Nature and the natural world: general interest Books

Book SynopsisTrade Review"Nominee for the James Beard Media Award in Reference, History, and Scholarship""Winner of the Jim Deva Prize for Writing that Provokes, BC and Yukon Book Prizes""Few readers, I suspect, have ever considered fungi to be sentient, but Michael Hathaway . . . argues that mushrooms (as well as plants and other organisms widely considered as passive automatons), though not exactly conscious, nevertheless 'engage their surroundings in a dynamic way.' . . . The takeaway, Hathaway advises, should at least be a renewed appreciation of the interconnectedness of all forms of life, flora, fauna, and 'funga,' and a realization that the world is 'made and remade through relationships.'"---Laurence A. Marschall, Natural History"This book will be valuable to social scientists and ecologists, and essential to philosophers of human-fungi relationships." * Choice *

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Book SynopsisFounded as a port at the confluence of two great rivers, Kansas City has the waters of the Missouri running through its bloodstream. Moving from the city's centre to the outer limits of the metropolitan area, A River in the City of Fountains offers a clear view of the reach and intricacies of the Missouri River's connection to life in Kansas City.

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Book SynopsisA guide to keeping dogs healthy includes information on meeting dogs' nutritional needs, treating canine ailments, administering first aid, selecting common and alternative therapies, and choosing a veterinarian.Table of ContentsIntroduction. PART I: Basic Health Care. Chapter 1: Canine Health 101. Chapter 2: Preventing Problems before They Start. Chapter 3: Working with Your Dog's Vet. PART II: Food, Glorious Food! Chapter 4: The Building Blocks of Good Nutrition. Chapter 5: Feeding Your Hungry Hound. Chapter 6: Supplementing Your Dog's Diet. Chapter 7: Good Ol' Home Cookin'. Chapter 8: Meeting Your Dog's Special Nutritional Needs. PART III: Recognizing and Treating Common Maladies. Chapter 9: Innerspace: How Your Dog's Body Works. Chapter 10: Tackling Common Ailments. Chapter 11: Fighting Off the Bugs That Want Your Dog. Chapter 12: Canine First Aid. Chapter 13: Drug Therapy for Dogs. Chapter 14: Complementary and Alternative Therapies. PART IV: Health for the Body and Soul. Chapter 15: Stocking Up on the Supplies You and Your Dog Need. Chapter 16: Getting the Lead Out: Exercising Your Dog. Chapter 17: We Want You!: Enrolling Your Dog in Basic Training. PART V: Caring for the Canine Senior. Chapter 18: Helping Your Dog Age Gracefully. Chapter 19: Coping with Cancer. Chapter 20: Making the Difficult Decision to End Your Dog's Life. PART VI: The Part of Tens. Chapter 21: Ten Great Dog Health and Nutrition Web Resources. Chapter 22: Ten Signs of Illness to Watch For. Chapter 23: Ten Ways to Keep Your Dog Healthy. Chapter 24: Ten Household Hazards. Appendix: Resources. Index. Book Registration Information.

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Book SynopsisAlong the east shore of Ontario's Georgian Bay lie the Thirty Thousand Islands, a granite archipelago scarred by glaciers, where the white pines cling to the ancient rock, twisted and bent by the west wind -- a symbol of a region where human history has been shaped by the natural environment. Over the last four centuries, the Bay has been visited by some of the most famous figures in Canadian history, from Samuel de Champlain to the Group of Seven. This book traces the history of Canadians' reactions to and interactions with this distinctive and often intractable landscape.Claire Campbell draws from recent work in cultural history, landscape studies in geography and art history, and environmental history to explore what happens when external agendas confront local realities -- a story central to the Canadian experience. Explorers, fishermen, artists, and park planners all were forced to respond to the unique contours of this inland sea; their encounters defined a regional ideTrade ReviewCampbell gives a well-reasoned and reflective yet unromanticized account of a place that has captivated many people for centuries (herself and myself included). Her prose is crisp and fluid, and the book is a true pleasure to read. -- Nik Luka * University of Toronto Quarterly, Vol. 75, No. 1, Winter 2006 *Table of ContentsForeword: Of Canoes and Pines and Rock-Bound Gardens / Graeme WynnIntroduction: Writing a History of Place1 “What word of this curious country”: Surveying the Historical Landscape2 “A Region of Importance”: Industry and Land Use3 “A Vivid Reminder of a Vanished Era”: Imagining Natives and History in a Terre Sauvage4 Rocks and Reefs: The Culture of an Inland Sea5 “Our Dear North Country”: Developing a Sense of Place6 “Some Proper Rule”: Managing and Protecting Georgian Bay Conclusion: Listening to the BayNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisThe Archive of Place weaves together a series of narratives about environmental history in a particular location British Columbia's Chilcotin Plateau. In the mid-1990s, the Chilcotin was at the centre of three territorial conflicts. Opposing groups, in their struggle to control the fate of the region and its resources, invoked different understandings of its past and different types of evidence to justify their actions. These controversies serve as case studies, as William Turkel examines how people interpret material traces to reconstruct past events, the conditions under which such interpretation takes place, and the role that this interpretation plays in historical consciousness and social memory. It is a wide-ranging and original study that extends the span of conventional historical research.Trade ReviewIn this unorthodox and intriguing book, William Turkel uses the Chilcotin Plateau, an arid and sparsely settled region of west-central British Columbia, to ask a series of questions about how we acquire and use knowledge of the past.... This is an engaging and rewarding book. Like much recent work in British Columbia history, it writes First Nations people into the general history of the province, a hugely important project for North American histroy more generally.An amalgam of the material and the representational, the natural and the human, place allows Turkel to move some way toward transcending the old human-environment dichotomy that bedevils the writing of environmental history. -- James Murton * Environmental History Journal, Volume 12, Number 4 *Table of ContentsForeword: Putting Things in Their Place / Graeme WynnPrefaceAcknowledgmentsPart 1: Deep Time in the Present1 Fish Lake2 Prosperity GoldPart 2: The Horizon of Experience3 Mackenzie4 Grease TrailsPart 3: Shadowed Ground5 Converging towards “Banshee”6 Chilcotin WarAfterwordAppendicesGlossary; Notes; Toponymic Index; General Index

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Book SynopsisWeaves together a series of narratives about environmental history in British Columbia’s Chilcotin Plateau.Trade ReviewIn this unorthodox and intriguing book, William Turkel uses the Chilcotin Plateau, an arid and sparsely settled region of west-central British Columbia, to ask a series of questions about how we acquire and use knowledge of the past.... This is an engaging and rewarding book. Like much recent work in British Columbia history, it writes First Nations people into the general history of the province, a hugely important project for North American histroy more generally.An amalgam of the material and the representational, the natural and the human, place allows Turkel to move some way toward transcending the old human-environment dichotomy that bedevils the writing of environmental history. -- James Murton * Environmental History Journal, Volume 12, Number 4 *Table of ContentsForeword: Putting Things in Their Place / Graeme WynnPrefaceAcknowledgmentsPart 1: Deep Time in the Present1 Fish Lake2 Prosperity GoldPart 2: The Horizon of Experience3 Mackenzie4 Grease TrailsPart 3: Shadowed Ground5 Converging towards “Banshee”6 Chilcotin WarAfterwordAppendicesGlossary; Notes; Toponymic Index; General Index

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Book SynopsisMuskoka. Now a magnet for nature tourists and wealthy cottagers, the region underwent a profound transition at the turn of the twentieth century. Making Muskoka traces the evolution of the region from 1870 to 1920. Over this period, settler colonialism upended Anishinaabe and Haudenosaunee communities, but the land was unsuited to farming, and within the first generation of resettlement, tourism became an integral feature of life. Andrew Watson considers issues such as rural identity, tensions between large- and household-scale logging operations, and the dramatic effects of consumer culture and the global shift toward fossil fuels on settlers' ability to control the tourism economy after 1900. Making Muskoka uncovers the lived experience of rural communities shaped by tourism at a time when sustainable opportunities for a sedentary life were few on the Canadian Shield, and reveals the consequences for those living there year-round.Trade Review"… Making Muskoka is pertinent reading for those studying the impacts of tourism on landscapes and the peoples who inhabit them." -- Matthew Hatvany, Laval University * Canadian Geographies *Table of ContentsIntroduction1 Rural Identity and Resettlement of the Canadian Shield, 1860–802 Indigenous Identity, Settler Colonialism, and Tourism, 1850–19203 Rural Identity and Tourism, 1870–19004 The Promise of Wood-Resource Harvesting, 1870–19205 Fossil Fuels, Consumer Culture, and the Tourism Economy, 1900–20ConclusionAppendix; Notes; Bibliography; Index

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Book SynopsisMaking Muskoka traces the first decades of Muskoka’s transformation from Indigenous homeland to a part-time playground for tourists and cottagers and uncovers the consequences for those who lived there year-round.Trade Review"… Making Muskoka is pertinent reading for those studying the impacts of tourism on landscapes and the peoples who inhabit them." -- Matthew Hatvany, Laval University * Canadian Geographies *Table of ContentsIntroduction1 Rural Identity and Resettlement of the Canadian Shield, 1860–802 Indigenous Identity, Settler Colonialism, and Tourism, 1850–19203 Rural Identity and Tourism, 1870–19004 The Promise of Wood-Resource Harvesting, 1870–19205 Fossil Fuels, Consumer Culture, and the Tourism Economy, 1900–20ConclusionAppendix; Notes; Bibliography; Index

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Book SynopsisFrom "Mother Earth" to "Mother Nature," women have for centuries been associated with nature. Feminists, troubled by the way in which such representations show women controlled by powerful natural forces and confined to domestic space, have sought to...Trade ReviewUndomesticated Ground explores a dazzling array of feminist texts that endeavour to inhabit and transform nature as a place of feminist possibility. Throughout, Alaimo remains sensitive to the pitfalls of any alliance between women and nature. The texts are grouped chronologically and thematically, and each is carefully considered in relation to its social and historical moment. -- Meredith Criglington * Canadian Literature *Stacy Alaimo challenges essentialized conceptions of nature in Undomesticated Ground, calling for nature's reclamation as feminist space.... Alaimo persuasively asserts that feminism will benefit from a more complex understanding of nature's multiple and, at times, contradictory representations.... Her work importantly lays the groundwork by which we can articulate essentialized notions of nature, disrupt them, and then question the framework of dualisms that guides our inquiry. -- Maureen McKnight, University of Wisconsin * ISLE: Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and the Environment *Undomesticated Ground is an important and informative book, and it should set the stage for an enlivened discussion of nature and feminism. * Choice *Alaimo's Undmesticated Ground: Recasting Nature as Feminist Space ... takes on the important work of dismantling nature–culture dualisms in which culture is viewed as dynamic and nature as static.... Alaimo offers feminists an alternative path in which boundaries between human and nonhuman nature are permeable but not completely collapsed. -- Shannon Sullivan * Hypatia *Students of nature writing, women's literature, and more familiar forms of imaginary domesticity will find rich insights in Undomesticated Ground. -- Barbara Ryan, University of Missouri * American Literature *Throughout the book, Alaimo shows that women have made subversive use of the particular literary, political, and gender conventions around them to create spaces for and threads of women's liberation that do not rest on a separation from nature.... These insights are complex and generative, and I found Alaimo's analysis to be rich and thought-provoking.... In both form and content, then, this is an important book for ecological scholars of all traditions. Read it with pleasure. -- Catriona Sandilands, York University * Environmental Ethics *

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Book SynopsisWith their beautifully illustrated guide to insects and other arthropods, Paul E. Hanson and Kenji Nishida put the focus on readily observable insects that one encounters while strolling through a tropical forest in the Americas.Table of Contents1. Introduction to Arthropods 2. Small Orders 3. True Bugs and Their Kin 4. Beetles 5. Wasps, Bees, Ants 6. Moths and Butterflies 7. Flies and Their Kin 8. Other Arthropods

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Book SynopsisA scientist before he was a beekeeper, Mark L. Winston found in his new hobby a paradigm for understanding the role science should play in society. In essays originally appearing as columns in Bee Culture, the leading professional journal, Winston...Trade ReviewA... readable book... that is equally interesting for scientists and beekeepers alike... Interesting! * Northeastern Naturalist *Mark Winston presents controversial but stimulating views on the peer review process for research proposals and scientific papers, the role of basic versus applied research, and accountability of university and government scientists to society. This well-written book will interest beekeepers and anyone interested in the role of honey bees in agriculture today. * Choice *

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Book SynopsisTable of Contents1. The Formative Years 1807-18272. The Making of a Naturalist 1827-18323. From Switzerland to Boston 1832-18464. The American Welcome 1846-18505. Naturalist to America 1850-18576. Building a Museum 1857-18617. Agassiz, Darwin, and Transmutation 1859-18618. The Trials of a Public Man 1861-18669. The Past and the present 1866-1873Epilogue to the New Edition 1988NotesEssay on SourcesRcent SourcesIndex

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Book SynopsisAmple notes, beautiful illustrations and amps, and a lengthy bibliography make this book a lasting treasure.Trade ReviewA strong sense of place is evoked in this impressive anthology of nature writing from the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah Valley. Seventy selections drawn from four centuries of writing include excerpts from letters, travel journals, diaries, novels, speeches, government reports, and personal essays that explore the interaction between humans and the natural world. Library Journal All Virginia outdoor enthusiasts have visited the Blue Ridge, and all of them with a taste for reading will want to own The Height of Our Mountains. Old Dominion Sierran With its mixture of fiction, personal, and scientific writing, the book has something for everyone... From colonization to contemporary times, the list of writers represented (70 in all) is both impressive and surprising, including Jefferson's former slave Isaac, James Audobon, Walt Whitman, Willa Cather, Ellen Glasgow, and Annie Dillard. Blue Ridge Outdoors A model of regional nature-writing anthologies. Virginia Quarterly Review

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Book SynopsisFor entomologists, limnologists, and ecologists, Dragonfly Genera of the New World is an indispensable resource for field identification and laboratory research.Trade ReviewThis is the most important Odonate book published in several years. -- T.W. Donnelly Argia 2006 A required reference for any serious student of faunistics and biogeography. -- Beth Orr Agrion 2006 A reference of the highest quality, this book reveals their striking beauty and complexity. It is a real monumental work on odonate taxonomy and identification, and indispensable for every one working with the Odonata of the Americas. A great book. -- Martin Schorr Odonatological Abstract Service 2007 As a superb reference work for 2 continents, written with much skill and profound command of the factual knowledge, the value of the book can be hardly exaggerated. Odonatological Abstracts 2007 The most significant contribution in decades. -- Robert Canning Florida Entomologist 2007 The authors have produced original keys that are richly illustrated... An outstanding volume that will be a long-standing contribution. -- John C. Abbott American Entomologist 2008 This is a landmark publication, and a must for all serious odonatologists and New World biodiversity specialists. -- Michael Samways Journal of Insect Conservation 2008Table of ContentsPrefaceList of Abbreviations1. Introduction2. Key to families3. Petaluridae4. Austropetaliidae5. Aeshnidae6. Gomphidae7. Neopetaliidae8. Cordulegastridae9. Libellulidae. Key to Subfamilies10. Macromiinae11. Corduliinae12. LibellulinaeLiterature CitedDistribution TablesList of FiguresIndex of Taxa

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Book SynopsisCountering the inclination to associate indigenous peoples with "wilderness" or to conflate everything "Indian" with a vague sense of the ecological, this book shows how Indian communities were forced to migrate to make way for the nation's "wilderness" parks in the nineteenth century.Trade Review"This volume offers a unique study of environmentalism and the author shows great respect for Native Americans and their beliefs and proclaims that they have much to teach wider society."—Library Journal"In an era when environmental problems are growing in number and severity, this interdisciplinary book is timely for examining humanity's place in nature by scrutinizing in historical and comparative perspective the spiritual ecology of Native Americans. . . . Porter lays some of the crucial foundation for a fundamental rethinking of the vital interrelationships between religion and nature for the sake of creating a far more sustainable, just, peaceful, and spiritual society. Summing Up: Recommended."—Choice"Joy Porter's Land and Spirit in Native America effectively challenges the empty rhetoric and wishful thinking about pan-Indian holism, spirituality, and place. In its place Porter offers a nuanced, grounded, and insightful investigation of the role of spirit and land in a range of tribal localities and uses an equally wide range of modalities to remind us the ways in which American Indian tribes have experienced and expressed the relationship of place and person in the last two hundred years. Excellent, insightful, and considered--a valuable addition to the field."—David Treuer, professor of English at University of Minnesota, Leech Lake Reservation"I'm glad Joy Porter has written masterfully about this matter of continuity in Land and Spirit in Native America."—Simon Ortiz, author of Woven Stone, From Sand Creek, and Out There SomewhereTable of ContentsAcknowledgmentsIntroduction1. Approaches to Spirituality, Tradition, Land, Wilderness, Nature, Landscape, and Place2. On Middle Way Thinking, Gardening, Parks, and Aspects of Indian Thinking about Land3. Spiritual Approaches to Life in America4. Literature, Land, and Spirit5. Art, Land, and Spirit6. Environmental Justice, Place, and Indian "Sacrifice"7. Vanishing, Reappearing, and Disappearing Indians on American Soil8. Future Directions Into and Out of the WildNotesBibliographyIndex

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Book SynopsisA respected author and scholar, Paul A. Johnsgard has spent a lifetime observing the natural delights of Nebraska’s woodlands, grasslands, and wetlands. Seasons of the Tallgrass Prairie collects his musings on Nebraska’s natural history and the issues of conservation facing our future.Trade Review“Many scientists and historians have written about the natural history of the Great Plains, but few so compellingly as Paul Johnsgard.”—Annals of Iowa"Seasons of the Tallgrass Prairie celebrates the gifts of a half century spent roaming Nebraska's back roads, trails, and sometimes-forgotten places."—Nebraska Magazine"A simply wonderful read from beginning to end."—John Burroughs, Midwest Book Review"A quietly magnificent book, nature writing at its best."—Nancy Plain, Roundup Magazine"From sacred sites to majestic wildlife patterns, Seasons of the Tallgrass Prairie snaps a unique portraiture of Nebraska as a great sustainer of all who dwell within its bounds. Whether you’re a scientist or layperson, it’s worth your time to pick up this collection, discover a quiet outdoor spot and just take it all in."—Erin Seaward-hiatt, L MagazineTable of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments Part 1. Wild Places and Natural Treasures1. A Place Called Pahaku 2. The Life and Hard Times of the Platte River 3. Nebraska’s Magical Spring Migration 4. The Birds of Nebraska’s Boondocks 5. What Is a Tallgrass Prairie? 6. Close Encounters with Nature at Spring Creek Audubon Prairie Part 2. Seasonal EnchantmentsSpring 7. The Snow Geese of the Central Flyway 8. A Congruence of Cranes with Karine Gil-Weir9. The Whooping Cranes Are Still Surviving Tough Odds with Karine Gil-Weir10. The Strange Courtship of Prairie Grouse 11. The Secretive Shorebirds and Their Amazing Migrations Summer 12. Birds of the Tallgrass Prairie 13. Nebraska’s City-Dwelling Peregrines 14. The Ancient Romance of the Yucca and the Yucca Moth Fall 15. A Dazzle of Hummingbirds 16. A Symphony of Swans 17. A Plethora of Pelicans Winter 18. A Gathering of Eagles 19. A Parliament of Owls 20. The Feathers of Winter Part 3. The View from a High Hill21. A Summing Up Appendix: Latin Names of Plants and Animals Mentioned in the Text Bibliographic Sources

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Book SynopsisTable of ContentsContents 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

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Book SynopsisThe first book-length collection of scholarship that applies interdisciplinary environmental humanities research to cultural analyses of the US South. Sixteen essays examine novels, nature writing, films, television, and music that address a broad range of ecological topics related to the region.

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Book SynopsisNever in human history has travel been so accessible to so many. But amid an escalating climate crisis that threatens the homes of vulnerable people across the world, has the human cost of trekking the globe become too high?

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Book SynopsisA candid and humorous chronicle showing how one woman goes from casual observer to obsessive bird nerd as she traverses Louisiana’s avian paradise. In Adventures of a Louisiana Birder, readers follow Marybeth Lima across her adopted state in search of 300 species of birds.

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Book SynopsisThe third and final volume in botanist Robert H. Mohlenbrock's comprehensive sequence of books on the aster family in Illinois. In this volume, Mohlenbrock identifies 128 species in 49 genera with 11 hybrids and 57 lesser taxa. He provides an easy-to-use key to the genera and species and a complete description and nomenclatural and habitat notes for each plant, including its uses, if applicable.

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Book SynopsisThe celebrated Greek poet Phoebe Giannisi explores connections between language, life, and the natural worldTrade Review"These poems are dynamic in their visual and linguistic movement, “the agitation the ecstasy in life the ego that ricochets within the body the body within the world naked filled with emotions.” Giannisi turns the quotidian into the magical in poems that push against the shifting present moment." -- Publishers Weekly (starred review)"Cicada, Phoebe Giannisi’s second collection to appear in English translation, offers a vibrant lyric consideration of metamorphosis, mortality, and poetry as song, all centered around the figure of the shapeshifting insect…A heightened sense of wonder, borne from a recognition of the transitory nature of life itself, pervades this collection." -- Heather Green - Poetry"Giannisi is unquestionably herself within a vanguard of Greek poets for whom self-awareness and honesty have become second nature." -- Shon Arieh-Lerer - World Literature Today"Sneeden is a meticulous translator and a poet in his own right. He brings Phoebe Giannisi’s work to life with immediacy and conviction." -- Edmund Keeley"Giannisi’s work glitters with such fragments: minimal, direct and dense with loss." -- Max Sydney Smith - Review31"Beautifully translated...The book resounds with an "alien voice from the fence of the teeth." Alien, not only because it is the song of the cicadas that is constantly evoked and lurks from underneath the pages..., but even more so because the voice here belongs to all sorts of beings, especially the non-human ones." " -- Cristina Pérez Díaz - Asymptote"An intimate and utterly feminine perspective on language and regeneration." -- Jessica Gigot - The New York Times

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Book SynopsisThe moving story of Thomas Mann's relationship with his spirited German short-haired pointer. "The life of a dog is a simple and strangely marvelous thing; and that finally may be what sets Bashan and I apart: it is true to the life of a dog."-Gary Amdahl, Ruminator ReviewTrade Review"Termed the finest study of the mind of a dog ever written, a few boldly assert that it is no doubt one of the greatest portrayals of a man's mind. . . . An extremely lovable story. . . . An enchanting classic." * New York Times *"The life of a dog is a simple and strangely marvelous thing; and that finally may be what sets Bashan and I apart: it is true to the life of a dog." * Gary Amdahl, Ruminator Review *

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Book SynopsisIf you long for less-trafficked authentic adventures amid Florida's developed natural areas, this is a guide to finding them, and enjoying them responsibly. Divided into four specific geographic regions covering the entire state from the Panhandle to the Lower Keys, it provides an overview of each.Trade Review"30 EcoTrips in Florida is an important tool for anyone who wants to explore 'the real Florida.' It contains the information needed to plan nature travel anywhere in the state." - Brad Manley, Brevard Environmentally Endangered Lands program"

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Book SynopsisIn this comprehensive history, Clay Henderson celebrates the individuals and organizations who made the Sunshine State a leader in state-funded conservation and land preservation.

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Book SynopsisThis guide to the marine life from Nova Scotia to North Carolina is designed for the ""nonexpert"", but aims also to provide coverage to meet the needs of those conducting biotic surveys and advanced studies in the region, with information in illustrated tabular form.Trade ReviewPollock's tabular format provides a more natural approach to organism identification. This well-written guide is an excellent supplementary text for a field-oriented marine biology course, but also stands well on its own. -- Kenneth A. Thomas * Hillsborough Community College *Pollock's exceptionally broad coverage, from sponges to marine mammals and including larvae and parasites, and his unusual approach of using tabular keys with associated illustrations should have considerable appeal for students, professionals, and anyone else interested in the identification of marine creatures. -- John H. Dearborn * University of Maine *At last a guide to fish as well as invertebrates with profusely illustrated keys and the most recent terminology. It is not only practical but authoritative as well. -- Howard Evans * Cornell University *Table of ContentsCh. 1. Groups of Marine Invertebrates Ch. 2. Gelatinous Organisms Ch. 3. Miscellaneous Worm-Shaped Organisms Ch. 4. Ectoparasites and Commensals Ch. 5. Zooplankton Ch. 6. Eggs and Egg Masses Ch. 7. Phylum Porifera, Sponges Ch. 8. Phylum Cnidaria Ch. 9. Phylum Ctenophora, Comb Jellies Ch. 10. Phylum Platyhelminthes: Class Turbellaria, Flatworms Ch. 11. Phylum Nemertea (Rhynchocoela), Ribbon Worms Ch. 12. Phylum Ectoprocta or Bryozoa Ch. 13. Phylum Mollusca Ch. 14. Phylum Annelida Ch. 15. Phylum Arthropoda Ch. 16. Phylum Echinodermata Ch. 17. Phylum Chordata App. Recommendations for Anesthetization, Fixation, and Preservation of Specimens

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Book SynopsisIntroducing readers to the ecology and beauty of valuable natural resources, this book provides a field guide to wetland plants, soils, and animals. Including detailed descriptions and illustrations of more than 300 plants and 200 animals, it focuses on the northeastern and north-central regions of the United States.Trade ReviewTiner, a noted wetlands ecologist, has an evident affection for swamps, marshes, and bogs. In this readable yet comprehensive book, he proves to be an enthusiastic guide to all aspects of the wetland environment. In the first section, he gives a narrative description of wetland formation, function, and value. In addition to in-depth explanations of wetland science, Tiner offers the reader a view of ancillary sciences such as hydrology and archaeology. He concludes here with a chapter on the status of wetlands, reviewing trends in their destruction and protection. In the second half of the book he presents an identification guide with descriptions and line drawings of wetland plants and animals. He also includes a chapter on hydric soils, the swampy and soggy ground underlying all wetlands. Recommended as a good introduction to wetland ecology for academic and larger public libraries. —Randy Dykhuis, Michigan Library Consortium, Lansing * Library Journal *Ralph Tiner transforms 'wastelands' into national treasures. His book provides an accessible introduction to wetland ecology and management for students, the public, and wetland scientists. -- Aram JK Calhoun * associate professor of wetland ecology, University of Maine *Table of ContentsContents List of Illustrations an Tables Preface Acknowledgements Part I: Wetland Primer 1 Swampland, Marshland, Wetland 2 Water, the Lifeblood of Swampland 3 The Birth and Growth of Swampland 4 Swamp Earth 5 Swamp Plants 6 Swamp Things 7 Swampland at Work 8 Swampland Now and Then 9 Swampland--Wasteland or Watery Wealth Part II: Wetland Identification Guide 10 Recognizing Wetland Plants 11 Interpreting Hydric Soils 12 Identifying Wetland Wildlife 13 Finding Wetlands and Their Boundaries 14 Typing and Evaluating Wetlands Appendix A Appendix B Appendix C

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Book SynopsisExploring the fascinating biodiversity of salt marshes, this work offers information about the variety of plants, fish, and animals, the importance of these habitats, consequences of human neglect and thoughtless development, and insight into how these wetlands recover.Trade ReviewJudith S. Weis and Carol A. Butler put salt marshes into a broad environmental context. With chapters on marshland species, pollution, and restoration, this book is both valuable and encompassing for anyone interested in the future of salt marshes. -- John M. Teal * Scientist Emeritus, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution *Judith Weis and Carol Butler have created a clear, wide-ranging, nontechnical explanation of salt marshes that will engage readers at every level of knowledge. Coastal residents, biology students, environmental planners, consultants, and naturalists should read this book. -- Erik Kiviat * executive director, Hudsonia Ltd *In an accessible and sophisticated manner, SALT MARSHES draws on extensive ôlocal knowledgeö and a thorough grasp of much broader scientific literature to show the impact of humans on marshes and estuaries. This book is an important contribution to popular writing on coastal systems. -- R. Scott Warren * Temple Professor of Botany Emeritus, Connecticut College *Weis and Butler discuss in detail the plants and animals that populate marshes, arranged by general complexity, beginning with small invertebrates and insects. Next is a historical overview, introducing the calamitous, long-held belief that marshes are little more than wastelands and a painful exploration of invasive species and their effects. Ongoing restoration projects are also profiled, and the volume concludes with thorough notes. This account should make an informative treat for any armchair conservationist. * Publishers Weekly *The authors provide a detailed account of the biodiversity of salt marshes and the tremendous benefits that they provide to the natural world. By enhancing understanding of the benefits of these areas, the damage caused to coastal marshes may be avoided in the future if we remain vigilant. * Wildlife Activist *As Weis and Butler indicate in this work, salt marshes have a natural history, but a long unnatural history due to their use and misuse by humans. This resource adds to the small collection of books that focus on salt marshes and their biology and economic value to humans. Recommended. * Choice *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments IntroductionPart I: Natural History Salt Marsh Basics Primary Producers-The Plants Animals of the Salt Marsh-ConsumersPart II: Human Alterations to Salt Marshes Physical Alterations Pollution Biological Alterations: Non-indigenous Species Marsh Restoration and Management for Environmental Improvement Death and Rebirth of an Urban Wetland-The Hackensack Meadowlands Appendix: Species Index References Index

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Book SynopsisWhy do bees buzz? How do they breathe? What is a 'waggle dance'? And just what happens if they run out of honey? This title reports on the mysterious 'colony collapse disorder' that has affected honey bee populations, as well as other topics, such as their complex, highly social lives, and how other species of bees are different from honey bees.Trade Review"Why Do Bees Buzz? not only has the potential to satisfy curiosity and entertain, but will also recruit enthusiastic new investigators to bee research. Even in a format intended for the general audience, Evans and Butler are able to convey the vigor of scientific research on bees in an intriguing manner." -- Susan Fahrbach * professor of Biology, Wake Forest University *"Why Do Bees Buzz? provides updated and well-presented material about many questions the general public may have regarding bees. Evans and Butler precisely discuss the function of bees and why pollination is a vital part of the ecosystem, something of which all people should be aware." -- Diana Sammataro * co-author of The BeekeeperÆs Handbook, Third Edition *"Drawing on a vast and burgeoning literature on bees, this ambitious book is packed with interesting facts, both old and new." -- Gene E. Robinson * Swanlund Chair of Entomology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign *"Why do Bees Buzz? takes readers on a riveting journey through the life and times of these marvelous insects, while highlighting their economic and ecological importance. A thorough, engaging, and informative read." -- Mark L. Winston * FRSC, Academic Director and Fellow, Centre for Dialogue, Simon Fraser University *"This book is an interesting and authoritative read for the beekeeper-experiences or not. Why Do Bees Buzz serves the bee people of the world well. It's alluring style calls the uninitiated readers to keeping bees of their own. It is hard to put down." * Illinois State Beekeepers Association Bulletin *"This is a wonderfully engaging book that covers everything from the anatomy and physiology of bees to studies on their social structure. It is wide enough in scope and interest to make it a welcome addition to any library." * National Science Teachers Association Bulletin *"Intended for general audiences, the book draws heavily on scientific literature, giving readers a feel for the ongoing nature of scientific research; this is a real strength. Recommended." * Choice *"Why Do Bees Buzz? is a wonderfully engaging book that covers everything from the anatomy and physiology of bees to studies on their social structure. Much of its appeal lies in its scope." * Science Teacher *Table of ContentsPreface Acknowledgments One. Bee Basics Two. Bee Bodies Three. Bee Behavior Four. Bee Love Five. Bees in the Hive Six. Bees at Work Seven. Honey Eight. Bees on the Move Nine. Bee Stings and Other Defenses Ten. Dangers to Bees Eleven. Beekeeping Appendices References Index

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Book SynopsisDo Fish Sleep? is organized in an easy-to-read and accessible question-and-answer format, filled with more than 55 photographs and over 100 interesting facts from fish biology basics to the importance of preserving and restoring fish diversity and healthy populations.Trade Review"Judith Weis's clearly written book will interest a wide range of readers, from educators to naturally curious young people." -- Howard Reisman * Professor Emeritus of Biology, Long Island University *"Fish, fish, and more fish—from minnows to sharks, mountain streams to ocean bottoms, and teeth to tail fins, if it's a fish question, it's answered here." -- John Waldman * author of Heartbeats in the Muck *"Do Fish Sleep? is a fascinating book covering just about every aspect of fish life for readers of every age. It's a book that the layperson or ichthyologist can read and comprehend in almost one sitting." * The East Hampton Star *"This book is a rich source of diverse information, covering all one might want to know about fish, beginning with fish biology and extending to fisheries management. The book is well written and provides an excellent introduction to a vast amount of information on the largest group of vertebrates. Recommended." * Choice *"Weis provides accurate, well-written, and succinct answers to each question. Overall, Do Fish Sleep? is a delightful read and makes the diversity and complexity of fish biology accessible to readers in a broad range of age groups and educational backgrounds." * Quarterly Review of Biology *"This book is for the person who wants to know if fish sleep or have other questions about fish or types of fish. The book answered both basic questions and complicated questions. This is not only for research, but also for people with a general interest." -- Elizabeth Willoughby * AAUP Books for Public and Secondary School Libraries *Table of ContentsPreface and Acknowledgments One. Fish Basics Two. Where Fishes Live Three. Fish Bodies Four. Fish Lives Five. Fish Reproduction Six. Dangers and Defenses Seven. Watching Fishes Eight. Recreational Fishing Nine. Commercial Fishing Ten. Fish and Human Health Eleven. Research and Conservation Appendix: Public Aquaria in the United States References Index

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Book SynopsisTrade Review"The Highlands is a valuable resource for those interested in the geology, hydrology, plant and animal life, and land use of this fourstate area. Environmental historians will be interested in the ways the collection brings together quantifiable scientific data with human histories. The collection clearly lays out how natural resources and ecosystem functions are invaluable to local and regional populations and offers readers a persuasive argument for responsible land use. After reading a selection or all of these chapters, readers will have a clear conception of the composition of the nature of the Highlands." * Environmental History *"The Highlands exemplifies why protection of New Jersey's Highlands is so important for the future of the state. It is an essential read on the multiple resources of the region." -- Julia Somers * Executive Director, New Jersey Highlands Coalition *"The Highlands is a thorough, comprehensive and significant study of a beloved region. It describes treasured landscapes, critical water resources and centuries of land use and convinces the reader that its future is our responsibility." -- Eileen Swan * Executive Director NJ Highlands Council *"The Highlands is an encyclopedic study of a cultural landscape. It is a comprehensive resource and a valuable reference for those interested in the Highlands region." * Ecology *"The Highlands makes a compelling case for land-use planning and resource management strategies that could help ensure a sustainable future for the region, strategies that could in turn be applied to other landscapes threatened by urbanization across the country." * Northeastern Naturalist *"This book should be useful to anyone interested in this 'backyard' region so close to the Philadelphia-New York-Hartford metroplex. Recommended." * Choice *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations and TablesPrefaceIntroduction Richard G. Lathrop Jr.Part I Geological Setting1 Bedrock Geology of the Highlands Alexander E. Gates and David W. Valentino2 Glaciation and Landscape History Scott D. Stanford3 Major Soils of the Highlands John C. F. Tedrow and Richard K. ShawPart II Water and Watersheds4 Groundwater and Surface Water Hydrology Otto S. Zapecza, Donald E. Rice, and Vincent T. dePaul5 Water Supply Resources Daniel J. Van AbsPart III Biodiversity6 Forest History of the Highlands Emily W. B. (Russell) Southgate7 Forest Ecology William S. F. Schuster8 Wetlands of the Highlands Region Joan G. Ehrenfeld9 An Overview of the Vascular Plants of the Highlands and the Threats to Plant Biodiversity Gerry Moore and Steven Glenn10 Wildlife of the Highlands Elizabeth A. JohnsonPart IV People and the Land11 Ironworking in the Highlands Theodore W. Kury and Peter O. Wacker12 Agriculture and Urban Development Patterns in the Highlands Richard G. Lathrop Jr.13 Open Space and Recreation in the Highlands Daniel Chazin14 Land-Use Planning and Policy in the Highlands Robert Pirani, Thomas A. Gilbert, and Corey Piasecki15 Future Vision of the Highlands Richard G. Lathrop Jr., Mary L. Tyrrell, and Myrna HallGlossaryNotes on ContributorsIndex

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Book SynopsisThe 2,181-mile Appalachian Trail runs along the Appalachian mountain range from Georgia to Maine. Every year about 2,000 individuals attempt to “thru-hike” the entire trail. Sociologist Kristi M. Fondren traces the stories of forty-six men and women who, for their own personal reasons, set out to conquer America's most well known, and arguably most social, long-distance hiking trail.Trade Review“Well-written, accessible, and succinct, Kristi Fondren’s Walking on the Wild Side tells the interesting story of the Appalachian Trail. Upon finishing a chapter, the reader is anxious to move onto the next one.” -- Alan Graefe * professor of recreation, park, and tourism management at Penn State University *"Fondren takes readers on the most memorable of journeys. She portrays hikers braving both environmental and social elements, and, with remarkable sensitivity, she reveals that they are not so different than the rest of us. The Appalachian Trail is a microcosm of American society, and a fascinating one at that." -- John P. Bartkowski * University of Texas at San Antonio *"If you dream of hiking the Appalachian Trail this book should be on your bedside table." * Hike Bike Travel *"Though the book's aims are primarily scholarly, its brevity and approachable colloquial style make it accessible for students and lay readers." * Library Journal *"Succinct, clear, and captivating … an excellent contribution to the reading lists of hiking enthusiasts, leisure and recreation managers, and sport studies scholars interested in nature and the environment." * Sport in American History *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Acknowledgments 1 From Georgia to Maine: The GA-ME Is Afoot 2 Hiker Trash: Constructing a Long-Distance Hiker Identity 3 April’s Fools: A Situated Subcultural Identity 4 In Search of Ithaka: Long-Distance Hiking as Spiritual Quest 5 The Appalachian Trail, an ATopia? Social Differentiation and Hierarchies among the Tribe 6 Hike Your Own Hike: What the Hiking Subculture Tells Us about American Society Appendix Research Methodology References Index

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Book SynopsisRalph Waldo Emerson is one of the most important figures in American nature writing, yet until now readers have had no book devoted to this central theme in his work. The Best Read Naturalist fills this lacuna, placing several of Emerson's lesser-known pieces of nature writing in conversation with his canonical essays.Trade Review“This book restores the ‘green’ Emerson to a deservedly prominent place in the narrative of American nature writing. Bringing the ecocritical community into contact with these theoretically rich, nature-focused texts is a vital contribution to contemporary environmental scholarship.” —David M. Roblinson, Oregon State University, author of Emerson and the Conduct of Life: Pragmatism and Ethical Purpose in the Later Work and Natural Life: Thoreau’s Worldly Transcendentalism"[I]t is abundantly clear that Branch and Mohs have created a wonderfully handy collection, one whose selection of pieces and editorial framing is very worthy of further investigation by those new to Emerson as well as by seasoned scholars." — ALH Online Review, XIX.1

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Book SynopsisTopics covered in these essays include religion, philosophy, conservation, and farming. The essays seek to emphasize the process of the literary naturalist, specifically the connection the author makes between perceiving nature and how perception permeates all aspects of life experiences.Trade Review"So far as seeing things is an art, it is the art of keeping your eyes and ears open. The art of nature is all in the direction of concealment." - John BurroughsTable of Contents- "The Exhilarations of the Road"; - "A Walk in the Fields"; - "Reading the Book of Nature"; - "Emerson and the Pine Tree"; - "The Faith of a Naturalist"; - "Phases of Farm Life"; - "A Hunt for the Nightingale"; - "The Ways of the Sportsman"; - "Thoreau's Wildness"; - "An Outlook upon Life"

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