Book Description

The current literature on resource selection by animals is a maze of methodologies for data collection and interpretation. Field biologists need a guide through the labyrinth. This book provides such a guide. It gives a clear and consistent framework for the study of how animals select their resources (food and habitat) by taking the reader through different types of study design. It is an invaluable handbook for the field biologist, especially those concerned with the management and conservation of wildlife. The authors have clearly identified the need to pull together the diffuse literature, and biologists will greatly improve their experimental design, methodology, and analysis with this book. The second edition of this popular book has been updated to include many developments in the last few years. There is new material on discrete choice models, the analysis of data from geographical information systems, compositional analysis, Mahalanobis distance methods, and neural networks and related approaches.Resource Selection by Animals: - is an invaluable guide for field biologists; - provides a consistent framework for study of resource selection (food and habitat) by animals; - is a unique guide, and is the only book which covers this critical topic in such depth; and - is particularly useful to wildlife managers and conservation biologists. ... Read more

Book Description

Experts offer the most sweeping reference available on the subject of North American beetles. Their rigorous standards for the presentation of data create a concise, useful format that is consistent throughout the book. This is the resource of choice for quick, accurate, and easily accessible information. ... Read more

Book Description

Freshwater algae are among the most diverse and ubiquitous organisms on earth.They occupy an enormous range of ecological conditions from lakes and rivers to acidic peat swamps, inland saline lakes, snow and ice, damp soils, wetlands, desert soils, wastewater treatment plants, and are symbionts in and on many plants, fungi, and animals.In North America, the variety of freshwater habitats colonized by algae is very rich, and offers an enormous and fascinating range of environments for their study.They form the base of most aquatic food webs and are critical to studies of ecosystem health.Algal ecologists and taxonomists play an important role in the understanding of aquatic ecosystems: their biodiversity, productivity, interactions with other organisms, and water quality.This book provides in one volume a practical and comprehensive guide to the genera of freshwater algae known from North America.The format combines the necessary ecological, taxonomic and methodological information for all scientists working in aquatic environments, whether their specialty is in environmental monitoring and water quality assessment, biological composition, ecology, evolution, or molecular biology.

Key Features
* The first complete accounting of North America's freshwater algal genera in more than 50 years
* Includes a guide to the current literature on species identification in each group of algae
* High-quality photographs and drawings of more than 770 genera
* A clear, easy-to-use introductory key to the diagnostic chapters
* Synthetic chapters on freshwater habitats, use of algae in environmental assessment, and control of nuisance algae
* Contributions from 27 experts in all areas of freshwater algae
* Extensive literature citations
* Companion volume of Ecology and Classification of North American Freshwater Invertebrates 2nd edition, edited by Throp and Covich ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A Much Needed Updating of Smith
It has been over 50 years since the last edition (1950) of Smith's "Freshwater Algae of the United States" and much has changed in our knowledge of the classification of the "Algae". These are now known to contain several quite different organisms from Euglena to Chara and from diatoms to desmids and Spirogyra. The flora is huge and often poorly known. Thus it was with some enthusiasm that I welcomed the publication of this massive tome. A much-needed updating of Smith's classic book and more, it contains numerous black and white photos and drawings, plus extensive bibliographies for each chapter. I also much appreciate the keys, having been involved in writing several for spider genera. The only down side is the rather high price, which is quite a bit more than its companion volume on freshwater invertebrates.

I don't fault this book for lack of color because that might have easily made it even more expensive. If you want to see color photos of algae, and indeed very good ones, try "Freshwater Algae: Their Microscopic World Explored" by Hilda Canter-Lund and her husband J. W. Lund.

Despite the cost, I recommend this book as essential for anyone trying to understand the North American freshwater algal flora.

Review
One thing I look for in a book are color photos from "the wild". I didn't see any of that, but there's plenty of information to go through and lots of references for further study. ... Read more

Book Description

Methods in Stream Ecology provides a complete series of field and laboratory protocols in stream ecology that are ideal for teaching or conducting research. This unique book covers five important areas of stream ecology: physical stream ecology, material storage and transport, stream biota, community interactions, and ecosystem processes. Each chapter is specifically designed to be both cutting-edge and comprehensive to anyone beginning a study of stream ecology. Useful as a textbook for a course in stream ecology, this book is also a critical reference for those who are not trained as stream ecologists, but are required to evaluate the status of streams. Methods in Stream Ecology is far-reaching in scope and essential for anyone interested in stream ecology.

* Provides a variety of exercises in each chapter to accommodate both the novice and the practicing scientist
* Covers all areas of stream ecology in chapters written by leading experts in their respective fields
* Includes detailed instructions, illustrations, formula, and data sheets for conducting stream ecology research
* Presents taxonomic keys to common stream invertebrates and algae
* Contemporary, state-of-the-art approaches to river ecology ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A Comprehensive and Useful Tool!
This book provides useful information on the design and implementation of experiments and studies of stream systems. It is valuable not only for young researchers, but also for seasoned researchers reaching into a new area of stream ecology. ... Read more

Book Description

Recent decades have witnessed strong declines in fish stocks around the globe, amid growing concerns about the impact of fisheries on marine and freshwater biodiversity. Fisheries biologists and managers are therefore increasingly asking about aspects of ecology, behavior, evolution and biodiversity that were traditionally studied by people working in very separate fields. This has highlighted the need to work more closely together, in order to help ensure future success both in management and conservation.

The Handbook of Fish Biology and Fisheries has been written by an international team of scientists and practitioners, to provide an overview of the biology of freshwater and marine fish species together with the science that supports fisheries management and conservation.

The first volume, subtitled Fish Biology, reviews a broad variety of topics from evolutionary relationships and global biogeography to physiology, recruitment, life histories, genetics, foraging, reproductive behavior and community ecology. Volume two, subtitled Fisheries, builds on the material from volume one, focusing on a wide range of topics including the history of fisheries science, methods of capture, marketing, economics, major models used in stock assessments and forecasting, ecosystem impacts, marine protected areas and conservation.

Together, these books present the state of the art in our understanding of fish biology and fisheries and will serve as valuable references for undergraduates and graduates looking for a comprehensive source on a wide variety of topics in fisheries science. They will also be useful to researchers who need up-to-date reviews of topics that impinge on their fields, and decision makers who need to appreciate the scientific background for management and conservation of aquatic ecosystems. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The best guide on Fishery Biology
These two volume sets are the best updated knowledge on Fishery biology studies.
A simple and coomprehensive language for all researchers.
It's a complete and essential tool for who work with this science. ... 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

Book Description

All manner of models are used to describe, simulate, extrapolate, and ultimately understand the function of dynamic systems. These sorts of models are usually based upon a mathematical foundation that can be difficult to manipulate especially for students. Modeling for All Scales uses object-oriented programming to erect and evaluate the efficacy of models of small, intermediate and large scale systems. Such models allow users to employ intuitively based symbols and a systems ecology approach. The authors have been leaders in the systems ecology community and have originated much of the scientific vocabulary of the field. After introducing modeling and its benefits, there is a series of chapters detailing the more particular elements of successful simulation. There follows another series of chapters, each devoted to models of different sorts of systems. Small scale models of growth, competition, and evolution give way, successively, to larger and larger scale models such as international trade and the global geobiosphere. Anyone interested in an easy to use approach to modeling complex systems authored by perhaps the most original systems ecologists of the century will want this book. To further enhance the users ability to apply the lessons of this book, there is included a CD-ROM disc which provides the fundamental tools for modeling at all scales.

Key Features
* The book makes it possible to teach modeling and simulation without much prior knowledge of mathematics
* Reasons for modeling and simulation are discussed
* The book makes modeling and simulation fun by keeping focused on simplified overview minimodels that have important principles to science and society
* The steps in successive chapters are arranged so that readers can teach themselves modeling, simulation, and the programming necessary to simulate the systems they diagram
* The CD-ROM has minimodel programs and versions of QuickBasic and EXTEND to run them ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A good alternative to larger Ecology texts
I used the earlier edition of this book twice for an ecology course that I teach, and my students appreciated the length, price, readability, and content. The rating that I give the book (four stars) is mostly based on their satisfaction. This updated version is very similar to the fifth edition, but has some nice additions, such as a chapter on Phylogeny that mentions Felsenstein's independent contrasts methods. If you are interested in reviewing this book as a possible book for your course, I would first read this brief chapter on phylogeny (16) to get a feel for the brevity of all the topics in ecology that are covered. Because many details are left out (as are many important references), this book cannot be used without supplemental literature. I usually require readings of at least 5 additional papers per chapter in this book. In fact, without supplemental readings and additional material presented in lecture, I would probably only grant two stars to this book. Strengths of the book include: very easy to read, excellent figures, adequate treatment of mathematical models, logical organization, and some nice examples from the literature. ... 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

Book Description

This comprehensive and up-to-date reference work is anidentification manual covering more than 1100 species of vascular plants thatare native or naturalized in aquatic and wetland habitats in the northeasternregion of North America, from Newfoundland west to Minnesota and south toVirgina and Missouri. This is a major revision, long-awaited, of NormanFassett's classic (and much smaller) A Manual of Aquatic Plants. It willinterest biologists, resource managers, and environmentalists concerned with thepreservation of wetland areas, which are increasingly threatened. ... Read more

Book Description

Retaining the introductory flavor of the now classic First Edition, this revision includes all the latest techniques in the field. New information on methods of radio tag harnessing, new sections on satellite tracking techniques and new types of data analysis are all included. Still the only comprehensive, up-to-date, introduction to this fundamental technique for wildlife and behavioral biologists.

* A unique guide to the subject
* Full coverage of the very latest techniques in both terrestrial and satellite tracking
* Detailed, practical guidance in how to fit tags, track animals, source and evaluate equipments and techniques and analyse resulting data ... Read more

Book Description

A detailed account of the biology and ecology of vascular wetland plants and their applications in wetland plant science, Wetland Plants: Biology and Ecology presents a synthesis of wetland plant studies and reviews from biology, physiology, evolution, genetics, community and population ecology, environmental science, and engineering. It provides a thorough discussion of the range of wetland plants adaptations to conditions such as life in water or saturated soils, high salt or high sulfur, as well as low light and low carbon dioxide levels. The authors include the latest research on the development of plant communities in newly restored or created wetlands and on the use of wetland plants as indicators of ecological integrity and of wetland boundaries. Over 140 figures, including over 70 original photographs, allow you to visualize the concepts, 40 tables give you easy access to definitions and data, and international examples provide you with a broad base of information. The growing consensus in wetlands literature and research suggests that methods are needed to assess the ecological health or integrity of wetlands, to set goals for wetland restoration, and to track the status and trends of wetlands. Wetland plants are emerging as important indicators, and becoming an important part of this research. Wetland Plants: Biology and Ecology contains up-to-date information on this increasingly important area in wetlands technology. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

easy reading, good reference
Scientific in nature, but still easy to read. An excellent reference for anyone beginning the study of wetlands. Includes one chapter on constructed/treatment wetlands. ... Read more

Book Description

Arthropods are the most diverse group of organisms on our planet, and the tropical rainforests represent the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems. This volume provides an overview of data collected during recent studies in Australia, Africa, Asia, and South America. The contributions focus on the distribution of arthropods and their use of resources in the rainforest canopies, providing a basis for comparison between the forest ecosystems of the main biogeographical regions. The temporal dynamics of arthropod communities, habitats and food selection are examined within and among tropical tree crowns, as are the effects of forest disturbance. ... Read more

Book Description

Identifying trees and shrubs by their scientific name is an essential component of the professional skills of foresters and other types of environmental scientists. This book is an ideal guide for learning procedures as well as a reference book for field use. Written at a more sophisticated, professional level than most field guides, this book also explains the rationale of taxonomic classification systems and explains how plant types are linked to the whole forest ecology. ... 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

Book Description

Despite its supreme importance and the threat of its global crash, biodiversity remains poorly understood both empirically and theoretically. This ambitious book presents a new, general neutral theory to explain the origin, maintenance, and loss of biodiversity in a biogeographic context.

Until now biogeography (the study of the geographic distribution of species) and biodiversity (the study of species richness and relative species abundance) have had largely disjunct intellectual histories. In this book, Stephen Hubbell develops a formal mathematical theory that unifies these two fields. When a speciation process is incorporated into Robert H. MacArthur and Edward O. Wilson's now classical theory of island biogeography, the generalized theory predicts the existence of a universal, dimensionless biodiversity number. In the theory, this fundamental biodiversity number, together with the migration or dispersal rate, completely determines the steady-state distribution of species richness and relative species abundance on local to large geographic spatial scales and short-term to evolutionary time scales.

Although neutral, Hubbell's theory is nevertheless able to generate many nonobvious, testable, and remarkably accurate quantitative predictions about biodiversity and biogeography. In many ways Hubbell's theory is the ecological analog to the neutral theory of genetic drift in genetics. The unified neutral theory of biogeography and biodiversity should stimulate research in new theoretical and empirical directions by ecologists, evolutionary biologists, and biogeographers. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Towards a unified thoery, but not there yet
A couple of years ago, Dr. Jim Brown (Univ. New Mexico) wrote an article in the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) website indicating that he had not seen any really significant new ideas in ecology during the last few year. Well, we have one.
In the hierarchy of biological systems, ecology deals with the highest and most complex levels. Explanation for patterns of abundance and distribution of organisms have been either too specific that only applies to a few species or even one, or too general that can not be tested (remember the ghost of competition's past).
Ecologists working at the community level have mostly been guided by the general principle that interactions tend to determine the diversity of communities. On the larger scale of biogeography, researchers considered that local diversity tends to be a function of a regional species pool. This debate became very contested in the early 1980's and continued for almost a decade, without any meaningful progress. Nonetheless, significant achivements in both areas of inquiry were made.
Hubbell takes advantage of the increased large-scale reasearch in community ecology (like the Smithsonian-MAB biodiversity network of plots) coupled with the ever more manipulative and reductionist approach to biogeography. Is important to add here Hubbell's own contribution to biodiversity research is substantial. Furthermore, the originality of the work is what sets this monograph appart from the last few in the series. The application of random walk models (i.e., ecological drift) to the organization of communities is not a truly new approach. What make is unique is that then he incorporates immigration and extinction rates across space (classical MacArthur-Wilson), and can then predict a range of abundances and distributions. He supplies ample data from tropical systems that agree with model's predictions. The more interesting aspect is when the data doesn't agree. Here there is plenty of productive work to be performed.
One point that Hubbell makes concerning the "triviality" of the nuetrality assumption. Can there be cases when the differential survival of individuals lead to deviations from the theory's prediction? I think that the assumption of neutrality is not as trivial as Hubbell makes it.
Overall, is probably one of the most intriguing and original works of the last decade. If you are interested in ecology, biogeography, and even conservation, this book will challenge what you know and how should we look at patterns and process of biodiversity. ... Read more

Book Description

When a species colonizes an area that it has not previously inhabited, it is called an "invasion", and it can result in the extinction of endemic species. The increase in numbers of humans travelling the world presents opportunities for invasions by organisms and the spread of diseases such as rabies and smallpox. Using the large amount of data from studies in pest control and epidemiology, it is possible to construct mathematical models that can predict which species will become invaders, which habitats are susceptible to invasion, and the biological impact. This book presents a clear and accessible introduction to the modeling of biological invasions. It demonstrates the latest theories and models, and includes data and examples from various case studies showing how these models can be applied to problems from deadly human diseases to the spread of weeds. ... 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