Природа и животные
Различные книги в жанре Природа и животныеHollow Places
IN THE MIDDLE AGES, a remarkable tomb was carved to cover the bones of an English hero. For centuries, tales spread about dragons, giants and devils. How and why this happened is the subject of this book.Do you wonder where dragons once lurked and where the local fairies baked their loaves? Or where wolves were trapped and suicides buried? Did people in the past really believe the marvellous stories they told and can those beliefs and those stories still teach us something about how to live in the world today?These questions lie at the heart of Christopher Hadley’s Hollow Places as it searches through the centuries for the truth behind the legend of Piers Shonks, a giant from a village in Hertfordshire, who slew a dragon that once had its lair under ancient yew in a field called Great Pepsells.Hadley’s quest takes us on a journey into the margins of history: to the margins of the Bayeux Tapestry where strange creatures gather, of ancient woodland where hollow trees hide secrets, of 18th century manuscripts where antiquaries scribbled clues to the identity of folk heroes.Hollow Places takes us back shivering to a church in Georgian England, to stand atop its tower triangulating the Elizabethan countryside, and to confront the zealous Mr Dowsing and his thugs looting the brasses and smashing the masonry during the Civil War. It asks why Churchwarden Morris could not sleep at night, and how long bones last in a crypt, and where a medieval stonemason found his inspiration.Hollow Places rescues a vanished world and wrestles with superstition, with what people really believed; with what that tells us about them and how very much we are still alike– dragons or nay.The story of Piers Shonks is an obscure tale, but it has endured: the survivor of an 800-year battle between storytellers and those who would mock or silence them. Shonks’ story stands for all those thousands of seemingly forgotten tales that used to belong to every village. It is an adventure into the past by a talented and original new writer and a meditation on memory and belief that underlines the importance and the power of the folk legends we used to tell and why they still matter.
Collins New Naturalist Library
Mammals in the British Isles looks at the influences on their numbers and distribution, both now and in the past, examines aspects of their biology with emphasis on function and physiology, and concludes with an account of relationships with man.This book by Dr Harrison Matthews will be warmly welcomed by all those for whom his British Mammals, in this series, was a standard work for nearly 30 years. In recent years our understanding of the British species has expanded greatly. This volume offers a synthesis of modern knowledge derived from living animals studied in the field and covering all facets of mammalian life in the British Isles. It will be as important to a new generation of naturalists as the previous book was to an older one.The book is full of fascinating detail – of the shrews which scream in defence of territory to avoid fighting; of young rats that play to learn while adult otters play for fun; of vole 'plague' populations which crash as a result of stress; of monogamy and parental care of the dog fox – but it also paints a broader picture of interdependence, conservation and the part played by man.As much a part of nature as any other member of the fauna, it is man who has created the character of the environment – by clearing, draining, building and developing agriculture – and made available the wide variety of habitats occupied by indigenous, introduced and feral populations.Dr Harrison Matthews gives a general account of British mammals and the things influencing their numbers and distribution both now and in the past, examines aspects of their biology with emphasis on function and physiology, and concludes with an account of relationships with man and the measures he has taken for their control and conservation.
Collins New Naturalist Library
A comprehensive account of the seal’s migratory patterns, methods of hunting for food, movements and patterns of reproduction.While seals are a perennial favourite among visitors to zoos for their playful and engaging behaviour, less is known about their actions in natural habitats. Based on extensive field observations, this thoroughly illustrated volume in The New Naturalist Series is one of the most authoritative studies of its kind. The late Professor Hewer shows how recent discoveries for determining the age of seals have greatly contributed to research in the subject and he presents a comprehensive account of the seal’s migratory patterns, methods of hunting for food, movements and patterns of reproduction. As the large colonies of seals indigenous to British waters constitute and important segment of the world’s seal population, Professor Hewer’s findings will be helpful to all interested in seal behaviour, and conservation.Professor Hewer researched seal behaviour for over twenty years, did extensive field work in seals and published several articles on his findings. He was Emeritus Professor at the University of London and served with the British government’s Ministry of Agriculture and Ministry of Food.
Collins New Naturalist Library
Here is a fascinating and authoritative survey of the complex inter-relationships of bird and human life in this country.Here is a fascinating and authoritative survey of the complex interrelationships of bird and human life in this country.Dr. Murton begins with an entire outline of the earliest evidence of the impact of birds on man, and vice versa and of the ecological considerations involved. He then proceeds to describe in detail how men and birds affect each other in these islands – in food production, farming, forestry, horticulture, fishery, urban conditions and hygiene, sport and industry. He concludes with an account of the conservation issues involved – the need to preserve unique habitats and to protect bird life, beside the demands of crop protection and control of 'problem birds'.It is a book which anyone interest in either our birds or our environment will find of absorbing interest.
Collins New Naturalist Library
A survey of great interest to naturalists and to the thousands of ramblers who visit the Peak District.Lying as it does at the heart of industrial England, this area of intimate wooded dales, steep-sided gorges and windswept boggy moorland, is perhaps the most welcome of all Britain's National Parks; certainly, it is the most accessible, for within 75 miles of its border lives nearly half the population of England, and the rich variety of its scenery attracts tens of thousands of visitors yearly.This book is the general introduction to the region for naturalists. It presents a concise account of the Peak District's geological structure and history from ancient upheavals to the effects of erosion today – of its woods and wild flowers, its mosses and fungi, birds and fishes, roads and villages and farms, its weather and its rural economy.All this is obviously too much for one man to cover expertly, and the author, though he probably knows the geography of the Peak as thoroughly as anyone alive, has drawn freely on the help of his friends and colleagues at Nottingham University. These include notably Professor H. H. Swinnerton, the author of the successful volume on Fossils in this series, and Mr. R. H. Hall, who have provided the geological and botanical chapters respectively.To the many thousands of ramblers who visit the Peak District at weekends, summer and winter alike, here is a book by one who has trodden all the paths before them and is able to discover for them interests hitherto unsuspected to enhance their enjoyment. At the same time it is a survey of great interest to naturalists everywhere.
Collins New Naturalist Library
Another volume in the popular New Naturalist series, this book covers all aspects of the natural history of Ireland, from biological history, geology and climate, through to nature conservation.David Cabot, an expert in his field, provides a comprehensive view of all the different types of habitats to be found in Ireland, from the peatlands and fens, to the mountains and uplands; from broad-leaved woodland to coastal zones. The book examines the history and ecology of each of these habitats, and describes the rich variety of flora and fauna to be found living there.In The Natural History of Ireland David Cabot also discusses the issue of nature conservation, addressing the history of the conservation movement in Ireland – its successes and failures – and the needs for the future.A fascinating and highly detailed study, this book will complement other published works on the natural history of England, Wales and Scotland.
P2 Purinoceptors
Many different pathological conditions are currently under investigation as therapeutic targets of purines including cancer, cardiovascular conditions, behavioural disorders, inflammation, immunoregulation, and neuroendocrine function. This book draws together research on all aspects of P2 purinoceptors and discusses their use in different therapeutic areas.
Understanding Fossils
The first introductory palaeontology text which demonstrates the importance of selected fossil groups in geological and biological studies, particularly in understanding evolutionary patterns, palaeoenvironmental analysis, and stratigraphy. Part one explores several key concepts, such as the processes of fossil preservation, the determination of evolutionary patterns, and use of fossils and statigraphical tools. Part two introduces the main fossil groups of value in these applied fields. Part three concentrates on the examination of important case histories which demonstrate the use of fossils in diverse practical examples. Evolutionary studies, palaeoenvironmental analysis, and stratigraphical applications are documented using up-to-date examples supported by overviews of the principles.
Environmental Microbiology
The bestselling reference on environmental microbiology—now in a new edition This is the long-awaited and much-anticipated revision of the bestselling text and reference. Based on the latest information and investigative techniques from molecular biology and genetics, this Second Edition offers an in-depth examination of the role of microbiological processes related to environmental deterioration with an emphasis on the detection and control of environmental contaminants. Its goal is to further our understanding of the complex microbial processes underlying environmental degradation, its detection and control, and ultimately, its prevention. Features new to this edition include: A completely new organization with topics such as pathogens in developing countries, effects of genetically modified crops on microbial communities, and transformations of toxic metals Comprehensive coverage of key topics such as bacteria in the greenhouse and low-energy waste treatment New coverage relating core book content to local, regional, and global environmental problems Environmental Microbiology, Second Edition is essential reading for environmental microbiologists and engineers, general environmental scientists, chemists, and chemical engineers who are interested in key current subjects in environmental microbiology. It is also appropriate as a textbook for courses in environmental science, chemistry, engineering, and microbial ecology at the advanced undergraduate and graduate levels.
Waldgesellschaften in Bayern
Die Waldtypen Bayerns in Wort und Bild – von den Schneeheidekieferwaldern der Alpen uber Silberweiden – Auwalder bis hin zu den subkontinentalen Fingerkraut-Eichenwaldern Unterfrankens. Ausfuhrliche Beschreibungen charakterisieren die einzelnen Gesellschaften mit detaillierten Angaben zu Verbreitung und pflanzensoziologisch-systematischer Stellung, Standortanspruchen, Charakterarten, Standorten, Nutzungs- und Forstgeschichte. Uber 120 Farbfotos zeigen typische Aspekte und kennzeichnen Arten der Waldgesellschaften. Ausfuhrliche Literaturangaben erschlie?en die verstreute geobotanisch-forstliche Literatur zu den einzelnen Gesellschaften und Standorten.