Ecological science, the Biosphere Books

What is the nature of the 'laws' that Marx and Engels sought to formulate for the development of capitalism? How to understand and judge Engels's attempt to formulate a general philosophy and worldview? These are the questions highlighted in this...

The Lives of Seaweeds presents an inside look at the remarkable world of seaweeds and other algae. Coming in all colours, shapes, and sizes, from unicellular and bioluminescent algae to giant kelps, seaweeds and algae are omnipresent, forming the basis...

Documents the artworks of the exhibition Repair, Australian Pavilion, 16th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia, under the creative direction of Baracco+Wright Architects in collaboration with Linda Tegg. It shares the thinking...

Power has many dimensions, from individual attributes such as strength and speed to the collective advantages of groups. The Evolution of Power takes readers on a breathtaking journey across history and the natural world, revealing how the concept of...

A confrontation with the destruction of the Amazon by a writer who moved her life into the heart of the forest.In lyrical, impassioned prose, Eliane Brum recounts her move from Sao Paulo to Altamira, a city along the Xingu River that has been devastated...

An engaging and beautifully illustrated introduction to some of the world's most interesting and charismatic marine creatures.Dive deep into the fascinating world of cephalopods - octopuses, squid, cuttlefish, and the mysterious nautilus - to discover...

With an astounding 3.5 million species occupying virtually every habitat on Earth, insects are one of the most diverse groups of animals on the planet, from the humble bee to the agile praying mantis. Taking you inside the extraordinary world of insects,...

Beetles make up about a quarter of known animal species and are arguably the most diverse group of organisms on Earth: almost 400,000 species have been formally described so far, and it is likely that this number merely scratches the surface. In Beetles...

Orchids are one of the largest plant families, with an estimated 28,000 species worldwide, they occur on all major landmasses except Antarctica.Full of a variety of colour and form, this new Kew Pocketbook offers a snapshot into the diverse world of...

It is rare for life to change Earth, yet three organisms have profoundly transformed our planet over the long course of its history. Elemental reveals how microbes, plants, and people used the fundamental building blocks of life to alter the climate, and...

From the Los Angeles Times Book Prize-winning historian, the colourful, dramatic story of Charles Darwin's journey on HMS Beagle that inspired the evolutionary theories in his path-breaking books On the Origin of Species and The Descent of Man.When...

'The Sacred Balance has a beautiful spirit.' - E.O. WilsonWith a new foreword from Robin Wall Kimmerer, New York Times bestselling author of Braiding Sweetgrass - andan afterword from Bill McKibben - this special 25th anniversary...

Shells have captivated humans from the dawn of time: the earliest known artwork was made on a shell. As well as containers for food, shells have been used as tools, jewellery and decorations for dwellings, and to bring good luck or to ward off spirits...

Projective Ecologies takes stock of the diversity of contemporary ecological research and theory - embracing Felix Guattari's broader definition of ecology as at once environmental, social, and existential - and speculates on potential paths forward for...

Described by William Morris as 'Most Unimaginably Strange', the landscape of Iceland has fascinated and inspired travellers, scientists, artists and writers throughout history. This book provides a contemporary understanding of the landscape as a whole,...

Elegant and beautiful, rich in history and supremely useful, the ash tree has played an extraordinary yet largely unrecognised part in shaping both our natural environment and the material culture and beliefs of millions of people around the world. Ash...

Fear and fascination set wasps apart from other insects. Despite their iconic form and distinctive colours, they are surrounded by myth and misunderstanding. Often portrayed in cartoon-like stereotypes bordering on sad parody, wasps have an unwelcome and...

Polar bears are truly majestic animals: the largest land-dwelling carnivore on earth, they can measure up to 3 metres in length, and weigh up to 700 kilograms. They are also iconic in other ways - a symbol of the climate change debate, with their...

At once reptilian and avian, dinosaurs enable us to imagine a world far beyond the usual boundaries of time, culture and physiology. We have envisioned them in diverse and contradictory ways, reflecting, in part, our changing conceptions of ourselves...

Common and exotic, glamorous and ferocious, sociable and sullen: zebras mean many things to many people. The extraordinary beauty of their striped coats makes them one of the world's most recognisable animals. They have been immortalised in paint by...

For millennia corals were a marine enigma confounding classification and occupying a space between the animal and vegetable kingdoms. Ultimately their animal and symbiotic natures were recognized, and they remain the focus of intense fascination and...

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...

The world needs young people to grow into strong, scientifically literate environmental stewards. Learning gardens are great places to build this knowledge, yet until now there has been a lack of a multi-grade curriculum for school-wide teaching aimed at...

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...

A gorgeously illustrated guide to the incredible diversity of snakes around the world.Snakes are found on every continent except Antarctica and have evolved to occupy a vast range of habitats, from mountains to oceans and deserts to rain forests. Snakes...

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...