and the challenges it faces.Trade ReviewThere is a lot to learn, and value, from this guide, by an expert immersed in the subject. * Harvard Magazine *One can think of the broad themes of the book as scenes on a vast tapestry and the responses to the 67 questions as the threads used by Plotkin to weave the marvelous story of Amazonia. Readers can gaze at one part of the tapestry and later explore another portion, each time coming away with a better understanding of the nature of this extraordinary ecosystem. * Roger Mustalish, HerbalGram *As he has done in his other books and films ... Plotkin blazes a path for others to follow: a storied path that can help us both re-story and restore the precious places persisting on this planet, despite all odds. * Gary Paul Nabhan, LA Review of Books *Table of ContentsIntroduction What is a Tropical Rainforest? What Do We Mean When We Say the Amazon? Why is the Amazon Important? Geology, Soils and Vegetation Geological history - What is the geological history of Amazonia? Soils - Do large and diverse Amazonian rainforests thrive on poor soil? Terra preta - What is terra preta? Vegetation - What are the major forest and vegetation types in Amazonia? Savannas - What are savannas and how are they created? Tepuis - What are tepuis? Nutrient cycling - If the soils are so poor, how can lush rainforests flourish? Rivers The Amazon Source of the Amazon - What is the source of the Amazon River? River types - What are the various river types in Amazonia? Aquatic habitats - What are some of the characteristic aquatic habitats of Amazonia? Casiquiare canal - What is the Casiquiare Canal? Coral reef - Is there a coral reef in the Amazon? Indians 1492 population Languages - How many indigenous languages are there in Amazonia? Paleoindians, the first arrivals - When did the first humans arrive in Amazonia? Shamans - What is a Shaman? Shrunken heads - Shrunken heads: fact or fiction? Slash and burn agriculture - What is slash-and-burn agriculture? Uncontacted tribes - Do uncontacted tribes still exist? History The Struggle for the Amazon Treaty of Tordesillas - What was the Treaty of Tordesillas? Aguirre - Was Werner Herzog's film "Aguirre, the Wrath of God," based on a historical figure? Teixeira - What role did Pedro Teixeira play in the colonization of the Amazon? Mapping - What is the history of the mapping of the Amazon? The Advent of the European Scientists Merian - Was the first European scientific explorer of the Amazon a woman? Darwin - What is the connection between the Amazon and the origins of the Theory of Evolution? Agassiz / Harvard Amazon Rubber and the Jari Project Rubber atrocities - What were the Putumayo Rubber Atrocities? Rubber as commodity - How Did Amazonian Rubber Become A Key Global Commodity? Rubber / Fordlandia - Why did Henry Ford fail at Fordlandia in Brazil? Jari Project - Fordlandia redux - What was the Jari Project, and why did it fail? Rondon / Mendes - Who were Cândido Rondon and Chico Mendes? Amazonian biota Animals Faunal origins - What is the origin of the Amazonian fauna? Vampire bats - Do vampire bats suck human blood? Spiders - How dangerous are Amazonian spiders? Cats, crocodilians and serpents - Do jaguars, crocs and snakes eat people in Amazonia? Frogs - Are there hallucinogenic frogs in the Amazon Rainforest? Pink dolphins - Are there pink dolphins in the Amazon? Fish diversity - Why does Amazonia harbor the most diverse freshwater fish fauna in the world? Candiru catfish - Is the tiny candiru catfish as terrifying as its reputation? Electric eels - How dangerous are electric eels? Piranhas - Do piranhas deserve their fearsome reputation? Sharks - Are there man-eating sharks in the Amazon? Plants Ayahuasca - What is ayahuasca? Bromeliads - What are the aerial aquaria of the Amazon? Coca - What is the traditional use of coca in the Amazon? Curare - What is Curare and Why is it Important? Lianas - Why are lianas so important and yet so poorly understood? Figs - Why are strangler figs not considered to be lianas? Palms - Why are palms the single most useful group of organisms to the indigenous peoples of the Amazon? Palms with economic promise - Which Amazonian palms offer the greatest economic promise for the future? Victoria lily - Did an Amazonian water lily serve as the inspiration for steel frame architecture? Threats Cattle - What is the role of cattle ranching in Amazonian agriculture? Dams - What is the status of hydroelectric dams in the Amazon? Gold - What is the impact of gold mining in the Amazon? Agriculture / Big - The Role of Export-Driven Large-Scale Agricultural Production in Deforestation Agriculture / Small - What is the role of small-scale farming in deforestation? Logging - What is the status of logging in the Amazon? Climate Change - How will climate change affect Amazonia? Deforestation - What drives deforestation in the Amazon? Oil and gas - What is the impact of oil and gas exploration on forest peoples? Overhunting - What is the impact of overhunting and overfishing on the Amazon? China - What is the Impact of China in Amazonia? Conclusion Conservation - How to Save the Amazon?

Read more less

Book SynopsisComprising well over half of all known animal species, insects are the most successful organisms on the planet. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that one cannot study agriculture, biology, and the environment, without a basic understanding of entomology. Furthermore, insects are indispensable to advances in molecular biology and genetics, and their ongoing decline in many parts of the world has stimulated much research in the crucial roles they play in global ecosystems. However, the sheer diversity of insects can be a challenge to every newcomer to entomology. Most entomology textbooks tend to focus on insect biology, leaving readers with only a superficial idea of insect diversity and evolution, while others delve into too much detail that will deter the novice. In contrast, Essential Entomology has a clear taxonomic structure that provides readers with the necessary framework to understand the diversity, life history, and taxonomy of insects in a new light. This fully revised edition provides the most up-to-date guide to insects and includes all the major developments in molecular biology and palaeontology of the last 20 years. This textbook is an essential read for undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in entomology, agriculture, and forestry. It will also appeal to a broad academic audience of ecologists, conservationists, natural resource managers, as well as to the far more numerous general readers who are interested in wildlife, nature, and the environment. With these diverse audiences in mind, the straightforward and accessible style of the first edition has been maintained, technical jargon has been kept to a minimum, and sufficient background information is provided to enable the reader to follow the text with ease.Trade ReviewReview from previous edition This book should be as indispensable to students as to amateur entomologists, ecologists, and nature enthusiasts...it is to be hoped that this excellent value reference book will achieve a wide circulation. * Galathea, 2001 *Essential Entomology guides and inspires the entomological student, and at the same time, offers up-to-date notions about generic entomology for the more expert reader. * Alfredo Venturo, Community Ecology *Essential Entomology guides and inspires the entomological student, and at the same time, offers up-to-date notions about generic entomology for the more expert reader. * Community Ecology *Table of ContentsSECTION 1: INTRODUCTION TO INSECT EVOLUTION AND BIOLOGY SECTION 2: THE INSECT ORDERS ARCHAEOGNATHA (Bristletails) ZYGENTOMA (Silverfish and Firebrats) EPHEMEROPTERA (Mayflies) ODONATA (Dragonflies and Damselflies) HAPLOCERCATA (DERMAPTERA and ZORAPTERA) (Earwigs and Angel Insects) PLECOPTERA (Stoneflies) ORTHOPTERA (Grasshoppers and Crickets) DICTYOPTERA (BLATTODEA and MANTODEA) (Cockroaches, Termites, and Praying Mantids) XENONOMIA (GRYLLOBLATTODEA and MANTOPHASMATODEA) (Ice Crawlers and Heel Walkers) EUKINOLABIA (PHASMATODEA and EMBIOPTERA) (Stick Insects, Leaf Insects, and Webspinners) PSOCODEA (Barklice, Booklice, and True Lice) HEMIPTERA (True Bugs) THYSANOPTERA (Thrips) RAPHIDIOPTERA (Snakeflies) MEGALOPTERA (Alderflies, Dobsonflies, and Fishflies) NEUROPTERA (Lacewings, Antlions, and Mantidflies) COLEOPTERA (Beetles) STREPSIPTERA (Strepsipterans) MECOPTERA (Scorpionflies) SIPHONAPTERA (Fleas) DIPTERA (Flies) TRICHOPTERA (Caddisflies) LEPIDOPTERA (Butterflies and Moths) HYMENOPTERA (Bees, Wasps, and Ants) SECTION 3: FIELDWORK

Read more less

Book SynopsisThe objective of this practical handbook is to provide ecologists (both students and researchers) with the scientific background necessary to assist with the understanding and implementation of best practice studies and analyses based on environmental DNA.Trade ReviewThis volume fills a much-needed gap, offering a gentle introduction into the field of environmental DNA, which will be especially useful for readers of minor to intermediate experience with environmental DNA. * Vasco Elbrecht, Centre for Biodiversity Genomics, University of Guelph, The Quarterly Review of Biology *An excellent instructional book or supplementary reading for any eDNA based classes...It is a timely and important addition to the field of molecular ecology, and will undoubtedly remain the go-to book on metabarcoding for several years. * Dr Anthony A. Charlton, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia, Molecular Ecology *This book is a timely overview of eDNA as a complimentary and non-invasive approach for investigating and monitoring biodiversity. The book is an ideal introduction to all ecologists looking to eDNA, but also speaks to the more experienced researchers in molecular ecology. Lastly, it provides textbook material for university courses around the world. * Philip Francis Thomsen, Trends in Ecology & Evolution Journal *If you are contemplating moving into this topic, or just want to understand it better, do try and get your hands on a copy - something that might not be that easy just now as I understand the book has proved to be so popular that it is already having to be reprinted. * IMA FUNGUS *In a world faced with accelerating environmental change and loss of biodiversity, this book is a timely overview of eDNA as a complementary and noninvasive approach for investigating and monitoring biodiversity ... an ideal introduction to all ecologists looking to eDNA as a method of choice, but also speaks to the more experienced researchers in molecular ecology. Lastly, it provides textbook material for university courses around the world, where eDNA is continuously increasing in popularity. * Philip Francis Thomsen, Department of Bioscience, University of Aarhus, Trends in Ecology and Evolution *Table of Contents1: Introduction to environmental DNA (eDNA) 2: DNA metabarcode choice and design 3: Reference databases 4: Sampling 5: DNA extraction 6: DNA amplification and multiplexing 7: DNA sequencing 8: DNA metabarcoding data analysis 9: Single-species detection 10: Environmental DNA for functional diversity 11: Some early landmark studies 12: Freshwater ecosystems 13: Marine environments 14: Terrestrial ecosystems 15: Palaeoenvironments 16: Host-associated microbiota 17: Diet analysis 18: Analysis of bulk samples 19: The future of eDNA metabarcoding

Read more less

Book SynopsisAs human actions erase habitats and raise the planet’s temperature, plant diversity is dropping and a growing list of pollinators faces decline or even extinction. Paths of Pollen chronicles pollen’s vital mission to spread plant genes, from the prehistoric past to the present, while looking towards an ecologically uncertain future.Trade Review“Stephen Humphrey is a highly accomplished, and engaging storyteller. In the manner of Carl Sagan or Aldo Leopold, he calls attention to little-known or misunderstood topics, and presents these to an often science-hostile public. Paths of Pollen advances the cause of pollinator and plant conservation for their benefits to all humankind and wildlife, now and in the future. I couldn’t put it down.” Stephen Buchmann, author of *What a Bee Knows: Exploring the Thoughts, Memories, and Personalities of Bees *“With Paths of Pollen, Humphrey has extended an accessible invitation to consider these relationships at multiple scales, from the wide view of global environmental activism to the microscopic perspective of a grain of pollen.” *Montreal Review of Books *

Read more less

Book SynopsisAn essential, up-to-date look at the critical interactions between biological diversity and climate change that will serve as an immediate call to action The physical and biological impacts of climate change are dramatic and broad-ranging. People who care about the planet and manage natural resources urgently need a synthesis of our rapidly growing understanding of these issues. In this all-new sequel to the 2005 volume Climate Change and Biodiversity, leading experts in the field summarize observed changes, assess what the future holds, and offer suggested responses. From extinction risk to ocean acidification, from the future of the Amazon to changes in ecosystem services, and from geoengineering to the power of ecosystem restoration, this book captures the sweep of climate change transformation of the biosphere.Trade Review“This book isn’t just a call to heed the science; it’s a call to citizens everywhere to live up to their responsibilities and protect this fragile planet we share.”—John Kerry, United States Secretary of State, 2013-2017“Mankind’s heedless extraction and pollution of our planet’s resources is tearing apart the web of natural systems that has sustained our species throughout the long course of human development. Tom Lovejoy and Lee Hannah have assembled a book that chronicles these emerging ecological and climatic disasters; yet gives hope that we can still help Earth’s systems heal, and blunt the suffering of coming generations.”—Sheldon Whitehouse, United States Senator for Rhode Island“Biodiversity and Climate Change: Transforming the Biosphere serves as a comprehensiveaccount of this greatest of threatsto humanity’s future. It will serve both as atextbook and a call to action.”—From the Foreword by Edward O. Wilson“An authoritative analysis of the increasing speed and scale of climate change impacts on our biodiversity, together with an illuminating set of specific ways to use our biodiversity to address climate change. A powerful coupling.”—Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary UN Climate Change Convention 2010 – 2016"Lovejoy and Hannah generate a compelling story of the species extinctions that will accompany ongoing, rapid changes in Earth’s climate, coupled with the unrelenting pressure of human population growth."—William H. Schlesinger, President Emeritus, the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies

Read more less

Book SynopsisAnimal welfare has long been recognised as central to the role of the veterinary professional, but this is increasingly aligned with the welfare of humans and the broader environment in which we co-exist. This is the first book dedicated to the role of the veterinarian in One Welfare, a concept that recognises the interconnections between animal welfare, human wellbeing, and the environment. The book demonstrates, through a wide range of international case studies, why professional ethics and the use of good evidence is integral to this role. Contributors bring a rich variety of writings, each with their own perception of the role of the veterinarian in improving animal welfare and human wellbeing. One Welfare in Practice: The Role of the Veterinarian emphasises the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration and solutions: it is essential that veterinary practitioners recognise when other professionals or disciplines need to be consulted to benefit both animals and humans. With its multiple, fascinating approaches to One Welfare, this book will inform and inspire the veterinarian to find areas where collaborative action reaps the greatest rewards. This unique book shows how veterinarians can and are contributing to improving animal and human welfare, offering practical advice as to how the profession can further engage in One Welfare in a range of settings.Trade ReviewThis is a valuable book that should give inspiration to many young idealistic veterinarians wanting to do ‘the right thing’. There is no doubt that the veterinary profession has a lot to contribute to policy within the general aims of One Welfare.John Webster, Professor Emeritus, University of Bristol, UKI would recommend this book to those with an interest in One Welfare. Although the focus is on the role of the veterinarian, it is clear throughout the book that vets cannot work in isolation and that solutions can only be found by communities and professions coming together and working towards shared goals. This book is likely to be of interest to all of us with an interest in animal, human and environmental health and well-being. It is likely to be of particular interest to veterinary students and recent graduates as it highlights the breadth of potentially diverse roles that veterinarians can have in promoting one health and welfare.Animal Welfare, Volume 32 , 2023 , e23Table of ContentsIntroduction. 1. One Health and One Welfare. 2. Sustainability: The role of veterinarians in aligning animal, human and environmental well-being. 3. Climate change as an animal welfare problem: The role of the veterinarian. 4. Animal Welfare Aspects of Land Clearing. 5. Wildlife utilisation and One Welfare. 6. One Welfare and the management of vertebrate pest animals: A complex problem needing an interdisciplinary approach. 7. Managing welfare and wellbeing in animal disease control programmes. 8. Rabies control in Indonesia: Working together to protect animal and human welfare. 9. The role of One Welfare in development and nutrition security. 10. The laboratory animal veterinarian’s contribution to One Welfare. 11. Fish welfare and One Welfare - A veterinarian’s perspective. 12. Working Animals - One Health, One Welfare. 13. Cow shelters: Animal welfare, human wellbeing and the environment in an Indian context. 14. One Welfare approach to the sea transport of livestock.

Read more less

Book SynopsisStart a peaceful revolution by planting an edible ecosystem and sharing the experience with your neighborsHumans have always thrived in rich, diverse, edible ecosystems. Yet most cities and suburbs are blanketed by lawns, ornamentals, and a lack of biodiversity, let alone anything edible. It is within these sterile landscapes that seeds of an edible ecosystem lie. The Edible Ecosystem Solution is a comprehensive, practical guidebook that looks at underutilized spaces to reveal the many opportunities for landscape transformation that are both far-reaching and immediately beneficial and enjoyable. Contents include: Hundreds of full-color infographics, illustrations, and photographs that clearly outline the principles and concepts of edible landscape design and benefits How to get started with as little as 25 square feet of land How to transition a garden plot into a place of edible abundance and an edible biTable of ContentsDedicationThesis About This Book Section 1: The Ecology of Humanity Precious Place in Space Biodiversity Ecosystems Human Habitat Ancestral Ecosystems Section 2: Solutions and Opportunities Habitat Lost Modern Ecosystem Services Big-Picture Services Opportunities Livable Community Benefits Common Lines Micro-Landscapes Ecosystem Spot Section 3: Edible Ecosystem Design Inspiration to Act Site Selection and Micro-Environment Build a Permabed Site-Suitable Plant Selection Design an Ecosystem Guild Plant a Micro-Landscape Modular Ecosystem Landscape Section 4: Educate, Propagate, Inspire Ecosystem Dispersal Edible Ecosystem Qualities Catalyzing Land Transition EPI Is a Model for Success Section 5: Ecosystem Culture Transitioning Our Habitat Land, People, Culture Change Has Many Stakeholders Leadership Regenerative Wealth Security Habitat Is a Human Right Endnotes Index About the Author A Note about the Publisher

Read more less