Ecological science, the Biosphere

Come along on an informative, whirlwind tour of urban species - from intelligent crows to backyard lichens - and discover that you are surrounded by wild nature, even in your own backyard.When biologist Hanna Bjrgaas spots a fairy cup lichen in...

This book gives new perspective on just whom activists must target to slow global warming-that is, target those who are warming the globe deliberately and hugely, instead of just semi-accidentally and in small degree, like the rest of us. The book...

Practice radical mycology and learn mushroom loreDiscover the glorious world of mushrooms, lichens, and micro fungi, as described by Peter McCoy, one of today's foremost experts in the field. Covering the essential information and skills for...

Veer Ecology is a groundbreaking guide for the twenty-first century, with theeditors asking thirty brilliant thinkers to each propose one verb that stressesthe forceful potential of inquiry, weather, biomes, apprehensions, and desiresto swerve...

In many ecosystems dung beetles play a crucial role--both ecologically and economically--in the decomposition of large herbivore dung. Their activities provide scientists with an excellent opportunity to explore biological community dynamics. This...

The extraordinary life story of the celebrated naturalist who transformed our understanding of evolution.Enchanted by Daphne is legendary ecologist Peter Grant's personal account of his remarkable life and career. In this revelatory book, Grant takes...

You can tell a lot about a tree from the company it keeps. James Nardi guides you through the innermost unseen world that trees share with a wondrous array of creatures. With their elaborate immune responses, trees recruit a host of allies as predators...

A richly illustrated introduction to the incredible world of beetles.With some 400,000 species, beetles are among the largest and most successful groups of organisms on earth, making up one-fifth of all plant and animal species. No other animals exhibit...

A marvellously illustrated A-to-Z compendium of bird names from around the globe.The Bird Name Book is an alphabetical reference book on the origins and meanings of common group bird names, from 'accentor' to...

A fascinating and richly illustrated exploration of the natural history of fungiWe know fungi are important, for us as well as the environment. But how they live, and what they can do, remains mysterious and surprising. Filled with stunning photographs,...

The ocean teems with life that thrives under difficult situations in unusual environments. The Extreme Life of the Sea takes readers to the absolute limits of the ocean world - the fastest and deepest, the hottest and oldest creatures of the oceans. It...

Seaweeds are astoundingly diverse. They're found along the shallows of beaches and have been recorded living at depths of more than 800 feet; they can be microscopic or grow into giants many meters long. They're incredibly efficient at using the...

A richly illustrated natural history of ants, covering their diversity, ecology, anatomy, behaviour, and morePlentiful and familiar, ants make up an estimated one-third of the world's insect biomass and can be found in virtually every part of the globe,...

A comprehensive photographic guide to the gull species of the Western PalearcticGulls occupy a particularly important place in the world of birds. But because they are notoriously difficult to identify, they have been relatively neglected in the...

From famed zoologist Anthony Sinclair, an account of his decades-long quest to understand one of Earth's most spectacular ecosystems.With its rich biodiversity, astounding wildlife, and breathtaking animal migrations, Serengeti is like no other...

A revolutionary new framework that draws on insights from ecology for the design and analysis of long-duration robots.Robots are increasingly leaving the confines of laboratories, warehouses, and manufacturing facilities, venturing into agriculture and...

Seabirds evoke the spirit of the earth's wildest places. They spend large portions of their lives at sea, often far from land, and nest on remote islands that humans rarely visit. Thanks to increasingly sophisticated and miniaturised devices that can...

A uniquely personal meditation on Britain's gulls by one of today's leading wildlife writers From a distance, gulls are beautiful symbols of freedom over the oceanic wilderness. Up close, however, they can be loud, aggressive and even violent...

An exciting look at the essential roles that parasites play in Earth's ecosystems.This book looks at the weird and wonderful world of parasites, the most abundant form of life on Earth. Parasites come in all forms and sizes and inhabit every free-living...

Honey bees are marvellously charismatic organisms with a long history of interaction with humans. They are vital to agriculture and serve as a model system for many basic questions in biology. This authoritative book provides an essential overview of...

An enticing illustrated look at pollination, one of the most astonishing marvels of the natural worldPollination is essential to the survival of most plants on Earth. Some plants rely on the wind to transport pollen from one flower to another. Others...

A richly illustrated natural history of the world's crabs that examines their diversity, ecology, anatomy, behavior, and moreThis lavishly illustrated book offers a remarkable look at the world's crabs. More than 7,000 crab species, in 100...

The form and function of a sprinting cheetah are quite unlike those of a rooted tree. A human being is very different from a bacterium or a zebra. The living world is a realm of dazzling variety, yet a shared set of physical principles shapes the forms...

There are some 10,000 bird species in existence today, occupying every continent and virtually every habitat on Earth. The variety of bird species is truly astounding, from the tiny bee hummingbird to the large flightless ostrich, making birds one of the...

Corals are among the most varied lifeforms on Earth, ranging from mushroom corals and leather corals to button polyps, sea fans, anemones, and pulse corals. Bridging the gap between plant and animal, these marine invertebrates serve as homes to reef fish...

A natural history of cheating from selfish genes to lying politiciansNature is rife with cheating. Possums play possum, feigning death to cheat predators. Crows cry wolf to scare off rivals. Amphibians and reptiles are inveterate impostors. Even genes...

An illustrated record book of theropod facts and figures - from the biggest to the fastest to the smartest The theropod dinosaurs ruled the planet for millions of years, with species ranging from the mighty Tyrannosaurus rex to feathered raptors...

A stunning portrait of the nocturnal moths of Central and South America by famed American photographer Emmet Gowin American photographer Emmet Gowin (b. 1941) is best known for his portraits of his wife, Edith, and their family, as well as for his images...

Two hundred sixty million years ago, life on Earth suffered wave after wave of cataclysmic extinctions, with the worst wiping out nearly every species on the planet. The Worst of Times delves into the mystery behind these extinctions and sheds light on...

The most up-to-date and authoritative resource on the biology and evolution of solitary beesWhile social bees such as honey bees and bumble bees are familiar to most people, they comprise less than 10 percent of all bee species in the world. The vast...

A comprehensive introduction to ocean ecology and a new way of thinking about ocean lifeMarine ecology is more interdisciplinary, broader in scope, and more intimately linked to human activities than ever before. Ocean Ecology provides advanced...

One of the most amazing and accessible wildlife-watching destinations on earth, the 'Top End' of Australia's Northern Territory is home to incredible birds and animals - from gaudy Red-collared Lorikeets to sinister Estuarine Crocodiles and raucous Black...

Pollination and Floral Ecology is the most comprehensive single-volume reference to all aspects of pollination biology--and the first fully up-to-date resource of its kind to appear in decades. This beautifully illustrated book describes how flowers use...

This is the completely revised edition of the essential field guide to the birds of New Guinea. The world's largest tropical island, New Guinea boasts a spectacular avifauna characterized by cassowaries, megapodes, pigeons, parrots, cuckoos, kingfishers,...

The albatross inspires awe by its remarkable ease in the air and its huge wingspan, as well as the huge journeys these birds undertake across the oceans. Albatross looks at the place of these iconic birds in a wide variety of human cultures, from early...

Innocent. Invader. Lover. Thief. Sparrows are everywhere, in many guises. They are cherished pets, subject of elegies by Catullus and John Skelton, listed as 'pretty things' in Sei Shonagon's Pillow Book. They're grimy, urban vermin with shocking...

From contaminated urban lots to polluted waterways and massive oil spills, how can communities transform toxic landscapes and respond to environmental disasters positively and effectively? Earth Repair is packed with accessible, simple, and practical...

How do we see and relate to the agricultural heartlands of Australia? Might alternative ways of imagining and engaging with rural places enable ecological and social regeneration?In Heartland, George Main takes us on a journey through the country of his...