Diatoms to Dinosaurs: The Size And Scale Of Living Things

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With a background in paleobiology, Christopher McGowan is adept at asking deceptively simple but actually very awkward questions of the "Well, we've dug up this fossil skeleton, now how on God's earth did it ever fly?" variety. McGowan looks at the way the scale and shape of animals relate to their behavior, diet, and life span. Why, in other words, tortoises live far longer than guinea pigs, but aren't nearly as much fun.

This line of argument leads to some seriously counterintuitive physics as McGowan explains how animals of different scales handle and exploit the physical constants by which they are bound. Discussions of drag, inertia, and viscosity are particularly well handled.

Especially refreshing and entertaining is McGowan's happy willingness to admit that millions of years of evolution are smarter than he is. Sometimes animals just make no sense at all. Consider Quetzalcoatlus, a pterosaur with a 40-foot wingspan and a long, serpentine neck. How did it get off the ground? Its neck suggests it may have been a carrion feeder. Did it climb laboriously to the peak of some vast saurian carcass and hitch a passing thermal? "This entire scenario," McGowan admits, with delicious understatement, "strikes me as fanciful."

While Diatoms to Dinosaurs is marketed very much at adults, there is an infectious enthusiasm about McGowan's writing that suggests a gifted teacher sharing sophisticated just-so stories with a spellbound class. --Simon Ings, Amazon.co.uk

Book Description

In Diatoms to Dinosaurs, Chris McGowan takes the reader on a fascinating journey through the natural world, and examines life in all its various forms. He imparts the excitement of discovery and the joy of understanding as he demonstrates the central importance of size and scale to the survival of living organisms.

McGowan investigates a wide range of size-related phenomena, from the gliding mechanism of diatoms to blood pressure problems of dinosaurs. Questions asked - and answered - include:

Will we ever see giant insects the size of pterodactyls?
Why are ants so much stronger relative to body size than elephants?
What do a clam, a condor, a tortoise, and a sturgeon have in common?
How did the skeleton of a 28-ton Apatosaurus support its weight?
How can blood get from the heart to the head of a giraffe without rupturing blood vessels?

The author explicates the scientific concepts - both physical and biological - needed to inform the relevant phenomena: area/volume relations, metabolism and other basic physiology, kinetic energy, inertial forces, the biology of senescence, boundary layers, and Reynolds numbers. Numerous illustrations scattered throughout the text make the biophysical principles easily comprehensible to readers, regardless of their scientific sophistication.

Customer Reviews:

Intriguing........2002-06-21

The book is about muscles and skeletons, hearts, fluids and brains. Quite a large chunk of the book is about flight. I found the most captivating chapter was "Tiffany wings and kite strings". It is all about tiny fliers: microfilm model airplanes and microscopic flying insects. It reveals that the mechanism that insects use to fly is different to birds. After reading this, you may think twice about squishing the next harmless little insect that flies right by you. The section on drag was surprisingly very interesting.

Although it introduces familiar animals, it goes into enough detail to provide substantially new and rewarding information about these creatures, which you almost certainly won't be aware of. There are loads of great diagrams, which really make this book very enjoyable to read. The book is straightforward and I relished reading it.

A very very similar book is called "Cats' Paws and Catapults". It also contains many examples of design, although it is from an engineering perspective, and the focus is on comparing the design of evolution with that of technological invention. I think Diatoms to Dinosaurs is a much more interesting read - it is predominantly concerned with nature, not with technology. This book is simply more profound, but both books are very good.

No fireworks but comprehensive.......2001-10-20

This book covers a great many zoological issues connected with scale as succinctly as possible offering a fairly comprehensive treatment. It includes scalar descriptions in terms of physiology, intelligence, lifespan, flight and swimming (among others) and whearas the style may be staid, palaeontologists will find much to refer to in this book which is based on solid foundations rather than guesswork and opinions. A must for students, researchers and communicators on the subject.

Unlimited wonders of Life.......2001-03-16

An excellent exploration of the mysteries of living things.

We are surrounded by wonders. From the tiny phytoplankton with 7.5 micrometers in size, to the giant brachiosaurus weighing 78 tons, life manages to find its way, showing us facts that are just almost impossible to believe.

This is one of those books you can trust because is written for somebody who knows what he is writing about. Explores quite interesting subjects ranging from the movement of the wings doves and bats, to the heart rate of mice, and the naps of elephants. There are also very good illustrations in it.

Definitely, a very nice and productive reading for everybody, especially for those Lovers of Nature.

We need a wide mind to understand the wide wonders of Life.

Interesting Subject; Dull Book.......2000-04-16

This book almost repays the drudgery of reading it. It should be a case-study in poor editing. Apparently, no one ever quite decided who the audience was, and so it falls between any: though aimed at the general reader it is in essence a summary of technical literature - complete with maths, graphs, equations (more than a couple), and citations of authority in quasi-academic style. The text is at least one or two drafts from being finished; there are inadvertent repetitions, important points blurred or glossed over, paragraphs broken badly, and several discussions (including an entire chapter) that are off-topic and mostly pointless. McGowan's personal stories and asides are not well-integrated, as if an afterthought tacked on simply to soften his rather dry style. The illustrations are small, the photographs few and not directly relevant to the text.

McGowan seems to know what he is writing about; he needs an editor firmer and more adept and a publisher willing to put more money into the production.

Physics of biology: limits of animal size and speed........1998-08-19

McGowan has put together a nice book about basic limitations that physics sets on animal size, e.g. how insect respiratory system limits insect size, or how big a bird can fly, or how body shape, swimming speed and Reynolds numbers compare with plankton and whales. Even though the subtitle claims that the book is about "living things", there is nothing about plants, which is a pity because e.g. trees are extreme in size. McGowan's writing is lucid and the level is good for reading: there are a couple of equations and about hundred simple charts and figures (B&W, nothing fancy) which give good extra information to the text. You might also want to check Knut Schmidt-Nielsen's book "Scaling: Why Is Anaimal Size So Important".

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The Diatoms

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521004128

Book Description

Diatoms are microscopic algae which are found in virtually every habitat where water is present. This volume is an up-to-date summary of the expanding field of their uses in environmental and earth sciences. Their abundance and wide distribution, and their well-preserved glass-like walls make them ideal tools for a wide range of applications as both fossils and living organisms. Examples of their wide range of applications include environmental indicators, oil exploration, and forensic examination. The major emphasis is on their use in analyzing ecological problems such as climate change, acidification, and eutrophication. The contributors to the volume are leading researchers in their fields and are brought together for the first time to give a timely synopsis of a dynamic and important area. This book should be read by environmental scientists, phycologists, limnologists, ecologists and palaeoecologists, oceanographers, archaeologists and forensic scientists.

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Diatoms are microscopic algae which are found in virtually every habitat where water is present. This volume is an up-to-date summary of the expanding field of their uses in environmental and earth sciences. Their abundance and wide distribution, and their well-preserved glass-like walls make them ideal tools for a wide range of applications as both fossils and living organisms. Examples of their wide range of applications include as environmental indicators, for oil exploration, and for forensic examination. The major emphasis is on their use in analysing ecological problems such as climate change, acidification and eutrophication. The contributors to the volume are leading researchers in their fields and are brought together for the first time to give a timely synopsis of a dynamic and important area. This book should be read by environmental scientists, phycologists, limnologists, ecologists and palaeoecologists, oceanographers, archaeologists and forensic scientists.

Atlas of the Inland Water Diatom Flora of Israel (Flora Palaestina)

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Atlas of the Inland Water Diatom Flora of Israel (Flora Palaestina)
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Manufacturer: Israel Academy of Sciences & Humanities
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Automatic Diatom Identification (Series in Machine Perception & Artifical Intelligence)

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Automatic Diatom Identification (Series in Machine Perception & Artifical Intelligence)

Manufacturer: World Scientific Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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The Biology of Diatoms (Botanical Monographs)

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The Biology of Diatoms (Botanical Monographs)
Dietrich Werner
Manufacturer: Univ of California Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Great Introduction to North American Diatoms

Diatoms of North America
William Vinyard
Manufacturer: Mad River Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0916422151

Customer Reviews:

Great Introduction to North American Diatoms.......2003-07-12

Vinyard's Diatoms of North America is one of those little gems that generally pass unnoticed by the public but are well known by both professional and amateur biologists. As a professional biologist (who is also an amateur fresh water microscopist) I appreciate such books, which are disappointedly rare. While now almost certainly dated, Vinyard's book remains the classic guide to these fascinating organisms. Diatoms provide a major part of the oxygen that we breathe- a fact that is not generally appreciated- and so are very important to our life on this planet.

Vinyard has, in a very short book, admirably summarized the knowledge of North American diatoms to the date of publication (1979) and he uses bold text to highlight unfamiliar terms, which than can be looked up in the glossary. This is in my judgement a model for short handbooks. I recommend it to all microscopists who are interested in aquatic microorganisms.

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Diatoms: Biology and Morphology of the Genera
F. E. Round , R. M. Crawford , and D. G. Mann
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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The Diatoms

Diatoms of North America

ASIN: 0521714699

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Illustrated descriptions of over 250 genera of diatoms are presented for the first time in this wide-ranging volume. The introduction describes the diatom cell in detail, the structure of the wall (often extremely beautiful designs), the cell contents and aspects of life cycle and cell division. The generic atlas section is the first account of diatom systematics since 1928, and each generic description is accompanied by scanning electron micrographs to show the characteristic structure.

Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review, Volume 9

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Oceanography and Marine Biology: An Annual Review, Volume 9
Ricardo M. Pytkowicz , Dana R. Kester , Colm O' Heocha , F. E. Round , Jean-Loup D'Hondt , Eve C. Southward , Guirgis A. Botros , and Alan R. Longhurst
Manufacturer: Hafner Publishing Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000MTST3Y

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Contains: The Physical Chemistry of Sea Water by Ricardo M. Pytkowicz & Dana R. Kester; Pigments of the Red Algae by Colm O' Heocha; Benthic Marine Diatoms by F. E. Round; Gastrotricha by Jean-Loup D'Hondt; Recent Researches on the Pogonophora by Eve C. Southward; Fishes of the Red Sea by Guirgis A. Botros; The Clupeiod Resources of Tropical Seas by Alan R. Longhurst

Are the diatoms Navicula sp. and Thalassiosira fluviatilis suitable to be fed to the benthic harpacticoid copepod Tisbe biminiensis? [An article from: ... of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology]

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Are the diatoms Navicula sp. and Thalassiosira fluviatilis suitable to be fed to the benthic harpacticoid copepod Tisbe biminiensis? [An article from: ... of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology]
C.M.V. Araujo-Castro , and L.P. Souza-Santos
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Elsevier | By Publisher | e-Docs | Formats | Books
ASIN: B000RR8AO4

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This digital document is a journal article from Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, published by Elsevier in . The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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The objective of this study was to compare the influence of the diets of two diatoms, Navicula sp. (benthic) and Thalassiosira fluviatilis (planctonic), on the development, fecundity and survival of the harpacticoid copepod Tisbe biminiensis. In order to determine the optimal concentration of food, 35 egg-bearing females were submitted to six algal concentrations and controls (without food). After 24 h, the content of the recipients was fixed with 4% formalin and then fecal pellets produced by each female were counted and measured. The larval development was studied by surveying 50 nauplii on each diet individually until the adult stage, at intervals of 6 h. The cast exoskeletons were removed to count the number of segments and for measurement. The fecundity was obtained counting the naupliar production every 48 h of groups containing 10 females in different algal concentrations in both diets. The diet influence on fecundity was tested by submitting four groups of 10 females fed on optimal algal concentrations based on the fecal pellet experiments. In the Navicula sp. concentration of 0.4 @mg Chl-a/ml, considered to be optimal for fecal pellets production, the diatoms were shown toxic, resulting in a low survival rate and inhibiting the egg production of copepods. The optimal concentration considering fecundity was estimated to be 0.1 @mg Chl-a/ml for both diets. Copepods fed on Navicula sp. presented a faster development rate and higher naupliar production compared to copepods fed on T. fluviatilis. Size and survival did not vary significantly among diets. The algal concentration interfered significantly in the reproductive success of females. Both very low and very high algal concentrations reduced reproductive success. Concluding, the benthic diatom Navicula sp. was more favorable to the copepod T. biminiensis than the planktonic diatom T. fluviatilis.

Assimilation and biosynthesis of lipids in Arctic Calanus species based on feeding experiments with a ^1^3C labelled diatom [An article from: Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology]

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Assimilation and biosynthesis of lipids in Arctic Calanus species based on feeding experiments with a ^1^3C labelled diatom [An article from: Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology]
M. Graeve , C. Albers , and G. Kattner
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Elsevier | By Publisher | e-Docs | Formats | Books
ASIN: B000RR4QP6

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology, published by Elsevier in 2005. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

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The dominant Arctic Ocean and North Atlantic copepods Calanus hyperboreus, Calanus glacialis, and Calanus finmarchicus were collected in the Greenland Sea and fed ^1^3C labelled diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii to follow the transfer and assimilation of carbon, lipid, and individual fatty acids and alcohols. The diatom was grown with ^1^3C for 3 to 5 days and fed then to the copepods. During the feeding period of 14 days, total carbon increased in the copepodite stages V of C. hyperboreus and C. finmarchicus, whereas carbon remained almost constant in C. glacialis females. However, total lipid increased in all species and stages. Highest lipid accumulation occurred in C. hyperboreus in which nearly all lipids were exchanged already after 11 days of feeding. In the other species lipid accumulation made up between 22% (C. finmarchicus) and 45% of total lipid (C. glacialis). The proportion of wax esters was high ranging from 76% of total lipid in C. glacialis to 92% in C. finmarchicus. The fatty acid composition of the alga was dominated by 16:1(n-7), 16:0, 20:5(n-3), and 22:6(n-3). The composition of the copepods was similar because of feeding already on diatoms in the field. In addition, the monounsaturated fatty acids and alcohols, 20:1(n-9) and 22:1(n-11), were major components of the copepod lipids. During the feeding period the highest ^1^3C labelling was always found in the C"1"6 polyunsaturated fatty acids and in the 16:1(n-7) alcohol. Because these components occurred only in trace amounts in the copepods they totally originated from the diet explaining the high labelling. It is noteworthy that the 16:1(n-7) alcohol originated only from the corresponding dietary and not from the abundant internal fatty acid. The long-chain monounsaturated fatty acids and alcohols, 20:1(n-9) and 22:1(n-11), are not existent in phytoplankton and have to be produced de novo. They were less labelled in the smaller species but highly ^1^3C enriched in C. hyperboreus. Although dietary fatty acids were generally retained by the copepods it seems that fatty acids or even lipids were selectively accumulated and turned over due to bodily requirements, and thus, essential polyunsaturated fatty acids were preferentially retained. During feeding mixing, accumulation, and exchange of internal and dietary fatty acids and alcohols occurred as well as utilisation of lipids from both sources for metabolic requirements. The differences in lipid assimilation fit to the different life strategies of the copepods.

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This easy to use pocket sightseeing guide shows you how to go to more than 50 of Honolulu's top tourist attractions using the fabulous public bus system. The guide includes an ultra-large map of selected bus routes of Honolulu's bus system as well as mini-maps which show exactly how to walk to points of interest from the nearest bus stops. The guide also shows you incredibly how to go around the island of Oahu for only $1.00 by public bus!

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Michael Brein's Guide to Honolulu & Oahu by the Bus shows visitors how to go to Honolulu & the Island of Oahu's top 50 visitor attractions by the excellent Honolulu public bus system. The guide shows which bus routes to use, which bus stops to board and exit, and, using detailed mini-area-walking maps, how to walk exactly from these bus stops directly to the visitor attractions. Additional nearby points of interest are also indicated on these mini-area-walking maps. An ultra-large map of the public bus system is also provided. Michael Brein's guide also shows you how to enjoy Hawaii's best travel bargain: How to go around the island on a modern, air-conditioned public bus in complete comfort for ONLY $2! Michael Brein's Guide to Honolulu is part of the world's first and only travel guide series specifically designed to show travelers how to sightsee the top 50 visitor attractions by public transportation in a variety of the world's most visited cities.

Customer Reviews:

Michael Brein's Guide to Honolulu & Oahu By the Bus.......2007-05-14

What a waste of money! I was expecting some information to help traverse the island by public transportation and all this guide did was show a map.Don't buy it!!!!!!!!!!!!!! You get more information off the Internet.

A Great Tour Guide That Saves You Money.......2006-11-20

I enjoyed the book. I was able to use it as I toured Honolulu using the local bus system. A great guide for touring on your own.

A map, NOT a book.......2006-11-09

I also felt misled by the way this map was marketed. As a map, it is probably a good one as some of the reviewers that used it indicated. It is NOT a book. It is priced like one and I feel ripped-off. When it came, I couldn't even remember ordering something like it and couldn't understand why I would have paid such an exorbitant price for a map. Coming back to the Amazon site to research how this error occurred, I realized that the error was not on my part. I paid for a BOOK because it was presented as such. I got a MAP, not the sales pitch that was given for the product. A product may be good, but if it is misrepresented, you feel that you have been sold a bill of goods. It is not a guide as one thinks of guides, but rather a tourist map.

Somewhat Useful, But A Marginal Value.......2004-11-23

This map is useful for negotiating the bus schedule of Honolulu and Oahu, but it has three principal drawbacks: the maps themselves are fragmentary and not good for overall awareness of where you are going, although in mine the bus route numbers had just been updated (as had the price); the map is expensive for what you get; and the map presents little text information about using the bus, and leads users to believe that the round the island bus tour is a viable option (most people would disagree and would recommend taking a day tour, which are abundant in Hawaii.)

On the positive side, "TheBus" is much easier to figure out with this guide, and the information is kept very up to date by the publisher. "TheBus" is suitable for travel around Honolulu; if you are going to venture further, skip it (and this map) and rent a car or take a tour. A much better overall alternative to this map is the Nelles Maps "Honolulu and O'ahu" map. It is not specifically as useful for bus riders, but for most travelers, it is perfect: detailed, user-friendly, and complete. Unless you only care about bus travel, I recommend the Nelles map instead.

Misrepresentation.......2002-05-11

This item has been wrongly labeled as a paperback book. It should be better labeled as a map. And as a map it is extremely overpriced. The contents are in very small print which means that it is difficult to read The pictures themselves look like they were done on the cheap. VERY DISAPPOINTED. I was not amused when I received this item in the mail.

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Aubrey Beardsley and British Wagnerism in the 1890s is an interdisciplinary study of the influence of the operas, writing, and personality of Richard Wagner (1813-1883) on the work of Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898). Examining Beardsley's drawings and prose of the 1890s the study considers the ways in which Wagner's works were appropriated by this seminal figure of the British decadent movement. Despite recent critical interest in Beardsley and the 'fin-de-siecle', and considerable research on Wagnerism, Aubrey Beardsley and British Wagernism in the 1890s is the first study in English to consider at length Wagner's presence in Beardsley's work. Beardsley combined allusions to the German composer with many of the touchstones of decadent art - the exotic, the morbid, the erotic, and the mannered. In exploring Beardsley's often iconoclastic versions - or perversions - of Wagner's work Aubrey Beardsley and British Wagernism in the 1890s aims to investigate the role of Wagnerism with 'fin-de-siecle' British culture, in particular the relations between Wagnerism and contemporary decadence.

Beardsley & Wagnerism.(Book Review): An article from: English Literature in Transition 1880-1920

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Beardsley & Wagnerism.(Book Review): An article from: English Literature in Transition 1880-1920
Stanley Weintraub
Manufacturer: ELT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from English Literature in Transition 1880-1920, published by ELT Press on June 22, 2003. The length of the article is 1562 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Beardsley & Wagnerism.(Book Review)
Author: Stanley Weintraub
Publication: English Literature in Transition 1880-1920 (Refereed)
Date: June 22, 2003
Publisher: ELT Press
Volume: 46 Issue: 3 Page: 308(5)

Article Type: Book Review

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Rejoinder: to Stanley Weintraub's Review: Emma Sutton, Aubrey Beardsley and British Wagnerism in the 1890s.(Book Review): An article from: English Literature in Transition 1880-1920

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Rejoinder: to Stanley Weintraub's Review: Emma Sutton, Aubrey Beardsley and British Wagnerism in the 1890s.(Book Review): An article from: English Literature in Transition 1880-1920
Emma Sutton
Manufacturer: ELT Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from English Literature in Transition 1880-1920, published by ELT Press on September 22, 2004. The length of the article is 789 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Rejoinder: to Stanley Weintraub's Review: Emma Sutton, Aubrey Beardsley and British Wagnerism in the 1890s.(Book Review)
Author: Emma Sutton
Publication: English Literature in Transition 1880-1920 (Refereed)
Date: September 22, 2004
Publisher: ELT Press
Volume: 47 Issue: 4 Page: 493(3)

Article Type: Book Review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

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