Healthy soil is teeming with life — not just earthworms and insects, but a staggering multitude of bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms. When we use chemical fertilizers, we injure the microbial life that sustains healthy plants, and thus become increasingly dependent on an arsenal of artificial substances, many of them toxic to humans as well as other forms of life. But there is an alternative to this vicious circle: to garden in a way that strengthens, rather than destroys, the soil food web — the complex world of soil-dwelling organisms whose interactions create a nurturing environment for plants. By eschewing jargon and overly technical language, the authors make the benefits of cultivating the soil food web available to a wide audience, from devotees of organic gardening techniques to weekend gardeners who simply want to grow healthy, vigorous plants without resorting to chemicals.

    In the oceans, though, living space has both vertical and horizontal dimensions: with an average depth of 3800 meters, the oceans offer 99% of the space on Earth where life can develop. And the deep sea, which has been immersed in total darkness since the dawn of time, occupies 85% of ocean space, forming the planet’s largest habitat.  Yet these depths abound with mystery. The deep sea is mostly uncharted—only about 5 percent of the seafloor has been mapped with any reasonable degree of detail—and we know very little about the creatures that call it home. Current estimates about the number of species yet to be found vary between ten and thirty million.  The deep sea no longer has anything to prove; it is without doubt Earth’s largest reservoir of life.Combining the latest scientific discoveries with astonishing color imagery, The Deep takes readers on a voyage into the darkest realms of the ocean. Revealing nature’s oddest and most mesmerizing creatures in crystalline detail, The Deep features more than two hundred color photographs of terrifying sea monsters, living fossils, and ethereal bioluminescent creatures, some photographed here for the very first time. Accompanying these breathtaking photographs are contributions from some of the world’s most respected researchers that examine the biology of deep-sea organisms, the ecology of deep-sea habitats, and the history of deep-sea exploration.An unforgettable visual and scientific tour of the teeming abyss, The Deep celebrates the incredible diversity of life on Earth and will captivate anyone intrigued by the unseen—and unimaginable—creatures of the deep sea.

    From the geological and physical processes that affect the ocean floor to the key habitat zones, flora, and fauna, this is the definitive reference to the world's oceans for the entire family. Includes an introduction by Fabien Cousteau. Includes the latest developments in ocean exploration and photography. Catalogs the rich diversity of ocean features and marine life. Highlights important people, unique habitats, human impact studies, and extreme facts. Published in association with the American Museum of Natural History.

    Book by Weinberg, Robert A.

    The distressing decline of sea turtles in Pacific waters and their surprising recovery in the Atlantic illuminate what can go both wrong and right from our interventions, and teach us the lessons that can be applied to restore health to the world's oceans and its creatures. As Carl Safina's compelling natural history adventure makes clear, the fate of the astonishing leatherback turtle, whose ancestry can be traced back 125 million years, is in our hands.Writing with verve and color, Safina describes how he and his colleagues track giant pelagic turtles across the world's oceans and onto remote beaches of every continent. As scientists apply lessons learned in the Atlantic and Caribbean to other endangered seas, Safina follows leatherback migrations, including a thrilling journey from Monterey, California, to nesting grounds on the most remote beaches of Papua, New Guinea. The only surviving species of its genus, family, and suborder, the leatherback is an evolutionary marvel: a "reptile" that behaves like a warm-blooded dinosaur, an ocean animal able to withstand colder water than most fishes and dive deeper than any whale.In his peerless prose, Safina captures the delicate interaction between these gentle giants and the humans who are finally playing a significant role in their survival.

    An internationally recognized authority on cellular biology takes listeners on an in-depth exploration into the microscopic world, where new discoveries and research are revolutionizing the way we understand life, evolution, and consciousness.

    Nobel Prize winner Kandel intertwines cogntive psychology, neuroscience, and molecular biology with his own quest to understand memory.

    This volume contains over 1250 photographs of mushrooms and fungi, often showing the specimens in various stages of growth, and including all the latest botanical and common names as well as current ecological information on endangered species.

    This indispensable collection of forty-eight pieces from his brilliant oeuvre includes selections from classics such as Ever Since Darwin and The Mismeasure of Man, plus articles and speeches never before published in book form.This volume, the last that will bear his name, spotlights his elegance, depth, and sheer pleasure in our world—a true celebration of an extraordinary mind.

    The skull--the collection of bones that house and protect a creature's brain and sensory organs--is the key anatomical feature used to identify an animal and understand many of its behaviors. This book describes in words and pictures the bones and regions of the skull important to identification, including illustrations of all the bones in the cranium, leading to a greater understanding of a creature's place in the natural world. Life-size drawings and detailed measurements make this guide an invaluable reference for wildlife professionals, trackers, and animal-lovers alike.

    Before the invention of photography, artists played an essential role in medical science, recording human anatomy in startlingly direct and often moving images. Over 400 years, beginning with Vesalius, they charted the main systems of the body, made precise studies of living organs, documented embryonic development, and described pathologies. Human Anatomy includes portfolios of the work of 19 great anatomical artists, with concise biographies, and culminates with the Visible Human Project, which uses digital tools to visualize the human body.Praise for Human Anatomy:"From Leonardo da Vinci's exquisite pen-and-ink drawings of the human skeleton to the digital Visible Human Project in its three-dimensional glory, this fascinating book . . . documents more than 500 years of anatomical illustration in living color." -Scientific American

    Wilson is one of the leading biologists and philosophical thinkers of our time. In this compelling collection, Wilson's observations range from the tiny glands of ants to the nature of the living universe. Many of the pieces are considered landmarks in evolutionary biology, ecology, and behavioral biology. Wilson explores topics as diverse as slavery in ants, the genetic basis of societal structure, the discovery of the taxon cycle, the original formulation of the theory of island biogeography, a critique of subspecies as a unit of classification, and the conservation of life's diversity. Each article is presented in its original form, dating from Wilson's first published article in 1949 to his most recent exploration of the natural world. Preceding each piece is a brief essay by Wilson that explains the context in which the article was written and provides insights into the scientist himself and the debates of the time.This collection enables us to share Wilson's various vantage points and to view the complexities of nature through his eyes. Wilson aficionados, along with readers discovering his work for the first time, will find in this collection a world of beauty, complexity, and challenge.

    Our sense of its age was vague and vastly off the mark, and much of the knowledge of our own species’ history was a set of fantastic myths and fairy tales. In the tradition of The Microbe Hunters and Gods, Graves, and Scholars, Sean Carroll leads a rousing voyage that recounts the most important discoveries in two centuries of natural history: from Darwin’s trip around the world to Charles Walcott’s discovery of pre-Cambrian life in the Grand Canyon; from Louis and Mary Leakey’s investigation of our deepest past in East Africa to the trailblazers in modern laboratories who have located a time clock in our DNA.

    It provides a simple mathematical framework which can be used to understand and even design biological circuits. The textavoids specialist terms, focusing instead on several well-studied biological systems that concisely demonstrate key principles. An Introduction to Systems Biology: Design Principles of Biological Circuits builds a solid foundation for the intuitive understanding of general principles. It encourages the reader to ask why a system is designed in a particular way and then proceeds to answer with simplified models.

    Evolutionary Dynamics is concerned with these equations of life. In this book, Martin A. Nowak draws on the languages of biology and mathematics to outline the mathematical principles according to which life evolves. His work introduces readers to the powerful yet simple laws that govern the evolution of living systems, no matter how complicated they might seem. Evolution has become a mathematical theory, Nowak suggests, and any idea of an evolutionary process or mechanism should be studied in the context of the mathematical equations of evolutionary dynamics. His book presents a range of analytical tools that can be used to this end: fitness landscapes, mutation matrices, genomic sequence space, random drift, quasispecies, replicators, the Prisoner's Dilemma, games in finite and infinite populations, evolutionary graph theory, games on grids, evolutionary kaleidoscopes, fractals, and spatial chaos. Nowak then shows how evolutionary dynamics applies to critical real-world problems, including the progression of viral diseases such as AIDS, the virulence of infectious agents, the unpredictable mutations that lead to cancer, the evolution of altruism, and even the evolution of human language. His book makes a clear and compelling case for understanding every living system--and everything that arises as a consequence of living systems--in terms of evolutionary dynamics.

    Over the last two decades, it has emerged as a powerful tool for solving crimes and determining guilt and innocence. But, very recently, an important new aspect of DNA has been revealed—it contains a detailed record of evolution. That is, DNA is a living chronicle of how the marvelous creatures that inhabit our planet have adapted to its many environments, from the freezing waters of the Antarctic to the lush canopy of the rain forest.In the pages of this highly readable narrative, Sean Carroll guides the general reader on a tour of the massive DNA record of three billion years of evolution to see how the fittest are made. And what a eye-opening tour it is—one featuring immortal genes, fossil genes, and genes that bear the scars of past battles with horrible diseases. This book clinches the case for evolution, beyond any reasonable doubt.

    The images afford an unprecedented view into a most astonishing microcosm, where even the tiniest examples are exquisitely beautiful and sophisticated—in fact Kesseler’s work has been called “mystifying,” “astounding,” and “awe-inspiring” by scientists and critics around the world. Seeds constitutes an essential source book not only for those fascinated by the natural world, but also for artists, designers, and anyone interested in the development of biological structures. This brand-new edition features a preface by HRH the Prince of Wales, himself an avid conservationist. With its studied narrative and beautiful photographic eye, this keepsake volume is a stunning tribute to the beauty and marvel of seeds.Seeds are the most complex organs plants ever produce. A major keystone in the evolution of land plants, the first seeds appeared some 360 million years ago. Since then they have developed into highly sophisticated propagules that have enabled plants to dominate the Earth’s surface and conquer almost every possible habitat from the Antarctic to the hottest deserts. The diversity of shapes and sizes encountered in seeds is nearly endless and ranges from the impressive Seychelles nut at twenty kilos to the dustlike seeds of the orchids. No matter how small, packed into every seed is the complete genetic information needed to give rise to a new plant, whether it is a tiny herb or a giant rainforest tree. True time capsules of life, seeds may travel thousands of miles and, if necessary, wait for hundreds of years before germinating.

    An expose on the role intensive poultry farming has played in incubating and spreading the bird flu virus which is expected to become a worldwide pandemic.

    This is an explanation of the relationship of electrophysiology, nonlinear dynamics, and the computational properties of neurons, with each concept presented in terms of both neuroscience and mathematics and illustrated using geometrical intuition.

    Who would have guessed that all of our sexual and social behavior, and even our physical appearance, could be attributed to what our tiny unseen reproductive cells are doing? But that's Quirk's thesis in this highly entertaining book from an Average Guy that's a fun read full of a-ha! moments for scientists and civilians alike. Learn facts about cheating you'll never see on "Jerry Springer," like how unfaithful females actually change the biology of their mates. Discover why most sperm couldn't care less if they never saw an egg, what makes men yell "woo!" in a feminine falsetto--very similar to the mating cry of the Siamang gibbon--and, most important, the surprising answer on what to wear to attract that alpha mate.

    Most of the 205 stunning, full-color photographs have been taken using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), allowing us to see our world as never before.Each image is a close-up that reveals remarkable forms, shapes and colors. The book is divided into six chapters that cover:Micro-organisms Botany The human body Zoology Minerals Technology. Every spread includes complete, informative captions that identify the photograph and describe both the image and the way in which it was captured.With its stunning full-color photographs and text written in clear and accessible language, Microcosmos provides a fascinating journey of discovery.

    Growing Carnivorous Plants is a comprehensive guide to identifying and cultivating these remarkable plants. From the well-known Venus flytrap to obscure African sundews, from the giant pitcher plant vines of Borneo the microscopic bladderworts of Florida, more than 200 species, hybrids and cultivars from all genera of carnivorous plants are described. Included are explanations of the fascinating and diverse mechanisms the plants use to trap their victims. Imitating a plant's natural environment is the key to success in growing carnivorous plants, and this book will help readers select the best plants to grow on a windowsill, in a terrarium or greenhouse. Information on how to feed carnivorous plants will enable even the most squeamish grower to ensure that plants receive the nutrients they require. The book's 400 photographs include both spectacular images from the wild and lovely plants in cultivation.

    Updated to incorporate the recent major advances, Genomes 3 is an invaluable companion for any undergraduate throughout their studies in molecular genetics. Genomes 3 builds on the achievements of the previous two editions by putting genomes, rather than genes, at the centre of molecular genetics teaching. Recognising that molecular biology research was being driven more by genome sequencing and functional analysis than by research into genes, this approach has gathered momentum in recent years.

    Assuming the reader has little prior knowledge of the subject its importance, the principles of the techniques used and their applications are all carefully laid out, with over 250 clearly presented two-colour illustrations. In addition to a number of informative changes to the text throughout the book, the final four chapters have been significantly updated and extended to reflect the striking advances made in recent years in the applications of gene cloning and DNA analysis in biotechnology: Extended chapter on agriculture including new material on glyphosate resistant plantsNew section on the uses of gene cloning and PCR in archaeologyCoverage of ethical concerns relating to pharming, gene therapy and GM crops Gene Cloning and DNA Analysis remains an essential introductory text to a wide range of biological sciences students; including genetics and genomics, molecular biology, biochemistry, immunology and applied biology. It is also a perfect introductory text for any professional needing to learn the basics of the subject. All libraries in universities where medical, life and biological sciences are studied and taught should have copies available on their shelves. View the Gene Cloning and DNA Analysis webpage at www.blackwellpublishing.com/genecloning

    Each is awe-inspiring in its division of labor--collective defense, foraging, and nestbuilding. Yet E. O. Wilson cautioned back in 1971 that sociality should be defined more broadly, "in order to prevent the arbitrary exclusion of many interesting phenomena." Thirty-five years later, James T. Costa gives those interesting phenomena their due. He argues that, in trying to solve the puzzle of how highly eusocial behaviors evolved in a few insect orders, evolutionary biologists have neglected the more diverse social arrangements in the remaining twenty-eight orders--insect societies that don't fit the eusocial schema. Costa synthesizes here for the first time the scattered literature about social phenomena across the arthropod phylum: beetles and bugs, caterpillars and cockroaches, mantids and membracids, sawflies and spiders. This wide-ranging tour takes a rich narrative approach that interweaves theory and data analysis with the behavior and ecology of these remarkable groups. This comprehensive treatment is likely to inspire a new generation of naturalists to take a closer look.

    Now we can, thanks to the advent of innovative 3D and 4D imaging technologies that provide a powerful diagnostic tool for doctors and cast vivid light on our earliest development-and a profound new way for parents to bond with their babies on a deeper emotional level.Combining more than 140 images of life-like models based on the latest science, computer-generated illustrations, and 3D ultrasound images with an uplifting, informative text, In the Womb is a week-by-week chronicle of the mysterious, magical progress from embryo to fetus to full-term infant.Each spread features a central image and information about that particular stage as well as brief commentary explaining what we know and how we know it. For example, at 24 weeks we watch a fetus open and close her eyes, display facial expressions resembling a grimace and a frown, and stick out her tongue (no one has yet established exactly why). And during the last trimester, we learn, she experiences REM sleep and can hear loud noises through the fluids of her mother's body-a first hint of the world that awaits outside the womb.Based on National Geographic's acclaimed television program, originally aired in 2005 and soon to be supplemented with two more 2-hour segments, In the Womb is the perfect gift for expectant parents and a fascinating perspective for anyone captivated by the miracle of life.

    Thorington Jr. and Katie Ferrell unveil the fascinating world of one of the "most watched" mammals on the planet.The diversity of squirrels is astounding. There are 278 species that inhabit all continents except Antarctica and Australia—varying in size from the lumbering 18-pound gray marmot to the graceful pygmy flying squirrel that is smaller than most mice. In many parts of the world they readily share human habitats, joining us for lunch in a city park, raiding our bird feeders, and sneaking into college dorm rooms through open windows. Reviled as pests or loved as an endearing amusement, squirrels have played important roles in trade, literature, and mythology.Thorington and Ferrell cover every aspect of this diverse animal family, from the first squirrels of 36 million years ago to the present day. With over one hundred photographs and an intuitive question-and-answer format, this authoritative and engaging guide sheds light on a common mammal that is anything but commonplace.

    In spite of their rather dismal reputation, most wild mushrooms are both edible and delicious, when prepared properly. From the morel to the chanterelle and the prolific and aptly named chicken of the woods, mushrooms can easily be harvested and enjoyed, if you know where to look and what to look for. Bill Russell's Field Guide to the Wild Mushrooms of Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic helps the reader learn just that--specifically for the often-neglected East Coast mushrooms of the United States and Canada.Suited to both the novice and the experienced mushroom hunter, this book helps the reader identify mushrooms with the use of illustrations, descriptions, and environmental observations. Russell's fifty years of experience in hunting, studying, and teaching about wild mushrooms have been carefully distilled into this easy-to-use and well-designed guide. The book is divided into the four seasons, each with its unique mushroom offerings. Each mushroom section includes a detailed description, information about the mushroom's biology, tips on where the mushroom is most likely to be found, and a short "nutshell" description for quick reference. The book also includes color photographs of each of the mushrooms described.Russell's Field Guide to the Wild Mushrooms of Pennsylvania and the Mid-Atlantic shows the reader not only how to identify the most common mushrooms found in the region but also how to avoid common copycats--and what to do with the mushrooms once they're identified and harvested. With both color illustrations and insightful descriptions of one hundred of the area's most common mushrooms, Field Guide is an indispensable reference for the curious hiker, the amateur biologist, or the adventurous chef.

    Based on a well-received course taught by the author, Experimental Design for Biologists fills this gap.Experimental Design for Biologists explains how to establish the framework for an experimental project, how to set up a system, design experiments within that system, and how to determine and use the correct set of controls. Separate chapters are devoted to negative controls, positive controls, and other categories of controls that are perhaps less recognized, such as "assumption controls," and "experimentalist controls." Furthermore, there are sections on establishing the experimental system, which include performing critical "system controls." Should all experimental plans be hypothesis driven? Is a question/answer approach more appropriate? What was the hypothesis behind the Human Genome Project? What color is the sky? How does one get to Carnegie Hall? The answers to these kinds of questions can be found in Experimental Design for Biologists. Written in an engaging manner, the book provides compelling lessons in framing an experimental question, establishing a validated system to answer the question, and deriving verifiable models from experimental data. Experimental Design for Biologists is an essential source of theory and practical guidance in designing a research plan.

    They are minute, almost impossible to see without a high-powered microscope, and remain hidden beyond the beauty o the flower until the moment of release. Then the grains, like alien spaceships, are carried by wind, water or animal to achieve their purpose of procreation.This beautifully produced and highly original book by an artist and botanical scientist portrays the perfect designs of these microscopic organisms. Special light and scanning electron microscopy are used to obtain astonishing images of pollen grains, which are combined with exquisite photographs of the parent plants.Pollen describes and illustrates in minute detail the reproductive workings of plants ranging from tulips and lilies to orchids and palms. The structure and form of pollen set the scene for the remarkable events that occur from pollination to fertilization. Also included are literary references to plant reproduction, as well as early botanical illustrations.Pollen is an intriguing book that is both informative and surprisingly beautiful.

    Supports the Common Core State Standards.

    The book provides concise information on all 141 species of amphibians and reptiles found in Arizona. Species accounts include high quality color photographs, compendious natural history information, detailed range maps, custom illustrations, line drawings, and call outs to key identification characteristics. This guide is a practical tool for both frequent wildlife watchers and the occasional visitor to the Arizona outdoors.Paperback.150 pages (fully illustrated).

    It covers all of Europe, from the Arctic Circle to the Mediterranean Basin, including western Turkey, Cyprus, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and the Azones, Canaries and Madeira. It also contains an introduction to studying and identifying dragonflies, and more.

    Since South American fire ants arrived in Mobile, Alabama, in the 1940s, they have spread to become one of the most reviled pests in the Sunbelt."In Fire Ants" Tschinkel provides not just an encyclopedic overview of "S. invicta"--how they found colonies, construct and defend their nests, forage and distribute food, struggle among themselves for primacy, and even relocate entire colonies--but a lively account of how research is done, how science establishes facts, and the pleasures and problems of a scientific career.Between chapters detailed enough for experts but readily accessible to any educated reader, "interludes" provide vivid verbal images of the world of fire ants and the people who study them. Early chapters describe the several failed, and heavily politically influenced, eradication campaigns, and later ones the remarkable spread of "S. invicta"'s "polygyne" form, in which nests harbor multiple queens and colonies reproduce by "budding." The reader learns much about ants, the practice of science, and humans' role in the fire ant's North American success.

    With discussion that celebrates the fascination to be found in studying the diversity and complexity of life, this examination suggests with some urgency that the science of evolution is crucial to the existence of science itself.

    In this new volume, 24 chapters written by experts in the field discuss epigenetic effects from many perspectives. There are chapters on the basic molecular mechanisms underpinning epigenetic regulation, discussion of cellular processes that rely on this kind of regulation, and surveys of organisms in which it has been most studied. Thus, there are chapters on histone and DNA methylation, siRNAs and gene silencing; X-chromosome inactivation, dosage compensation and imprinting; and discussion of epigenetics in microbes, plants, insects, and mammals. The last part of the book looks at how epigenetic mechanisms act in cell division and differentiation, and how errors in these pathways contribute to cancer and other human diseases. Also discussed are consequences of epigenetics in attempts to clone animals. This book is a major resource for those working in the field, as well as being a suitable text for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses on gene regulation.

    We call it leaf litter, but it isn't really rubbish at all. Rachel Tonkin explores a small patch of leaf litter beneath one tree. Ages 6+.

    Standard features include: Locator Map at the front listing regional birding hotspots; Introduction by an expert on where to find the state''s top birds; How-To-Use Section with general tips on birding and advice on making the most of the guide; 125 Easy-Access Individual Entries providing a photograph of the bird in its habitat, recognition clues, specific details on behavior, habitat, and local sites, plus a special "Field Note" with artwork for extra help in tricky identifications; Alphabetical Index with life list; and Color-coded Index. Pennsylvania offers a winning variety of city and country birds. See the bright-colored, vocal Yellow-billed Cuckoo; the migratory Snow Goose; the stunning Red-Tailed Hawk; the olive Acadian Flycatcher, and more.

    Crow, Nancy FitzSimmons, Robert C. Lacy, Michael W. Nachman, Michael E. Soule, Andrea Taylor, Loren H. Rieseberg, R.C. Vrijenhoek, Lisette Waits, Robin S. Waples and Andrew Young. Supplementary information designed to support Conservation and the Genetics of Populations including: Downloadable sample chapterAnswers to questions and problemsData sets illustrating problems from the bookData analysis software programsWebsite linksAn Instructor manual CD-ROM for this title is available. Please contact our Higher Education team at HigherEducation@wiley.com for more information.

    More than 200,000 kinds of butterfly and caterpillar have been spotted around the world-that's one in every ten insects. Photographer Gilles Martin brings this extraordinary slice of nature to the page in this gorgeous volume. Martin captures butterflies in spectacular images, while photographs of caterpillars and their metamorphoses invite readers to explore the vast diversity of the species. The pictures are complemented by text from animal behaviorist and nature expert Myriam Baran, who tells would-be lepidopterists everything they need to know about these animals. From the recognizable Monarch to lesser-known types, "Butterflies of the World" gives readers an all-around look at this magnificent insect.

    This is the first comprehensive survey of the remarkable work of the19th-century biologist and artist Ernst Haeckel for whom nature and art were inseparable.

    Written by the pre-eminent authority in the field, this book builds on the reputation of the author's landmark monograph of the European otter, Wild Otters (OUP, 1995). Furthermore, its broader scope to include all species of otter in North America as well as Europe and elsewhere leads to a deeper synthesis that greatly expands the book's overall relevance and potential readership.Aimed at naturalists, scientists and conservationists, its personal style and generously illustrated text will appeal to amateurs and professionals alike. It emphasizes recent research and conservation management initiatives for all 13 species of otter worldwide, incorporates recent molecular research on taxonomy and population genetics, and discusses the wider implications of otter studies for ecology and conservation biology.As well as enchanting direct observations of the animals, there is guidance about how and where to watch and study them. From otters in the British and American lakes and rivers, to sea otters in the Pacific Ocean, giant otters in the Amazon and other species in Africa and Asia, this book provides an engaging approach to their fascinating existence, to the science needed to understand it, and to the very real threats to their survival.

    In 1971 he was discovered on the remote Galapagos island of Pinta, from which tortoises had supposedly been exterminated by greedy whalers and seal hunters. He has been at the Charles Darwin Research Station on Santa Cruz island ever since, on the off-chance that scientific ingenuity will conjure up a way of reproducing him and resurrecting his species. Meanwhile a million tourists and dozens of baffled scientists have looked on as the celebrity reptile shows not a jot of interest in the female company provided. Today, Lonesome George has come to embody the mystery, complexity and fragility of the unique Galapagos archipelago. His story echoes the challenges of conservation worldwide; it is a story of Darwin, sexual dysfunction, adventure on the high seas, cloning, DNA fingerprinting and eco-tourism.

    The text approaches learning about virology by presenting a set of chapters each of which covers a specific virus family, using one or two well-studied viruses as examples. Each chapter is designed to tell a story about the virus under discussion, and to portray the "personality" of that virus. The text incorporates lessons from classic and contemporary concepts providing a well-rounded presentation on the subject of virology. FEATURES OF FUNDAMENTALS OF MOLECULAR VIROLOGY * Unique, Applied Chapter Stories. Each chapter presents a unique example or case to help introduce the students to the different viruses that will be studied or examined in that chapter. * Evolutionary Boxes. Feature exciting and current developments in molecular virology. These are integrated throughout the entire book and can be found in every chapter. These help students understand the importance of currency and application of virology. * Comprehensive, Illustrative Art Program. The text contains a number of two-color figures which focus on the individual steps in virus replication and helps draw student's attention to important concepts and details. * Coverage of Human Pathogens. Includes chapters that cover important human pathogens such as smallpox virus, measles virus, poliovirus, herpes viruses, human immunodeficiency virus, hepatitis B virus, Ebola virus, SARS corona virus, West Nile virus, and others. What instructors are saying about Fundamentals of Molecular Virology "I like the structured treatment that is presented in Acheson. Overall, it is one of the best written and clearly organized texts on the subject I have seen." - Jeannine Williams, College of Marin "I found the text very readable and believe it will appeal to a wide audience of students...I believe this text will have broad appeal in a field where few texts exist." - Michael Roner, The University of Texas at Arlington "The main strength of the book is the great molecular detail the author achieves, but still at a level that an undergraduate student should be able to master. I like the blend of molecular with medical; this has been lacking in most virology books that I have considered using." - Darlene Walro, Walsh University

    Luisi takes the reader through the consecutive stages from prebiotic chemistry to synthetic biology, uniquely combining both approaches. This book presents a systematic course discussing the successive stages of self-organisation, emergence, self-replication, autopoiesis, synthetic compartments and construction of cellular models, in order to demonstrate the spontaneous increase in complexity from inanimate matter to the first cellular life forms. A chapter is dedicated to each of these steps, using a number of synthetic and biological examples. With end-of-chapter review questions to aid reader comprehension, this book will appeal to graduate students and academics researching the origin of life and related areas such as evolutionary biology, biochemistry, molecular biology, biophysics and natural sciences.

    Today, coffee, cacao, and rubber are threatened by fungi throughout the tropics. Indeed, fungi have carved their way through the ages, attacking every plant that we cultivate, constantly exploiting new hosts. In The Triumph of the Fungi, Nicholas Money offers an intimate picture of these pernicious microbes, the scientists who have sought to control them, and the people directly impacted by the loss of forest trees and cash crops. Even with the development of fungicides and other scientific breakthroughs, fungi continue to be unstoppable - this is the story of their triumph.

    It can be used with either mixed ability or streamed sets and higher tier materials are clearly marked.

    More than 100 world-renowned investigators provide encyclopedic coverage of every aspect of contemporary virology, including the pathogenesis of viral diseases and the molecular biology, replication, and clinical significance of all known virus families. This edition has many new international contributing authors and a greater emphasis on clinical relevance. Coverage includes new material on viruses and biodefense, emerging and re-emerging viruses, the human virome, mononegavirales, and henipaviruses. This edition also has a new two-color design and a revised art program unifying replication and virions images. A new bound-in CD-ROM contains a viral image bank.

    They sport the many colors of the rainbow, range in weight from 100 to 1,300 pounds, and figure in the mythology and folklore of cultures around the world. And still, they currently risk extinction. In this book, marine biologist Blair Ernest Witherington, who has devoted decades to these ancient creatures, offers readers an in-depth look into their mysterious world. Accompanied by exquisite photographs, his descriptions comprise a personal introduction to these strangely graceful marine reptiles. Detailed, lively, and up-to-date imagery tells the story of sea turtles’ distant origins, their specialized form and undersea challenges, senses and life cycle, world voyages and navigational talents—and their ecological roles. The most comprehensive overview of sea turtles to date, this book portrays each of the seven species in close-up, offering information on appearance, distribution, movements, life history, reproduction, diet, unique traits, and conservation.

    But some genes spread in spite of being harmful to the host organism--by distorting their own transmission to the next generation, or by changing how the host behaves toward relatives. As a consequence, different genes in a single organism can have diametrically opposed interests and adaptations.Covering all species from yeast to humans, Genes in Conflict is the first book to tell the story of selfish genetic elements, those continually appearing stretches of DNA that act narrowly to advance their own replication at the expense of the larger organism. As Austin Burt and Robert Trivers show, these selfish genes are a universal feature of life with pervasive effects, including numerous counter-adaptations. Their spread has created a whole world of socio-genetic interactions within individuals, usually completely hidden from sight.Genes in Conflict introduces the subject of selfish genetic elements in all its aspects, from molecular and genetic to behavioral and evolutionary. Burt and Trivers give us access for the first time to a crucial area of research--now developing at an explosive rate--that is cohering as a unitary whole, with its own logic and interconnected questions, a subject certain to be of enduring importance to our understanding of genetics and evolution.

    With growing awareness that peatlands are a key component of the carbon cycle in their role as a carbon sink, this book provides a concise introduction to peatland ecology with an emphasis on organisms that dominate peatland habitats.

    Light breaks through the clouds of confusion as bestselling author and respected astronomer Ross unveils a testable creation model that can settle this raging dispute.

    It also describes the efforts of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) to protect and nurture Borneo's wealth of natural resources.

    They included the giant moa, the beautiful huia, and the largest eagle the earth has ever seen. Within a few hundred years, human settlement extinguished 58 species – over a quarter of the species. For the first time ever, this book brings all these lost birds to life. In rich colour, celebrated painter Paul Martinson depicts each bird in its original habitat. Te Papa palaeontologist Alan Tennyson provides detailed information on the birds as well as a compelling overview of their tragic extinction. This book is essential reading for experts, students, and anyone interested in the unique natural history of this island nation.

    Perhaps less than one tenth of one percent of this vast prairie remains—small patches tucked away here and there, once serving as hay meadows or sprouting from rock too stony to plow. Matt White’s connections with both prairie plants and prairie people are evident in the stories of discovery and inspiration he tells as he tracks the ever dwindling parcels of tallgrass prairie in northeast Texas. In his search, he stumbles upon some unexpected fragments of virgin land, as well as some remarkable tales of both destruction and stewardship. Helping us understand what a prairie is and how to appreciate its beauty and importance, White also increases our awareness of prairies, past and present, so that we might champion their survival in whatever small plots remain.

    Writing for a broad audience, Mark Bertness examines how distinctive communities of plants and animals are generated on rocky shores and in salt marshes, mangroves, and soft sediment beaches on Atlantic shorelines.The book provides a comprehensive background for understanding the basic principles of intertidal ecology and the unique conditions faced by intertidal organisms. It describes the history of the Atlantic Coast, tides, and near-shore oceanographic processes that influence shoreline organisms; explains primary production in shoreline systems, intertidal food webs, and the way intertidal organisms survive; sets out the unusual reproductive challenges of living in an intertidal habitat, and the role of recruitment in shaping intertidal communities; and outlines how biological processes like competition, predation, facilitation, and ecosystem engineering generate the spatial structure of intertidal communities.The last part of the book focuses on the ecology of the three main shoreline habitats--rocky shores, soft sediment beaches, and shorelines vegetated with salt marsh plants and mangroves--and discusses in detail conservation issues associated with each of them.

    -Illustrated guide to fungi of the north woods including MN, WI and MI-Includes a key to the most common fungi groups-Guide is divided into 6 easy to remember categories-Size icons show the range of cap widths and stalk heights-Glossary of terms included-Fungus checklist to record finds

    Synthetic Worlds offers fascinating new insights into the place of the material object and the significance of the natural, the organic, and the inorganic in Western aesthetics. Esther Leslie considers how radical innovations in chemistry confounded earlier alchemical and Romantic philosophies of science and nature while profoundly influencing the theories that developed in their wake. She also explores how advances in chemical engineering provided visual artists with new colors, surfaces, coatings, and textures, thus dramatically recasting the way painters approached their work. Ranging from Goethe to Hegel, Blake to the Bauhaus, Synthetic Worlds ultimately considers the astonishing affinities between chemistry and aesthetics more generally. As in science, progress in the arts is always assured, because the impulse to discover is as immutable and timeless as the drive to create.

    However, with the advent of biotechnology, breeders are increasingly incorporating molecular tools in their breeding work. In recognition of the current state of methods and their application, this text introduces both classical and molecular tools for plant breeding. Topics such as biotechnology in plant breeding, intellectual property, risks, emerging concepts (decentralized breeding, organic breeding), and more are addressed in this state of the art text. The final 8 chapters provide a useful reference on breeding the largest and most common crops. In addition, over 25 plant breeders share their professional experiences while illustrating concepts in the text. Features include: Comprehensive presentation of both classical and molecular plant breeding toolsIndustry highlight essays from over 25 professional plant breedersChapter introductions, summaries and discussion questionsEasy reference glossaryReference chapters on breeding 8 of the largest and most common crops Artwork from the book is available to instructors online at www.blackwellpublishing.com/acquaah. An Instructor manual CD-ROM for this title is available. Please contact our Higher Education team at HigherEducation@wiley.com for more information.

    The book unites theory with examples from a wide range of taxa in a logical and progressive manner, and its accessible writing style makes subjects such as population genetics and phylogenetics highly comprehensible to its readers. The first part of the book introduces the essential underpinnings of molecular ecology, starting with a review of genetics and a discussion of the molecular markers that are most frequently used in ecological research. This leads into an overview of population genetics in ecology. The second half of the book then moves on to specific applications of molecular ecology, covering phylogeography, behavioural ecology and conservation genetics. The final chapter looks at molecular ecology in a wider context by using a number of case studies that are relevant to various economic and social concerns, including wildlife forensics, agriculture, and overfishing * comprehensive overview of the different aspects of molecular ecology * attention to both theoretical and applied concerns * accessible writing style and logical structure * numerous up-to-date examples and references This will be an invaluable reference for those studying molecular ecology, population genetics, evolutionary biology, conservation genetics and behavioural ecology, as well as researchers working in these fields.

    evolutionary biology suggests that individual living things are designed to reproduce. So why does homosexuality exist? Wouldn't a gay gene ensure its own demise? Conundrum pulls together information from biology, anthropology, and recent lesbian and gay history, and suggests that both nature and nurture are involved in the evolution of homosexuality.

    In Foundations of Cyclopean Perception (first published in 1971 and unavailable for years), Bela Julesz traced the visual information flow in the brain, analyzing how the brain combines separate images received from the two eyes to produce depth perception. Julesz developed novel tools to do this: random-dot stereograms and cinematograms, generated by early digital computers at Bell Labs. These images, when viewed with the special glasses that came with the book, revealed complex, three-dimensional surfaces; this mode of visual stimulus became a paradigm for research in vision and perception. This reprint edition includes all 48 color random-dot designs from the original, as well as the special 3-D glasses required to view them.Foundations of Cyclopean Perception has had a profound impact on the vision studies community. It was chosen as one of the one hundred most influential works in cognitive science in a poll conducted by the University of Minnesota's Center for Cognitive Sciences. Many copies are "permanently borrowed" from college libraries; used copies are sought after online. Now, with this facsimile of the 1971 edition, the book is available again to cognitive scientists, neuroscientists, vision researchers, artists, and designers.

    A comprehensive guide to the evolution, geology, and animal life of the prehistoric world featuring illustrations of more than 600 species.

    You know that. The path to manhood is a journey of discovery and experience, trial and adventure. In "The Way of the Wild Heart Manual," John Eldredge and Craig McConnell come alongside those men who long to have a guide to lead them through this rite of passage, this masculine initiation.Filled with personal stories, illustrations from popular movies and books, and probing questions, this manual will set you on a heart-searching expedition to authentic masculinity through reflection, meditation, and experience. This vital companion to "The Way of the Wild Heart" is designed to help you know God as Father in a way you've never known him before. Guiding you through the six stages that all men must go through―the Beloved Son, the Cowboy Ranger, the Warrior, the Lover, the King, and the Sage―its discerning questions, key points, and exercises will help you discover the life that God intended for you as a man.Ultimately, this is a walk "with" God. Let your Father Show you the way.

    Forty-four original essays--by fifty-nine leading researchers in the field today--provide wide-ranging and contemporary coverage of all of the major areas of primatology. Arranged in six sections, the text begins with an introduction to primatology and a review of the natural history of the major taxonomic groups within the order Primates. It goes on to cover methodologies and research design for both field and captive settings; primate reproduction; primate ecology and conservation and their roles in the daily lives of primates; and such aspects of social behavior and intelligence as communication, learning, and cognition. The volume ends with a concluding chapter by the editors that discusses the future of primatological research. Ideal for introductory primatology courses, Primates in Perspective can also be used in upper-division behavior and conservation courses. Additionally, it is an invaluable reference tool for primate researchers.

    But, as she buriesherself in the mud every night to sleep, the diamondback terrapinknows none of this. The size of a dinner plate, she can live at leastforty years and is the only turtle in North America who can live inbrackish and salty waters. The diamondback terrapin is named for thebeautiful concentric rings on its shell. Its habitat ranges from Cape Codto Corpus Christi, Texas, with seven subspecies identified along theAtlantic and Gulf coasts.

    The science classroom and lab evolve. In this edition, asalways, Life: The Science of Biology evolves with them, in innovative, authoritative, andcaptivating ways.From the first edition to the present, Life has set the standard for being the most balanced experimentally-based introductory biology text. Life has always presented how we know (the process of science through experiments) as well as what we know (facts derived from these experiments). The new edition builds on this legacy, again teaching fundamental concepts and the latest developments by taking students step by step through the research that revealed them. To achieve this, all of the Ninth Edition’s innovations—new authorship, new and reororganized chapters, new experimental content, enhanced features, reinvisioned art, and new media tools—are focused on giving students and instructors the best tools for bringing the best of biological research and applications into the introductory majors biology course.Also avalable, Volume Splits:—paperbound in full color!Volume I: The Cell and Heredity (Chapters 1-20)Volume II: Evolution, Diversity and Ecology (Chapters 1, 21-33, 54-59)Volume III: Plants and Animals (Chapters 1, 34-53)A GREENER LIFEAnother first, the new edition of Life is printed on paper earning the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) label, the “gold standard” in green paper products. Life paper includes 10% pre-consumer waste, 10% post-consumer waste, and is manufactured from wood from well-managed sustainable forests. Additionally, Life’s green initiatives include:• 5% soy based ink• Covers printed on stock with 10% post-consumer waste• 100% recycled paper coverboards• Digitized work flow to reduce paper wasteAll of which also earn us Courier Printing Company’s Green Edition designation for reducing our environmental footprint. The environmental savings we have achieved on the first printing alone are:• Number of trees saved: 469• Air emissions eliminated (GHG’s): 52,240 pounds• Water saved: 171,250 gallons• Solid waste eliminated: 28,335 pounds

    Alongside the big three -- lion, leopard, and cheetah -- Africa is home to another seven species of cats: the caracal, serval, African wildcat, black-footed cat, African golden cat, jungle cat, and sand cat.With photographer Gerald Hinde's stunning, crisp, graphic images, Luke Hunter presents a comprehensive overview of the entire cat family in Africa -- the only place on Earth where sightings of wild cats are a regular occurrence. He discusses in detail feline anatomy, predation and hunting strategies, social systems, competition and conflict, and conservation and threats, offering the reader the most current research and findings. From the famous and popular African parks with their celebrated, safari-friendly felines, to the few remaining places on the continent uninhabited by humans, Cats of Africa offers superb and exciting images of the animals from a variety of locations, depicting rare and interesting behavior, some of which has never before been recorded.

    The text follows a logical structure-based organization. Beginning with a general overview, chapters then cover the protoplast, cell wall, and meristems, through to phloem, periderm, and secretory structures. There are few more iconic texts in botany than Esau's Plant Anatomy... this 3rd edition is a very worthy successor to previous editions... ANNALS OF BOTANY, June 2007

    This easy-to-use guide for California gardens gives you step-by-step instructions on selecting and growing for more than 150 low-maintenance plants and shrubs that thrive in diverse California, including annuals, perennials, vines, shrubs, and trees.In addition, you'll find gardening basics for maximum result, such as:The benefits of one-time soil preparation The secret of summer and winter mulching The "less is more" fertilization technique that keeps your plants in perfect shape The best methods for irrigation Tips on keeping your plants pest free without over-using traditional pest controls

    Long known to be important for memory, it has been a prime focus of neuroscience research for many years. The Hippocampus Book promises to facilitate developments in the field in amajor way by bringing together, for the first time, contributions by leading international scientists knowledgeable about hippocampal anatomy, physiology, and function. This authoritative volume offers the most comprehensive, up-to-date account of what the hippocampus does, how it does it, and whathappens when things go wrong. At the same time, it illustrates how research focusing on this single brain structure has revealed principles of wider generality for the whole brain in relation to anatomical connectivity, synaptic plasticity, cognition and behavior, and computational algorithms.Well-organized in its presentation of both theory and experimental data, this peerless work vividly illustrates the astonishing progress that has been made in unraveling the workings of the brain. The Hippocampus Book is destined to take a central place on every neuroscientist's bookshelf.

    This can be grasped from understanding the complex social processes of evolution. From looking at recent developments in other disciplines but particularly in science - and the biology of complex systems - she argues that we are currently going through a paradigm shift in the long revolution of modern thought, from 'The Age of Reduction' to 'The Age of Emergence'. Through looking at the complex emergence of human society and culture, we can get a better understanding of how 'the whole creature' operates. Such an understanding serves to undermine the neoliberal philosophy of possessive individualism, whose outlook could be seen to be underpinned by a crude Social Darwinism; but, equally, its sense of humans as evolved and embodied creatures also undermines those who believe there is no existence outside discourse.

    Fish and Wildlife Service's Manatee Recovery Activities"Reep and Bonde, each with more than 20 years of experience researching the manatee, have produced an introduction to these secretive animals for the general reader. Covering all aspects of manatee biology, they delve into both the scientific literature and the anecdotes of fellow manatee researchers to create an entertaining and comprehensive primer on manatee biology. ?. . . Highly recommended."--BooklistMuch of what we know about manatee biology and behavior has been learned in the years after they were first declared an endangered species in 1967. Roger Reep and Robert Bonde have been at the forefront of manatee research for more than two decades. The Florida Manatee offers an engaging, accessible introduction to everything manatee, including communication, diet, long-distance migration, and much more.Publication of the hardcover edition birthed a slew of national newspaper stories on manatee intelligence appearing in publications ranging from the New York Times to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette as well as dailies throughout Florida. The Florida Manatee is perfect for anyone seeking the most comprehensive, up-to-date information on this fascinating marine mammal.

    Entries combine phylogenetic and systematic data with insights into genetics, physiology and application. Existing entries have been revised to incorporate rapid progress and technological innovation. The new edition improves on the lucid presentation, logical layout and abundance of illustrations that readers rely on, adding color illustration throughout. Expanded to seven volumes in its print form, the new edition adds a new, searchable online version.

    Beginning with an overview of biomechanics, the handbook then illustrates equine conformation, including the shoulder, forearm, carpus, hoof, legs, back and neck. Adapted from the popular Illustrated Atlas of Clinical Anatomy and Common Disorders of the Horse, this handbook is a convenient, pocket size guide to equine anatomy and locomotion. Includes 158 color illustrations.

    Client education handouts provide important information about caring for a variety of avian and exotic pets.A user-friendly format includes bulleted lists indicating how normal and abnormal behavior applies to species kept in captivity.Includes coverage of all normal behavior patterns, including sensory, communication, social and antisocial, sexual, eating, and elimination.Client education handouts are a convenient resource for providing clients with important information about caring for their pets.Expert authors provide the most current information in the field of avian and exotic pet behavior.

    Due to their isolation from more widespread continental species, islands are ideal places for unique species to evolve, but they are also places of concentrated extinction. Not surprisingly, they are widely studied by ecologists, conservationists and evolutionary biologists alike.There is no other recent textbook devoted solely to island biogeography, and a synthesis of the many recent advances is now overdue. This second edition builds on the success and reputation of the first, documenting the recent advances in this exciting field and explaining how islands have been used as natural laboratories in developing and testing ecological and evolutionary theories. In addition, the book describes the main processes of island formation, development and eventual demise, and explains the relevance of island environmental history to island biogeography. The authors demonstrate the huge significance of islands as hotspots of biodiversity, and as places from which disproportionate numbers of species have been extinguished by human action in historical time. Many island species are today threatened with extinction, and this work examines both the chief threats to their persistence and some of the mitigation measures that can be put in play with conservation strategies tailored to islands.

    In the last decade, significant technological and methodological advances in both molecular biology and archaeology have revolutionized the study of plant and animal domestication and are reshaping our understanding of the transition from foraging to farming, one of the major turning points in human history. This groundbreaking volume for the first time brings together leading archaeologists and biologists working on the domestication of both plants and animals to consider a wide variety of archaeological and genetic approaches to tracing the origin and dispersal of domesticates. It provides a comprehensive overview of the state of the art in this quickly changing field as well as reviews of recent findings on specific crop and livestock species in the Americas, Eurasia, and Africa. Offering a unique global perspective, it explores common challenges and potential avenues for future progress in documenting domestication.

    Lynette Jones and Susan Lederman present hand function as a continuum ranging from activities that are essentially sensory in nature to those that have a strong motor component. They delineate four categories of function along this sensorimotor continuum--tactile sensing, active haptic sensing, prehension, and non-prehensile skilled movements--that they use as a framework for analyzing and synthesizing the results from a broad range of studies that have contributed to our understanding of how the normal human hand functions.The book begins with a historical overview of research on the hand and a discussion of the hand's evolutionary development in terms of anatomical structure. The subsequent chapters review the research in each of the four categories along the continuum, covering topics such as the intensive spatial, temporal, and thermal sensitivity of the hand, the role of hand movements in recognizing common objects, the control of reaching and grasping movements, and the organization of keyboard skills. Jones and Lederman also examine how sensory and motor function develops in the hand from birth to old age, and how the nature of the end effector (e.g., a single finger or the whole hand) that is used to interact with the environment influences the types of information obtained and the tasks performed. The book closes with an assessment of how basic research on the hand has contributed to an array of more applied domains, including communication systems for the blind, haptic interfaces used in teleoperation and virtual-environment applications, tests used to assess hand impairments, and haptic exploration in art. Human Hand Function will be a valuable resource for student and professional researchers in neuroscience, cognitive psychology, engineering, human-technology interaction, and physiology.

    

    After studying the behavioral habits of the 10-spined stickleback at Oxford, Desmond Morris became curator of mammals at London Zoo and quickly became a familiar figure in homes all over Britain as presenter of Zootime, delighting millions of tea-time viewers with a daring attempt to pick up a deadly scorpion by its tail or a tumble off the back of an elephant. As curator of mammals at the zoo, life was as bizarre behind the cameras as in front of them, not least when a whale turned up in the Thames River or when a pair of ferocious bears escaped and caused havoc in a restroom. In 1967, Morris turned his attention to humans. Since then he has continued his work on human and animal species, written many other successful books, and has presented a number of television series. His travels have taken him to some 60 countries, from the cities of North America to the islands off the Mediterranean, Europe, the Pacific, and Africa. This account tells the story of many of these adventures, in fascinating and often hilarious detail.

    Featuring all the fine illustrations found in the original, this new book presents a fresher, more accessible text that explains in lay terms exactly how the hip bone is connected to the thigh bone. Although it possesses the reliability and authority of a technical manual, "Pocket Anatomy" is organized so that non-specialist readers can understand both text and illustrations. Each bone joint and muscular group is shown from a variety of angles and poses, allowing readers to get a full understanding of its function. Not only medical students, but artists and art students will find "Pocket Anatomy" an invaluable and visually appealing reference source. Printed in full color, it presents 350 illustrations.

    Later chapters focus on the molecules and mechanisms of the cell-cycle control system, including the cyclin-dependent kinase family of protein kinases, the cyclins that activate them, and the signaling molecules that regulate them, and discuss cell-cycle control in development and the failure of controls in cancer.

    Portals investigates how we move beyond the conscious and physical world using our senses, into other realities of the spiritual and the divine. Portals looks at the techniques used to alter consciousness practised by shamans, monks and other religious specialists. These include the use of drugs. as well as drumming, chanting and meditation. The book provides a new, anthropologically-grounded perspective on the wide-ranging questions about the realities of human consciousness and mystical, spiritual and religious experience.

    Includes an active table of contents for easy navigation.Charles Darwin (1809-1882) was an English scientist and naturalist. Darwin is the originator of the the theory of Evolution by means of natural selection.This unexpurgated edition contains the complete text with errors and omissions corrected.

    Fish and Wildlife Service. In August 1992, she accepted an assignment that forever changed--and endangered--her life. She posed as a big-game hunter in Alaska in order to infiltrate an international ring of poachers out to kill the biggest and best of that state's wildlife.A Hunt for Justice recounts her dramatic story--a story she was not legally permitted to write about until her retirement in 2004.

    This book is the first comprehensive account of Vietnam’s natural history in English. Illustrated with maps, photographs, and thirty-five original watercolor illustrations, the book offers a complete tour of the country’s plants and animals along with a full discussion of the factors shaping their evolution and distribution.Separate chapters focus on northern, central, and southern Vietnam, regions that encompass tropics, subtropics, mountains, lowlands, wetland and river regions, delta and coastal areas, and offshore islands. The authors provide detailed descriptions of key natural areas to visit, where a traveler might explore limestone caves or glimpse some of the country’s twenty-seven monkey and ape species and more than 850 bird species. The book also explores the long history of humans in the country, including the impact of the Vietnam-American War on plants and animals, and describes current efforts to conserve Vietnam’s complex, fragile, and widely threatened biodiversity.

    First of all, we grew up in the same faith. Although I no longer belong to that faith, I am confident that if we met and spoke privately of our deepest beliefs, it would be in a spirit of mutual respect and goodwill. I write to you now for your counsel and help. Let us see if we can, and you are willing, to meet on the near side of metaphysics in order to deal with the real world we share. I suggest that we set aside our differences in order to save the Creation. The defense of living Nature is a universal value. It doesn't rise from nor does it promote any religious or ideological dogma. Rather, it serves without discrimination the interests of all humanity.Pastor, we need your help. The Creation—living Nature—is in deep trouble.The Creation is E. O. Wilson's most important work since the publications of Sociobiology and Biophilia. Like Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, it is a book about the fate of the earth and the survival of our planet. Yet while Carson was specifically concerned with insecticides and the ecological destruction of our natural resources, Wilson, the two-time Pulitzer Prize-winner, attempts his new social revolution by bridging the seemingly irreconcilable worlds of fundamentalism and science. Like Carson, Wilson passionately concerned about the state of the world, draws on his own personal experiences and expertise as an entomologist, and prophesies that half the species of plants and animals on Earth could either have gone or at least are fated for early extinction by the end of our present century.Astonishingly, The Creation is not a bitter, predictable rant against fundamentalist Christians or deniers of Darwin. Rather, Wilson, a leading "secular humanist," draws upon his own rich background as a boy in Alabama who "took the waters," and seeks not to condemn this new generations of Christians but to address them on their own terms. Conceiving the book as an extended letter to a southern Baptist minister, Wilson, in stirring language that can evoke Martin Luther King's "Letter from Birmingham Jail," tells this everyman minister how, in fact, the world really came to be. He pleads with these men of the cloth to understand the cataclysmic damage that is destroying our planet and asks for their help in preventing the destruction of our Earth before it is too late. Never a pessimist, Wilson avers that there are solutions that may yet save the planet, and believes that the vision that he presents in The Creation is one that both scientists and pastors can accept, and work on together in spite of their fundamental ideological differences.