Best of
Biology

2005

Mycelium Running: How Mushrooms Can Help Save the World


Paul Stamets - 2005
    That’s right: growing more mushrooms may be the best thing we can do to save the environment, and in this groundbreaking text from mushroom expert Paul Stamets, you’ll find out how. The basic science goes like this: Microscopic cells called “mycelium”--the fruit of which are mushrooms--recycle carbon, nitrogen, and other essential elements as they break down plant and animal debris in the creation of rich new soil. What Stamets has discovered is that we can capitalize on mycelium’s digestive power and target it to decompose toxic wastes and pollutants (mycoremediation), catch and reduce silt from streambeds and pathogens from agricultural watersheds (mycofiltration), control insect populations (mycopesticides), and generally enhance the health of our forests and gardens (mycoforestry and myco-gardening).  In this comprehensive guide, you’ll find chapters detailing each of these four exciting branches of what Stamets has coined “mycorestoration,” as well as chapters on the medicinal and nutritional properties of mushrooms, inoculation methods, log and stump culture, and species selection for various environmental purposes. Heavily referenced and beautifully illustrated, this book is destined to be a classic reference for bemushroomed generations to come.

Power, Sex, Suicide: Mitochondria and the Meaning of Life


Nick Lane - 2005
    Indeed, these tiny structures inside our cells are important beyond imagining. Without mitochondria, we would have no cell suicide, no sculpting of embryonic shape, no sexes, no menopause, no aging.In this fascinating and thought-provoking book, Nick Lane brings together the latest research in this exciting field to show how our growing insight into mitochondria has shed light on how complex life evolved, why sex arose (why don't we just bud?), and why we age and die. These findings are of fundamental importance, both in understanding life on Earth, but also in controlling our own illnesses, and delaying our degeneration and death. Readers learn that two billion years ago, mitochondria were probably bacteria living independent lives and that their capture within larger cells was a turning point in the evolution of life, enabling the development of complex organisms. Lane describes how mitochondria have their own DNA and that its genes mutate much faster than those in the nucleus. This high mutation rate lies behind our aging and certain congenital diseases. The latest research suggests that mitochondria play a key role in degenerative diseases such as cancer. We also discover that mitochondrial DNA is passed down almost exclusively via the female line. That's why it has been used by some researchers to trace human ancestry daughter-to-mother, to "Mitochondrial Eve," giving us vital information about our evolutionary history.Written by Nick Lane, a rising star in popular science, Power, Sex, Suicide is the first book for general readers on the nature and function of these tiny, yet fascinating structures.

Biology and Human Behavior: The Neurological Origins of Individuality


Robert M. Sapolsky - 2005
    Course Lecture Titles1. Biology and BehaviorAn Introduction 2. The Basic Cells of the Nervous System 3. How Two Neurons Communicate 4. Learning and Synaptic Plasticity 5. The Dynamics of Interacting Neurons 6. The Limbic System 7. The Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) 8. The Regulation of Hormones by the Brain 9. The Regulation of the Brain by Hormones 10. The Evolution of Behavior 11. The Evolution of BehaviorSome Examples 12. Cooperation, Competition, and Neuroeconomics 13. What Do Genes Do? Microevolution of Genes 14. What Do Genes Do? Macroevolution of Genes 15. Behavior Genetics 16. Behavior Genetics and Prenatal Environment 17. An Introduction to Ethology 18. Neuroethology 19. The Neurobiology of Aggression I 20. The Neurobiology of Aggression II 21. Hormones and Aggression 22. Early Experience and Aggression 23. Evolution, Aggression, and Cooperation 24. A Summary

Monkeyluv: And Other Essays on Our Lives as Animals


Robert M. Sapolsky - 2005
    Sapolsky, America's most beloved neurobiologist/primatologist. Organized into three sections, each tackling a Big Question in natural science, Monkeyluv offers a lively exploration of the influence of genes and the environment on behavior; the social and political -- and, of course, sexual -- implications of behavioral biology; and society's shaping of the individual. From the mating rituals of prairie dogs to the practice of religion in the rain forest, the secretion of pheromones to bugs in the brain, Sapolsky brilliantly synthesizes cutting-edge scientific research with wry, erudite observations about the enormous complexity of simply being human. Thoughtful, engaging, and infused with pop-cultural insights, this collection will appeal to the inner monkey in all of us.

Life in the Undergrowth


David Attenborough - 2005
    A spider lassoes its prey. A beetle persuades a bee to care for its young. This beautifully illustrated book by veteran naturalist Sir David Attenborough offers a rare glimpse into the secret life of invertebrates, the world's tiniest--and most fascinating--creatures.Small by virtue of their lack of backbones, this group of living things plays a surprisingly large role in the evolutionary cycle. These diverse creatures (more than one million species are believed to exist) roamed the earth before us and will still be here when we have gone. They are the pollinators, cleaners, and recyclers of life on earth. Without them, we would not last long.Attenborough has studied and enjoyed these diminutive beings since he was a schoolboy in the Leicestershire countryside of England. Life in the Undergrowth, part of his innovative series on natural history topics, looks at invertebrates the world over: their arrival on land and mastery of every habitat, and their fantastic variety of hunting, mating, and highly organized social behaviors.Adults are prejudiced against insects--handicapped by their ignorance and fears and limited by their size and vision. Children, who are closer to insects in size, notice and enjoy the tiny creatures.In this companion book to the Animal Planet television program, Attenborough shares his childlike curiosity for invertebrates, taking us down wormholes and into insect homes for an up-close-and-personal look at their habitats. As the biblical book of Proverbs implores: Go to the ant, thou sluggard: consider her ways and be wise. David Attenborough does go. It is worth going with him.

The Biology of Belief: Unleashing the Power of Consciousness, Matter and Miracles


Bruce H. Lipton - 2005
    Author Dr. Bruce Lipton is a former medical school professor and research scientist. His experiments, and that of other leading-edge scientists, have examined in great detail the processes by which cells receive information. The implications of this research radically change our understanding of life. It shows that genes and DNA do not control our biology; that instead DNA is controlled by signals from outside the cell, including the energetic messages emanating from our positive and negative thoughts. Dr. Lipton's profoundly hopeful synthesis of the latest and best research in cell biology and quantum physics is being hailed as a major breakthrough showing that our bodies can be changed as we retrain our thinking.

Caterpillars of Eastern North America: A Guide to Identification and Natural History


David L. Wagner - 2005
    The more than 1,200 color photographs and two dozen line drawings include numerous exceptionally striking images. The giant silk moths, tiger moths, and many other species covered include forest pests, common garden guests, economically important species, and of course, the Mescal Worm and Mexican Jumping Bean caterpillars. Full-page species accounts cover almost 400 species, with up to six images per species including an image of the adult plus succinct text with information on distribution, seasonal activity, foodplants, and life history. These accounts are generously complemented with additional images of earlier instars, closely related species, noteworthy behaviors, and other intriguing aspects of caterpillar biology.Many caterpillars are illustrated here for the first time. Dozens of new foodplant records are presented and erroneous records are corrected. The book provides considerable information on the distribution, biology, and taxonomy of caterpillars beyond that available in other popular works on Eastern butterflies and moths. The introductory chapter covers caterpillar structure, life cycles, rearing, natural enemies, photography, and conservation. The section titled Caterpillar Projects will be of special interest to educators.Given the dearth of accessible guides on the identification and natural history of caterpillars, Caterpillars of Eastern North America is a must for entomologists and museum curators, forest managers, conservation biologists and others who seek a compact, easy-to-use guide to the caterpillars of this vast region. A compact guide to nearly 700 caterpillars east of the Mississippi, from forest pests to garden guests and economically important species 1,200 color photos and 24 line drawings enable easy identification Full-page species accounts with image of adult insect for almost 400 species, plus succinct text on distribution and other vital information Many caterpillars illustrated here for the first time Current information on distribution, biology, and taxonomy not found in other popular works A section geared toward educators, Caterpillar Projects An indispensable resource for all who seek an easy-to-use guide to the caterpillars of this vast region

Goodman & Gilman's the Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics


Laurence L. Brunton - 2005
    Updated to reflect all critical new developments in drug action and drug-disease interaction. This is the desert island book of all medical pharmacology - if you can own just one pharmacology book, this is it.

The Counter-Creationism Handbook


Mark Isaak - 2005
    And many people who support the teaching of evolution—students, teachers, parents, administrators—do not have the background to respond. They know that scientists have thoroughly dismantled these arguments, but they don't have a handy way of responding to these attacks. The Counter-Creationism Handbook is a one-stop resource for addressing over 400 of the most prevalent claims made by creationists. Each claim is followed by a succinct and scientifically valid rebuttal, and the book includes print and on-line resources for further reading and information. The Counter-Creationism Handbook:* Covers claims made about the disciplines of philosophy, biology, paleontology, geology, astronomy, physics and mathematics, history, and more.* Addresses the claims of Biblical creationism, intelligent design creationism, and some creationism based on non-Christian religions.* Includes an introduction on how to address creationists in different venues, how to deal with novel claims, and why accurate science is important.* Is organized thematically, with extensive cross-referencing.

Evolution in Four Dimensions: Genetic, Epigenetic, Behavioral, and Symbolic Variation in the History of Life


Eva Jablonka - 2005
    New findings in molecular biology challenge the gene-centered version of Darwinian theory according to which adaptation occurs only through natural selection of chance DNA variations. In Evolution in Four Dimensions, Eva Jablonka and Marion Lamb argue that there is more to heredity than genes. They trace four dimensions in evolution -- four inheritance systems that play a role in evolution: genetic, epigenetic (or non-DNA cellular transmission of traits), behavioral, and symbolic (transmission through language and other forms of symbolic communication). These systems, they argue, can all provide variations on which natural selection can act. Evolution in Four Dimensions offers a richer, more complex view of evolution than the gene-based, one-dimensional view held by many today. The new synthesis advanced by Jablonka and Lamb makes clear that induced and acquired changes also play a role in evolution. After discussing each of the four inheritance systems in detail, Jablonka and Lamb put Humpty Dumpty together again by showing how all of these systems interact. They consider how each may have originated and guided evolutionary history and they discuss the social and philosophical implications of the four-dimensional view of evolution. Each chapter ends with a dialogue in which the authors engage the contrarieties of the fictional (and skeptical) I.M., or Ifcha Mistabra -- Aramaic for the opposite conjecture -- refining their arguments against I.M.'s vigorous counterarguments. The lucid and accessible text is accompanied by artist-physician Anna Zeligowski's lively drawings, which humorously and effectively illustrate the authors' points.

Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation


Andreas Moritz - 2005
    In this new edition of his best-selling book The Key to Health and Rejuvenation, Andreas Moritz reveals the most common but rarely recognized reasons responsible for illness and aging and how to achieve continuous vibrant health. Andreas puts the responsibility of basic health care back into the hands of the individual. He states, "Healing occurs effortlessly and naturally once the conditions that are required for the body to return to its most natural state - balance and efficiency - have been met." The basic theme is the relative ease involved in creating good health. While physicians attempt to combat or subdue illness, they "know very little about employing the mind and body to actually heal a person." The book includes a complete self-help program, part of which is derived from the ancient medical system of Ayurveda. In addition, this book is packed with useful information on all major health issues and effective methods of cleansing the blood, liver and gallbladder, intestines, kidneys, blood vessels, lymphatic system and body tissues. The nearly 500 pages, divided into 15 chapters, explain everything about the mystery of mind and body, the laws of health and illness, the risk factors of common diseases, the diagnostic parameters, the most common causes of disease and how to remove them, the basic misconceptions people and doctors have about health and wellness, and the journey to lifelong health and spiritual happiness. Neither conventional nor alternative forms of medicine provide the population with the basic, practical steps to remove the root causes of illness and use practical measures of health promotion as aprimary approach of treatment. Timeless Secrets of Health and Rejuvenation fills this gap by showing you how to employ your body's own healing powers to bring balance and harmony into all aspects of your life. Overall, this book is the bible of good health, happiness and rejuvenation for those who long for a balanced lifestyle.

The Smaller Majority: The Hidden World of the Animals That Dominate the Tropics


Piotr Naskrecki - 2005
    This is the 'smaller majority' that we meet eye-to-eye, often for the first time and certainly as never before, in Piotr Naskrecki's spectacular book. A large-format volume of over 400 exquisite, full-colour photographs, some depicting animals never before captured with a camera, The Smaller Majority takes us on a visual journey into the remote world of organisms that, however little known, overlooked, or even reviled, are critical to the bio-diversity of the tropics, and to the life of our planet. Here are the species who truly dominate the tropics, both in terms of their diversity and the ecological functions they play - invertebrates such as insects, arachnids, or flatworms, but also little-known vertebrates such as the pygmy chameleons of Madagascar or legless, underground frog kin known as caecilians; here is behaviour never before documented, as in katydids preying upon one another, photographed in places few have visited. creatures from their point of view, the book exposes the environment in which they live, the threats they face, and the devastating impact their disappearance may have. A unique introduction to the marvellous variety of the overlooked life under our feet, Naskrecki's book returns us to a child's sense of wonder with a fully informed, deeply felt understanding of the importance of so much of the world's smaller, teeming life.

Genesis: The Scientific Quest for Life's Origin


Robert M. Hazen - 2005
    Though the process obeyed all the rules of chemistry and physics, the details of that original event pose as deep a mystery as any facing science. How did non-living chemicals become alive? While the question is (deceivingly) simple, the answers are unquestionably complex. Science inevitably plays a key role in any discussion of life's origins, dealing less with the question of why life appeared on Earth than with where, when, and how it emerged on the blasted, barren face of our primitive planet. Astrobiologist Robert Hazen has spent many years dealing with the fundamental questions of life's genesis. As an active research scientist, he is down deep in all the messy details that science has to offer on the subject, tracing the inexorable sequence of events that led to the complicated interactions of carbonbased molecules. As he takes us through the astounding process of emergence, we are witness to the first tentative steps toward life?from the unfathomable abundance of carbon biomolecules synthesized in the black vacuum of space to the surface of the Earth to deep within our planet's restless crust. We are privy to the breathtaking drama that rapidly unfolds as life prevails. The theory of emergence is poised to answer a multitude of questions?even as it raises the possibility that natural processes exist beyond what we now know, perhaps beyond what we even comprehend. Genesis tells the tale of transforming scientific advances in our quest for life's origins. Written with grace, beauty, and authority, it goes directly to the heart of who we are and why we are here.

Into the Cool: Energy Flow, Thermodynamics, and Life


Eric D. Schneider - 2005
    Finding this natural basis of life has proved elusive, but in the eloquent and creative Into the Cool, Eric D. Schneider and Dorion Sagan look for answers in a surprising place: the second law of thermodynamics. This second law refers to energy's inevitable tendency to change from being concentrated in one place to becoming spread out over time. In this scientific tour de force, Schneider and Sagan show how the second law is behind evolution, ecology,economics, and even life's origin.Working from the precept that "nature abhors a gradient," Into the Cool details how complex systems emerge, enlarge, and reproduce in a world tending toward disorder. From hurricanes here to life on other worlds, from human evolution to the systems humans have created, this pervasive pull toward equilibrium governs life at its molecular base and at its peak in the elaborate structures of living complex systems. Schneider and Sagan organize their argument in a highly accessible manner, moving from descriptions of the basic physics behind energy flow to the organization of complex systems to the role of energy in life to the final section, which applies their concept of energy flow to politics, economics, and even human health.A book that needs to be grappled with by all those who wonder at the organizing principles of existence, Into the Cool will appeal to both humanists and scientists. If Charles Darwin shook the world by showing the common ancestry of all life, so Into the Cool has a similar power to disturb—and delight—by showing the common roots in energy flow of all complex, organized, and naturally functioning systems.“Whether one is considering the difference between heat and cold or between inflated prices and market values, Schneider and Sagan argue, we can apply insights from thermodynamics and entropy to understand how systems tend toward equilibrium. The result is an impressive work that ranges across disciplinary boundaries and draws from disparate literatures without blinking.”—Publishers Weekly

Endless Forms Most Beautiful: The New Science of Evo Devo and the Making of the Animal Kingdom


Sean B. Carroll - 2005
    Evo Devo Evolutionary Developmental Biology is the new science that has finally cracked open the box. Within the pages of his rich and riveting book, Sean B. Carroll explains how we are discovering that complex life is ironically much simpler than anyone ever expected.

Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest: A Photographic Encyclopedia of Invertebrates, Seaweeds and Selected Fishes


Andy Lamb - 2005
    It is designed to allow the reader to recognize virtually any coastal organism that might be encountered from southern Alaska to southern Oregon--from sea lettuces and feather boa kelp through to the leopard ribbon worm, Pacific red octopus, spiny-thigh sea spider and gutless awning-clam. Each species is identified with photographs and includes a description with information on range, habitat, appearance and behaviour.Andy Lamb and Bernard Hanby have spent most of their lifetimes studying and recording Pacific Northwest marine life and have completed over 4,000 scuba dives between them. Some of the species included in this volume have never been featured in print before. Colour-coded for quick reference and including a glossary and full index, "Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest" is a must-have for serious biologists, scuba divers, beachcombers or anyone interested in marine life and beautiful underwater photography.

Examkrackers MCAT Complete Study Package


Jonathan Orsay - 2005
    The set includes thirty-one 30-minute MCAT practice exams with answers and explanations and more than 1,600 MCAT questions.

First Human Body Encyclopedia


Penny Smith - 2005
    This exciting book is packed with fascinating facts that make basic anatomy accessible and fun. Full color.

Evolution


Douglas J. Futuyma - 2005
    Douglas Futuyma presents an overview of current thinking on theories of evolution, aimed at an undergraduate audience.

Netter's Clinical Anatomy


John T. Hansen - 2005
    Essential depictions of normal anatomy and embryology are paired with focused descriptions of a broad spectrum of corresponding clinical conditions commonly encountered across multiple medical specialties.Clinical and anatomical tables, bulleted points, and short-answer questions facilitate quick review and ready reference.

Domino Guide To The Insects Of Britain And Western Europe


Michael Chinery - 2005
    The text summarises key identification points and characteristics.

Evolution of the Insects


David A. Grimaldi - 2005
    Introductory sections cover the living species diversity of insects, methods of reconstructing evolutionary relationships, basic insect structure, and the diverse modes of insect fossilization and major fossil deposits. Major sections then explore the relationships and evolution of each order of hexapods. The volume also chronicles major episodes in the evolutionary history of insects from their modest beginnings in the Devonian and the origin of wings hundreds of millions of years before pterosaurs and birds to the impact of mass extinctions and the explosive radiation of angiosperms on insects, and how they evolved into the most complex societies in nature. Whereas other volumes focus on either living species or fossils, this is the first comprehensive synthesis of all aspects of insect evolution. Illustrated with 955 photo- and electron- micrographs, drawings, diagrams, and field photos, many in full color and virtually all of them original, this reference will appeal to anyone engaged with insect diversity--professional entomologists and students, insect and fossil collectors, and naturalists. David Grimaldi and Michael S. Engel have collectively published over 200 scientific articles and monographs on the relationships and fossil record of insects, including 10 articles in the journals Science, Nature, and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. David Grimaldi is curator in the Division of Invertebrate Zoology, American Museum of Natural History and adjunct professor at Cornell University, Columbia University, and the City University of New York. David Grimaldi has traveled in 40 countries on 6 continents, collecting and studying recent species of insects and conducting fossil excavations. He is the author of Amber: Window to the Past (Abrams, 2003). Michael S. Engel is an assistant professor in the Division of Entomology at the University of Kansas; assistant curator at the Natural History Museum, University of Kansas; research associate of the American Museum of Natural History; and fellow of the Linnean Society of London. Engel has visited numerous countries for entomological and paleontological studies, doing most of his fieldwork in Central Asia, Asia Minor, and the Western Hemisphere.

Beyond the Outer Shores: The Untold Odyssey of Ed Ricketts, the Pioneering Ecologist Who Inspired John Steinbeck and Joseph Campbell


Eric Enno Tamm - 2005
    Steinbeck immortalized Monterey's bohemian spirit in Cannery Row, but the area's true lifeblood was his best friend and mentor, Ed Ricketts. Today Ed Ricketts is usually remembered as "Doc"—the beer-drinking philosopher-scientist who presided over Monterey's population of "whores, pimps, gamblers, and sons of bitches" in Cannery Row—but Ricketts was actually a trailblazing ecologist who did seminal work in the emerging field on the Pacific Coast. His ideas were decades before their time, and his two books, Between Pacific Tides and Sea of Cortez (coauthored with Steinbeck), are still considered classics. Now, some sixty years after his untimely death, Ricketts' ecological approach and ethic seem more relevant than ever.

The Reef Aquarium, Volume Three: Science, Art, and Technology


J. Charles Delbeek - 2005
    This book discusses the science, art and technology of building reef aquariums. Covers new ideas in filtration, lighting, and system design, plumbing, pumping, and electrical design, foods and feeding. 680 pages, harcover.

Vanishing Act


Art Wolfe - 2005
    One of the world's preeminent nature photographers shows the beauty and evolutionary brilliance of animals and insects with a tenacious will to stay alive in an eat-or-be-eaten world.

Origins of Life


Robert M. Hazen - 2005
    The Grand Question of Lifes Origins 2. The Historical Setting of Origins Research 3. What Is Life? 4. Is There Life on Mars? 5. Earths Oldest Fossils 6. Fossil Isotopes 7. Molecular Biosignatures 8. Emergence 9. The Miller-Urey Experiment 10. Life from the Bottom of the Sea 11. The Deep, Hot Biosphere 12. Experiments at High Pressure 13. More Experiments Under Pressure 14. Deep Space Dust, Molten Rock, and Zeolite 15. Macromolecules and the Tree of Life 16. Lipids and Membrane Self-Organization 17. Life on Clay, Clay as Life 18. Lifes Curious Handedness 19. Self-Replicating Molecular Systems 20. Günter Wächtershäusers Grand Hypothesis 21. The RNA World 22. The Pre-RNA World 23. Natural Selection and Competition 24. Three Scenarios for the Origin of Life

The Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology


David M. BussSteven W. Gangestad - 2005
    In The Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology, leading contributors discuss the foundations of the field as well as recent discoveries currently shaping this burgeoning area of psychology.Guided by an editorial board made up of such luminaries as Leda Cosmides, John Tooby, Don Symons, Steve Pinker, Martin Daly, Margo Wilson, and Helena Cronin, the text's chapters delve into a comprehensive range of topics, covering the full range of the discipline:Foundations of evolutionary psychology Survival Mating Parenting and kinship Group living Interfaces with traditional disciplines of evolutionary psychology And interfaces across disciplines. In addition to an in-depth survey of the theory and practice of evolutionary psychology, the text also features an enlightening discussion of this discipline in the context of the law, medicine, and culture. An Afterword by Richard Dawkins provides some final thoughts from the renowned writer and exponent of evolutionary theory. Designed to set the standard for handbooks in the field, The Handbook of Evolutionary Psychology is an indispensable reference tool for every evolutionary psychologist and student.

The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life


Tim Haines - 2005
    lifelike detail... this easily readable book should appeal to dinosaur enthusiasts of all ages." -Science NewsThe Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life. The book's concise, jargon-free text and full color illustrations bring the primordial world to vivid photo-realistic life. In-depth profiles of 112 kinds of beasts cover physical characteristics, lifestyle, habitat and behavior. Throughout, "fascinating fact" sidebars offer additional bits of "dinotrivia." But there is more than dinosaurs here. Readers will find creatures from triobites to early human beings. At the heart of the book are 350 richly detailed and lifelike color illustrations -- accompanied by comprehensive text -- which are the result of pioneering work by the Emmy award-winning creative team at Framestore CFC. Using animation, graphic effects and filmmaking, they recreated awe-inspiring prehistoric creatures and the world they lived in. These images are now reproduced to thrill readers.The Complete Guide to Prehistoric Life was published to accompany two BBC TV prime-time programs, Life Before Dinosaurs and Walking with Life, both part of the Discovery Channel's award-winning Walking with Dinosaurs series.

The Parrot Problem Solver: Finding Solutions to Aggressive Behavior


Barbara Heidenreich - 2005
    Many parrot owners face these problems and need guidance on how to solve them. this is one of the only books on the market to focus on aggression in pet parrots. The author has many years of experience training birds and other animals in a wide range of settings, including Disney's Animal Kingdom, Six Flags Marine World and the Chicago Zoological Society.

Anatomy and Pathology: The World's Best Anatomical Charts


Anatomical Chart Company - 2005
    Since the last edition, we've added nine brand-new charts and replaced three charts with new editions. This comprehensive reference is an essential addition to every library, whether you are a health professional, student, or interested consumer. The book is ideal for studying human anatomy, for patient consultation, or for quick reference. Anatomical charts show the human body in a format that provides a clear and visual understanding of human anatomy, physiology, and diseases. Medical terminology and easy-to-understand supporting text are printed directly on each chart so you never have to refer to a separate key card or manual.

Darwin: The Indelible Stamp


Charles Darwin - 2005
    Watson. Included are On the Origin of Species, arguably the most important scientific work of the nineteenth century; Voyage of the Beagle, a captivating travelogue richly stocked with observations that helped guide the young Darwin through his evolutionary world view; The Descent of Man, which explored the origins of humans and their history; and The Expressions of Emotions in Man and Animals, which explored the origin and nature of the mind. With his separate introductions for each of Darwin's books he goes further to explain how the modern considerations underlying genome research would have been impossible without Darwin, bringing a contemporary relevance to these nineteenth century masterworks.

Snakes of the Southeast


Whit Gibbons - 2005
    Filled with more than 300 color photographs and written by two of the region’s most renowned herpetologists, this is the most comprehensive educational guide to the snakes of the Southeast.At the heart of the guide are its heavily illustrated, fact-filled descriptions of each species and its habitat. Also included is a wealth of general information about the importance of snake conservation and the biology, diversity, and life cycles of snakes. Useful information about the interactions of humans and snakes is also covered: species that are likely to be found near houses, snakes as pets, what to do in case of a snake bite, and more.Clearly written, cleanly designed, and fun to use, the guide will promote a better understanding of the habitat needs of, and environmental challenges to, this fascinating group of animals.Features:Conservation-oriented approachOver 300 color photographsNearly 50 distribution mapsClear descriptions of each species, including differences in the appearance of young and mature snakesSize charts, key identifiers (scales, body shape, patterns, and color), descriptions of habitat, behavior and activity, food and feeding, reproduction, predators and defense, and conservation

Venomous Snakes of the World


Mark O'Shea - 2005
    In this comprehensive volume, author Mark O'Shea has combined expertly written, in-depth descriptions of the world's common and exotic venomous snakes, highlighted by previously unpublished gripping accounts of his adventures with snakes, including personal observations and several serious snakebite episodes.The book begins with a description of the anatomies of venomous snakes, along with their diversity and distribution. Also included is a unique in-depth look at the various types of snake venom and the ways that each type attacks the body. A section on anti-venom, including thoughts on the looming anti-venom crisis, is also presented. Information on the adaptations of ocean-dwelling snakes and issues of snake conservation as well as an examination of venomous lizards follow.From bamboo pitvipers to deep-diving seasnakes, and from adders and asps to terciopelos and the massasaugas, this book takes an original approach to examining these enthralling creatures. Rather than the typical taxonomic categorization, the snakes are grouped by geographic location: the Americas, Africa, Eurasia, Tropical Asia, Australasia, and the Oceans. Each section is illustrated with stunning and rare pictures, many of which were taken by the author himself.Suitable for professional snake handlers and armchair herpetologists alike, this extremely accessible book is an enthusiastic celebration of the diversity and beauty of venomous snakes worldwide.Explores the secret world of venomous snakes, revealing their habitats, characteristics, and hunting and feeding behaviorsContains thrilling details of O'Shea's own encounters with snakesProvides detailed information on venomous snake diversity, venom types, and conservationIncludes a world map illustrating venomous snake distribution and detailed accounts of more than 170 speciesFeatures over 150 full-color photographs, many of them of extremely rare species

A Field Guide to the Tiger Beetles of the United States and Canada: Identification, Natural History, and Distribution of the Cicindelidae


David L. Pearson - 2005
    Tiger beetles are among the most widely found and popular families of insects worldwide. Enabling amateur naturalists and professionals to use two identification methods--comparison of colored pictures to live or mounted specimens, and use of illustrated dichotomous keys--full biological accounts emphasize points for identification, behaviors, and habitats. Distribution maps show where various species and subspecies can be found. The authors promote a new and exciting activity of insect watching as an alternative or supplement to collecting (the general feeling among butterfliers and dragonfly and damselfly enthusiasts). Communicating primarily through the un-refereed journal Cincindela, (Tiger Beetler) specialists themselves prefer the term, cicindelophiles. They represent an ardent sublet of the growing number of serious amateur naturalists who invest in outdoor activities seeking and identifying birds, butterflies, dragonflies, flowering plants, and various other forms of life.

Return to Wild America: A Yearlong Search for the Continent's Natural Soul


Scott Weidensaul - 2005
    They traveled from Newfoundland to Florida, deep into the heart of Mexico, through the Southwest, the Pacific Northwest, and into Alaska's Pribilof Islands. Two years later, Wild America, their classic account of the trip, was published.On the eve of that book's fiftieth anniversary, naturalist Scott Weidensaul retraces Peterson and Fisher's steps to tell the story of wild America today. How has the continent's natural landscape changed over the past fifty years? How have the wildlife, the rivers, and the rugged, untouched terrain fared? The journey takes Weidensaul to the coastal communities of Newfoundland, where he examines the devastating impact of the Atlantic cod fishery's collapse on the ecosystem; to Florida, where he charts the virtual extinction of the great wading bird colonies that Peterson and Fisher once documented; to the Mexican tropics of Xilitla, which have become a growing center of ecotourism since Fisher and Peterson's exposition. And perhaps most surprising of all, Weidensaul finds that much of what Peterson and Fisher discovered remains untouched by the industrial developments of the last fifty years. Poised to become a classic in its own right, Return to Wild America is a sweeping survey of the natural soul of North America today.

IGCSE Study Guide for Biology


Dave Hayward - 2005
    Written specifically for students preparing for the IGCSE exam, this text provides key facts, explanations of common misconceptions and errors, sample questions and students' answers, together with examiner's comments on how to improve grades.

Making Sense of Heritability


Neven Sesardić - 2005
    He critically examines the view--very widely accepted by scientists, social scientists and philosophers of science--that heritability estimates have no causal implications and are devoid of any interest and subjects the arguments to close philosophical scrutiny. His conclusion is that anti-heritability arguments are based on conceptual confusions and misunderstandings of behavioral genetics.

Food Plants of the World: An Illustrated Guide


Ben-Erik van Wyk - 2005
    This scientifically accurate guide will allow them to identify all the major plant-derived foods and flavors, research culinary uses, and understand their dietetic and nutritional properties. Introductory chapters cover the various categories of plant use, including cereals, pulses (legumes), nuts and seeds, fruits, vegetables, culinary herbs, sugar plants, beverages, spices, and flavorings. The core of the volume is an encyclopedic description of more than 350 food and flavor plants in use worldwide, with over 1000 color photographs. This accessible, pictorial guide is a concise source of practical information, not readily available elsewhere, and should be on every food enthusiast's bookshelf.

Marine Conservation Biology: The Science of Maintaining the Sea's Biodiversity


Elliott A. Norse - 2005
    While conservation biologists are working to address environmental problems humans have created on land, loss of marine biodiversity, including extinctions and habitat degradation, has received much less attention. At the same time, marine sciences such as oceanography and fisheries biology have largely ignored issues of conservation. Marine Conservation Biology brings together for the first time in a single volume leading experts from around the world to apply the lessons and thinking of conservation biology to marine issues. Contributors including James M. Acheson, Louis W. Botsford, James T. Carlton, Kristina Gjerde, Selina S. Heppell, Ransom A. Myers, Julia K. Parrish, Stephen R. Palumbi, and Daniel Pauly offer penetrating insights on the nature of marine biodiversity, what threatens it, and what humans can and must do to recover the biological integrity of the world's estuaries, coastal seas, and oceans.

Atlas of the Human Body


Vigue-Martin - 2005
    Atlas of the Human Body represents an exciting new perspective on the field of human anatomy. This book can be a useful household reference and also the book will help people care for and understand their bodies and improve their quality of life.Atlas of the Human Body offers a wide-ranging selection of information. The quality of the illustrations and their level of detail, combined with the concise and precise textual explanations, make it useful for secondary students and teachers and for many professional groups trainers, physiotherapists, gymnasts, sportsmen, homeopaths, nurses, masseuses and many others - as well as those beginning the study of medicine or the general reader interested in health and caring for their own body. Special care has been taken to ensure the quality of the book and to include information that may be lacking in comparable books.

Spiders of North America: An Identification Manual


Darrell Ubick - 2005
    The book includes more than 550 genera. The manual contains 72 chapters and a wealth of information including an introduction to spider morphology, natural history, collecting techniques and preservation methods; an overview of the current status and most recent developments in spider evolutionary history; a key to the 68 families of spiders found in North America, north of Mexico; keys to the genera in each of these 68 families; an etymological dictionary explaining the derivation of the names of spider genera and families; and a well illustrated glossary.

Symptoms In The Pharmacy: A Guide To The Management Of Common Illness


Alison Blenkinsopp - 2005
    With advice from an author team that includes both pharmacists and GPs, the book covers ailments which will be encountered in the pharmacy on a daily basis.Now in its sixth edition Symptoms in the Pharmacy has been fully revised to reflect the latest evidence and availability of new medicines. There are new sections and case studies for 'POM' to 'P' switches including chloramphenicol, sumatriptan, diclofenac, naproxen and amorolfine. This edition features colour photographs of skin conditions for the first time enabling the differentiation and diagnosis of common complaints. The public health and illness prevention content have been expanded to support this increasingly important aspect of the pharmacist's work.The book is designed for quick and easy reference with separate chapters for each ailment. Each chapter incorporates a decision making framework in which the information necessary for treatment and suggestions on 'when to refer' is distilled into helpful summary boxes. At the end of each chapter there are example case studies providing the view of pharmacists, doctors and patients for most conditions covered. These easy-to-follow- chapters can be read cover to cover or turned to for quick reference. This useful guide should be kept close at hand for frequent consultation.

The Tree of Life: A Phylogenetic Classification


Guillaume Lecointre - 2005
    Groups of organisms are no longer defined by their general appearance, but by their different individual characteristics. Phylogeny, therefore, by showing common ancestry, outlines a tree of evolutionary relationships from which one can retrace the history of life.This book diagrams the tree of life according to the most recent methods of classification. By showing how life forms arose and developed and how they are related, The Tree of Life presents a key to the living world in all its dazzling variety.,

Epic of Evolution: Seven Ages of the Cosmos


Eric Chaisson - 2005
    Chaisson, author of the classic work Cosmic Dawn, explores in his enthralling and illuminating history of the universe. Explaining new discoveries and a range of cutting-edge ideas and theories, Chaisson provides a creative and coherent synthesis of current scientific thinking on the universe's beginnings. He takes us on a tour of the seven ages of the cosmos, from the formless era of radiation through the origins of human culture. Along the way he examines the development of the most microscopic and the most immense aspects of our universe and the complex ways in which they interact. Drawing on recent breakthroughs in astrophysics and biochemistry, Chaisson discusses the contemporary scientific view that all objects-from quarks and quasars to microbes and the human mind-are interrelated. Researchers in all the natural sciences are beginning to identify an underlying pattern penetrating the fabric of existence-a sweepingly encompassing view of the formation, structure, and function of all objects in our multitudinous universe. Moreover, as Chaisson demonstrates, by deciphering the scenario of cosmic evolution, scientists can also determine how living organisms managed to inhabit the land, generate language, and create culture. Epic of Evolution offers a stunning view of how various changes, operating across almost incomprehensible domains of space and nearly inconceivable stretches of time and through the evolutionary combination of necessity and chance, have given rise to our galaxy, our star, our planet, and ourselves.Eric Chaisson holds research professorships in the departments of physics, astronomy, and education at Tufts University, where he directs the Wright Center for Science Education. He is the author of several books, including Cosmic Dawn: The Origins of Matter and Life and Cosmic Evolution: The Rise of Complexity in Nature.

E.Encyclopedia Animal


John Woodward - 2005
    Full color. Pub, 3/06.

Darwin Compendium: Voyage of the Beagle/Origin of the Species/Descent of Man & Selection in Relation to Sex/Expression of Emotions in Humans & Animals/Autobiography


Charles Darwin - 2005
    The Darwin Compendium helps to generate an understanding of what Darwin's potent ideas were, and how they affect the very nature of our civilization and understanding of the universe. This collection includes five of his core works:In The Voyage of the Beagle (1839), a young Darwin travels to the Galapagos Islands, where the diversity of finches and iguanas leads him to hypothesize that living organisms changed over time.The Origin of Species (1859), Darwin's most celebrated work, states that natural selection-the theory of survival of the fittest-resulted in the wide variety of life on earth.The Descent of Man (1871) argues that there is considerable evidence that humans are part of the animal kingdom and have been created according to the same natural laws that produced all other life on earth.To further his thesis of humans as part of the natural world, Darwin published The Expression of Emotions in Man and Animals (1872). In this work he argued that facial expressions in humans are complex forms of communication performed by intricate musculature that was the result of evolutionary processes.In 1876, after years of insults and praise over his theories about the world, Charles Darwin took stock of his own life and wrote Autobiography of Charles Darwin.

Birds of a Feather: Tales of a Wild Bird Haven


Linda Johns - 2005
    She and her "saner half," Mack, have gone so far as to transform their living room into an indoor forest, complete with two dead trees providing a variety of perches and a screened porch making do as a practise flyway. Johns nurses her feathered convalescents day and night, helping them to drink and bathe and hunt, and gaining deep insights into their highly individual personalities. Most she attempts to release back into the wild but a few, inevitably, move in to stay.Birds of a Feather: Tales of a Wild Bird Haven is a warm and funny account of eight months -- from May to December -- in the life of this caring wildlife rescuer. Fans of Johns's earlier wildlife books will relish her humorous descriptions of the antics of such irresistible characters as Blossom, the media-savvy chicken, and the goats Mower and Munch. Enhanced by line drawings of her avian housemates, this delightful collection of anecdotes in the tradition of James Herriot and Farley Mowat celebrates some of Nature's smallest and most awe-inspiring miracles.

The Genesis of Animal Play: Testing the Limits


Gordon M. Burghardt - 2005
    He asks what play might mean in our understanding of evolution, the brain, behavioral organization, and psychology. Is play essential to development? Is it the driving force behind human and animal behavior? What is the proper place for the study of play in the cognitive, behavioral, and biological sciences?The engaging nature of play--who does not enjoy watching a kitten attack a ball of yarn?--has made it difficult to study. Some scholars have called play undefinable, nonexistent, or a mystery outside the realm of scientific analysis. Using the comparative perspectives of ethology and psychology, The Genesis of Animal Play goes further than other studies in reviewing the evidence of play throughout the animal kingdom, from human babies to animals not usually considered playful. Burghardt finds that although playfulness may have been essential to the origin of much that we consider distinctive in human (and mammalian) behavior, it only develops through a specific set of interactions among developmental, evolutionary, ecological, and physiological processes. Furthermore, play is not always beneficial or adaptive.Part I offers a detailed discussion of play in placental mammals (including children) and develops an integrative framework called surplus resource theory. The most fascinating and most controversial sections of the book, perhaps, are in the seven chapters in part II in which Burghardt presents evidence of playfulness in such unexpected groups of animals as kangaroos, birds, lizards, and Fish That Leap, Juggle, and Tease. Burghardt concludes by considering the implications of the diversity of play for future research, and suggests that understanding the origin and development of play can shape our view of society and its accomplishments through history.

Mathematical Models in Biology


Leah Edelstein-Keshet - 2005
    Connections are made between diverse biological examples linked by common mathematical themes, exploring a variety of discrete and continuous ordinary and partial differential equation models. Although great advances have taken place in many of the topics covered, the simple lessons contained in Mathematical Models in Biology are still important and informative. Shortly after the first publication of Mathematical Models in Biology, the genomics revolution turned Mathematical Biology into a prominent area of interdisciplinary research. In this new millennium, biologists have discovered that mathematics is not only useful, but indispensable! As a result, there has been much resurgent interest in, and a huge expansion of, the fields collectively called mathematical biology. This book serves as a basic introduction to concepts in deterministic biological modeling.

Body: An amazing tour of human anatomy


Robert Winston - 2005
    Body is a jaw-dropping tour of anatomy from Professor Robert Winston, award winning author and TV presenter.From how your blood flows through the heart to how your food is digested, take a trip through your very own body and be astounded by its inner workings.Body: An Amazing Tour of Human Anatomy is an irresistibly graphic, top-to-toe body atlas.

The Biology of Soil: A Community and Ecosystem Approach


Richard D. Bardgett - 2005
    It describes the vast diversityof biota that live in the soil environment - the most complex habitat on earth - and discusses the factors that act as determinants of this diversity across different spacial and temporal scales. The Biology of Soil also considers how biotic interactions in soil influence the important soilprocesses of decomposition and nutrient cycling. It demonstrates how interactions and feedbacks between diverse plant and soil communities act as important drivers of ecosystem form and function. The importance of these relationships for understanding how ecosystems respond to global changephenomena, including climate change, is discussed in depth. Much is still to be learned about the soil biota and their roles in ecosystems, and the author highlights some of the many challenges that face ecologists in the exploration of soil. Richard Bardgett has wide experience in soil andterrestrial ecology, and his background of research in many ecosystems is reflected in this book which is the most comprehensive, up-to-date volume currently available in soil ecology. It provides an introduction to the biology of soil, and it also discussed the most recent developments in thisprogressive field of ecology. The importance of soil biotic interactions or community and ecosystem ecology is illustrated through the use of numerous examples and case studies. The Biology of Soil provides an excellent, easy to read introduction to anyone working in the field of soil ecology andrelated disciplines, and will be ideal for students taking undergraduate and postgraduate courses in soil ecology, plant-soil relationships, ecosystem ecology, and land management.

World Atlas of Great Apes and their Conservation


Julian Caldecott - 2005
    This sweeping atlas provides a comprehensive overview of what is currently known about all six species of great apes—chimpanzee, bonobo, Sumatran orangutan, Bornean orangutan, eastern gorilla, and western lowland gorilla. Created in association with The Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP), this book gives a thorough background on ape behavior and ecology for each species, including detailed habitat requirements, the apes' ecological role, and the possible consequences of their decline. World Atlas of Great Apes also offers a full description of the threats, current conservation efforts, and additional protection needed for each species across its entire range. Many full-color maps and illustrations make the abundance of information accessible to a broad readership, from specialists and policymakers to general readers concerned about the survival of these charismatic primates. This book represents the work of a dynamic alliance of many of the world's leading great ape research and conservation organizations. Bringing together United Nations agencies, governments, foundations, and private-sector interests, the project aims to raise the international profile of great ape conservation and to build the political will for further action. Readers learn about work being done by specific organizations in support of great ape conservation, and where conservation is most needed and most likely to be effective. *Covers all six species of great apes * Provides the most up-to-date and comprehensive data available* More than 150 full-color photos * More than 50 full-color maps and diagramsCopub: UNEP-WCMC (Royalties from the sale of this book will support the efforts of the conservation of the Great Apes Survival Project)

Fishing in Oregon: The Complete Oregon Fishing Guide


Madelynne Diness Sheehan - 2005
    Revised and updated, with more than 1200 lakes, streams, and bays. Featuring 100 detailed maps for oregon's most important fisheries.

A Field Guide to Moths of Eastern North America


Charles V. Covell Jr. - 2005
    . . has long been recognized as the most authoritative introduction to the moths of eastern North America. Intended for nonspecialists, but greatly appreciated by intermediate and advanced users, this book identifies and describes more than 1300 species in 59 families. The 1300 species, which include at least one in each of the 59 families present in the region, are those most likely to be encountered in eastern North America. Introductory chapters describe the anatomy and life cycle of moths and processes of collecting and preparing specimens. For each species, the book includes a description during the adult stage, the range as it was known in 1984, the flight season for adults, their relative abundance, and selected other information. Individual moths are portrayed from above, with wings extended, in 63 plates, many in color, while selected anatomical features, primarily wing shape and venation patterns, are illustrated in 76 black-and-white line drawings and photographs.

Language: A Biological Model


Ruth Garrett Millikan - 2005
    She now draws together a series of groundbreaking essays which set out her approach to language. Guiding the work ofmost linguists and philosophers of language today is the assumption that language is governed by prescriptive normative rules. Millikan offers a fundamentally different way of viewing the partial regularities that language displays, comparing them to biological norms that emerge from naturalselection. This yields novel and quite radical consequences for our understanding of the nature of public linguistic meaning, the process of language understanding, how children learn language, and the semantics/pragmatics distinction.

Behaviour Problems in Small Animals: Practical Advice for the Veterinary Team


Jon Bowen - 2005
    Instructor resources are available; please contact your Elsevier sales representative for details.

Pantanal: South America's Wetland Jewel


Theo Allofs - 2005
    The book also examines the impact of deforestation, overfishing and overhunting in the Pantanal and the efforts by conservationists to protect this magnificent region for future generations.Pantanal is a superbly photographed tour of one of the most memorable regions on the planet.

The Jumbled Jigsaw: An Insider's Approach to the Treatment of Autistic Spectrum `Fruit Salads'


Donna Williams - 2005
    Exploring everything from mood, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive and tic disorders to information processing and sensory perceptual difficulties, including dependency issues, identity problems and much more, Donna demonstrates how a number of such conditions can combine to form a 'cluster condition' and underpin the label 'autism spectrum disorder'.Donna Williams encourages and empowers families to look at what they can do to change their child's environment to address anxiety, overload and other issues. She also gives carers the necessary information to navigate the booming autism marketplace and demand the right tools for the job. The author also challenges professionals to adopt a multi-disciplinary approach to identifying and treating the cluster conditions that make up an autism spectrum diagnosis, and to improve service delivery to those in need.The Jumbled Jigsaw is a call to modern society to take responsibility and accept diversity. It is written in a very human and user-friendly way for parents and for Auties and Aspies themselves, but it is also aimed at carers, professionals, policy-makers and service providers.

Robustness and Evolvability in Living Systems


Andreas Wagner - 2005
    Despite this instability, most animals do not grow two heads or die, plants continue to thrive, and bacteria continue to divide. Robustness and Evolvability in Living Systems tackles this perplexing paradox. The book explores why genetic changes do not cause organisms to fail catastrophically and how evolution shapes organisms' robustness. Andreas Wagner looks at this problem from the ground up, starting with the alphabet of DNA, the genetic code, RNA, and protein molecules, moving on to genetic networks and embryonic development, and working his way up to whole organisms. He then develops an evolutionary explanation for robustness.Wagner shows how evolution by natural selection preferentially finds and favors robust solutions to the problems organisms face in surviving and reproducing. Such robustness, he argues, also enhances the potential for future evolutionary innovation. Wagner also argues that robustness has less to do with organisms having plenty of spare parts (the redundancy theory that has been popular) and more to do with the reality that mutations can change organisms in ways that do not substantively affect their fitness.Unparalleled in its field, this book offers the most detailed analysis available of all facets of robustness within organisms. It will appeal not only to biologists but also to engineers interested in the design of robust systems and to social scientists concerned with robustness in human communities and populations.

Scientific Integrity: Text and Cases in Responsible Conduct of Research


Francis L. Macrina - 2005
    Comprehensive coverage of the key issues of research integrity and up-to-date guidelines, policies, standards, and codes. Highly relevant and interactive case studies and role-playing resources enable virtually any scientist to create and teach a course in responsible conduct of research. Covers topics such as HIPAA, copyright, electronic record keeping, and much more. Serves as an excellent text for graduate and postgraduate courses in biomedical, natural, and behavioral sciences and upper level undergraduate science courses."

Caterpillars in the Field and Garden: A Field Guide to the Butterfly Caterpillars of North America


Thomas J. Allen - 2005
    Now there's a field guide in the same practical format, and with the same emphasis on conservation, to identify caterpillars.Caterpillars are as varied, fascinating, and often as colorful as the adult butterflies they become. This is the most comprehensive guide to these creatures available. It contains all the information necessary to find and identify the caterpillars of North America--from Two-tailed Swallowtails, some of the largest butterfly caterpillars at just over two inches when fully grown, to tiny Western Pygmy-Blues. Caterpillar seekers will learn how to distinguish between butterfly caterpillars and moth caterpillars, where and how to find caterpillars, and the visual differences between young and older caterpillars. Each species section describes how to identify the caterpillar, complete with brilliant photos--many published here for the first time. To make for easy field use, each caterpillar's key physical features, abundance, habitat, and major hostplants are listed on the same page as its photo. The book also contains a special section on butterfly gardening, offering valuable information on how to set up a butterfly garden and raise healthy butterfly caterpillars, and provides a thorough list of the plants butterflies most like to feast on.From the concerned gardener who wishes not to kill caterpillars that may one day become beautiful butterflies to the serious butterflier wishing to take the hobby to the next level, this remarkable guide will provide all of the information necessary for an enriching caterpillar experience.

Rare Bird: Pursuing the Mystery of the Marbled Murrelet


Maria Mudd Ruth - 2005
    This curiosity of nature, which flies like a little brown bullet at up to 100 miles an hour and lives most of its life offshore, is seen onland only during breeding season, when each female lays a single egg high on a mossy tree limb in the ancient coastal forest.Ruth traces reports of the bird back to Captain Cook’s ill-fated voyage of discovery on the Pacific Ocean in 1778, and explores the mindset of 19th- and 20th-century naturalists who — despite their best efforts — failed to piece together clues to the whereabouts of the bird’s nest. Ruth ventures to coastal meadows before dawn and onto the ocean at midnight to learn firsthand how scientists observe nature. She interviews all the major players in the drama: timber company executives and fishing fleet operators whose businesses are threatened by conservation measures, as well as the so-called cowboy scientists who are devoted to saving the marbled murrelet from extinction. And, ultimately, Ruth puts her curiosity and passion for this rare bird onto the page for readers to savor.

Secret Weapons: Defenses of Insects, Spiders, Scorpions, and Other Many-Legged Creatures


Thomas Eisner - 2005
    How lowly arthropods achieved this unlikely pre-eminence is a story deftly and colourfully told in this follow-up to the award-winning For Love of Insects. Part handbook, part field guide, part photo album, Secret Weapons chronicles the diverse and often astonishing defensive strategies that have allowed insects, spiders, scorpions, and other many-legged creatures not just to survive, but to thrive.

Catch Up Maths Stats: for the life and medical sciences


M. Harris - 2005
    Catch Up books are written to bring these students up to speed quickly and easily, enabling them to better understand, and follow, their university courses. The books are presented in an easy-to-use format with a wealth of examples relevant to biology and medicine. Written in a simple, clear and logical manner, they help the reader get to grips with the subject quickly and easily. The books are now widely recommended on undergraduate courses in the life, medical and biomedical sciences and Catch Up Maths & Stats has also found favour with PhD students, researchers and academics who need a quick primer in the subject.

Parrots For Dummies


Nikki Moustaki - 2005
    They’re as loving, intelligent, companionable, and entertaining as a cat or a dog but they surpass them by far in many other ways. They don’t require walks around the block, they’re perfect for apartment living, most have long life spans, and they’re full of personality. Besides, when was the last time you saw a vibrant blue cat or had a conversation with a talking dog?Whether you are just thinking about buying a parrot or you’ve had parrots for years, Parrots for Dummies is full of helpful information about how to be the best parrot guardian you can be. Parrots for Dummies is packed full of useful tips, hints, reminders, and warnings about everything related to parrots and their care, including: Picking a parrot Bringing a new parrot home Parrot behavior made simple Taming and training your bird Travel tips Author Nikki Moustaki, avian care and behavior consultant and author of Parakeets for Dummies, gives you all of her experienced advice about owning, caring for, and loving parrots. She draws on her professional knowledge as well as her personal familiarity with the bird to show you how to make the most of your parrot-guardian relationship. She includes information on: Purchasing and adopting a parrot Proper housing and food Parrot illnesses and diseases Correcting behavioral problems Living in a multiple parrot household Breeding and showing parrots In addition to all the help and guidance, Parrots for Dummies comes with a full-color insert with pictures of over 25 different kinds of parrots to help you choose a new pet that catches your eye or find your existing pet’s nearest relation. So whether you’re buying your first parrot or looking for some advice about an old friend, Parrots for Dummies has something for you.

Challenger: America's Favorite Eagle


Margot Theis Raven - 2005
    He was blown out of his nest as an eaglet and taken in by humans. After several failed attempts to release Challenger back into the wild, he was taken to the American Eagle Foundation. It was there that trainer Al Cecere recognized the rare opportunity to work with an uninjured eagle that had imprinted on humans. He knew Challenger, as a free flying bald eagle, a sight few Americans actually witness, could become an ambassador bringing attention to the plight of these beautiful birds.Readers will recognize Challenger from the appearances he has made -- ranging from such varied venues as the White House and the 100th Anniversary of National Wildlife Refuge System, the Pentagon and the Olympic Torch Ceremony. In addition Challenger has flown at the World Series and the 100th Anniversary of Flight at Kitty Hawk. Challenger has also appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, Good Morning America, Larry King Live, the Disney Channel, and Animal Planet.Margot Raven's first children's book, Angels in the Dust, won five national awards, including an IRATeacher's Choice Award. Her first book with Sleeping Bear Press, Mercedes and the Chocolate Pilot, was the runner-up for the 2004 Texas Bluebonnet Award. She lives with her family in Charleston, South Carolina.Challenger is illustrator Gijsbert van Frankenhuzen's eighteenth children's book with Sleeping Bear Press. His most recent title The Legend of the Petoskey Stone was a number one Midwest bestselling children's picture book. Gijsbert and his family live in Bath, Michigan, outside of Lansing, ona 40-acre farm where they rehabilitate injured wildlife.

The Great Brain Book: an Inside Look at the Inside of Your Head


H.P. Newquist - 2005
    High interest with just a touch of yuck.Understanding the brain is one of the biggest challenges facing scientists. We still don't know how the brain creates thoughts! Newquist peels back the layers of the brain to explain what it's made of, how it works, and how to make your brain work for you. From eyeballs to neurons, vivid illustrations show pieces of its complex structure.The historical chapter details how Egyptians scooped out the brains of mummies, and how phrenology developed. Brain surgery and brain abnormalities are explained, as is the function of sleep and dreams. An informal and intriguing look inside your head.

Environmental Microbiology


P.D. Sharma - 2005
    This text attempts to bring the scattered material on applied effects of microorganisms on environment, human health and welfare together in the form of a complete book on environmental microbiology.

A Dazzle of Dragonflies


Forrest L. Mitchell - 2005
    The guides are two of the most experienced and ardent fans of the “mosquitohawk,” and your journey will include encounters with poets and prehistoric giants; peeks into hidden, watery universes; side trips to garden ponds and scientific laboratories; and much more. Pioneers in the electronic imaging of insects and creators of the award-winning website Digital Dragonflies, the authors share their spectacular scans of live dragonflies, enhanced with beautiful photographs that showcase them in their natural environment. Imparting a lifelong passion for these remarkable creatures, the authors also ask us to join them in some hands-on activities to increase our awareness of and interaction with dragonflies–from tips on creating a dragonfly garden to instructions for catching, photographing, and scanning them. Get ready to have your eyes opened by this true education about all things “dragonfly.”

Rocks and Fossils: A Visual Guide


Robert R. Coenraads - 2005
    It explains geological concepts in relevant and familiar terms. Lively illustrations reveal a vast, hidden world via cross-sections and cutaways with explanatory captions.The book explores the internal engine of our planet -- the liquid iron core unique among terrestrial planets, which is the catalyst for the creation and destruction of land, mountain, and oceans.Rocks and Fossils is organized in six main sections:The Dynamic Earth the ever-changing nature of the worldAncient Worlds life from the Precambrian era to the age of humansKey Features how rocks and fossils formRocks and Fossils in the Landscape where to find fossilsMinerals How they form and why some are preciousFossils signs of life from single-cell organisms to dinosaurs. Rocks and Fossils explains the fossil record to show how prehistoric lifeforms are linked to plants and animals still on Earth. Why did some species survive and others perish? What does the future hold?

The Anatomy of the Sea: Over 600 Creatures of the Deep


David Ponsonby - 2005
    Over 600 specimens are presented in page after page of intricate engravings, woodcuts, and drawings from the Victorian era, the golden age of natural history. Meticulously rendered, these illustrations are paired with observations from early naturalists, describing the classification of each particular species, how its body is constructed, its behavior and preferences, and its habitat. Arranged by type and covering nearly all forms of marine life, The Anatomy of the Sea brings to light in one exquisite detail after another the mysteries of the deep. It's an inspiring book for all those who have gazed at the ocean in wonder.

The Facts On File Illustrated Guide To The Human Body:Cells And Genetics


Facts on File Inc. - 2005
    

Animal Architecture


Mike Hansell - 2005
    It looks at the behavioral and anatomical equipment animals have in order to build, as well as the materials available to them. It examines how architects are able, singly or collectively, to produce complex structures often much larger than themselves. It also looks at the costs of building, the properties of completed structures, the ecological impact of them, and their effects on the evolution of animal builders.

Zooplankton Of The Atlantic And Gulf Coasts: A Guide To Their Identification And Ecology


William S. Johnson - 2005
    Johnson and Dennis M. Allen provide a complete guide to estuarine and coastal zooplankton in North America and the first comprehensive guide to the zooplankton of the Atlantic and Gulf coasts. The scholarly treatment presents technical information in a user-friendly format that facilitates rapid and positive identification. Coverage includes most common zooplankton (and many phytoplankton) of this region. The authors provide detailed instructions for identifying taxa as well as the ecological information to place them in context. The introductory chapters on zooplankton biology and on coastal habitats permit the book's use as both a guide to identification and as a text or supplemental text in marine biology courses.

The Brain and Its Self: A Neurochemical Concept of the Innate and Acquired Drives


Joseph Knoll - 2005
    This most sophisticated form of organized life on earth is still in the trial and error phase of its development. It seeks to outgrow the myth-directed era of its history and come to its final state, the ration-directed human society.

Biomaterials, Artificial Organs and Tissue Engineering


Larry L. Hench - 2005
    Following an introduction to living and man-made materials, the book discusses clinical applications of biomaterials and devices, summarizes the bioengineering principles and materials used in artificial organs, and presents the concepts and applications of tissue engineering. It concludes with the complex socio-economic factors involved in technology-based healthcare. Each chapter is supplemented with illustrated PowerPoint lectures and study questions on a CD.

First in Line: Tracing Our Ape Ancestry


Tom Gundling - 2005
    Remains of the australopiths, as these bipedal apes are now called, were first discovered in 1924, yet 25 years passed before the australopiths found their place on the human family tree. This book is the first to document in detail this paradigm shift in paleoanthropology between 1924 and 1950.Tom Gundling examines a period in anthropological history when ideas about what it means to be human were severely tested. Drawing on extensive primary sources, many never before published, he argues that the reinterpretation of early human fossils came about at last because of changes in theoretical approach, not simply because new and more complete fossils had been recovered. Gundling concludes with a review of the most significant post-1950 events in the field of paleoanthropology.

Economic Theory and Cognitive Science: Microexplanation


Don Ross - 2005
    The book explores the relationships between economic theory and the theoretical foundations of related disciplines that are relevant to the day-to-day work of economics--the cognitive and behavioral sciences. It asks whether the increasingly sophisticated techniques of microeconomic analysis have revealed any deep empirical regularities--whether technical improvement represents improvement in any other sense. Casting Daniel Dennett and Kenneth Binmore as its intellectual heroes, the book proposes a comprehensive model of economic theory that, Ross argues, does not supplant, but recovers the core neoclassical insights, and counters the caricaturish conception of neoclassicism so derided by advocates of behavioral or evolutionary economics.Because he approaches his topic from the viewpoint of the philosophy of science, Ross devotes one chapter to the philosophical theory and terminology on which his argument depends and another to related philosophical issues. Two chapters provide the theoretical background in economics, one covering developments in neoclassical microeconomics and the other treating behavioral and experimental economics and evolutionary game theory. The three chapters at the heart of the argument then apply theses from the philosophy of cognitive science to foundational problems for economic theory. In these chapters, economists will find a genuinely new way of thinking about the implications of cognitive science for economics, and cognitive scientists will find in economic behavior, a new testing site for the explanations of cognitive science.

DeJong's The Neurologic Examination


William W. Campbell - 2005
    The text integrates details of neuroanatomy and clinical diagnosis in an easy-to-read format. Anatomical and exam illustrations help ensure proper technique. Plus, illustrative cases and tables summarize differentials and list clinical findings. With this book as their guide, readers will truly understand the anatomical underpinnings of examination techniques.FEATURES• Four-color design• Updated figures and references• Text is supplemented by helpful boxes that highlight key points• When available, evidence-based medical insights are incorporated in assessing the value of specific tests

Insect Bodies (World of Insects (Crabtree Publishing Paperback))


Molly Aloian - 2005
    Book Details: Format: Paperback Publication Date: 3/1/2005 Pages: 32 Reading Level: Age 7 and Up

Inner Presence: Consciousness as a Biological Phenomenon


Antti Revonsuo - 2005
    In Inner Presence, Antti Revonsuo proposes a novel approach to the study of consciousness that integrates findings from philosophy, psychology, and cognitive neuroscience into a coherent theoretical framework. Arguing that any fruitful scientific approach to the problem must consider both the subjective psychological reality of consciousness and the objective neurobiological reality, Revonsuo proposes that the best strategy for discovering the connection between these two realities is one of "biological realism," using tools of the empirical biological sciences. This approach, which he calls the "biological research program," provides a theoretical and philosophical foundation that contemporary study of consciousness lacks. Revonsuo coins the term "world simulation metaphor" and uses this metaphor to develop a powerful way of thinking about consciousness as a biological system in the brain. This leads him to propose that the dreaming brain and visual consciousness are ideal model systems for empirical consciousness research. He offers a comprehensive overview and critical analysis of consciousness research and defends his approach against currently popular philosophical views, in particular against approaches that deny or externalize phenomenal consciousness, or claim that brain activity is not sufficient for consciousness. He systematically examines the principal issues in the science of consciousness -- the contents of consciousness, the unity of consciousness and the binding problem, the explanatory gap and the neural correlates of consciousness, and the causal powers and function of consciousness. Revonsuo draws together empirical data from a wide variety of sources, including dream research, brain imaging, neuropsychology, and evolutionary psychology, into the theoretical framework of the biological research program, thus pointing the way toward a unified biological science of consciousness. Applying imaginative thought experiments, Inner Presence reaches beyond the current state-of-the-art, revealing how the problem of consciousness may eventually be solved by future science.

Ecological Consequences of Artificial Night Lighting


Catherine Rich - 2005
    From nest choice and breeding success of birds to behavioral and physiological changes in salamanders, many organisms are seriously affected by human alterations in natural patterns of light and dark.Ecological Consequences of Artificial Night Lighting is the first book to consider the environmental effects of the intentional illumination of the night. It brings together leading scientists from around the world to review the state of knowledge on the subject and to describe specific effects that have been observed across a full range of taxonomic groups, including mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians, fishes, invertebrates, and plants.Ecological Consequences of Artificial Night Lighting provides a scientific basis to begin addressing the challenge of conserving the nighttime environment. It cogently demonstrates the vital importance of this until-now neglected topic and is an essential new work for conservation planners, researchers, and anyone concerned with human impacts on the natural world.

Principles of Cancer Biology


Lewis J. Kleinsmith - 2005
    Author Lewis Kleinsmith has written an instructional text focusing on key concepts for a general audience. Each chapter contains a list of suggested readings that expand the detail as needed. The text also emphasizes the scientific evidence that underlies cancer biology, and teaches readers to think critically about this evidence- as there are constantly new "breakthroughs" and reports in this field. For readers who need the review, there are brief reviews of several topics related to DNA replication and repair, cell division, cell signaling, and inheritance patterns in chapters where these subjects are relevant. By including these reviews, the text is both accessible and engaging to a broad audience of readers who are studying cancer biology for the first time, as well as an interested general audience. KEY TOPICS: What Is Cancer, Profile of a Cancer Cell, How Cancers Spread, Identifying the Causes of Cancer, Chemicals and Cancer, Radiation and Cancer, Infectious Agents and Cancer, Heredity and Cancer, Oncogenes, Tumor Suppressor Genes and Cancer Overview, Cancer Screening, Diagnosis, and Treatment, Preventing Cancer, Main Types of Cancer, Human Carcinogens. MARKET: For all readers interested in the big picture view of cancer.