We are preparing for the 2007 British Birdfair at Rutland Water. As always, we have a large range of books on ornithology, British wildlife, travel and conservation. Click here to browse the full range of books available on the NHBS stand. Our stand is numbers 15 & 38 in Marquee Two. We look forward to seeing you.
Picture 3 from the IALE Meeting!
Picture 2 from the IALE Meeting!
Picture 1 from the IALE Meeting!
International Association of Landscape Ecology
We are back from Wageningen and a very enjoyable time at the International Association of Landscape Ecology World Congress 2007.
There will be a detailed conference best-seller list on the Biblio-Blog later this week. From memory… there was a lot of interest in core new landscape ecology titles: Key Topics in Landscape Ecology, Principles and Methods in Landscape Ecology, Measuring Landscapes and Foundation Papers in Landscape Ecology. Forestry books also proved popular – especially Ecology of Woodlands and Forests, Forests and Society and Forests in Landscapes.
The IALE have put some pictures online from the conference and the conference receptions/dinner.
Happy 300th Birthday Linnaeus!
Carl Linnaeus was born 300 years ago!
To celebrate the life and work of the ‘father of taxonomy’ we have put together a selection of key taxonomic titles including an English translation of Linnaeus’ Philosophia Botanica and several titles about Linnaeus himself. We have included Order out of Chaos, a co-publication between the Linnean Society of London and London’s Natural History Museum, brings together for the first time information on the typification of all of Linnaeus’ plant names.
Also known as Carl von Linne´ following his ennoblement in 1761, Linnaeus’ lasting legacy is the binomial classification system used to this day. The Tree of Life is a beautifully produced taxonomic overview of the natural world demonstrating the universal utility of the Linnean system. if you need to catch up on ‘recent’ advances since Linnaeus’ day, Milestones in Systematics covers developments in systematics over the last 100 years. We have a wide range of titles on taxonomy and systematics, many related titles can be found in our botanical categories.
Forest Ecology and Conservation
Do you need to use research methods to understand and assess forests?
Forest Ecology and Conservation: A Handbook of Techniques, the latest title in the Techniques in Ecology & Conservation Series will help you do just that. Includes comprehensive coverage of: the framework for constructing a study to achieve accuracy, relevance and value; assessing forest extent and cover using GIS & mapping; measuring forest structure and composition by various sampling methodologies such as species diversity, floristic diversity, and stand structure; understanding and modelling forest dynamics such as disturbance, light and population dynamics; reproductive ecology and genetic variation including seed ecology and relevant markers for molecular studies and; progress towards effective forest conservation.
The approach that this series takes is one of pure practicality – this is the manual you need to plan and carry out your forest conservation fieldwork.
Whose tadpole is it? An unbelievably useful field guide!
This isn’t a new book, in fact, it isn’t even a book – Whose Tadpole: The Waterproof Field Guide to Central European Amphibians is a selection of laminated cards that enable the reader to identify 20 species of European amphibians from both adults, larvae and all intermediate life stages – but it is the first time I’ve seen a copy. There are numerous colour photos for each species including key diagnostic features and larvae at different sizes. Keys to both adults and larvae are clearly constructed and a table lists species common names in 11 European languages. The format is pocket-sized and a useful ruler on the edge of every page aids identification.
The species information includes distribution data, general behavioural notes and an excellent description of calls e.g. The Yellow Bellied Toad Bombina variegata: “bright, musical ‘poop…poop…poop’, separated by less than 1sec”.
Highly Recommended! Order now from NHBS Environment Bookstore
Bats in Forests (and Barcelona)
A colleague and I watched bats feeding from the 23rd floor of a Barcelona hotel last week. Lit up blue by the neon roof advertising lights they were a magical sight in the centre of the city. Bats are typically considered roosting in caves or old buildings – Bats in Forests: Conservation and Management highlights in-depth the less well known but hugely important interaction between bats and forested areas at a time of alarming decline in the populations of many species.
You may also be interested in Bat Ecology – the classic reference work on bats; the new research on bat migrations in Bat Migrations in Europe; for ecologists and land managers The Bat Workers Manual, Habitat Management for Bats, and The Bat Builder’s Handbook.
Trace Fossil Analysis
Back in January, Nigel, when blogging the excellent Trace Fossils: Concepts, Problems, Prospects mentioned the then forthcoming publication of Trace Fossil Analysis by Crafoord Prize winner and perhaps the world’s most acknowledged expert in the field of trace fossils, Professor Adolf Seilacher. This is now published and in stock at NHBS.
The preface clearly outlines the key aim of this book, as distinct from that of any other on this subject: ‘to confer not knowledge, but skill’. Using this motto the author has designed the book in a way which fosters interpretative skills – using his own exceptionally detailed drawings (see below) as the key resource, which have been arranged in such a way that they make a story and wait for the addition of the reader’s own colourful scribblings.
This book is highly recommended for students, professors, researchers and those non-professionals interested in palaeontology, and especially ichnology.
Some sample plates:
