Biology and Wildlife of the Mediterranean Region

Book Description

The Mediterranean is an outstanding 'hot-spot' of biological diversity. It is exceptional not only for this, but also because of its long history of interactions between its human inhabitants and the other fauna and flora of the region. The cradle of many civilizations, the Mediterranean region has been host to humans for thousands of years. This book is the first to synthesise our current understanding of the ecology, biology, and geology of Mediterranean animals, birds, and plants, and their habitats. The authors focus on the unique historical determinants and spatial patterns of Mediterranean biodiversity. In particular, the dramatic impacts of long-term human activities on the region's landscapes, flora, and fauna, are considered. This fascinating story will be of interest to researchers and students in ecology, biology, conservation, and geography, as well as to naturalists, and ecotourists visiting this popular holiday region.

Customer Reviews:

Impressive -- for intrepid lay readers and specialists.......2001-03-16

If you are one of those lay readers who is endlessly curious and not put off by rather intense discussions of "the adaptive value of sclerophylly in mediterranean ecosystems", this book may really be for you. Although I suspect most ecotourists, one target audience, will lack the stamina for it, the book really does a fine job of conveying the excitement of the region in relatively jargon-free prose. The formatting also does much to lure the more casual reader with its adept use of illustrations, boxes, and subheads to break up the text. I was delighted to discover just how much the authors eschewed simple description in favor of spotlighting what is truly intriguing about the Mediterranean ecosystem.

Some of the highlights for me include: the description of the drying up and reflooding of the Mediterranean during the Miocene; the unusual incidence of species endemism and its relationship not only to topographical diversity but to unusual geological substrates; the profiles of curious creatures such as the blind cave salamander and Etruscan shrew; the range of adaptations to diverse environments, such as the case of the Turkish hippo that crossed over to Cyprus 100,000 years ago and dwindled to the size of a pig; the fascinating coevolution of figs and wasps; and most of all, the manifold impact that humans have had upon the region for the past 10,000 years (chapter 8). The authors conclude with a look at what can be done to sustain the biodiversity of this fascinating region.

Average customer rating:
Biology and Wildlife of the Mediterranean Region
James Aronson
Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OLKMGC

Average customer rating:
VASCULAR FLORA OF OHIO: VOL. II: THE DICOTYLEDONEAE OF OHIO PART TWO, LINACEAE THROUGH CAMPANULACEAE (Vascular Flora of Ohio)
TOM S. COOPERRIDER
Manufacturer: Ohio State University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Botany | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Plant Geography | Botany | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Science | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

VASCULAR FLORA OF OHIO: VOL. II: THE DICOTYLEDONEAE OF OHIO PART THREE, ASTERACEAE (Vascular Flora of Ohio)

ASIN: 081420628X

Average customer rating:
Linaceae (North American Flora Series II)
C. M. Robers
Manufacturer: New York Botanical Garden Pr Dept
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Flowers | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
General | Botany | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
Taxonomic Classification | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0893272604

Average customer rating:
The genus Hesperolinon (Linaceae) (University of California publications in botany)
Helen K Sharsmith
Manufacturer: University of California Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Plants | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007DSETE

Average customer rating:
Linaceae & Ixonanthaceae (Fascicles of flora of India)
P. K Hajra
Manufacturer: Botanical Survey of India
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0007B5VBK

Average customer rating:
Linaceae (Flora of Libya)
M. A Siddiqi
Manufacturer: al Faateh University, Faculty of Science, Department of Botany
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Botany | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007BVZCY

Average customer rating:
Linaceae (Flora of tropical East Africa: [Angiospermae])
Doreen L Smith
Manufacturer: Crown Agents for Oversea Governments and Administrations
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Botany | Biological Sciences | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007J27QY

Average customer rating:
A revision of North American Linaceae
William Trelease
Manufacturer: St. Louis Academy of Science?
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding
ASIN: B0008941UI

Book Description

Put your earphones on and let the Sound Travel Audio Guides do the talking, while you do the walking, through some of the most historic and enchanting cities in Europe.

Customer Reviews:

If you can't jet off to London for the weekend...........2001-07-13

A wonderful way to relax over a rainy weekend. If you've been to London, it will take you back. If you haven't, the tape will prepare you for when you do go. Powell livens up the tour with interesting, amusing, and startling facts and anecdotes. The contemporary and historical information, the accents, the readers, the mood - all make for a quick trip to the U.K. in one little box. Very much enjoyed it.

London off the beaten path.......2000-10-05

Great book. Tours are easy to follow and take you into some really great parts of London that even locals don't know. I got to school our host on Aldephi.

Having read London by Rutherfurd made the tours even better.

The LONDONWALKS Audio Guide was the highpoint of our trip........1999-04-15

LONDONWALKS Audio tours was the high point of our quick trip to London last month. We did two of the four walks and now we must return to do the rest. We will be looking for more Sound Travel Audio Guides. What a great idea!

A unique and highly effective approach to touring London!.......1998-12-27

The huge and bustling metropolis of London does not reveal itself to the casual visitor. To discover its hidden wonders, you must investigate streets and alleyways on foot. Now with the LONDONWALKS auido guide, visitors to London can put on earphones and slip a LONDONWALKS tape into their portable cassette recorder and start walking, while they listen to the history, scandal, and intrigue of one of the most magnificent cities of Europe. Each of the four audio walking tours in this two-cassette package takes about two hours, or as long as a morning or aternoon. They are narrated by the English actress Jean Marsh.

This is an absolutely WONDERFUL book to take to London.......1998-09-17

Self-directed (and very explicit in terms of getting you around) this book is a wonderful find. If I want to re-think all the great times my friend and I had trekking through districts/neighborhoods, I don't go look at my photos... I grab this book. The gentleman who wrote it (at the time we visited) also led guided tours of the areas described in the book ..20 pounds! Do it yourself for the price of the book. Funny, informative, and definitely worth the bucks.

We also bought the New York Walks (Manhattan) and found it equally informative, although written by a bunch of people from the NY "Y". Hester Street, Lower East Side, Upper East Side, etc., etc. GREAT.

Average customer rating:
LONDONWALKS. Henry Holt Walks Series
Anton. Powell
Manufacturer: Henry Holt & Co.,
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000N7DX40

Average customer rating:
Why Should We Study the Anglo-Saxons? (Rede Lecture)
Harold McCarter Taylor
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | History & Historical Fiction | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0521066050

Average customer rating:
Why should we study the Anglo-Saxons? Rede Lecture.
H M Taylor
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press 1966.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B0000CN038

Book Description

Adopting the novel approach of viewing the role of fungi from the perspective of ecosystem functions, this book examines the importance of fungi in soil formation, plant primary production, sustenance of secondary producers, and regulation of plant and animal populations and communities. This volume emphasizes the idea that fungi are not alone in the regulation of these processes. It addresses the main processes occurring in ecosystems and showing where and how fungi are critical, and enables readers to gain a better understanding of the role of fungi in shaping ecosystems. Fungi in Ecosystem Processes considers the negative impact of fungi on faunal productivity and includes more than 1200 citations.

Plant-fungal interactions in arid and semi-arid ecosystems: Large-scale impacts from microscale processes [An article from: Journal of Arid Environments]

Average customer rating:

Plant-fungal interactions in arid and semi-arid ecosystems: Large-scale impacts from microscale processes [An article from: Journal of Arid Environments]
M.E. Lucero , J.R. Barrow , P. Osuna , and I. Reyes
Manufacturer: Elsevier
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital
ASIN: B000RRA2D6

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Journal of Arid Environments, published by Elsevier in 2006. 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.

Description:
The roles of microbes in shaping plant communities have historically been underestimated. Recent improvements in our abilities to detect, identify, and monitor microbial inhabitants of plant tissues are increasing our appreciation of the complex microbial dynamics in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. Microbial endophytes can modify plants at genetic, physiologic, and ecologic levels. These modifications induce profound changes in how plants respond to their environments, with potential consequences in terms of spatial variation in vegetation dynamics. Microscale examination of Bouteloua eriopoda (black grama) and Atriplex canescens (fourwing saltbush) collected in the northern Chihuahuan Desert revealed diverse fungal communities associated with individual plants at the cellular and subcellular levels. To explore thresholds of plant fitness defined by microbial communities, endophytes from B. eriopoda were transferred to Sporobolus cryptandrus (sand dropseed), and endophytes from S. cryptandrus and A. canescens were transferred to B. eriopoda. Dramatic, whole-plant differences in morphology and biomass between treated and untreated plants were observed. Treated plants were generally larger, with greater reproductive potential than untreated controls. We hypothesize that these transformed plants will continue to out-perform their native counterparts, propagating changes from the plant-microbe interface to ecologically significant scales.

Average customer rating:
Quantitative analysis, elementary principles and practice: Answers to problems; with notes on the teaching of quantitative analysis
Harvey Diehl
Manufacturer: Wiley
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Analytic | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0007H0I76

Average customer rating:
Quantitative analysis: Elementary principles and practice
Harvey Diehl
Manufacturer: Oakland Street Science Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Analytic | Chemistry | Science | Subjects | Books
General & Reference | Chemistry | Professional Science | Professional & Technical | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0914902024

Average customer rating:
Quantitative Analysis: Elementary Principles and Practice
Harvey; Smith, G. Frederick Diehl
Manufacturer: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000PHOGS0

Customer Reviews:

How is it out of stock?.......2003-01-02

when will it be in stock?

Book Description

This is a major work by the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, whose writings have been deeply influential on subsequent generations of philosophers. It is offered here in a new translation by Judith Norman, with an introduction by Rolf Peter Horstmann that places the work in its historical and philosophical context.

Customer Reviews:

A living thing seeks above all to discharge its strength--life itself is will to power.......2007-05-01

This was required reading for a graduate course in the Humanities.
Friedrich Nietzsche's concept of a "will to power" is central to his philosophical beliefs, and a recurring theme in his book "Beyond Good and Evil." When Nietzsche was a budding philosopher, he admired and was influenced by the writings of another philosopher, Arthur Schopenhauer. However, Schopenhauer, like most scientists and philosophers of his day, attributed the "will to live" as the highest motivational life force in nature. Nietzsche observed that the "will to live" was not life affirming enough and that humankind needed a higher power. Therefore, Nietzsche theorized that living beings were not just motivated by a survival instinct to live. He understood that beings had a higher need, which he called the "will to power." One can easily interpret Nietzsche's "will to power" as a method by which people strive to grow and nurture their creative energies, and interact with the world. Nietzsche thinks that "will to power" was coupled with humankind's innate nature and passion to create. Nietzsche thinks that this "will to power" was the true driving force of humankind. "A living thing seeks above all to discharge its strength--life itself is will to power, self-preservation is only one of the indirect and most frequent results" (Nietzsche Aphorism 13). The "will to power" causes humans to dominate and impose their will on others. Thus for Nietzsche, humankind's "will to power" meant that life and will is the exploitation of others, and it has been since the beginning of time, immemorial (Nietzsche Aphorism 258). In fact, Nietzsche believed that one could take his concept of the "will to power" one-step further, and use it to explain the motivations of whole societies, and nation states, as well as the individual (Nietzsche aphorism 257, 259).

Nietzsche tends to be very passionate and absolutist in his aphorisms. He wrote so much that one could find plenty of instances in his works where he has contradicted himself. Nietzsche's concept of "will to power" is a philosophic thought, which led to many interpretations. To assume that Nietzsche thought that the primary instincts of the human being came down to violence and little else, amounts to a gross underestimation of Nietzsche's views of humankind. However, most of his writings on the concept of a "will to power," if interpreted as being violent, have to be understood more in vain with what he saw as the constant struggle of overcoming one's individual weaknesses (Nietzsche aphorism 22, 260). Nietzsche envisioned his "will to power" more along the lines of applying one's will in self-overcoming. Nietzsche's writings about violence are usually meant as violence against giving in to the herd or slave morality. The herd, as Nietzsche names it, is the vast majority of humans who throughout history have obeyed and followed the status quo. The herd has stymied human development with their slave morality (Nietzsche aphorism 198, 199). The slave morality invented the dichotomy of good and evil. "Moral judgments and condemnations constitute the favorite revenge of the spiritually limited against those less limited" (Nietzsche aphorism 219). The herd morality causes people to sublimate their creative drive. Thus, Nietzsche is imploring the few noble humans--the few geniuses to struggle against following the herd morality. Nietzsche wants the noble people to invent their own morality and values to live their lives by, and to fulfill their own "will to power" and not indulge in an effort to attract others to their values (Nietzsche aphorism 199, 201, 260).

Recommended reading for anyone interested in philosophy, history, and psychology.

Beyond Good & Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future.......2007-03-11

If you are in high school or college, you must read this. Friedrich Nietzsche is / was a man of deep thoughts, odd thoughts and yet they are as fitting today as they were them..... READ THIS, you will understand history of some things much better.

A Systematic Follow-Up to Zarathustra.......2007-02-16

If you were a little confused or put off by the poetic/fictional delivery in Zarathustra, this is the book for you. It sets out to say practically the same thing, but in a more literal sense.
To understand Nietzsche, I suggest starting with this and Zarathustra.

Enjoyable.......2007-01-12

Nietzsche looks at life and characterizes it without blinking. Not that his philosophy is particularily USEFUL; essentially, you have to come up with your own. He has no answers, poses no real questions, and simply posits that the man of the future will make his own answers to the questions that he finds.

Some parts of this are actually funny, such as his characterizations of the nations. Nobody comes off completely flattered, but the English get it worst!

My favorite part is probably the thoughtfully collected section of aphorisms. Nietzsche was a master of these, knew it, and served them up like some sumptuous dessert in the middle of a formal meal.

Needs a second reading... or second writing.......2006-12-26

I read this piece of work about 6 years ago. Maybe I rushed the process and read it like a novel - its not. 'Beyond...' is the summary of a trouble minded genius in what should be considered his most accessible form; unfortunately "accessible Nietzsche" may still be too much for 99.99 percent of the world.

Nietzsche is often adopted by young nihilistic men to help them find an explanation of the crazy world around them. To be honest I believe John Locke would be a better first step in to philosophy and a good counter to some of Nietzsche's ideas. In fact he shows signs of objectivism (a-la Ayn Rand) with statements such as "As long as you still experience the stars as something 'above you' you lack the eye of knowledge." Maybe this is out of context but I'm sure Ayn would have said the same thing. Funny, Ayn would probably hate such a comparison as she despised Fred's dogmatic or formulaic views of how man should be. For this Fred is equally a hypocrite for his criticism of the Catholic Church.

What I consider to be a fault of the English edition is the translator and his preface, he writes as though he is a member of some sort of Nietzsche Cult. Should a translator really tell the reader that what he is reading is "brilliant, unforgettable?" [p xv] I would honestly love to hear from an objective German on this point.

All said, Nietzsche IS required reading for anyone who sees value in developing some sort of intelligence... for that I guess I should do a second reading ;)

Beyond Good and Evil (Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future)

Average customer rating:

A living thing seeks above all to discharge its strength--life itself is will to power

Beyond Good and Evil (Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future)
Friedrich Nietzsche
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

ASIN: 0394703375
Release Date: 1966-09-12

Customer Reviews:

A living thing seeks above all to discharge its strength--life itself is will to power.......2007-05-01

Average customer rating:

Beyond good and evil: prelude to a philosophy of the future
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
Manufacturer: Allen & Unwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Modern | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006C19K2

Average customer rating:

Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future.
Friedrich Nietzsch
Manufacturer: see notes for publisher info
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000M4UK5Y

Beyond Good and Evil:Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future

Average customer rating:

Beyond Good and Evil:Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
Manufacturer: Penguin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000SJMODY

Average customer rating:

Beyond good and evil;: Prelude to a philosophy of the future
Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche
Manufacturer: Vintage Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Modern | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: B0006BOB6C

Average customer rating:

A living thing seeks above all to discharge its strength--life itself is will to power

Beyond Good and Evil Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future
Friedrich Nietzsche
Manufacturer: Vintage Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000L2O1AW

Customer Reviews:

A living thing seeks above all to discharge its strength--life itself is will to power.......2007-05-01

Average customer rating:

BEYOND GOOD AND EVIL- PRELUDE TO A PHILOSOPHY OF THE FUTURE

Manufacturer: Vintage Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000H3XB8I

Average customer rating:

Beyond Good and Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future
Friedrich Nietzsche & Walter Kaufmann
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K9WQEY

Beyond Good & Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future

Average customer rating:

Beyond Good & Evil: Prelude to a Philosophy of the Future
Friedrich; Walter Kaufmann, trans. Nietzsche
Manufacturer: Vintage
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000UFFZBY

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books