Book Description

Combining excellent science with accessible style, the Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals is an indispensable resource on the fascinating warm-blooded creatures of the sea. The contributions of more than 200 leading international authorities have made this single volume the guide for studyig the entire range of marine mammals.

Organized alphabetically, more the 280 articles are devoted to wide range of topics -- from the specific behavior and physiology of cetaceans and pinnipeds, to ecology, population biology, human effects and interaction, and research methodology.

Up-to-date, accessible, and scientifically sound, the Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals will occupy a central place in any marine science library.

KEY FEATURES
*Complete Species List, featuring both living and extinct mammals;
*Comprehensive Glossary with definitions for more than 1,000 specialized terms;
*Extensive cross-referencing between articles;
*Abundant visual resources -- photographs, line drawings, maps, tables, and figures

KEY FEATURES
*Complete Species List, featuring both living and extinct mammals
*Comprehensive Glossary with definitions for more than 1,000 specialized terms
*Extensive cross-referencing between articles
*Abundant visual resources -- photographs, line drawings, maps, tables, and figures ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A must have for every student of marine mammalogy!
This book is easy to use and provides comprehensive information for such a variety of topics that every student of marine mammals should have it in their library. I recommend it to students who are just starting their journey into marine mammal studies! ... Read more

Book Description

"A remarkable accomplishment. . . . [This volume] has been and will continue to be a major force advancing freshwater fish parasitology."--Ernest H. Williams Jr., from the Foreword

This thoroughly revised and updated edition of a classic reference work is the definitive guide to the identification of the parasites of freshwater fishes of North America.

The book provides information on public health concerns about fish parasites, the methods used to examine fish for parasites, and those parasites found only in very selective organs or tissues. It lists the known species of each genus, along with reference citations that enable readers to find literature pertinent to species identification, life cycles, and in some cases, control. In the heart of the book, each chapter opens with a description of a phylum and its relevant families and genera, followed by a species list for those genera. Drawings illustrate a representative of each genus, and are supplemented by photographic examples.

Many new parasites of North American freshwater fishes have been discovered since the publication of the first edition thirty years ago. For this new edition, the author has added new species accounts and revised the taxonomy, expanded descriptions and discussion of the most important fish parasites, provided a glossary to aid nonspecialists, and updated the reference list through 1992. The volume features twice as many illustrations as the first edition, including the addition of 33 color photographs. ... Read more

Book Description

530 classic photographs of living specimens and the most current scientific classifications help identify virtually every species of stony coral, gorgonian, fire coral and black coral in the tropical western Atlantic. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Extremely essential!
A field guide to coral, especially by Paul Humann, is essential to your collection of ocean field guides. Hundreds of coral species are listed, including: sea fans, hard corals, soft corals, and mushroom corals. The book also explains the many diseases that possibly afflict many species. The coral entries have excellent, detailed explanations beside them, concerning species depth, range, and abundance. The photograph transfers are above average, showing enough of the coral for identification purposes. The photographs are of course very beautiful, containing various, colorful hues of these animals. Buy the waterproof, annotated version of Reef Coral ID to bring along in the ocean on a scuba diving trip. The book has been updated twice since it was published, with the original print still floating around here on Amazon.com. The second edition is far superior, containing many more listings and more beautiful photos. Completely essential field guide for a private collection.

The Best Guide Available
This Reef Coral Identification book is THE definitive guide. In brief there is not a better guide out there. It thoroughly covers each type of coral and gives identification information as well as full color photographs. In addition to all the corals it covers other plant life likely to be encountered while snorkeling or diving. These include grasses, weeds, algae and coral diseases. With a plastic cover and the pages treated to resist water it can be taken to the beach or onto the boat without much concern about the water damaging the book. For each item the book also discusses any danger to divers that the particular coral may represent (such as fire coral).

This book can also be purchased as part of a three part set that also includes the Reef Fish Identification and Reef Creature Identification texts, each of which is equally as excellent as the Reef Coral Identification book.

The Coral Reef Bible
Don't take my word for it, go to a handful of dive shops and this author's name will come up more than once. An excellent book, I haven't come across anything I like better. The others in this family are just as good.

WIthout a doubt, the BEST identification book out there.
This is a fantastic book, and along with the other two books by this author you should be able to ID any marine creature you encounter!

The book lists virtually all types of corals including Algae, black corals, brain, lace, cactus, cup, boulder, fire, fleshy, etc.

Each entry has an excellent picture, the name, family, size, depth, and other information.

The pictures alone are worth the cost of the book!

This is definetely the book you want to have with you when you dive or snorkel. Buy it today, you won't be disappointed!

Almost as good as the previous!
This is the 3rd volume in the "Reef Set",Paul Humman`s incredible books on Caribbean marine life. Actually,this was the first volume I bought of them,so I now learned to know how these books were. I later received Reef Fish ID for Christmas. But this one is very beautifull too. It includes almost every coral that is likely to be encountered while diving in the Caribbean. The photos are also quite good for beeing an identification book. Commonly,really striking views of animals only come in art books like "Coral Seas" or "The Maldives" but these pictures are of almost the same quality. The Indo-Pacific corals are often very colourfull,but the Caribbean are more famous for their artistic shapes and forms (some of them looks like trees in the winter). It is not badder than the previous volumes,because this one takes up other animals. All three books are like one big book,because all of them covers different kinds of animals. So my rate of the entire reef set,including this one,is 10 out of 10 or 5 out of 5!If you do own the other volumes,do buy this one. No diver`s,fishwatcher`s or ichtyologist`s library is complete without these books. A must-have! ... 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

This popular undergraduate textbook offers students a firm grounding in the fundamentals of biological oceanography.As well as a clear and accessible text, learning is enhanced with numerous illustrations including a colour section, thorough chapter summaries, and questions with answers and comments at the back of the book.



The comprehensive coverage of this book encompasses the properties of seawater which affect life in the ocean, classification of marine environments and organisms, phytoplankton and zooplankton, marine food webs, larger marine animals (marine mammals, seabirds and fish), life on the seafloor, and the way in which humans affect marine ecosystems.

The second edition has been thoroughly updated, including much data available for the first time in a book at this level.There is also a new chapter on human impacts - from harvesting vast amounts of fish, pollution, and deliberately or accidentally transferring marine organisms to new environments.

This book complements the Open University Oceanography Series, also published by Butterworth-Heinemann, and is a set text for the Open University third level course, S330.

A leading undergraduate text
New chapter on human impacts - a highly topical subject
Expanded colour plate section ... Read more

Book Description

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

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

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

Reviews (4)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Book Description

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

Reviews (3)

excellent resource on marine mammals
I personally feel this book is one of the best comprehensive reviews of marine mammal biology out there. Both of the editors as well as all of the authors of the book are reknowned in their fields of marine mammal science. Reynolds and Rommel compiled a great resource for aspiring marine scientists as well as professionals.

Exelente libro
El contenido es muy bueno, una obra de consulta permanente y actualizada. Cubre todos los enfoques. Realmente es un muy buen compendio de información que por lo general es difícil de conseguir.

biology of marine mammals
excelente mamotreto, grandiosas imagenes y contenido ... Read more

Book Description

A detailed overview of what is presently know about the behavior and ecology of reef fishes inhabiting the waters of Florida, Caribbean and Bahamas. The enjoyable fact-filled text is lavishly illustrated with 475 marine life photos, many capturing spectacular fish behaviors never before documented. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Scuba Instructor reviews
My Name is Steve Fox, I am a scuba instructor in Utila, Bay Islands,Honduras I would like to say that in my dive shop and resort we use the whole Paul Humann set of books, they are fantastic, after every dive we sit with customers and go though all the fish,creatures and coral we have seen, they are the divers bible.

Steve
www.DeepBlueUtila.com

This is a real "must-read!"
I'm a scuba instructor at a resort in the Caribbean, and this is the book I rely on most heavily (yes, even more than Snyderman's Marine Life & Humann's Reef Fish ID!) in explaining what's going on. It's also the book I recommend to everybody who comes to the Lodge, and the one they enjoy the most. So, whether you're a snorkeler or a marine biologist, you'll gain a lot from having this one in your collection!

Knowing What Your're Looking At Underwater
RFB ablely illustrates and explains the fish actions commonly observed by divers and snorkelers. This volume will increase the novice's understanding and enjoyment of the acquatic environment. The pictures are excellent and the author nicely translates scientific jargon to readability. The binding is sturdy but flexible so it is easy to pack into your dive bag. However, I expect that most dive destinations will have a well thumbed copy on hand soon. My only criticism-- Ned doesn't deal with my favorite box fish. This is a great book. I expect to carry it with me on every dive trip.

Excellent Book
This is a wonderful synopsis of behaviors that I didn't know existed. It is well written with great pictures showing the enormous amount of time underwater that it must have taken to compile them. It has made me look at the reef in a whole new way. ... Read more

Book Description

This reference series provides researchers of all kinds with comprehensive practical information on different species of laboratory animals, for daily laboratory use. Each title in the series in devoted to a different species. and draws together all available data in one easily accessible source. Each has similar format, with sections on the strains available, their husbandry and special diets. This leads to sections on gross anatomy, endocrinology and reproduction, followed by more detailed sections on neuroanatomy, vasculature, cell biology and histology of particular organs and structures, and a section on molecular biology.
High quality illustrations are included throughout, with copious color histology microphotographs.

Key Features
* Comprehensive reference source for anybody working with laboratory fish
* 2-color, user-friendly format
* Copious high quality illustrations included throughout
* Color plate section
* Glossary
* Appendix of useful addresses ... Read more

Book Description

Scientists call them Inia geoffrensis, an ancient species of toothed whale whose origin dates back about 15 million years. To the local people of the Amazon, pink river dolphins are "botos," shape shifters that, in the guise of human desire, can claim your soul and take you to the Encante, an enchanted underwater world.

As tributaries braid into a single river, Journey of the Pink Dolphins weaves ancient myth and modern science into one woman's search for these elusive creatures. Over four separate journeys, Sy Montgomery follows the dolphins, tracing their spiritual, historical, and environmental past, present, and future. Ancient legends tell us that dolphins have guided humans for millennia, and in Journey of the Pink Dolphins, Montgomery answers their call, taking us to that perfect place where the Amazon melts into the forest, dolphins swim among treetops, and the twenty-first century dissolves into the beginning of time. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Why haven't we heard this before?
I can't believe how many people (including myself) had never heard of freshwater dolphins before seeing this book. Why isn't there any information out there about these intriguing cousins of the saltwater dolphins that we all know and love? Well, now there is! And Sy Montgomery takes us deep into the habitat of the freshwater dolphins --- the Amazon (where, as she explains, there are trees and ants that can kill you, among many other things). She not only explores the life and biology of these dolphins, but she also explores some of the myths that surround them. She learns that many native Amazon peoples believe that these creatures can take the form of humans in their efforts to seduce women into their underwater world. She relates first hand accounts of these stories and myths. But the author doesn't stop there, she writes extensively about the atmosphere of the Amazon, the people, the ecosystem, the cultures, the tourists, the industries, etc... She provides alot of interesting information about a very unique subject. As I read the book, I felt as if I was being pulled into the Amazon. Her writing is clear and approachable, sometimes poetic, but other times drawn-out. There are some very insightful passages as well. And fascinating photographs are scattered throughout. I recommend this book to anyone interested in animals, conservation, adventure travel, aboriginal/native cultures and all those intrigued by the idea of a freshwater dolphin!

enchanting travelogue and work of natural history
I loved this book! Sy Montgomery is a talented writer, able to put you in exotic places with vivid descriptions, I almost felt I was in the Amazon. She really brought it to life, I look forward to reading another book of hers I have purchased, "Search for the Golden Moon Bear."

The book focuses on the author's quest for the pink dolphin, but really it is a journey to find not one but two dolphins. I don't refer to the other species of dolphin that lives in the Amazon, the tucuxis (one which she also covers in the book), but for two sides of the same animal. On the one hand she searches for the pink dolphin, the bufeo in Spanish or boto in Portguese, a living animal of which little is known about in comparison with many other dolphin species. Living in the most massive river system on earth, one connnected to innumerable lakes in the rainy season, in waters often black as coffee and infested with caimans, piranha, stingrays, and electric eels, in often very remote regions to which there is no reliable transportation to, it is a difficult subject to study. An example of cetaceans from an earlier geologic era, primitive when compared to modern oceanic dolphins, the pink dolphins preserve something from an eariler era, a holdover in the modern world. Montgomery and her various companions in the book struggle to get good observations of the dolphins, to try and track them, to identify individuals, to observe their behavior. The author finds that even experts who have studied the bufeo for years are often perplexed by them. She has many successes, providing much interesting information on them and a fine series of color photographs of the often startingly pink dolphins.

Montgomery though is also questing for the Encante, the mystical shape-shifting dolphin that is very real to many of the peoples who live along the mighty Amazon. Believed to exist in fabulous cities beneath the surface of the river, the locals speak in conspiratorial tones about the dolphins' magic powers and often lust for attractive humans. The natives often worry that their wives, husbands, sons, and daughters will be stolen about by the fabulous Encante, and speak with awe and reverence about the dolphins. Montgomery continually quests for the natives' views of the Encante, for their "true" tales, and for how they protect themselves against their fantastic attention.

Montgomery doesn't exlusively focus on dolphins though. Her book in part is a vivid travelogue of Amazonia, bringing us to many exotic locations. We visit Manaus, the impossible Paris of the Amazon, home to an opera house right out of a fairy tale. Built upon the backs of native jungle peoples by rubber barons, today it is a squalid city trying to embrace change. She takes us to amazing Meeting of the Waters, where for miles two tributies of the Amazon, the black River Negro and the white Solimoes, flow side by side before forming the true Amazon River. We are taken to two different nature reserves, both with differing strategies, Tamshiyacu-Tahuayo and Mamiraua, where some of the rich life and deadly beauty of Amazonia is preserved against an uncertain future. Montgomery takes us to the impossibly clear waters and white sandy beaches of the Tapajos and Arapiuns Rivers, where she actually swims with the dolphins, something not possible elsewhere in the dark and piranha-infested rivers elsewhere. She undertakes a vision quest by taking the hallucigenic Ayahuasca or "Mother of the Vine," something few Westerners have done (and for good reason).

Further, while the bufeo or boto is the star of the book, many other animals form a rich supporting cast. The odd hoatzin, a bird with claws, seemingly someting out of the Mesozoic. Electric eels, extremely common and suprisingly complex. Caimans, another seemingly prehistoric species. Amazonian manatees, gentle vegetarians that are much more intelligent than often given credit for. The weird side-necked turtle. All manner of insects, including ants. And more are given space.

Some have said that she rhapsodizes too much in the book, but I disagree. She has done her research, the book is filled with interviews with experts, and there is a nice bibliography at the end. She has skillfully combined hard science with poetry, and the effort is very worthwhile. I highly recommend it.

Fascinating but Frustrating
As someone who's interested in the Amazon, its people, culture, geography, fauna, flora and other subjects, I read this book for its fascinating topic. However, this is a very mixed bag. There are moving sections, as when she describes the genocide perpetrated against the native peoples by Europeans (you would not believe the atrocities and torture they visited the Indians, whom they considered lower than animals - much worse in its ferocity than the Holocaust of WWII). The writing can be quite bad at times (at one point, her powers of description comes up with a fruit she tried, "bitter as semen"). But the worse is, she seems to be a very bad science writer and researcher. Who edited this book? Certainly not people versed in science or Portuguese. She gets everything in Portuguese wrong. The scientific names and terms are often misspelled. Proceed with caution.

Amazonian vacation
This is one of those books to read when you don't have the money and/or time to actually travel the planet. I enjoyed that Sy both had a grasp of biology and is a truly talented author. She also obviously cares about the socioeconomic situation of the peoples who live in the area that her biological studies took her. This book transports you into a magical world in which pink dolphins inhabit rivers in a mystical jungle. Sometimes the truth is better than fiction.

This book corks my blowhole
To the author: Let me get this straight: You applied with a flimsy pretext to go observe dolphins, to "find the soul" of the Amazon. (Funny how no one writes about the search for the soul of New Jersey. It's always someplace that increases the aspirant's status as interpreter. The Amazon has been prostituted since its discovery, even BEFORE its discovery --in myth; why you suppose your frothy rehash is anything but the same extractivist, exoticizing discourse the West uses to plunder the source-country Americas, is a mystery.) Where was I? Oh, yes. Then you repeat your tourist guides by rote -The rubber barons sent their laundry to Europe, the Meeting of the Waters, so many football fields destroyed, blah blah blah, we know already. Then, not knowing an iota of Portuguese (or lingua geral, better still), you take on underlings to ferry you around and see to your comfort. So there's garbage in the ports? --Any idea where that comes from?
Then, do you acknowledge your privileged vantage? -in one line, yes, you note that tourists can do harm to the very area they wish to see. Would that that stopped you! Then you take Ayahuasca, the cosmological and neurological Virgil of the indigenes and caboclos, and this is the unreal part, you do it to summon dolphin spirits! Sacred vine as recreational trophy for bourgeois day-trippers. Then, as a capper, you relate a slumber party of your half-researched blatherings --endless second- and third-hand accounts of fables, offering no links, context, etymologies, insights to speak of (for example, at one point you tell us the Iquitos prostitutes used to file their teeth like piranhas', but then you don't SPECULATE or reflect critically at all on why that is. Does it have to do with the degradation of women in Latin America or some of kind of reversal of the dynamics of erotic conquests (a topic apropos of your ladykiller/dolphin)? What is the relationship and affective connection of the animal kingdom in general to the Amazonians? Do THEY care about dolphins? (Why not, if not?) Does that effect their ecology? Should WE care about them, besides for the fact they're pretty? What link are they in the river food chain? What of a discussion --in passing at least-- of the complicated politics of First-World ideas of conservation vs. their making a living? Too many things are given unproblematically or unreflectively in this book. And by the way, speaking English deliberately in front of Amazonian river people is RUDE, not to mention paternalistic.
To the editor: Many books about the Amazon are hyperinflated, breathless, and rhetorical by far. They should be purged of HALF of their adjectives. And virtually ALL their adverbs (e.g. here, "dazzingly" , "unimaginably" and for God's sake, "unfathomably".) Where is your blue pencil on sentences like "[We] wanted the same thing: to save this toweringly cruel and nourishing dawn world from fading to twilight." (p. 245)?
Also, virtually all the Portuguese in the book is wrong, save one or two phrases.
To the bookseller: File this under "d" for "dilletanterie".
To the reader: Go find Candace Slater's Dance of the Dolphin instead, which offers real field research.
To Oprah's Book Club: You gotta get this book! ... Read more

Book Description

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

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

Reviews (1)

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

Reviews (3)

Still & always the classic
This is probably THE serious book to have if one is going to immerse oneself in the California intertidal. Originally produced by Ed Ricketts (of Steinbeck/Cannery Row/Log From The Sea Of Cortez fame) the book has been upgraded, revised, re-edited by a plethora of "co-authors" since Ricketts' untimely death. It still retains much of Ricketts' then-revolutionary Habitat focus, which will either work for you (it does for me) or annoy the hard-core systematists out there. This ISN'T a light book to lug into the field or a light book to read -if you are just day-tripping The UC Press has a number of smaller & more accessibly illustrated field guides that I would reccomend, But if you are seriously into mmarine Bio and have some time on your hands along the California Coastline, you owe it to yourself to get this book. Even here on the Coast of Maine and twenty years removed from the West I still fid myself referring to it...

The standard field guide for the Pacific Coast of the USA
I can't believe that someone else has not reviewed this excellent guide to the intertidal biota of the Pacific Coast. This book has set the standard for reference guides to marine life along the Pacific Coast, as well as other locations. It is much more than a field guide -- though it also serves that role. This book describes the intertidal zonation patterns of the Pacific Coast as well as the ecology and aspects of the natural history of the organisms that live there. The book contains good taxonomic references as well. This is the book that many of the country's marine scientists cut their professional teeth on. If you are interested in marine biology, the diversity of life, or the ecology of nearshore habitats, this book is definitely for you. The main strength of the book is the logical organization by type of habitat and vertical elevation on the intertidal zone. The main challenge of a book like this is to remain up to date, which the publisher has managed by producing revised editions on regular basis. This book is a must for any field or arm chair marine naturalist!

First and still best field guide to littoral ecology.
Ed Ricketts was to marine ecology what Alan Watts was to Zen, Timothy Leary was to LSD, and Jack Kerouac was to beat, and he was a little of all three. This is the monumental work that put Ricketts permanently on the map as a marine ecologist, and one of the first. This book is a must-have reference for anyone who visits the seashore. I am particularly interested in the fact that persons who have ordered this book have also ordered books by Thomas Pynchon. Anyone else out there besides me get the connection? Please let me know! ... Read more

Book Description

McCloskey's vivid prose puts you right on deck, working like the devil as the decks roll, the spray flies, and the nets are hauled. His love of the boats, the fishermen, and the sea shines through this fascinating tribute to a way of life. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

By Far best by william mccloskey
This was by far of the three books i have red by william mccolskey the favorite he has another book called fish decks cannot find on amazon have to let you know about that one.

unlike highliners and breakers this one is nonfiction and follows along as the author goes back to alaska and around alaska where he served in the coast guard 20 years before and now is crab fishing and goes fishing around georges bank of the coast of chile and new zeland ,indonesia,and japan.looking for fish and shellfish. it also extensively covers the wreck of the exxon valdezand the effect on the fishing industry and the enviroment.Fisherman were making more money selling back buckets of oil back to exxon.He goes to the tokyo tsukiji market which i have seen on a national geographic program. This place is huge they figure they have on any given day 330 different species for sale which come from all around the world for example They have prawns and shrimp from 64 nations the market and auction generate enough trash to fill 200 trash trucks a day.It cover alot of the political side of fishing and how the different regulations have come about to protect the fish.
You read this book it is amazing that they fish with nets miles long and never think about depleteing the resources.Also learned tha over fishing was not the only thing affecting the amount of fish being caught runoff from farms both animal and agricultural.And fish farms that apeear on the surface appear to be a good thing end up causing harm to native fish.

Telling it like it is
The best book I've read dealing with the social AND political AND cultural aspects of commercial fishing. Making no excuses for the industry or the people who condemn it. His stories are compelling and enrapturing as well as extremely informative. It'll give understanding of why the worlds oceans are in the state they are in and all the players who have caused it to be where it is. Enjoy!

A bit 'upity' for the subject matter.
The author knows his subject matter but gets too heavy with all the legal bs and too light on the human stories. Seems like the author couldn't decide if he wanted to write a text book or a down to earth type story.

If you have ever eaten a fish or crab, then read this book!
This is a superb book. McCloskey writes from such a deep base of personal experience, that within a few lines we are transported to the heaving, noisy and often foul-smelling deck of a rusty trawler pitching in a cold northern sea or the cramped camaraderie of the galley on a Japanese squid boat. You feel the shudder of the steel deck as the boat pitches into a steep swell, taste the salt in the air and gag on the stench of diesel fumes and dead fish. The book is a collection of essays, exploring the challenges that face commercial fishermen in various parts of the globe. We hear lots of languages - Russian, English, Spanish, Norwegian, Japanese and more - and experience very different cultures, each united by the sea and the grueling task of pulling food from its depths. Gradually, the similarities grow much larger than the differences. No matter where he is, McCloskey can rapidly blend into the crew becoming just one more figure shrouded in foul weather gear pulling in the nets. This remarkable desire to muck-in with the deckhands no matter how hard the work or how severe the conditions, is the secret to his vivid and exciting writing. I can never look at a piece of sushi or a bag of fish and chips in quiet the same way.

Tears through the lack of seriousness people give fishing
Coming from a new generation fisherman, I find it very frustrating that the thousands of people who eat fish never appreciate its origin, or the work to attain such seafood. Such is the life of a farmer, a cattle rustler, a steel worker, the carpenter. The very root of our existence and the ability to maintain it comes from the working man, the most underestimated yet still proud individual. ... Read more

Book Description

A New York Times Book Review Notable Book of the Year; Library Journal, Honorable Mention for Best Book of the Year; Delta Kappa Gamma Society Educator's Award 2000; American Association for the Advancement of Science, Best Books and Films of 1999; ;Americans love to colonize their beaches. But when storms threaten, high-ticket beachfront construction invariably takes precedence over coastal environmental concerns -we rescue the buildings, not the beaches. As Cornelia Dean explains in Against the Tide, this pattern is leading to the rapid destruction of our coast. But her eloquent account also offers sound advice for salvaging the stretches of pristine American shore that remain. The story begins with the tale of the devastating hurricane that struck Galveston, Texas, in 1900 -the deadliest natural disaster in American history, which killed some six thousand people. Misguided residents constructed a wall to prevent another tragedy, but the barrier ruined the beach and ultimately destroyed the town´s booming resort business.From harrowing accounts of natural disasters to lucid ecological explanations of natural coastal processes, from reports of human interference and construction on the shore to clear-eyed elucidation of public policy and conservation interests, this book illustrates in rich detail the conflicting interests, short-term responses, and long-range imperatives that have been the hallmarks of America´s love affair with her coast. Intriguing observations about America´s beaches, past and present, include discussions of Hurricane Andrew´s assault on the Gulf Coast, the 1962 northeaster that ravaged one thousand miles of the Atlantic shore, the beleaguered beaches of New Jersey and North Carolina´s rapidly vanishing Outer Banks, and the sand-starved coast of southern California. Dean provides dozens of examples of human attempts to tame the ocean -as well as a wealth of lucid descriptions of the ocean´s counterattack. Readers will appreciate Against the Tide´s painless course in coastal processes and new perspective on the beach. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A "must read" book!
After taking Geology 111 last year and then watching several videos about the destruction of our nation's beaches, this book appealed to me. Cornelia Dean does an excellent job of speaking in a language that everyone can understand. Her material is well-researched; this is very interesting and educational reading. If you live near the coast, you need to read this book and be informed about what is happening in your area.

Interesting but unfair
Extremely biased toward a non-property owner viewpoint. Although the government is spending money to keep sand and retain structures, it is also acting in the interest of public safety. Also, many government agencies are limiting what property owners can do with their own money, on their own property, to save their investments. Both sides of the argument are not presented evenly.

Another Sad Tale of How Humans Foul Their Nests
An astounding book that will not be read by enough people. Ms. Dean provides us with a well-researched book on the physics (don't let that word throw you off; she makes it all quite understandable) of beaches, and how, in one century, we have managed to destroy them. Quite simply the ocean cannot and should not be conquered. While capable of causing intense damage to our shores, the ocean, given time, will also inevitably repair the damage it has caused. But, build houses, hotels and other structures as well as jetties, revetments, seawalls, and groins on the beaches and you will ultimately destroy them.

The truly sad part of this book is not just that we have destroyed thousands of miles of our beaches, but that we are led by ignorant, self-serving politicians and greedy commercial and private interests to build even more damaging structures on what's left of our shores. To add insult to injury the taxpayer continues to be dunned for the money to pay for continued "beach management" (read: mismanagement), and for rebuilding destroyed structures in areas where nothing should be built. I no longer have the slightest sympathy for people whose shorefront homes are destroyed by storms. Move inland where you belong.

A must read for the concerned citizen.

Cornelia Dean Deserves The Pulitzer Prize!
I don't know Cornelia Dean but I wish she was my neighbor. This daring, wonderful, woman should be given a national award for her works in "Against the Tide." She blows the whistle on widespread negligent coastal management practices that are evident everywhere. It was extremely unsettling to me to read about almost identical patterns of coastal abuse that I have observed where I live at Alligator Point, Florida. A revetment was constructed in 1994 despite the warnings of coastal experts that it would contribute further to erosion rather than preventing it. This was done at a staggering waste of taxpayers' money and with the permission of county, state, and federal governments. Today, the beach area that once provided recreation and a protective buffer is gone because of revetment-caused erosion. Turtle areas are destroyed. Dwellings are sitting dangerously in water. The road is ruined and unsafe. And, there is no required accountabilty for removing the wall. It is now a permanent monument to disaster. Cornelia Dean articulately reveals how shamefully common this is. She has superbly documented the inept practices of coastal management efforts that are prevalent all along America's coasts. Nothing was written, however, about how to undo this American tragedy. I will, therefore, offer one suggestion based on Cornelia Dean's numerous contacts and her rapport with coastal planners. She should be given a special Presidential appointment to head up a commission to consolidate all coastal management agencies and to develop and enforce a unified set of standards. Ms. Dean's outstanding book certainly qualifies her for such a step.

Beautifully written and explained.
This book is a must-have for anyone interested in beach erosion and overdevelopment. The author clearly lays out the arguments against such beachfront "improvements" as armoring, sandtrapping, etc. As a hydrologist, I was already well aware of the futility of most attempts to preserve beaches in their existing configurations, yet this book explains these issues in a very compelling and succinct fashion. The author also describes those rare occasions when intervention can indeed be helpful, and the special circumstances under which it is justifiable. Yet what is most compelling is the overall argument that in the majority of cases, most attempts at beach and property preservation actually hasten the destruction of the very things requiring protection. Ultimately, a particular beach structure is by its very nature a transient thing, yet it is most durable in its present form if left alone. Unfortunately, with beachfront development continuing at its currently rapid pace, it is unlikely that much of this important information will be heeded. Nevertheless, it is necessary to disseminate this knowledge. Perhaps this book can help inform the public of the need to let beaches be beaches. ... Read more

Book Description

Chris and Chrissy Rouse, an experienced father-and-son scuba diving team, hoped to achieve widespread recognition for their outstanding but controversial diving skills. Obsessed and ambitious, they sought to solve the secrets of a mysterious, undocumented World War II German U-boat that lay under 230 feet of water, only a half-day's mission from New York Harbor. In doing so, they paid the ultimate price in their quest for fame.

Bernie Chowdhury, himself an expert diver and a close friend of the Rouses', explores the thrill-seeking world of deep-sea diving, including its legendary figures, most celebrated triumphs, and gruesome tragedies. By examining the diver's psychology through the complex father-and-son dynamic, Chowdhury illuminates the extreme sport diver's push toward -- and sometimes beyond -- the limits of human endurance.

Reviews (103)

A Must Read for Divers and Those Interested
As a newly certified OW diver, I read this book on the recommendation of my instructor. I would say this is a must read for those with an interest in the world below the surface. Chowdhury does a good job at presenting an overview of diving from a diver's perspective, risk management, wreck and cave exploration, vignettes of the dive community, and a little bit of the story of Chris and Chrissy Rousse. The content of this non-fiction book gets 5 stars from me. The organization and writing style leave room for improvement. Good effort for authorship when one considers the fact that Chowdhury is a diver and not Dickens or Twain. For the diver, this book is an eye-opener. For the non-diver, this a volume of many entries into our world. This book is a gift I will pass onto any of my friends who are new to diving or have an interest in diving.

Riveting yet disturbing I couldn't put it down
Bernie takes you on a trip with the Rouses. At the same time you learn some history of wreck diving and the people that (for better or worse) were involved. I was truly disturbed by the attitude of many of the wreck divers, especially one quick passage about a diver that let another die when he might have been able to save him. I also disagree with the philosophical statements, but I must admit, these were very few, two that I can think of. Overall it was an intriguing story, one that I couldn't put down. You feel as if you know some of the people when you are done and wish you could join them. If you are a diver READ THIS BOOK. Most accidents are diver error and reading of others might help you be better prepared. If you are not a diver but like adventure books you will enjoy this because you will feel like you are there.

A diver's must-read
As a wreck diver and technical diver in training, I jumped at the opportunity to read The Last Diver. I could not put it down, partly because of the gripping narrative, and partly because I had done so many of the things writting about in the book. But unlike the divers in the book, I am not a cowboy and I am SAFETY all the way. The lesson of the book is that both recreational AND technical diving is still relatively safe as long as you obey the rules of the game. The divers who lost their lives in the book The Last Dive all violated the rules - big time. Do that, and sooner or later you are going to pay the price. Its a lesson that we all need to learn again, whether we are doing our first dive or our thousandth.

Dive safe,

D. Keith Lamb
Master Diver

Essential Reading
Essential reading for any budding deep or wreck diver. This book is not a technical diving manual, but rather an account of what not to do when you go diving. The book is well written and you will have difficulty in putting it down. Well worth the money and essential reading for any diver with intermediate experience.

Hardcore divers must read - others would enjoy
Cave and wreck divers all over the world should read this book. Excellent story and well written. Even nondivers would enjoy this book. ... Read more

Book Description

Writing in a conversational style for the lay person -- without forsaking science -- the author embarks on a world-wide hunt for the largest predatory fish and most fearsome shark ever to inhabit our global seas.After 62 million years, the fossil record for this 60-foot aqua-motive known as C. megalodon abruptly ends.

In part, this is a color-illustrated guide book that pinpoints where to search for Meg teeth and other shark fossils in Florida and elsewhere, as well as how to identify the various species.It is also meant to invite lively discussions about how such a menacing predator became extinct, or whether it is still lurking deep below the ocean’s surface.Additionally, the book is a rallying cry for treating today’s sharks (as well as all life forms) with as much respect as we ourselves would want to be treated. ... Read more

Reviews (16)

A Must Have Book For A True Fossil Skark Lover!!!!
I recently had the pleasure of getting a copy of the book Megalodon - Hunting the Hunter by Mark Renz. My first thought was,"Oh yeah, this is going to be yet another amateur fossil hunter book of which all are the same, but each having just a different cover". That's what I was thinking before I opened the book. Man was I wrong to have thought that to any degree!!! This book is certainly not like any of the others which I have received. It is very informative about scientific views of the Giant Extinct Shark Megalodon and includes, as well, unexplained stories of possible encouters with modern day Megs or Meg-like sharks around the world (Though I do not believe they still exist today, the stories are still very exciting to read).The book is full of beautiful color photographs of megalodon teeth plus other shark teeth and fossils from all over the world. It also includes fantastic artwork of sharks by very artistic shark enthusiast and professionals alike. Also Mark Renz went to great pains to include a list of worldwide localities where you may be able to visit and collect your very own Megalodon Teeth. I have never before seen a book as such as this that has ever covered so much information about Megalodon until now. Mark Renz has proven himself to be an excellent writer that is very excited about what he does best; Hunting the Megalodon. His whit and very sincere appreciation of fossils is evident throughout his book. The book is saturated in excitement for fossil collecting!!! It is that sense of Mark's Personal excitement for the hobby that exudes from his style if writing that helps to set the reader on fire for more and more until they finally just have to get up and go fossil hunting for themselves or absolutely risk passing out from visual fossil information overload. At least that is how it affected me. Yes, if you love fossil hunting and especially anything to do with the giant extinct shark Megalodon, then you are going to love Mark's new book "Megalodon - Hunting the Hunter". But be warned, when you pick it up you won't want to put it down and when you do you will be out the door to go fossil hunting for yourself. So read it early in the day before it gets too late in order to leave you plenty of time later to find that big tooth before it gets too dark again outside. But of course, just bring your flash light and Mark's book along with you and that is all you will need to give you that edge to keep going to find that BIG SHARK TOOTH waiting out there for you!!!! Thanks Mark for a GREAT BOOK!!!

Megalodon:Hunting the Hunter
Megalodon, the book, I ran in to Mark Renz on a river in Fl. hunting shark teeth and he told me about his book and about when it would be out. As a lover of good fossil books, I have over 600 fossil books which about 50 are about fossil sharks.
What made in nice he had signed it for me.For meg.teeth I thank it is a well but togeather book. A ametur like my self are a profcessional will get a lot out of this book.A lot of pictures also made this book great.
George Wolf

"poorest book in paleo history!!!!!!!!"
This was a poor book that seemed like it was not even useful.The book was not that informational, only in a few parts.I do not reccomend this book to anybody!

Meg...BIG AND BAD
...yup, read this before you go to the beach...
A very informative read about nature's most dangerous predator of the sea. Includes evidence of the Meg still existing today out there, lots of photos, a comparison between other notorious extinct predators, and tons of gripping facts.

"Megladon" Enlightens in a Big Way
I have had the opportunity to hunt with Mark on several occasions in Florida and found him to be a wealth of knowlege regarding fossils. He has taken the time to put much of this knowlege into the framework of an educational and enlightening text. The book "Megladon" brings his casual, conversational approach to fascinating levels for interested readers. As a graduate from the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography, I found this book to be delightful to read, informative in it's scope, and very thorough in it's coverage of this large predator. The photographic documentation was awesome, and the additional information regarding various other fossil forms was an added bonus. This book is a "must" for the serious collector. I enjoyed "Fossiling in Florida" very much, but "Megladon" tops my list! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Very reliable handbook.
This handbook on shells is very reliable in the field or in a studio. Dozens of mollusks, crustaceans, and other exotic shell collectibles are listed here, turning out at more than two hundred species listings! However, most featured here are east coast species or found way out of the United States, which makes it not as reliable for an American beachcoming in Santa Barbara or Baja California. For those living out on the east coast or in the Caribbean, this is an excellent and very reliable resource. Also quite fun to read as a coffee table or easy chair book.
There is a catch however, as the book is bound in low quality paperback. May show wear more quickly than Audubon leatherback guides or Peterson solid lamination and paper. Best for a landlocked ocean lover wanting to take an extraordinary look at the seas marvels and shell collectibles at a nearby store. ... Read more