Hölldobler and Wilson review in exhaustive detail virtually all topics in the anatomy, physiology, social organization, ecology, and natural history of the ants. In large format, with almost a thousand line drawings, photographs, and paintings, it is one of the most visually rich and all-encompassing views of any group of organisms on earth. It will be welcomed both as an introduction to the subject and as an encyclopedia reference for researchers in entomology, ecology, and sociobiology.

    The all-new Kaufman Field Guide to Advanced Birding takes a different approach, clarifying the basics and providing a framework for learning about each group. Overall principles of identification are explained in clear language, and ten chapters on specific groups of birds show how these principles can be applied in practice. Anyone with a keen interest in identifying birds will find that this book makes the learning process more effective and enjoyable, and that truly understanding what we see and hear can make birding more fun.

    Two dozen new photos and illustrations make this new edition even richer with information. Its convenient paperback format makes it easy to carry and access, whether you are in or out of the garden. An essential overview of the science behind plants for beginning and advanced gardeners alike.

    It includes extensive material on molecular biology, and presents biochemistry from a chemist's perspective.

    A state-of-the-science view of current world research, the volume includes comprehensive coverage of dinosaur systematics, reproduction, and life history strategies, biogeography, taphonomy, paleoecology, thermoregulation, and extinction. Its internationally renowned authors--forty-four specialists on the various members of the Dinosauria--contribute definitive descriptions and illustrations of these magnificent Mesozoic beasts. The first section of "The Dinosauria "begins with the origin of the great clade of these fascinating reptiles, followed by separate coverage of each major dinosaur taxon, including the Mesozoic radiation of birds. The second part of the volume navigates through broad areas of interest. Here we find comprehensive documentation of dinosaur distribution through time and space, discussion of the interface between geology and biology, and the paleoecological inferences that can be made through this link. This new edition will be the benchmark reference for everyone who needs authoritative information on dinosaurs.

    This informative and indispensable reference reviews fundamental information about fluids, electrolytes, and acid-base balance; identifies electrolyte, fluid, acid, and base imbalances; describes imbalances in major health problems and their consequences; and explains how to treat those imbalances—all in an easy-to-understand, comprehensive, enjoyable format.

    Now, with The Scars of Evolution, Morgan offers a pioneering look just where it was our earliest ancestors came from, and the legacy--not always advantageous--that they left us. As she sets out to solve one of the enduring riddles of our origins--to discover the evolutionary path that separated us from the rest of the animals--Morgan shows that many of the theories currently accepted by scientists cannot explain our unique features: they leave too many questions unanswered.Millions of years ago, something happened to our ape ancestors that did not happen to the forebears of gorillas and chimpanzees, something that made them walk on two legs, lose their fur, sweat, develop larger brains, and learn to speak. While scientists have visited many a dig and studied many a fossil for clues, Elaine Morgan argues that all of the facts about our mysterious origins are right in front of us--in the form of fundamental flaws in the human design. Our propensity to suffer from lower back pain, obesity, varicose veins, acne, even infant death syndrome, is essentially the result of a cataclysmic event in our distant past.Scientists have long observed that our spines were not made for upright walking. Yet natural selection--the basic tenet of evolutionary theory--dictates that enduring changes to a species occur because of the need to adapt to changes in the environment. While thousands of working hours are lost each year to bad backs, at some point long ago it must have been an advantage to walk on two legs. The most common theory is that we became bipedal while hunting on the African savannah, needing our arms free for weapons, using an upright stance to see enemies from afar. But as Morgan points out, animals need more speed on the savannah, both for pursuit and flight, than two legs can offer. Her explanation: bipedalism emerged from life in an aquatic environment due to the flooding of the African rift valley millennia ago. The apes that suddenly found themselves stranded in swamp land (a swamp that remained for thousands of years) had to walk upright to keep from drowning. The human tendency toward obesity was once not an unsightly health problem, but rather a lifesaving form of insulation, one present in all aquatic mammals. And as Morgan carefully considers all of our other uniquely human traits--our relative hairlessness, our ability to control our breathing, our inability to maintain proper salt levels--a compelling case emerges for our human origins in a watery environment.Lively, controversial, and presented with a brilliant logic, The Scars of Evolution will change the way you think about the world--and our place in it.

    Darwin's defenders, like Stephen Jay Gould, have usually replied that there is no conflict betweenscience and religion--that values and biological facts occupy separate realms. But as James Rachels points out in this thought-provoking study, Darwin himself would disagree with Gould. Darwin, who had once planned on being a clergyman, was convinced that natural selection overthrew our age-oldreligious beliefs. Created from Animals offers a provocative look at how Darwinian evolution undermines many tenets of traditional philosophy and religion. James Rachels begins by examining Darwin's own life and work, presenting an astonishingly vivid and compressed biography. We see Darwin's studies of thepsychological links in evolution (such as emotions in dogs, and the mental powers of worms), and how he addressed the moral implications of his work, especially in his concern for the welfare of animals. Rachels goes on to present a lively and accessible survey of the controversies that followedin Darwin's wake, ranging from Herbert Spencer's Social Darwinism to Edward O. Wilson's sociobiology, and discusses how the work of such influential intellects as Descartes, Hume, Kant, T.H. Huxley, Henri Bergson, B.F. Skinner, and Stephen Jay Gould has contributed to--or been overthrownby--evolutionary science. Western philosophy and religion, Rachels argues, have been shaken by the implications of Darwin's work, most notably the controversial idea that humans are simply a more complex kind of animal. Rachels assesses a number of studies that suggest how closely humans are linked to other primates inbehavior, and then goes on to show how this idea undercuts the work of many prominent philosophers. Kant's famous argument that suicide reduces one to the level of an animal, for instance, is meaningless if humans are, in fact, animals. Indeed, humanity's membership in the animal kingdom calls intoquestion the classic notions of human dignity and the sacredness of human life. What we need now, Rachels contends, is a philosophy that does not discriminate between different species, one that addresses each being on an individual basis. With this sweeping survey of the arguments, the philosophers, and the deep implications surrounding Darwinism, Rachels lays the foundations for a new view of morality. Vibrantly written and provocatively argued, Created from Animals offers a new perspective on issues ranging from suicide toeuthanasia to animal rights.

    Thorough and up-to-date, it is organized around the themes of bauplans (body plans) and evolution (phylogenetics). Each phylum is organized in a standardized fashion, treating the systematics, bauplan (support and movement, feeding and digestion, circulation and gas exchange, excretion and osmoregulation, nervous system, reproduction and development), and phylogeny. Detailed classifications, phylogenetic trees, and references for all phyla are provided. Tables summarize each phylum's defining attributes. The text is accompanied by an abundance of detailed line drawings and-new to this edition-color photographs.

    . . [and] anyone who cares about nature in Florida would love to own."--Tallahassee Democrat "The first comprehensive guide to the state’s natural resources to be written in half a century . . . invaluable"--Tampa Tribune   "Ecosystems of Florida has a proud heritage. Its authors have the same skill and enthusiasm that characterized the early Florida ecologists.  The descriptions will encourage and delight a multitude of men and women who are enamored of Florida’s landscapes. The salvation of the Florida scene will come about only if the public savors its beauty, understands its limitations, and speaks up for its preservation.  This book has come just in time to save the landscapes of Florida."—Marjorie Harris Carr, from the foreword  Between roughly 25 and 31 degrees north latitude, a combination of flat topography, poor soils, and limited surface water produce deserts nearly everywhere on earth.  In Florida, however, these conditions support a lavish biota, more diverse than that of any other state east of the Mississippi.    In this first comprehensive guide to the state’s natural resources in sixty years, thirty top scholars describe the character, relationships, and importance of Florida’s ecosystems, the organisms that inhabit them, the forces that maintain them, and the agents that threaten them.  From pine flatwoods to coral reef, Ecosystems of Florida provides a detailed, comprehensive, authoritative account of the peninsular state’s complex, fragile environments.    In straightforward text, charts, maps, and illustrations, Ecosystems of Florida offers broad vision and detailed expertise to naturalists, wildlife managers, land use planners, foresters, and other professional and general readers interested in Florida’s environmental resources. For the foreseeable future, it will serve as the authoritative guide to the state’s environment and to those who would work with it.

    This streamlined volume contains: a simple field guide identifying 80 of the most widespread butterflies in North America and a complete overview of observing butterflies, covering basic identifying field marks and practical tips for observing and distinguishing different butterflies.This pocket guide is packed with information; bright photographs capturing the butterflies perched with their wings spread and closed; specific descriptions of each species' important identifying characteristics, life cycle, habitat and range, line drawings depicting the basic butterfly anatomy, a description of major butterfly groups and a glossary of technical terms.When observing these beautifully fragile creatures, the National Audubon Society Guide to Familiar Butterflies of North America is an excellent and handy reference guide to take along during any nature walk.

    32 full-color illustrations.

    Destined to be Morris' most popular book. 500 full-color photographs.

    Whether studying work design/ergonomics in a college classroom, preparing for the Board of Certification in Professional Ergonomics (BCPE) exam, or working as a professional in the field, readers can depend on this book to provide them with the information they need.Work Design is a single source for ergonomics, work design, and work measurement. Its engineering orientation equips readers with practical design information and procedures; its explicit organization, conversational style, and clear explanations make it easy to read and understand. The book's many charts and graphics dynamically illustrate important concepts and principles, and its extensive references give readers confidence in the material.

    The art and illustration program and the innovative learning features make the explanations and concepts of anatomy and physiology easier to understand in this 11th edition of 'Principles of Anatomy and Physiology'.

    A delight to read, combining legends and lore with tips on care and planting, this guide is a must for exploring the city's green spaces or your own back yard.

    "Only very special plants and animals can survive and reproduce in a place that may receive as little as six inches of rain in a year," observes Alcock, "a place where the temperature may rise above one hundred degrees each day for months on end." Yet he and other biologists have discovered here startling signs of life hidden in plain view under the summer sun: - male digger bees compete to reach virgins underground during the early summer mating season; - the round-tailed ground squirrel goes about its business, sounding alarm calls when danger threatens its kin; - the big-jawed beetles Dendrobias mandibularis emerge in time to feast on saguaro fruits and to use their mandibles on rival males as well; - Harris's hawks congregate in groups, showing their affinity for polyandry and communal hunting; - robberflies mimic the appearance of the bees and wasps on which they prey; - and peccaries reveal the adaptation of their reproductive cycle to the desert's seasonal rains. The book's 38 chapters introduce readers to these and other desert animals and plants, tracing the course of the season through activities as vibrant as mating rituals and as subtle as the gradual deterioration of a fallen saguaro cactus. Enhanced by the line drawings of Marilyn Hoff Stewart, Sonoran Desert Summer is both an account of how modern biology operates and a celebration of the beauty and diversity that can be found in even the most unpromising places.

    We successfully occupy every corner of the globe, from the tundra to the rain forest, from the high Andes to the blazing Kalahari. Nearly hairless, small of tooth and weak of limb, we human beings have nevertheless made ourselves at home everywhere.The reason, explains John Reader in this provocative study of human ecology, is that humans uniquely possess the most effective adaptive mechanism of all: culture. Moving into all kinds of environments, human beings have devised sets of beliefs, rules, and technologies specifically designed to ensure survival in the face of whatever obstacles the land, the weather, and that particular environment raise.This timely and important book provides heartening evidence of the resourcefulness with which human beings, everywhere and at all times, have responded to the challenges that have faced man on earth.

    If human purposeful action is the paradigm case of goal-directed action, then regarding a non-purposeful process as goal-directed means taking it to be causally similar to purposeful action. Accordingly, to determine the proper extent of teleological concepts, Binswanger provides an analysis of purposeful action and a point-by-point comparison of the features of purposeful action to those of vegetative and inanimate processes. He concludes that natural selection, in adapting actions to ends with survival value, does make all living action qualify as goal-directed, and that no inanimate process qualifies. An appendix compares Binswanger's views with those of Larry Wright and Andrew Woodfield.

    The third edition of this popular text has been extensively revised to incorporate the latest research, including new material from North and South America, Australia, Europe, China, Africa and Russia.*Highlights astonishing new discoveries including new dinosaurs and Mesozoic birds from China*features a new chapter on how to study fossil vertebrates*provides an increased emphasis on the cladistic framework with cladograms set apart from the body of the text and full lists of diagnostic characters*includes new molecular evidence on early mammal diversification*new features aid study including new functional and developmental feature spreads, key questions and extensive references to useful web sites*strong phylogenetic focus making it an up-to-date source of the latest broad-scale systematic data on vertebrate evolution

    

    

    Learning occurs through conceptual diagrams, ridiculous associations, and a strong focus on clinical relevance. Excellent Board review.

    The authors describe nearly 1500 species and varieties.

    By gradually isolating and identifying all the genes in the human body—the blueprint for life—scientists are closing in on the ability to effectively treat and prevent nearly every disease that strikes man, from muscular dystrophy, diabetes, and cancer to heart ailments, alcoholism, and even mental illness.   Such discoveries will change the course of human life. At the same time, they raise profound ethical questions that have tremendous implications: Can insurance companies demand genetic tests to determine who poses a health risk? Should parents be able to choose their baby’s sex or eye color? Will employers screen out potential employees who are genetically susceptible to occupational health problems?   An exciting true tale of discovery that is revolutionizing our world, Genome helps us understand our future.

    Using basic principles and relevant bones, conclusions can be reached regarding the probable musculature, stance, brain size, age, weight, and sex of a particular fossil specimen. The sort of deductions which are possible are illustrated by reference back to contemporary apes and humans, and a coherent picture of the history of hominid evolution appears. Written in a clear and concise style and beautifully illustrated, An Introduction to Human Evolutionary Anatomy is a basic reference for all concerned with human evolution as well as a valuable companion to both laboratory practical sessions and new research using fossil skeletons.

    Huge color illustrations of the dinosaurs. Fascinating historical information, including "dinosaurs' link to birds" and "what caused the death of the dinosaur." New discoveries, including the famous Sue, the most complete Tyrannosaurus Rex dinosaur skeleton ever found.

    Johnsgard provides a comprehensive review of all thirty-one species of diurnal raptors that breed in the United States and Canada.In his thorough style, Johnsgard presents the evolutionary history and the morphological features of this diverse group. He gives a detailed account of each of the thirty-one included species, including identifying characteristics to aid birders with field study, a survey of habitats, food and foraging ecology, social behavior, and breeding biology. He also discusses the conservation of these magnificent predators, since hawks, eagles, and falcons are among the wildlife that suffered most from use of DDT and other pesticides in the decades after WWII.In addition to range maps, full-page figures, and numerous sketches, the book is handsomely illustrated and includes appendices, a glossary of technical terms, and a bibliography of more than 1,200 sources. Comparable to Johnsgard's highly prised North American Owls, this book will be a keystone in the library of every ornithologist, raptor buff, and birder, and a welcome new source for the ecologist and naturalist as well.

    Mader expertly weaves up-to-date informative content with effective learning systems, piecing together the facts and fascination of human anatomy and physiology. With the fifth edition of Understanding Human Anatomy and Physiology, your introductory, one-semester students have the opportunity to experience an effective blend of up-to-date, informational content with several new features and an extensively enhanced multimedia support system.

    The new Sixth Edition features two new coauthors, expanded coverage of immunology and development, and new media tools for students and instructors.

    Richly illustrated with color photographs and illustrations, these books make great references for amateur naturalists and students alike.Learn captivating details, including the latest research, about these superbly adapted marine mammals.

    Sophisticated in its analysis, yet not at all technical in its exposition, this book will find a wide readership among feminists, the general public, and the scientific community.