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Books > Sport & Leisure > Natural history, country life & pets > Wild animals > Aquatic creatures
Fun fact: Author Charles Griffiths has named marine species after his
two children: Mathamelia and Leminda millecra.
Did you know that limpets grow their own seaweed gardens? Or that sea
anemones fight one another to defend territories? What’s up with whelks
surfing the waves in search of food? How does a starfish move? Does the
paper nautilus really have a shell?
All this – and much more – about South African marine life is explained
in Explore the shore. Written in an engaging and conversational style,
the book encourages curious but novice naturalists of all ages to head
to the shore to explore for themselves.
Readers will learn not only about general life on the shore but also
about some weird and interesting aspects of creatures’ behaviour. Armed
with the information in this book, a beach walk can be more exciting
than any safari!
Pop-up features like personal anecdotes from the authors, interesting
fact boxes and tongue-in-cheek comments from their adorable labradoodle
Ben, who accompanies them on their beach visits, will make for
personal, inviting content that readers will love.
The Elizabeth River courses through the heart of Virginia. The
Jamestown colonists recognized the river's strategic importance and
explored its watershed almost immediately after the 1607 founding.
The Elizabeth River traces four centuries of this historic stream's
path through the geography and culture of Virginia.
European explorers were captivated by the seemingly endless bounty
of natural resources on Cape Cod Bay. One Englishman declared that
the codfish were so thick one "could" walk on their backs. Early
settlers quickly learned how to harness the bay's resources and
excelled at shore whaling, shipping and salt making. But as these
new industries flourished, the native Wampanoag, who helped the
fledgling colony to take root, nearly vanished. Author Theresa
Mitchell Barbo's skillful narrative weaves together the natural and
cultural histories of the bay, highlighting some of the region's
diverse milestones- from the drafting of the Mayflower Compact in
1620 to the establishment of the Pilgrim Nuclear Power Plant 350
years later. "Cape Cod Bay: A History of Salt & Sea" inspires
new appreciation for this storied and stunning seascape, and
underscores the importance of new efforts to preserve the bay's
unique ecosystem.
A Best Book of 2020: The Washington Post * NPR * Chicago Tribune *
Smithsonian A "remarkable" (Los Angeles Times), "seductive" (The
Wall Street Journal) debut from the new cohost of Radiolab, Why
Fish Don't Exist is a dark and astonishing tale of love, chaos,
scientific obsession, and--possibly--even murder. "At one point,
Miller dives into the ocean into a school of fish...comes up for
air, and realizes she's in love. That's how I felt: Her book took
me to strange depths I never imagined, and I was smitten." --The
New York Times Book Review David Starr Jordan was a taxonomist, a
man possessed with bringing order to the natural world. In time, he
would be credited with discovering nearly a fifth of the fish known
to humans in his day. But the more of the hidden blueprint of life
he uncovered, the harder the universe seemed to try to thwart him.
His specimen collections were demolished by lightning, by fire, and
eventually by the 1906 San Francisco earthquake--which sent more
than a thousand discoveries, housed in fragile glass jars,
plummeting to the floor. In an instant, his life's work was
shattered. Many might have given up, given in to despair. But
Jordan? He surveyed the wreckage at his feet, found the first fish
that he recognized, and confidently began to rebuild his
collection. And this time, he introduced one clever innovation that
he believed would at last protect his work against the chaos of the
world. When NPR reporter Lulu Miller first heard this anecdote in
passing, she took Jordan for a fool--a cautionary tale in hubris,
or denial. But as her own life slowly unraveled, she began to
wonder about him. Perhaps instead he was a model for how to go on
when all seemed lost. What she would unearth about his life would
transform her understanding of history, morality, and the world
beneath her feet. Part biography, part memoir, part scientific
adventure, Why Fish Don't Exist is a wondrous fable about how to
persevere in a world where chaos will always prevail.
A book of evocative and atmospheric photographs taken by Dick
Hawkes to create a representative record of this precious and
ecologically unique habitat - before much of it is lost to the many
threats it faces. Chalk streams have been described as England's
"rainforest". Around 85% of the world's chalk streams are in
England. They are beautiful, biologically distinct and amazingly
rich in wildlife, but are under threat from man-made issues of
abstraction, pollution from chemicals and effluent, development for
housing, and climate change. Included in the book are images of
typical habitats and species of wildlife found in chalk streams and
water meadows, highlighting those that are rare or most under
threat.
This Poem book takes you on an underwater adventure to meet all
sorts of characters under the sea! Swimming around and hvaing fun
with new friends, one thing become clear.... There's too much
plastic in our oceans! Something needs to be done.
World Oceans: A Reference Handbook offers an in-depth discussion of
the world's oceans. It discusses the marine life that is dependent
on the sea as well as the problems threatening the health of the
ocean and its wildlife. World Oceans: A Reference Handbook opens
with an overview of the history of human knowledge and
understanding of the oceans and cryosphere, along with related
scientific, technological, social, political, and other factors.
The second chapter presents and discusses about a dozen major
problems facing the Earth's oceans today, along with possible
solutions. The third chapter provides interested individuals with
an opportunity to express their thoughts and ideas on today's ocean
issues, and remaining chapters provide additional resources, such
as a bibliography, a chronology, and a glossary, to assist the
reader in her or his further study of the issue. Where most books
for young adults learning about world oceans take a purely
expository treatment, this book provides readers with additional
information as well as resources, allowing them to learn more and
inform further study of the subject. Provides readers with the
basic background they need about the oceans and cryosphere in order
to understand current problems Includes additional readings, a
comprehensive chronology, a glossary, and other additional features
to aid students' understanding of current issues and to guide them
in designing and conducting their own research on more detailed
aspects of the topic Offers ideas for additional research from a
list of important individuals and organizations Rounds out the
author's expertise in perspectives essays that show readers a
diversity of viewpoints
The Arctic Charr is a fish of wild places. It is the fish that is
capable of thriving in the harsh conditions found in the fresh
waters of the far north where no other fish can. Its toughness in
these extreme environments, its stunning beautiful colours (more
usually associated with tropical fish) and the speed with which it
is known to adapt to new environments, ensure that "charismatic" is
used in any description of this species. Although widespread and
often abundant, surprisingly little is known about Arctic Charr in
21st century Scotland. In this volume, two ecologists with a
life-long passion for this species, distil what is known, and just
as importantly what is not, about Scottich Arctic Charr.
Shells are exoskeletons of living creatures and have fascinated
humans for millennia. Interesting Shells presents portraits of
beautiful specimens from the Natural History Museum's vast
collections, each accompanied by a caption explaining their unique
characteristics - whether biological, historical or geographical.
Immerse yourself in this beautiful, absorbing guide to the marine world.
Earth owes its identity as the blue planet to the vast oceans of water
that cover almost 70 per cent of its surface. Home to an abundance of
marine life and vital in regulating Earth’s climate, the oceans are
also the backdrop to daring exploits of seafaring and to colourful
mythological tales. Combining arresting photography, rich
illustrations, and engaging, expertly written text, The Ocean Book
showcases the animals and plants, physical geography, and captivating
human stories of the world’s oceans.
Whether you’re interested in blue whales, penguins, coral reefs,
whirlpools, or the golden age of pirates, this is the perfect
exploration of the ocean realm.
Unlike some other reproductions of classic texts (1) We have not
used OCR(Optical Character Recognition), as this leads to bad
quality books with introduced typos. (2) In books where there are
images such as portraits, maps, sketches etc We have endeavoured to
keep the quality of these images, so they represent accurately the
original artefact. Although occasionally there may be certain
imperfections with these old texts, we feel they deserve to be made
available for future generations to enjoy.
In November 2005, Washington's iconic killer whales, known as
Southern Resident orcas, were placed on the endangered species
list. It was a victory long overdue for a fragile population of
fewer than one hundred whales. Author and certified marine
naturalist Sandra Pollard traces the story and destinies of the
many Southern Resident orcas captured for commercial purposes in or
near the Puget Sound between 1964 and 1976. During this time, these
highly intelligent members of the dolphin family lost nearly
one-third of their population. Drawing on original archive
material, this important volume outlines the history of orca
captivity while also recounting the harrowing struggle--and
ultimate triumph--for the Puget Sound orcas' freedom.
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