Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation: The Freshwater Fish of Tropical Africa

Book Description

In order for biodiversity to be conserved, it is important to know how and where diverse populations of plants and animals exist, to understand the effects of human impacts on them, and to find the means by which these impacts can be lessened and even reversed. While tropical systems are known to be among the most diverse and most threatened globally, tropical freshwater systems have been neglected, and the tremendous variety of fish, amphibians, invertebrates and plants that live in them are poorly known yet seriously threatened. This comprehensive book brings together a wealth of information on the fish of tropical African systems, and discusses how these systems evolved, what holds them together, and what is tearing them apart.

Average customer rating:

Fishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific

Fishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific
Gerald R. Allen , and D. Ross Robertson
Manufacturer: University of Hawaii Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

jp-unknown2 | Specialty Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Reef Fish Identification - Tropical Pacific
Sea of Cortez Marine Animals: A Guide to the Common Fishes and Invertebrates Baja California to Panama
Fishes of the Pacific Coast: Alaska to Peru, Including the Gulf of California and the Galapagos Islands
The Reef Set: Reef Fish, Reef Creature and Reef Coral (3 Volumes) (Reef Set)

ASIN: 0824816757

Customer Reviews:

Fishes of the Tropical Eastern Pacific.......2007-03-08

The book is an outstanding work and field guide for unusual species encountered while fishing in Pacific Central America. Text and Photographs are the best I've seen, and the information the most comprehensive to date. The book is a masterpiece for the genre.

Marine Ecology of the Arabian Region: Patterns and Processes in Extreme Tropical Environments

Average customer rating:

Marine Ecology of the Arabian Region: Patterns and Processes in Extreme Tropical Environments
Charles J.R. Sheppard , Andrew Price , and Callum Roberts
Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Science | Subjects | Books

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Nonfiction | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Professional & Technical | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Science | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Look Inside Outdoors & Nature Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
ASIN: 0126394903

Book Description

That part of the Indian Ocean bordering Saudi Arabia is a rich mosaic of coastal and marine ecosystems, both natural and man-made. Among these are coral reefs, mangroves, tidal flats, seagrasses, and other hard and soft substrata. Some ecosystems are relatively simple, while others such as the coral reefs are highly complex and among the most diverse in the Indian Ocean. The region divides into several large, semi-enclosed water bodies whose different physical characteristics result in distinct habitats. The overall aridity, extremes of water temperature, and often very high salinities have produced some of the most extreme marine climates on Earth.
This book summarizes the available information on the region, then reviews the processes shaping the various marine and coastal systems. It relates patterns in marine assemblages to the strong environmental gradients and biogeographic barriers in the region. Finally, the book considers the human dimension. Some of the world's poorest and richest nations border these seas, making diverse claims on fisheries and other natural resources. The 1991 Gulf War is only the most recent of a range of impacts affecting the region. Approaches for resolving the increasing resource use conflicts are described.
This volume will be of immense value to research workers, students of marine biology, and environmental managers in general, as well as to those with a particular interest in this part of the world.

Key Features
* One of the few published works on this unique and diverse region
* Serves as a basic introduction to the area
* Provides a detailed analysis of ecosystem function
* Discusses human pollution and its effects

Foundations of Tropical Forest Biology: Classic Papers with Commentaries

Average customer rating:

Classic of classics

Foundations of Tropical Forest Biology: Classic Papers with Commentaries

Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Forests | Conservation | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

Reference | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Outdoors & Nature | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Science | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Tropical Forest Diversity and Dynamism: Findings from a Large-Scale Plot Network
Foundations of Ecology: Classic Papers with Commentaries
A Primer of Ecological Statistics

ASIN: 0226102254

Book Description

Foundations of Tropical Forest Biology presents a timely collection of pioneering work in the study of these diverse and fascinating ecosystems. Modeled on the highly successful Foundations of Ecology, this book consists of facsimiles of papers chosen by world experts in tropical biology as the "classics" in the field. The papers are organized into sections on related topics, each introduced with a discussion of their role in triggering subsequent research. Topics covered include ecological and evolutionary perspectives on the origins of tropical diversity; plant-animal interactions; patterns of species diversity and distribution of arthropods, vertebrates, and plants; forest dynamics and ecosystem ecology; conservation biology; and tropical forest management.

Foundations of Tropical Forest Biology makes essential works in the development of tropical biology available in a convenient form to both senior scholars interested in the roots of their discipline and to students encountering the field for the first time, as well as to everyone concerned with tropical conservation.

Customer Reviews:

Classic of classics.......2005-07-27

This book, as with the rest of this series, contains many fundamental papers and articles. A valuable resource for any ecologist, conservation biologist, or palaeoecologist working in the tropics.

Ecology of Fishes in Tropical Waters (Studies in Biology)

Average customer rating:

Ecology of Fishes in Tropical Waters (Studies in Biology)
Rosemary Helen Lowe-McConnell
Manufacturer: Hodder
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0713125950

Average customer rating:

Ecology and Tropical Biology
Ian Deshmukh
Manufacturer: Blackwell Science Inc
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Natural History | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0865423164

Tropical Fruits and Frugivores: The Search for Strong Interactors

Average customer rating:

Tropical Fruits and Frugivores: The Search for Strong Interactors
Dew J.L
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Science | Subjects | Books

All Amazon Upgrade | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Professional & Technical | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

Science | Amazon Upgrade | Stores | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Science | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
ASIN: 1402038321

Book Description

In this book we undertake one of the first global-scale comparisons of the relationships between tropical plants and frugivorous animal communities, comparing sites within and across continents. In total, 12 primary contributors, including noted plant and animal ecologists, present newly-analyzed long-term datasets on the floristics and phenological rhythms of their study sites, identifying important seed dispersers and key plant taxa that sustain animal communities in Africa, Madagascar, Australasia, and the Neotropics.

Vascular Epiphytes: General Biology and Related Biota (Cambridge Tropical Biology Series)

Average customer rating:

tropical epiphytes study

Vascular Epiphytes: General Biology and Related Biota (Cambridge Tropical Biology Series)
David H. Benzing
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Science | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Professional | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books

Science | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

Forest Canopies
Bromeliaceae: Profile of an Adaptive Radiation

ASIN: 0521266300

Book Description

This synthesis of the growing body of information from research on epiphytes and their relations with other tropical biota provides a comprehensive overview of basic functions, life history, evolution, and the place of epiphytes in complex tropical communities. Epiphytes comprise more than one-third of the tropical vascular flora in some tropical forests. Growing within tropical forest canopies, epiphytes are subject to severe environmental constraints, and their diverse adaptations make them a rich resource for studies of water balance, nutrition, reproduction and evolution.

Customer Reviews:

tropical epiphytes study.......1999-07-06

i'm doing my research about the tropical epiphytes. for your knowledge, the research is to fulfill the course need (Forestry Research) at faculty of forestry

Ecology and Natural History of Tropical Bees (Cambridge Tropical Biology Series)

Average customer rating:

Good book.

Ecology and Natural History of Tropical Bees (Cambridge Tropical Biology Series)
David Ward Roubik
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Science | Subjects | Books

All Titles | Qualifying Textbooks - Fall 2007 | Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Wisdom of the Hive: The Social Physiology of Honey Bee Colonies

ASIN: 0521429099

Book Description

Describes the prominent themes in the ecology, natural history, and evolution of bees, and includes discussions on pollinating behavior, natural enemies, reproduction, social behavior, and maintenance of the diversity of tropical communities. This book is the first to draw together these themes, and covers topics as varied as the evolution of obligate sociality and the reproductive diversity of tropical flowering plants. There are many new examples from the author's research on pollination ecology, mimicry, mutualism, coevolution, and competition.

Customer Reviews:

Good book........1999-11-05

I had a copy of this book that I bought when it first came out, but somebody around my office liked it so much that they have yet to tire of it and return it to the shelf.

The information is highly useful to us now, especially since we are looking at bees in the Amazon as indicators of total biodiversity. The photographs are sufficient to dive right into generic identifications and the plant-bee associations are a big help.

David Roubik has written a classic. (A classic is defined here as a book that must be repurchased when your first copy turns up missing.) Every entomology department should have at least one copy. (The Goeldi Museu's entomolgy department will soon have two.)

Ecology of Plants in the Tropics (Studies in Biology)
Average customer rating:
Ecology of Plants in the Tropics (Studies in Biology)
Daniel H. Janzen
Manufacturer: Hodder
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0713124822

Warriors of Stillness Vol. I: Meditative Traditions in the Chinese Martial Arts (Warriors of Stillness-Meditative Traditions in the Chinese Martial Arts)
Average customer rating:

Tremendous How-To Book--> Great for Internal Martial Artists

A book that makes you to work as well as to think

120 Over 74

Some good tips in here...

The One Becomes Many

Warriors of Stillness Vol. I: Meditative Traditions in the Chinese Martial Arts (Warriors of Stillness-Meditative Traditions in the Chinese Martial Arts)
Jan Diepersloot
Manufacturer: Center For Healing & The Arts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Martial Arts | Individual Sports | Sports | Subjects | Books
General | Sports | Subjects | Books
Look Inside Sports Books | Trip | Specialty Stores | Books
Similar Items:

The Tao of Yiquan: The Method of Awareness in the Martial Arts

The Tao Of Yi Chuan-D

Combat Techniques of Taiji, Xingyi, and Bagua: Principles and Practices of Internal Martial Arts

Opening the Energy Gates of Your Body: Chi Gung for Lifelong Health (Tao of Energy Enhancement)

The Way of Energy: A Gaia Original

ASIN: 0964997606

Book Description

An examination of the mental and physical aspects of Chinese martial arts.

Customer Reviews:

Tremendous How-To Book--> Great for Internal Martial Artists.......2007-08-03

Well, you can take a gander at all my reviews. I've read quite a few books on the subject, as well as being a fairly experienced practitioner now. I'm not really into qigong. I am into Tai Chi-- not that there's a huge difference. And I think Sifu Diepersloot would agree.

What Sifu D. has wrought is a comprehensive book on the fundamentals of Tai Chi stance and movement training. There is Wuji standing posture, bow and arrow stance, stepping and facing, and push hands instruction in this book. It's written step-by-step, as well as with inserted anecdotes where relevent. Very nice presentation of weight distribution, how to align the body-- meticulously detailed, step-by-step instruction. Also, the why's and what for's are all anticipated and answered.

I agree with other reviewers-- there is clarity here-- no mysticism. How to apply structure and intention to transmit/receive force and discharge/disperse it. A staged progression through push hands like exercises-- how to feel, what to feel, how to progress and advance.

I also agree with the comment on photos. Why keep bad photos and further abstractify them for this book? Take new ones and use those, especially for the instruction illustrations. The vague ones of Master Cai (Sifu D.'s instructor from whose words he derives this book from)-- he can keep for interest and aesthetics, but what's stopping him from taking pictures of himself for the instruction part of the book? I'm pretty suspicious as to why-- not confident in his own postures?

Despite that, I can't argue with the advice and the instruction. I had some mild concerns that his "suck and tuck" instructions for Wu Ji posture abdominal/pelvis/thoracic alignment was incomplete-- the way I've learned it there's an additional dropping into the pelvic bowl-- but that may be stylistic diferences. And when he stepped into his instruction of super-advanced push hands, he got rather vague, although it is a vague subject about anticipating presence and such.

There is no multiple forms or sequence of Tai Chi in this book. No applications. I guess that's what makes it "qigong". It's all about the core mechanics, alignments, and energy transmission theories (and by this I mean force, not life energy in the more mystical sense) of Tai Chi itself (Yang style). A superb book for beginner or expert-- a great breakdown, with some cool exercises to practice that I think will prove very helpful.

This would be one of a few books on my must-read for internal martial artists list (if I had such a list).

A book that makes you to work as well as to think.......2003-01-27

That's really a good book.
Good for absolutely beginner as well as for experts. It explains theory (without any mystics) and how to develop skills. Very deep, simple and consistently step-by-step approach. It tells you how a joint (just to give an example) should be used and how to work to consistently achieve that skill. The best think I appreciate of this book is about "how to do" and "how to develop" sensitivity (with clear examples and the work to do) on both your body, the external environment, rooting, push hands .......
You can use this book as beginner to just start your journey on Internal Martial Arts as well as to get insight from it on improving your study and to help your pupils advancement with the exposed exercises.
I read this book some years ago and I have to admit it greatly influenced my practice, knowledge and skills.
I highly recommend this book (as well as the other Diepersloot's book) it absolutely will not a waste of money.
I really have to thanks Jan for writing these books and to apologize for waiting so much to review them.

120 Over 74.......2002-11-27

At the age of thirty-one I was told I had borderline high blood pressure of 140/90. I was also told this was not a good omen, to be thirty-one with that b.p. I tried yoga, meditation, eating fruits and vegetables, supplements like Carnitine and Co-Q10. Bupkus. A friend who studies tai chi told me about this book. I've done some tai chi and was open to reading the material which, though not tai chi, concerns exercises for cultivating and regulating internal energy. Particularly since tai chi is supposed to lower blood pressure, it made sense to check it out. After two months of doing no other form of exercise but the standing exercise in this book--but doing it daily for up to thirty minutes at a time--my blood pressure dropped to 120/74. My stress test rated the medical equivalent of an A+. That was four years ago. When I stop exercising from laziness, the b.p. creeps up. When I go back to the book, it goes down and stays down, my energy goes up and stays up. The cardiologist said "I don't know what you're doing but keep doing it." In short, I strongly recommend this book.

Some good tips in here..........2002-06-04

Dipersloot has been practicing various forms of the 'soft' martial arts for quite a long time. This volume covers his discovery of the importance of Qigong standing meditation from three masters. He then discusses some finer points of Taiqi's 'Grasp Bird Tail' which is the only moving form now practiced by the senior master he trained under.

Dipersloot has quite a lot of good tips for standing meditation which is great since too many authors seem to imply there is nothing to it. It is true that, like sitting, you just need to stand _but_ it does help to have some pointers. That is, if you start standing meditation then eventually your body will find the correct Qi position but this could take a long long time for many.

His points about the correct posture and breathing from the Dantien are communicated quite clearly. So are the guidelines from Master Cai about the energy points and general alignment. There is a great section, taken from one of Master Cai's discussions, that very succinctly covers the important aspects of meditation in general and standing meditation in particular.

The real weakness here are the very crude computer-modified "photos". Diepersloot apologizes at the beginning about the quality of the photos (he was busy writing down everything the masters said) but that is not an excuse for what is used in the book. Spending some extra time with some volunteers to get quality photos would help the give the book the image of quality it requires; they would also help make some points much more clearly.

A good reference for anyone with some questions about standing meditation. Should go up on the shelf with Mantak Chia, "Qigong Empowerment" and "The Roots of Qigong". better yet, find out when WISH is holding a class near you and go meet a real master for proper instruction.

The One Becomes Many.......2001-06-15

Mr. Diepersloot has written a book which has immediate impact on the training of anyone applying it. A potentially esoteric discussion of the Wuji meditation principles is nicely leavened with historical anecdotes, theory and very practical suggestions. An instructor is certainly necessary for achieving depth in this art but I found that I was able to immediately incorporate his description of how to find the Wuji point, developing that to the central pole through the body, into my Taiji practise and gain marked improvements. His explanations of the Taiji sphere and cylinder, while similar to descriptions in other publications, were nicely placed within the text to enhance understanding.

A central tenet of his book is that insufficient attention is paid to the Wuji point. He makes the point that in Taiji theory, the Wuji is the starting point, the one, from which all else, the many, springs. Student reflection on this agrees with him, as the starting position in the Taiji form is the simple standing posture, with both hands by the side. Mr. Diepersloot posits that insufficient attention is paid to this idea and argues his case well, based on the ideas of his master in this art.

My understanding of what I was trying to do with Quiet Standing Meditation stepped up a notch on the first day I trained with these ideas in mind. I also gained far greater awareness of internal body mechanics and, I believe, immediately improved both my balance and my control of my central point. These were reflected in improvements in my form.

All of this from the application of one profoundly simple mental exercise and a little theory. More advanced exercises are also included but I have a lot of work to do before then. Mr. Diepersloot has provided what I believe to be a fundamental text on internal martial arts, one which I recommend to any neigung exponent. I will use it for years to come.

Qigong of the Center, the Essence of Taijiquan : The Teachings of Grandmaster Cai Song Fang (Warriors of Stillness - Meditative Traditions in the Chinese Martial Arts Ser., Vol. 1)
Average customer rating:
Qigong of the Center, the Essence of Taijiquan : The Teachings of Grandmaster Cai Song Fang (Warriors of Stillness - Meditative Traditions in the Chinese Martial Arts Ser., Vol. 1)

Manufacturer: Contra Costa Center for Healing & The Arts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Tai Chi & Qi Gong | Exercise & Fitness | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B000HNPIDE

Customer Reviews:

a young adult novel that will make you laugh and cry.......2003-02-03

I first read "The Great Boy Chase" when I was about nine years old and I always made sure I have a copy with me at all times. I'm right now on my third copy because people borrow it and conveniently forget to return it. This is a story about two best friends, Jill Gardener and Toni Redmond, who went to Europe after high school. Actually, Toni wanted to go after a French exchange student (hence the title) and manipulated Jill to go with her. Jill in turn meets a handsome and charming Italian named Carlo, and the whole thing messes with her mind because she got a boyfriend back in Seattle. The book is just full of hilarious escapades and tugs at your heartstrings at the same time. This is a great book for the young and the young-at-heart.

loved it!.......2000-07-12

i really liked this book. in the book jill gardner goes over seas to france to spend the summer with her best friend and she meets an italian boy there and falls in love with him . she has a boyfriend back home but she is really liking carlo(the italian boy). she has to make a big decision on which one she will choose

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books