Download or read book Keystone Species That Live in the Mountains written by Bonnie Hinman and published by Mitchell Lane Publishers, Inc.. This book was released on 2015-09 with total page 51 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores various keystone species, including snow leopards, gray wolves, red-naped sapsuckers, whitebark pines, and mountain tapirs, and the important roles that they play in keeping mountain ecosystems alive and healthy.
Download or read book Keystone Species That Live in Grasslands written by Bonnie Hinman and published by Mitchell Lane Publishers, Inc.. This book was released on 2015-09 with total page 51 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explores various keystone species, including prairie dogs, bison, honey bees, white rhinoceros, and lemmings, and the important roles that they play in keeping grasslands ecosystems alive and healthy.
Download or read book Keystone Species That Live in Ponds Streams and Wetlands written by Bonnie Hinman and published by Mitchell Lane Publishers, Inc.. This book was released on 2015-09 with total page 51 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most arches built today contain a single building block at the top that is the most important piece. This special piece can be found in the arches of soaring cathedrals, doorways in temples, and even simple buildings made out of wooden blocks. It is called a keystone, and it holds everything else together. Remove the keystone and the building or doorway is likely to collapse.The same thing is true in nature. Certain species of animals and plants are so important to their ecosystems, that if they disappear, the whole system may collapse. They are called keystone species.Some keystone species are large, like white rhinos, while others are quite small, like honey bees. But size doesn't matter in an ecosystem. All living things rely on other species to survive. A keystone species plays an especially large role that affects many different species in an ecosystem. Some keystone species are at the top of a huge ecosystem like the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem, while others may affect a tiny ecosystem in a river or forest. Whether the ecosystem is big or small, the result of a keystone species disappearing or being greatly reduced is the same. Just like one falling domino can cause many others to fall, the loss of a keystone species can lead to the extinction of many other species.Today scientists are focusing more attention on preserving the natural balance in ecosystems. Identifying and protecting keystone species is an important part of their work.
Download or read book The Beaver Manifesto written by Glynnis Hood and published by Rocky Mountain Books Ltd. This book was released on 2011 with total page 146 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Beavers are the great comeback story--a keystone species that survived ice ages, major droughts, the fur trade, urbanization and near extinction. Their ability to create and maintain aquatic habitats has endeared them to conservationists, but puts the beavers at odds with urban and industrial expansion. These conflicts reflect a dichotomy within our national identity. We place environment and our concept of wilderness as a key touchstone for promotion and celebration, while devoting significant financial and personal resources to combating "the beaver problem." We need to rethink our approach to environmental conflict in general, and our approach to species-specific conflicts in particular. Our history often celebrates our integration of environment into our identity, but our actions often reveal an exploitation of environment and celebration of its subjugation. Why the conflict with the beaver? It is one of the few species that refuses to play by our rules and continues to modify environments to meet its own needs and the betterment of so many other species, while at the same time showing humans that complete dominion over nature is not necessarily achievable.
Download or read book The Cougar Conundrum written by Mark Elbroch and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2020-08-13 with total page 282 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The relationship between humans and mountain lions has always been uneasy. A century ago, mountain lions were vilified as a threat to livestock and hunted to the verge of extinction. In recent years, this keystone predator has made a remarkable comeback, but today humans and mountain lions appear destined for a collision course. Its recovery has led to an unexpected conundrum: Do more mountain lions mean they’re a threat to humans and domestic animals? Or, are mountain lions still in need of our help and protection as their habitat dwindles and they’re forced into the edges and crevices of communities to survive? Mountain lion biologist and expert Mark Elbroch welcomes these tough questions. He dismisses long-held myths about mountain lions and uses groundbreaking science to uncover important new information about their social habits. Elbroch argues that humans and mountain lions can peacefully coexist in close proximity if we ignore uninformed hype and instead arm ourselves with knowledge and common sense. He walks us through the realities of human safety in the presence of mountain lions, livestock safety, competition with hunters for deer and elk, and threats to rare species, dispelling the paranoia with facts and logic. In the last few chapters, he touches on human impacts on mountain lions and the need for a sensible management strategy. The result, he argues, is a win-win for humans, mountain lions, and the ecosystems that depend on keystone predators to keep them in healthy balance. The Cougar Conundrum delivers a clear-eyed assessment of a modern wildlife challenge, offering practical advice for wildlife managers, conservationists, hunters, and those in the wildland-urban interface who share their habitat with large predators.
Download or read book High Mountain Conservation in a Changing World written by Jordi Catalan and published by Springer. This book was released on 2017-08-03 with total page 413 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides case studies and general views of the main processes involved in the ecosystem shifts occurring in the high mountains and analyses the implications for nature conservation. Case studies from the Pyrenees are preponderant, with a comprehensive set of mountain ranges surrounded by highly populated lowland areas also being considered. The introductory and closing chapters will summarise the main challenges that nature conservation may face in mountain areas under the environmental shifting conditions. Further chapters put forward approaches from environmental geography, functional ecology, biogeography, and paleoenvironmental reconstructions. Organisms from microbes to large carnivores, and ecosystems from lakes to forest will be considered. This interdisciplinary book will appeal to researchers in mountain ecosystems, students and nature professionals. This book is open access under a CC BY license.
Download or read book At Home in the Mountains written by Richard Spilsbury and published by The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc. This book was released on 2015-12-15 with total page 34 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Life exists everywhere—even at the top of a mountain! This title introduces readers to the world of mountain biomes, exploring the plants, animals, and insects that make this habitat unique. Written to support elementary life science curricula, the text illustrates how each creature in a biome plays an important role in an ecosystem’s survival. Readers learn about the relationships between creatures in a habitat and how human intervention can upset the balance. Fact boxes offer informative facts about adaptation, while a simple globe map identifies where in the world mountain biomes are found. Readers are sure to delight in the detailed color photographs that accompany this high-interest title!
Download or read book The Nature of Oaks written by Douglas W. Tallamy and published by Timber Press. This book was released on 2021-03-30 with total page 201 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “A timely and much needed call to plant, protect, and delight in these diverse, life-giving giants.” —David George Haskell, author of The Forest Unseen and The Songs of Trees With Bringing Nature Home, Doug Tallamy changed the conversation about gardening in America. His second book, the New York Times bestseller Nature’s Best Hope, urged homeowners to take conservation into their own hands. Now, he is turning his advocacy to one of the most important species of the plant kingdom—the mighty oak tree. Oaks sustain a complex and fascinating web of wildlife. The Nature of Oaks reveals what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death, and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars, Tallamy illuminates and celebrates the wonders that occur right in our own backyards. He also shares practical advice about how to plant and care for an oak, along with information about the best oak species for your area. The Nature of Oaks will inspire you to treasure these trees and to act to nurture and protect them.
Download or read book A Field Guide to Rocky Mountain and Southwest Forests written by John C. Kricher and published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. This book was released on 1998 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This comprehensive field guide includes all the flora and fauna you're most likely to see in the forest communities of the Rocky Mountains and the Southwest. It includes 53 color plates and more than 80 color photos illustrating trees, birds, mammals, wildflowers, mushrooms, reptiles and amphibians, butterflies, beetles, and other insects.
Download or read book Desert Puma written by Kenneth A. Logan and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2001-08-01 with total page 498 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Scientists and conservationists are beginning to understand the importance of top carnivores to the health and integrity of fully functioning ecosystems. As burgeoning human populations continue to impinge on natural landscapes, the need for understanding carnivore populations and how we affect them is becoming increasingly acute.Desert Puma represents one of the most detailed assessments ever produced of the biology and ecology of a top carnivore. The husband-and-wife team of Kenneth Logan and Linda Sweanor set forth extensive data gathered from their ten-year field study of pumas in the Chihuahua Desert of New Mexico, also drawing on other reliable scientific data gathered throughout the puma's geographic range. Chapters examine: the evolutionary and modern history of pumas, their taxonomy, and physical description a detailed description and history of the study area in the Chihuahua Desert field techniques that were used in the research puma population dynamics and life history strategies the implications of puma behavior and social organization the relationships of pumas and their preyThe authors provide important new information about both the biology of pumas and their evolutionary ecology -- not only what pumas do, but why they do it. Logan and Sweanor explain how an understanding of puma evolutionary ecology can, and must, inform long-term conservation strategies. They end the book with their ideas regarding strategies for puma management and conservation, along with a consideration of the future of pumas and humans. Desert Puma makes a significant and original contribution to the science not only of pumas in desert ecosystems but of the role of top predators in all environments. It is an essential contribution to the bookshelf of any wildlife biologist or conservationist involved in large-scale land management or wildlife management.
Download or read book Conservation by Proxy written by Tim Caro and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2010-06-23 with total page 394 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The vast scope of conservation problems has forced biologists and managers to rely on "surrogate" species to serve as shortcuts to guide their decision making. These species-known by a host of different terms, including indicator, umbrella, and flagship species-act as proxies to represent larger conservation issues, such as the location of biodiversity hotspots or general ecosystem health. Synthesizing an immense body of literature, conservation biologist and field researcher Tim Caro offers systematic definitions of surrogate species concepts, explores biological theories that underlie them, considers how surrogate species are chosen, critically examines evidence for and against their utility, and makes recommendations for their continued use. The book clarifies terminology and contrasts how different terms are used in the real world considers the ecological, taxonomic, and political underpinnings of these shortcuts identifies criteria that make for good surrogate species outlines the circumstances where the application of the surrogate species concept shows promise Conservation by Proxy is a benchmark reference that provides clear definitions and common understanding of the evidence and theory behind surrogate species. It is the first book to review and bring together literature on more than fifteen types of surrogate species, enabling us to assess their role in conservation and offering guidelines on how they can be used most effectively.
Download or read book Rocky Mountain Field Guide written by Daniel Mathews and published by Mountaineers Books. This book was released on 2024-10-01 with total page 1037 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The magnificent and enduring spine of the United States, the Rocky Mountains are host to thousands of flora and fauna species, as well as rugged topography and rich and varied habitats. Comprehensive yet portable, this beautiful guide describes trees and shrubs, flowering plants and ferns, fungi and lichens, insects and fish, amphibians and reptiles, birds and mammals, rocks, and even the changing mountain climates and the ecological effects of forest fires. Naturalist and writer Daniel Mathews delivers immersive natural history. With humor, pathos, and verbal elegance, he covers the central core of the Rockies: Glacier National Park, western Montana, and eastern Idaho; all of Colorado’s mountains; the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in New Mexico; the Wasatch and Uinta Mountains in Utah; and the Bighorns, Laramie, and Medicine Bow Ranges in Wyoming. This essential guide to the region is perfect for hikers, campers, naturalists, students, teachers, and tourists--everyone who wants to know more about this stunning and expansive mountain range.
Download or read book Ecology of Desert Systems written by Walter G. Whitford and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2019-08-20 with total page 476 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Nearly one-third of the land area on our planet is classified as arid or desert. Therefore, an understanding of the dynamics of such arid ecosystems is essential to managing those systems in a way that sustains human populations. This second edition of Ecology of Desert Systems provides a clear, extensive guide to the complex interactions involved in these areas. This book details the relationships between abiotic and biotic environments of desert ecosystems, demonstrating to readers how these interactions drive ecological processes. These include plant growth and animal reproductive success, the spatial and temporal distribution of vegetation and animals, and the influence of invasive species and anthropogenic climate change specific to arid systems. Drawing on the extensive experience of its expert authors, Ecology of Desert Systems is an essential guide to arid ecosystems for students looking for an overview of the field, researchers keen to learn how their work fits in to the overall picture, and those involved with environmental management of desert areas. - Highlights the complexity of global desert systems in a clear, concise way - Reviews the most current issues facing researchers in the field, including the spread of invasive species due to globalized trade, the impact of industrial mining, and climate change - Updated and extended to include information on invasive species management, industrial mining impacts, and the current and future role of climate change in desert systems
Download or read book Competition and Coexistence written by Ulrich Sommer and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The question "Why are there so many species?" has puzzled ecologist for a long time. Initially, an academic question, it has gained practical interest by the recent awareness of global biodiversity loss. Species diversity in local ecosystems has always been discussed in relation to the problem of competi tive exclusion and the apparent contradiction between the competitive exclu sion principle and the overwhelming richness of species found in nature. Competition as a mechanism structuring ecological communities has never been uncontroversial. Not only its importance but even its existence have been debated. On the one extreme, some ecologists have taken competi tion for granted and have used it as an explanation by default if the distribu tion of a species was more restricted than could be explained by physiology and dispersal history. For decades, competition has been a core mechanism behind popular concepts like ecological niche, succession, limiting similarity, and character displacement, among others. For some, competition has almost become synonymous with the Darwinian "struggle for existence", although simple plausibility should tell us that organisms have to struggle against much more than competitors, e.g. predators, parasites, pathogens, and envi ronmental harshness.
Download or read book Theodore Roosevelt Bison Restoration on the Great Plains written by Keith Aune & Glenn Plumb, With Contributions by Leroy Littlebear, Jim Posewitz, Kent Redford, Amethyst First Rider, Jim Derr and Dave Hunter and published by Arcadia Publishing. This book was released on 2019 with total page 144 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rapidly disappearing bison in the late 1800s prompted progressive thinkers to call for the preservation of wild lands and wildlife in North America. Following a legendary hunt for the last wild bison in central Montana, Dr. William Hornady sought to immortalize the West's most iconic species. Activists like Theodore Roosevelt rose to the call, initiating a restoration plan that seemed almost incomprehensible in that era. Follow the journey from the first animals bred at the Bronx Zoo to today's National Bison Range. Glenn Plumb, retired National Park Service chief wildlife biologist, and Keith Aune, retired Wildlife Conservation Society director of bison programs, detail Roosevelt's conservation legacy and the landmark efforts of many others.
Download or read book Ecology and Natural History Collins New Naturalist Library written by David Wilkinson and published by HarperCollins UK. This book was released on 2021-06-24 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ecology is the science of ecosystems, of habitats, of our world and its future. In the latest New Naturalist, ecologist David M. Wilkinson explains key ideas of this crucial branch of science, using Britain’s ecosystems to illustrate each point.
Download or read book Animals Influence on the Landscape and Ecological Importance written by Friedrich-Karl Holtmeier and published by Springer. This book was released on 2014-10-22 with total page 547 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In its first English-language edition, this book introduces the many-faceted interactions of animal populations with their habitats. From soil fauna, ants and termites to small and large herbivores, burrowing mammals and birds, the author presents a comprehensive analysis of animals and ecosystems that is as broad and varied as all nature. Chapter 2 addresses the functional role of animals in landscape ecosystems, emphasizing fluxes of energy and matter within and between ecosystems, and the effects of animals on qualitative and structural habitat change. Discussion includes chapters on the role of animal population density and the impacts of native herbivores on vegetation and habitats from the tropics to the polar regions. Cyclic mass outbreaks of species such as the larch bud moth in Switzerland, the mountain pine beetle and the African red-billed weaver bird are described and analyzed. Other chapters discuss Zoochory – the dispersal of seeds by ants, mammals and birds – and the influence of burrowing animals on soil development and geomorphology. Consideration extends to the impact of feral domestic animals. Chapter 5 focuses on problems resulting from introduction of alien animals and from re-introduction of animal species to their original habitats, discusses the effects on ecosystems of burrowing, digging and trampling by animals. The author also addresses keystone species such as kangaroo rats, termites and beavers. Chapter 6 addresses the role of animals in landscape management and nature conservation, with chapters on the impact of newcomer species such as animals introduced into Australia, New Zealand and Europe, and the consequences of reintroduction of species to original habitat. It also discusses the carrying capacity of natural habit, public attitudes toward conversation and more. The final section ponders the effects of climate on interactions between animals and their habitats.
