Book Description

With its thematic focus on “ecolacy,” the understanding of the natural environment and our relationship to it, Pojman’s text strikes a balance between theoretical and applied issues in environmental ethics. ... Read more

Book Description

This 23rd edition of Annual Editions: Environment 04/05 is a compilation of current articles from the best of the public press. The selections explore the global environment, the world's population, energy, the biosphere, natural resources, and pollution. A listing of related Web sites is included and access to the student support site Dushkin Online (www.dushkin.com/online). ... Read more

Book Description

Popular interest in the observation and study of freshwater invertebrates is increasing. A Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America meets the needs of this growing audience of naturalists, environmentalists, anglers, teachers, students, and others by providing substantive information in easy-to-understand, nontechnical language for many groups of invertebrates commonly found in the streams, lakes, ponds, and other freshwater environments of North America.

Section I provides background information on the biology and ecology of freshwater organisms and environments and explains why and how invertebrates can be studied, simply and without complex equipment, in the field and the laboratory. Section II describes nearly 100 of the most common groups of invertebrates, and for each group a whole-body color illustration is provided along with brief text pointing out the most important features that identify members of the group. Section III contains in-depth descriptions of the life history, behavior, and ecology of the various invertebrate groups, and explains their important ecological contributions and relationships to humans.

The Guide is broad in scope, geographically and taxonomically, and it is written at a substantive yet easily accessible level that will appeal to both novices and those with more advanced knowledge of the subject. It also contains more than 100 specially commissioned color illustrations by the well-known scientific illustrator Amy Bartlett Wright that will greatly facilitate the easy and rapid identification of specimens. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Technical identification for the layman
Dr. Voshell has taken the highly technical methodologies involved in family level benthic macroinvertabrate identification and ecology and translated it for all to enjoy. His book is beneficial for the amateur, yet appropriate for the professional.

An excellent place to start for benthic macroinvertebrates
If I could recommend only one book to someone interested in getting started to learn about benthic macroinvertebrates, Voshell and Wright's Guide to Common Freshwater Invertebrates of North America would be it. The colored pictures are superb, and the text is clearly written and very informative. The introductory section of the book provides information to get the novice started: what are freshwater invertebrates and why are they of interest; how are they classified; a quick look at freshwater ecology; basics of freshwater invertebrate biology; and how to study these fascinating little critters.

The second section, which includes Amy Wright's beautiful pictures, provides very clearly written material on the distinguishing features of the various families. The third section, which is keyed to the second, provides information about the ecology, habitat, movement, feeding, breathing, life history, and significance (including pollution tolerance) for each of the families discussed.

This book is an excellent introduction. True, it is not as complete as Peckarsky, et al, Thorp and Covich, or McCafferty and Provonsha. On the other hand, it is nowhere nearly as intimidating as these much larger, very detailed, and more technical books are. For the amateur, Voshell and Wright's Guide provides a fine stepping stone to these other, less accessible works. I should expect that a bright, interested high school student would have no trouble using this book. Certainly it was a blessing to a retired chemist who needed to get up to speed on benthic macroinvertebrates.

In and out of water
A GUIDE TO COMMON FRESHWATER INVERTEBRATES OF NORTH AMERICA helps ordinary people find and name about 100 crustaceans, insects and worms, in shallow waters and without microscopes. Freshwaters are all inland waters, unaffected by sea tides and usually lacking in much salt. That means streams, rivers, ponds and lakes.

Freshwater invertebrates make up 70 percent of all known animals, microbes and plants. These skeletonless critters are important, in the food chain and to the environment. Some are scrumptious food, such as crayfish and river shrimp. All are hard-working environmentalists, earthworm-like in breaking down and cycling organic matter and nutrients. All are reality-checks to freshwater health. All are wake-up calls to changed living conditions, nature's temper tantrums, and pollution.

All are easy-to-know, too, because of this beautifully, one-of-a-kind illustrated, organized and written book. Illustrator Amy Bartlett Wright's artwork is outstanding. So is author J Reese Voshell, Jr's know-how. For he gives each invertebrate's breathing and feeding needs, life history, living space, movement, and stress level. In addition, he tells how to set up acceptable aquarium living for live catch.

Gravel can be on the bottom. But add stones, sticks, live plants, dead leaves, and bottom sediment, from where the invertebrates were caught. Water must be from where they were caught, too. It has fine detritus and microbe tidbits. Otherwise, a pump must bubble air in. That gets killer chlorine out of treated water.

An air stone letting out small amounts of air keeps down natural decay and smells. Likewise, it keeps water chock full of dissolved oxygen. So does a screen cover. Also, it keeps invertebrates from getting out.

Big chores are food and water. Take out what's not eaten within 24 hours. Change about 1/3 of the water every 2 weeks, if there's a lot of algae or scum.

The best bets are caddisflies, crustaceans, damsel and dragon flies, flat and segmented worms, mollusks, true bugs and flies, and water beetles. Specifically, those most likely to grow, from larvae into adults, are damsel and dragon flies. With my next stream quality monitoring, as soon as water levels go down, I'd like to start mine!

The Guide to Follow
Anyone with an interest in the outdoors or natural history finds wonder and amazement in all organisms one comes across. Even the smallest of creatures holds fascination on those keen on natural life and many times will leave you wondering, 'What is that ??'. A GUIDE TO COMMON FRESHWATER INVERTEBRATES OF NORTH AMERICA by J. Reese Voshell, Jr. is a wonderfully complete introduction to the small organisms that we find in the shallows of our local freshwater ponds, lakes, creeks or streams. Beautifully illustrated by Amy Bartlett Wright, A GUIDE TO COMMON FRESHWATER INVERTEBRATES OF NORTH AMERICA is much more than the typical field guides on the market today. The first section of the book takes the reader through the ecology and fundamentals of freshwater biology and freshwater invertebrates. Well written in an easy to follow flow that is indicative of his 25 years of research and study, J. Reese Voshell, Jr. explains how to use this book and introduces the reader to the guidelines to effectively study freshwater invertebrates. The rest of the book is split into two parts, the first not too different from most field guides are the illustrated descriptions of 100 of the most common freshwater invertebrates with easy to follow distinguishing characteristics. This identification section is referenced by page to the third section that contains a detailed description on the distribution, habitat, biology and feeding habitats of each of the individual freshwater invertebrates. All written in an easy to follow format, A GUIDE TO COMMON FRESHWATER INVERTEBRATES OF NORTH AMERICA is a comprehensive guide and study tool, it is part field guide and part biology text, the combination of which is what makes this book unique and valuable. A GUIDE TO COMMON FRESHWATER INVERTEBRATES OF NORTH AMERICA is as complete a guide book as you will ever find or need. ... Read more

Book Description

Wetlands are unique and fragile environments that provide a transition between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Focusing on freshwater wetlands with emergent vegetation, this book considers productivity in relation to communities of animals and plants and their environments, mineral cycling, hydrology, and management. The contributors emphasize the biological interactions and processes underlying the structure and functioning of wetlands, revealing the need to appreciate the dynamics of the system to establish appropriate management and conservation practices. Based largely on research carried out during the International Biological Programme, this unique synthesis brings together a wealth of information, which until now had been widely dispersed in the literature and often difficult to locate.This comprehensive volume will be an important resource for all those concerned with the ecology, management and conservation of these sensitive natural habitats. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

The one book needed when travelling to the galapagos
I just recently returned from the Galapagos Islands, and the book that guided me throughout my journey was this book by M.H. Jackson. Very easy to find the animal you are looking, and also helps to discover more creatures to look for. Helped explain things further from what the guides had said. Also helped me in answering many people's questions about different creatures. A Great book! A must for all travelers to the galapagos in search of unique wildlife.

Undoubtedly the best overview of "Darwin's Islands".
I am a biologist that has been working in the Galapagos as a Naturalist leading tours there for the last 6 years. Michael Jackson's book is the "Bible" for the beginning naturalist and certainly more than adequate for the casual "ecotourist". Jackson covers all major aspects of the history, geology, ecology, and biology of the islands. In the "biology" section, he gives a clear, concise, but thorough group-by-group treatment of all major taxa including plants, reptiles, land and sea birds, mammals, and a brief section covering marine life. While there are other guidebooks available, none come close to the accuracy, clarity of presentation, and logical format of this book. Of particular usefulness are the many photos, tables, and graphs which provide a visual representation of many of the topics discussed and a synthesis of large amounts of data. ... Read more

Book Description

The tropical forest of Panama's Barro Colorado Island is a luxuriant community of plants and animals, pulsating with life and offering an astonishing view of nature's myriad processes. What does the forest look like? How do the activities of this forest's plants and animals create a community? Now, in A Magic Web, photographer Christian Ziegler and ecologist Egbert Leigh invite readers to enter the marvelous world of Barro Colorado Island. This book provides a unique combination of the spectacular photography of a picture-book and clear, authoritative text written by an active scientist who has spent half a lifetime trying to understand tropical forests. The photographs provide views of the forest and its spectacular diversity of inhabitants, and show many of the activities that give the forest its character and lend structure to its community. Drawing on decades of work on Barro Colorado Island, Egbert Leigh explains how the forest works. The photographs and text reveal the many ways its plants and animals compete with but also depend on each other: the contrasts between solitary cats and intricately organized armies of ants; the different ways plants struggle for a place in the sun, and the ways these plants attract, or domesticate, animals to pollinate their flowers. Finally, the authors show why this, and by implication all other, tropical forests matter to the people who live near them and to the world at large, what we can learn from these forests, and how they differ from temperate-zone forests.Full of gorgeous full-color photographs accompanied by clear and accessible text, A Magic Web is a must for anyone planning to visit a tropical forest, and for all those who only wish they could. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Six Stars would be Better
The pictures are really extrodinary and the text is very readable and understandable. I don't tire of looking at the photos over and over. ... Read more

Book Description

Virtually any exercise in ecology will require some knowledge of the techniques for carrying out a census of population numbers. This practical text outlines clearly, with worked examples, the main techniques used by field ecologists to enumerate plants and animals. Contributors treat each taxonomic group separately, with detailed descriptions of appropriate census methods; their advantages, disadvantages, and biases. Techniques for measuring a wide range of environmental variables are also included. The final chapter lists the twenty most common censusing sins. Concise yet comprehensive, this book provides a unique overview of the most important methods for those working on field studies in population and behavioral ecology and conservation biology at all levels, from the beginner to the practicing professional. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Ecological Censusing Techniques
This book is useful and unbiased. It covers both animal and plant censuing. I found it very useful and informational. ... Read more

Book Description

This comprehensive textbook by a leading authority in the field is likely to become the standard work for freshwater ecologists on the subject. ... Read more

Amazon.com

At 8:27 a.m. on May 18, 1980, Washington State's Mount St. Helens stood at 9,677 feet; in the next five minutes the mountain lost 1,300 feet, blowing its top in a blast so powerful that trees toppled 17 miles away. Hurricane-force winds stripped the soil from nearby ridges and hillsides, leaving bare rock. All plant life for miles around either vaporized or tore away from the surface of the earth. Once-pristine alpine lakes were transformed into "tea-colored swamps."Volcanic ash shrouded four states like snow while an ash plume high in the atmosphere circled the globe. All told, "57 people were dead, along with millions of birds, deer, elk, and fish." No longer would Northwesterners regard the chain of glacier-clad peaks extending from British Columbia's Mt. Garibaldi to Northern California's Mt. Lassen as benevolent dollops of recreational fun. For the first time they would see these peaks for what they are: volcanoes that could actually erupt. For scientists, Mount St. Helens would provide an ever-changing laboratory for study; indeed, important advances have been made in any number disciplines, from seismology to ecology.

Along with remarkable before-and-after images (including the famous Rosenquist photos of the initial blast), Rob Carson's 20th-anniversary retrospective captures the human drama leading up to the eruption and two decades of subsequent scientific discovery in its aftermath. The idea of a volcano erupting in the continental U.S. was certainly novel at the end of the age of disco. Washington governor Dixy Lee Ray hoped "to live long enough to see one of our volcanoes erupt." Sightseers rushed to the mountain, buying T-shirts with premature slogans like "I Survived Mount St. Helens." Harry Truman, "crotchety octogenarian" and whisky-packing owner and operator of the Mount St. Helens Lodge, made headlines by refusing to leave his home, claiming "that mountain will never hurt me." Truman perished under several hundred feet of ash. A geologist named David Johnston wasn't supposed to be near the mountain that day, but as fate would have it, he traded shifts; his last words shouted into his radio were "Vancouver, Vancouver, this is it!"

While the human element figures prominently in Carson's book, the truly amazing story is the one of postblast ecological recovery. Take the humble pocket gopher: those that survived began mixing ash with underlying soil, playing a critical role in making the land suitable once more for plant and animal life. Unbelievably, just three years after the eruption, 90 percent of plant species and nearly all mammals had returned to the most devastated areas. Scientists quickly learned that recovery, rather than depending on colonizing species from outside the blast zone, relied largely on species that never left--like hibernating frogs and toads, lucky pocket gophers, and countless subterranean insects. Of course, life outside the blast helped, too; the woolly bear caterpillar parachuted in to reclaim territory and windblown fireweed seeds soon blossomed in the pumice. And meanwhile, the mountain itself (called "Fire Mountain" by the Native American Klickitats) is rapidly growing once again. --Martha Silano ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Don't mistreat the pictures
An excellent book, completely readable and very informative. I visited the devastated area by chopper within a year after the big one, and Carson's book told me that a lot of the interpretations I heard in 1981 are no longer considered valid. I particularly enjoyed the appraisal of Weyerhauser's tree farms vs natural reforestation. There are favorable points for both, and it's essentially a matter of choosing the scientific or the industrial benefits. I bought the book at the Monument (Forest Service, not Park Service) and reading it while I was there made it all the more exciting. My only complaint: the page layouts. Too many tall, narrow pictures are printed across the binding. Photos of these dimensions would easily fit on a single page, and their impact and beauty are diminished when so much of them is buried in the binding. Possibly this flaw would be less objectionable in a sewn hardcover edition. Also, pictures are often printed as insets in larger photos -- which suggests to me that the book design was considered more important than the photographs. The illustrations are great complements to a splendid text, and they deserve kinder treatment.

An American volcano captured in photographic glory.
The eruption of Mt. St. Helens is captured in photographic glory for any who would learn about the explosion of the volcano and the subsequent recovery of its surrounding environment. Black and white and some color photos accompany extensive descriptions of the eruption, its short- and long-term effects, and environmental changes.

wow wonderful writing!
i love this book and the doofus who thought this book wasnt that great(the one below me) needs to read it again he says it moved quickly to the recovery of the mountain: look at the title! thats what it is about retard.you should recognize a great writer when you see one. humph ... Read more

Book Description

Most books covering the use of computer models in agricultural management systems target only one or two types of models. There are few texts available that cover the subject of systems modeling comprehensively and that deal with various approaches, applications, evaluations, and uses for technology transfer. Agricultural System Models in Field Research and Technology Transfer fills this need. It presents the latest advances in the use of various computer models in agricultural management systems. This authoritative reference provides guidance on the use of models in field research, decision support, precision farming, and technology transfer to farmers and ranchers. Derived from an international symposium co-sponsored by the American Society of Agronomy, the Soil Science Society of America, and the USDA's Agricultural Research Service, it analyzes current system model applications for the modeling of natural resources, crop production, grazing lands, and animal production systems. Leading international agricultural system scientists present their experiences and provide guidance on how models can be used to enhance the quality of field research, transfer of research information and technology to farmers and ranchers, and decision support for agricultural management. They provide an expert review of the existing problems and possible solutions to improve future applications. In addition, Agricultural System Models in Field Research and Technology Transfer explores the possible use of an international modular computer framework to improve current modeling procedures in an effort to develop problem-specific models in the future. ... Read more

Book Description

Although a lot has been written in recent years about nature spirits, Nature Spirits and Elemental Beings by Slovenian author Marko Pogacnik is remarkable in that almost everything described in the book is based on his own practical experiences in communicating with these beings through meditation and tuning in to plants, trees, animals and the landscape. He describes in detail the various elemental beings and their roles in maintaining the web of life, and also gives insights into related topics, such as the flow of energies within the landscape and the long-suppressed Goddess culture.

His evocative images of the nature spirits draw our attention to the lost harmony of the natural world which has been disrupted by the impact of human culture. It is a tragic situation but one which can be redeemed if we rediscover our long-lost sensitivity to these realms and, as the author demonstrates, learn to heal the disturbed elemental world. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

An impressive view into the world of nature beings
The book is written by a lithopuncturist from eastern Europe. The book has been translated into English and what an amazing treat!!! The book is a patchwork of experiences had by Pogacnik while on many of his lithopuncture projects and conferences in Europe. This makes it a bit unorganized, almost like reading journal entries, and I believe that because of it being a translated work at some points it was difficult to directly translate parts which resulted in some ideas being very difficult to communicate, so you may have to read a paragraph a few times to get the gist of it. However, if one is willing to put these issues aside it is defiantly worth it. A very comprehensive view of different types of elementals and the structure or hierarchy which exists. Pogacnik's experiences and insights are profound into the workings of the natural world and I found the material to be invaluable, especially seen through someone form a different culture. He claims in this book that what he 'perceives' is tainted in a way by his own consciousness of his culture and upbringing and that though the technical aspects of the nature beings he communicated with are universal the actual appearance will vary from country to country. Parts of the book can get a bit too heavy, such as the chapter on ones personal elemental, but I recommend it for the core material. Pogacnik is able to illuminate the reasons and background as to why a place may feel so special or sacred and portrays the complex interactions of these nature spirits and how they maintain these scared places. If you feel connected to nature in anyway and wish to learn about furthering your experience more, this book is for you!!!

Comprehensive book about elementals
This book contains a comprehensive education about elemental beings. Call them what you will: elementals, fae folk, or the devic realm, this book introduces the various beings in connection with the author's work in earth healing. Truly fascinating. Since the author's native language is not English, and this is such a comprehensive tome, this may not be the best book for an introduction to elementals (Try 'Summer with the Leprechauns' first.) But don't forget about Pogacnik's books for further study.

One of the best books about working with the Devic realm
Other than Machaelle Small Wright's books, this is one of the very best descriptions of one person's insight into the elemental world that surrounds and supports us. I had the great privilege of working with Marko Pogacnik at Findhorn last August and can say with complete confidence that he is a very clear and humble being. Fluent in Slovenian and German, English is not his first language. That, and the fact that the dimensions of realities he describes do not lend themselves easily to words, may be why some reviewers feel his language seems unclear at times. I had exactly the opposite reaction! Here, at last, is an author who is putting into words some of the experiences I have had and didn't know quite how to describe. For those of you who are interested in connecting with the devic realm, read this book. Those interested in Earth Healing should read Marko's latest book, Earth Changes, Human Destiny. For those sensitive individuals on our planet who are already sensing enormous shifts, it will explain a lot and offers suggestions as to how we each, as individuals, may participate consciouly in the transformational process now under way.

A Pretentious and Poorly Written Book
I had a strange reaction to "Nature Spirits & Elemental Beings", almost a kind of irritation. This book grated on my mind in the same way that an out-of-tune musical instrument grates on the ear. The author's impressions of the elemental world struck me as a disorganized patchwork of truth and nonsense. For example Pogacnik's theory of how airplanes work was a bit startling.

"Once, while flying from London to Belfast, I watched some sylphs who accompanied the plane, and in my opinion it was they who made it possible for the plane to move through space at all."

I was trained in engineering and I can well imagine the look of astonishment on the face of my old professor of aeronautical engineering if I had told him that aircraft were kept aloft by legions of little magickal beings!

Undoubtedly some of my irritation was due to frustration because so much of the text was difficult to understand. For example, consider the following from chapter 7:

"I understood that the elementals who are associated with animals try to educate the animals in the coordination of their emotionally polarised consciousness of individuality with impulses from the group soul."

This is an example of what might be called "occulti-babble." I can almost imagine the author composing such a sentence by throwing darts at the pages of a new-age dictionary. It is an example of the kind of pretentious, nearly meaningless prose that any good copy editor would "blue pencil" out of a first draft. The editorial staff at Findhorn Press should be ashamed of themselves.

In summary I am sad to say that I wasted time and money on this book. I would not recommend it to anyone under any circumstances.

Nature Spirits and elementals
I doubt this man believes in these beings himself,for he is just reciting folklore.I have met them myself.In John Keel's book "Why Ufo's" and Major Jack Downings writings,the describe some strange encounters with them. This is St. George,out. ... Read more

Book Description

This book is a general text covering both basic and applied aspects of freshwater ecology and serves as an introduction to the study of lakes and streams.Issues of spatial and temporal scale, anthropogenic impacts, and application of current ecological concepts are covered along with ideas that are presented in more traditional limnological texts.Chapters on biodiversity, toxic chemicals, extreme and unusual habitats, and fisheries increase the breadth of material covered.The book includes an extensive glossary, questions for thought, worked examples of equations, and real-life problems.

Key Features
* Broad coverage of groundwaters, streams, wetlands, and lakes
* Features basic scientific concepts and environmental applications throughout
* Includes many figures, sidebars of fascinating applications, and biographies of practicing aquatic ecologists
* Materials are presented to facilitate learning, including an extensive glossary, questions for thought, worked examples of equations, and real life problems
* Written at a level understandable to most undergraduate students, with explanations of complex contemporary concepts in freshwater ecology described to promote understanding
* Featuring small chapters that mainly stand alone, this book can be read in the order most suited to the specific application ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Fresh!
This is the definitive work spelled out in a style that's easy to follow and understand. It's well written and thoroughly researched. Great tome for my major! ... Read more

Reviews (2)

ignorant and angry but useful
Chase's angry critique of "environmentalists" and their myths of nature has its points, but he ignores most of the substantial efforts to manage our ecosystem holistically -- e.g. including land, people, and money. He criticizes "biocentrism" but many of us recognize that human life, for example, is totally dependent on other organisms, E. coli to start. The question is not hierarchy, but interdependence.

Hundreds of pages on what's wrong in my edition, and only two pages that mention possible pathways to the future in the form of the Quincy Library Group and Applegate Partnership.

eye-opening clear analysis that changed my views
Until reading "In a Dark Wood" I espoused "politically correct" environmentalist views -- such as "all old growth forests must be saved at any cost from evil logging" -- in a knee-jerk, emotionally charged, self-righteous way, without ever taking the trouble to study or think through what was really at stake, and what premises about reality underlay my views.Alston Chase's thinking on conservation is so clearly presented, so well backed by evidence, so carefully analysed, and so full of good will and integrity, that I find it impossible to read his book without respecting his intentions -- and his conclusions, which challenge everything I had unthinkingly assumed in the past.This is the kind of book that not only addresses concrete problems, such as the political struggle between, say Earth First and Maxxam Corporation, but also inspires the reader to think more deeply, and question his/her assumptions.This is the kind of book I think most self-labeled "environmentalists" -- especially those who come from white, middle class, college-educated backgrounds -- will dismiss prior to investigation, and will never read.If so, it is a sad loss.It's a book that can change your views and help you learn to think better -- and I believe most people would rather not do so, since thinking better might well spoil the dramatic excitement of waging a war of good against evil, nature against humanity.Still, I hope people will read this book.It's one that changed my life. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

An Aukful story of extinction
Ask anyone you know with even a cursory knowledge of birds and animals to name you an extinct species. After the Dodo, the Great Auk will probably be the most frequently mentioned name. The reason the story of the Auk's extinction has remained in our brains, in the recesses yes, but remembered nevertheless, is because of the sheer size and horrific destruction associated with the hunting to extinction of the bird.

The book deals not just with the hunting of these large flightless birds (think Penguin) for food but also looks at what their feathers, fat and oils were used for. Other subjects include the history of the trade, a full description of the birds appearance and it's behaviour. Although the last bird died in 1844 the story does not end with their demise. Fuller talks about the stuffed specimens and the eggs and how the greed associated with the Auk's extinction continued in the behavoir of collectors and museums.

Plenty of color illustrations. Gift for a bird lover.

The best book ever written on a single account of extinction
Fuller's book cannot possibly be surpassed on its subject, the extinction and remaining artifacts of the The Great Auk. A truly amazing book which details every stuffed auk from around the world, as well as all the eggspecimens. Mostly with photographs, the history of how each specimenfinally came to its current residence of display is a story in itself.Great detail is given to theobsessive collectors and dealers through thelast 150 years also. Forget the price, just buy this book! Fuller's own Aukis photographed extensively in colour. Only question remaining on thesubject is, What did Eric Fuller pay for his Greak Auk?"

stunning
a volume with meticulous research, and also a sad inventory of the last specimens of this extinct bird. Let us hope there won't be too many books in this serie.

EXTINCT BIRD LOVERS PARADISE
THIS IS A MOST EXCELLENT AND SUMPTUOUS BOOK.THE AUTHOR COMBINES IN HIS STYLE VICTORIAN IDEAS ABOUT COLLECTING WITH MODERN CONCERNS ABOUT CONSERVATION.A BETTER MAP WOULD BE IN ORDER"TRY FINDING FUNKISLAND".HE OPINES THAT LIKE THE PASSENGER PIGEON,GREAT AUKS CAN ONLYEXIST IN GREAT NUMBERS"PG.63" HE ALSO DOES NOT TELL US WHAT HEPAID FOR HIS OWN SPECIMEN."PG.141" A BEAUTIFUL AND TECHNICALBOOK. ... Read more

Book Description

Drawing on complex systems theory, this book investigates how human societies deal with change in linked social-ecological systems, and build capacity to adapt to change. The concept of resilience is central in this context. Resilient social-ecological systems have the potential to sustain development in a manner that does not lead to loss of future options. Resilient systems provide capacity for renewal and innovation in the face of rapid transformation and crisis. Case studies and examples from several geographic areas, cultures and resource types are included; merging forefront research from natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities into an innovative framework for sustainable systems. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Imagine an organism as big as Earth!
Reading Edward Wilson's "The Future of Life" served as the spark to pick up and read this book. And its true, good things do come in small packages. The book is all of 140 pages, and is written in a lean, but not glossed-over style. Robert Lovelock (to my knowledge) is the contemporary father of the study of the earth as a complete living system.

Lovelock readily admits that the book serves more to promote the dialog about our planet as a living, breathing whole and to share key discoveries that support his concept. (He states in the Preface that his follow-on book, "The Ages of Gaia" aims to build the scientific argument to the Gaia theory.)

By no means, does Lovelock detour around the science that supports his case. With the scope of the topic requiring knowledge of both physical and biological science, and the small number of pages, he manages to instruct and create a sense of awe in a short amount of time.

The 3 major principles he brings to light about Gaia are:

1. Gaia exhibits a tendency to keep conditions (e.g., temperature, air quality) constant for all terrestrial life.

2. Like other living systems, Gaia has vital organs at the core, and expandable or redundant ones on the periphery.

3. Under the worse conditions, Gaia responses similar to other cybernetic systems (i.e., where time constant and loop gain are important)

The material is far reaching in both its scope and in shaping our understanding of where we stand. Put in the context of Gaia, we have straddled ourselves to the largest of all known living and breathing creatures.

Listening to the sound of the world.....
Simply written, mythically convincing, and conveying an idea--Gaia--so evident to the intuitive feel of life here that it's hard even to summon the will to question it.

Lovelock treads difficult ground. Apparently unaware of depth psychology's amplifications of the "anima mundi," the World Soul described by Plato and so many aboriginal socities, Lovelock seeks to move the proof into the realm of science without sounding--in this book--overly scientific.

One could wish he'd dreamed into the Gaia image more deeply and less literally. At the same time, empirical research could go a long way toward establishing the systemic, globe-regulating processes he envisions in this book. Whether such science would convince those who benefit financially from colonizing and exploiting the world's resources is open to question.

While I don't share the author's optimistic belief in Gaia's capacity to regulate herself despite our ever-increasing power to disrupt her systems, I admire the attempt to give current form to an ancient idea...an idea with tremendous archetypal punch and relevancy.

If you buy this book, use it as a point of departure--into biology, ecology, or ecopsychology, perhaps. Or into that state of humility that pauses to wonder what the world is thinking and feeling.

Interesting Hypothesis in Somewhat Convoluted Form
James Lovelock has created a powerful and interesting argument in this book that will keep scientists busy for centuries. He notices that there is an ability for the Earth to maintain relatively constant conditions in temperature, atmosphere, salinity and pH of the oceans, and reductions in pollutants that defies the simple observations of what "should" happen. From this, he concludes that there is a complex of physical, chemical and biological interrelationships that work like a living organism, which he defines as the Gaia Hypothesis. For defining that concept and providing some of the measurements to establish its premises, he deserves a 7 star rating.

Unfortunately, the argument is expressed in overlong and convoluted fashion. He deliberately limits himself to a nonscientific explanation in this book. The scientific version of the argument is in The Ages of Gaia. Although the book is not long, it certainly could have been condensed into a longish article for Scientific American or The Atlantic Monthly. My second quibble is that the editor was nowhere in sight on the organization of the book. The key point is often buried in the third sentence of the last paragraph in a chapter. The argument in between wanders into all kinds of places where it doesn't need to go. For organization and editing, I give this book a one star rating.

So the average is a 4 star rating. The writing itself is pleasant enough. Don't let the lack of organization and editing put you off, for it is worth your while to read this book. It will remind you of the benefits of the sort of sytems thinking that Peter Senge talks about in The Fifth Discipline.

The other thing you will learn is the weakness of scientific work that fails to develop enough field data and to connect enough with other disciplines. I was struck by the same observations recently while visiting environmental scientists at the Smithsonian Institution. The basics in many of these areas have yet to be measured and evaluated. This book will point countless generations forward in understanding how our plant maintains its environment that permits life to flourish. Clearly, it is a stallbusting effort to replace "stalled" thinking about the history and future of the Earth. I found the key questions (such as why doesn't the ocean become more saline?) to be irresistible. I think you will, too. Enjoy and think!

How to change your outlook
Although parts of the text are confusing and too deep for a mere mortal like myself, this book changed the whole way I look at the earth and my own role upon it, not to mention the part my species is taking. Reading and re-reading yields great rewards, the arguments, whether agreed with or not, are cogent and thought provoking, and will provide for many a night spent in those deep discussions with friends ... Read more

Book Description

"Fundamentally, the salmon's decline has been the consequence of a vision based on flawed assumptions and unchallenged myths.... We assumed we could control the biological productivity of salmon and 'improve' upon natural processes that we didn't even try to understand. We assumed we could have salmon without rivers." -from the introductio.

From a mountain top where an eagle carries a salmon carcass to feed its young to the distant oceanic waters of the California current and the Alaskan Gyre, salmon have penetrated the Northwest to an extent unmatched by any other animal. Since the turn of the twentieth century, the natural productivity of salmon in Oregon, Washington, California, and Idaho has declined by eighty percent. The decline of Pacific salmon to the brink of extinction is a clear sign of serious problems in the region.

In Salmon Without Rivers, fisheries biologist Jim Lichatowich offers an eye-opening look at the roots and evolution of the salmon crisis in the Pacific Northwest. He describes the multitude of factors over the past century and a half that have led to the salmon's decline, and examines in depth the abject failure of restoration efforts that have focused almost exclusively on hatcheries to return salmon stocks to healthy levels without addressing the underlying causes of the decline. The book:

• describes the evolutionary history of the salmon along with the geologic history of the Pacific Northwest over the past 40 million years
• considers the indigenous cultures of the region, and the emergence of salmon-based economies that survived for thousands of years
• examines the rapid transformation of the region following the arrival of Europeans
• presents the history of efforts to protect and restore the salmon
• offers a critical assessment of why restoration efforts have failed.

Throughout, Lichatowich argues that the dominant worldview of our society-a worldview that denies connections between humans and the natural world-has created the conflict and controversy that characterize the recent history of salmon; unless that worldview is challenged and changed, there is little hope for recovery. Salmon Without Rivers exposes the myths that have guided recent human-salmon interactions. It clearly explains the difficult choices facing the citizens of the region, and provides unique insight into one of the most tragic chapters in our nation's environmental history. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Pacific Northwest Salmon History Book
Salmon Without Rivers is a great book of historical facts. It includes many issues like; original salmon locations/populations, "Economy over Environment" issues, and the ineffectiveness of large decision making commissions/agencies. However, with all his good background information the book does not propose any solutions nor investigates today's coastal human communities as they relate to the salmon and/or habitat.

A captivating, human, informed book
As a freelance author writing a piece about salmon for a California-based magazine, this book was indispensible and eye-opening. It is unfailingly sensitive and intelligent about salmon, discussing the fish as fellow creatures in the "natural economy" in which we all live, rather than as mere commodities in the "industrial economy" that has transformed the West in the last 150 years. It is fascinating about the geology that shaped the salmon's environment, the evolutionary history of the fish, the relationship between Native Americans and salmon in the Northwest, and it provides a detailed history of the many factors that have led to the salmon's decline, including habitat destruction, misbegotten hatchery programs, overfishing, dams, mining, grazing, irrigation. If you like to read books about ecology, the creatures of the earth, fish, or the Northwest--you can't go wrong. This is a wonderful book.

Save the salmon and us
A thoroughly researched and impassioned presentation including the history of salmon, their decline, why billions of tax dollars in restoration efforts have had paltry returns, and insights into the where we should go from here. A complex issue is examined from many perspectives in an easy to read and compelling book. I highly recommend it to anyone interested in salmon.

A must read for anyone that loves the Northwest!
I lived my whole life in this area and I had no idea the full extent of the damage we have done. Mr. Lichatowich presents us with a very well researched and thoroughly compeling book. I would recommend this to anyone that loves the Northwest.

History and Ecology
The book is appropriately subtitled "a history of the Pacific salmon crisis". The author offers a highly readable account of the history of salmon in the Pacific, and really a history of the Pacific Northwest, from the last ice age to today. He offers a comprehensive and evidence-based description of how multiple factors are interacting to create "the salmon crisis". I think this book has broad appeal and will be very rewarding to anyone interested in the history and ecology of the northwest. ... Read more

Book Description

A Primer of Ecology, Third Edition, presents a concise but detailed exposition of the most common mathematical models in population and community ecology. It is intended to demystify ecological models and the mathematics behind them by deriving the models from first principles. The book may be used as a self-teaching tutorial by students, as a primary textbook, or as a supplemental text to a general ecology textbook.

The Primer explains in detail basic concepts of exponential and logistic population growth, age-structured demography, metapopulation dynamics, competition, predation, island biogeography, and, in a chapter new to this edition, succession. Each chapter is carefully graded from simple material that is appropriate for beginning undergraduates to advanced material, which is suited for upper-division undergraduates and beginning graduate students. Advanced topics include environmental and demographic stochasticity, discrete population growth and chaos, stage-structured demography, intraguild predation, nonlinear predator-prey isoclines, and passive sampling. Each chapter follows the same structure: model presentation and predictions, model assumptions, model variations, empirical examples, and problems.

Essential equations are highlighted for students' use. Intermediate algebraic "expressions" are also illustrated so that students see where the equations came from. New terms are introduced in the text in boldface type to alert students to novel concepts. The Primer contains more mathematical detail than many ecology textbooks, but avoids jargon and mathematical terminology that can intimidate students. Both simple and advanced problems are included, followed by fully worked solutions so that students can gain confidence and a better understanding of the models. Citations are kept to a minimum. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Easily one of the best on the topic
Four and one half stars.

Dr. Gotelli's book is the most successful which I am familiar at "demystifying" the mathematical concepts in ecology. "A primer of ecology" is very well organized and written so as not to frighten off the uninitiated, but covers the mathematics well enough to be an adequate refresher for those that have slipped in some areas. The inclusion of ecological succession in the 3rd edition is an important addition and not merely a reason to put out a new version. I highly recommend this text to anyone who is interested in learning about ecological study, and I think it would make an excellent senior undergraduate or supplemental graduate text.

Easy to understand, but simplifies a little too much
I found this book was a really good introduction to the subject - really clearly explained and laid out, unlike some other books I have read, which start of simple and then suddenly leap off into degree-level maths! However, it does tend to simplify a little bit (would have liked a little more information on the types of discrete and continous logistics that can be used).

All in all a really good book to buy to keep your feet on the ground when learning

A clear and concise guide to population ecology
Gotelli's primer is an extremely easy to read and understand guide to population ecology. It leads readers through the trickier mathematical derivations, and provides useful problems to illustrate the concepts

Gotelli's work is one of the best Ecology books out there!!!
I had to read Gotelli's A Primer of Ecology for my Ecology class at Brown University. I thought that it was by far the most comprehensive and easily read book used in that class. The mathematical models were always backed up with empirical evidence to several models in the field. A definate must read for all ecologists! ... Read more

Book Description

Alas, environmentally friendly design hasn’t always meant high style. Confronting that challenge head on, ecoDesign lists well over 500 consumer products for those who seek design that’s not only beautiful and useful, but also has minimal impact on the earth. Some of these pieces-from clothing to kitchenware, electronics, furniture, and much, much more-have already become classics. But this remarkable sourcebook also guides readers to undiscovered gems and handcrafted objects from artisanal studios. Detailed illustrated entries describe the products themselves, while an extensive reference section defines these new and hybrid materials and provides information on manufacturers, design studios, green organizations, and a further reading list. ecoDesign is the total resource guide for a new generation of contemporary design. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

excellent book for designers
this book is cool - lots of pictures, the text is brief. there is a good mix of concepts and production products ( concepts are always more fun to look at and have more pure ideas. production parts show how it all works in the real world). in fact, the best part of the book is that it finds positive things about a lot of products. it isn't demanding that we stop using plastic or batteries - just finds the best examples of products that use them wisely.

One important section is buried in the back. pages 327 - 330 give eco-design strategies. the are brief desicriptions of how to design an "eco" product. for example, one says "self-assembly: designs that are assembled by the consumer, therefore saving valuable space in transport and storage". most writers would take several pages to say the same thing.

great fun to browse
For those of us who appreciate both good design and environmental issues (recyclability, energy used in manufacture, durability, etc.), this book offers a wonderfully wide spectrum of products that will inspire and enlighten... and possibly make you reach for your credit cards, thanks to the lists of manufacturer contact info in the back. However, you should realize that a significant portion of the products shown are "one-offs" or case studies -- they are not available for purchase. I feel that the author's descriptions are inconsistent -- sometimes helpful or interesting, sometimes not. But the vast array of products presented are generally quite well chosen from what must have been a truly dizzying number of possible entries, and nicely organized. I appreciate the inclusion of vehicles, although I have been watching that particular area of product development (EV's, FCV's, etc.) closely enough to wish that the author had opted to include certain other models, and had more complete or current facts about some that were presented, such as the General Motors EV1, which was a brilliantly designed electric car with a massive waiting list, mysteriously pulled out of production by GM for extremely dubious reasons. In summary, Ecodesign is quite enjoyable, with a huge number of fantastic designs for a wide range of products. ... Read more