Ecological science, the Biosphere Books

Book SynopsisEcological Applications presents a broad range of methods and techniques for managing environmental sustainability. This book examines ecological theory at the individual, populations, and community levels, and is an excellent resource for anyone looking to improve the health of their local ecosystems. Presents a broad range of methods and techniques for managing environmental sustainability Focuses on ecological applications for sustainability including restoration, conservation, biosecurity, pest control, harvest management, and the design of reserves Examines ecological theory at the individual, population and community levels Considers economic and socio-political aspects Trade Review“I think this text will be extremely useful and popular with the students …The overall tone of the book is lively, warmly humorous, engaging, and clear.” Dr Anita Diaz, Bournemouth University“ This new text … provides information on the very topical subject of sustainability and further shows how ecological theories and techniques can be applied to conservation and management decisions … I have been reorganizing my course to more closely follow the structure laid out in this book because I think it is a logical way to teach ecology.” Dr Bethan Wood, University of Glasgow “I like the organization of the book … I also like how Townsend has emphasized the applied aspects and placed the ecological basics in “boxes.” Realistically, as Townsend states, if a student only takes one ecology course, it should be one that emphasizes applied ecology. What a great and long-overdue approach.” Dr James Houpis, California State University, Chico “This is the first textbook that I have read with an organization that emphasizes the contemporary application of major conceptual paradigms in ecology … This textbook provides all that is needed in teaching undergraduate students the essential relationship linking ecological theory with natural resource management.” Dr Eric Dibble, Mississippi State UniversityTable of ContentsList of plates xii List of boxes xiii Preface xiv Acknowledgments xvi 1 Introduction – humans, nature and human nature 1 1.1 Homo not-so-sapiens? 2 1.1.1 Homo sapiens – just another species? 3 1.1.2 Human population density and technology underlie environmental impact 3 1.2 A biodiversity crisis 4 1.2.1 The scale of the biodiversity problem 6 1.2.2 Biodiversity, ecosystem function and ecosystem services 7 1.2.3 Drivers of biodiversity loss – the extinction vortex 11 1.2.4 Habitat loss – driven from house and home 12 1.2.5 Invaders – unwanted biodiversity 13 1.2.6 Overexploitation – too much of a good thing 14 1.2.7 Habitat degradation – laying waste 17 1.2.8 Global climate change – life in the greenhouse 18 1.3 Toward a sustainable future? 20 1.3.1 Ecological applications – to conserve, restore and sustain biodiversity 22 1.3.2 From an economic perspective – putting a value on nature 28 1.3.3 The sociopolitical dimension 29 Part 1: Ecological applications at the level of individual organisms 2 Ecological applications of niche theory 36 2.1 Introduction 37 2.2 Unwanted aliens – lessons from niche theory 41 2.2.1 Ecological niche modeling – predicting where invaders will succeed 42 2.2.2 Are we modeling fundamental or realized niches? 44 2.2.3 When humans disrupt ecosystems and make it easy for invaders 44 2.3 Conservation of endangered species – each to its own niche 46 2.3.1 Monarch’s winter palace under siege 46 2.3.2 A species off the rails – translocation of the takahe 48 2.4 Restoration of habitats impacted by human activities 49 2.4.1 Land reclamation – prospecting for species to restore mined sites 49 2.4.2 Agricultural intensification – risks to biodiversity 51 2.4.3 How much does it cost to restore a species? 52 2.4.4 River restoration – going with the flow 53 3 Life-history theory and management 59 3.1 Introduction – using life-history traits to make management decisions 60 3.2 Species traits as predictors for effective restoration 61 3.2.1 Restoring grassland plants – a pastoral duty 62 3.2.2 Restoring tropical forest – abandoned farmland reclaimed for nature 62 3.3 Species traits as predictors of invasion success 65 3.3.1 Species traits predict invasive conifers 66 3.3.2 Invasion success – the importance of flexibility 66 3.3.3 Separating invasions into sequential stages – different traits for each? 68 3.3.4 What we know and don’t know about invader traits 71 3.4 Species traits as predictors of extinction risk 71 3.4.1 Niche breadth and flexibility – freshwater and forest at risk 72 3.4.2 When big isn’t best – r/K theory, harvesting, grazing and pollution 73 3.4.3 When competitiveness matters – CSR theory, grazing and habitat fragmentation 77 4 Dispersal, migration and management 81 4.1 Introduction – why species mobility matters 82 4.2 Migration and dispersal – lessons for conservation 84 4.2.1 For whom the bell tolls – the surprising story of a South American bird 84 4.2.2 The ups and downs of panda conservation 85 4.2.3 Dispersal of a vulnerable aquatic insect – a damsel in distress 86 4.2.4 Designing marine reserves 88 4.3 Restoration and species mobility 89 4.3.1 Behavior management 89 4.3.2 Bog restoration – is assisted migration needed for peat’s sake? 89 4.3.3 Wetland forest restoration 91 4.4 Predicting the arrival and spread of invaders 92 4.4.1 The Great Lakes – a great place for invaders 92 4.4.2 Lakes as infectious agents 94 4.4.3 Invasion hubs or diffusive spread? 95 4.4.4 How to manage invasions under globalization 96 4.5 Species mobility and management of production landscapes 97 4.5.1 Squirrels – axeman spare that tree 97 4.5.2 Bats – axeman cut that track 97 4.5.3 Farming the wind – the spatial risk of pulverizing birds 100 4.5.4 Bee business – pollination services of native bees depend on dispersal distance 103 Part 2: Applications at the level of populations 5 Conservation of endangered species 108 5.1 Dealing with endangered species – a crisis discipline 109 5.2 Assessing extinction risk from correlational data 113 5.3 Simple algebraic models of population viability analysis 117 5.3.1 The case of Fender’s blue butterfly 117 5.3.2 A primate in Kenya – how good are the data? 118 5.4 Simulation modeling for population viability analysis 119 5.4.1 An Australian icon at risk 120 5.4.2 The royal catchfly – a burning issue 122 5.4.3 Ethiopian wolves – dogged by disease 123 5.4.4 How good is your population viability analysis? 126 5.5 Conservation genetics 127 5.5.1 Genetic rescue of the Florida panther 128 5.5.2 The pink pigeon – providing a solid foundation 128 5.5.3 Reintroduction of a ‘red list’ plant – the value of crossing 129 5.5.4 Outfoxing the foxes of the Californian Channel Islands 130 5.6 A broader perspective of conservation – ecology, economics and sociopolitics all matter 130 5.6.1 Genetically modified crops – larking about with farmland biodiversity 131 5.6.2 Diclofenac – good for sick cattle, bad for vultures 133 6 Pest management 139 6.1 Introduction 140 6.1.1 One person’s pest, another person’s pet 140 6.1.2 Eradication or control? 141 6.2 Chemical pesticides 146 6.2.1 Natural arms factories 146 6.2.2 Take no prisoners 147 6.2.3 From blunderbuss to surgical strike 147 6.2.4 Cut off the enemy’s reinforcements 150 6.2.5 Changing pest behavior – a propaganda war 150 6.2.6 When pesticides go wrong – target pest resurgence and secondary pests 151 6.2.7 Widespread effects of pesticides on nontarget organisms, including people 153 6.3 Biological control 154 6.3.1 Importation biological control – a question of scale 155 6.3.2 Conservation biological control – get natural enemies to do the work 156 6.3.3 Inoculation biological control – effective in glasshouses but rarely in field crops 158 6.3.4 Inundation biological control – using fungi, viruses, bacteria and nematodes 159 6.3.5 When biological control goes wrong 160 6.4 Evolution of resistance and its management 162 6.5 Integrated pest management (IPM) 164 6.5.1 IPM against potato tuber moths in New Zealand 165 6.5.2 IPM against an invasive weed in Australia 166 7 Harvest management 172 7.1 Introduction 173 7.1.1 Avoiding the tragedy of the commons 173 7.1.2 Killing just enough – not too few, not too many 174 7.2 Harvest management in practice – maximum sustainable yield (MSY) approaches 178 7.2.1 Management by fixed quota – of fish and moose 178 7.2.2 Management by fixed effort – of fish and antelopes 181 7.2.3 Management by constant escapement – in time 182 7.2.4 Management by constant escapement – in space 183 7.2.5 Evaluation of the MSY approach – the role of climate 184 7.2.6 Species that are especially vulnerable when rare 185 7.2.7 Ecologist’s role in the assessment of MSY 186 7.3 Harvest models that recognize population structure 186 7.3.1 ‘Dynamic pool models’ in fisheries management – looking after the big mothers 187 7.3.2 Forestry – axeman, spare which tree? 190 7.3.3 A forest bird of cultural importance 191 7.4 Evolution of harvested populations – of fish and bighorn rams 191 7.5 A broader view of harvest management – adding economics to ecology 193 7.6 Adding a sociopolitical dimension to ecology and economics 195 7.6.1 Factoring in human behavior 195 7.6.2 Confronting political realities 197 Part 3: Applications at the level of communities and ecosystems 8 Succession and management 202 8.1 Introduction 203 8.2 Managing succession for restoration 206 8.2.1 Restoration timetables for plants 206 8.2.2 Restoration timetable for animals 208 8.2.3 Invoking the theory of competition–colonization trade-offs 209 8.2.4 Invoking successional-niche theory 209 8.2.5 Invoking facilitation theory 210 8.2.6 Invoking enemy-interaction theory 215 8.3 Managing succession for harvesting 216 8.3.1 Benzoin ‘gardening’ in Sumatra 216 8.3.2 Aboriginal burning enhances harvests 217 8.4 Using succession to control invasions 219 8.4.1 Grassland 219 8.4.2 Forest 220 8.5 Managing succession for species conservation 221 8.5.1 When early succession matters most – a hare-restoring formula for lynx 221 8.5.2 Enforcing a successional mosaic – first aid for butterflies 222 8.5.3 When late succession matters most – range finding for tropical birds 223 8.5.4 Controlling succession in an invader-dominated community 223 8.5.5 Nursing a valued plant back to cultural health 224 9 Applications from food web and ecosystem theory 229 9.1 Introduction 230 9.2 Food web theory and human disease risk 234 9.3 Food webs and harvest management 236 9.3.1 Who gets top spot in the abalone food web – otters or humans? 236 9.3.2 Food web consequences of harvesting fish – from tuna to tiddlers 238 9.4 Food webs and conservation management 239 9.5 Ecosystem consequences of invasions 240 9.5.1 Ecosystem consequences of freshwater invaders 240 9.5.2 Ecosystem effects of invasive plants – fixing the problem 241 9.6 Ecosystem approaches to restoration – first aid by parasites and sawdust 242 9.7 Sustainable agroecosystems 245 9.7.1 Stopping caterpillars eating the broccoli – so that people can 245 9.7.2 Managing agriculture to minimize fertilizer input and nutrient loss 245 9.7.3 Constructing wetlands to manage water quality 247 9.7.4 Managing lake eutrophication 248 9.8 Ecosystem services and ecosystem health 249 9.8.1 The value of ecosystem services 249 9.8.2 Ecosystem health of forests – with all their mites 252 9.8.3 Ecosystem health in an agricultural landscape – bats have a ball 253 9.8.4 Ecosystem health of rivers – it’s what we make it 254 9.8.5 Ecosystem health of a marine environment 255 Part 4: Applications at the regional and global scales 10 Landscape management 261 10.1 Introduction 262 10.2 Conservation of metapopulations 267 10.2.1 The emu-wren – making the most of the conservation dollar 267 10.2.2 The wood thrush – going down the sink 268 10.2.3 The problem with large carnivores – connecting with grizzly bears 269 10.3 Landscape harvest management 270 10.3.1 Marine protected areas 270 10.3.2 A Peruvian forest successional mosaic – patching a living together 271 10.4 A landscape perspective on pest control 272 10.4.1 Plantation forestry in the landscape 272 10.4.2 Horticulture in the landscape 273 10.4.3 Arable farming in the landscape 274 10.5 Restoration landscapes 274 10.5.1 Reintroduction of vultures – what a carrion 275 10.5.2 Restoring farmed habitat – styled for hares 276 10.5.3 Old is good – willingness to pay for forest improvement 276 10.5.4 Cityscape ecology – biodiversity in Berlin 277 10.6 Designing reserve networks for biodiversity conservation 277 10.6.1 Complementarity – selecting reserves for fish biodiversity 279 10.6.2 Irreplaceability – selecting reserves in the Cape Floristic Region 279 10.7 Multipurpose reserve design 280 10.7.1 Marine zoning – an Italian job 280 10.7.2 A marine zoning plan for New Zealand – gifts, gains and china shops 283 10.7.3 Managing an agricultural landscape – a multidisciplinary endeavor 283 11 Dealing with global climate change 290 11.1 Introduction 291 11.2 Climate change predictions based on the ecology of individual organisms 297 11.2.1 Niche theory and conservation – what a shame mountains are conical 297 11.2.2 Niche theory and invasion risk – nuisance on the move 298 11.2.3 Life-history traits and the fate of species – for better or for worse 300 11.3 Climate change predictions based on the theory of population dynamics 303 11.3.1 Species conservation – the bear essentials 303 11.3.2 Pest control – more or less of a problem? 303 11.3.3 Harvesting fish in future – cod willing 304 11.3.4 Forestry – a boost for developing countries? 305 11.4 Climate change predictions based on community and ecosystem interactions 306 11.4.1 Succession – new trajectories and end points 306 11.4.2 Food-web interactions – Dengue downunder 307 11.4.3 Ecosystem services – you win some, you lose some 307 11.5 A landscape perspective – nature reserves under climate change 308 11.5.1 Mexican cacti – reserves in the wrong place 309 11.5.2 Fairy shrimps – a temporary setback 310 Index 315

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Book SynopsisPresents an opinion that we must understand the complexity and interdependency of species and habitats from the microscopic level to the gigantic. This book shows how easily observable species are part of a complicated infrastructure. It also shows that forests are far more complicated, which means simplistic policies will not save them.Trade ReviewAccurate and authentic, Trees, Truffles, and Beasts makes a major contribution to the field of natural resource management. This is a clear and compelling argument that there's much more to forests than meets the eye. -- Jim Furnish * Deputy Chief (ret.), USDA Forest Service *This book is an excellent introduction to the world of mycorrhizal fungi in forests and their importance in food webs as highlighted by truffles. This book should encourage readers to investigate further the intricate and essential interactions occurring in forests, which make them work. -- John Dighton * professor and director of Rutgers University Pinelands Field Station *"The book provides excellent coverage of the symbiosis between trees, fungi, and animals, an orverarching theme. . . . Few works take these personal views into account to give such a holistic view of the forested landscape. Highly recommended." * Choice *The authors. all keenly qualified to write on the topic, begin by discussing the importance of sustainable ecosystem policies and preserving our environment, and then point out that to be able to do that, one must understand those environmental systems. What follows is an entire college course on just how forests work. * Funghi *These authors weave together a broad array of personal observations and pertinent scientific research into a sweeping account of forest ecology and conservation. This book is an interesting and well-priced addition to the mycologist's bookshelf. * Inoculum *Trees, Truffles, and Beasts reveals a belowground world that we cannot see, and for that reason, often overlook when thinking about forests. The authors deftly link this belowground world of fungi and soil microorganisms to the aboveground world that we know. The story-telling style of writing makes the book engaging and easy to read, and at the same time, the book is packed with interesting facts. * Northwest Science *"Lucidly written and accessible to professionals and the general public alike, the authors adeptly tease out the intimate details and fascinating ecological interactions of a world hidden within the soil. I highly recommend this book for a fascinating glimpse into the wondrous web life and complex ecological relationships that sustain our natural forests." -- Alan Watson Featherstone * Trees for Life, Scotland *Table of ContentsIntroduction 1 The Forest We See 2 The Unseen Forest 3 Trees, Truffles, and Beasts: Coevolution in Action 4 Of Animals and Fungi 5 The Importance of Mycophagy 6 Landscape Patterns and Fire 7 Forest Succession and Habitat Dynamics 8 Of Lifestyles and Shared Habitats 9 Lessons from the Trees, the Truffles, and the Beasts

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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

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Book SynopsisThis book is intended as an introductory text for students studying a wide range of courses concerned with animal management, zoo biology and wildlife conservation, and should also be useful to zookeepers and other zoo professionals. It is divided into three parts.Trade Review“Overall, this is an exemplary introductory text, with masses of invaluable supporting information in appendices and a companion website: www.wiley.com/go/rees/zoo. Giant pandas, by the way, get almost fifty mentions in an excellent index.” (British Ecological Society Bulletin, 1 August 2012) Table of ContentsPreface. PART 1 – HISTORY, ORGANISATION AND REGULATION. 1 The Purpose and Popularity of Zoos. 2 Conservation. 3 A Short History of Zoos. 4 Zoo Organisation and Management. 5 Zoo Legislation. 6 Ethics and Zoos. PART 2 – ENCLOSURES, HUSBANDRY AND BEHAVIOUR. 7 Zoo and Exhibit Design. 8 Nutrition and Feeding. 9 Reproductive Biology. 10 Zoo Animal Behaviour, Enrichment and Training.> 11 Animal Welfare and Veterinary Care. PART 3 - CONSERVATION. 12 Collection Planning and Captive Breeding. 13 Record Keeping. 14 Education, Research and Zoo Visitor Behaviour. 15 In-situ Conservation and Reintroductions. Appendix I. Appendix II. Index.

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Book SynopsisEarth is the only planet known to have fire. The reason is both simple and profound: fire exists because Earth is the only planet to possess life as we know it. Fire is an expression of life on Earth and an index of life s history. Few processes are as integral, unique, or ancient.Trade ReviewThe well-organized and illustrated work can be used as a textbook or a reference source for practitioners. Each chapter has a list of further readings, and each part has its own extensive bibliography. This phenomenal contribution will become a classic reference for five mangers, students of fire ecology and climate, and researchers for years to come. Summing Up: Essential. All levels/libraries." (Choice, 1 October 2014) "Overall, the book provides an excellent, multidisciplinary introduction to fire, authored by leading experts in their fields, written in a very accessible style and supported by superb illustrations and extensive references. Hence, I highly recommend it to potential readers, who may be upper level undergraduate students, graduate students, teaching staff and everyone working, or simply interested, in the area of environmental science." (International Journal of Wildland Fire, 1 August 2014) "Fire and earth scientists, anthropologists, ecol­ogists, resource managers, and especially ad­vanced students in natural sciences will find the text, along with its online resources, a req­uisite addition to their libraries. Not only is it a pleasure to read, simply put, it sparks the imagination." (Fire Ecology, 1 June 2014) "With wildfire recognised in key government contingency documents, not least for climate change, foresters looking for greater understanding of this future challenge over the coming decades, should look no further." (Chartered Forester, 1 May 2014) "This book is a good example of a multidisciplinary investigation. The writers express the wish that it may stimulate further research into fire processes, both 'natural' and induced by humanity. A book worth reading!." (Geological Journal, 29 April 2014) "Each part has an extensive reference list reflecting the worldwide significance of wildfire and varied scientific approaches: tables, diagrams and colour photographs are abundant, and there is a welcome companion website with a host of useful teaching/demonstration material." (The Biologist 2016) "Fire on Earth would serve as an outstanding basis for a graduate course in fire science and management. It is also a valuable reference that has a place on the bookshelf of any instructor, scientist, or land manager whose work involves the role of fire in terrestrial ecosystems and human civilization." (The Quarterly Review of Biology 2016)Table of ContentsPreface xiii Acknowledgements xv About the Authors xvii About the Companion Website xix PART ONE FIRE IN THE EARTH SYSTEM 1 Preface to part one 2 Chapter 1 What is fire? 3 1.1 How fire starts and initially spreads 3 1.2 Lightning and other ignition sources 4 1.3 The charring process 6 1.4 Pyrolysis products 7 1.5 Fire types 10 1.6 Peat fires 14 1.7 Fire effects on soils 15 1.8 Post-fire erosion-deposition 18 1.9 Fire and vegetation 22 1.10 Fire and climate 26 1.11 Fire triangles 30 1.12 Fire return intervals 30 1.13 How we study fire: satellites 31 1.14 Modelling fire occurrence 38 1.15 Climate forcing 42 1.16 Scales of fire occurrence 44 Further reading 45 Chapter 2 Fire in the fossil record: recognition 47 2.1 Fire proxies: fire scars and charcoal 47 2.2 The problem of nomenclature: black carbon, char, charcoal, soot and elemental carbon 49 2.3 How we study charcoal: microscopical and chemical techniques 51 2.4 Charcoal as an information-rich source 56 2.5 Charcoal reflectance and temperature 56 2.6 Uses of charcoal 58 2.7 Fire intensity/severity 59 2.8 Deep time studies 60 2.9 Pre-requisite for fire: fuel – the evolution of plants 61 2.10 Charcoal in sedimentary systems 62 Further reading 63 Chapter 3 Fire in the fossil record: earth system processes 65 3.1 Fire and oxygen 65 3.2 Fire feedbacks 67 3.3 Systems diagrams 67 3.4 Charcoal as proxy for atmospheric oxygen 69 3.5 Burning experiments – fire spread 69 3.6 Fire and the terrestrial system 70 Further reading 72 Chapter 4 The geological history of fire in deep time: 420 million years to 2 million years ago 73 4.1 Periods of high and low fire, and implications 73 4.2 The first fires 73 4.3 The rise of fire 75 4.4 Fire in the high-oxygen Paleozoic world 77 4.5 Collapse of fire systems 80 4.6 Fire at the Triassic-Jurassic boundary 82 4.7 Jurassic variation 82 4.8 Cretaceous fires 84 4.9 Fire at the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-P or K-T) boundary 87 4.10 Paleocene fires 88 4.11 Fires across the Paleocene-Eocene thermal maximum (PETM) 88 4.12 Dampening of fire systems 89 4.13 Rise of the grass-fire cycle 89 Further reading 89 Chapter 5 The geological history of fire – the last two million years 91 5.1 Problems of Quaternary fire history 91 5.2 The Paleofire working group: techniques and analysis 93 5.3 Fire and climate cycles 97 5.4 Fire and humans: the fossil evidence 98 5.5 Fire and the industrial society 101 Further reading 101 References for part one 103 PART TWO BIOLOGY OF FIRE 111 Preface to part two 112 Chapter 6 Pyrogeography – temporal and spatial patterns of fire 113 6.1 Fire and life 113 6.2 Global climate, vegetation patterns and fire 113 6.3 Pyrogeography 116 6.4 Fire and the control of biome boundaries 121 6.5 The fire regime concept 125 6.6 Fire ecology 128 6.7 Conclusion 129 Further reading 129 Chapter 7 Plants and fire 131 7.1 Introduction 131 7.2 Fire and plant traits 131 7.3 Fire regimes and the characteristic suite of fire plant traits 137 7.4 Evolution of fire traits 140 7.5 Summary and implications 145 Further reading 145 General reading 146 Chapter 8 Fire and fauna 147 8.1 Direct effects of fire on fauna 147 8.2 The effect of fire regimes on fauna 148 8.3 The landscape mosaic and pyrodiversity 150 8.4 The effect of fauna on fire regimes 152 8.5 Fire and the evolution of fauna 154 8.6 Summary 155 Further reading 155 Chapter 9 Fire as an ecosystem process 157 9.1 Introduction 157 9.2 Fire and erosion 157 9.3 Fire and nutrient cycling 160 9.4 Fire and pedogenesis 163 9.5 Fire and atmospheric chemistry 164 9.6 Fire and climate 165 9.7 Summary 168 Further reading 169 Chapter 10 Fire and anthropogenic environmental change 171 10.1 Introduction 171 10.2 Prehistoric impacts 171 10.3 Prehistoric fire management 174 10.4 Contemporary fire management 176 10.5 Climate change 177 10.6 Fire and carbon management 180 10.7 Fire regime switches: a major challenge for fire ecology 180 10.8 Invasive plants and altered fire regimes 184 10.9 Conclusion 187 Further reading 187 References for part two 189 PART THREE ANTHROPOGENIC FIRE 193 Preface to part three 194 Chapter 11 Fire creature 195 11.1 Early hominins: spark of creation 195 11.2 Aboriginal fire: control over ignition 198 11.3 Cultivated fire: control over combustibles 206 11.4 Ideas and institutions: lore and ritual 220 11.5 Narrative arcs (and equants) 221 Further reading 229 Chapter 12 A new epoch of fire: the anthropocene 231 12.1 The Great Disruption 231 12.2 The pyric transition 232 12.3 Enlightenment and empire 236 12.4 Scaling the transition 238 12.5 After the revolution 245 Further reading 257 Chapter 13 Fire management 259 13.1 Introducing integrated fire management 259 13.2 Two realms: managing the pyric transition 260 13.3 Strategies 261 13.4 Institutions: ordering fire 272 13.5 Ideas: conceptions of fire 277 13.6 Fire management: selected examples 279 Further reading 289 References and further reading for part three 291 PART FOUR THE SCIENCE AND ART OF WILDLAND FIRE BEHAVIOUR PREDICTION 295 Preface to part four 296 Chapter 14 Fundamentals of wildland fire as a physical process 297 14.1 Introduction 297 14.2 The basics of combustion and heat transfer 298 14.3 The wildland fire environment concept 303 14.4 Characterization of wildland fire behaviour 315 14.5 Extreme wildland fire behaviour phenomena 329 14.6 Field methods of measuring and quantifying wildland fire behaviour 336 14.7 Towards increasing our understanding of wildland fire behaviour 337 Further reading 339 Chapter 15 Estimating free-burning wildland fire behaviour 341 15.1 Introduction 341 15.2 A historical sketch of wildland fire behaviour research 342 15.3 Models, systems and guides for predicting wildland fire behaviour 350 15.4 Limitations on the accuracy of model predictions of wildland fire behaviour 359 15.5 The wildland fire behaviour prediction process 363 15.6 Specialized support in assessing wildland fire behaviour 370 15.7 Looking ahead 371 Further reading 372 Chapter 16 Fire management applications of wildland fire behaviour knowledge 373 16.1 Introduction 373 16.2 Wildfire suppression 376 16.3 Wildland firefighter safety 378 16.4 Community wildland fire protection 382 16.5 Fuels management 383 16.6 Prediction of fire effects 388 16.7 Getting on the road towards self-improvement 389 Further reading 390 References for part four 393 Index 405

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Book SynopsisWith emphasis on practical application and quantitative skill development, this book weaves together these disparate elements in a single coherent textbook for senior undergraduate and graduate students. It reviews analytical techniques, explaining the mathematical and statistical principles behind them.Trade Review�I recommend the book unreservedly to wildlife managers, park rangers, biological resource managers, and those working in ecotourism.� (Tahrcountry, 10 August 2014) "This book offers an integrated vision on [rapidly evolving wildlife management] in a comprehensive, experience driven, coherent overview. It is structured in two parts, of which the first one provides an overview of the key ecological concepts on which this field of applied ecology is based...The second section deals with wildlife conservation and management... Books that target their subject [this] specifically and in-depth are rare. All over the publication general subjects in ecology are most convincingly tailored to wildlife management. It provides applicable information on new (sometimes developing) methods. It illustrates the theory with a wealth of graphs, figures, and examples from the literature. This third edition entails new chapters on climate changes, wildlife response to rapidly changing conditions, habitat selection, and corridors in increasingly fragmented landscapes... A glossary and an impressive 36-page reference list enhance the documentary and didactical value of this book, which is excellent for senior undergraduates and graduate students in ecology, biology, and environment sciences. However, it is equally valuable for professional wildlife managers, park rangers, and those working in ecotourism. The book has a most useful accompanying website where additional resources, power points and PDFs of all tables can be found. The whole atmosphere of the book combines academic diligence with wildlife management practice... A great book of applied ecology in a most useful sector of increasing specialisation and professionalism." (International Journal of Environment and Pollution, 2016, http://www.inderscience.com/editorials/f164312115298710.pdf)Table of ContentsPreface xi 1 Introduction: goals and decisions 1 1.1 How to use this book 1 1.2 What is wildlife conservation and management? 2 1.3 Goals of management 3 1.4 Hierarchies of decision 6 1.5 Policy goals 7 1.6 Feasible options 7 1.7 Summary 8 Part 1 Wildlife ecology 9 2 Food and nutrition 11 2.1 Introduction 11 2.2 Constituents of food 11 2.3 Variation in food supply 14 2.4 Measurement of food supply 17 2.5 Basal metabolic rate and food requirement 20 2.6 Morphology of herbivore digestion 23 2.7 Food passage rate and food requirement 26 2.8 Body size and diet selection 27 2.9 Indices of body condition 28 2.10 Summary 33 3 Home range and habitat use 35 3.1 Introduction 35 3.2 Estimating home range size and utilization frequency 36 3.3 Estimating habitat availability and use 38 3.4 Selective habitat use 40 3.5 Using resource selection functions to predict population response 42 3.6 Sources of variation in habitat use 42 3.7 Movement within the home range 45 3.8 Movement among home ranges 48 3.9 Summary 51 4 Dispersal, dispersion, and distribution 53 4.1 Introduction 53 4.2 Dispersal 53 4.3 Dispersion 55 4.4 Distribution 56 4.5 Distribution, abundance, and range collapse 61 4.6 Species reintroductions or invasions 62 4.7 Summary 67 5 Population growth and regulation 69 5.1 Introduction 69 5.2 Rate of increase 69 5.3 Geometric or exponential population growth 73 5.4 Stability of populations 73 5.5 The theory of population limitation and regulation 76 5.6 Evidence for regulation 81 5.7 Applications of regulation 85 5.8 Logistic model of population regulation 86 5.9 Stability, cycles, and chaos 88 5.10 Intraspecific competition 90 5.11 Interactions of food, predators, and disease 93 5.12 Summary 93 6 Competition and facilitation between species 95 6.1 Introduction 95 6.2 Theoretical aspects of interspecific competition 96 6.3 Experimental demonstrations of competition 98 6.4 The concept of the niche 103 6.5 The competitive exclusion principle 106 6.6 Resource partitioning and habitat selection 106 6.7 Competition in variable environments 113 6.8 Apparent competition 113 6.9 Facilitation 114 6.10 Applied aspects of competition 119 6.11 Summary 122 7 Predation 123 7.1 Introduction 123 7.2 Predation and management 123 7.3 Definitions 123 7.4 The effect of predators on prey density 124 7.5 The behavior of predators 125 7.6 Numerical response of predators to prey density 129 7.7 The total response 130 7.8 Behavior of the prey 136 7.9 Summary 138 8 Parasites and pathogens 139 8.1 Introduction and definitions 139 8.2 Effects of parasites 139 8.3 The basic parameters of epidemiology 140 8.4 Determinants of spread 143 8.5 Endemic pathogens 144 8.6 Endemic pathogens: synergistic interactions with food and predators 144 8.7 Epizootic diseases 146 8.8 Emerging infectious diseases of wildlife 147 8.9 Parasites and the regulation of host populations 150 8.10 Parasites and host communities 151 8.11 Parasites and conservation 152 8.12 Parasites and control of pests 155 8.13 Summary 156 9 Consumer–resource dynamics 157 9.1 Introduction 157 9.2 Quality and quantity of a resource 157 9.3 Kinds of resource 157 9.4 Consumer–resource dynamics: general theory 158 9.5 Kangaroos and their food plants in semi-arid Australian savannas 161 9.6 Wolf–moose–woody plant dynamics in the boreal forest 167 9.7 Other population cycles 172 9.8 Summary 175 10 The ecology of behavior 177 10.1 Introduction 17710.2 Diet selection 177 10.3 Optimal patch or habitat use 183 10.4 Risk-sensitive habitat use 186 10.5 Social behavior and foraging 187 10.6 Summary 190 11 Climate change and wildlife 191 11.1 Introduction 191 11.2 Evidence for climate change 191 11.3 Wildlife responses to climate change 192 11.4 Mechanisms of response to climate change 196 11.5 Complex ecosystem responses to climate change 199 11.6 Summary 201 Part 2 Wildlife conservation and management 203 12 Counting animals 205 12.1 Introduction 205 12.2 Total counts 205 12.3 Sampled counts: the logic 207 12.4 Sampled counts: methods and arithmetic 212 12.5 Indirect estimates of population size 220 12.6 Indices 227 12.7 Harvest-based population estimates 228 12.8 Summary 231 13 Age and stage structure 233 13.1 Introduction 233 13.2 Demographic rates 233 13.3 Direct estimation of life table parameters 235 13.4 Indirect estimation of life table parameters 236 13.5 Relationships among parameters 238 13.6 Age-specific population models 239 13.7 Elasticity of matrix models 242 13.8 Stage-specific models 243 13.9 Elasticity of the loggerhead turtle model 245 13.10 Short-term changes in structured populations 246 13.11 Environmental stochasticity and age-structured populations 246 13.12 Summary 249 14 Experimental management 251 14.1 Introduction 251 14.2 Differentiating success from failure 251 14.3 Technical judgments can be tested 252 14.4 The nature of the evidence 255 14.5 Experimental and survey design 257 14.6 Some standard analyses 262 14.7 Summary 271 15 Model evaluation and adaptive management 273 15.1 Introduction 273 15.2 Fitting models to data and estimation of parameters 274 15.3 Measuring the likelihood of the observed data 276 15.4 Evaluating the likelihood of alternate models using AIC 278 15.5 Adaptive management 281 15.6 Summary 284 16 Population viability analysis 285 16.1 Introduction 285 16.2 Environmental stochasticity 285 16.3 PVA based on the exponential growth model 286 16.4 PVA based on the diffusion model 287 16.5 PVA based on logistic growth 290 16.6 Demographic stochasticity 291 16.7 Estimating both environmental and demographic stochasticity 294 16.8 PVA based on demographic and environmental stochasticity 296 16.9 Strengths and weaknesses of PVA 296 16.10 Extinction caused by environmental change 298 16.11 Extinction threat due to introduction of exotic predators or competitors 298 16.12 Extinction threat due to unsustainable harvesting 300 16.13 Extinction threat due to habitat loss 302 16.14 Summary 302 17 Conservation in practice 305 17.1 Introduction 305 17.2 How populations go extinct 305 17.3 How to prevent extinction 315 17.4 Rescue and recovery of near-extinctions 316 17.5 Conservation in National Parks and reserves 317 17.6 Community conservation outside National Parks and reserves 322 17.7 International conservation 323 17.8 Summary 324 18 Wildlife harvesting 325 18.1 Introduction 325 18.2 Fixed-quota harvesting strategy 325 18.3 Fixed-proportion harvesting strategy 329 18.4 Harvesting in practice: dynamic variation in quotas or effort 332 18.5 No-harvest reserves 334 18.6 Age- or sex-biased harvesting 335 18.7 Commercial harvesting 340 18.8 Bioeconomics 340 18.9 Game cropping and the discount rate 344 18.10 Summary 346 19 Wildlife control 347 19.1 Introduction 347 19.2 Definitions 347 19.3 Effects of control 348 19.4 Objectives of control 348 19.5 Determining whether control is appropriate 349 19.6 Methods of control 350 19.7 Summary 356 20 Evolution and conservation genetics 357 20.1 Introduction 357 20.2 Maintenance of genetic variation 358 20.3 Natural selection 359 20.4 Natural selection and life history tradeoffs 361 20.5 Natural selection due to hunting 363 20.6 Natural selection due to fishing 365 20.7 Selection due to environmental change 367 20.8 Ecological dynamics due to evolutionary changes 372 20.9 Heterozygosity 374 20.10 Genetic drift and mutation 375 20.11 Inbreeding depression 376 20.12 How much genetic variation is needed? 377 20.13 Effective population size 378 20.14 Effect of sex ratio 379 20.15 How small is too small? 380 20.16 Summary 380 21 Habitat loss and metapopulation dynamics 381 21.1 Introduction 381 21.2 Habitat loss and fragmentation 381 21.3 Ecological effects of habitat loss 384 21.4 Metapopulation dynamics 386 21.5 Territorial metapopulations 389 21.6 Mainland–island metapopulations 390 21.7 Source–sink metapopulations 391 21.8 Metacommunity dynamics of competitors 392 21.9 Metacommunity dynamics of predators and prey 393 21.10 Corridors 394 21.11 Summary 398 22 Ecosystem management and conservation 399 22.1 Introduction 399 22.2 Definitions 400 22.3 Gradients of communities 400 22.4 Niches 400 22.5 Food webs and intertrophic interactions 400 22.6 Community features and management consequences 402 22.7 Multiple states 404 22.8 Regulation of top-down and bottom-up processes 405 22.9 Ecosystem consequences of bottom-up processes 407 22.10 Ecosystem disturbance and heterogeneity 408 22.11 Ecosystem management at multiple scales 410 22.12 Biodiversity 411 22.13 Island biogeography and dynamic processes of diversity 413 22.14 Ecosystem function 415 22.15 Summary 417 Appendices 419 Glossary 423 References 435 Index 489

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Book SynopsisIncludes a preface and epilogue that brings Wilderness and the American Mind into dialogue with contemporary debates about wilderness. This is a study of changing attitudes toward wilderness during American history, as well as the origins of the environmental and conservation movements.Trade Review"One of those rare works that combines exemplary scholarship and readability."—Washington Post Book World (on an earlier edition)

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Book Synopsis''Astonishing ... beautiful, compelling and terrifying'' Observer''Wadhams'' writing sparkles ... a lyrical sense of wonder at the natural world ... essential reading ... may be the best reader-friendly account of the greenhouse effect available to date'' John Burnside, New StatesmanIce is beautiful and complex. It regulates our planet''s temperature. And it is vanishing - fast. Peter Wadhams, the world''s leading expert on sea ice, draws on his lifetime''s research in the Arctic region to illuminate what is happening, what it means for the future, and what can be done.''This most experienced and rational scientist states what so many other researchers privately fear but cannot publicly say'' John Vidal, Guardian''Wadhams brings huge expertise to his subject - and he is an excellent writer'' Martin Rees''Utterly extraordinary'' Jonathon PorrittTrade ReviewWadhams's particular combination - of scientific passion, a lyrical sense of wonder at the natural world, an ability to pluck clear analogies from the air, and outspoken analysis of consumer-capitalist politics - marks out A Farewell to Ice as essential reading. -- John Burnside * New Statesman *A passionate, authoritative overview of the role of ice in our climate system, past, present and, scarily, the future. -- Carl Wunsch, Professor Emeritus of Physical Oceanography, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

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Book SynopsisTwo hundred million years ago the earth consisted of a single vast continent, Pangea, surrounded by a great planetary sea. Continental drift tore apart Pangaea, and for millennia the hemispheres were separate, evolving almost entirely different suites of plants and animals. Columbus's arrival in the Americas brought together these long-separate worlds. Many historians believe that this collision of ecosystems and cultures - the Columbian Exchange - was the most consequential event in human history since the Neolithic Revolution. And it was the most consequential event in biological history since the extinction of the dinosaurs. Beginning with the world of microbes and moving up the species ladder to mankind, Mann rivetingly describes the profound effect this exchanging of species had on the culture of both continents.

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Book SynopsisA major stepping stone toward a synthesis of the ecology and evolution of the Late Cretaceous ecosystems of western North AmericaTrade Review...Rather than marking an end point, the volume is a foundational manuscript for ongoing research that will be indispensable to anyone researching the monument's prehistoric life. At the Top of the Grand Staircase is an essential volume for explorers who are continuing to search through what's left of Cretaceous Utah. * National Geographic Phenomena *[T]his work will be an important resource for library collections. It will be valuable to paleontologists and geologists who are working throughout the US and the world, not just this specific region. . . . Highly recommended. * Choice *This volume . . . provides a comprehensive foundation for future research ventures on Campanian-age strata worldwide. Editors Alan Titus and Mark Loewen have completed the excellent service of compiling a suite of various research topics—ranging from stratigraphic reviews and correlations to taphonomic studies—on this key scientific region. * Priscum *Table of ContentsForeword by Jeffrey G. EatonPreface1. One Hundred Thirty Years of Cretaceous Research in Southern Utah 2. Geologic Overview 3. Accumulation of Organic Carbon–Rich Strata along the Western Margin and in the Center of the North American Western Interior Seaway during the Cenomanian–Turonian Transgression 4. Tectonic and Sedimentary Controls, Age, and Correlation of the Upper Cretaceous Wahweap Formation, Southern Utah5. Implications of the Internal Plumbing of a Late Cretaceous Sand Volcano: Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, Utah 6. The Kaiparowits Formation: A Remarkable Record of Late Cretaceous Terrestrial Environments, Ecosystems, and Evolution in Western North America 7. A Late Campanian Flora from the Kaiparowits Formation, Southern Utah, and a Brief Overview of the Widely Sampled but Little-Known Campanian Vegetation of the Western Interior of North America 8. Continental Invertebrates and Trace Fossils from the Campanian Kaiparowits Formation, Utah9. Elasmobranchs from Upper Cretaceous Freshwater Facies in Southern Utah 10. Freshwater Osteichthyes from the Cenomanian to Late Campanian of Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, Utah 11. Preliminary Report on Salamanders (Lissamphibia; Caudata) from the Late Cretaceous (Late Cenomanian–Late Campanian) of Southern Utah, U.S.A. 12. Anuran Ilia from the Upper Cretaceous of Utah—Diversity and Stratigraphic Patterns 13. Turtles from the Kaiparowits Formation, Utah 14. Review of Late Cretaceous Mammalian Faunas of the Kaiparowits and Paunsaugunt Plateaus, Southwestern Utah 15. Late Cretaceous Mammals from Bryce Canyon National Park and Vicinity, Paunsaugunt Plateau, Southwestern Utah 16. Lizards and Snakes from the Cenomanian through Campanian of Southern Utah: Filling the Gap in the Fossil Record of Squamata from the Late Cretaceous of the Western Interior of North America17. Crocodyliforms from the Late Cretaceous of Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument and Vicinity, Southern Utah, U.S.A. 18. Review of Late Cretaceous Ankylosaurian Dinosaurs from the Grand Staircase Region, Southern Utah19. Ornithopod Dinosaurs from the Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument Region, Utah, and Their Role in Paleobiogeographic and Macroevolutionary Studies20. Review of Pachycephalosaurian Dinosaurs from Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument, Southern Utah 21. Ceratopsid Dinosaurs from the Grand Staircase of Southern Utah22. Late Cretaceous Theropod Dinosaurs of Southern Utah 23. A Trackmaker for Saurexallopus: Ichnological Evidence for Oviraptorosaurian Tracks from the Upper Cretaceous of Western North America 24. First Report of Probable Therizinosaur (cf. Macropodosaurus) Tracks from North America, with Notes on the Neglected Vertebrate Ichnofauna of the Ferron Sandstone (Late Cretaceous) of Central Utah25. Fossil Vertebrates from the Tropic Shale (Upper Cretaceous), Southern Utah26. Paleontological Overview and Taphonomy of the Middle Campanian Wahweap Formation in Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument 27. Taphonomy of a Subadult Teratophoneus curriei (Tyrannosauridae) from the Upper Campanian Kaiparowits Formation of Utah28. A New Macrovertebrate Assemblage from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) of Southern Utah Index

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Book SynopsisThis second edition presents how genetic information can be used to conserve threatened species, as well as manage ecologically or commercially important species.Trade Review“Summing Up: Recommended. Lower-division undergraduates and above.” (Choice, 1 October 2013)Table of ContentsGuest Box authors, ix Preface to the second edition, xi Preface to the first edition, xiii List of symbols, xv PART I: INTRODUCTION, 1 1 Introduction, 3 1.1 Genetics and civilization, 4 1.2 What should we conserve?, 5 1.3 How should we conserve biodiversity?, 9 1.4 Applications of genetics to conservation, 10 1.5 The future, 12 Guest Box 1: L. Scott Mills and Michael E. Soulé, The role of genetics in conservation, 13 2 Phenotypic variation in natural populations, 14 2.1 Color pattern, 17 2.2 Morphology, 20 2.3 Behavior, 23 2.4 Phenology, 25 2.5 Differences among populations, 27 2.6 Nongenetic inheritance, 31 Guest Box 2: Chris J. Foote, Looks can be deceiving: countergradient variation in secondary sexual color in sympatric morphs of sockeye salmon, 32 3 Genetic variation in natural populations: chromosomes and proteins, 34 3.1 Chromosomes, 35 3.2 Protein electrophoresis, 45 3.3 Genetic variation within natural populations, 48 3.4 Genetic divergence among populations, 50 Guest Box 3: E. M. Tuttle, Chromosomal polymorphism in the white-throated sparrow, 52 4 Genetic variation in natural populations: DNA, 54 4.1 Mitochondrial and chloroplast organelle DNA, 56 4.2 Single-copy nuclear loci, 60 4.3 Multiple locus techniques, 68 4.4 Genomic tools and markers, 69 4.5 Transcriptomics, 72 4.6 Other ‘omics’ and the future, 73 Guest Box 4: Louis Bernatchez, Rapid evolutionary changes of gene expression in domesticated Atlantic salmon and its consequences for the conservation of wild populations, 74 PART II: MECHANISMS OF EVOLUTIONARY CHANGE, 77 5 Random mating populations: Hardy- Weinberg principle, 79 5.1 Hardy-Weinberg principle, 80 5.2 Hardy-Weinberg proportions, 82 5.3 Testing for Hardy-Weinberg proportions, 83 5.4 Estimation of allele frequencies, 88 5.5 Sex-linked loci, 90 5.6 Estimation of genetic variation, 92 Guest Box 5: Paul Sunnucks and Birgita D. Hansen, Null alleles and Bonferroni ‘abuse’: treasure your exceptions (and so get it right for Leadbeater’s possum), 93 6 Small populations and genetic drift, 96 6.1 Genetic drift, 97 6.2 Changes in allele frequency, 100 6.3 Loss of genetic variation: the inbreeding effect of small populations, 101 6.4 Loss of allelic diversity, 102 6.5 Founder effect, 106 6.6 Genotypic proportions in small populations, 110 6.7 Fitness effects of genetic drift, 112 Guest Box 6: Menna E. Jones, Reduced genetic variation and the emergence of an extinction-threatening disease in the Tasmanian devil, 115 7 Effective population size, 117 7.1 Concept of effective population size, 118 7.2 Unequal sex ratio, 119 7.3 Nonrandom number of progeny, 121 7.4 Fluctuating population size, 125 7.5 Overlapping generations, 125 7.6 Variance effective population size, 126 7.7 Cytoplasmic genes, 126 7.8 Gene genealogies, the coalescent, and lineage sorting, 129 7.9 Limitations of effective population size, 130 7.10 Effective population size in natural populations, 132 Guest Box 7: Craig R. Miller and Lisette P. Waits, Estimation of effective population size in Yellowstone grizzly bears, 134 8 Natural selection, 136 8.1 Fitness, 138 8.2 Single locus with two alleles, 138 8.3 Multiple alleles, 144 8.4 Frequency-dependent selection, 147 8.5 Natural selection in small populations, 149 8.6 Natural selection and conservation, 151 Guest Box 8: Paul A. Hohenlohe and William A. Cresko, Natural selection across the genome of the threespine stickleback fish, 154 9 Population subdivision, 156 9.1 F-Statistics, 158 9.2 Spatial patterns of relatedness within local populations, 161 9.3 Genetic divergence among populations and gene flow, 163 9.4 Gene flow and genetic drift, 165 9.5 Continuously distributed populations, 168 9.6 Cytoplasmic genes and sex-linked markers, 169 9.7 Gene flow and natural selection, 172 9.8 Limitations of FST and other measures of subdivision, 174 9.9 Estimation of gene flow, 179 9.10 Population subdivision and conservation, 184 Guest Box 9: M.K. Schwartz and J.M. Tucker, Genetic population structure and conservation of fisher in western North America, 185 10 Multiple loci, 187 10.1 Gametic disequilibrium, 188 10.2 Small population size, 192 10.3 Natural selection, 192 10.4 Population subdivision, 196 10.5 Hybridization, 196 10.6 Estimation of gametic disequilibrium, 199 10.7 Multiple loci and conservation, 200 Guest Box 10: Robin S. Waples, Estimation of effective population size using gametic disequilibrium, 203 11 Quantitative genetics, 205 11.1 Heritability, 206 11.2 Selection on quantitative traits, 212 11.3 Finding genes underlying quantitative traits, 217 11.4 Loss of quantitative genetic variation, 220 11.5 Divergence among populations, 223 11.6 Quantitative genetics and conservation, 225 Guest Box 11: David W. Coltman, Response to trophy hunting in bighorn sheep, 229 12 Mutation, 230 12.1 Process of mutation, 231 12.2 Selectively neutral mutations, 235 12.3 Harmful mutations, 239 12.4 Advantageous mutations, 239 12.5 Recovery from a bottleneck, 241 Guest Box 12: Michael W. Nachman, Color evolution via different mutations in pocket mice, 242 PART III: GENETICS AND CONSERVATION, 245 13 Inbreeding depression, 247 13.1 Pedigree analysis, 248 13.2 Gene drop analysis, 252 13.3 Estimation of F with molecular markers, 253 13.4 Causes of inbreeding depression, 256 13.5 Measurement of inbreeding depression, 258 13.6 Genetic load and purging, 264 13.7 Inbreeding and conservation, 267 Guest Box 13: Lukas F. Keller, Inbreeding depression in song sparrows, 268 14 Demography and extinction, 270 14.1 Estimation of census population Size, 272 14.2 Inbreeding depression and extinction, 274 14.3 Population viability analysis, 277 14.4 Loss of phenotypic variation, 286 14.5 Loss of evolutionary potential, 288 14.6 Mitochondrial DNA, 289 14.7 Mutational meltdown, 289 14.8 Long-term persistence, 291 14.9 The 50/500 rule, 292 Guest Box 14: A. G. Young, M. Pickup, and B. G. Murray, Management implications of loss of genetic diversity at the selfincompatibility locus for the button wrinklewort, 293 15 Metapopulations and fragmentation, 296 15.1 The metapopulation concept, 297 15.2 Genetic variation in metapopulations, 298 15.3 Effective population size of metapopulations, 301 15.4 Population divergence and connectivity, 303 15.5 Genetic rescue, 304 15.6 Landscape genetics, 306 15.7 Long-term population viability, 311 Guest Box 15: Robert C. Vrijenhoek, Fitness loss and genetic rescue in stream-dwelling topminnows, 313 16 Units of conservation, 316 16.1 What should we protect?, 318 16.2 Systematics and taxonomy, 320 16.3 Phylogeny reconstruction, 322 16.4 Genetic relationships within species, 327 16.5 Units of conservation, 336 16.6 Integrating genetic, phenotypic, and environmental information, 346 16.7 Communities, 348 Guest Box 16: David J. Coates, Identifying units of conservation in a rich and fragmented flora, 350 17 Hybridization, 352 17.1 Natural hybridization, 353 17.2 Anthropogenic hybridization, 358 17.3 Fitness consequences of hybridization, 360 17.4 Detecting and describing hybridization, 364 17.5 Hybridization and conservation, 370 Guest Box 17: Loren H. Rieseberg, Hybridization and the conservation of plants, 375 18 Exploited populations, 377 18.1 Loss of genetic variation, 378 18.2 Unnatural selection, 381 18.3 Spatial structure, 385 18.4 Effects of releases, 388 18.5 Management and recovery of exploited populations, 391 Guest Box 18: Guðrún Marteinsdóttir, Long-term genetic changes in the Icelandic stock of Atlantic cod in response to harvesting, 393 19 Conservation breeding and restoration, 395 19.1 The role of conservation breeding, 398 19.2 Reproductive technologies and genome banking, 400 19.3 Founding populations for conservation breeding programs, 403 19.4 Genetic drift in captive populations, 405 19.5 Natural selection and adaptation to captivity, 407 19.6 Genetic management of conservation breeding programs, 410 19.7 Supportive breeding, 412 19.8 Reintroductions and translocations, 414 Guest Box 19: Robert C. Lacy, Understanding inbreeding depression: 25 years of experiments with Peromyscus mice, 419 20 Invasive species, 421 20.1 Why are invasive species so successful?, 422 20.2 Genetic analysis of introduced species, 425 20.3 Establishment and spread of invasive species, 429 20.4 Hybridization as a stimulus for invasiveness, 430 20.5 Eradication, management, and control, 431 20.6 Emerging diseases and parasites, 433 Guest Box 20: Richard Shine, Rapid evolution of introduced cane toads and native snakes, 438 21 Climate change, 440 21.1 Predictions and uncertainty about future climates, 441 21.2 Phenotypic plasticity, 442 21.3 Maternal effects and epigenetics, 445 21.4 Adaptation, 446 21.5 Species range shifts, 448 21.6 Extirpation and extinction, 449 21.7 Management in the face of climate change, 451 Guest Box 21: S. J. Franks, Rapid evolution of flowering time by an annual plant in response to climate fluctuation, 453 22 Genetic identification and monitoring, 455 22.1 Species identification, 457 22.2 Metagenomics and species composition, 464 22.3 Individual identification, 465 22.4 Parentage and relatedness, 469 22.5 Population assignment and composition analysis, 471 22.6 Genetic monitoring, 477 Guest Box 22: C. Scott Baker, Genetic detection of illegal trade of whale meat results in closure of restaurants, 481 Appendix: Probability and statistics, 484 A1 Paradigms, 485 A2 Probability, 487 A3 Statistical measures and distributions, 489 A4 Frequentist hypothesis testing, statistical errors, and power, 496 A5 Maximum likelihood, 499 A6 Bayesian approaches and MCMC (Markov Chain Monte Carlo), 500 A7 Approximate Bayesian Computation (ABC), 504 A8 Parameter estimation, accuracy, and precision, 504 A9 Performance testing, 506 A10 The coalescent and genealogical Information, 506 Guest Box A: James F. Crow, Is mathematics necessary?, 511 Glossary, 513 References, 531 Index, 587 Color plates section between page 302 and page 303

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Book SynopsisProvides students and researchers with the information about the ecology of freshwater and estuarine wetlands. This title helps students understand both general concepts of different wetland types as well as complex topics related to these dynamic physical environments.Table of ContentsCONTRIBUTORS PREFACE 1. ECOLOGY OF FRESHWATER AND ESTUARINE WETLANDS: AN INTRODUCTION 2. WETLAND SOILS, HYDROLOGY, AND GEOMORPHOLOGY 3. ABIOTIC CONSTRAINTS FOR WETLAND PLANTS AND ANIMALS 4. WETLAND MICROBIAL ECOLOGY AND BIOGEOCHEMISTRY 5. DEVELOPMENT OF WETLAND PLANT COMMUNITIES 6. WETLAND ANIMAL ECOLOGY 7. CARBON DYNAMICS AND ECOSYSTEM PROCESSES 8. UNITED STATES WETLAND REGULATION, POLICY, AND ASSESSMENT 9. WETLAND RESTORATION 10. CONSEQUENCES FOR WETLANDS OF A CHANGING GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT LITERATURE CITED INDEX

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Book SynopsisFocuses on correlative approaches known as ecological niche modeling, species distribution modeling, or habitat suitability modeling, which use associations between known occurrences of species and environmental variables to identify environmental conditions under which populations can be maintained.Trade Review"[Ecological Niches and Geographic Distributions] would serve as an excellent and authoritative textbook or resource for an upper-level undergraduate or graduate-level class on ecological modeling."--Choice "This book is an impressively well written exposition of the conceptual foundation, practical implementation, and potential applications of niche modeling... Overall, this book is an instant classic and a critical read for anyone interested in this fast-moving field of ecological niche modeling. I have already assigned it as required reading to graduate students in my lab."--Alycia Stigall, Priscum "I found this book very useful. Its theoretical rigor will please those already involved with niche modeling, and its numerous and interesting examples make it accessible to a broad readership."--Ian S. Pearce, Quarterly Review of Biology "Ecological Niches And Geographic Distributions concisely summarizes the conceptual framework and current major issues in a diverse and rapidly expanding literature. The numerous illustrations help to clarify key concepts and case studies, and the writing is clear throughout. Although the book sometimes forgoes depth in favor of clarity, ultimately I feel that this approach is for the best; many of the chapters in Parts 2 and 3 could be expanded to fill entire books of their own, but doing so would necessarily sacrifice much of the 'big picture' that is the focus of this volume. Ecological niches and geographic distributions would be a worthy addition to the library of any investigator using ENM/SDM methods in their research, and would be an excellent resource for students and investigators who are encountering the field for the first time."--Dan L. Warren, Ecology "With a real exploration of key concepts, this book will be an essential guide for students and researchers, providing a theoretical framework with which to support future progress in the field. This book is highly recommended."--Evelyne Bremond-Hoslet, National d'Histoire Naturelle "The seven authors have merged their ideas seamlessly."--Janet Sprent, Bulletin of the British Ecology SocietyTable of Contents*FrontMatter, pg. i*Table of Contents, pg. v*Acknowledgments, pg. ix*Chapter One. Introduction, pg. 1*Chapter Two. Concepts Of Niches, pg. 7*Chapter Three. Niches And Geographic Distributions, pg. 23*Chapter Four. Niches And Distributions In Practice: Overview, pg. 51*Chapter Five. Species' Occurrence Data, pg. 62*Chapter Six. Environmental Data, pg. 82*Chapter Seven. Modeling Ecological Niches, pg. 97*Chapter Eight. From Niches To Distributions, pg. 138*Chapter Nine. Evaluating Model Performance And Signifi Cance, pg. 150*Chapter Ten. Introduction To Applications, pg. 185*Chapter Eleven. Discovering Biodiversity, pg. 189*Chapter Twelve. Conservation Planning And Climate Change Effects, pg. 200*Chapter Thirteen. Species' Invasions, pg. 215*Chapter Fourteen. The Geography Of Disease Transmission, pg. 226*Chapter Fifteen. Linking Niches With Evolutionary Processes, pg. 238*Appendix A. Glossary Of Symbols Used, pg. 261*Appendix B. Set Theory For G- And E-Space, pg. 266*Glossary, pg. 269*Bibliography, pg. 281

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Book SynopsisAt the start of the nineteenth century, Passenger Pigeons were perhaps the most abundant birds on the planet, numbering literally in the billions. The flocks were so large and so dense that they blackened the skies, even blotting out the sun for days at a stretch. Yet by the end of the century, the most common bird in North America had vanished froTrade ReviewHonorable Mention for the 2015 National Outdoor Book Awards, Nature and the Environment, NOBA Foundation One of The Independent's Best Nature Books of 2014 Selected for the American Scientist Science Book Gift Guide 2014 One of The Seattle Times 8 Books to Put under a Bird-Lover's Tree 2014 One of The Globe and Mail 75 Book Ideas for Christmas 2014 One of TheAustralian.com's "In the Good Books" 2014 "Lavishly illustrated with rare photographs of the birds... This book provides a general introduction to the history of the passenger pigeon through its collection of rare photographs and other visual materials that most people have not seen before."--Devorah Bennu, The Guardian, GrrlScientist "Visually beautiful... Gives a fine account of the species, its biology and its demise."--Adrian Barnett, New Scientist "A handsome, well-produced volume concentrating on paintings and photographs of the long-lost birds."--Rob Hardy, Columbus Dispatch "A beautifully illustrated, elegantly written 'celebration' of the passenger pigeon and the artists who illustrated and photographed the species... It is a haunting tale, and if you want a readable, engrossing but not lengthy account, I highly recommend this book."--Donna Schulman, 10,000 Birds "Informative... A celebration of this departed species through a mix of prose, paintings and photographs... Filled with interesting tidbits."--Herb Wilson, Portland Press Herald "A timely reminder of just how tenuous life can be for a species, regardless of how numerous they might be. This hardback book is beautifully illustrated. Mr. Fuller has put together a complete natural history of the passenger pigeon drawing upon historical illustrations, photographs, specimens, poems, ornithological journal articles and historical accounts."--Penny Miller, A Charm of Finches "A must have for anyone with an interest in this species."--Ian Paulsen, Birdbooker Report "Beautifully illustrated, this easy-to-read book will appeal to anyone who wishes to understand the concept of extinction."--Jennifer J. Meyer, Orange County Register "From start to finish, the text is informative and entertaining and the photos and artwork are fascinating. Whether you've studied the Passenger Pigeon for years or haven't even heard of the species, I would highly recommend this book."--Rob Ripma, Nutty Birder "Beautifully illustrated, including rare archival images as well as haunting photographs of live birds, this is an evocative memorial to one of the great icons of extinction."--Leslie Geddes-Brown, Country Life "If a picture is worth a thousand words, then Errol Fuller's slim book, The Passenger Pigeon, is surely stuffed full of them... It will probably appeal to younger readers, it is a fast read and it could be a satisfying companion volume to the other two passenger pigeon books that have been recently published."--Grrl Scientist "The most visually beautiful [of recently published books on the passenger pigeon] is Errol Fuller's The Passenger Pigeon, which gives a fine account of the species, its biology and its demise."--Adrian Barnett, New Scientist "[It] is THE monograph for the passenger pigeon. I imagine everyone would learn something from this book. I personally was left with a feeling that we should not stand idle and allow mankind to eradicate any other living species. An excellent read, recommended."--Mike King, Gloster Birder "Written with both clarity and feeling. Most impressive is the breadth and depth of research crammed into what is a relatively slim volume... A masterful summary of what we know about this remarkable bird. To read it is a joy, but one tinged with sadness and regret."--Andy Stoddart, Birdwatch "I would highly recommend reading The Passenger Pigeon by Errol Fuller... Beautifully illustrated."--David Lewis, Birds from Behind "The Passenger Pigeon is an excellent introduction to this bird, what made it so special, and the tragedy of its extinction. If you want to learn about the Passenger Pigeon, or just enjoy the art and photographs, then I'd highly recommend it."--Grant McCreary, Birder's Library "This is a book that should be on every reader's shelf as a reminder as to what we have missed; and to help ensure such an avian tragedy does not occur again."--David Saunders, Bird Watching "[I]f you want to learn more about the Passenger Pigeons, this is a great book to have and to share."--North Durham Nature Newsletter "The heartbreaking illustrated history of a bird that, having once numbered in the billions, vanished from the planet in 1914. On the centenary of the species' extinction Fuller, an expert on extinct birds, reflects on what we lost."--Globe and Mail "A book about a long extinct bird could easily have been a dry, academic tome full of dull facts and figures, but Errol Fuller has managed to avoid this, and instead has produced an engaging book to fire the imagination, to encourage empathy with Martha, alone in her cage for the last four years of her life, to provoke outrage that the species was driven to extinction, and above all, a desire to fight to prevent the same fate befalling others."--Andy Mackay, Grebe "A sad and gorgeous book."--Stephen Romei, Australian "Sumptuously illustrated."--Michael McCarthy, Independent "Passenger Pigeon takes just the opposite approach. Though there is an informative and gracefully written text, this handsome volume tells its stories most eloquently in pictures."--Rick Wright, ABA Blog "Writing in a clear, conversational tone, artist/writer Fuller highlights important aspects of this bird's natural history and its remarkable downhill spiral into oblivion. He provides fascinating accounts of the last wild birds; of 'Martha,' the last of her species, who died in the Cincinnati Zoo; and historical testimony from people who observed the birds' enormous flocks firsthand. Illustrated with numerous historical photographs and exquisite artwork (modern and period), this lasting tribute to one of the most magnificent birds to have ever lived will interest anyone who cares about conservation of the natural world."--Choice "In The Passenger Pigeon, Erroll Fuller brings his artist's eye to a recently popular, much-covered, yet little-understood phenomenon... Fuller's vivid account is the one new book on the species you must buy."--Living Bird Magazine "It is easy to read and thought-provoking, and will be of interest to anyone concerned about conservation today."--Ian Woodward,BTO News "Fuller's book will appeal to a much larger audience and is worth the price just for the photos and illustrations... The Passenger Pigeon should make us vow to never lose another species because of our own greed or neglect."--D.R.K., Wildlife Activist "[L]yrical and artistic. Short enough to hold your attention, detailed enough to convey the essential facts, and elegantly presented."--Alan Knox, Scottish BirdsTable of ContentsPROLOGUE 9 INTRODUCTION 10 THE ANNALS OF EXTINCTION 12 IMAGINE 20 THE BIRD 28 THE DOWNWARD SPIRAL 48 EXTINCTION: THE CAUSES 70 THE LAST CAPTIVES 90 MARTHA 110 ART AND BOOKS 122 QUOTATIONS 148 APPENDIX: A MAGNIFICENT FLYING MACHINE 162 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 170 FURTHER READING 172 INDEX 175

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Book SynopsisPresents the study of how animals use visual systems to meet their ecological needs, how these systems have evolved, and how they are specialized for particular visual tasks. This book provides the synthesis of the field to appear in more than three decades.Trade ReviewWinner of the 2015 PROSE Award in Textbook/Biological & Life Sciences, Association of American Publishers "[A] beautiful textbook: aesthetically formatted, clearly written, and with many carefully-chosen (and beautiful to look at!) data images that support the concepts presented in each chapter. This is a wonderful resource for grad students and medical students who want a deeper understanding of vision, advanced undergrads as well as well as the curious (educated) layperson."--Grrrl Scientist "A lovely, splendid book... A superb resource that will serve the field well for years to come, I suspect that I could read this book another 20 times and learn something new with each reading. This book will undoubtedly become required reading for all incoming graduate students in this field. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in how non-human animals see their surroundings."--Rebecca C. Fuller, Ecology "One of the most brilliant textbooks written during the last years."--Brigitte Schoenemann, Anatomy & PhysiologyTable of ContentsList of Illustrations ix Preface xix 1 Introduction 1 2 Light and the Optical Environment 10 3 Visual Pigments and Photoreceptors 37 4 The Optical Building Blocks of Eyes 66 5 The Eye Designs of the Animal Kingdom 91 6 Spatial Vision 116 7 Color Vision 146 8 Polarization Vision 178 9 Vision in Attenuating Media 206 10 Motion Vision and Eye Movements 232 11 Vision in Dim Light 262 12 Visual Orientation and Navigation 289 13 Signals and Camoufl age 313 Glossary 345 References 355 General Index 383 Index of Names 401

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Book SynopsisLimitations of Linear Regression Applied on Ecological Data.- Things are not Always Linear; Additive Modelling.- Dealing with Heterogeneity.- Mixed Effects Modelling for Nested Data.- Violation of Independence Part I.- Violation of Independence Part II.- Meet the Exponential Family.- GLM and GAM for Count Data.- GLM and GAM for AbsencePresence and Proportional Data.- Zero-Truncated and Zero-Inflated Models for Count Data.- Generalised Estimation Equations.- GLMM and GAMM.- Estimating Trends for Antarctic Birds in Relation to Climate Change.- Large-Scale Impacts of Land-Use Change in a Scottish Farming Catchment.- Negative Binomial GAM and GAMM to Analyse Amphibian Roadkills.- Additive Mixed Modelling Applied on Deep-Sea Pelagic Bioluminescent Organisms.- Additive Mixed Modelling Applied on Phytoplankton Time Series Data.- Mixed Effects Modelling Applied on American Foulbrood Affecting Honey Bees Larvae.- Three-Way Nested Data for Age Determination Techniques Applied to Cetaceans.- GLTrade ReviewFrom the reviews:"For many people dealing with statistics is like jumping into ice-cold water. This metaphor is depicted by the cover of this book … . full of excellent example code and for most graphs and analyses the code is printed and explained in detail. … Each example finishes with … valuable information for a person new to a technique. In summary, I highly recommend the book to anyone who is familiar with basic statistics … who wants to expand his/her statistical knowledge to analyse ecological data." (Bernd Gruber, Basic and Applied Ecology, Vol. 10, 2009)"This book is written in a very approachable conversational style. The additional focus on the heuristics of the process rather than just a rote recital of theory and equations is commendable. This type of approach helps the reader get behind the ‘why’ of what’s being done rather than blindly follow a simple list of rules.… In short, this text is good for researchers with at least a little familiarity with the basic concepts of modeling and who want some solid stop-by-stop guidance with examples on how common ecological modeling tasks are accomplished using R." (Aaron Christ, Journal of Statistical Software, November 2009, Vol. 32)"The authors succeed in explaining complex extensions of regression in largely nonmathematical terms and clearly present appropriate R code for each analysis. A major strength of the text is that instead of relying on idealized datasets … the authors use data from consulting projects or dissertation research to expose issues associated with ‘real’ data. … The book is well written and accessible … . the volume should be a useful reference for advanced graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and experienced professionals working in the biological sciences." (Paul E. Bourdeau, The Quarterly Review of Biology, Vol. 84, December, 2009)“This is a companion volume to Analyzing Ecology Data by the same authors. …It extends the previous work by looking at more complex general and generalized linear models involving mixed effects or heterogeneity in variances. It is aimed at statistically sophisticated readers who have a good understanding of multiple regression models… .The pedagogical style is informal… . The authors are pragmatists—they use combinations of informal graphical approaches, formal hypothesis testing, and information-theoretical model selection methods when analyzing data. …Advanced graduate students in ecology or ecologists with several years of experience with ‘messy’ data would find this book useful. …Statisticians would find this book interesting for the nice explorations of many of the issues with messy data. This book would be (very) suitable for a graduate course on statistical consulting—indeed, students would learn a great deal about the use of sophisticated statistical models in ecology! …I very much liked this book (and also the previous volume). I enjoyed the nontechnical presentations of the complex ideas and their emphasis that a good analysis uses ‘simple statistical methods wherever possible, but doesn’t use them simplistically.’” (Biometrics, Summer 2009, 65, 992–993)“This book is a great introduction to a wide variety of regression models. … This text examines how to fit many alternative models using the statistical package R. … The text is a valuable reference … . A large number of real datasets are used as examples. Discussion on which model to use and the large number of recent references make the book useful for self study … .” (David J. Olive, Technometrics, Vol. 52 (4), November, 2010)Table of ContentsLimitations of linear regression applied on ecological data. - Things are not always linear; additive modelling. - Dealing with hetergeneity. - Mixed modelling for nested data. - Violation of independence - temporal data. - Violation of independence; spatial data. - Generalised linear modelling and generalised additive modelling. - Generalised estimation equations. - GLMM and GAMM. - Estimating trends for Antarctic birds in relation to climate change. - Large-scale impacts of land-use change in a Scottish farming catchment. - Negative binomial GAM and GAMM to analyse amphibian road killings. - Additive mixed modelling applied on deep-sea plagic bioluminescent organisms. - Additive mixed modelling applied on phyoplankton time series data. - Mixed modelling applied on American Fouldbrood affecting honey bees larvae. - Three-way nested data for age determination techniques applied to small cetaceans. - GLMM applied on the spatial distribution of koalas in a fragmented landscape. - GEE and GLMM applied on binomial Badger activity data.

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Book SynopsisA revelatory look at the secrets of marine fish migration.Not since F. R. Harden Jones published his masterwork on fish migration in 1968 has a book so thoroughly demystified the subject. With stunning clarity, David Hallock Secor''s Migration Ecology of Fishes finally penetrates the clandestine nature of marine fish migration. Secor explains how the four decades of research since Jones''s classic have employed digital-age technologiesincluding electronic miniaturization, computing, microchemistry, ocean observing systems, and telecommunicationsthat render overt the previously hidden migration behaviors of fish. Emerging from the millions of observed, telemetered, simulated, and chemically traced movement paths is an appreciation of the individual fish. Members of the same populations may stay put, explore, delay, accelerate, evacuate, and change course as they conditionally respond to their marine existence. But rather than a morass of individual behavioTrade ReviewThose of us who throw a line overboard or off a dock and quiver as some invisible creature teases our bait but curse the water's opaqueness will revel in this highly scientific textbook that penetrates the murky secrets of the sea. -- Elisavietta Ritchie Bay Weekly Secor's research brings together the history of ideas on fish migration, as well as an analysis of the new technologies that have provided remarkable observations on movements of fish in the global oceans to address why fish go where they do, and why an understanding is critical to the management of ocean uses. University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science An up-to-date synthesis of current knowledge of marine fish migrations... Appropriate for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students, fisheries professionals, and marine ecologists. Choice ... Many students of ecology and a wide range of professionals will benefit from the synthesis of ideas and large collection of relevant citations provided in this book. Journal of Fish Biology David Secor's book on the migration ecology of marine fishes represents a comprehensive synthesis of the state of the science in this field... Secor reveals the complexities of marine fish migration and provides the reader with an unprecedented window into movement dynamics under the sea. Ecology [ Migration Ecology of Marine Fishes] provided the most comprehensive, creative, current, and ambitious overview of migration literature to date. Secor especially succeeded in finding ways to discuss the mechanisms and ecological consequences of migration in almost every aspect of a fish's life... Rev Fish Biol Fisheries ... an insightful and comprehensive account... Migration Ecology of Marine Fishes will make a very useful contribution by providing a framework for the broader interpretation of fish migration. This same framework has important implications for the understanding and management of fish population/species productivity, stability and resilience in the face of fishing pressure and environmental change. New Zealand Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research ...undoubtedly an outstanding book and I strongly recommend it to all scientists, researchers, and students who are interested in migration and fisheries ecology. I cannot praise it highly enough. Marine Biology Research It deserves to be read by everyone with an interest the ecology of fishes, as well as those studying migratory behaviors in other groups. One comes away from the book with the clear impression that studies focusing on single aspects of fish movements are missing much of the story. Quarterly Review of Biology Those taking the time to read this book slowly and repeatedly will continuously find new insights and be rewarded for their effort. Transactions of the American Fisheries Society The value of Migration Ecology of Marine Fishes is that it provides accessible avenues for researchers that do study fish movement at the individual-level (or from behavioral and physiological perspectives) to consider the emergent properties that arise at the population level... Secor accomplishes what he set out to do, adding several useful new dimensions to the treatise by Harden-Jones. Environmental Biology of Fishes This book encapsulates the major advancements of the field, incorporating old and new concepts of migration to the latest technology in studying fish movement... Overall, Migration Ecology of Marine Fishes is an exceptional read for a graduate student or fisheries ecologist. It provides a current review of migration theory-a synthesis that has been long overdue in the marine ecology literature. Reviews in Fish Biology and FisheriesTable of ContentsAcknowledgments1. IntroductionClassifying MigrationBook Organization2. Bird and Fish MigrationMovement in FluidsAnalysis of Movements and MigrationRules of AggregationSchooling and FlockingNavigation CapacitiesSummarySegue3. Mating Systems and Larval DispersalMating SystemsEmbryo and Larval DispersalAlignment of Larval Dispersal with Mating SystemsSelective Harvest during Spawning MigrationsSummarySegue4. Complex Life Cycles and Marine Food WebsMarine Food WebsMigrating among Size SpectraMarine Ecosystem Patchiness, Transience, and PeriodicityLife Cycle SchedulesSchooling through Food WebsThe Storage EffectSummarySegue5. Population StructureFinding Their Way back HomeLife Cycle ClosureOpen Life CyclesMetapopulation TheoryTaking Stock of Population ThinkingSummarySegue6. Propagating PropensitiesConditional MigrationsPartial Migration Writ NarrowEvolution of Partial Migration and Ecological SpeciationPartial Migration Writ LargeSummarySegueRecapitulation7. ResilienceResilience TheoryResilience to Fishing and Climate ChangeCollective Agencies and BiodiversityBuilding Resilience into PopulationsSummaryBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisA new edition of a classic on a beloved turtle species. She's the mascot for the University of Maryland's sports teams and her ancestors were nearly driven to extinction by Victorians who indulged in turtle soup. But as she buries herself in the mud every night to sleep, the diamondback terrapin knows none of this. The size of a dinner plate and named for the beautiful concentric rings on her shell, she can live at least forty years and is the only turtle in North America who can live in brackish and salty waters. Several diamondback populations have been the subjects of ecological studies in recent years, but most of that information was buried in scientific literature and various state and federal reports-until this book. Synthesizing all known research on this remarkable animal, Diamonds in the Marsh is the first full-scale natural history of the diamondback terrapin. Focusing on the northern diamondback, Barbara Brennessel examines its evolution, physiology, adaptations, behavior, growth patterns, life span, genetic diversity, land use, reproduction, and early years. She also discusses its relationship to humans, first as an important food source from colonial times through the nineteenth century, and more recently as a cultural icon, frequently depicted in Native American art and design. She concludes with a look at contemporary hazards to the terrapin and urges continued study of this marvelous creature. Updated with a new introduction by Brennessel, and with a foreword by Bob Prescott, former executive director of Massachusett's Audubon Wellfleet Bay Sanctuary, Diamonds of the Marsh is perfect for those interested in the conservation of a species.Trade Review“Environmentalists, ecologists, and marine biologists will delight in this meticulously detailed but highly readable look at the only North American turtle species that can tolerate the ‘fresh water, salt water, and everything in between.’” * Publishers Weekly *"A serious treatment of the natural history of one of the most beloved creatures of the Eastern Seaboard. . . well illustrated with photographs." * Natural New England Magazine *"A comprehensive natural history such as Diamonds in the Marsh is an invaluable tool in the study and conservation of a species, and can provide a solid foundation for future research, conservation, and management decisions. Brennessel effectively pulls together the bulk of literature on the diamondback and communicates it to the reader in a generally clear, uncluttered fashion so as to make it not only a resource for researchers, but also an interesting read for reptile aficionados." * Herpetological Review *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments Chapter 1. A Decidedly Unique Creature Chapter 2. A Coast-Hugging Turtle Chapter 3. Reproduction: Insurance for Species Survival Chapter 4. The Lost Years Chapter 5. A Clear and Present Danger for the Most Celebrated of American Reptiles Chapter 6. Learning from the Past; Peering into the Future Bibliography Index

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Table of ContentsPrefaceIntroduction. Chapter 1. Sunfishes (Centrarchidae). Chapter 2. Livebearing Fishes (Poeciliidae). Chapter 3. Other Freshwater Fishes. Chapter 4. Pipefishes and Seahorses (Syngnathidae). Chapter 5. Other Marine Fishes. Chapter 6. The Mangrove Rivulus. Chapter 7. Amphibians. Chapter 8. Marine Turtles. Chapter 9. Freshwater Turtles. Chapter 10. Other Reptiles. Chapter 11. Birds. Chapter 12. Rodents. Chapter 13. Other Mammals. Chapter 14. Invertebrates. Chapter 15. Intergroup Comparisons

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

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Book SynopsisFloods, fires, famines, epidemics and disasters of all kinds are on the increase, and as their frequency rises so does the call for greater resilience. But what does that mean? The word is used differently in psychology, ecology, economics and engineering and runs the risk of becoming meaningless jargon. This would be most unfortunate because, if we are to successfully navigate very real and dangerous global trends, it is resilience that needs to be understood and fostered. Finding Resilience is international in scope and unravels how ecosystems, societies and people cope with disturbance and adversity. Written for a general readership and based on the experiences of researchers, the fascinating stories from around the world reveal what resilience is, how it works in different kinds of systems, how it is expressed, and how it can be gained and lost.Table of Contents1: WHAT’S IT ALL ABOUT? 1: Connections in a changing world 2: Another pathway 2: ENCOUNTERING RESILIENCE IN NATURE 3: Living together in ecosystems 4: Ecological choreography 5: Disturbance, change and diversity 3: THE NATURE OF RESILIENCE IN SOCIETY 6: Coping with life 7: Living together in society 8: Weathering crises 4: NATURE, SOCIETY AND RESILIENCE 9: Unintended outcomes 10: Growing pains 5: A WAY FORWARD 11: Changing cultures 12: A resilience pathway

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Book SynopsisA completely revised and updated edition of the leading mammalogy textbook, featuring color photographs throughout and a new streamlined structure for enhanced use in courses. There are more than 6,400 species in the class Mammalia, including the blue whalethe largest animal that has ever livedand the pygmy shrew, which weighs little more than a dime. Such diversity among mammals has allowed them to play critical roles in every ecosystem, whether marine, freshwater, alpine, tundra, forest, or desert. Reflecting the expertise and perspective of five leading mammalogists, the fifth edition of Mammalogy: Adaptation, Diversity, Ecology significantly updates taxonomy, adds a new introductory chapter on the science of mammalogy, and highlights several recently described species. To enhance its appeal to students, textual material has been reduced, consolidated, and streamlined without sacrificing breadth or depth of coverage. The fifth edition includes for the first time, stunning color phTable of ContentsPrefacePART 1. IntroductionChapter 1 The Science of MammalogyChapter 2 Methods for Studying MammalsChapter 3 Phylogeny and Diversification of MammalsChapter 4 Evolution and Dental CharacteristicsChapter 5 BiogeographyPART 2. Structure and FunctionChapter 6 Integument, Support, and MovementChapter 7 Modes of FeedingChapter 8 Environmental AdaptationsChapter 9 ReproductionPART 3. Adaptive Radiation and DiversityChapter 10 Orders: Monotremata and MarsupialsChapter 11 Orders: Macroscelidea, Afrosoricida, Tubulidentata Chapter 12 Orders: Proboscidea, Hyracoidea, SireniaChapter 13 Orders: Pilosa and CingulataChapter 14 Orders: Scandentia and DermopteraChapter 15 Order: PrimatesChapter 16 Orders: Rodentia and LagomorphaChapter 17 Order: EulipotyphlaChapter 18 Orders: Carnivora and PholidotaChapter 19 Orders: Perissodactyla and CetartiodactylaChapter 20 Infraorder: CetaceaChapter 21 Order: ChiropteraPART 4. Behavior and EcologyChapter 22 Sexual Selection, Parental Care, and Mating SystemsChapter 23 Social Behavior and CommunicationChapter 24 Movement Patterns and Spatial RelationshipsChapter 25 Populations and Life HistoryChapter 26 Community EcologyPART 5. Special TopicsChapter 27 Parasites and Zoonotic DiseasesChapter 28 ConservationGlossaryReferencesCreditsIndex

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Book SynopsisFOYLES NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE YEARA SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLERTHE WAINWRIGHT PRIZE FOR NATURE WRITING - HIGHLY COMMENDEDLONGLISTED FOR THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE FOR NON-FICTIONA BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR IN THE SUNDAY TIMES, TELEGRAPH, PROSPECT, THE NEW YORKER AND BBC HISTORY WATERSTONES NON-FICTION BOOK OF THE MONTH''The best book on the history of life on Earth I have ever read'' Tom Holland''Epically cinematic... A book of almost unimaginable riches'' Sunday TimesThis is the past as we''ve never seen it before. Otherlands is an epic, exhilarating journey into deep time, showing us the Earth as it used to exist, and the worlds that were here before ours.Award-winning young palaeobiologist Thomas Halliday immerses us in a series of ancient landscapes, from the mammoth steppe in Ice Age Alaska to the lush rainforests of Eocene Antarctica, with its colonies of giant penguins, to Ediacaran Australia, where the moon is far brighter than ours today. We visit the birthplace of humanity; we hear the crashing of the highest waterfall the Earth has ever known; and we watch as life emerges again after the asteroid hits, and the age of the mammal dawns.Otherlands is a staggering imaginative feat: an emotional narrative that underscores the tenacity of life - yet also the fragility of seemingly permanent ecosystems, including our own. To read it is to see the last 500 million years not as an endless expanse of unfathomable time, but as a series of worlds, simultaneously fabulous and familiar.Sunday Times bestseller, March 2023Trade ReviewThis book takes us through the natural history of previous forms of life in the most beguiling way. It makes you think about the past differently and it certainly makes you think about the future differently. This is a monumental work and I suspect it will be a very important book for future generations -- Ray Mears, Chair of the Wainwright Prize for UK Nature WritingThe word "original" is really overworked. But Thomas Halliday has produced a book the like of which I have never come across -- Jeremy PaxmanAn extraordinary history of our almost-alien Earth... Epically cinematic... The writing is so palpably alive. A book of almost unimaginable riches. It is a book that will make its own solid and lasting contribution. It could well be the best I read in 2022 - and I know it's only January -- James McConnachie * Sunday Times *A poet among palaeontologists -- David P. Barash * Wall Street Journal *A mesmerising journey into those vast stretches of Earth's pre-history that lie behind us, on such a scale that you experience a kind of temporal vertigo just thinking about it... [Halliday is] a brilliant writer, his lyrical style vividly conjuring myriad lost worlds... It's obviously a bit of a gamble choosing one's Book of the Year in March - but there's a very good chance already that mine will be Otherlands. Stunning -- Christopher Hart * Mail on Sunday *An impressive, tightly packed, long view of the natural world. In cinematic terms, this book would be a blockbuster... Riveting scientific reading; a remarkable achievement of imagination grounded in fact -- NJ McGarrigle * Irish Times *An immersive world tour of prehistoric life... Halliday never loses sight of the bigger picture, nimbly marshalling a huge array of insights thrown up by recent research. Each chapter gives not only a vivid snapshot of an ecosystem in action but also insights into geology, climate science, evolution and biochemistry... Mind-blowing -- Neville Hawcock * Financial Times *A sweeping, lyrical biography of Earth -- the geology, the biology, the extinctions and the ever-shifting ecology that defines our living planet -- Adam Rutherford * BBC Radio 4 Start the Week *Superb... [An] epic, near-hallucinatory natural history of the living earth... Dazzling -- Simon Ings * Telegraph *Remarkable... Ingenious... A work of immense imagination [...] rooted firmly in the actual science -- Stuart Kelly * Scotsman *A fascinating journey through Earth's history... [Halliday] is appropriately lavish in his depiction of the variety and resilience of life, without compromising on scientific accuracy... To read Otherlands is to marvel not only at these unfamiliar lands and creatures, but also that we have the science to bring them to life in such vivid detail -- Gege Li * New Scientist *Riveting... An intense and imaginative reading of fossils as runes that tell us about our own times, and possible future. Halliday is a Time Lord at heart, eager to lead us back to, say, the Permian or Oligocene epochs and unpack their lessons for 21st Century humanity. For all its scholarship, this is a very readable book, full of literary reference and accessible metaphor. Otherlands is also a wise manual for adaptive change rather than a prophecy of inevitable doom -- Matthew D'Ancona * Tortoise *Thomas Halliday offers a 550m-year tour of the incredible diversity of life that has existed on our planet... Halliday's trick is to tell his story in reverse. The first hominids exit early; the continents merge and drift and merge again; the sounds of the cretaceous forest fall silent as we pass beyond the evolution of birdsong. Life retreats from land to ocean, and the first eyes give way to the sightless world of the Ediacaran, an alien realm of crawling beings -- David Farrier * Prospect *A brilliant series of reconstructions of life in the deep past, richly imagined from the fine details of the fossil record... A real achievement... Reading Halliday's book is as near to the experience of visiting these ancient worlds as you are likely to get -- Jon Turney * Arts Desk *Writing with gusto and bravado [...] Halliday has honed a unique voice... Otherlands is a verbal feast. You feel like you are there on the Mammoth Steppe, some 20,000 years ago, as frigid winds blow off the glacial front... Along the way, we learn astounding facts -- Steve Brusatte * Scientific American *Vivid... An intricate analysis of our planet's interconnected past, it is impossible to come away from Otherlands without awe for what may lie ahead -- Amancai Biraben * Independent *Halliday takes us on a journey into deep time in this epic book, showing us Earth as it used to be and the worlds that were here before ours -- ‘The Hottest Books of the Year Ahead’ * Independent *This is a piece of nature writing that covers millions of years, from the very start of evolution, while capturing the almost unthinkable ways geography has shifted and changed over time. Epic in scope and executed with charming enthusiasm, Otherlands looks set to be a big talking point for fans of non-fiction in 2022 -- ‘The 15 New Novels And Non-Fiction Books To Read In 2022’ * Mr Porter *Palaeobiologist Thomas Halliday embraces a yet more epic timescale in Otherlands: A World in the Making, touring the many living worlds that preceded ours, from the mammoth steppe in glaciated Alaska to the lush rainforests of Eocene Antarctica. If you have ever wondered what sound a pterosaur's wings made in flight, this is the book for you -- 'The best science books coming your way in 2022’ * New Scientist *Full of wonder and fascination, exquisitely written, this is time travel of spectacular dimensions - a journey into our planet's evolution and the world in which we live. A compellingly important read -- Isabella Tree, author of WILDINGThe best book on the history of life on Earth I have ever read -- Tom Holland, author of DOMINIONThomas Halliday's debut is a kaleidoscopic and evocative journey into deep time. He takes quiet fossil records and complex scientific research and brings them alive - riotous, full-coloured and three-dimensional. You'll find yourself next to giant two-metre penguins in a forested Antarctica 41 million years ago or hearing singing icebergs in South Africa some 444 million years ago. Maybe most importantly, Otherlands is a timely reminder of our planet's impermanence and what we can learn from the past -- Andrea Wulf, author of THE INVENTION OF NATUREDeep time is very hard to capture - even to imagine - and yet Thomas Halliday has done so in this fascinating volume. He wears his grasp of vast scientific learning lightly; this is as close to time travel as you are likely to get -- Bill McKibben, author of FALTERAn absolutely gripping adventure story, exploring back through the changing vistas of our own planet's past. Earth has been many different worlds over its planetary history, and Thomas Halliday is the perfect tour guide to these past landscapes, and the extraordinary creatures that inhabited them. Otherlands is science writing at its very finest -- Lewis Dartnell, author of ORIGINSOtherlands is one of those rare books that's both deeply informative and daringly imaginative. It will change the way you look at the history of life, and perhaps also its future -- Elizabeth Kolbert, author of THE SIXTH EXTINCTIONThis stunning biography of our venerable Earth, detailing her many ages and moods, is an essential travel guide to the changing landscapes of our living world. As we hurtle into the Anthropocene, blindly at the helm of this inconstant planet, Halliday gives us our bearings within the panorama of deep time. Aeons buckle under his pen: the world before us made vivid; the paradox of our permanence and impermanence visceral. Wonderful -- Gaia Vince, author of TRANSCENDENCEStirring, surprising and beautifully written, Otherlands offers glimpses of times so different to our own they feel like parallel worlds. In its lyricism and the intimate attention it pays to nonhuman life, Thomas Halliday's book recalls Rachel Carson's Under the Sea Wind, and marks the arrival of an exciting new voice -- Cal Flynn, author of ISLANDS OF ABANDONMENTImaginative -- Andrew Robinson * Nature *This study of our prehistoric earth is "beyond cinematic", James McConnachie says. "It could well be the best book I read in 2022 -- Robbie Millen and Andrew Holgate, Books of the Year * Sunday Times *It's phenomenally difficult for human brains to grasp deep time. Even thousands of years seem unfathomable, with all human existence before the invention of writing deemed 'prehistory', a time we know very little about. Thomas Halliday's book Otherlands helps to ease our self-centred minds into these depths. Moving backwards in time, starting with the thawing plains of the Pleistocene (2.58 million - 12,000 years ago) and ending up in the marine world of the Ediacaran (635-541 mya), he devotes one chapter to each of the intervening epochs or periods and, like a thrilling nature documentary, presents a snapshot of life at that time. It's an immersive experience, told in the present tense, of these bizarre 'otherlands', populated by creatures and greenery unlike any on Earth today -- Books of the Year * Geographical *Each chapter of this literary time machine takes us further back in prehistory, telling vivid stories about ancient creatures and their alien ecologies, ending 550 million years ago -- The Telegraph Cultural Desk, Books of the Year * Telegraph *The largest-known asteroid impact on Earth is the one that killed the dinosaurs 65?million years ago, but that is a mere pit stop on Thomas Halliday's evocative journey into planetary history in Otherlands. Each chapter of this literary time machine takes us further back into the deep past, telling vivid stories about ancient creatures and their alien ecologies, until at last we arrive 550?million years ago in the desert of what is now Australia, where no plant life yet covers the land. Halliday notes the urgency of reducing carbon emissions in the present to protect our settled patterns of life, but adds: "The idea of a pristine Earth, unaffected by human biology and culture, is impossible." It's an epic lesson in the impermanence of all things -- Steven Poole, Books of the Year * Telegraph *The world on which we live is "undoubtedly a human planet", Thomas Halliday writes in this extraordinary debut. But "it has not always been, and perhaps will not always be". Humanity has dominated the Earth for a tiny fraction of its history. And that History is vast. We tend to lump all dinosaurs, for example, into one period in the distant past. But more time passed between the last diplodocus and the first tyrannosaurus than has passed between the last tyrannosaurus and the present day. A mind-boggling fact. This is a glorious, mesmerising guide to the past 500 million years bought to life by this young palaeobiologist's rich and cinematic writing -- Ben Spencer, Books of the Year * Sunday Times *A book that I really want to read but haven't yet bought - so I hope it goes into my Christmas stocking - is Otherlands: A World in the Making by Thomas Halliday. It sounds so amazing - a history of the world before history, before people. He's trying to write the history of the organisms and the plants and the creatures and everything else as the world grows from protozoic slime or whatever we emerged from. It sounds like an absolutely incredible effort of imagination. I think that Christmas presents should be books you can curl up with and get engrossed in and transported by - and Otherlands sounds like exactly that -- Michael Wood, Books of the Year * BBC History Magazine *But, of course, not all history is human history, Otherlands, by Thomas Halliday, casts its readers further and further back, past the mammoths, past the dinosaurs, back to an alien world of shifting rock and weird plants. It is a marvel -- Books of the Year * Prospect *

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Book SynopsisProviding students with a solid understanding of core ecological concepts while explaining how ecologists raise and answer real-world questions, this second edition weaves together classic and cutting-edge case studies to bring the subject to life. It is fully updated throughout, including two chapters devoted to climate change ecology, along with extensive coverage of disease ecology, and has been designed specifically to equip students with the tools to analyze and interpret real data. Each chapter emphasizes the linkage between observations, ideas, questions, hypotheses, predictions, results, and conclusions. Additional summary sections describe the development and evolution of research programs in each of ecology''s core areas, providing students with essential context. Integrated discussion questions, along with end-of-chapter questions, encourage active learning. These are supported by online resources including tutorials that teach students to use the R programming language for statistical analyses of data presented in the text.

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Book SynopsisA celebrated biologist’s manifesto addressing a soil loss crisis accelerated by poor conservation practices and climate changeTrade Review“A manifesto for improved soil conservation and management. . . . What distinguishes Handelsman from her predecessors is her optimism about our ability to reverse the course of soil loss. . . . A book for a broad audience that will widen discussion and interest in soils and soil degradation.”—Daniel D. Richter, Science“Microbiologist Jo Handelsman takes on the challenge of making readers care in A World Without Soil.”—Emma Marris, Nature2022 PROSE award winner, Government and Politics categoryLonglisted for the 2023 AAAS/Subaru SB&F Prize for Excellence in Science Books in the Young Adult Science Book category“Jo Handelsman is a national treasure, and her clarion call warning of a looming soil-loss catastrophe must be heard. Add her clearly written alarm to other future-shocks: climate change, pandemics, and mass extinctions.”—Laurie Garrett, Pulitzer Prize winner and author of The Coming Plague: Newly Emerging Diseases in a World Out of Balance“The ground beneath our feet is slipping away as we lose the precious soil that sustains us. Jo Handelsman’s writing—as rich and life supporting as the soil itself—is a riveting warning. She tells us eloquently about the danger we’re in, but also what we can do about it.”—Alan Alda, actor, writer, and host of the podcast Clear+Vivid with Alan Alda“A truly delightful book about soil! Jo Handelsman brilliantly describes in fascinating detail the origin, structure, and contributions to human health by the very ground of Planet Earth.”—Rita Colwell, Distinguished University Professor, University of Maryland, and former director, National Science Foundation“A World Without Soil is an optimistic and compelling look at the challenges surrounding one of earth’s most vital natural resources. Jo Handelsman presents rigorously researched and compelling solutions to advance policy changes we need today—in order to ensure our future.”—Howard W. Buffett, coauthor of 40 Chances and Social Value Investing, and 2001 FFA State Soil Judging Champion“A significant and inspirational book. Jo Handelsman richly narrates the integral connections and interdependencies of soil, a living entity which lies at the heart of our sustenance, survival and wellbeing.”—Garth Harmsworth, senior Indigenous Māori scientist (Toi Rangahau), Manaaki Whenua-Landcare Research, New Zealand

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Book SynopsisHow our growing knowledge of the evolution of complex ecosystems, using the latest genetic tools, can help us heal them - and surviveThis is not another Chicken Little book about the environment. Every reader already knows how overpopulation, ignorance and tribalism are contributing to environmental destruction and breakdowns in public health. We are all aware of the grim possibility that during our lifetimes the Earth might flip to a new ecological equilibrium, threatening our very survival.Why Ecosystems Matter explores an exciting new way to avoid such threats, by using our exponentially-growing knowledge of how evolution has shaped and is continuing to shape the complex communities of living ecosystems on which we all depend. Throughout this book we will visit ecosystems where the author has worked or has had direct experience, beginning with a tour of the amazing series of ecosystems that span the entire eastern slope of the Peruvian Andes. This journey provides a vivid glimpse of ecosystems'' diversity and capacity for rapid change. Next, we trace how Darwin gained a fundamental insight about the origins of such ecosystem complexity. He realized that, when subgroups of the same species inhabit even slightly different ecosystems, these subgroups will evolve in diverging directions. This divergent evolution is primarily driven by interactions with the many other species in each ecosystem, which are themselves evolving in different directions in the different ecosystems. We explore how this subtle and fascinating concept lies at the heart of the evolutionary ferment that powers ecosystem diversity and resilience - the bubbling evolutionary cauldrons of the book''s title. This ferment pervades ecosystems, but it is especially active in their microorganism communities. We then examine the evolutionary forces that power these cauldrons, starting with between-species interactions and tunnelling down to their causes. Using real-world examples, we explore how the technologies available for measuring these changes are increasing exponentially in precision and scope. We show how this deluge of new genetic and environmental information can be used to protect and restore a wide variety of damaged ecosystems. Ecosystems have survived dramatic changes in the past, often becoming even more wondrous and diverse than before. We are now learning how this happens, and how we can preserve this astounding ability.

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Book SynopsisThis book unveils forestry science and its policy and management that connect past and present understanding of forests. The aggregated knowledge is presented to cover the approaches adopted in studying forest structure, its growth, functioning, and degradation, especially in the context of the surrounding environment. The application of advance computation, instrumentation, and modelling has been elaborated in various chapters.Forest ecosystems are rapidly changing due to forest fires, deforestation, urbanization, climate change, and other natural and anthropogenic drivers. Understanding the dynamics of forest ecosystems requires contemporary methods and measures, utilizing modern tools and big data for developing effective conservation plans. The book also covers discussion on policies for sustainable forestry, agroforestry, environmental governance, socio-ecology, nature-based solutions, and management implication. It is suitable for a wide range of readers working in the field of scientific forestry, policy making, and forest management. In addition, it is a useful material for postgraduate and research students of forestry sciences.Table of ContentsAttached

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Book SynopsisFrom the author of The Humanure Handbook, an expert guide to compost toilets you can build yourself The Compost Toilet Handbook is an illustrated instructional manual explaining how to make, use, and manage compost toilets, which are waste-free toilets that rely on the biological process of composting to recycle toilet material. It is based on the author’s 40+ years of first-hand experience with “composting as a sanitation alternative.” The 254-page indexed book has 161 pages of color photos including 203 photos or illustrations from 13 countries where compost toilet systems are in use. The 2nd half of the book includes case study reviews of compost toilet projects in African prisons and schools; Haitian schools, orphanages, and villages; schools in Mozambique; neighborhoods in Mongolia; a school and village in Nicaragua; and an ecovillage in the US. Along with the nuts and bolts of compost toilet construction, use, and management, the book covers emergency preparedness, cold weather composting, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, health, and safety.

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Book Synopsis'A work of remarkable scope' - GuardianFT Best science books of 2018Primate Change has been adapted into a radio series for the BBC WORLD SERVICE.*This is the road from climate change to primate change.PRIMATE CHANGE is a wide-ranging, polemical look at how and why the human body has changed since humankind first got up on two feet. Spanning the entirety of human history - from primate to transhuman - Vybarr Cregan-Reid's book investigates where we came from, who we are today and how modern technology will change us beyond recognition.In the last two hundred years, humans have made such a tremendous impact on the world that our geological epoch is about to be declared the 'Anthropocene', or the Age of Man. But while we have been busy changing the shape of the world we inhabit, the ways of living that we have been building have, as if under the cover of darkness, been transforming our bodies and altering the expression of our DNA, too.Primate Change beautifully unscrambles the complex architecture of our modern human bodies, built over millions of years and only starting to give up on us now.'Our bodies are in a shock. Modern living is as bracing to the human body as jumping through a hole in the ice. Our bodies do not know what century they were born into and they are defending and deforming themselves in response.'Trade ReviewNature and nurture commingle to fascinating effect. - NatureA work of remarkable scope. - GuardianAbsorbing. - Telegraph IndiaAn excellent evaluation of our bodily shortcomings. - Financial Times

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Book SynopsisThat humans originated from Africa is well-known. However, this is widely regarded as a chance outcome, dependant simply on where our common ancestor shared the land with where the great apes lived. This volume builds on from the ''Out of Africa'' theory, and takes the view that it is only in Africa that the evolutionary transitions from a forest-inhabiting frugivore to savanna-dwelling meat-eater could have occurred. This book argues that the ecological circumstances that shaped these transitions are exclusive to Africa. It describes distinctive features of the ecology of Africa, with emphasis on savanna grasslands, and relates them to the evolutionary transitions linking early ape-men to modern humans. It shows how physical features of the continent, especially those derived from plate tectonics, set the foundations. This volume adequately conveys that we are here because of the distinctive features of the ecology of Africa.Trade Review... the book is exceptionally well written, and very recommendable as a foundational introduction to modern Africa savanna ecology for a readership ranging from undergraduates to professional researchers in paleoanthropology.' Manuel Domínguez-Rodrigo, Evolutionary Anthropology'In Only in Africa Owen-Smith presents us with copious evidence of the complexity of interactions within and between species of plants, herbivores, and carnivores, coherently linking the trophic levels. He also makes a compelling case that the early stages of human evolution could only have happened in Africa. For those willing to accept that their knowledge of relevant contemporary African ecosystems and their critical role in human evolution could do with some updating and refreshing, Norman Owen-Smith's new book provides just the help they need. Its importance for paleoanthropology cannot be exaggerated.' Bernard Wood, Journal of Human Evolution'a cross-disciplinary textbook that provides a natural historian's overview of the ecology of Africa, with a gradually sharpening focus on the primates that originated there and evolved into modern humans … Owen-Smith provides a refreshing look at a continent in its entirety and all the life it has generated, facilitating a perspective quite different from the usual focus on only one particular aspect of that life … Highly recommended.' L. Swedell, Choice ConnectTable of ContentsPreface; Foreword; List of abbreviations; Part I. The physical cradle: Land forms, geology, climate, hydrology and soils: 1. High Africa: Eroding surfaces; 2. Climate: Rainfall seasonality; 3. Water in rivers, lakes and wetlands; 4. Bedrock geology: Volcanic influences; 5. Soils: Foundations of fertility; Part II. The savanna garden: Grassy vegetation and plant dynamics: 6. Forms of savannah; 7. How savanna trees and grasses grow and compete; 8. Plant demography and dynamics: Fire traps; 9. Paleo-savannas: Expanding grasslands; Part III. The big mammal menagerie: Herbivores, carnivores and their ecosystem impacts: 10. Niche distinctions: resources versus risks; 11. Big fierce carnivores: Hunting versus scavenging; 12. Herbivore abundance: Bottom-up and top-down; 13. How large herbivores transform savanna ecosystems; 14. Paleo-faunas: Rise and fall of the biggest grazers; Part IV. Evolutionary transitions: From primate ancestors to modern humans: 15. Primate predecessors: From trees to ground; 16. Primate ecology: From forests into savannas; 17. How an ape became a hunter; 18. Cultural evolution: From tools to art and genes; 19. Reticulate evolution through turbulent times; 20. Prospects for a lonely planet; Index.

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