Book Description

This is the first book to treat rocky, sandy and muddy shores worldwide in an up-to-date way for the serious student. ... Read more

Book Description

Provides an extensive overview of all the most important aspects of lake monitoring studies describing methods of water sampling, analytical determination and data interpretation.

Now that all EC countries must receive the EC Directive on Water Quality, there is a greater need to improve the quality of measurements, both in chemical and biological fields and this book describes the best practices in measuring water, quality, standard procedures and quality assurance in relation to current legislation and guidelines.

The book provides coverage of:

· Abiotic processes and harmful substances in lakes

· Biocoenosis in evaluating the ecological status of lakes

· New lake monitoring techniques

· Quality assessment

· Managing of results

The book also addresses the most important problems currently impacting lake resources:

· Eutrophication

· Water acidification and its impact on biodiversity

· The presence of endocrine disrupters

· The bioaccumulation of mercury in the food chain

This is an essential guide to the subject for postgraduate students in environmental science and analytical chemistry, laboratories involved in water analysis, industrial companies producing effluent and regional environmental agencies.

'Hydrological and Limnological Aspects of Lake Monitoring' is the first book in the Water Quality Measurement Series, which provides a comprehensive coverage of the analytical techniques used for the measurement of substances in water, from sampling through to laboratory analysis. The series aims to offer practical answers to specific issues related to measurements of the water cycle quality, using a scientifically sound approach.

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Book Description

In a trio of wonderful long essays, three quite different writers--one a nature and outdoor writer, another a poet, and the third an essayist and novelist--let us sit in on their friendship and what draws them, inexorably, to the same small pond in Maine. Told with humor and affection, the stories in this small book will appeal to anyone who feels drawn to spend time near water. ... Read more

Book Description

Resource management in the United States is undergoing a fundamental change. Traditional sustained-yield approaches that focus on commodity-production and human resource use are steadily giving way to ecological approaches, often referred to as ecosystem management, that have long-term ecological sustainability as their primary goal. To achieve that goal, ecosystem management emphasizes socially defined goals and objectives, integrated and holistic science, collaborative decision making, and adaptable institutions. Political considerations are an essential component of ecosystem management, yet its socio-political context has been largely ignored by those studying and writing on the subject.

The Politics of Ecosystem Management is the first book to focus entirely on the political challenges facing ecosystem management as it moves from theory to practice.

The authors examine:

• the history of natural resource management in the United States
• the theory behind ecosystem management
• potential inconsistencies and contradictions in the themes of ecosystem management
• political philosophies that undergird traditional resource management
• alternative political principles inherent in ecosystem management
• opportunities and barriers for achieving collaborative ecosystem management

The Politics of Ecosystem Management considers the sweeping and profound changes that will be required of the American governance system-its political philosophy, institutions, notions of citizenship, and politics, as well its resource management practices-if the shift to ecosystem management is to be realized. It is a lucid and accessible volume that represents a vital contribution to the literature for students, researchers, and professionals involved with any aspect of developing and implementing ecosystem-based approaches to resource management. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Invaluable for those concerned about fish habitat
This book provides a functional, usable set of guidelines to consider when working on fisheries habitat and stream rehabilitation problems. Although it is oriented towards the American environmental processes - EPA etc, the background concepts and information should be required reading for everyone who is involved in both environmental monitoring and assessment, and those who are involved in trying to bring back stream habitat that has been lost.

Useful for a much broader audience than originally targetted. For instance Community Stewardship groups here in BC have found it most useful.

Informative, thorough, and interesting
A very informative, thorough, and interesting coverage of the topic. Very well written and an enjoyable read. I especially liked the presentation of the "chapters" as "premises."

Advocacy is one theme of this book, but I didn't find that objectionable. As a former professional in the regulatory field, I think it is important for people with opinions to express them!

This book is really a must-read for people working on any aspect of biological monitoring of aquatic systems.

Excellent strategy & advice; slightly one-dimensional
Karr & Chu provide compelling arguments for the inclusion of reasoned biomonitoring efforts in Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of aquatic ecosystems. This is long-overdue. Their desire for biological relevance above and beyond statistical significance is also laudable, reminding me of a dear mentor's constant advice: "But what do the numbers *mean* biologically??" It is an extremely well documented book as well, providing ample resources for further scholarly investigation of related topics. I laud their eagerness to create biological relevance and move beyond standard statistical distributions by brute biological common sense. Their approach is clearly robust, time-effective, and biologically relevant - an excellent combination for real-world environmental management decisions! I do, however, find the authors' quite one-dimensional focus on the use of single "multimetric indices" to be limiting in the practice of aquatic EIA. (Multimetric indices are sums of individual indices, each measuring a different ecological factor.) I fear that the same mathematical machinations which make Karr & Chu's methods robust may also make them insensitive to subtle biological changes. They might contend that robust management considerations render subtle biological changes irrelevant; I would argue that subtle change over time can be at least as powerful as quantum, near-instantaneous changes. The author's methods are also constrained by the fact that the a significant effort is expended in calibration, which may be fine and justified for future studies, but may be of little help for projects currently "in-hand." In conclusion, I would definitely recommend this book as a required read in aquatic biomonitoring strategies, but I will continue to examine my data in more statistically conventional ways as well as through multimetric indices --- I'm not likely to throw out the entire old toolbox for the addition of one new tool, after all, and all the multimetric indices in the world won't do a jot of good without sound experimental design practices.

Thoughtful and inspiring yet a bit too one dimensional
Karr & Chu write to inspire improvement in biological assesment protocols; no doubut I agree with them on this goal. They also remind us all that the "proof of the pudding" is in the biological relevance of the statistical analyses which we undertake to perform this task. Again, no problem. I do have suspicions re: their rather singular fixation on univariate compression of data to the IBI format to the extent that any & all multivariate data treatments are avoided. I would strongly recommend this text as a starting point, but would equally strongly recommend that you *avoid* considering it a definitive Bible for these assessment processes. An apt ecologist who is conversant with contemporary techniques of biotic quantification should perhaps be able to come up with some more multivariate and flexible metrics in addition to those suggested in this text -- although their tables of "what works where" are very helpful starting guidlines for pragmatic issues of what variables to measure in the field. Excellent documentation if you want to go after the references found in the bibliography. Wonderfully aggresive attitude re: preserving our rivers & engaging style -- I read most of the book this afternoon just because it's so engaging, which is pretty high praise for a textbook. If you also happen to be involved with biomonitoring efforts, please drop me an email as I'm working remotely via the 'Net & wold love the comraderie & discussion -- Eric entfolks@mwci.net ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nothing puts quite the same tingling fear in swimmers, surfers, and divers--especially in the quarter century since Peter Benchley's novel Jaws conquered the bestseller charts--as the thought that a shark might be plying its course somewhere in the murky deep below. Thomas Allen plays on that fear in the opening pages of Shadows in the Sea with a strangely entertaining compendium of shark attacks on humans over the centuries. (The humans get their licks in, however, in the pages that follow, in which Allen recounts the exploits of William Young, an Ahab who chased sharks around the world.) Allen goes on to describe the ways in which scientists have attempted to understand the ways of sharks and their selachian kin, the skates and rays; looks at the place of the shark in the world's folklore and cuisine; and examines the commercial shark-fishing industry. His useful bookcloses with a species-by-species account of the world's principal shark types, from the 6-inch dogfish to the 20-foot great blue shark. Allen does a fine job of giving his readers an idea of the many ways these frightening but fragile denizens of the sea live their lives--and he provides plenty of anecdotes to disturb a beachgoer's dreams. --Gregory McNamee ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Fun, Rare information covered,
I read this book after years of interest in the Ocean and all things therein. I had thought I read most of the published accounts of the more well-known incidents, especially here in teh U.S. This book taught me so much more was available. This is the best coverage of the New Jersey shark attacks (with photos) just now being covered in greater detail in 2 newly published books. It covers the story of an old shark fisherman, an evolution of our study of sharks and of attacks and biological data. One of the best.

shadows in the sea
this is one of the most informative and fascinating books i have ever read. i have used it for giving speeches and for teaching. the illustrations are very interesting along with the other art works included. i must own close to a thousand books , but this is one of the very few which i read over and over.

The most accurate shark book on the market
Well, what can i say? i LOVE this book. From the first pages, an account of the "rogue shark" off New Jersey in 1916, this book is informative, exciting, and sometimes even endearing...stories of shark fisherman, attacks, and a comprehensive guide to sharks commonly found in North American oceans, i have never read a shark book that is so full of information...READ THIS BOOK! ... Read more

Book Description

"Columbus knew no greater thrill than I, a ten-year-old discovering new creeks and branches and islands and mainland hideaways. . . . I resolved to make my living as an explorer and said so in school when we were all asked what we planned to do upon our growing up."

John Leland lived a Huckleberry Finn sort of boyhood that most children would envy. A fifth-generation lowcountry native, he grew up fishing, swimming, and hunting arrowheads on a tidal creek just north of Charleston, South Carolina. With admirable freedom, he poled his bateau through the maze of oyster banks and the tangle of salt waterways known as Porcher's Creek. He spent years learning where the conchs congregated, where the clams kept secret rendezvous, and which hole hid the sweetest crabs. He became a naturalist by studying heron, frogs, and porpoises. Leland's existence was so intertwined with Porcher's Creek that he lived, slept, and ate by its tides and seasons--until exiled by family misfortune and suburban encroachment.

Leland combines nature writing and reminiscence with a heartfelt examination of change along the South Carolina coast. He celebrates Porcher's Creek as a watery refuge that links him to his childhood and ancestry, weaving together his family's story with that of the creek. He chronicles both the geographic dispersal of his family and the abandonment of traditional lowcountry ways of life.

Leland takes his readers back to a time not so long ago, before golf courses, concrete, and speedboats transformed Porcher’s Creek. With eloquence and humor, he dissects the life histories of its creatures--fiddler crabs, alligators, marsh hens, and more--and threads through the narrative of his own life history as he grew up in the shadow of a father who was larger than life. On the surface a nature-lover's elegy, Porcher's Creek is in fact Leland’s treatise on mankind's ambiguous place in the natural world. ... Read more

Book Description

As the global rate of marine introductions increases, exoticspecies exert greater economic and ecological impacts, affectingecosystems and human health. The complexity of marine ecosystemschallenges our ability to find easy solutions to prevention,management, and control of introductions. This book highlights issuesof timely importance in marine bioinvasion science. Selected topicsexplore the potential evolutionary consequences and ecological impactsof introduced organisms, examine the feasibility of biologicalcontrol, and describe patterns of introduction. These papers werepresented at the Second International Conference on MarineBioinvasions, which featured new marine invasion research from aroundthe world. These papers should be of interest to scientists, students,and managers with an interest in marine bioinvasions and theapplication of knowledge to management concerns. ... Read more

Book Description

Writer-poet William L. Fox has spent much of his career contemplating the complex ways that landscape, human cognition, and history collide to create our perceptions and treatment of place. In PLAYA WORKS, Fox considers the West's emptiest spaces-the playas, or dry beds, of the ancient lakes that once filled much of the Great Basin. Among the flattest, most barren places on the planet, the West's playas have haunted the American imagination since the Frémont expedition first surveyed them in the early nineteenth century.

The human psyche, Fox maintains, is ill suited to contend with playas. Humankind evolved in the tree-and-grassland environment of the African savannahs, and our powers of visual cognition suffer acute dissonance in the featureless void of the playa. Consequently, our relationship to these spaces has been fraught with uneasiness and misunderstanding, sometimes resulting in death and destruction, sometimes inspiring remarkable art.

In the eight brilliant essays that comprise this book, Fox explores many of the major playas of the American West, examining locations as diverse as Nellis Air Force Base and Frenchman Flat, where the federal government has tested experimental aircraft and atomic weaponry; the Great Salt Lake Desert, where land-speed records have been broken; and the Black Rock Desert of Northern Nevada, site of the colorful Burning Man arts festival. He analyzes the geological and climatological conditions that created the playas and the historical role that playas played in the exploration and settlement of the West. And he offers lucid and keenly perceptive discussions of the ways that artists have responded to the playas, from the ancient makers of geoglyphs to the work of contemporary artists who have found inspiration in these enigmatic spaces, including earthworks builder Michael Heizer, photographer Richard Misrach, and painter Michael Moore. The ensemble is a compelling combination of natural history, philosophy, and art criticism, a thoughtful meditation on humankind's aversion to and fascination with the void.

In PLAYA WORKS, Fox's passion for the American West combines with his scholar's curiosity and power of analysis to produce one of the most engaging discussions yet of the natural phenomena that we call playas. This is nature writing at its best-provocative, profound, richly intelligent, and delightfully adventurous. ... Read more

Book Description

An environmental travelogue that documents the changes in the Great Lakes since the publication of "The Late, Great Lakes". ... Read more

Reviews (1)

The Late, Great Lakes are still kicking.
15 years after his journey around the Great Lakes region, recorded in his almost famous book "The Late, Great Lakes", Ashworth made a return trip to review the state of things. "Great Lakes Journey" is an account of this second visit, during which he explores many of the same issues covered in his first book, visits with many of the same people that he interviewed 15 years prior, and tries to draw a bead on the health of the Great Lakes and the Great Lakes region. There are some success stories---many of the hideously polluted areas have improved---as well as variety of new issues that plague the largest source of fresh water in the world. Urban sprawl and the invasion of 'exotic' species are two of the most significant problems that Ashworth uncovers in this very readable, cold-eyed assesment of the life and health of one of the States most important, and most disregarded, natural resources. Highly recommended for anyone interested in environmental issues, Great Lakes ecology, or for anyone passionate about the incomparable Sweetwater Seas. ... Read more

Book Description

Limulus in the Limelight: A Species 350 Million Years in theMaking and in Peril? contains 14 chapters covering thehorseshoe crab's biology, ecology and evolutionary development. Thebook is a result of three mini-conferences held between 1996 and 2000celebrating the populations in NY harbor. This book exposes theimpacts of over fishing on this species; clarifies the future researchagenda for the species worldwide and emphasizes the need forconservation of this fascinating creature's estuaries/oceanhabitats.Biologists, ecologists, science educators, and conservationists willwelcome this book because it is aimed at the preservation ofLimulus, not only for its pharmacological interest but for themystery related to its longevity. Limulus is a unique animal which hasprovided numerous uses for man over the years, from fertilizer to baitto medical research. However, if this species is not protected soon,it will be lost for the future. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This book was boring
This was the dumbest book I have ever read. It had no plot and did not intereest me. I recommend to everyone in the world that you do not read this gay book. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

All aspects of a garden pond are covered
Profusely illustrated throughout with spectacular, full color photography, Garden Ponds author John Coburn provides a complete and "user friendly" reference guide to developing and improving a pond as part of the overall home-based landscape. All aspects of a garden pond are covered, including vegetation, fish, preparations and planning, siting and design, construction, pond surroundings, and general maintenance. Garden Ponds is a complete and highly recommended resource for creating a unique and beautiful pond that would be a year-round delight, enhancing any property, and admired by any visitor. ... Read more

Book Description

In 1996 award-winning author and photographer Michael Collier set out in his forty-year-old Cessna seeking an expanded understanding and perspective on the Colorado River Basin - a region spanning the states of Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, and California - which he had come to know intimately through twenty-five years of river running.Twelve thousand photographs and more than a year later, Collier hadlearned another way of knowing that magnificent landscape and now shares his altered vision. For the first time, through this astonishing collection of aerial photographs, the 244,000 square miles of the basin, including its tributaries and the lands adjacent to them, can be seen for what they are: an integrated bioregion with a natural history fascinating in its complexity and a majestic beauty astounding in its diversity.These are images that provide unforgettable lessons in transcending our often delimiting cultural, political, and scientific worldviews. Flying over the Painted Desert at 150 miles per hour, Collier observes and photographs the entire life span of a thunderstorm: the weighty anvil cloud emptying itself on a parched redrock escarpment and, a few miles downstream, the ensuing flash flood, an erosive tumult of water and detritus.Above the Escalante Canyon, he captures the sinuous, incised meanders of the river, the choreography of a dance twenty million years old between relentless water and uplifting bedrock.The waters of the Colorado River now rarely reach the Sea of Cortez, depleted as they are by hundreds of upstream reservoirs and diversions - and Collier documents this as well: the stark, muddy delta of the river; the feathery channels that remain as the tides withdraw back to the sea. One hundred forty captivating images are accompanied by six essays, written by experts in various fields of natural history and ecology, that illuminate chosen aspects of the landscape: the life cycle of a razorback sucker; the conditions that shape the meanders of a river; the sensory feast of rock, air, water, leaf, and bird that may nourish the human soul.WATER, EARTH, AND SKY is a mosaic of splendid parts, a unique and dynamic assemblage like the Colorado River basin itself, which, viewed from the right distance, resolves itself into the patterns that make it a marvelous and inspiring whole. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A drop-dead gorgeous book
This is one of the most beautiful books I've ever seen. I wish they would have given details on the printing process for this book. I've never seen such vibrant, sharp, photographs in a book. They look almost as good as professionally done prints on photographic paper. As for the artistic merit of the photographs themselves, they are wonderful, something to get lost in. ... Read more