Best of
Biology

2009

Prehistoric Life: The Definitive Visual History of Life on Earth


David Burnie - 2009
    The story starts in earnest 3.8 billion years ago, with the earliest-known form of life on Earth, a bacteria that still exists today, and journeys through action-packed millennia, charting the appearance of new life forms as well as devastating extinction events. Of course, the ever-popular and endlessly intriguing dinosaurs feature large, but Prehistoric Life gives you the whole picture, and the plants, invertebrates, amphibians, birds, reptiles, and mammals that are the ancestors of today's species also populate its pages, making this book unprecedented in its coverage of prehistory. Specially commissioned artworks use cutting-edge technology to render species in breathtakingly realistic fashion, with astonishing images of prehistoric remains, such as skeletons and fossils, to complete the story. To put all the evidence in context, the concept of geological time is explored, as is the classification of species and how the evidence for their evolution is preserved and can be deciphered.New technologies have brought new life to inanimate fossils. CT scanning, for example, unlocks a 3D image of a plant or animal from a piece of rock, which can then be viewed from all angles revealing never-before-seen details. From this researchers can fill in missing pieces and even simulate how an animal might have moved. Panels explore these and numerous other scientific techniques for recovering, dating, and reconstructing, as well as profiling individuals, key excavations and discoveries, and some of the unique anatomical features that nature has developed over the course of time.The last section of the book looks at the development of humans and the eventual rise to dominance of Homo sapiens, exploring not only their changing anatomy as revealed by the fossils but also the evidence for culture and society as evidenced by extraordinary cave paintings and intricately worked tools.In combination, the stunning visuals, captivating, authoritative text, and comprehensive approach make Prehistoric Life a fascinating and revealing encyclopedia that will appeal to the whole family.TABLE OF CONTENTS1. LIVING PLANET (38 pp)Foundations of a living planet. The Earth's structure. Plate tectonics, formation of oceans and continents.Changing climate. factors that contribute to climate change, how those can be seen in the geological record, and how that has affected life on Earth.Reconstructing the past. Using the present to understand the past (rocks and the rock cycle, layers of rock and dating)Fossils. Types of fossils, how they form, reconstructing the past from them (digging up, analysis), reconstructing past environments, dating using fossils.Geological timescale. Explanation of geological time.Life on Earth. What is life? Natural selection, DNA, molecular clocks, mass extinctions.Timeline of Evolution. Broad-scale look at major evolutionary markers through time.Classification. How we classify living organisms. The kingdoms of life.2. ON EARTH (398 PP) This chapter will be organized so that pages can be removed to leave a section of 360pp.his consists of a catalog divided into geological periods. Each period introduction covers the conditions on Earth at the time (geology and climate) and includes a chart showing the evolution of the main forms of life. The subsequent catalog entries are organized into groups: Microscopic life; Plants and Fungi; Invertebrates; and Vertebrates, with each having an introduction detailing the main evolutionary developments within the group.Archean 3.8-2.5 billion years ago (4pp)Period introduction. (1p)Archean life intro - (1p) the rise of life. Biology of cells; prokaryotes, cyanobacteria, stromatolites.Catalog of species.Proterozoic 2.5 billion-543 mya (6pp)Period introduction. (2pp)Microscopic life intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (1p)Invertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (1p)Cambrian 543-490 mya (20pp)Period introduction (4pp)Microscopic life intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (3pp)Invertebrates intro. (2pp)Catalog of species. (8pp)Vertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (1p)Ordovician 490-443 mya (14pp)Period introduction. (4pp)Microscopic life intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (1p)Plants and fungi intro. (1p)Catalog of species.(1p)Invertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (3pp)Vertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (1p)Silurian 443-417 mya (20pp)Period introduction. (4pp)Microscopic life intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (1p)Plants and fungi intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (1p)Invertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (7pp)Vertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (3p)Devonian 417-354 mya (34pp)Period introduction. (4pp)Microscopic life intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (1p)Plants and fungi intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (7pp)Invertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (7pp)Vertebrates intro. (2p)Catalog of species. (10pp)Carboniferous 354-290 mya (38pp)Period introduction. (4pp)Microscopic life intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (1p)Plants and fungi intro. (2pp)Catalog of species. (8pp)Invertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (9pp)Vertebrates intro. (2pp)Catalog of species. (10pp)Permian 290-248 mya (26pp)Period introduction. (Microscopic life intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (1p)Plants and fungi intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (3pp)Invertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (7pp)Vertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (7pp)Triassic 248-206 mya (30pp)Period introduction. (Microscopic life intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (1p)Plants and fungi intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (5pp)Invertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (3pp)Vertebrates intro. (1pp)Catalog of species. (13pp)Jurassic 206-144 mya (56pp)Period introduction. (4pp)Microscopic life intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (1p)Plants and fungi intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (5pp)Invertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (9pp)Vertebrates intro. (2pp)Catalog of species. (24pp)Cretaceous 144-65 mya (54pp)Period introduction. (4pp)Microscopic life intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (1p)Plants and fungi intro. (2pp)Catalog of species. (10pp)Invertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (9pp)Vertebrates intro. (2pp)Catalog of species. (24pp)Paleogene 65-23.8 mya (34pp)Period introduction. (4pp)Microscopic life intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (1p)Plants and fungi intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (6pp)Invertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (6pp)Vertebrates intro. (2pp)Catalog of species. (12pp)Neogene 23.8-1.8 mya (32pp)Period introduction. (4pp)Microscopic life intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (1p)Plants and fungi intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (6pp)Invertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (7pp)Vertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (10pp)Quaternary 1.8 mya-Present (26pp)Period introduction. (4pp)Microscopic life intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (1p)Plants and fungi intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (Invertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (5pp)Vertebrates intro. (1p)Catalog of species. (8pp)3. THE RISE OF HUMANS (44PP)Timeline of human evolution.Coverage of: Sahelanthropus tchadensis, Orrorin tugenesis, Ardipithecus kadabba, Ardipithecus ramidus, Australopithecus anamensis, Australopithecus afarensis, Kenyanthropus platyops, Australopithecus africanus, Australopithecus aethiopicus, Australopithecus garhi, Homo habilis, Homo rudolfensis, Paranthropus boisei, Homo ergaster, Paranthropus robustus, Homo erectus, Homo heidelbergensis, Homo neanderthalensis, Homo sapiens.Themes of anatomy, DNA, global expansion, tool use, diet, communication, ecology, society, and culture run through the section.Glossary/Index/Acknowledgements

Signature in the Cell: DNA and the Evidence for Intelligent Design


Stephen C. Meyer - 2009
    For those who disagree with ID, the powerful case Meyer presents cannot be ignored in any honest debate. For those who may be sympathetic to ID, on the fence, or merely curious, this book is an engaging, eye-opening, and often eye-popping read” — American SpectatorNamed one of the top books of 2009 by the Times Literary Supplement (London), this controversial and compelling book from Dr. Stephen C. Meyer presents a convincing new case for intelligent design (ID), based on revolutionary discoveries in science and DNA. Along the way, Meyer argues that Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution as expounded in The Origin of Species did not, in fact, refute ID. If you enjoyed Francis Collins’s The Language of God, you’ll find much to ponder—about evolution, DNA, and intelligent design—in Signature in the Cell.

The Greatest Show on Earth: The Evidence for Evolution


Richard Dawkins - 2009
    Darwin was only too aware of the storm his theory of evolution would provoke but he would surely have raised an incredulous eyebrow at the controversy still raging a century and a half later. Evolution is accepted as scientific fact by all reputable scientists and indeed theologians, yet millions of people continue to question its veracity.In The Greatest Show on Earth Richard Dawkins takes on creationists, including followers of ‘Intelligent Design’ and all those who question the fact of evolution through natural selection. Like a detective arriving on the scene of a crime, he sifts through fascinating layers of scientific facts and disciplines to build a cast-iron case: from the living examples of natural selection in birds and insects; the ‘time clocks’ of trees and radioactive dating that calibrate a timescale for evolution; the fossil record and the traces of our earliest ancestors; to confirmation from molecular biology and genetics. All of this, and much more, bears witness to the truth of evolution.The Greatest Show on Earth comes at a critical time: systematic opposition to the fact of evolution is now flourishing as never before, especially in America. In Britain and elsewhere in the world, teachers witness insidious attempts to undermine the status of science in their classrooms. Richard Dawkins provides unequivocal evidence that boldly and comprehensively rebuts such nonsense. At the same time he shares with us his palpable love of the natural world and the essential role that science plays in its interpretation. Written with elegance, wit and passion, it is hard-hitting, absorbing and totally convincing.

The World Is Blue: How Our Fate and the Ocean's Are One


Sylvia A. Earle - 2009
    Legendary marine scientist Sylvia Earle portrays a planet teetering on the brink of irreversible environmental crisis.In recent decades we’ve learned more about the ocean than in all previous human history combined. But, even as our knowledge has exploded, so too has our power to upset the delicate balance of this complex organism. Modern overexploitation has driven many species to the verge of extinction, from tiny but indispensable biota to magnificent creatures like tuna, swordfish, and great whales. Since the mid-20th century about half our coral reefs have died or suffered sharp decline; hundreds of oxygen-deprived "dead zones" blight our coastal waters; and toxic pollutants afflict every level of the food chain.Fortunately, there is reason for hope, but what we do—or fail to do—in the next ten years may well resonate for the next ten thousand. The ultimate goal, Earle argues passionately and persuasively, is to find responsible, renewable strategies that safeguard the natural systems that sustain us. The first step is to understand and act upon the wise message of this accessible, insightful, and compelling book.

The Wolverine Way


Douglas H. Chadwick - 2009
    Yet this enigmatic animal is more complex than the legends that surround it. With a shrinking wilderness and global warming, the future of the wolverine is uncertain. The Wolverine Way reveals the natural history of this species and the forces that threaten its future, engagingly told by Douglas Chadwick, who volunteered with the Glacier Wolverine Project. This five-year study in Glacier National Park – which involved dealing with blizzards, grizzlies, sheer mountain walls, and other daily challenges to survival – uncovered key missing information about the wolverine’s habitat, social structure and reproduction habits. Wolverines, according to Chadwick, are the land equivalent of polar bears in regard to the impacts of global warming. The plight of wolverines adds to the call for wildlife corridors that connect existing habitat that is proposed by the Freedom to Roam coalition.

The Sibley Guide to Trees


David Allen Sibley - 2009
    It condenses a huge amount of information about tree identification--more than has ever been collected in a single book--into a logical, accessible, easy-to-use format.With more than 4,100 meticulous, exquisitely detailed paintings, the Guide highlights the often subtle similarities and distinctions between more than 600 tree species--native trees as well as many introduced species. No other guide has ever made field identification so clear.Features highlighted include: - leaves (including multiple leaf shapes and fall leaf color)- bark- needles- cones- flowers- fruit- twigs- silhouettesMore than 500 maps show the complete range, both natural and cultivated, for nearly all species.Trees are arranged taxonomically, with all related species grouped together. By focusing on the fundamental characteristics of, for example, oaks or chestnuts or hickories, the Guide helps the user recognize these basic species groups the same way birders recognize thrushes, warblers, or sparrows.In addition, there are essays on taxonomy, on the cultivation of trees, and on conservation issues, reflecting Sibley's deep concern with habitat preservation and environmental health.An important new contribution to our understanding of the natural world, The Sibley Guide to Trees will be a necessity for every tree lover, traveler, and naturalist. It is sure to become the new benchmark in field guides to trees.

The Human Brain Book


Rita Carter - 2009
    It combines the latest findings from the field of neuroscience with expert text and state-of-the-art illustrations and imaging techniques to provide an incomparable insight into every facet of the brain. Layer by layer, it reveals the fascinating details of this remarkable structure, covering all the key anatomy and delving into the inner workings of the mind, unlocking its many mysteries, and helping you to understand what's going on in those millions of little gray and white cells.Tricky concepts are illustrated and explained with clarity and precision, as The Human Brain Book looks at how the brain sends messages to the rest of the body, how we think and feel, how we perform unconscious actions (for example breathing), explores the nature of genius, asks why we behave the way we do, explains how we see and hear things, and how and why we dream. Physical and psychological disorders affecting the brain and nervous system are clearly illustrated and summarized in easy-to-understand terms.The unique DVD brings the subject to life with interactive elements. These include a clickable model of the brain's structure that allows the user to zoom in and discover deeper layers of detail, while complex processes, such as the journey of a nerve impulse, are broken down and simplified through intuitive animations.

Life Ascending: The Ten Great Inventions of Evolution


Nick Lane - 2009
    Comparing gene sequences, examining atomic structures of proteins, and looking into the geochemistry of rocks have helped explain evolution in more detail than ever before. Nick Lane expertly reconstructs the history of life by describing the ten greatest inventions of evolution (including DNA, photosynthesis, sex, and sight), based on their historical impact, role in organisms today, and relevance to current controversies. Who would have guessed that eyes started off as light-sensitive spots used to calibrate photosynthesis in algae? Or that DNA’s building blocks form spontaneously in hydrothermal vents? Lane gives a gripping, lucid account of nature’s ingenuity, and the result is a work of essential reading for anyone who has ever pondered or questioned the science underlying evolution’s greatest gifts to man.

Hope for Animals and Their World: How Endangered Species Are Being Rescued from the Brink


Jane Goodall - 2009
    With the insatiable curiosity and conversational prose that have made her a bestselling author, Goodall - along with Cincinnati Zoo Director Thane Maynard - shares fascinating survival stories about the American Crocodile, the California Condor, the Black-Footed Ferret, and more; all formerly endangered species and species once on the verge of extinction whose populations are now being regenerated.Interweaving her own first-hand experiences in the field with the compelling research of premier scientists, Goodall illuminates the heroic efforts of dedicated environmentalists and the truly critical need to protect the habitats of these beloved species. At once a celebration of the animal kingdom and a passionate call to arms, Hope For Animals Their World presents an uplifting, hopeful message for the future of animal-human coexistence.Praise for Hope For Animals Their World"Goodall's intimate writing style and sense of wonder pull the reader into each account...The mix of personal and scientific makes for a compelling read."-Booklist"These accounts of conservation success are inspirational."-Publishers Weekly

Evolution: The First Four Billion Years


Michael RuseBrian Goodwin - 2009
    Spanning evolutionary science from its inception to its latest findings, from discoveries and data to philosophy and history, this book is an authoritative introduction to evolutionary biology.

Darwin's Armada: Four Voyages and the Battle for the Theory of Evolution


Iain McCalman - 2009
    Award-winning cultural historian Iain McCalman tells the stories of Charles Darwin and his most vocal supporters and colleagues: Joseph Hooker, Thomas Huxley, and Alfred Wallace. Beginning with the somber morning of April 26, 1882—the day of Darwin’s funeral—Darwin’s Armada steps back in time and recounts the lives and scientific discoveries of each of these explorers. The four amateur naturalists voyaged separately from Britain to the southern hemisphere in search of adventure and scientific fame. From Darwin’s inaugural trip on the Beagle in 1835 through Wallace’s exploits in the Amazon and, later, Malaysia in the 1840s and 1850s, each man independently made discoveries that led him to embrace Darwin’s groundbreaking theory of evolution. This book reveals the untold story of Darwin’s greatest supporters who, during his life, campaigned passionately in the war of ideas over evolution and who lived on to extend and advance the scope of his work. 16 pages of color illustrations.

Mothers and Others: The Evolutionary Origins of Mutual Understanding


Sarah Blaffer Hrdy - 2009
    From this new form of care came new ways of engaging and understanding each other. How such singular human capacities evolved, and how they have kept us alive for thousands of generations, is the mystery revealed in this bold and wide-ranging new vision of human emotional evolution."Mothers and Others" finds the key in the primatologically unique length of human childhood. If the young were to survive in a world of scarce food, they needed to be cared for, not only by their mothers but also by siblings, aunts, fathers, friends--and, with any luck, grandmothers. Out of this complicated and contingent form of childrearing, Sarah Hrdy argues, came the human capacity for understanding others. Mothers and others teach us who will care, and who will not.From its opening vision of "apes on a plane"; to descriptions of baby care among marmosets, chimpanzees, wolves, and lions; to explanations about why men in hunter-gatherer societies hunt together, "Mothers and Others" is compellingly readable. But it is also an intricately knit argument that ever since the Pleistocene, it has taken a village to raise children--and how that gave our ancient ancestors the first push on the path toward becoming emotionally modern human beings.

What on Earth Evolved?: 100 Species that Changed the World


Christopher Lloyd - 2009
    What is life? Why have creatures evolved as they are? Which species have been the most successful? Where does humanity fit in? Christopher Lloyd leads us on an extraordinary journey, from the birth of life to the present day, as he attempts to answer these questions and to explain the phenomena that we call 'life on Earth'.

Dinosaur Odyssey: Fossil Threads in the Web of Life


Scott D. Sampson - 2009
    Situating these fascinating animals in a broad ecological and evolutionary context, leading dinosaur expert Scott D. Sampson fills us in on the exhilarating discoveries of the past twenty-five years, the most active period in the history of dinosaur paleontology, during which more “new” species were named than in all prior history. With these discoveries—and the most recent controversies—in mind, Sampson reconstructs the odyssey of the dinosaurs from their humble origins on the supercontinent Pangaea, to their reign as the largest animals the planet has ever known, and finally to their abrupt demise. Much more than the story of who ate whom way back when, Dinosaur Odyssey places dinosaurs in an expansive web of relationships with other organisms and demonstrates how they provide a powerful lens through which to observe the entire natural world. Addressing topics such as extinction, global warming, and energy flow, Dinosaur Odyssey finds that the dinosaurs' story is, in fact, a major chapter in our own story.

Brain: The Complete Mind


Michael S. Sweeney - 2009
    Richard Restak, Brainis both a practical owner’s manual and a complete guide to the brain’s development and function. Its pages explore not only the brain’s physical form—its 100 billion nerve cells and near-infinite network of synapses—but also its interactions that regulate every thought and action. Brainfeatures the latest discoveries about improving and optimizing mental acuity right alongside sidebars on breakthrough moments in neuroscience. Explained here also are the physical, emotional, and psychological aspects of the brain, addressed in accessible, engaging language.Combining the latest advances in our understanding of the mind-body connection and ongoing research into such diseases as dementia, depression, and PTSD, Brainis an indispensable guide to mens sana in corpore sano—at every stage of life.

Wild Berries & Fruits Field Guide of Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan


Teresa Marrone - 2009
    Learn what's edible and what to avoid with this easy-to-use field guide. The species in the book are organized by color, then by form, so when you see something in the field, you'll know just where to look. Full-page photos and insets show each plant's key identification points, while detailed descriptions give you the information you need to know. Teresa Marrone has been gathering and preparing wild edibles for more than 20 years. Let her share that experience with you.

The Princeton Encyclopedia of Mammals


David W. Macdonald - 2009
    Unsurpassed in scope and stunningly illustrated, this book covers every known living species, from aardvarks to zorros. The informative and lively text is written by acclaimed researchers from around the world and features a concise general introduction to mammals followed by detailed accounts of species and groups that systematically describe form, distribution, behavior, status, conservation, and more. There are superb full-color photos and illustrations on virtually every page that show the animals in their natural settings and highlight their typical behaviors. And throughout the book, numerous Factfile panels with color distribution maps and scale drawings provide at-a-glance overviews of key data. The Princeton Encyclopedia of Mammals is the definitive one-volume resource--a must-have reference book for naturalists and a delight for general readers.Covers every living mammalDescribes form, distribution, behavior, status, conservation, and moreFeatures spectacular full-color photos and illustrations on virtually every pageIncludes Factfile panels with color distribution maps and scale drawings for at-a-glance referenceWritten by an international team of experts

The Frogs and Toads of North America: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Identification,Behavior, and Calls


Lang Elliott - 2009
     From the olive-and-black Pig Frog, which gets its name from its low-pitched, piglike grunt, to the X-marked and familiar-sounding Spring Peeper, frogs and toads are fascinating to casual nature lovers as well as expert herpetologists. Covering all 101 species in the United States and Canada, this book contains natural history information, identification tips, range and habitat information, and behavior profiles. It also includes detailed descriptions of calls that readers can listen to themselves on an accompanying 70-minute audio CD recorded by experts in the field, as well as sections on conservation issues, public participation in census programs, tips on photography and sound recording, and keeping frogs and toads as pets.

The Deniable Darwin and Other Essays


David Berlinski - 2009
    His other books include: The Devil's Delusion: Atheism and Its Scientific Pretensions, Newton's Gift, and A Tour of the Calculus.

My First Human Body Book Coloring Book


Patricia Wynne - 2009
    Kids will discover how their voice box works, how many bones they have, how thousands of "tasters" on their tongues help them distinguish flavors, how the DNA in their cells is different from everyone else's, and so much more. Filled with astonishing details, this head-to-toe survey of the body is fascinating to read and fun to color!

Principles of Evolutionary Medicine


Peter Gluckman - 2009
    Advances in the fields of genomics, epigenetics, developmental biology and epidemiology have led to the growing realization that incorporating evolutionary thinking is essential for medicine to achieve its full potential. This is the first integrated and comprehensive textbook to explain the principles of evolutionary biology from a medical perspective and to focus on how medicine and public health might utilize evolutionary biology. It is written in a style which is accessible to a broad range of readers, whether or not they have had formal exposure to evolutionary science.Principles of Evolutionary Medicine is divided into three sections: the first provides a systematic approach to the principles of evolutionary biology as they apply to human health and disease, using examples specifically relevant to medicine. It incorporates chapters on evolutionary processes, molecular evolution, the evolution of humans, life history theory, and evolutionary-developmental biology. The second part illustrates the application of these principles to our understanding of nutrition and metabolism, reproduction, combatting infectious disease and stress, and human behaviour. The final section provides a general framework to show in practical terms how the principles of evolutionary medicine can be applied in medical practice and public health.This novel textbook provides the necessary toolkit for doctors and other health professionals, medical students and biomedical scientists, as well as anthropologists interested in human health, to gain a better understanding of the evolutionary processes underlying human health and disease.

Dinosaurs: A Concise Natural History


David E. Fastovsky - 2009
    While focusing on dinosaurs it also uses them to convey other aspects of the natural sciences, including fundamental concepts in evolutionary biology, physiology, life history, and systematics. Considerable attention is devoted the nature of science itself: what it is, what it is not, and how science can be used to investigate particular kinds of questions. Dinosaurs is unique because it fills a gap between the glossy, fact-driven dinosaur books and the higher-level academic books, addressing the paleontology of dinosaurs exactly as professionals in the field do.

Lizards of the American Southwest: A Photographic Field Guide


Lawrence L.C. Jones - 2009
    Learn where to find lizards and how to identify them. Includes detailed information on habitat, natural history, taxonomy, viewing tips, plus hundreds of photos, illustrations, and maps.

One Hundred Butterflies


Harold Feinstein - 2009
    Feinstein's breathtaking photographs capture the color, vibrancy, and infinite variety of patterns that occur on the wings of these ornate insects. One hundred impeccably reproduced, oversized photographs allow viewers to appreciate the Blue Morpho of Central America, the African Birdwing, and the Asian Swallowtail at a scale and depth impossible to experience in nature. An elegantly printed deluxe gift book, it is a treasure for butterfly enthusiasts and art lovers alike.

The Diversity of Fishes: Biology, Evolution, and Ecology


Gene Helfman - 2009
    Expanded and updated, the second edition is illustrated throughout with striking color photographs depicting the spectacular evolutionary adaptations of the most ecologically and taxonomically diverse vertebrate group. The text incorporates the latest advances in the biology of fishes, covering taxonomy, anatomy, physiology, biogeography, ecology, and behavior. A new chapter on genetics and molecular ecology of fishes has been added, and conservation is emphasized throughout. Hundreds of new and redrawn illustrations augment readable text, and every chapter has been revised to reflect the discoveries and greater understanding achieved during the past decade. Written by a team of internationally-recognized authorities, the first edition of The Diversity of Fishes was received with enthusiasm and praise, and incorporated into ichthyology and fish biology classes around the globe, at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. The second edition is a substantial update of an already classic reference and text. Companion resources siteThis book is accompanied by a resources site:www.wiley.com/go/helfmanThe site is being constantly updated by the author team and provides:- Related videos selected by the authors- Updates to the book since publication- Instructor resources- A chance to send in feedback

The Tangled Bank


Carl Zimmer - 2009
    Zimmer, an award-winning science writer, takes readers on a fascinating journey into the latest discoveries about evolution. In the Canadian Arctic, paleontologists unearth fossils documenting the move of our ancestors from sea to land. In the outback of Australia, a zoologist tracks some of the world's deadliest snakes to decipher the 100-million-year evolution of venom molecules. In Africa, geneticists are gathering DNA to probe the origin of our species. In clear, non-technical language, Zimmer explains the central concepts essential for understanding new advances in evolution, including natural selection, genetic drift, and sexual selection. He demonstrates how vital evolution is to all branches of modern biology—from the fight against deadly antibiotic-resistant bacteria to the analysis of the human genome. Richly illustrated with 285 illustrations and photographs, The Tangled Bank is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the history of life on Earth.

Here Be Dragons: How the Study of Animal and Plant Distributions Revolutionized Our Views of Life and Earth


Dennis McCarthy - 2009
    We find animals and plants where we do because, over time, the continents have moved, separating and uniting in a long, slow dance; because sea levels have risen, cutting off one bit of land from another; because new and barren volcanic islands have risen up from the sea; and because animals and plants vary greatly in their ability to travel, and separation causes the formation of new species. This is the story of how life has responded to, and has in turn altered, the ever-changing Earth. And it includes many fascinating tales--of pygmy mammoths and elephant birds and of radical ideas by bold young scientists.

Ecological Developmental Biology: Integrating Epigenetics, Medicine, and Evolution: An Integrated Approach to Embryology, Evolution, and Medicine


Scott F. Gilbert - 2009
    

The New Children's Encyclopedia


D.K. Publishing - 2009
    Hundreds of accessible and fun, flashcard-style facts provide key information making it easy to learn about animals, famous historical figures, planets, climate change, and more. With stunning photography and innovative graphics, "The New Children's Encyclopedia" is an unparalleled, irreplaceable family reference book that will engage children's natural curiosity about the world around them.

Birds of North America


American Museum of Natural History - 2009
    Written by a team of more than 20 birders and ornithologists, this photographic reference covers more than 650 species of North American birds and includes information on behavior, nesting, and habitat.

E-Z Anatomy and Physiology


I. Edward Alcamo - 2009
    Each of 23 chapters covers a separate system of the body and includes review questions with answers. The book is filled with charts, diagrams, and instructive line illustrations. Books in Barron's new "E-Z " series are enhanced and updated editions of Barron's older, highly popular "Easy Way " books. New cover designs reflect the brand-new interior layouts, which feature extensive two-color treatment, a fresh, modern typeface, and more graphic material than ever. Charts, graphs, diagrams, line illustrations, and where appropriate, amusing cartoons help make learning E-Z in a variety of subjects. "Barron's E-Z " books are self-teaching manuals focused to improve students' grades in skill levels that range between senior high school and college-101 standards.

The Processes of Life: An Introduction to Molecular Biology


Lawrence E. Hunter - 2009
    Becoming conversant with the intricacies of molecular biology and its extensive technical vocabulary can be a challenge, though, as introductory materials often seem more like a barrier than an invitation to the study of life. This text offers a concise and accessible introduction to molecular biology, requiring no previous background in science, aimed at students and professionals in fields ranging from engineering to journalism--anyone who wants to get a foothold in this rapidly expanding field. It will be particularly useful for computer scientists exploring computational biology. A reader who has mastered the information in "The Processes of Life" is ready to move on to more complex material in almost any area of contemporary biology.

Notebooks from New Guinea: Field Notes of a Tropical Biologist


Vojtech Novotny - 2009
    Wilson as one of the most amazing books I have ever read, this exhilarating volume offers a rare combination of first-rank science and top-notch storytelling. Vojtech Novotny, a world-class researcher and a brilliant writer, works on location in one of the toughest regions of the world--a high-risk locale rife with tropical diseases and venomous wildlife. Moreover, Novotny works closely with the indigenous peoples--natives who still hunt food with spear and arrow--involving them in his research and profiting from their deep familiarity with this rugged landscape. As a result, he has many a fascinating tale to tell, and he is a marvelous storyteller. Indeed, this is an unusual and fascinating collection of almost one hundred brief vignettes, adventurous tales, and reflections that illuminate the native culture and what the West can learn from it. Ably translated by David Short, this delightfully engaging book brings to life--with warmth and wisdom--the place, the people, and the pursuit of knowledge deep in the jungles of New Guinea.

Vetting: The Making of a Veterinarian


Pete Freyburger - 2009
    "The lessons of life choices are hidden within the covers of VETTING. Dr. Pete Freyburger tells us how he tried, failed, succeeded, and triumphed while serving his community, his family, his friends and animals. The humor and passion that Pete shows as he learns about life and how his choices will frame his future can help all of us live the life we want." Barbara Carr - Executive Director - SPCA Serving Erie County ------------------------------------------- "VETTING is more than a story; it's an allegory of life, using Dr. Freyburger's relationships with animals to transport us to the hidden crannies and fissures of our souls. A worthy read." Donald F. Smith, DVM - Dean Emeritus - Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine ------------------------------------------ "At sometime in his or her life, almost every young pet owner imagines a career as a veterinarian. Very, very few ever get to achieve that dream. Through Dr. Freyburger's experiences, we have a chance to know the joys and the sorrows of small animal medicine." Alan Bergman - Instructor at Hosei University - Tokyo, Japan ------------------------------------------- * Experience the unique journey to become a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. * See the inside of the exam room, treatment area, and surgery suite through the eyes of a raw new graduate. * Feel the incredible stress and self-doubt that young professionals must overcome. * Share the veterinarian's perspective as you meet and observe many memorable pets and their equally memorable owners. * Enjoy amazing, stranger-than-fiction stories. ---------------------------------------- Proceeds from the sale of VETTING are shared with four animal related charities. Details at www.pjfpub.com

Carnivores


Don E. Wilson - 2009
    Volume 1 of this 8-volume series is devoted to Carnivores.

Smallpox: The Death of a Disease: The Inside Story of Eradicating a Worldwide Killer


D.A. Henderson - 2009
    In 1967, Dr. D.A. Henderson became director of a worldwide campaign to eliminate this disease from the face of the earth.This spellbinding book is Dr. Henderson’s personal story of how he led the World Health Organization’s campaign to eradicate smallpox—the only disease in history to have been deliberately eliminated. Some have called this feat "the greatest scientific and humanitarian achievement of the past century."In a lively, engrossing narrative, Dr. Henderson makes it clear that the gargantuan international effort involved more than straightforward mass vaccination. He and his staff had to cope with civil wars, floods, impassable roads, and refugees as well as formidable bureaucratic and cultural obstacles, shortages of local health personnel and meager budgets. Countries across the world joined in the effort; the United States and the Soviet Union worked together through the darkest cold war days; and professionals from more than 70 nations served as WHO field staff. On October 26, 1976, the last case of smallpox occurred. The disease that annually had killed two million people or more had been vanquished–and in just over ten years.The story did not end there. Dr. Henderson recounts in vivid detail the continuing struggle over whether to destroy the remaining virus in the two laboratories still that held it. Then came the startling discovery that the Soviet Union had been experimenting with smallpox virus as a biological weapon and producing it in large quantities. The threat of its possible use by a rogue nation or a terrorist has had to be taken seriously and Dr. Henderson has been a central figure in plans for coping with it.New methods for mass smallpox vaccination were so successful that he sought to expand the program of smallpox immunization to include polio, measles, whooping cough, diphtheria, and tetanus vaccines. That program now reaches more than four out of five children in the world and is eradicating poliomyelitis.This unique book is to be treasured—a personal and true story that proves that through cooperation and perseverance the most daunting of obstacles can be overcome.

A Field Guide to the Birds of Brazil


Ber van Perlo - 2009
    And yet there has never been a comprehensive field guide to this splendid and elusive avifauna. Until now. The carefully vetted text and images are the first to cover the full range of bird life in this vast and varied country. The more than 1800 up-to-date accounts treat the Yellow-nosed Albatross to the Sombre Hummingbird, the Ash-throated Gnat-eater to the Black-bellied Whistling-Duck, Nighthawks and Jacamars to Motmots, Puffbirds, and Peppershrikes. They are all here--every species and many subspecies found in each region of Brazil--with special attention given to the 218 Brazilian endemics. The book is laid out so that the illustrations sit across from the commentary and the distribution maps, so it is easy to use. Also, the author uses short-hand notation throughout, to make the book compact and easy to carry when in the field. For each bird, the scientific, English, and Portuguese name are given as well as detailed information on measurement; identifying features; habitat; voice, song, and call. Distribution maps show the range for each species, also indicating seasonality and occurrence, essential for finding and identifying specific birds. From the equatorial North to the tropics, the introductory paragraphs set the stage in describing Brazil's varied biogeography, climate, geomorphology, and natural vegetation. A list of protected areas of Brazil, information on relevant national and international organizations, a bibliography and further references, and an English-Portuguese dictionary of frequently used terms enhance the user-friendly qualities. Anyone wishing to fully explore the fabulously varied bird life of Brazil will find this light-weight, easy-to-use, attractive guide an invaluable field companion.

A Pocket Guide To...Charles Darwin His Life And Impact


Answers In Genesis - 2009
    How did he come to believe in evolution? What is natural selection? Did humans really evolve from apes? Has evolution been proven true? Couldn't God have used evolution? This guide will help you see why you can't just add evolution to the Bible.

Mixed Effects Models and Extensions in Ecology with R


Alain F. Zuur - 2009
    - Things are not always linear; additive modelling. - Dealing with hetergeneity. - Mixed modelling for nested data. - Violation of independence - temporal data. - Violation of independence; spatial data. - Generalised linear modelling and generalised additive modelling. - Generalised estimation equations. - GLMM and GAMM. - Estimating trends for Antarctic birds in relation to climate change. - Large-scale impacts of land-use change in a Scottish farming catchment. - Negative binomial GAM and GAMM to analyse amphibian road killings. - Additive mixed modelling applied on deep-sea plagic bioluminescent organisms. - Additive mixed modelling applied on phyoplankton time series data. - Mixed modelling applied on American Fouldbrood affecting honey bees larvae. - Three-way nested data for age determination techniques applied to small cetaceans. - GLMM applied on the spatial distribution of koalas in a fragmented landscape. - GEE and GLMM applied on binomial Badger activity data.

A Visual Analogy Guide to Human Anatomy & Physiology


Paul A. Krieger - 2009
    

Cougar: Ecology and Conservation


Maurice Hornocker - 2009
    Eliciting reverence for its grace and independent nature, it also triggers fear when it comes into contact with people, pets, and livestock or competes for hunters’ game. Mystery, myth, and misunderstanding surround this remarkable creature.   The cougar’s range once extended from northern Canada to the tip of South America, and from the Pacific to the Atlantic, making it the most widespread animal in the western hemisphere. But overhunting and loss of habitat vastly reduced cougar numbers by the early twentieth century across much of its historical range, and today the cougar faces numerous threats as burgeoning human development encroaches on its remaining habitat.   When Maurice Hornocker began the first long-term study of cougars in the Idaho wilderness in 1964, little was known about this large cat. Its secretive nature and rarity in the landscape made it difficult to study. But his groundbreaking research yielded major insights and was the prelude to further research on this controversial species.   The capstone to Hornocker’s long career studying big cats, Cougar is a powerful and practical resource for scientists, conservationists, and anyone with an interest in large carnivores.  He and conservationist Sharon Negri bring together the diverse perspectives of twenty-two distinguished scientists to provide the fullest account of the cougar’s ecology, behavior, and genetics, its role as a top predator, and its conservation needs. This compilation of recent findings, stunning photographs, and firsthand accounts of field research unravels the mysteries of this magnificent animal and emphasizes its importance in healthy ecosystem processes and in our lives.

Genentech: The Beginnings of Biotech


Sally Smith Hughes - 2009
    Lacking marketed products or substantial profit, the firm nonetheless saw its share price escalate from $35 to $89 in the first few minutes of trading, at that point the largest gain in stock market history. Coming at a time of economic recession and declining technological competitiveness in the United States, the event provoked banner headlines and ignited a period of speculative frenzy over biotechnology as a revolutionary means for creating new and better kinds of pharmaceuticals, untold profit, and a possible solution to national economic malaise. Drawing from an unparalleled collection of interviews with early biotech players, Sally Smith Hughes offers the first book-length history of this pioneering company, depicting Genentech’s improbable creation, precarious youth, and ascent to immense prosperity. Hughes provides intimate portraits of the people significant to Genentech’s science and business, including cofounders Herbert Boyer and Robert Swanson, and in doing so sheds new light on how personality affects the growth of science. By placing Genentech’s founders, followers, opponents, victims, and beneficiaries in context, Hughes also demonstrates how science interacts with commercial and legal interests and university research, and with government regulation, venture capital, and commercial profits. Integrating the scientific, the corporate, the contextual, and the personal, Genentech tells the story of biotechnology as it is not often told, as a risky and improbable entrepreneurial venture that had to overcome a number of powerful forces working against it.

Darwin's Universe: Evolution from A to Z


Richard Milner - 2009
    Authoritative and abundantly illustrated, it illuminates the ways in which ideas of evolutionary biology have leapt the boundaries of science to influence philosophy, law, religion, literature, cinema, art, and popular culture. Darwin's Universe, a thoroughly revised and updated successor to Richard Milner's acclaimed Encyclopedia of Evolution, contains more than a hundred new essays, including entries on animal behavior (Alex the parrot, Kanzi the bonobo, Digit the gorilla), on women in science (Mary Anning, Rosalind Franklin), and on the latest finds of human fossils. A veritable museum of natural history, it also contains many original discoveries brought to light by Milner's historical sleuthing. Packed with hundreds of rare illustrations, including many new ones, this Darwin Bicentennial edition will appeal to a wide audience of readers.

What's Biology All About?


Hazel Maskell - 2009
    Discover what's inside your body, which amazing animals share our planet, and why Biology is more exciting today than ever before.

Lewin's Genes X


Jocelyn E. Krebs - 2009
    For Decades Lewin's GENES Has Provided The Teaching Community With The Most Cutting Edge Presentation Of Molecular Biology And Molecular Genetics, Covering Gene Structure, Sequencing, Organization, And Expression. The Latest Edition, With A Knowledgeable New Author Team, Has Enlisted 21 Scientists To Provide Revisions And Content Updates In Their Individual Fields Of Expertise, Ensuring That Lewin's GENES X Is The Most Current And Comprehensive Text In The Field. Informative New Chapters, As Well As A Reorganization Of Material, Provide A More Logical Flow Of Topics And Many Chapters Have Been Renamed To Better Indicate Their Contents. Lewin's GENES X Also Contains New Pedagogical Features To Help Students Learn As They Read And An Online Student Study Guide Allows Students To Test Themselves On Key Material.

Culpeper's Complete Herbal: Over 400 Herbs And Their Uses


Nicholas Culpeper - 2009
    From Adder’s Tongue to Yarrow, each of the 411 herbs is described in detail, along with its “government and virtues,” remedies, and cautions. Although much of the medical advice must be taken with a pinch of salt, the engaging tone, enthusiasm, and expertise of the author are irresistible and highly entertaining. Also included is Culpeper’s advice on gathering, drying, conserving, and using herbs to get the most out of them. This collector’s edition is a must-have for anyone interested in herbs and their uses. Each entry is illustrated with a finely detailed image and there are thirty beautiful full-page plates throughout the book.

Endless Forms: Charles Darwin, Natural Science, and the Visual Arts


Diana Donald - 2009
    This lavishly illustrated book accompanies an exhibition organized by the Fitzwilliam Museum, University of Cambridge, in association with the Yale Center for British Art, that will coincide with the global celebration of the bicentenary of Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection (1859). The essays in this exceptionally wide-ranging book examine both the profound impact that Darwin’s ideas had on European and American artists and the ways in which his theories were influenced by the visual traditions he inherited. In works by artists as diverse as Church, Landseer, Liljefors, Heade, Redon, Cézanne, Lear, Tissot, Rossetti, and Monet, from imaginative projections of prehistory to troubled evocations of a life dominated by the struggle for existence, Darwin’s sense of the interplay of all living things and his response to the beauties of the natural world proved inspirational.

One Million Things: Planet Earth


John Woodward - 2009
     Following on the incredible success of One Million Things: A Visual Dictionary, this spectacular book features dynamic photographic spreads that beautifully showcase the rocks, minerals, streams, oceans, layers, clouds, ancient sediments, and brand-new islands that make up our planet. There are millions of things to learn about Planet Earth!

The Ecology and Management of Prairies in the Central United States


Chris Helzer - 2009
    Intended for landowners and managers dedicated to understanding and nurturing their prairies as well as farmers, ranchers, conservationists, and all those with a strong interest in grasslands, ecologist Chris Helzer’s readable and practical manual educates prairie owners and managers about grassland ecology and gives them guidelines for keeping prairies diverse, vigorous, and viable.     Chapters in the first section, "Prairie Ecology," describe prairie plants and the communities they live in, the ways in which disturbance modifies plant communities, the animal and plant inhabitants that are key to prairie survival, and the importance of diversity within plant and animal communities. Chapters in the second section, "Prairie Management," explore the adaptive management process as well as guiding principles for designing management strategies, examples of successful management systems such as fire and grazing, guidance for dealing with birds and other species that have particular habitat requirements and with the invasive species that have become the most serious threat that prairie managers have to deal with, and general techniques for prairie restoration. Following the conclusion and a forward-thinking note on climate change, eight appendixes provide more information on grazing, prescribed fire, and invasive species as well as bibliographic notes, references, and national and state organizations with expertise in prairie management.       Grasslands can be found throughout much of North America, and the ideas and strategies in this book apply to most of them, particularly tallgrass and mixed-grass prairies in eastern North Dakota, eastern South Dakota, eastern Nebraska, eastern Kansas, eastern Oklahoma, northwestern Missouri, northern Illinois, northwestern Indiana, Iowa, southwestern Wisconsin, and southwestern Minnesota. By presenting all the factors that promote biological diversity and thus enhance prairie communities, then incorporating these factors into a set of clear-sighted management practices, The Ecology and Management of Prairies in the Central United States presents the tools necessary to ensure that grasslands are managed in the purposeful ways essential to the continued health and survival of prairie communities.

Arachnids


Jan Beccaloni - 2009
    Most books about arachnids focus on spiders, neglecting scorpions, ticks, mites, wind spiders, and other fascinating yet poorly understood groups. This adventurous volume summarizes all existing knowledge about each major type of arachnid, revealing their secrets through detailed species accounts, brilliant photographs, and a compelling cast of eight-legged characters. It examines the anatomy, habitat, behavior and distribution of each lineage, from the garden spider to the death stalker scorpion and even a species of mite that lives inside a monkey's lungs. Drawing on the vast resources at London's Natural History Museum, Arachnids spins a sensational tale, debunking common myths and delving deep into the lives of these bizarre and beautiful creatures.

Genetics of Original Sin: The Impact of Natural Selection on the Future of Humanity


Christian de Duve - 2009
    Thus, the human genome determines such properties as tribal and group cohesion and collaboration and often fierce and irrational competition with and hostility toward other groups’ attributes that were once useful but now often ruinously dysfunctional.Christian de Duve suggests that these traits, imprinted into human nature by natural selection, may have been recognized by the writers of Genesis, thus inspiring the myth of original sin.  Is there redemption for genetic original sin? In a brilliant and original conclusion, the author argues that, unique in the living world, humankind is endowed with the ability to deliberately oppose natural selection. Human beings have the capacity to devise measures that, while contrary to local or personal interests, can bring forth a safer world.

Planet Ape


Desmond Morris - 2009
    These fascinating creatures hold up a mirror to humanity, giving us insights into our past, our present and perhaps even our future. Planet Ape reveals the great apes in unprecedented detail: where they live, how they live and the challenges they face. Using innovative artworks, photographs and text, the book makes key comparisons between apes and human beings, including:Anatomy Diet Social life Courtship and breeding Physical and mental development Communication.From peace-loving bonobos to warring chimpanzee communities and from highly sociable gorillas to solitary orangutans, Planet Ape is the first book to do justice to the diversity and complexity of the ape world and what it tells us about our own.Unimaginable habitat loss, war, hunting and disease all threaten to wipe the great apes from the wild. Planet Ape seizes the moment, examining attempts to safeguard these species, including reserves, captive breeding and reintroduction.A proportion of the royalties will be donated to charities working to conserve apes, so buying this book makes an immediate, practical contribution.A spectacular and authoritative survey of our nearest non-human relatives, full of insight about them - and about ourselves. -- David Attenborough

Fluids and Electrolytes: An Incredibly Easy! Pocket Guide


Lippincott Williams & Wilkins - 2009
    The opening chapters review the basics of fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base balance. Subsequent chapters address specific imbalances, providing vital information for safe and effective care. The last chapter covers such treatments as IV fluid replacement and total parenteral nutrition. This edition has been revised and updated and includes new entries on acute pancreatitis and heat syndrome.

Design Of Observational Studies (Springer Series In Statistics)


Paul R. Rosenbaum - 2009
    Observational studies are common in most fields that study the effects of treatments on people, including medicine, economics, epidemiology, education, psychology, political science and sociology. The quality and strength of evidence provided by an observational study is determined largely by its design. Design of Observational Studies is both an introduction to statistical inference in observational studies and a detailed discussion of the principles that guide the design of observational studies.Design of Observational Studies is divided into four parts. Chapters 2, 3, and 5 of Part I cover concisely, in about one hundred pages, many of the ideas discussed in Rosenbaum's Observational Studies (also published by Springer) but in a less technical fashion. Part II discusses the practical aspects of using propensity scores and other tools to create a matched comparison that balances many covariates. Part II includes a chapter on matching in R. In Part III, the concept of design sensitivity is used to appraise the relative ability of competing designs to distinguish treatment effects from biases due to unmeasured covariates. Part IV discusses planning the analysis of an observational study, with particular reference to Sir Ronald Fisher's striking advice for observational studies, "make your theories elaborate."The second edition of his book, Observational Studies, was published by Springer in 2002.

Quirks of Human Anatomy: An Evo-Devo Look at the Human Body


Lewis I. Held Jr. - 2009
    Thus far, the exciting findings from "evo-devo" have only been trickling into college courses and into the domain of non-specialists. With its focus on the human organism, Quirks of Human Anatomy opens the floodgates by stating the arguments of evo-devo in plain English, and by offering a cornucopia of interesting case studies and examples. Its didactic value is enhanced by 24 schematic diagrams that integrate a host of disparate observations, by its Socratic question-and-answer format, and by its unprecedented compilation of the literature. By framing the "hows" of development in terms of the "whys" of evolution, it lets readers probe the deepest questions of biology. Readers will find the book not only educational but also enjoyable, as it revels in the fun of scientific exploration.

The Darwin Experience: The Story of the Man and His Theory of Evolution


John van Wyhe - 2009
    Combining science, travel, culture, and history, this book is an elegant, richly illustrated volume that offers not just hundreds of full-color photographs but also a trove of removable facsimile documents that bring the subject alive.These fascinatingly diverse memorabilia include letters, maps, photographs, sketches, newspaper articles, and more, providing telling glimpses of Darwin’s life as never before, from his early expedition aboard the Beagle to his meticulous, seemingly arcane research in the Galápagos Islands to the practical observations and theoretical conclusions that won him a pivotal place in the history of science.

Essential Readings in Biosemiotics: Anthology and Commentary


Donald Favareau - 2009
    The first of its kind, Donald Favareau's "Essential Readings in Biosemiotics" constitutes a valuable resource to both bioscientists and to semioticians interested in the emerging new discipline of Biosemiotics, and can function as a primary textbook for students in biosemiotics.

Becoming Human


Colin Renfrew - 2009
    These behaviours are also exhibited by populations throughout the world, from the prehistoric period through to the present day. How can we interpret these activities? What do they tell us about the beliefs and priorities of the people who carried them out? How do these behaviours relate to ideologies, cosmology, and understanding of the world? What can they tell us about the emergence of ritual and religious thought? And how do the activities of humans in prehistoric Europe compare with those of their predecessors there and elsewhere? In this volume, fifteen internationally renowned scholars contribute essays that explore the relationship between symbolism, spirituality, and humanity in the prehistoric societies of Europe and traditional societies elsewhere. The volume is richly illustrated with 50 halftones and 24 color plates.

The Art of Plant Evolution


W. John Kress - 2009
    Nearly one hundred and fifty paintings, by eighty-four artists, are reproduced in full color to present a sweeping overview of the evolution of plants worldwide. The paintings cover a wide range of plants, including ferns, fungi, conifers, algae, mosses, and a rich bounty of flowering plants; accompanying each painting is up-to-date evolutionary information—drawn from recent DNA analysis—plus observations by each of the artists and details about modern plant classification. Written for the nonspecialist, The Art of Plant Evolution is sure to enchant inquisitive green thumbs and gardeners.

Tutorial on Neural Systems Modeling


Thomas J. Anastasio - 2009
    The goal of this new book is to make these tools accessible. It is written specifically for students in neuroscience, cognitive science, and related areas who want to learn about neuralsystems modeling but lack extensive background in mathematics and computer programming.The book opens with an introduction to computer programming. Each of twelve subsequent chapters presents a different modeling paradigm by describing its basic structure and showing how it can be applied in understanding brain function. The text guides the reader through short, simple computerprograms--printed in the book and available by download at the companion website--that implement the paradigms and simulate real neural systems. Motivation for the simulations is provided in the form of a narrative that places specific aspects of neural system behavior in the context of more generalbrain function. The narrative integrates instruction for using the programs with description of neural system function, and readers can actively experience the fun and excitement of doing the simulations themselves. Designed as a hands-on tutorial for students, this book also serves instructors asboth a teaching tool and a source of examples and exercises that provide convenient starting points for more in-depth exploration of topics of their own specific interest.The distinguishing pedagogical feature of this book is its computer programs, written in MATLAB, that help readers develop basic skill in the area of neural systems modeling. (All of the program files are available online via the book's companion website.) Actual data on real neural systems ispresented in the book for comparison with the results of the simulations. Also included are asides (Math Boxes) that present mathematical material that is relevant but not essential to running the programs. Exercises and references at the end of each chapter invite readers to explore each topicarea on their own.

Endocrinology of Social Relationships


Peter B. Gray - 2009
    But in these relationships, so critical to our well-being, might we also detect the workings, even directives, of biology? This book, a rare melding of human and animal research and theoretical and empirical science, ventures into the most interesting realms of behavioral biology to examine the intimate role of endocrinology in social relationships.The importance of hormones to reproductive behavior from breeding cycles to male sexual display is well known. What this book considers is the increasing evidence that hormones are just as important to social behavior. Peter Ellison and Peter Gray include the latest findings both practical and theoretical on the hormonal component of both casual interactions and fundamental bonds. The contributors, senior scholars and rising scientists whose work is shaping the field, go beyond the proximate mechanics of neuroendocrine physiology to integrate behavioral endocrinology with areas such as reproductive ecology and life history theory. Ranging broadly across taxa, from birds and rodents to primates, the volume pays particular attention to human endocrinology and social relationships, a focus largely missing from most works of behavioral endocrinology."

Collins Complete British Mushrooms and Toadstools: The essential photograph guide to Britain’s fungi


Paul Sterry - 2009
    By only covering Britain and Ireland, fewer species are included than in many broader European guides, making it quicker and easier for the reader to accurately identify what they have found. Extensive details on size, shape, and color are given and more than 1,500 photographs help you identify each species. This is the essential photographic guide to the mushrooms and toadstools of Britain and Ireland.

The New Foundations of Evolution: On the Tree of Life


Jan Sapp - 2009
    It is about life's smallest entities, deepest diversity, and greatest cellular biomass: the microbiosphere. Jan Sapp introduces us to a newfield of evolutionary biology and a new brand of molecular evolutionists who descend to the foundations of evolution on Earth to explore the origins of the genetic system and the primary life forms from which all others have emerged. In so doing, he examines-from Lamarck to the present-the means ofpursuing the evolution of complexity, and of depicting the greatest differences among organisms.The New Foundations of Evolution takes us into a world that classical evolutionists could never have imagined: a deep phylogeny based on three domains of life and multiple kingdoms, and created by mechanisms very unlike those considered by Darwin and his followers. Evolution by leaps seems to occurregularly in the microbial world where molecular evolutionists have shown the inheritance of acquired genes and genomes are major modes of evolutionary innovation.Revisiting the history of microbiology for the first time from the perspective of evolutionary biology, Sapp shows why classical Darwinian conceptions centering on questions of the origin of species were forged without a microbial foundation, why classical microbiologists considered it impossible toknow the course of evolution, and classical molecular biologists considered the evolution of the molecular genetic system to be beyond understanding. In telling this stirring story of scientific iconoclasm, this book elucidates how the new evolutionary biology arose, what methods and assumptionsunderpin it, and the fiery controversies that continue to shape biologists' understanding of the foundations of evolution today.

Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward


National Research Council - 2009
    However, they are often constrained by lack of adequate resources, sound policies, and national support. It is clear that change and advancements, both systematic and scientific, are needed in a number of forensic science disciplines to ensure the reliability of work, establish enforceable standards, and promote best practices with consistent application. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward provides a detailed plan for addressing these needs and suggests the creation of a new government entity, the National Institute of Forensic Science, to establish and enforce standards within the forensic science community.The benefits of improving and regulating the forensic science disciplines are clear: assisting law enforcement officials, enhancing homeland security, and reducing the risk of wrongful conviction and exoneration. Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States gives a full account of what is needed to advance the forensic science disciplines, including upgrading of systems and organizational structures, better training, widespread adoption of uniform and enforceable best practices, and mandatory certification and accreditation programs.While this book provides an essential call-to-action for congress and policy makers, it also serves as a vital tool for law enforcement agencies, criminal prosecutors and attorneys, and forensic science educators.

Race and reality : what everyone should know about our biological diversity


Guy P. Harrison - 2009
    Most people derive their attitudes about race from their family, culture, and education. Very few, however, are aware that there are vast differences between the popular notions of race and the scientific view of human diversity. Yet even among scientists, who understand the current evidence, there is great controversy regarding the definition of the term race or even the usefulness of thinking in terms of race at all. Drawing on research from diverse sources and interviews with key scientists, award-winning journalist Guy P. Harrison surveys the current state of a volatile, important, and confusing subject. Harrison’s thorough approach explores all sides of the issue, including such questions as these:• If analysis of the human genome reveals that all human beings are 99.9% alike, how meaningful are racial differences?• Is the concept of race merely a cultural invention?• If race distinctions are at least partially based in biological reality, how do we decide the number of races? Are there just three or maybe 3 million?• What do studies of racial attitudes reveal? Are we all, in one way or another, racists?• How does race correlate with environmental and geographical differences?• Are race-based drugs a good idea?• How does race influence intelligence, athletic ability, and love interests?Harrison delves into these and many more intriguing, controversial, and important questions in this enlightening book. After reading Race and Reality, you will never think about race in the same way again.

Seeking God in Science: An Atheist Defends Intelligent Design


Bradley Monton - 2009
    The goal of this book is to try to get people to take intelligent design seriously. Monton maintains that it is legitimate to view intelligent design as science, that there are somewhat plausible arguments for the existence of a cosmic designer, and that intelligent design should be taught in public school science classes. In Chapter 1, after setting aside the culture wars that many people associate with the intelligent design movement, Monton discusses the issue of what exactly the doctrine of intelligent design amounts to. In Chapter 2 Monton discusses the ruling of Judge Jones in the recent Dover, Pennsylvania intelligent design trial, and he takes issue with his arguments for the claim that intelligent design is not science. In Chapter 3 Monton takes up four arguments for intelligent design that he thinks are somewhat plausible: an argument based on the fine-tuning of the fundamental constants of physics, an argument based on the beginning of the universe, an argument based on the improbability of life originating from non-life, and an argument that suggests that we're living in a computer simulation. In Chapter 4 Monton argues that it could benefit students' science education to see the arguments for and against intelligent design, and to be introduced to the philosophy of science issues that are key components of those arguments. Monton's position is unique and of great interest to people involved in this debate (especially from those favoring intelligent design). Relatively few people in philosophy of science have suggested that there are decent arguments for why intelligent design is science (indeed, most of the well known philosophers have argued the contrary - e.g., Philip Kitcher, Abusing Science. MIT Press, 1983).

Intriguing Owls: Extraordinary Images and Insights


Stan Tekiela - 2009
    He spent over twenty years observing owls across the country, documenting such major events as migration and courtship, as well as everyday activities including feeding and sleeping. The result is an incomparable collection of images and insight compiled in one unforgettable book. See these solitary hunters as you've never seen before.

FAQs about the Use of Animals in Science: A Handbook for the Scientifically Perplexed


Ray Greek - 2009
    This book is about the scientific questions and issues surrounding the use of animals in general areas of science, rather than focusing on the much-discussed ethical issues. Greek and Shanks explain the scientific merits of using animals in specific areas and criticize the use of animals in areas of science where animal models simply cannot achieve the researcher's goal. Though this topic can appear daunting, Greek and Shanks have explained the concepts in easy-to-understand prose, avoiding jargon to make the discussion accessible to those that are not members of the scientific community.

Your Body: The Missing Manual


Matthew MacDonald - 2009
    Matthew MacDonald, noted author of Your Brain: The Missing Manual, takes you on a fascinating tour of your body from the outside in, beginning with your skin and progressing to your vital organs. You'll look at the quirks, curiosities, and shortcomings we've all learned to live with, and pick up just enough biology to understand how your body works. You'll learn:That you shed skin more frequently than snakes do Why the number of fat cells you have rarely changes, no matter how much you diet or exercise -- they simply get bigger or smaller How you can measure and control fat That your hair is made from the same stuff as horses' hooves That you use only a small amount of the oxygen you inhale Why blood pressure is a more important health measure than heart rate -- with four ways to lower dangerously high blood pressure Why our bodies crave foods that make us fat How to use heart rate to shape an optimal workout session -- one that's neither too easy nor too strenuous Why a tongue with just half a dozen taste buds can identify thousands of flavors Why bacteria in your gut outnumbers cells in your body -- and what function they serve Why we age, and why we can't turn back the clock What happens to your body in the minutes after you die Rather than dumbed-down self-help or dense medical text, Your Body: The Missing Manual is entertaining and packed with information you can use. It's a book that may well change your life.Reader comments for Your Brain: The Missing Manual, also by author Matthew MacDonald: "Popular books on the brain are often minefields of attractive but inaccurate information. This one manages to avoid most of the hype and easy faulty generalizations while providing easy to read and digest information about the brain. It has useful tricks without the breathless hype of many popular books." -- Elizabeth Zwicky, The Usenix Magazine "...a unique guide that should be sought after by any who want to maximize what they can accomplish with their mental abilities and resources." -- James A. Cox, The Midwest Book Review - Wisconsin Bookwatch "If you can't figure out how to use your brain after reading this guide, you may want to return your brain for another." -- The Sacramento Book Review, Volume 1, Issue 2, Page 19 "It's rare to find a book on any technical subject that is as well written and readable as Your Brain: The Missing Manual. The book covers pretty much anything you may want to know about your brain, from what makes it up, through how it develops to how to mitigate the affects of aging. The book is easy reading, fact packed and highlighted notes and practical applications. So if you want to learn more about your brain, how it works, how to get the best out of it or just want to stave off the ravages of Alzheimers (see chapter ten for details of how learning helps maintain your brain) then I can't recommend this book highly enough." -- Neil Davis, Amazon.co.uk "MacDonald's writing style is perfect for this kind of guide. It remains educational without becoming overly technical or using unexplained jargon. And even though the book covers a broad scope of topics, MacDonald keeps it well organized and easy to follow. The book captures your attention with fun facts and interesting studies that any person could apply to their own understanding of human ability. It has great descriptions of the brain and its interconnected parts, as well as providing full color pictures and diagrams to offer a better explanation of what the author is talking about." -- Janica Unruh, Blogcritics Magazine

Oregon Fossils


Elizabeth L. Orr - 2009
    The book also provides a geologic overview of the state, from ocean beaches to the high desert, from the Blue Mountains to the Siskiyous. Unique among fossil field guides, Oregon Fossils includes both specimen identification and interesting notes about their discovery, naming, and conservation. The narrative is sprinkled with biographical sketches of paleontologists who have contributed to the state’s fossil record, and the text is richly illustrated with photographs, line drawings, charts, and maps. A complete bibliography lists full citations to fossil material. The only single volume that provides Oregon’s fossil record and history, Oregon Fossils is well-written, well-organized guide. It is an excellent reference for classroom and library use, for researchers, and for private collectors and hobbyists.

Biology for Cambridge IGCSE


Gareth Williams - 2009
    It is ideal for international school students, content presented clearly and concisely to make it accessible to students with wide ranging backgrounds. Study tips throughout the text address common misconceptions and errors. Innovative 'lesson on a page' double page spread formats are used to present topics, providing all pertinent material and emphasising the key learning points. Each chapter has a section of exam-style questions, written by experienced examiners, which closely match papers 1, 2 and 3. There is also a section dedicated to the Alternative to Practical paper in each title. A revision checklist for each title covers the whole syllabus to ensure students know what they have covered.

Cognitive Biology: Evolutionary and Developmental Perspectives on Mind, Brain, and Behavior


Luca Tommasi - 2009
    In addition to ongoing vital work in cognitive and affective neuroscience, important new work is being conducted at the intersection of psychology and the biological sciences in general. This volume offers an overview of the cross-disciplinary integration of evolutionary and developmental approaches to cognition in light of these exciting new contributions from the life sciences. This research has explored many cognitive abilities in a wide range of organisms and developmental stages, and results have revealed the nature and origin of many instances of the cognitive life of organisms. Each section of Cognitive Biology deals with a key domain of cognition: spatial cognition; the relationships among attention, perception, and learning; representations of numbers and economic values; and social cognition. Contributors discuss each topic from the perspectives of psychology and neuroscience, brain theory and modeling, evolutionary theory, ecology, genetics, and developmental science.ContributorsChris M. Bird, Elizabeth M. Brannon, Neil Burgess, Jessica F. Cantlon, Stanislas Dehaene, Christian F. Doeller, Reuven Dukas, Rochel Gelman, Alexander Gerganov, Paul W. Glimcher, Robert L. Goldstone, Edward M. Hubbard, Lucia F. Jacobs, Mark H. Johnson, Annette Karmiloff-Smith, David Landy, Lynn Nadel, Nora S. Newcombe, Daniel Osorio, Mary A. Peterson, Manuela Piazza, Philippe Pinel, Michael L. Platt, Kristin R. Ratliff, Michael E. Roberts, Wendy S. Shallcross, Stephen V. Shepherd, Sylvain Sirois, Luca Tommasi, Alessandro Treves, Alexandra Twyman, Giorgio Vallortigara

Lizards and Crocodilians of the Southeast


Whit Gibbons - 2009
    Illustrated, fact-filled descriptions of each species and its habitat comprise the heart of the book. The accounts include a physical description of the species plus information about distribution and habitat, behavior and activity, food and feeding, reproduction, predators and defense, and conservation status. Variations within each species are noted as are taxonomic questions, many of which have arisen because of recent advances in genetic techniques.Useful information about human interaction with these animals is also covered: how to observe them, how to ensure the survival of native species, how to properly care for pet lizards, and more. Interspersed throughout the book are "Did You Know?" boxes to answer frequently asked questions and to provide interesting facts. Clearly written, cleanly designed, and fun to use, this guide will promote a better understanding of the habitat needs of and challenges to this fascinating group of animals.Features:In-depth descriptions of both native and introduced speciesConservation-oriented approachApproximately 330 color photographsApproximately 18 distribution maps (for native species only)"Did You Know?" sidebars of interesting factsSize charts; key identifiers; and information about variation and taxonomy, distribution and habitat, behavior and activity, food and feeding, reproduction, predators and defense, and conservationChapters on lizard and crocodilian biodiversity and on human interactions with lizards and crocodilians

The Horrible Science of You


Nick Arnold - 2009
    Meet the shrinking scientists who are staying with the Normal family - a perfectly normal family - and studying how their bodies work.

While Flocks Last


Charlie Elder - 2009
    He looks at why their numbers have fallen, what efforts are being made to encourage their recoveries and meets experts and enthusiasts who are working to make a difference.He also examines just why birds matter in the first place and considers the role of the birdwatcher - one species that is certainly not in decline.

Molecular Biology: Academic Cell Update Edition


David P. Clark - 2009
    Clark introduces basic concepts and then follows with specific applications in research today. This book is further enhanced by its inclusion in the Academic Cell collaboration, providing it with links to current and recently published research. Molecular Biology draws in the applications from a number of fields including human cellular research, human medicine, agriculture research and veterinary medicine.

National Geographic Concise History of Science and Invention: An Illustrated Time Line


National Geographic Society - 2009
    Within these intuitive divisions, all human scientific endeavors and achievement are divided into four general fields of inquiry and arrayed into four basic geocultural regions for easy comparison in a logical, systematic grid format highlighted by 350 photographs, maps, illustrations, and diagrams that add graphic emphasis to key information. Special two-page feature spreads explore the most revolutionary developments in greater depth; compelling, expertly composed essays and memorable quotations add sparkle; and informative sidebars provide specifically focused items of information about particular inventions, ideas, or themes. Completing this comprehensive approach, an extensive glossary explains unfamiliar terms, and a detailed index makes it a simple matter to follow a particular field or process from its origin through its complete cross-cultural evolution. This is a reference as usefully accessible as it is inherently fascinating.

Super Suckers: The Giant Pacific Octopus and Other Cephalopods of the Pacific Coast


James A. Cosgrove - 2009
    Eight snake-like arms with hundreds of suction cups, a stubby funnel projecting like a left-over piece of fire hose... not to mention its three hearts and blue blood. The word cuddly doesn't spring to mind when contemplating these creatures but all are superbly mobile and beguilingly clever.This book is the culmination of more than forty years of undersea photography and study of the most impressive octopus on the Pacific coast, the giant Pacific octopus. This fascinating monster of the deep--the largest known octopus species in the world--is a master of disguise that can mimic not only the colour but also the texture of its surroundings. It can alter its shape so effectively that small specimens have escaped captivity by slithering down aquarium filter pipes. Wet, cold and slimy, it hunts and pulls apart hardshell crabs. Normally shy, it may interact with divers it comes to recognize. It can learn how to pry open a food container and remember the technique for the next feeding.Groundbreaking research and previously unpublished biological behaviours are presented along with octopus legends, anecdotes from aquarists and divers and colour photographs of the giant Pacific octopus and other cephalopods found along the Pacific coast, including the Humboldt squid and ruby octopus.

Guide to Night-Singing Insects of the Northeast


John Himmelman - 2009
    Includes in-depth information on the three main families of these insects--the katydids, mole crickets, and true crickets--as well as full-color illustrations showing the unique features of each species. Readers will learn what colors and physical attributes are important, how species compare with one another, and how various sounds can help identify a particular insect. Complete with an audio guide and CD, this package is the only resource readers will need to study these small yet amazing insects of the night. Field guide to crickets, katydids, shieldbacks, coneheads, trigs, and angle-wings across the eastern United States Full-color illustrations depict each insect in extraordinary detail Enclosed audio CD features songs and calls of 68 species

Orangutans: Geographic Variation in Behavioral Ecology and Conservation


Serge A. Wich - 2009
    It is increasingly clear that orangutan populations show extensive variation in behavioural ecology, morphology, life history, and genes. Indeed, on the strength of the latest genetic andmorphological evidence, it has been proposed that orangutans actually constitute two species which diverged more than a million years ago - one on the island of Sumatra the other on Borneo, with the latter comprising three subspecies.This book has two main aims. The first is to carefully compare data from every orangutan research site, examining the differences and similarities between orangutan species, subspecies, and populations. The second is to develop a theoretical framework in which these differences and similarities canbe explained. To achieve these goals the editors have assembled the world's leading orangutan experts to rigorously synthesize and compare the data, quantify the similarities or differences, and seek to explain them.Orangutans is the first synthesis of orangutan biology to adopt this novel, comparative approach. It analyses and compares the latest data, developing a theoretical framework to explain morphological, life history, and behavioural variation. Intriguingly, not all behavioural differences can beattributed to ecological variation between and within the two islands; relative rates of social learning also appear to have been influential. The book also emphasizes the crucial impact of human settlement on orangutans and looks ahead to the future prospects for the survival of criticallyendangered natural populations.

The Travails of Two Woodpeckers: Ivory-Bills & Imperials


Noel F.R. Snyder - 2009
    Both species were known to be in serious decline by the end of the nineteenth century and are likely extinct today, though occasional reports of sightings persist. While the Ivory-billed was one of the first endangered birds to receive intensive conservation attention, the efforts were too often misdirected, and too little, too late. Concern for the fate of the Imperial Woodpecker came even later and resulted in a similar fate.The probable extinction of two of North America's largest and most charismatic birds has much to teach us regarding conservation efforts, especially as many other species face similar problems. In closely examining the history of the decline and causes of extinction of the Ivory-billed and Imperial Woodpeckers, the authors offer explanations for the birds' demise and strategies for future conservation and research efforts that focus mainly on the deadly, though largely understated, role of human depredations.

The Great Dinosaur Discoveries


Darren Naish - 2009
    Books on dinosaurs are usually arranged by classification or epoch, but this unique work tells the story chronologically, in order of the key finds that shaped our understanding and brought these creatures to life for the public. From the fragmentary remains of giant extinct animals found in the early 1800s to the dinosaur wars in the American West to the amazing near-complete skeletons found around the world today, Darren Naish tells how these discoveries have led not only to the recognition of new species and whole new groups, but also to new theories of evolutionary history. Along the way, we encounter dinosaurs both familiar and obscure-including Tyrannosaurus rex, the giant sauropods, and most recently, the feathered dinosaurs of China. As he describes these significant finds, Naish explains in clear, accessible language, how our ideas about dinosaur appearance, biology, and behavior have developed and changed over time, and what the state of knowledge is today.• Discusses each major dinosaur group• Illuminates the human side of fossil discoveries by describing explorers, scientists, and artists• Beautifully designed pages feature extensive captions, engaging text, and sidebars throughout on select topics of interest• Almost 200 illustrations include historical and contemporary photographs, art works, drawings, and maps

Cambridge IGCSE Biology Coursebook [with CD-ROM]


Mary Jones - 2009
    Written by an experienced teacher and examiner, Cambridge IGCSE Biology Workbook helps students build the skills required in both their theory and practical examinations. The exercises in this write-in workbook help to consolidate understanding and get used to using knowledge in new situations, develop information handling and problem solving skills, and develop experimental skills including planning investigations and interpreting results. This accessible book encourages students to engage with the material. The answers to the exercises can be found on the Teacher's Resource CD-ROM.

Censored Science: The Suppressed Evidence


Bruce A. Malone - 2009
    Each two-page spread lays out the evidence for creation and then provides a rebuttal to the most common evolutionist objections to the evidence. Updated and expanded in 2014, the volume contains both the most recent cutting-edge evidence for creation and time-tested evidence which have never been answered by those rejecting Biblical truth. The book is divided into three major sections - Censored Biological Evidence, Censored Geological Evidence, and Censored Cosmological Evidence. Each section starts with a description of how an assumption of naturalism prevents our educational system from exposing students to any evidence which contradicts the presuppositions of evolution. Every page is a visual masterpiece, mating original photography or graphic designs with compelling text. Rather than a simple presentation of facts, Censored Science draws the reader into each subject using stories, analogies, and illustrations of the relevance for each of the evidences for creation. This coffee table quality hardback is the kind of book anyone would be proud to give to others. It has been technically reviewed and endorsed by some of the top scientists involved in creation research - including Dr. Steve Austin, Dr. John Baumgardner, and Dr. John Sanford.

Weeds of the South


Charles T. Bryson - 2009
    Featuring more than fifteen hundred full-color photographs, this handy guide provides essential information on four hundred of the most troublesome weedy and invasive plants found in the southern United States.Drawing on the expertise of more than forty weed scientists and botanists, the guide identifies each plant at various stages of its life and offers useful details about its origin, habitat, morphology, biology, distribution, and known toxic properties. The book also includes illustrations of the most common characteristics of plants and the terms used to describe them, a key to plant families, a glossary of frequently used terms, a bibliography, and an index of scientific and common plant names.Each species account includes:Up to four full-color photographs showing seed, seedling, plant, flower, and other unique plant featuresDistribution mapFor grasses, a line drawing of the collar (where the leaf joins the stem), an important identifying characteristicScientific names, common names, and local synonyms of common namesVegetative characteristics for seedlings and leavesSpecial identifying features, reproductive characteristics, and toxic propertiesStates covered (species distribution maps also show occurrences across the United States and Canada):AlabamaArkansasFloridaGeorgiaKentuckyLouisianaMarylandMississippiMissouriNorth CarolinaOklahomaSouth CarolinaTennesseeTexasVirginiaWest Virginia

Why Evolution Works (and Creationism Fails)


Matt Young - 2009
    Why impassioned? Should not scientists be dispassionate in their work? “Perhaps,” write the authors, “but it is impossible to remain neutral when our most successful scientific theories are under attack, for religious and other reasons, by laypeople and even some scientists who willfully distort scientific findings and use them for their own purposes.”Focusing on what other books omit, how science works and how pseudoscience works, Matt Young and Paul K. Strode demonstrate the futility of “scientific” creationism. They debunk the notion of intelligent design and other arguments that show evolution could not have produced life in its present form.Concluding with a frank discussion of science and religion, Why Evolution Works (and Creationism Fails) argues that science by no means excludes religion, though it ought tocast doubt on certain religious claims that are contrary to known scientific fact.

Sushi: Food for the Eye, the Body & the Soul


Ole G. Mouritsen - 2009
    It has become my new 'go-to' bible when I need a shot of inspiration."Ken Oringer, internationally renowned and award-winning chefClio Restaurant, Uni Sashimi Bar, Boston"Congratulations on writing such an aesthetically beautiful, informative and inspiring book. ... I shall not hesitate to recommend your book to those colleagues, who like me, are fascinated by Sushi and who will surely be captivated, like me, turning every page."Dr. Ian C. Forster, April, 2011- - -In recent decades, sushi has gone from being a rather exotic dish, eaten by relatively few outside of Japan, to a regular meal for many across the world. It is quickly gathering the attention of chefs and nutritionists everywhere. It has even made its way into numerous home kitchens where people have patiently honed the specialized craft required to prepare it. Few have been more attuned to this remarkable transition than Ole G. Mouritsen, an esteemed Danish scientist and amateur chef who has had a lifelong fascination with sushi's central role in Japanese culinary culture.Sushi for the eye, the body, and the soul is a unique melange of a book. In it, Mouritsen discusses the cultural history of sushi then uses his scientific prowess to deconstruct and explain the complex chemistry of its many subtle and sharp taste sensations. He also offers insights from years of honing his own craft as a sushi chef, detailing how to choose and prepare raw ingredients, how to decide which tools and techniques to use, and how to arrange and present various dishes.Sushi is irresistible for both its simplicity and the hypnotic performance-art aspects that go into its preparation. With clear prose and straightforward instructions, Mouritsen looks at every facet of sushi in a book that is as accessible as it is informative, as useful as it is fun.

Darwinian Populations and Natural Selection


Peter Godfrey-Smith - 2009
    He argued that this mechanism was the key to explaining the most puzzling features of the natural world, and science and philosophy were changed forever as a result. The exact nature of the Darwinian process has been controversial ever since, however. Godfrey-Smith draws on new developments in biology, philosophy of science, and other fields to give a new analysis and extension of Darwin's idea. The central concept used is that of a Darwinian population, a collection of things with the capacity to undergo change by natural selection. From this starting point, new analyses of the role of genes in evolution, the application of Darwinian ideas to cultural change, and evolutionary transitions that produce complex organisms and societies are developed. Darwinian Populations and Natural Selection will be essential reading for anyone interested in evolutionary theory.

Pattern Formation and Dynamics in Nonequilibrium Systems


Michael Cross - 2009
    This introductory textbook for graduate students in biology, chemistry, engineering, mathematics, and physics provides a systematic account of the basic science common to these diverse areas. This book provides a careful pedagogical motivation of key concepts, discusses why diverse nonequilibrium systems often show similar patterns and dynamics, and gives a balanced discussion of the role of experiments, simulation, and analytics. It contains numerous worked examples and over 150 exercises. This book will also interest scientists who want to learn about the experiments, simulations, and theory that explain how complex patterns form in sustained nonequilibrium systems.

Tigers of the World: The Science, Politics, and Conservation of Panthera Tigris


Ronald Tilson - 2009
    In 1988, when the first edition was published, tiger conservation was still in its infancy, and two decades later there has been a revolution not only in what is known, but how information about tigers is obtained and disseminated. In the fast changing world of conservation, there is a great need to summarize the vast and current state-of-the-art, to put this into historical perspective, and to speculate in what yet remains to be done.Tigers of the World, Second Edition fulfills this need by bringing together in a unique way the world's leading tiger experts into one volume. Despite the challenges ahead, there are bright spots in this story and lessons aplenty not only for tiger specialists but large carnivore specialists, conservation biologists, wildlife managers, natural resource policymakers, and most importantly the caring public.

Fundamentals of Forensic DNA Typing


John M. Butler - 2009
    Fundamentals of Forensic DNA Typing walks students step-by-step through the DNA analysis process beginning with collection of evidence at a crime scene to the statistical interpretation of the results. Also included are brief discussions of such news worthy topics as victim identification from the September 11, 2001 attacks, the identification of the remains of the Romanovs, the last Russian Royal family, and the O.J. Simpson case. New applications, such as genetic genealogy and tracing domestic pet hairs to perpetrators, are also detailed.With its clear and understandable style and extensive list of online ancillaries and study aids, this textbook will make the subject accessible to students in forensic science courses worldwide. Includes a glossary with over 400 terms for quick reference of unfamiliar terms as well as an acronym guide to decipher the DNA dialect Continues in the style of Forensic DNA Typing, 2e, with high-profile cases addressed in D.N.A.Boxes— "Data, Notes & Applications" sections throughout Ancillaries include: instructor manual Web site, with tailored set of 1000+ PowerPoint slides (including figures), links to online training websites and a test bank with key

Encyclopedia of Neuroscience


Larry R. Squire - 2009
    Each article is written by an expert in that specific domain and peer reviewed by the advisory board before acceptance into the encyclopedia. Each article contains a glossary, introduction, a reference section, and cross-references to other related encyclopedia articles. Written at a level suitable for university undergraduates, the breadth and depth of coverage will appeal beyond undergraduates to professionals and academics in related fields. Arranged alphabetically by title, the articles encompass 10 volumes, making this the authoritative reference for the field.Provides comprehensive coverage of neuroscience in 10 volumes32 separate areas of neuroscience and neurology covered for breadth and depth of contentLanguage is accessible for undergraduates, depth appropriate for scientistsAuthored and edited by world class researchers in neuroscience, followed by peer reviewExtensive use of figures, tables, and color illustrations and photographsGlossaries, further reading suggestions, and cross-references provide additional tools to understand materialIndex provides opportunities to find entries under multiple relevant terms or find related material easilyAvailable in print and online versions

The Complete Field Guide to Stick and Leaf Insects of Australia [op]


Paul D. Brock - 2009
    Most of them are endemic, few have been studied and new species continue to be found. Stick insects are, by far, Australia's longest insects--some of them reach up to 300 mm in body length and more than 500 mm including outstretched legs. Many stick insects are very colorful and some have quite elaborate, defensive behavior. Increasingly they are being kept as pets.This is the first book on Australian phasmids for nearly 200 years. It includes photographs and distribution maps for all species, notes on their ecology and biology as well as identification keys suitable for novices or professionals.

The Insecto-files


Helaine Becker - 2009
    That’s about a billion billion bugs for every single person. And that’s not even counting their close relatives, the arachnids, which include spiders, lice, ticks, scorpions, and mites. So, if we humans really are that outnumbered, wouldn’t it be a good idea to learn a little more about our insect overlords? Helaine Becker’s latest activities guide does just that. Following the same format as her critically acclaimed Science on the Loose, which demystified science through fun and silly experiments, The Insecto-Files investigates the hidden lives of insects. It blends little-known facts about bugs with a wealth of easy-to-do activities that are as entertaining as they are educational. Packed with Becker’s trademark blend of energy, irreverence, and information, The Insecto-Files offers budding entomologists a gleeful guerilla approach to learning about the wonderful world of bugs.

The College Student's Back to School Guide to Intelligent Design


Discovery Institute - 2009
    They often start with myths promoted by misinformed critiques in scientific journals, court rulings, or even talks by activists at scientific conferences. Unfortunately, it's not uncommon for this misinformation to then be passed down to college students, who may know very little about ID and lack the resources to correct their professors' misinformed and misplaced attacks on ID. Not anymore.If you're a college student, recently gone back to school and expecting to hear a lot of anti-ID views from your professors, we're pleased to present this "Back to School Guide" for students.The guide contains suggestions for helpful pro-ID books, articles, and websites for students to read when investigating the issue. Additionally, it contains "Answers to Your Professor's Most Common Misinformed Objections to Intelligent Design." Nine answers are given to common but false arguments against ID like "Intelligent Design Proponents Don't Conduct or Publish Scientific Research" or "Intelligent Design Is a Science Stopper" or "Intelligent Design Has Been Refuted by the Overwhelming Evidence for Neo-Darwinian Evolution."

Principles of Behavioral Genetics


Robert R.H. Anholt - 2009
    It presents a comprehensive overview of the relationship between genes, brain, and behavior.Introductory chapters give clear explanations of basic processes of the nervous system and fundamental principles of genetics of complex traits without excessive statistical jargon. Individual chapters describe the genetics of social interactions, olfaction and taste, memory and learning, circadian behavior, locomotion, sleep, and addiction, as well as the evolution of behavior.Whereas the focus is on genetics, neurobiological and ecological aspects are also included to provide intellectual breadth. The book uses examples that span the gamut from classical model organisms to non-model systems and human biology, and include both laboratory and field studies. Samples of historical information accentuate the text to provide the reader with an appreciation of the history of the field.This book will be a valuable resource for future generations of scientists who focus on the field of behavioral genetics.

Icons of Life: A Cultural History of Human Embryos


Lynn M. Morgan - 2009
    Lynn M. Morgan blends social analysis, sleuthing, and humor to trace the history of specimen collecting. In the process, she illuminates how a hundred-year-old scientific endeavor continues to be felt in today's fraught arena of maternal and fetal politics. Until the embryo collecting project-which she follows from the Johns Hopkins anatomy department, through Baltimore foundling homes, and all the way to China-most people had no idea what human embryos looked like. But by the 1950s, modern citizens saw in embryos an image of “ourselves unborn,” and embryology had developed a biologically based story about how we came to be. Morgan explains how dead specimens paradoxically became icons of life, how embryos were generated as social artifacts separate from pregnant women, and how a fetus thwarted Gertrude Stein's medical career. By resurrecting a nearly forgotten scientific project, Morgan sheds light on the roots of a modern origin story and raises the still controversial issue of how we decide what embryos mean.

A Primer of Ecology with R


M. Henry H. Stevens - 2009
    Provides simple explanations of the important concepts in population and community ecology.Provides R code throughout, to illustrate model development and analysis, as well as appendix introducing the R language.Interweaves ecological content and code so that either stands alone.Supplemental web site for additional code.

Introduction to Bryophytes


Alain Vanderpoorten - 2009
    This introductory textbook assumes no prior knowledge of bryophyte biology, making it ideal for advanced undergraduate and graduate students, as well as amateur botanists. The authors expertly summarise the diversity of bryophytes and outline recent advances in our understanding of their evolutionary history, their ecological roles and preferences, their distribution patterns and conservation needs. The text is highly illustrated throughout, with boxed summaries of topics of current relevance in bryophyte biology, and a glossary of technical terms.

Anatomy : descriptive and surgical


Henry Gray - 2009
    Anatomy : descriptive and surgical