Category: Collection

Two key studies of seabird ecology and behaviour have arrived in stock this week:

Seabird Islands: Ecology, Invasion and Restoration

Edited by Christa P H Mulder, Wendy B Anderson, David R Towns and Peter Bellingham

This book, written collaboratively by and for ecologists and resource managers, provides the first large-scale cross-system compilation, comparison, and synthesis of the ecology of seabird island systems. Offering a new conceptual framework into which to fit the impacts of seabirds on island ecology, this is an essential resource for academics and resource managers alike.

The Kittiwake

John C Coulson

The Kittiwake has been the subject of behavioural research since the late 1950s – one of the longest running studies in the world. In this new Poyser monograph, John Coulson summarises these decades of research, revealing amazing insights into the life of these gulls, with wider implications for the behavioural ecology of all colonial birds. There are sections on life at sea, nest-site selection, breeding biology, feeding ecology, colony dynamics, moult, survivorship and conservation.

Other new books on similar subjects include:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles

 

Following the success of 2003’s Whose Bird? Men and Women Commemorated in the Common Names of Birds, and 2009’s Eponym Dictionary of Mammals, authors of the first two books Bo Boelens (AKA the fatbirder) and Michael Watkins, and joint third author of ‘Mammals’ Michael Grayson, have returned with this unmissable herpetological hoard.

The book is arranged by historical figure, under which are listed the reptiles named after that person, followed by a potted biography.

Here are three entries from the Dictionary:

Darwin

Darwin’s Ringed Lizard Amphisbaena darwini Duméril & Bibron, 1839

Darwin’s Iguana Diplolaemus darwinii Bell, 1843

Darwin’s Tree Iguana Liolaemus darwinii Bell, 1843

Darwin’s Gecko Gymnodactylus darwini Gray, 1845

Darwin’s Marked Gecko Homonota darwinii Boulenger, 1885

Darwin’s Sea Snake Hydrelaps darwiniensis Boulenger, 1896

Darwin’s Leaf-toed Gecko Phyllodactylus darwini Taylor, 1942

Darwin’s Ground Skink Glaphyromorphus darwiniensis Storr, 1967

Darwin’s Wall Gecko Tarentola darwini Joger, 1984

 

Charles Robert Darwin (1809-1882) was the prime advocate, to­gether with Wallace, of Natural Selection as the way in which speciation occurs. To quote from his most famous work On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection (1859), “I have called this principle, by which each slight variation, if useful, is preserved, by the term Natural Selection.” Darwin was the naturalist on ‘HMS Beagle’ on her scientific expedition round the world (1831-1836). In South America he found fossils of extinct animals that were similar to extant species. On the Galapagos Islands he notic­ed many variations among plants and animals of the same general type as those in South America. On his return to London he conducted research on his notes and specimens. Out of this study grew several related theories; evolution did occur; evolutionary change was gradual, taking thousands or even millions of years; the primary mechanism for evolution was a process called Natural Selection; and the millions of species alive today arose from a single original life form through a branching process called ‘speciation’. Four mammals, three amphibians and several birds (including those famous finches) are named after him.

 

Ridley

Olive Ridley Turtle Lepidochelys olivacea Eschscholtz, 1829

Pernambuco Teiid Stenolepis ridleyi Boulenger, 1887

Ridley’s Worm Lizard Amphisbaena ridleyi Boulenger, 1890

 

Henry Nicholas Ridley (1855-1956) was a British botanist and collector on the island of Fernando de Noronha (1887), when he first reported the sightings of Olive Ridley Turtles in Brazil. However, it seems unlikely that the ‘Ridley’ in the turtle’s name refers to him. There are several theories including one that states that it was a ‘riddle’ where they came from and ‘riddle’ became pronounced ‘riddlie’ and so ‘ridley’. Ridley was known as ‘Mad Ridley’ or ‘Rubber Ridley’, as he was keen to get the rubber tree transplanted to British territory. He was Superintendent, Tropical Gardens, Singapore (1888-1912), where early experiments in growing the tree outside Brazil took place. He wrote The habits of Malay reptiles (1889). Two mammals and a bird are named after him.

 

Russell, P

Russell’s Viper Daboia russelii Shaw, 1797

Russell’s Sand Boa Eryx conicus Schneider, 1801

[Alt. Rough-scaled Sand Boa; Syn. Gongylophis conicus]

Russell’s Kukri Snake Oligodon taeniolatus Jerdon, 1853

[Alt. Streaked Kukri Snake]

 

Dr Patrick Russell (1726-1805) was a British surgeon and naturalist. He first went to India (1781) to look after his brother who was employed by the Honourable East India Company in Vizagapatnam. He became fascinated by the plants in the region and was appointed to be the Company’s Botanist and Naturalist, Madras Presidency (1785). He spent 6 years in Madras (Chennai) and sent a large collection of snakes to the British Museum (1791). One of his major concerns was snakebite and he tried to find a way for people to identify poisonous snakes, without first getting bitten and seeing what happened! The sand boa has his name attached to it because it appears to mimic Russell’s Viper: something he commented on in his A continuation of an account of Indian Serpents (1801).

 

The Eponym Dictionary of Reptiles is published by Johns Hopkins University Press, and is due to be published on the 24th September 2011

Continuing our selection of the very best titles available through NHBS:

Marches

by Andrew Allott

What?

From the minutiae of Plant Galls (Volume 117), the next in the New Naturalist series takes us into large-scale regional natural history.

Why?

Andrew Allott takes us on a journey through the Welsh Marches; Cheshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire and Monmouthshire, the border counties of England and Wales. He traces the various strands that weave together the natural history and deep past of the area with the impact of human civilisation and the growth of agriculture and industry. The well-defined chapter topics bring the area to life to create a whole picture of the region:

From the Author’s Foreword and Acknowledgements:

“The author’s aim has been to explore themes, rather than to catalogue isolated or inconsequential facts. Each chapter takes one theme and considers its relevance across much or all of the Marches.”

The plentiful illustrations, photographs and diagrams complement the natural history making this a full and satisfying survey of the area.

Who?

Andrew Allott studied Botany at Oxford University and then became a schoolmaster, teaching initially in Canterbury and then at Shrewsbury School in Shropshire, where he is now Head of Biology. Although an incomer to the Marches, Andrew Allott has developed a deep love of the landscape, geology, flora and fauna of the area. He has also developed great respect for the many talented amateur naturalists and the professional scientists whose work is doing so much to explain the natural history of the Marches and to promote its conservation.

 

Continuing our selection of the very best titles available through NHBS:

Britain’s Plant Galls: A Photographic Guide

by Michael Chinery

What?

A photographic guide to the natural history and field identification of the “strange lumps and bumps that we call galls…” (Introduction, p5).

Why?

Plant galls are a great subject of research for the amateur naturalist. Bridging the sciences of botany and entomology, they are a fascinating example of the symbiotic interdependence of nature, and the diversity of their size and appearance – from exquisitely attractive orb-like features and spiked swellings, to leaf blisters and discolourations – gives the interested naturalist a satisfying range of study.

The reader is taken on a guided tour of the galls arranged according to their host plants for ease of identification, and there are over 200 detailed colour photographs of the commonest galls to be found among Britain’s 1,000 species. The interaction between insect and plant which results in the gall is briefly described in each case, and the book contains a general introduction to the subject.

Who?

Michael Chinery is best known for his field guides to insects and other creepy-crawlies, especially those that occur in our gardens, and for his numerous books encouraging young people to explore and enjoy the countryside and its wildlife. Insects and wild flowers fascinated him from a very early age and this led inevitably to an interest in plant galls, with their intimate mix of plant and animal life. He joined the British Plant Gall Society soon after its formation  in 1985, and has been editing the Society’s journal, Cecidology, since 1990.

 

What Zoos Can Do: The Leading Zoological Gardens of Europe 2010-2020

by Anthony Sheridan

“This book contains unique information and analyses 80 leading zoological gardens in 21 European countries. This is a must-have book for all those interested in zoos – enthusiasts, sceptics, visitors, sponsors, zoo owners, politicians, wildlife conservationists and all those working in and for zoos. The book deals with a wide variety of zoo-related aspects, some of which rarely dealt with in other publications, such as the role of the zoo director, landscape design, education, ex situ and in situ conservation, marketing strategies, future plans and zoo associations. Each of the 80 zoos covered is portrayed in detail on three pages each. The book includes tables containing the evaluation of the presentaion of a number of iconic species in each of the zoos as well as ranking lists concerning visitor factors, education and conservation, and commercial and organisation.

All the profits from the sale of this book are being donated to Stiftung Artenschutz, a German in situ conservation charity supported by more than 20 of the German and Austrian  zoos covered in the book. This donation will support a specific conservation project for gibbons in Vietnam. It contains almost 400 pages with numerous full-colour photographs, maps and tables. ”

Markus Gusset,

WAZA News August 2011

What Zoos Can Do is distributed by NHBS

Continuing our selection of the very best titles available through NHBS:

Bats: From Evolution to Conservation

by John D. Altringham

What?

2nd edition of John Altringham’s 1996 OUP publication, Bats: Biology and Behaviour

Why?

This rigorous and authoritative textbook is updated to reflect the current state of research on all aspects of bat biology, ecology and and conservation.  Popular interest in bats is at an all-time high with many amateurs becoming involved monitoring their local bat populations and the construction industry legally bound to take their conservation needs into account, reflecting the vulnerability of this diverse and unique group.

Bats: From Evolution to Conservation is a global study covering evolutionary biology, ecology, flight, migration, physiology and much more – and whilst presented as a text for students and researchers, its accessible and enthusiastic style means it also holds appeal for amateur naturalists and anyone interested in bat conservation.

Review of the previous edition:

“This is an excellent book from one end to the other and I highly recommend it to students and colleagues. It is a book that meets its stated goal … to use bats to illustrate processes and concepts in biology. When it comes to ecology and behaviour, he has more than succeeded … Bravo!”  Journal of Animal Ecology

Who?

John D. Altringham is Professor of Animal Ecology and Conservation at the University of Leeds, UK, where he has been since 1989. He completed his BSc at the University of York, and his PhD at St. Andrews University, where he returned as a research fellow from 1983-1989. During his career he has travelled widely, studying animals as varied as tuna fish and tarantulas before focusing on bat ecology and conservation. He has published over 100 scientific papers, numerous book chapters, and two previous books: Bats: Biology and Behaviour (OUP, 1996), and British Bats (Harper Collins, 2003). He is also a regular advisor and contributor to BBC Natural History Unit productions for TV and radio, and is a member of a number of conservation advisory groups, including the Nature Conservation Panel of the National Trust. John lives on the edge of the Yorkshire Dales with his wife, Kate, and two children, Alex and Anne.

 

Continuing our selection of the very best titles available through NHBS:

The Urban Birder

by David Lindo

What?

A personal account of a life’s passion for birds, seeded in the urban sprawl of 1960s London.

Why?

Urban environments are attractive to a diverse selection of bird life, with the patchwork mix of gardens and parks, rivers and reservoirs creating unique ecosystems.

David Lindo has a passion for birds and in the Urban Birder he tells his story from growing up in London to adventures in Brooklyn, Hollywood and beyond. Throughout weaves the thread of his main crusade which is to encourage “urbanites to realise that there is a whole world of wildlife under their noses in the world’s cities.”

This entertaining autobiography has a simple message and is a great read, and as more people migrate to towns and cities it will become increasingly important that people learn to live alongside their avian neighbours, following David Lindo’s lead and becoming urban birders.

Who?

From the author’s website:

“I am David Lindo and I am The Urban Birder — writer, broadcaster, speaker and bird guider. My whole vibe is about getting urbanites to realise that there is a whole world of wildlife under their noses in the world’s cities.

I was a twitcher in the womb and was born clutching for a pair of binoculars. An interest in wildlife and in particular watching birds was a natural thing for me to get into, despite being surrounded by non-birders and having no mentors in my north London neighbourhood…” – read more on www.theurbanbirder.com.

David Lindo will be signing copies of The Urban Birder at Birdfair on Saturday 20th

Find out more about NHBS at Birdfair 2011

Continuing our selection of the very best titles available through NHBS:

A Field Guide to Monitoring Nests

by James Ferguson-Lees, Richard Castell and Dave Leech

What?

A guide to the identification of the nests of 146 British and Irish bird species, and a source of information and guidelines about monitoring nests.

Why?

Along with the species accounts, this compact and well-illustrated guide provides a wealth of detail about fieldcraft, legislation, the BTO Nest Record Scheme and the importance of nest monitoring for conservation. It includes the key points of the BTO Code of Conduct for Nest Recorders plus a link to the full code on the BTO website.

In recognition of the potentially contentious nature of nest research, this guide gives clear information and links about the legal issues surrounding monitoring nests, so that conservation work may be carried out with greatest sensitivity to the welfare of birds and their young.

Who?

James Ferguson-Lees and Richard Castell are two of Britain’s leading experts in the field of monitoring nests, having seen and studied the nests of all 146 species covered by this book. Their wealth of field experience delivers a level of information beyond that seen in other publications on this subject.

Dr Dave Leech is a Senior Research Ecologist at the BTO, and also
an experienced nest recorder. His analysis of BTO nest record datasets has delivered much of the supporting information presented in this book.

Continuing our selection of the very best titles available through NHBS:

Winged Sentinels: Birds and Climate Change

by Janice Wormworth and Cagan H Sekercioglu

What?

An exploration of the effects of climate change on various groups of birds, what can be done about the threats and the possible consequences of inaction.

Why?

“The ability of the birds to show us the consequences of our own actions is among their most important and least appreciated attributes. Despite the free advice of the birds, we do not pay attention.”

Marjory Stoneman Douglas as quoted in the introduction to Winged Sentinels.

The chapters of this book take the reader on a global tour looking at the timing of seasonal activities of birds, their shifting distributions, and the abundance and make-up of avian communities – among various other factors – as ‘fingerprints’ which provide clues to the overall story of how our changing climate is taking its toll on the global bird community. It then provides an assessment of the current state and effectiveness of conservation efforts.

With its absorbing style and generous complement of colour photography Winged Sentinels is accessible to a general readership while being scientifically thorough, and tells a story that is of great interest to all scientists and policy-makers involved not only in avian conservation, but across the spectrum of climate-related ecological research.

Who?

Janice Wormworth is a freelance science writer.

Cagan H Sekercioglu is Assistant Professor in the Department of Biology at the University of Utah and the director of the non-profit environmental organisation KuzeyDoga

Royal Entomological Society Book of British Insects

by Peter C. Barnard

Pre-order The RES Book of British Insects today for £34.99 (reduced from £39.95).

The Royal Entomological Society (RES) and Wiley-Blackwell are proud to present this landmark publication, celebrating the wonderful diversity of the insects of the British Isles, and the work of the RES (founded 1833). This book is the only modern systematic account of all 558 families of British insects, covering not just the large and familiar groups that are included in popular books, but even the smallest and least known. It is beautifully illustrated throughout in full colour with photographs by experienced wildlife photographers to show the range of diversity, both morphological and behavioural, among the 24,000 species. All of the 6,000 genera of British insects are listed and indexed, along with all the family names and higher groups. There is a summary of the classification, biology and economic importance of each family together with further references for detailed identification. All species currently subject to legal protection in the United Kingdom are also listed… [read more]

Publication scheduled for September 2011.

Offer ends 31/12/2011.