Sapolsky's acclaimed and successful Why Zebras Don't Get Ulcers features new chapters on how stress affects sleep and addiction, as well as new insights into anxiety and personality disorder and the impact of spirituality on managing stress.As Sapolsky explains, most of us do not lie awake at night worrying about whether we have leprosy or malaria. Instead, the diseases we fear--and the ones that plague us now--are illnesses brought on by the slow accumulation of damage, such as heart disease and cancer. When we worry or experience stress, our body turns on the same physiological responses that an animal's does, but we do not resolve conflict in the same way--through fighting or fleeing. Over time, this activation of a stress response makes us sick.

    Wilson to describe what he believes is humanity's innate affinity for the natural world. In his landmark book Biophilia, he examined how our tendency to focus on life and lifelike processes might be a biologically based need, integral to our development as individuals and as a species. That idea has caught the imagination of diverse thinkers.The Biophilia Hypothesis brings together the views of some of the most creative scientists of our time, each attempting to amplify and refine the concept of biophilia. The variety of perspectives -- psychological, biological, cultural, symbolic, and aesthetic -- frame the theoretical issues by presenting empirical evidence that supports or refutes the hypothesis. Numerous examples illustrate the idea that biophilia and its converse, biophobia, have a genetic component:fear, and even full-blown phobias of snakes and spiders are quick to develop with very little negative reinforcement, while more threatening modern artifacts -- knives, guns, automobiles -- rarely elicit such a responsepeople find trees that are climbable and have a broad, umbrella-like canopy more attractive than trees without these characteristicspeople would rather look at water, green vegetation, or flowers than built structures of glass and concreteThe biophilia hypothesis, if substantiated, provides a powerful argument for the conservation of biological diversity. More important, it implies serious consequences for our well-being as society becomes further estranged from the natural world. Relentless environmental destruction could have a significant impact on our quality of life, not just materially but psychologically and even spiritually.

    The book drives to the heart of the exciting debate on the origins of life and maintenance of order in complex biological systems. It focuses on the concept of self-organization: the spontaneous emergence of order that is widely observed throughout nature Kauffman argues that self-organization plays an important role in the Darwinian process of natural selection. Yet until now no systematic effort has been made to incorporate the concept of self-organization into evolutionary theory. The construction requirements which permit complex systems to adapt are poorly understood, as is the extent to which selection itself can yield systems able to adapt more successfully. This book explores these themes. It shows how complex systems, contrary to expectations, can spontaneously exhibit stunning degrees of order, and how this order, in turn, is essential for understanding the emergence and development of life on Earth. Topics include the new biotechnology of applied molecular evolution, with its important implications for developing new drugs and vaccines; the balance between order and chaos observed in many naturally occurring systems; new insights concerning the predictive power of statistical mechanics in biology; and other major issues. Indeed, the approaches investigated here may prove to be the new center around which biological science itself will evolve. The work is written for all those interested in the cutting edge of research in the life sciences.

    Now in a new volume of collected essays—his sixth since Ever Since Darwin—Gould speaks of the importance of unbroken connections within our own lives and to our ancestralgenerations. Along with way, he opens to us the mysteries of fish tails, frog calls, and other matters, and shows once and for all why we must take notice when a seemingly insignificant creature is threatened, like the land snail Partula from Moorea, whose extinction he movingly relates.—from the back cover

    Since that time, hundreds of new species have been identified and botanical investigation has become more sophisticated. Now Jepson's philosophy of making such information available to all is again realized in this new volume, which includes a wealth of material accumulated over the past decades.With contributions from two hundred botanists across North America, this is the most comprehensive resource and identification guide to nearly eight thousand varieties of native and naturalized California plants. The means to identify plants (using key traits and illustrations) is accompanied by special information such as horticultural requirements, endangerment, toxicity, weed status, and notes on the management of sensitive species. Identification keys have been designed for ease of use, and terms have been simplified and illustrated, making the new Manual the most authoritative field guide for the expert and amateur alike.

    The text, under the editorship of Stephen Jay Gould, provides a thorough understanding of the latest research and is accompanied by paintings prepared especially for this book. Never before has our planet's evolution been so clearly, so ingeniously explained. History is marked by disaster. The Book of Lifeexplains how mammals, having survived at least one of these disasters—the impact of a massive comet—luckily inherited the earth. Next came the rise of modern humans, who would shape the world as no creature has. As this fascinating history unfolds, gorgeous illustrations allow us to observe climate changes, tectonic plate movement, the spread of plant life, and the death of the dinosaurs. We discover the chains of animal survival, the causes and consequences of adaptation, and finally the environmental impact of human life.

    Winner of the 1992 Benjamin Franklin Award for best "Regional" book, this title continues to be the definitive popular guide to California's most emblematic tree species.

    The Red Queen answers dozens of other riddles of human nature and culture -- including why men propose marriage, the method behind our maddening notions of beauty, and the disquieting fact that a woman is more likely to conceive a child by an adulterous lover than by her husband. Brilliantly written, The Red Queen offers an extraordinary new way of interpreting the human condition and how it has evolved.

    This book is the first in-depth presentation of these insights. In detailing why the pathogens that cause malaria, smallpox, tuberculosis, and AIDS have their special kinds of deadliness, the book shows how efforts to control virtually all diseases would benefit from a more thorough application of evolutionary principles. When viewed from a Darwinian perspective, a pathogen is not simply a disease-causing agent, it is a self-replicating organism driven by evolutionary pressures to pass on as many copies of itself as possible. In this context, so-called cultural vectors--those aspects of human behavior and the human environment that allow spread of disease from immobilized people--become more important than ever. Interventions to control diseases don't simply hinder their spread but can cause pathogens and the diseases they engender to evolve into more benign forms. In fact, the union of health science with evolutionary biology offers an entirely new dimension to policy making, as the possibility of determining the future course of many diseases becomes a reality. By presenting the first detailed explanation of an evolutionary perspective on infectious disease, the author has achieved a genuine milestone in the synthesis of health science, epidemiology, and evolutionary biology. Written in a clear, accessible style, it is intended for a wide readership among professionals in these fields and general readers interested in science and health.

    The eleven groups included with fact cards are:1. Mammals2. Birds3. Reptiles & Amphibians4. Fish5. Insects & Spiders6. Primitive Animals7. Extinct Animals8. Animal Behavior9. North American Habitats10. World Habitats11. Conservation

    This guide describes 120 common species of these fuzzy creatures. All the caterpillars, their adult forms and many of their host plants are illustrated.

    This book provides the first complete identification guides to the birds of this teeming tropical paradise. It gives descriptions of 820 regional species, illustrated in 88 specially commissioned color plates accompanied by notes detailing distinctive features and habitats. Entries cover nomenclature, plumage, markings, voice, global range, distribution and regional status, habits, and diet. The main text gives practical information on where to find many exotic species, citing major birdwatching locations. Introductory chapters discuss habitats, climate, land-use, and conservation concerns. Professional ornithologists and amateur bird watchers alike will find this the indispensable bird guide for eastern Malaysia and western Indonesia for many years to come. It is also an unrivalled source of information for casual travellers and ecotourists.

    This drama has centered on evolutionary theory, and in the second edition of this textbook, Elliott Sober introduces the reader to the most important issues of these developments. With a rare combination of technical sophistication and clarity of expression, Sober engages both the higher level of theory and the direct implications for such controversial issues as creationism, teleology, nature versus nurture, and sociobiology. Above all, the reader will gain from this book a firm grasp of the structure of evolutionary theory, the evidence for it, and the scope of its explanatory significance.

    Shows and describes more than eight hundred species, and provides information on distribution, characteristics, and behavior.

    Metabolism is a complicated subject involving complex molecules and interrelated pathways. These metabolic pathways are usually taught separately with the result that the student develops a detailed but compartmentalised approach to metabolism and frequently fails to see the overall picture and its physiological significance. Using the at a Glance format, the book takes the student through a complete course in intermediary metabolism in an integrated manner. The same chart is repeated throughout the book with the individual pathway under study highlighted. The book is an ideal text for introductory biochemistry courses and has established itself as an enormously popular book amongst lecturers and students alike. This third edition is fully updated and includes five new chapters to mirror those topics currently taught at undergraduate level: 1. Metabolic Channelling 2. Glucose homeostasis and Reye's Disease 3. Pentose phosphate pathway and the prodcution of NADPH 4. Tryptophan metabolism in health and disease 5. Tyrosine metabolism in health and disease

    Covers everything from blackflies and gypsy moths to silverfish and ladybugs (the one insect for which "bug-hating" humans have an inordinate fondness). Line drawings.

    Some fields such as basic biochemistry, organic re action mechanisms, and chemical thermodynamics are weil represented by many excellent texts, and new or revised editions are published sufficiently often to keep up with progress in research. However, some areas of chemistry, especially many of those taught at the graduate level, suffer from a real lack of up-to-date textbooks. The most serious needs occur in fields that are rapidly changing. Textbooks in these subjects usually have to be written by scientists actually involved in the research that is advancing the field. It is not often easy to persuade such individuals to set time aside to help spread the knowledge they have accumulated. Our goal, in this series, is to pinpoint areas of chemistry where recent progress has outpaced what is covered in any available textbooks, and then seek out and persuade experts in these fields to produce relatively concise but instruc- tive introductions to their fields. These should serve the needs of one semester or one quarter graduate courses in chemistry and biochemistry. In so me cases the availability of texts in active research areas should help stimulate the creation of new courses.

    Now, in 1993, he realizes that he may not be able to complete the project, so he decides to publish what he had. For those missing species, he had to rely upon John Quinn to make drawings but still was able to illustrate every scientifically described cichlid species in the world. This amounted to 2271 colored illustrations and about 1,500 species and sub-species.

    It begins with a discussion of geologic time, how organisms are preserved in the rock record, and how organisms are studied and interpreted and takes the student through all the relevant uses and interpretations of fossil plants. With new chapters on additional flowering plant families, paleoecology and the structure of ancient plant communities, fossil plants as proxy records for paleoclimate, new methodologies used in phylogenetic reconstruction and the addition of new fossil plant discoveries since 1993, this book provides the most comprehensive account of the geologic history and evolution of microbes, algae, fungi, and plants through time. * Major revision of a 1993 classic reference * Lavishly illustrated with 1,800 images and user friendly for use by paleobotanists, biologists, geologists and other related scientists * Includes an expanded glossary with an extensive up-to-date bibliography and a comprehensive index * Provides extensive coverage of fungi and other microbes, and major groups of land plants both living and extinct

    It has been extensively updated and extended to cover much of the growth of mathematical biology.From the reviews: ""This book, a classical text in mathematical biology, cleverly combines mathematical tools with subject area sciences."--SHORT BOOK REVIEWS

    Rich illustrations, systematic resumes, and extensive citations make it a valuable references source.

    As the seasons pass, Snowshoe Hare's coat changes from brown to white and back to brown again, helping her to blend into her habitat and avoid predators as she searches for food.

    It is beautifully illustrated and is written in clear, non-technical language. The book's broad, up-to-date coverage and its extensive bibliography with over 1,000 references also make it invaluable to graduate students and researchers. This new edition now comes with a Glossary.

    Working undercover at a research laboratory in 1981, Alex Pacheco's discoveries led to the first criminal prosecution for animal cruelty against a medical researcher.

    The text includes strong supportive reviews, a balanced approach and the latest in research and findings. The author is known for an accessible and easy-to-understand writing style making the most difficult topics understandable.

    In this groundbreaking book, a brilliant writer and a great scientist paint an extraordinary portrait of chimps, humans, and our complex lives together since the 1600s, when Shakespeare created Caliban, neither man nor beast but "honored with a human shape". 8-page photo insert.

    Looks at the early study of North American wildlife, describes various species, and discusses the first naturalists to identify them.

    Here is a definitive book on catfishes dealing with the more than 2000 species. The text treats the catfishes family by family, giving for each the morphological characters as well as any biological information that may be available. A key to the genera contained within the family is offered whenever possible, & descriptions of each genus are provided along with an outline drawing of a species of almost every genus to help in generic recognition. Over 1,700 full-color photos, as well as over 400 b/w illustrations.

    The microstructure of tissues is related to function and clinical significance. The book starts with a section on general cell structure and replication. The second section examines the basic tissue types of blood, supporting/connective tissue, epithelial tissue, muscle and nervous tissue. The third and major section examines the microstructure of the major body systems. For each chapter there is an introductory description followed by the collection of illustrations, each with an extended explanatory caption.Superb collection of high quality illustrationsNearly all illustrations are of human tissueRedesign of page and larger trim size has dramatically increased the readability of the captions.More electron micrographs, especially in the system-based chaptersLine drawings are now in full colour and there is greater use of colour within the typographyCD-ROM of all illustrations included in back of bookSpanish version also available, ISBN: 84-8174-499-9

    Then consider telling them to focus their attention on just one animal—Ovis canadensis, popularly called the desert bighorn or borrego cimarrón—and have them write about it. Have them write from makeshift blinds or from behind a gun barrel. Have them write while walking across the Cabeza Prieta at night, or while flying over it trying to radio-collar the creatures. Have them write from actual sightings of the animals or simply from their tracks and droppings. What would result from such an exercise is Counting Sheep, an unusual anthology that demonstrates the range of possibilities in nature writing. While ostensibly a collection of writings about these desert sheep that live along the U.S.-Mexico border, it also represents an attempt to broaden the scope of the natural history essay. Writers trained in a wide range of disciplines spanning the natural and social sciences here offer a similarly diverse collection of writings, with women's, Hispanic, and Native American views complementing those in a genre long dominated by Anglo men. The four sections of the anthology comprise pre-Anglo-American tradition, examples of early nature writing, varied responses by modern writers to actually counting sheep, and a selection of essays that place bighorns in the context of the larger world. Counting Sheep celebrates the diversity of cultural responses to this single animal species in its Sonoran Desert habitat and invites readers to change the way in which they view their relationship to wild creatures everywhere. It also shows how nature writers can delight us all by the varied ways in which they practice their craft.Contributors:Charles BowdenDavid E. BrownBill BroylesJulian HaydenWilliam T. HornadayPaul KrausmanDanny LopezEric MellinkMauricio MixcoGale MonsonGary Paul NabhanDoug PeacockKermit RooseveltHarley G. ShawCharles SheldonPeter SteinhartAnita Alvarez de WilliamsTerry Tempest WilliamsAnn Zwinger

    In a provocative, authoritative study of T. Rex, the authors offer the most complete account available of the life and times of the "King" of dinosaurs. Illustrations.

    A compelling and revolutionary work that calls for the immediate extension of our human rights to the great apes.The Great Ape Project looks forward to a new stage in the development of the community of equals, whereby the great apes-chimpanzees, gorillas, and orangutans-will actually receive many of the same protections and rights that are already accorded to humans.This profound collection of thirty-one essays by the world's most distinguished observers of free-living apes make up a uniquely satisfying whole, blending observation and interpretation in a highly persuasive case for a complete reassessment of the moral status of our closest kin.

    Gedicks paints a disturbing picture of the current environmental crisis, but points to hopeful signs of resistance and coalition that could successfully block multinational corporations' resources colonization of native lands.

    The mysteries of the deep, the strange, the hideous and the wonderful all appear on the canvas and in the words of this highly original, wacky work. Full-color throughout.

    Most popular books on shells emphasize the identification of species, but Vermeij uses shells as a way to explore major ideas in biology. How are shells built? How do they work? And how did they evolve? With lucidity and charm, the MacArthur-winning evolutionary biologist reveals how shells give us insights into the lives of animals today and in the distant geological past.

    The text has been reorganized, new chapters have been added, new text references have been inserted. All this plus new color systematics sections will maintain this book as THE leading textbook on the biology of amphibians and reptiles. The book will also showcase reptiles and amphibians as model systems in conceptual areas of biology. Such a text will help integrate herpetology as a discipline into conceptually oriented undergraduate programs. The book should also appeal to a large audience of sophisticated lay people interested in reptiles and amphibians.

    Although the subject matter is relatively advanced, this book has been written with the express goal of being accessible to students with only modest backgrounds in ecology and aquatic sciences. The First Edition was widely praised for its readability, and that emphasis is retained. The second edition opens with a new introductory chapter that sets the stage for what follows. The treatment of geomorphology and hydrology are greatly expanded from the first edition, and have been split into two, more substantial chapters. Basal energy resources, trophic roles and food web interactions are retained but thoroughly updated, particularly to include recent advances in microbial ecology and the synergies between producers and decomposers. The discussion of species interactions has been re-organized so that modern topics receive more emphasis, including trophic cascades, subsidies and food web structure. Chapters on organic matter dynamics and nutrient cycling have been substantially re-written to reflect the enormous growth in knowledge of stream metabolism and nutrient processes, the core of ecosystem functioning. The closing chapter on human impacts summarizes the status of river ecosystems and principal threats, and new material that describes advances in river management including the science of environmental flows, the successes and failures of river restoration, and the potential for ecosystem-based catchment management.