Best Ecosystems

Open the book, and the reader is swept into the magic of an underwater world, face-to-face with a floating Yellow-Banded Sweetlips; with a glow-in-the-dark Deep-Sea Anglerfish; with a Sea Horse swaying in balletic motion; with a Sand Tiger Shark gliding along the ocean floor, its gaze haunting, its hook-toothed mouth gulping open and closed. “Showcasing stunning photographic images that ripple with movement, Dan Kainen fully immerses readers in a captivating underwater realm. (The Bookseller). “Showcasing stunning photographic images that ripple with movement, Dan Kainen fully immerses readers in a captivating underwater realm.

"An immersive, mildly gonzo and depressingly well-timed book about the drenching effects of global warming, and a powerful reminder that we can bury our heads in the sand about climate change for only so long before the sand itself disappears." Across the globe, scientists and civilians alike are noticing rapidly rising sea levels, and higher and higher tides pushing more water directly into the places we live, from our most vibrant, historic cities to our last remaining traditional coastal villages. "Jeff Goodell's latest contribution to the environmental cause paints an eye-opening portrait of humankind's dilemma as temperatures -- and sea levels -- continue to rise. The Water Will Come brings together compelling anecdotes from all over the globe and shocking expert assessments that should make the world's few remaining skeptics reconsider. Goodell has written a powerful call to arms that is never preachy but is a very timely reminder that we ignore how climate change is raising sea levels only at great risk to our way of life. "Even if we could halt further growth in greenhouse gas emissions today, we would remain locked into several centuries of sea level rise ahead. But this fine volume (which expands on [Goodell's] reporting in Rolling Stone) concentrates on the slower and more relentless toll that water will take on our cities and our psyches in the years to come. "[A] vivid mix of science, history and sociology... Goodell talks about climate change and what it means to every person on the planet in a way that will engage even the non- Nova crowd.

Now, the second edition of this supremely comprehensive guide has even more to satisfy the curious beachcomber, including expanded content and additional accounts with more than 1800 full-color photographs, maps, and illustrations. Blair and Dawn have merged their art, writing, photography, and design in a number of projects, including Florida's Living Beaches: A Beachcomber's Guide , Florida's Seashells , Living Beaches of Georgia and the Carolinas: A Beachcomber's Guide , and Seashells of Georgia and the Carolinas: A Beachcomber's Guide .

With her we witness cutting-edge science experiments, visit the South Pole, lodge with American, Italian, and French researchers, drive snowdozers, drill ice cores, and listen for the message Antarctica is sending us about our future in an age of global warming. During several separate journeys, she stayed at a half-dozen outposts operated by the U.S., the UK, Russia, France, Italy, and Argentina and learned the protocols of cold-weather survival, accompanied scientists on their fieldwork, and observed how people cope with the environmental extremes and awesome geographical isolation of Antarctica.

Now, the second edition of this supremely comprehensive guide has even more to satisfy the curious beachcomber, including expanded content and additional accounts with more than 1800 full-color photographs, maps, and illustrations. Blair and Dawn have merged their art, writing, photography, and design in a number of projects, including Florida's Living Beaches: A Beachcomber's Guide , Florida's Seashells , Living Beaches of Georgia and the Carolinas: A Beachcomber's Guide , and Seashells of Georgia and the Carolinas: A Beachcomber's Guide .

A gallery of more than 400 species offers readers an extensive identification guide to the most-likely encountered fishes and features each in detail: name, species, habitat, range and a description particular to the animal covered. The surveys of the tropical ocean regions and sea life around the world include: The text, written by Michael, who has worked as a scientific consultant for National Geographic and the Discovery Channel, is aimed at the novice, but it is a comprehensive resource on the many different aquatic species that make their homes in and around the world's reefs. Identifies hundreds of the most commonly encountered species in tropical marine environments all over the world... Reef Life features more than 1,000 color photographs of 800 species. He has put a collection of his pictures together to form a useful guide to tropical marine life. Six hundred pages make up a weighty volume measuring 16 x 18cm, and half of that is reproduced in the conventional form of a fish-identification book, with a photograph and details of an example of each species. There are chapters on elasmobranches, invertebrates, marine reptiles and marine mammals and all are illustrated, almost without exception, with. beautiful pictures by Brandon Cole, although Scott Michael and a few others have filled in the inevitable holes.

In celebration of the twentieth anniversary of the publication of Desert Solitaire, the University of Arizona Press is pleased to publish a new edition featuring a new introduction by the author, his definitive corrections to the text, and new illustrations commissioned exclusively for this volume. First published in 1968 to "a few brief but not hostile notices," Desert Solitaire quietly sold out of its first printing but eventually developed a loyal enough following in paperback to earn Abbey the "nature writer" label he claims never to have wanted. "A passionately felt, deeply poetic book. — New York Times Book Review "This is a well made and well illustrated book (at last a good hard-back version!

The story of two generations of scientific explorers in South America—Richard Evans Schultes and his protégé Wade Davis—an epic tale of adventure and a compelling work of natural history. The prodigious biological and cultural riches of the vast Amazon rain forest are being lost at a horrendous rate, according to the author, often without yielding their secrets to the Western world. Davis graphically describes the brutal clash of cultures from Columbian times to the present, often so devastating for indigenous peoples, that has defined this region.

Understand wetlands' role in the ecosystem, from local to global scales Appreciate the fact that wetlands may be the most logical and economical way to sequester carbon from the atmosphere Discover the unique characteristics that make wetlands critically important for improving water quality, reducing storm and flood damage, and providing habitat to support biodiversity Learn how wetlands are being managed or destroyed around the globe but also how we can create and restore them Examine the ways in which climate change is affecting wetland ecosystems and wetland ecosystems affect climate change. Five streamlined chapters on wetland ecosystems: tidal marshes, mangroves, freshwater marshes and swamps, and northern peatlands Four heavily updated chapters on ecosystem services covering the interrelations among wetlands, society, and climate change Updates on the world's most important wetlands, including new photos and case studies from North America, Europe, Asia, and beyond Current list of key publications and references drawn from recent international wetland conferences.

The story behind the major motion picture from Disney—starring Chris Pine, Eric Bana, and Casey Affleck—written by a recognized master of the genre—“a blockbuster account of tragedy at sea” ( The Providence Journal ). This “marvelous and terrifying yarn” ( Los Angeles Times ) “deserves a place as a classic of survival at sea” ( The Boston Globe ). "The Finest Hours is a touching account, a sensitive rendering of what might be called four indescribably chaotic conditions...Tougias and Sherman never sensationalize, never go beyond the facts, and yet capture all the pain, physical and emotional, of the survivors and their families." "Tougias and Sherman reach their peak of tension in the sink-or-swim moments when mariners abandoned ship and chanced their lives on their rescuers' skill and bravery...excellent." "Gripping...Tougias and Sherman ably narrate the desperate struggles of crew members on both the wrecks and the rescue boats...will make readers appreciate the bravery of the men who put their lives on the line...action-packed." The Finest Hours is a rousing page-turner, a fascinating history, and an inspiring ode to the courage and professionalism of men who face bitter winds and black mountainous seas...all to do a dangerous job. "Tougias and Sherman have told a mesmerizing story about Coast Guardsmen under the stress of extreme conditions and the self-imposed pressure to perform.