Book Description

This classic book explores the interactions of humans within the natural environment and probes issues thoroughly, examining their scientific basis, history, and society's response. Strong science, sustainability, and stewardship of Earth remain the underlying themes.Accompanies each copy of the book with the new Global City CD, built around the concepts of a large city that shows many of the environmental problems presented in the book. Includes an extensively revised layout and design. Keeps readers abreast of the latest developments or most pressing issues in the field, such as Global Climate Change. Offers "Environment on the Web" exercises that help readers access additional information on the Internet; important Web references are keyed to each chapter.An interesting reference for anyone interested in learning more about today's crucial environmental issues. ... Read more

Book Description

The new edition of this market-leading Environmental Science text offers a wealth of new technology for you and your students. Each text will be packaged FREE with an Essential Study Partner CD-ROM for students PLUS a password code card to access our cool new Online Learning Center website. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Horrible.
Any text that advises poverty-stricken Africans to use solar-powered stoves as opposed to wood-burning fires to cook their food in attempt to lower energy consumption has gone too far off the deep end as to be a suitable college source.

Too many typos, too opinionated in the wrong places, not opinionated enough in the right places, just horrible. Wretched book. And to think, my family spent over $100 on the package. Ack!

[Ask your prof to use one of the labs to research better textbooks if this is all he/she can come up with.]

Well-researched and thoughtfully presented
The authors obviously put a lot of work into making science accessible and interesting! The information in the book is up-to-date, and the approach is balanced. Great text!

Tree-hugger only
The teacher who teaches this is an enviromentalist wacko and this book can be used solely for that purpose.

A clearly defined study of environmental science
This text is a clearly defined study of environmental science. It is full of content and each chapter offers extensional learning through the use open-ended presentations of current events applicable to the content. There are loads of interesting topics and there are also references to Online sources for additional information. This is an excellent book for the study of environmental science.

An excellent text of relevant content
This text does an excellent job of introducing the reader to relevant material with regard to the study of environmental science. The chapters feature current real-life events in an extension format that allows for open-ended discussion and direct application of the content. The text does a great job explaining the role of socioeconomic factors as contributors to global environmental degredation. It can make one consider and question the logic and ethics behind much of what is done by government, industry, and the individual. ... Read more

Book Description

Wetlands are ecosystems that help the environment process toxins, thereby maintaining its relative health. Mitsch and Gosselink's Wetlands is the professional reference, a longstanding bestseller that continues to set the standard for books on any type of ecosystem. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

The Wetlands Textbook
I first picked this book up to consider a career as a wetland scientist (among other things) and instantly dove into the heaps of information provided. It is well written and easy to read with nicely labelled sections. I found that it had all sorts of information on the subject. It is highly useful.

To date, this is THE book to get in the field. If you get any book on the subject, this is it. I was only mildly surprised after reading through much of it to find that it's the only textbook in my graduate class on wetland ecology and management and there appears to be no competition as a textbook.

In short, it's very readable and immensely useful: A combination you can't go wrong with.

An Excellent Resource on Wetland Sciences!
This resource would be considered the "Bible" of wetland sciences. It is highly valuable for understanding the ecological systems involved in a wetland. A must for wetland regulators, scientists, and just interested people!

Extremely useful
Mitsch and Gosselink have written an excellent text/reference book on wetland ecology and management. The book is perfect as a text for a wetlands ecology course in upper level or graduate courses. I use it as a reference that I pull from the shelf again and again. ... Read more

Book Description

This is the first introductory volume to outline the fundamental ecological principles, which provide the foundation for understanding environmental issues. A strong framework of applied ecology is used to explore specifics such as habitat fragmentation, acid deposition, and the emergence of new human diseases. The volume addresses all aspects of biodiversity and physical setting, population and community ecology, ecology and society, environmental legislation and peering into the future.For those interested in pursuing knowledge in ecology and biodiversity. ... Read more

Book Description

Principles of Conservation Biology, Second Edition, is a major revision of the most comprehensive textbook on conservation biology. First published in 1994, and richly praised by reviewers, teachers, and students, Principles was adopted for courses at more than 145 colleges and universities in the United States and Canada. Written by leading experts in the field, it is intended for use in conservation biology courses at the advanced undergraduate (junior and senior) and graduate levels, as well as by researchers and practitioners, and assumes a basic background in biology and ecology.

Principles' nineteen chapters address several themes, including introductory topics that serve as the foundation for the field, population-level issues, community and ecosystem-level concerns, and a large section on human dimensions, the practical application of conservation biology in a real and complex world. Two chapters specifically grapple with complex management and sustainable development issues using a series of case studies written by individuals intimately involved with problem solving.

The Second Edition features a new chapter on becoming more effective in implementation of science in conservation policy, a much expanded and in-depth treatment of ecosystem management, a large number of new and updated guest essays and case studies, and rigorous revisions throughout. The book is richly illustrated, and chapters are complemented with annotated reading lists and questions designed to stimulate thought and class discussions. Principles of Conservation Biology concludes with an extensive glossary of useful terms and a large bibliography that has proved a valuable reference for students and researchers. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Engaging!
I read Tropical Nature in preparation for a trip to Costa Rica. First, this is not a textbook or a feild guide. Rather, it is a collection of chapters so richly and interestingly written that I demanded my travel partner read it so that we could discuss its content on our trip. He loved it as well, and we continually reffered to it as our experience of tropical nature itself unfolded. He's thinking of assigning it to high school students. If you need something to get you 'hooked' on the wonders of neotropical ecosystems, this book will easily instill a desire to visit and learn more. If you have been to the tropics or study them and haven't read this book, I still recommend it highly.

Student Rating
This book is so "scientifically correct" that it was used in my ecology of the tropical rainforest class that went down to do research in Costa Rica. It was so enjoyable though that I've read it through 3 times since my completion of the class. This book brings the best of the tropics to you.

Pulitzer Price material
This was an absolutely wonderful book. It's very dense -- I think every paragraph may introduce a new idea -- but it's so well written that you tend not to notice just how much information is here.

The chapters are self-contained, and in fact you can read them in just about any order you want. Just browse and pick what you'd like to read. Plus they're fairly short, which is a good thing since as I mentioned the material is dense.

The book really does introduce you to many concepts as well as specifics. We went to the Amazon with a naturalist, and all the concepts as well as many of the specifics were familar to us from the book. Highly recommended!

Tropical Nature--an armchair guide to the rainforests.
Tropical Nature is a delightful discussion of the evolution, ecology and biodiversity of species in the Central and South American rainforests. It is written on a level that biologists can enjoy but is also highly readable for those planning a trip to these areas. The authors' discussion of evolutionary adaptations of species in the rainforests is written in plain language and would not overwhelm those outside the field. With so much emphasis on molecular biology now, it is great to read a book about natural history and the way species interact.

A great introduction to rain forest ecology
This was a great book. You can see the authors' passion for rain forests while you read it. The chapters are short and insightful. They don't cover any subject with a great amount of detil but if they did the book would be 2000 pages long. You don't need to be a specialist to appreciate this book. The concepts that are presented are explained by using stories from the authors' experiences in the rain forests. It is a super intorduction, if your planning trip to Costa Rica, Belize or any other tropical country to see rain forests, you would really enjoy your experience more after reading this book. Like the authors say, rain forests can seem a little dull because all you see is a tangle of green under a dark canopy. After reading this book you'll begin to see things that you normally would look for. ... Read more

Book Description

Streams is a handbook that combines a discussion of the ecology of streams and rivers, in layperson language, with an illustrated field guide of the plants and animals found in running waters of North America. Various illustrations and maps accompany the text. The authors are extremely well known--Cushing is the lead content provider for an America On-Line service provided through Trout Unlimited entitled "Ask Dr. Cushing." He is frequently asked the sorts of questions that are answered in this field guide. J. David Allan is the author of a well known textbook in Aquatic Ecology. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A superbly presented field guide
Collaborative written by ecologists Colbert E. Cushing (Colorado State University) and J. David Allen (University of Michigan), Streams: Their Ecology And Life is a superbly presented field guide packed with beautiful color photography, sketches, charts, graphs, and an authoritative text introducing readers of all backgrounds to the diverse, rich and fascinating splendor of streams and the chains of natural life that form around them. From the different types of rivers to the variety of different creatures that inhabit them and the surrounding area - birds, fish, crustaceans, amphibians, insects and more - Streams: Their Ecology And Life is packed cover to cover with an incredible amount of solid information and highly recommended for personal, school, and community library environmental studies and reference collections. ... Read more

Book Description

This edition provides a comprehensive overview and synthesis of current environmental issues and problems. ... Read more

Book Description

A central goal of transportation is the delivery of safe and efficient services with minimal environmental impact. In practice, though, human mobility has flourished while nature has suffered. Awareness of the environmental impacts of roads is increasing, yet information remains scarce for those interested in studying, understanding, or minimizing the ecological effects of roads and vehicles.

Road Ecology addresses that shortcoming by elevating previously localized and fragmented knowledge into a broad and inclusive framework for understanding and developing solutions. The book brings together fourteen leading ecologists and transportation experts to articulate state-of-the-science road ecology principles, and presents specific examples that demonstrate the application of those principles. Diverse theories, concepts, and models in the new field of road ecology are integrated to establish a coherent framework for transportation policy, planning, and projects. Topics examined include:

• foundations of road ecology
• roads, vehicles, and transportation planning
• vegetation and roadsides
• wildlife populations and mitigation
• water, sediment, and chemical flows
• aquatic ecosystems
• wind, noise, and atmospheric effects
• road networks and landscape fragmentation

Book Description

The animal communities in plant-held water bodies, such as tree holes and pitcher plants, are models for food web studies. In this book, Professor Kitching introduces us to these fascinating miniature worlds and demonstrates how they can be used to tackle some of the major questions in community ecology. Based on his thirty years of research around the world, he presents much previously unpublished information, as well as summarizing over a hundred years of natural history observations made by others. The book covers many aspects of the theory of food web formation and maintenance presented with field-collected information on tree holes, bromeliads, pitcher plants, bamboo containers, and the axils of fleshy plants. ... Read more

Book Description

The Geography of Nowhere traces America's evolution from a nation of Main Streets and coherent communities to a land where every place is like no place in particular, where the cities are dead zones and the countryside is a wasteland of cartoon architecture and parking lots.

In elegant and often hilarious prose, Kunstler depicts our nation's evolution from the Pilgrim settlements to the modern auto suburb in all its ghastliness. The Geography of Nowhere tallies up the huge economic, social, and spiritual costs that America is paying for its car-crazed lifestyle. It is also a wake-up call for citizens to reinvent the places where we live and work, to build communities that are once again worthy of our affection. Kunstler proposes that by reviving civic art and civic life, we will rediscover public virtue and a new vision of the common good. "The future will require us to build better places," Kunstler says, "or the future will belong to other people in other societies." ... Read more

Reviews (32)

small town extraterrestrial visits modern city
This is something of a sightseeing tour through the depredations of modern urban design. Highly anecdotal in its approach, choppy in style, it covers no real new ground. It is, however, a useful survey of current criticism of urban planning. I was distressed to see his bibliography contained no mention of Jane Jacob's 'The Death and Life of Great American Cities'-- the seminal work taking to task the concepts manifested in suburban wastelands and decaying inner cities. Kunstler's approach swings between vague economic, historic and philosophical tracts and some fairly well traveled material on building and urban design theories. The most prominent villain in this take is the car. This really doesn't provide a useful starting point for designing more livable cities. Not unless you acknowledge that the car is here to stay, and that urban design will have to come grips with its presence and still aspire to build cities which provide intense community centred cultures.

Urban design reflects directly our values as a society. Answers as fundamental as Kunstler is proposing cannot be broached successfully without changing those values. That is an idealistic and realistically futile prospect. The vocal and activist polarities on this issue, the utopian and maudlin pragmatic, dictate the limited attention and action it gets in the political reality. Railing against the automobile, corporate priorities, environmental inattention or our alienation from the homogenous communities of our past will finally relegate the issue to a few academics and misanthropes. The real solution, such as one exists, is going to have to come from a consensus which realizes that population growth, economic realities, automobiles, and social heterogeneity are going to be part of our future and have to be incorporated in a far from perfect outcome. But one which will hopefully ensure human and community values have a presence and priority in planning decisions. The potential trap is that a new paradigm replaces the last with some faddish design manifesto completely inappropriate to many local conditions, imposing some sentimental pastiche on problems which are not primarily architectural in nature. Like environmentalism, city design works best at the involved community level, where unique urban aspirations can be iterated with economic and ergonomic necessity.

revolutionary
Geography of Nowhere is a wonderful, life-changing book. I wish I could make every developer, every SUV owner and every town council read this book. Its main topic is the physical environments that Americans live in, in contrast to our historical environments and to overseas. Kunstler shows how the advent of the automobile has changed the face of cities, small-towns and birthed the suburb. The choice to live without an automobile is now a very difficult one for most people, and also comes with certain social assumptions. Yet, after reading Geography of Nowhere, I am seeking ever more ways to take public transportation and reduce my reliance on a vehicle that both pollutes the natural environment and despoils the man-made environment.

Some chapters in the book focus on cities gone wrong, such as Detroit. Others discuss the ideal community, involving mixed-use neighborhoods (both purpose - commercial, residential, industrial - and class - working, professional, wealthy). Kunstler makes the case that prior to the development of suburbia and the reign of automobiles as our primary form of transportation, we had a kinder, cleaner, and happier world. Disney World's Main Street was used as an example of how car-free neighborhoods have become an American dream, and at the same time, few people understand why cars have had such a negative effect.

Geography of Nowhere has confirmed my choice to live in a city with public transportation, in a mixed-use neighborhood, within walking distance of most of my needs. It may be more expensive and it may be unconventional, but I now have the evidence to back up my convictions.

Quite frank and quite real
In the book called The Geography of Nowhere, James Kunstler, the author, fiercely creates the point to the reader that America has turned into a wasted landscape. Kunstler's strongest point comes from his critique on the suburbs. Some chapters like in "A Place Called Home," chapter nine, he expresses his harsh attitude to the suburbs by calling it a disaster in ways. Coining phrases like "symptoms of this disease," Kunstler clearly states his antipathy towards the structure of the suburbs. Another topic that Kunstler focuses on in this book is the automobile. He wastes no time at listing the reasons why America would need a new transportation source for the future. Besides saying that the automobile created an unhealthy addiction to oil, a source that is non-renewable, Kunstler also talks about how poorly it has shaped our country. Congested highways, hot concentrations of pollution, unsafe environments for our growing children are some of the reasons in chapter six called "Joy Ride." Throughout the book, an underlying theme entwined with Kunstler's main ideas is the thought of bringing back the meaning life. As vague as that may seem, Kunstler means to create places that are worth caring for and can be truly appreciated. In chapters like "How to Mess Up a Town" and "The Loss of Community," Kunstler asserts how degraded and dull life has become. Fields to frolic about turned into silent parking lots and every single house in a neighborhood complex exactly alike inside out. In the last chapter, "Better Places," Kunstler talks about how some people are trying to revive the world of architecture and remaking land into towns that are pedestrian-friendly and are also worth caring for. All in all, Kunstler's book, The Geography of Nowhere, contains many ideas of the horrible state of American life and what is being done about it.

Welcome Voice of Reason
Kunstler's informed report may come off as a rant, but he does speak from a place of genuine concern. Compared with the abstracted anti-urbanism of Bernard Tschumi, Daniel Libeskind, Peter Eisenman and other of the quasi-intellectual poseurs practicing as architects these days, we should welcome Kunstlers much-needed rebuttal.

Nothing like an self-proclaimed elite dicating our tastes
As has already been well-documented by other reviewers, Kuntsler does a decent job in terms of putting old, worn-out critiques of sprawl into lively prose. But what Kuntsler fails to do--dreadfully so--is to acknowleddge what Americans have gained by giving up cute little homogenous downtowns for WalMart, the suburbs, and the car. Many Americans choose this existence because it means a larger, richer personal realm, cheaper prices that buy more and better consumer goods, and a protected sphere in which to raise a family. Kuntlser is clearly within his rights to want to live a life of communitarianism and public interaction, but there's no place for him to tell others that they've been "duped" into living a suburban life that he dislikes. People live in the suburbs because they enjoy its great convenience--and "convenience" is simply that which allows you do things that you enjoy more often, and things that you dislike less. For Mr. Kusntler, this suburban world may seem soul-less, but for those who choose it is a path to a better life. Americans do not need Kuntsler's elitism and paternalism to tell us what we should like and what we should find fulfilling. Perhaps it simply that the vast majority of us have voted with our feet and rejected Mr. Kunstler's values that leads him to adopt such an extreme tone. ... Read more

Book Description

A Primer of Ecological Statistics explains fundamental material in probability theory and experimental design for ecologists and environmental scientists. The book emphasizes a general introduction to probability theory and provides a detailed discussion of specific designs and analyses that are typically encountered in ecology and environmental science. Appropriate for use as either a stand-alone or supplementary text for upper-division undergraduate or graduate courses in ecological and environmental statistics, ecology, environmental science, environmental studies, or experimental design, the Primer also serves as a resource for environmental professionals who need to use and interpret statistics daily but have little or no formal training in the subject.

The book is divided into three parts. Part I discusses the fundamentals of probability and statistical thinking. It introduces the logic and language of probability (Chapter 1), explains common statistical distributions used in ecology (Chapter 2) and important measures of central tendency and spread (Chapter 3), explains P-values, hypothesis testing, and statistical errors (Chapter 4), and introduces frequentist, Bayesian, and Monte Carlo methods of analysis (Chapter 5).

Part II discusses how to successfully design and execute field experiments and sampling studies. Topics include design strategies (Chapter 6), a "bestiary" of experimental designs (Chapter 7), and transformations and data management (Chapter 8).

Part III discusses specific analyses, and covers the material that is the main core of most statistics texts. Topics include regression (Chapter 9), analysis of variance (Chapter 10), categorical data analysis (Chapter 11), and multivariate analysis (Chapter 12).

The book includes a comprehensive glossary, a mathematical appendix on matrix algebra, and extensively annotated tables and figures. Footnotes introduce advanced and ancillary material: some are purely historical, others cover mathematical/statistical proofs or details, and still others address current topics in the ecological literature. ... Read more

Book Description

"Very funny and moving...The glimpses of rare fauna seem to have enlarged [Adams'] thinking, enlivened his world; and so might the animals do for us all, if we were to help them live."
THE WASHINGTON POST BOOK WORLD
Join bestselling author Douglas Adams and zooligist Mark Carwardine as they take off around the world in search of exotic, endangered creatures. Hilarious and poignant--as only Douglas Adams can be--LAST CHANCE TO SEE is an entertaining and arresting odyssey through the Earth's magnificent wildlife galaxy.
... Read more

Reviews (143)

Journey Of A Lifetime
This book was an absolute delight to read. It will make you laugh but also makes you think and feel very sad that such beautiful creatures are no longer here on earth and others are becoming extinct. The authors (Douglas Adams & Mark Carwardine) go on a journey to see the world's rarest and most endangered animals. Along the journey they tell of their adventures with the animals as well as dedicated people trying to save them. The main species featured in the book are the komodo dragon, northern white rhino, mountain gorilla, kakapo (ground dwelling parrot), baiji dolphin (Yangtze-River dolphin) and Rodriguez fruit bat. Each of these animals have a heart breaking story and people racing to save the species. I would recommend this book to nature lovers of any age. There were many parts of the book I enjoyed during my journey around the world with Douglas Adams & Mark Carwardine. I learned things that I never knew, not only about the animals but also about the places they visited. I stayed interested throughout the entire book and that is a task for me. It seemed as though they had many obstacles to conquer in the beginning of their travels. I would have to say my favorite part of the book was when they were looking for and found the mountain gorilla. The excitement they were feeling passes right through you. I really enjoyed the part when the gorilla watches the author as he takes a piece of pink writing paper out of his bag and starts to take notes. After a short while the gorilla touches the paper then the top of the pen. The gorilla did not want to take the pen or paper, he just wanted to see what it was. That would be so cool to experience and scary at the same time. The funniest part in the book was when they went to China, to the Yangtze River to look for the baiji dolphin. They decided they wanted to see what the river actually sounded like under the water and to record it, but they forgot to get water proof microphones, so what they did was go to buy condoms to cover the microphone with. They didn't speak chinese, and the Chinese women didn't really speak much english, so they had to figure out a way to tell them that they needed condoms. It was hilarious! Then there is the breath taking journey to find the kakapo. This was one of the more intense searches for a species. The guys along with the help of a kakapo tracker by the name of Arab and his dog Boss, went through a lot but did finally find the kakapo. Of course I cannot forget the feeling of fear I got from them as they approach the Island of Komodo in search of the komodo dragon. Knowing that just the saliva of a komodo dragon can kill man is enough to fear. Still you can sense the joy these men feel when they locate one of these animals. These are just samples of the exciting stories you will read in the book. Each of the animals have their own special part in the book. The author tells in detail about the animals and the journeys they themselves take to find the species so they know for sure that they still exist and try to make sure they continue on in life. I feel that if more people paid attention to what is happening to our animals maybe they would try a little harder to keep them from going extinct. For instance, the most famous extinct animal of all is a large dove with the weight of a well fed turkey, the dodo. This animal was clubbed to death just for the sport of it. It's meat was tough and bitter so there really has never been any reason for humans to kill it. Then there is the story of the extinct giant tortoises. These are all very interesting, but sad stories. As you read through the book there are many animals mentioned and the status of their species. I am sure if more people read this book, these and many more animals would be cared for before they too become extinct. After reading the book, it seems as though things are going in the right direction for those animals, as at the end of the book the author tells of a coupke letters they received. One was good news and one not so good news, but so long as we keep getting the good news the efforts being made to keep these animals from becoming extinct is well worth the time and money it takes. You will have to read the book to find out what an awesome journey Douglas adams and Mark Carwardine can take you on and how you will feel as though you are there with them. This is a great book so take the time to read it, you will not be sorry!

British humor, makes fun safari!
Douglas Adams' Last Chance to See is a book that takes the reader on his journey visiting endangered species. This could be the most boring topic to read about, but the way British writer Adams' writes is so funny the reader cannot help but laugh their way through the book. Above all about this book, the reader comes away with so much knowledge about these animals.
When it came to endangered species I was one of those people that would know the least about the topic, but because of Last Chance To See, I am familiar with all kinds of animals now. The book begins with Adams going to Madagascar going to see the aye-aye which is a lemur near extinction. Come to find out the aye-aye is a nocturnal lemur and is very strange looking. The book goes on to talk about komodo dragons, keas, kakapo, north island robins, echo parakeets and so many more animals. My favorite to read about was the Qi-Qi baiji dolphin. The information about the animal was absolutely fascinating.
Humorous comments about situations Adams finds himself in are written so cleverly. One of my favorites comments Adams makes is in reference to scrunching up Norway taking out all the moose's and filling it with birds would be a waist because it was already a place, New Zealand. Little comments and events that happen cause me to be even more interested in the book and enjoy reading more of it.
Adams non-fiction Last Chance To See is just a really well done book on endangered species. Adams makes a strong point in the book that if no one cares, and lets these animals become extinct, we can never bring them back. The world will never have these fascinating creatures if we don't put and end to the animals that are becoming extinct by the thousands every year. If anyone is interested in learning more on the subject and having some good laughs I would tell them to stick out the first chapter and once you get into the book you will really enjoy reading Last Chance To See.

Excellent mix of fact and humor
Douglas Adams brings the dreadful statistics to life with humor and an approach that makes it easier to understand why people care - and what we can do. Even if you don't care about extinctions, this is a good read.

Douglas Adams best book......And it still holds up well
I have not read all 147+ reviews of this book, but I am sure that at least one other person has mentioned that this book was Mr. Adams's favorite of all his books. Anyone who enjoys (even vaguely) The Hitchhiker's Guide series will see why Adams was so proud of this book.

This is much more than a book on ecology. This is not a book on how awful humans are, and if the reader had one shred of social conscious, the reader would immediately do him/herself if for the good of the planet. In writing this book, Mr. Adams knew that there were already forests of trees chopped up for numerous retelling of Rachel Carson's "Silent Spring." Mr. Adams, then, needed to produce the book on ecology one would expect from a science fiction comedy writer. And he does.

"Last Chance to See" reads like an adventure story of Douglas the city kid, heading out into the wild to look at animals that are on the brink of extinction, and the efforts and personalities of the few who are trying to prevent that extinction. See Douglas Adams lose his mind while his small helicopter flies within inches of sheer faces. Listen to Douglas Adams explain why he doesn't care for birds in general, but feels a special affinity for birds that can't fly (It all relates back an emu running lose in a zoo. Adams stared the emu in its eye, and realized the strain of not flying made it "barking mad"). Empathize with Adams in 1988 Beijing (when western tourists were still a novelty), trying to explain to clerks who do not quite speak english that he wants to buy condoms (I am not making that up).

If you have ever enjoyed anything by Douglas Adams, you will not be disappointed by this book--But you will once again be heartbroken that such a fun and gifted author died so young.

Beautiful, Sad... witty yet regretful
A race to document a dying species... Adams' wit and humor make an enjoyable read out of what could only otherwise be called a depressing topic. Still, through Adams' intelligent yet non-zoological eyes, we are shown areas of the world we will otherwise never see. The portrayal of the Kimono dragons, early in the book, is a shocking representation of what a a majestic reptile has been reduced to, and at the same time a morbid reminder of how wretched humans can be. Yet, due to Adams' skill we are able to feel his wonder and his fascination. We are able to get past the uncomfortable aspects of animal extinction, so that we can look it square in the eye and learn from it.

As much value on a humanitarian, ecological and zoological level as on a literary one. Adams' himself calls it his most prized and significant writing (I'm paraphrasing, read "Salmon of Doubt" to get his words).

I'd give it three thumbs up, but I only have two. ... Read more

Book Description

This introductory general ecology text features a strong emphasis or helping students grasp the main concepts of ecology while keeping the presentation more applied than theoetical. An evolutionary perspective forms the foundation of the entire discussion.Evolution is brought to center stage throughout the book, as it is needed to support understanding of major concepts.The discussion begins with a brief introduction to the nature and history of the discipline of ecology, followed by section I, which includes two chapters on natural history—life on land and life in water.The intent is to establish a common foundation of natural history upon which to base the later discussions of ecological concepts.The introduction and natural history chapters can stand on their own and should be readily accessible to most students.They may be assigned as background reading, leaving 17 chapters to cover in a one-semester course.Sections II through VI build a hierarchical perspective: section II concerns the ecology of individuals: section III focuses on population ecology; section IV presents the ecology of interactions;section V summarizes community and ecosystem ecology; and finally, section VI discusses large-scale ecology and includes chapters on landscape, geographic, and global ecology.These topics were first introduced in section I within a natural history context.In summary, the book begins with the natural history of the planet, considers portions of the whole in the middle chapters, and ends with another perspective of the entire planet in the concluding chapter. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A Rare Textbook!
Molles "Ecology: Concepts and Applications" is a rare textbook for three reasons:

1. It is unusually well-writen for a science textbook-clearly
writen and even poetic at times.

2. The author is open to more-than-scientific approaches to
studying the Natural World-such as aesethics, art,literature
and ethics. Molles is a good man for including these
dimensions in his textbook. Too many natural scientists
study science in a vacum, divorced from its socio
cultural, political-economic and spiritual context.

3. Finally, this book is a good Ecology textbook to use at a
Christian college or university because it does not try to
hock a scientific naturalist agenda and it will be a great
introduction to the breath and scope of God's Creation here
on Earth.

Great for non-technical study
This book is the first science text I have ever encountered which I enjoy reading. It generally takes the form of a series of stories which the author deftly uses to illustrate ecological concepts. It's not technical enough for a serious ecology student, but I hope that many people read it to gain an appreciation for ecology without encountering some the fanaticism which had previously turned me away from the subject entirely. Thanks.

Great for non ecology major students
Molles has outdone himself with this book. It presents the reader a great book for students who are not majoring in ecology and a great way to understand ecology and the different field works done in the area. The tables and organization are great. I speacially like the way the author makes a subject easy to understand and the way the tables and pictures help you to understand. It's a great book. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Gripping
As everybody who knows me is well aware, I'm just a nut for anything having to do with wetlands! So when my Mom got me this book for my birthday, all it took was one look at the cover and I knew I was in for some real fun. But nothing could've prepared me for Ralph W. Tiner's brilliant eye for detail, his passion for the subject, his linguistic virtuosity. Oftentimes I didn't know whether I was reading poetry or prose, and in Ralph's capable hands, I didn't even care. For anybody interested in wetlands, this book is an absolute must.

Very Useful
This book is a good overview of Wetland Delineations. I bought it for the mapping information and found it useful when using GIS for Wetland Delineation Maps ... Read more

Book Description

Emphasizes the ecological principles that govern marine life throughout all environments within the world's oceans. Its unique ecological approach adds real-world relevance by exploring how organisms interact within their individual ecosystems.The book is organized by habitat and each habitat receives detailed, in-depth coverage, giving readers the flexibility to focus on their particular areas of interest. The Fifth Edition is fully updated with the latest research data and topics, including expanded coverage of the human impact on oceans, oceanic dead zones, and coral reefs. For marine biologists and marine ecologists. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A great text
Most marine biology texts on the market are designed to support lower division courses for non-majors. Nybakken's text, however, is designed with the upper division biology major as its primary audience. This book is, in my opinion, the best book on the market to support an undergraduate course in marine biology for majors.

Nybakken takes a community ecology approach to his discussions of the marine environment. There are chapters that address communities of the plankton, nekton, deep sea, nearshore subtidal regions, intertidal habitats, estuaries and marshes, the tropics and the poles, and so forth.

The photographs and illustrations are good, the text is well written, and examples are widely known. It may be true that Nybakken tends to pull more heavily on examples from the West Coast of the USA, but there are also ample numbers of examples from other areas of the world that support the text.

Each chapter is supported by a list of references from the professional (primary) scientific literature -- something a serious biology student would appreciate and use.

This is an easy book to teach from and to learn from. The information is excellent, the examples are clear, and the supporting graphics are good.

It is also notable that Nybakken not only discusses the biology of marine organisms, but he addresses the stewardship we have to conserve the planet's vital assemblage of marine resouces and biodiversity. ... Read more

Book Description

"Vernal Pools" is the most comprehensive and substantive book available on the natural history, ecology, and conservation of the myriad small, transient, biologically dynamic pools that appear in low-lying areas, especially in spring, and then typically disappear as the seasons progress."Vernal Pools" emphasizes the pools of the formerly glaciated region of eastern North America, but the information contained in the book also will be of great value to those readers wanting to recognize, understand, protect, or manage seasonally wet pools wherever they occur."Vernal Pools" is written in a style that is accessible, appealing, and informative to both general and advanced readers.

Increasingly, vernal pools and their habitats are being recognized as places of interest and importance to many students and stewards of freshwater resources and biological diversity, including:land owners, naturalists, teachers, researchers, conservationists, resource managers, planners, and policy makers. ... Read more

Book Description

Biomimicry is a revolutionary new science that analyzes nature's best ideas -- spider silk and prairie grass, seashells and brain cells -- and adapts them for human use. Science writer and lecturer Janine Benyus takes us into the lab and out in the field with the maverick researchers who are applying nature's ingenious solutions to the problem of human survival: stirring vats of proteins to unleash their signaling power in computers; analyzing how spiders manufacture a waterproof fiber five times stronger than steel; studying how electrons in a leaf cell convert sunlight to fuel in trillionths of a second; discovering miracle drugs by observing what animals eat -- and much more.

The products of biomimicry are things we can all use -- medicines, "smart" computers, super-strong materials, profitable and earth-friendly business. Biomimicry eloquently shows that the answers are all around us. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Inspires us to look to nature for solutions to our problems
Where can we find the best solutions to the many technical, environmental, social and economic problems that beset us?

In this wonderful book Benyus shows us that nature can teach us valuable lessons. "In the 3.8 billion years since the first bacteria, life has learned to fly, circumnavigate the globe, live in the depths of the ocean and atop the highest peaks, craft miracle materials, light up the night, lassoo the sun's energy, and build a self-reflective brain...living things have done everything we want to do, without guzzling fossil fuel, polluting the planet, or mortgaging their future. What better models could there be?"

By adopting a little humility and treating nature as a model, a measure, and a mentor, she argues, we can catch up on the lessons nature has had millions of years to learn. Benyus writes like an angel, her prose conjuring vivid images as she takes us with her on a journey to explore what Biomimics are doing in material science, medicine, computing, energy, agriculture, and business. Her journalistic style does not shrink from the intricacies of photosynthesis and relishes the wonders of mussel tethering techniques, but always keeps the wider picture in view.

I found myself wanting to push the fast-forward button - to the time when prarie-style agriculture is widely adopted; materials are made at room-temperature in life-friendly conditions with no toxicity; and our economy is modelled on a rainforest, not a ragweed. Readers of this book could be those who will help get us there faster. Enjoy!

Realistic, innovative solutions for a sustainable world
With the eloquence of an angel, Janine Benyus captures and describes the rapidly emerging field of biomimicry. In this beautifully written "seed of hope", Janine reveals how Nature--in her complexity and intricacy--can provide the innovative solutions we as a society desperately seek as we strive for sustainability. Through clear, clever, and enjoyable writing, Janine tackles difficult scientific information and presents it in a manner digestible to even those that fear science! The book is full of wonderful examples ranging from biomimetic materials to agricultural systems to pharmaceuticals to industrial ecology. After reading this book, I can no longer look at the natural world in the same way. With over 3.8 billion years of research and at least 30 million case studies, Nature probably has the answer we are looking for. Every roadblock presented to me is now countered with the following question: "What would Nature do if she had to tackle the same problem?" As a biologist and a business person, I'm finding that the two have more in common that I previously thought. This book is on my number one list for life. I find myself carrying my page worn copy everywhere I go just so I can recommend it to everyone, including strangers! This book gives me hope for our society. If we can learn to look towards Nature as model, measure, and mentor, we might just stand a chance.

Learning from the Genius of Nature
Before even reviewing the book, it seems as though I must explain its raison de'etre; for some negative reviews disclaim the very import of looking to nature as a model for life. For starters, nature runs on sunlight and creates no waste. To me, this alone is reason enough to mimic nature, since our profligate energy use has caused a global eco-crisis. Not only does the combustion of fossil fuels pollute the air breathe (leading to some 3 million deaths from air pollution annually according to the WHO), but it also floods the atmosphere with CO2, leading culprit in the greenhouse effect. Moreover, being that the supply of crude oil is finite, the very foundation of our economy will one day run dry. Nature, on the other hand, runs on the unlimited bounty of sunlight. Unlimited clean energy is just one example of the genius of nature which author Benyus points out in this book.

Nature does many other wonderful things we would do well to learn from. Arctic fish and frogs freeze solid and then spring to life, having protected their organs from ice damage. Black bears hibernate all winter without poisoning themselves on their urea, while their polar cousins stay active with a coat of transparent hollow hairs covering their skins like the panes of a greenhouse. Chameleons and cuttlefish hide without moving, changing the pattern of their skin to instantly blend with their surroundings. Bees, turtles, and birds navigate without maps, while whales and penguins dive without scuba gear. How do they do it? How do dragonflies outmaneuver our best helicopters? How do hummingbirds cross the Gulf of Mexico on less than one tenth of an ounce of fuel? How do ants carry the equivalent of hundreds of pounds in a dead heat through the jungle? How do muscles attach to rock in a wet environment? The answers to these questions may seem like trivia to non-expert, but "The difference between what life needs to do and what we need to do is another one of those boundaries that doesn't exist. Beyond mattes of scale, the differences dissolve."

Like every other creature, humans cause a lot of commotion in the biosphere: creating, moving, and consuming. But our species is the only one that creates more waste than nature can safely and efficiently recycle. Ours is only one that ignores ecological limits, exceeds the carrying capacity of the land, and consumes more energy than nature can provide. The ideology that allowed us to expand beyond our limits was that the world -- never-ending in its bounty -- was put here exclusively for our use. But after the topsoil blows away, the oceans go lifeless, the oil wells go dry, and the air and water we depend on are utterly fouled, what will we do? Will we be able to survive? Unlike the impact of a car, is crisis is cumulative. The mounting effects of this ideology are rising temperatures, decreasing grain yields, rising cancer rates, falling fish harvests, dwindling forests, worsening air pollution, and rising oil and water prices. A most resilient creature, I believe we (or some of us) will survive this ecololgical "bottle-neck" squeeze, to use Harvard scientist E.O. Wilson's phrase. But the questions this book seeks to answer is, can we flourish?

As mentioned by other reviewers, some parts were overly technical. However, much of it is written with the layperson in mind. Moreover, the book is rich in philosophy, like that of Wes Jackson, Bill Mollison, Masanobu Fukuoka, and writers Thomas and Wendell Berry (unrelated). And the main point of the book is simple enough for a child to understand. Does it run on sunlight? Does it use only the energy it needs? Does it fit form to function? Does it recycle everything? Does it reward cooperation? Does it bank on diversity? Does it utilize local expertise? Does it curb excess from within? Does it tap the power of limits? And is it beautiful? In order to right our wasteful and dangerously dysfunctional relationship with nature, these ten questions should serve as guiding principles for design and human interaction.

Although some of the science is now dated (e.g., hydrogen fuel cells are now a reality), this book will remain pregnant with philosophical and practical insights for years to come. It is far, far ahead of the times. My only criticism is that, much of the scientific history and intrastructure this book depends on actually helped create the eco-predicament we currently find ourselves in. The labratories she visits (not to mention the cars she uses to visit them) are not exactly eco-friendly. In other words, the author supposes more technology and "progres" will eventually help us out of this predicament.

This book is a landmark - and one hell of a good read. Dssential for anyone interested business, philosophy, ecology, science or engineering. And when combined with other books, like Lester Brown's ECO-ECONOMY, David Korten's WHEN CORPORATIONS RULE THE WORLD, Paul Hawkins' NATURAL CAPITALSIM, Hildur Jackson and Karen Svensson's ECOVILLAGE LIVING, and perhaps something on eco-education, it would fit well into my dream eco-philosophy course. Unfortunately, I'm not a teacher and very few universities have funding for such programs anyway.

Good subject but poor content
This book deals with an interesting concept which is 'biomimicry'. In summary, it says that Mother Earth offers many models on which we can base our innovation/creation. But the book is not so easy to read and not so well planned. I skip many parts which in my sense go to deep in details and some parts are a bit repeatitive. The book is quite large but offers only few interesting ideas that are then developed and so detailed to an end which you don't remember the purpose. Some parts don't have a conclusion so you finish the chapter quite frustrated because you have read a big technical part and uoi don't see what was the point the author wanted to demonstrate. If you are interested in technical sciences then you might like it but otherwise, the ideas on biomimicry in this book could be summarize in a more compact book.

nonsensical environmental manifesto
A book that purports to be about taking inspiration from nature for our inventions sounds like a scientific book about genetic engineering or nanotechnology. It's not. This book is really an environmental manifesto, taking "nature is good" as an axiom and going from there, to explain unpromising technologies that will allow us to be more like nature and live in harmony with the Earth. The pseudo-religious arguments presented for why we should do this are vacuous. It's just sort of assumed we all would rather make the required sacrifices to "be in harmony with mother earth". If that's your thing, this book is for you. Just don't make the mistake I did and buy something that you think has some scientific validity. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Richard Evans Schultes was arguably this century's foremost botanist and the father of ethnobotany--the study of plants and medicinal knowledge of indigenous peoples. He inadvertently inspired the 1960s drug culture with the publication of his scholarly journals on hallucinogenic plants. A meticulous scientist, his research on Columbia's rubber-producing hevea trees led to America's mass-production of rubber during World War II, which ultimately contributed to victory. Davis, one of Schultes's most devoted students, recounts the great botanist's life--from his research along hundreds of miles of forested rivers and his jungle treks while shattered by malaria to his intuitive gift with Amazon shamans and his relationship with such cult figures as Timothy Leary and William Burroughs. ... Read more

Reviews (26)

Davis'portrayal of the Amazon is brilliant.
One River was one of the best books I have read in quite some time. As a Ph.D student in Botany, I was inspired by the accounts of Shultes, Plowman and Davis' journeys to the Amazon seeking tropical plants and learning from the people who have been using them for generations.. Davis has a rare ability to mix technical science writing with a deep knowledge of history, culture, and politics and make it flow into a coherent narrative. Any student of ecology, evolution, (especially of plants) will love this book as will people with an interest in the cultures and history of the Amazon basin.

Human & Ecological Diversity Fall Victim to the Modern World
"One River" will take you on a journey that you will never forget. It will introduce you to one of the twentieth century's most remarkable men--Richard Evans Schultes, as well as one of the world's most fascinating places--the Amazon.

The book is the story of the work of Schultes and two of his students, including the author Wade Davis. It will take you as close as you can ever be to lost cultures and lost ecosystems along with cultures and ecosystems that are very much endangered. Wade Davis is a champion of both human and ecological diversity. "One River" is probably the most eloquent testament to ethnic and biological diversity I've ever read.

As the modern world encroaches on every last nook and cranny of this beautiful earth, "One River" serves as a primer about what once was and about the price we pay as we lose one more species, or one more human culture forever.

This book is an adventure story. It is a story of incredible academic accomplishment. The term academic, with its connotations of being hopelessly removed from the real world does not apply here. Schultes and his students could not be more connected to the real world.

"One River" is the story of man and nature and how the two interact, each forever changing the other. Read this book and then tell your friends about it. While it is hard to make such a claim (there are so many good books), I'd have to say this is my favorite book.

Even Deeper in the Wonder
This will be a very short review on a book that has long been with me. While working on a reproductive biology macaw research project climbing into the canopy of the Amazon each day for 3 months i found ONE RIVER one night piled amongst the research literature. Even though i had the Amazon literally ground into my bones after so many days of hard labor i could not put this book down each night reading by candle. Could one gourge on steak then still enjoy reading about cattle? This is simply a fascinating, and most well written book on arguably the most complex wonderful ecosystem as experienced by a most hard working curiously gifted individual. Do your soul a favor and read this book 5 times!!!

Wade Davis opens up the amazon and ethno-botany
I have read this book fully three times over five years. I am still amazed at the wealth of detail, yet the subtle humor in Davis' descriptions of the plants and peoples of the Amazon basin. The book is so detailed that I think many people glaze over in trying to read it. I would say it helps to read it before and then after you visit any rainforest. It also gives you a whole different approach to medicine and healing. The shaman empathizes with a patient, and uses native plants on HIMSELF to approach the healing process. Then, illuminated regarding what course to follow, provides the patient with a very specific course of healing, often using other plant materials. Often dismissed in our American culture as superstition, these practices are fascinating to read about from an author who has travelled, observed, and done what we can only imagine, and who seems to believe otherwise.

River of Life
One River reads like an adventure story, a character sketch, a history, and a PhD dissertation. How Davis is able to hold so many disparate strands together so well is a true marvel. That he is an excellent writer surely helped but so did his choice of topics-all quite fascinating.

Rarely does one pick up a book, especially non-fiction, that cannot be set aside. This book glues itself to your hands and you won't be able to shake it until you've finished. Then you'll wish there were more.

In the broadest terms, One River is a biography of Davis's mentor, Richard Evans Schultes. I had become familiar with Schultes's work when researching hallucinogens. Well-known in that particular field, he is renowned generally as the godfather of ethnobotany. Tracing any strand in modern botany you'll find him again and again. He was incredibly prolific and a born adventurer. Many species of plants are named after him because his colleagues so highly respected him.

Davis recounts his personal experiences under Schultes-the strange days at Harvard, the mission Schultes sent him on to study cocaine in 1970s Columbia-and then proceeds to unravel his hero's own story. One needs to read the book to appreciate the twists and turns of this plot but let's just say Schultes has taken all drugs, lived with all new world tribes, and regularly voted for Queen Elizabeth II in presidential elections. In spite of his noted eccentricities few scientists could claim such respect or accomplishment.

In the early 40s he was employed by U.S. government to find and/or cultivate a new world source of high quality rubber. A decade of work almost resulted in a better rubber that would enrich the people of Central America and ensure the U.S. a constant supply of this industrial mainstay. Please read almost... a single guffaw by some legislators destroyed all this work and left us in the lurch of depending on Southeast Asia for our rubber, a precarious situation to be sure.

Throughout the book, the main backdrop is the Amazon. One of the reasons I had trouble putting the book down was because it transported me to that exotic place. Though I was doing my same old routine, I could jump into the narrative and feel like I was on an intrepid vacation never sure what the next bend in the river would bring: menacing or friendly natives, a new species of orchid, other wanderers, a potently hallucinogenic plant?

For a thoughtful and engaging read one can do no better. ... Read more

Book Description

The 31 chapters provide a wealth of previously unpublished information, plus topic syntheses, for a wide range of ecological parameters. These include the physical driving forces that created and continue to shape the Everglades and patterns and processes of its flora and fauna. The book summarizes recent studies of the region's vegetation, alligators, wading birds, and endangered species such as the snail kite and Florida panther. This referee-reviewed volume is the product of collaboration among 58 international authors from 27 institutional affiliations over nearly five years.The book concludes with a synthesis of system-wide restoration hypotheses, as they apply to the Everglades, that represent the integration and a collective viewpoint from the preceding 30 chapters. Techniques and systems learned here can be applied to ecosystems around the world. ... Read more