Frogs Flies And Dandelions

Author : Menno Schilthuizen
Publisher :
ISBN 13 : 9780198503927
Total Pages : 258 pages
Book Rating : 4.2X/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Frogs, Flies, and Dandelions written by Menno Schilthuizen and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do new animal and plant species come about? How quickly does it happen? And what are species anyway? Schilthuizen, reputed scientist and journalist, launches into the debate that has baffled biologists ever since Darwin, with tremendous energy and wit. The whole subject leaps to life andits significance for understanding biodiversity comes clear. This is a fascinating read that will appeal equally to the lay reader and to students getting to grips with the fundementals of a complex subject.

Author : Ron McTrusty
Publisher : A & C Black
ISBN 13 : 9780713614510
Total Pages : 25 pages
Book Rating : 4.1X/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Dandelion Year written by Ron McTrusty and published by A & C Black. This book was released on 1974 with total page 25 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Depicts the life cycle of the frog without words.

Author : John Hainze
Publisher : Yale University Press
ISBN 13 : 0300242786
Total Pages : 273 pages
Book Rating : 4.82/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Nature Underfoot - Celebrating Crabgrass, Silverfish, Fruit Flies, and Dandelions written by John Hainze and published by Yale University Press. This book was released on 2020-02-18 with total page 273 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An informed and heartfelt tribute to commonly unappreciated plants, insects, and other tiny creatures that reconsiders humanity's relationship to nature "Put aside that can of Raid for the short time it takes to read this book."--Natural History Named a Favorite Book of 2020 by The Progressive Fruit flies, silverfish, dandelions, and crabgrass are the bane of many people and the target of numerous chemical and physical eradication efforts. In this compelling reassessment of the relationship between humans and the natural world, John Hainze--an entomologist and former pesticide developer--considers the fascinating and bizarre history of how these so-called invasive or unwanted pests and weeds have coevolved with humanity and highlights the benefits of a greater respect and moral consideration toward these organisms. With deep insight into the lives of the underappreciated and often reviled creatures that surround us, Hainze's accessible and engaging natural history draws on ethics, religion, and philosophy as he passionately argues that creepy crawlies and unwanted plants deserve both empathy and accommodation as partners dwelling with us on earth.

Author : Thomas N. Sherratt
Publisher : OUP Oxford
ISBN 13 : 0191037540
Total Pages : 312 pages
Book Rating : 4.42/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Big Questions in Ecology and Evolution written by Thomas N. Sherratt and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2009-02-19 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why do we age? Why cooperate? Why do so many species engage in sex? Why do the tropics have so many species? When did humans start to affect world climate? This book provides an introduction to a range of fundamental questions that have taxed evolutionary biologists and ecologists for decades. Some of the phenomena discussed are, on first reflection, simply puzzling to understand from an evolutionary perspective, whilst others have direct implications for the future of the planet. All of the questions posed have at least a partial solution, all have seen exciting breakthroughs in recent years, yet many of the explanations continue to be hotly debated. Big Questions in Ecology and Evolution is a curiosity-driven book, written in an accessible way so as to appeal to a broad audience. It is very deliberately not a formal text book, but something designed to transmit the excitement and breadth of the field by discussing a number of major questions in ecology and evolution and how they have been answered. This is a book aimed at informing and inspiring anybody with an interest in ecology and evolution. It reveals to the reader the immense scope of the field, its fundamental importance, and the exciting breakthroughs that have been made in recent years.

Author : Menno Schilthuizen
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 3540680586
Total Pages : 174 pages
Book Rating : 4.81/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Loom of Life written by Menno Schilthuizen and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-08-15 with total page 174 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In an age of increasing environmental problems, ecology has had to grow up fast from a discipline dealing with relatively simple interactions between species to one that tries to explain changes in global patterns of diversity and richness. The issues are complex. Every species may seem to have its own unique role, but if that is true, then why are there hundreds of species of plankton in an ecosystem with only a handful of niches? The tropics have a high biodiversity, but does anybody know why? And how can a single introduced tree species wreak havoc in Hawaii’s rainforests, when it is one of thousands of quietly coexisting tree species in its native continent, South America? The strength of this book is that it will help digest some of these more complex issues in the ecology of biodiversity. It will do this by zooming out from the local scale to the global scale in a number of steps, marrying community ecology with macroecology, and introducing unexpected nuggets of natural history along the way. The reader will notice that, the larger the scale, the more the familiar niche-concept appears to be overshadowed by exotic fields from fractal and complexity theory. However, scientists differ in opinion on the scale at which niches become irrelevant. These differences of opinion, but also the search for unified ecological theories, will form another force by which the story will be carried along to its conclusion. A conclusion which, surprisingly, seeks to find a glimpse of the globe's future in the traces from its past.

Author : Sahotra Sarkar
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1444337858
Total Pages : 618 pages
Book Rating : 4.53/5 ( download)

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Download or read book A Companion to the Philosophy of Biology written by Sahotra Sarkar and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2010-11-08 with total page 618 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A COMPANION TO THE PHILOSOPHY OF BIOLOGY “Sarkar is to be congratulated for assembling this talented team of philosophers, who are themselves to be congratulated for writing these interesting essays on so many fascinating areas in philosophy of biology. This book will be a wonderful resource for future work.” Elliot Sober, University of Wisconsin-Madison “Many of the discussions here start with a definition of terms and a historical context of the subject before delving into the deeper philosophical issues, making it a useful reference for students of biology as well as philosophy.” Northeastern Naturalist “The topics that are addressed are done so well. This book will appeal to the advanced student and knowledgeable amateur and may prove useful catalyst for discussion among research teams or those engaged in cross-disciplinary studies.” Reference Reviews A Companion to the Philosophy of Biology offers concise overviews of philosophical issues raised by all areas of biology. Addressing both traditional and emerging areas of philosophical interest, the volume focuses on the philosophical implications of evolutionary theory as well as key topics such as molecular biology, immunology, and ecology Comprising essays by top scholars in the field, this volume is an authoritative guide for professional philosophers, historians, sociologists and biologists, as well as an accessible reference work for students seeking to learn about this rapidly-changing field.

Author : Mark Isaak
Publisher : Univ of California Press
ISBN 13 : 0520249267
Total Pages : 364 pages
Book Rating : 4.64/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Counter-Creationism Handbook written by Mark Isaak and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2007-01-12 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Those opposed to the teaching of evolution often make well-rehearsed claims about science that sound powerful and convincing. This work seeks to serve as a resource for addressing over 400 of the most prevalent claims made by creationists. Each claim is followed by a scientifically valid rebuttal.

Author : Hazel Davies
Publisher : Rutgers University Press
ISBN 13 : 0813545072
Total Pages : 242 pages
Book Rating : 4.73/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Do Butterflies Bite? written by Hazel Davies and published by Rutgers University Press. This book was released on 2008-06-03 with total page 242 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How fast do butterflies fly? Does a butterfly have ears? Do they sleep? Does a caterpillar have a skeleton? How does a moth get out of its cocoon? What is the difference between a butterfly and a moth? And just what is a skipper? Every year, thousands of people visit butterfly conservatories to stand in quiet awe of the simple beauty displayed by these magical creatures. Hazel Davies and Carol A. Butler capture the sense of wonderment and curiosity experienced by adults and children alike in this book about butterflies and their taxonomic cousins, the moths and the skippers. Beautifully illustrated with color and black and white photographs, and drawings by renowned artist William Howe, this book is an essential resource for parents, teachers, students, or anyone who has ever been entranced by these fascinating, fluttering creatures. Covering everything from their basic biology to their complex behaviors at every stage of life to issues in butterfly conservation, Davies and Butler explore wide-ranging topics and supply a trove of intriguing facts. You'll find tips on how to attract more butterflies to your garden, how to photograph them, and even how to raise them in your own home. Arranged in a question and answer format, the book provides detailed information written in an accessible style that brings to life the science and natural history of these insects. In addition, sidebars throughout the book detail an assortment of butterfly trivia, while extensive appendices direct you to organizations, web sites, and more than 200 indoor and outdoor public exhibits, where you can learn more or connect with other lepidopterophiles (butterfly lovers).

Author : Antonio Fontdevila
Publisher : OUP Oxford
ISBN 13 : 0191620793
Total Pages : 232 pages
Book Rating : 4.99/5 ( download)

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Download or read book The Dynamic Genome written by Antonio Fontdevila and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2011-06-02 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Our ever-increasing knowledge of whole genome sequences is unveiling a variety of structures and mechanisms that impinge on current evolutionary theory. The origin of species, the evolution of form, and the evolutionary impact of transposable elements are just a few of the many processes that have been revolutionised by ongoing genome studies. These novelties, among others, are examined in this book in relation to their general significance for evolution, emphasising their human relevance. The predominance of non-coding DNA in the human genome, the long-term adaptive role of so called "junk DNA" in the evolution of new functions, and the key evolutionary differences that define our humanity are just some of the controversial issues that this book examines in the context of Darwinian evolution. The author's principle intention is to show that whilst genomics is revealing new and previously unanticipated mechanisms and sources of variability that must be incorporated into evolutionary theory, there is no reason to dismiss the role of natural selection as the mechanism that sorts out these potentialities. In other words, this genome potential provides new possibilities (and also constraints) for evolution, but the realization of this potential is driven by natural selection.

Author : Menno Schilthuizen
Publisher : Picador
ISBN 13 : 1250127831
Total Pages : 305 pages
Book Rating : 4.39/5 ( download)

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Download or read book Darwin Comes to Town written by Menno Schilthuizen and published by Picador. This book was released on 2018-04-03 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: *Carrion crows in the Japanese city of Sendai have learned to use passing traffic to crack nuts. *Lizards in Puerto Rico are evolving feet that better grip surfaces like concrete. *Europe’s urban blackbirds sing at a higher pitch than their rural cousins, to be heardover the din of traffic. How is this happening? Menno Schilthuizen is one of a growing number of “urban ecologists” studying how our manmade environments are accelerating and changing the evolution of the animals and plants around us. In Darwin Comes to Town, he takes us around the world for an up-close look at just how stunningly flexible and swift-moving natural selection can be. With human populations growing, we’re having an increasing impact on global ecosystems, and nowhere do these impacts overlap as much as they do in cities. The urban environment is about as extreme as it gets, and the wild animals and plants that live side-by-side with us need to adapt to a whole suite of challenging conditions: they must manage in the city’s hotter climate (the “urban heat island”); they need to be able to live either in the semidesert of the tall, rocky, and cavernous structures we call buildings or in the pocket-like oases of city parks (which pose their own dangers, including smog and free-rangingdogs and cats); traffic causes continuous noise, a mist of fine dust particles, and barriers to movement for any animal that cannot fly or burrow; food sources are mainly human-derived. And yet, as Schilthuizen shows, the wildlife sharing these spaces with us is not just surviving, but evolving ways of thriving. Darwin Comes toTown draws on eye-popping examples of adaptation to share a stunning vision of urban evolution in which humans and wildlife co-exist in a unique harmony. It reveals that evolution can happen far more rapidly than Darwin dreamed, while providing a glimmer of hope that our race toward over population might not take the rest of nature down with us.