Showing titles in Ecosystems & Habitats

Each of those worlds - or continents - evolved, and continues to evolve, its own way of life. From the jungle of the Congo or the majestic Himalayas to the densely populated wilds of Europe or the comparatively isolated Australasia, Seven Worlds, One Planet explores the natural wonders that give each of our continents its distinct character. Following the animals that have made these iconic environments their home, it discovers spectacular wildlife stories that reveal what makes each of these seven worlds unique.

Lara Maiklem has scoured the banks of the Thames for over 15 years, in pursuit of the objects that the river unearths: from Neolithic flints to Roman hair pins, medieval buckles to Tudor buttons, Georgian clay pipes to Victorian toys. These objects tell her about London and its lost ways of life. Moving from the river's tidal origins in the west of the city to the point where it meets the sea in the east, Mudlarking is a search for urban solitude and history on the River Thames, what Lara calls 'the longest archaeological site in the world'.

Discover the many underwater mysteries our planet boasts. From lost civilizations to unidentified submerged objects, you'll be surprised by the multitude of strange, unexplained phenomena that originates under the waters across the world. There is nothing on this planet more mysterious than our oceans, lakes, streams, and rivers. These sources of water have always been sources of legend. Although we live on dry land, we draw our inspiration, our livelihood, and our most captivating experiences from the water. This audiobook brings to you some of the very best tales.

A guide and gift book in equal measure, this treasure of a book pays homage to New Zealand's native plant species. The Meaning of Trees tells the story of plants and people in Aotearoa New Zealand. Beautifully illustrated with botanical drawings, paintings and photographs, it shows us how a globally unique flora has been used for food, medicine, shelter, spirituality and science. From Jurassic giants to botanical oddballs—these are our wonderful native and endemic plants.

The sea has captivated people ever since humans first set sail on it; its beauty, its force, the mysteries it holds. For the few who make their living from it, trying to understand it, to second guess its ever-changing moods, creates an addiction to salt water that keeps us coming back. My Fishing Life documents the reality of that life. This book lifts the lid on what it's like to be one of the country's very few female fishermen, and also do justice to an iconic industry that, while it feeds and impacts almost all of us, remains one of our most mysterious and misunderstood.

Manda Kalimian is fully committed to changing the world by championing the practice of rewilding. This book shares her remarkable journey so far and her plans for the future. We live in a time of crushing change and unrest. The world is at a turning point, and we with it. Our individual lives and journeys are all interconnected. It is a moment in time to stop and listen to the voices within ourselves and what they are saying about our individual roles at this time.

For centuries, fishermen have launched their pirogues from the Senegalese port of Joal, where the fish used to be so plentiful a man could dip his hand into the grey-green ocean and pull one out as big as his thigh. But in an Atlantic decimated by overfishing and climate change, the fish are harder and harder to find. Here, Badkhen discovers, all boundaries are permeable - between land and sea, between myth and truth, even between storyteller and story. Fisherman's Blues immerses us in a community navigating a time of unprecedented environmental, economic, and cultural upheaval.

The scenario we are facing is scary: within a few decades, sea levels around the world may well rise by a meter or more as glaciers and ice caps melt due to climate change. Large parts of our coastal cities will be flooded, the basic outline of our world will be changed, and torrential rains will present their own challenges. But this is not the first time that people have had to cope with threatening waters, because sea levels have been rising for thousands of years, ever since the end of the last Ice Age.

In this informed and lyrical collection of interwoven essays, Lisa Knopp explores the physical and cultural geography of the Mississippi, Missouri, and Platte rivers she has come to understand and cherish. At the same time, she contemplates how people experience landscape, identifying three primary roles of environmental perception: the insider, the outsider, and the outsider seeking to become an insider. Viewing the waterways through these approaches, she searches for knowledge and meaning.

There are more than 180 exotic species in the Great Lakes. Some, such as the Asian tapeworm, have had little or no impact so far. But a handful of others - sea lamprey, alewife, spiny water flea, rusty crayfish, and more - have conducted an all-out assault on the Great Lakes and are winning the battle. Here, William Rapai focuses on the impact of these invasives. Rapai begins with a brief biological and geological history of the Great Lakes. He examines new policies and the tradeoffs that must be weighed, and ends with an inspired call for action.

From the majesty of Uluru and its surrounding deserts to the rugged grandeur of the Kimberley and Pilbara landscapes, the Australian Outback inspires a deep connection with the timeless wisdom of the natural world. It is a place where this wisdom reveals itself in many ways, each day, when the walkabout soul allows themselves to be seduced by the wonder of this ancient land, and its physical and spiritual magnificence. Walkabout to Wisdom, an evocative story of such a journey, reintroduces us to the essence and importance of this natural wisdom, and its inherent capacity to teach and heal.

An Irish Nature Year is a filled with plants, animals, birds and creepy-crawlies from all over the island of Ireland. With one short entry for every day of the year, nature columnist Jane Powers serves up five minutes worth of wonderment to enjoy on your coffee break, on your commute or to relax with at bedtime.

The award-winning audiobook for The Lost Words and its sister, The Lost Spells, showcased the immersive power of a natural soundscape. Compiled by renowned wildlife recordist, Chris Watson, these soundscapes acted as the backdrop and setting for beautiful spells, whilst possessing an energy and life of their own. Now, these aural glimpses into the natural world, be it an adder in grass or an egret submerging into the swell of the ocean, are brought together to star in their own right.

In November of 2013, I finally did what I had been wanting to do for a long time, but couldn't find the guts to do: I quit my job, sold my house, sold my car, gave away most of my material possessions, and went to live in Perú, the country I had left 40 years ago. I spent the better part of 2014 travelling up and down Perú, becoming familiar with my homeland for the first time. I and my wife Janet had been contemplating this move for a long time; but several reasons finally pushed us to take action. My mother had suffered a stroke and I wanted to spend some time with her. Besides, we had been suffering from a sort of malaise; a kind of existential discomfort. We were miserable at our jobs, punching the clock every day without any sense of fulfillment. Janet had been reassigned to a high-stress position that was literally killing her. We were not enjoying life and we asked ourselves: "is this all there is to life?" We decided that there had to be more.

If you're an adventurer with a love for the outdoors, you'll know that the Basin and Range Province is a beautiful yet perilous place. The terrain is varied, the climate is extreme, and the wildlife is unique. If you find yourself hiking, camping, or exploring this region, you'll need Surviving the Basin and Range to guide you through every step of your journey. This comprehensive eBook is packed with knowledge and advice that can make the difference between life and death. The book begins with an introduction to the Basin and Range Province, its unique geological features, and wildlife. ...

Are you an avid hiker, camper, or outdoorsman? Do you know what to do if you find yourself in a dangerous situation in the wilderness? Look no further than The Outdoor Survival Handbook. Written by experienced outdoor enthusiasts, this comprehensive guide will equip you with the skills and knowledge you need to stay safe in any outdoor environment. From understanding the weather and wilderness terrain to handling encounters with dangerous wildlife, this book covers everything you need to know about outdoor safety. You'll learn how to properly prepare for outdoor activities with essential ...

Writing with the same mastery that has won him praise for his fiction, Richards takes us - even those unfamiliar with days spent in chilly waters - on an unforgettable journey to the famed Miramichi River. Casting new light on the mysterious and elegant world of fly fishing, it teems with lore and wisdom, humor, and most of all, passion.

Trees clean air and water; hoverflies and bees pollinate our crops; the kingfisher inspired the construction of high-speed trains. In Tapestries of Life, best-selling author Anne Sverdrup-Thygeson explains how closely we are all connected with the natural world, highlighting our indelible link with nature’s finely knit system and our everyday lives.

Join Todd McLeish as he travels high above the Arctic circle. McLeish consults logbooks kept by whalers and explorers and interviews folklorists and historians to tease out the relationship between the real narwhal and the mythical unicorn. In Colorado, he visits climatologists studying changes in the seasonal cycles of the Arctic ice. From a history of the trade in narwhal tusks to descriptions of narwhals' vocalizations as heard through hydrophones, Narwhals reveals the beauty and thrill of the narwhal and its habitat and the threat it faces from a rapidly changing world.

Gilles Fonteneau, a longtime colleague of the legendary Jacques Cousteau's Calypso team, fulfilled a lifelong dream when in 2001 he launched his own exploration, aboard the 45-foot catamaran Prince de Vendee, into the silent world of the sea. Little did he know when he set out that his efforts to better understand the dynamics of the tectonic plates of the region would have such worldwide significance, as shown by the tsunami disaster of southeast Asia in December 2004.