What occurs where (and why) and why do some places harbor more species than others are basic questions for ecologists. Some species simply live in different places: fish live underwater, birds do not. Adaptations follow: most fish have gills; birds have lungs. "A fish out of water" is the expression for a person -- and an animal -- in the wrong place. But not all patterns are trivial. Travel along any gradient -- up a mountain, from forest into desert, from a north-facing slope to a south-facing slope, from low tide to high tide on a shoreline, from Arctic tundra to tropical rain forest -- and the species change. What explains the patterns of these distributions? Some patterns might be as random as a coin toss. But as with a coin toss, can ecologists differentiate associations caused by a multiplicity of complex, idiosyncratic factors from those structured by some unidentified, but simple mechanisms? Can simple mechanisms that structure communities be inferred from observations of which species associations naturally occur? This book is about the identification and interpretation of nature's large-scale patterns of species co-occurrence and what we can deduce from them about how nature works. It draws upon a critical debate between Jared Diamond and Dan Simberloff, one which resonates today as the dynamics of species occurrence are shifting rapidly in a changing global environment.
Did you know that most wild cat species are small and that lions, tigers, and other large cats are the exception? That adult bobcats, clouded leopards, and other small wild cats are completely asocial? And that they fight only as a last resort? This entertaining and informative book reveals these and hundreds of other facts about the behavior, biology, and conservation of the more than 30 small wild cat species. From bobcats to servals, small cats are spread across the globe. They range in size from the rusty-spotted cat and African black-footed cat, each of which weighs around 5 pounds when fully grown, to the Eurasian lynx, which can reach an adult weight of 60 pounds. These felids are elusive, some are nocturnal, others are arboreal, and all are rare and secretive, making them especially difficult to study. James G. Sanderson, the world’s leading field expert on small wild cats, and naturalist and wildlife artist Patrick Watson provide informative and entertaining answers to common and unexpected questions about these animals. The authors explain why some small cats live on the ground while others inhabit trees, discuss the form and function of their coat types and colors, offer scientifically sound information on human–small wild cat interactions, and even review the role that small wild cats have played in literature, religion, and mythology. The world of cats is as fascinating as it is diverse. Small Wild Cats: The Animal Answer Guide shows just how important and interesting the littlest of the nondomesticated feline family are.
Vienna, 1909. When the celebrated actor Eugen Bischoff is found dead in his garden pavilion, suspicion falls immediately on Baron von Yosch, a well-to-do army officer who was once the lover of the dead man s wife. By all appearances the door was locked from the inside when the two shots rang out the actor took his own life, but someone, or something, drove him to it. The baron sets out to learn all he can about the actor s death in order to clear his name. Meanwhile, within a few days, similar apparent suicides are reported. What started out as a straightforward quest to establish Bischoff s last deeds and discover the truth of his death becomes a search through the ages for an invisible enemy identified only by the actor s dying breath, when he whispered: . . . the Day of Judgment. Leo Perutz combines his hallmark blend of suspense and the fantastic in this spine-tingling mystery.
Co-published with the Denver Museum of Nature & Science. Thoroughly revised and updated, Mammals of Colorado, Second Edition is a comprehensive reference on the nine orders and 128 species of Colorado's recent native fauna, detailing each species' description, habitat, distribution, population ecology, diet and foraging, predators and parasites, behavior, reproduction and development, and population status. An introductory chapter on Colorado's environments, a discussion of the development of the fauna over geologic time, and a brief history of human knowledge of Coloradan mammals provide ecological and evolutionary context. The most recent records of the state's diverse species, rich illustrations (including detailed maps, skull drawings, and photographs), and an extensive bibliography make this book a must-have reference. Amateur and professional naturalists, students, vertebrate biologists, and ecologists as well as those involved in conservation and wildlife management in Colorado will find value in this comprehensive volume.
This book discusses the ways in which mathematical, computational, and modelling methods can be used to help understand the dynamics of intracellular calcium. The concentration of free intracellular calcium is vital for controlling a wide range of cellular processes, and is thus of great physiological importance. However, because of the complex ways in which the calcium concentration varies, it is also of great mathematical interest.This book presents the general modelling theory as well as a large number of specific case examples, to show how mathematical modelling can interact with experimental approaches, in an interdisciplinary and multifaceted approach to the study of an important physiological control mechanism. Geneviève Dupont is FNRS Research Director at the Unit of Theoretical Chronobiology of the Université Libre de Bruxelles; Martin Falcke is head of the Mathematical Cell Physiology group at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine, Berlin; Vivien Kirk is an Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics at the University of Auckland, New Zealand; James Sneyd is a Professor in the Department of Mathematics at The University of Auckland, New Zealand.
Now in its 4th edition, Kirklin/Barratt-Boyes Cardiac Surgery remains your indispensable source for definitive, state-of-the-art answers on every aspect of adult and pediatric cardiac surgery. This dynamic medical reference thoroughly and systematically covers the full range of new and classic surgical procedures—including the latest alternate and minimally invasive surgical techniques—and presents the up-to-date clinical evidence you need to make effective management decisions. Be certain with expert, dependable, accurate answers for every stage of your career from the most comprehensive, definitive text in the field! Get comprehensive coverage of all areas of cardiac surgery, including ischemic, valvular, and congenital heart disease; cardiac tumors; constrictive pericarditis; thoracic aortic surgery; cardiac transplantation; coronary artery disease; aortic valve disease; cardiac rhythm disturbances; heart failure and transplantation; disease of the thoracic aorta; tetralogy of Fallot; anesthesia; and postoperative care. Stay current with the latest advancements and practices. Comprehensive updates throughout include new information on endovascular management of thoracic aorta disease; new data on clinical outcomes; the most recent minimally invasive procedures; non-invasive CT angiography; new alternative surgical approaches to mitral valve surgery; and many other hot topics! Make the most well-informed decisions and achieve optimal outcomes by exploring each condition's natural history; diagnostic criteria; indications for surgery; operative techniques; and follow-up care. Reference information quickly thanks to a new, streamlined format.
THE INCOMPARABLE BECKETT SOURCEBOOK, WITH MORE THAN 45,000 PRICES LISTED! * COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE. Complete listings from 1951 to 1998, featuring prices for full sets and individual cards--plus the current market values, including: BOWMAN COLLECTOR'S CHOICE DONRUSS DONRUSS ELITE FINEST FLAIR FLEER FLEER METAL LEAF LEAF LIMITED O-PEE-CHEE O-PEE-CHEE PREMIER PARKHURST PARKHURST INTERNATIONAL PINNACLE POWER PLAY SCORE SELECT SELECT CERTIFIED SKYBOX IMPACT SP STADIUM CLUB SUMMIT TOPPS ULTRA UPPER DECK ZENITH * WRITTEN BY AN EXPERT. Dr. James Beckett is the leading sports card statistician. * CLEAR IDENTIFICATION. Every hockey card is identified by year, manufacturer, size, format, and player. * VALUABLE TIPS. Expert advice on buying, selling, caring for, and storing your cards. * HOCKEY CARD HISTORY. The fascinating story from early issues to today's high-tech versions. * CONDITION GRADE PRICING. Each listing includes prices for each of the three different condition grades. * FULLY ILLUSTRATED.
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