Michael Allaby's Books

Curious kids want to know everything about their planet. This lively encyclopedia offers a wealth of comprehensive, easy-to-follow insight into our planet in fun-to-read text. It gives kids a rock-solid foundation, reveals the latest research on fragile ecosystems and climate shift, and engages young readers with riveting information, eye-catching illustrations, and, of course, peerless "National Geographic" photography.

Examines the deserts of the world, discussing such topics as history, geography, plants and animals, geology, human cultures and societies, and water resources.

Describes the tropical rain forest biome, including climate, geology, geography and biodiversity.

Presents information on these most damaging of all natural disasters from the perspective of basic meteorology and environmental science, including floodplains, aquifers, tsunamis, the cost of floods, and prevention.

Life in the desert holds a range of biological adaptations. From camels to desert scorpions to snakes, the biodiversity of these areas is fascinating. Deserts presents the intricacies of this seemingly barren and harsh ecosystem, explaining how and

Describes the tropical rain forest biome, including climate, geology, geography and biodiversity.

Exploration tells the intriguing story of the navigators who crossed oceans to chart the coastlines of distant continents, the adventurers who traversed deserts and polar wastes, and the traders who sought new markets and commodities in faraway lands. The secrets of the planet and its living inhabitants have been unraveled thanks to the efforts made by these navigators and adventurers. This new, full-color book begins with a narration of the earliest seagoing ships and the vehicles that transported diplomats, warriors, and merchants around the Mediterranean region and later around the world. It explores the Vikings who terrorized Western Europe and colonized Greenland as well as the swift outrigger vessels that sailed from Asia to the islands of the Pacific. This accessible resource describes the development of navigational instruments to help on long journeys out of sight of landOCoincluding the sextant and compassOCoand explains how to calculate latitude and longitude.

Describes the temperate forest biome, including climate, geology, geography and biodiversity.

Completely revised and updated with over 250 new entries, the third edition of this dictionary offers broad coverage of all aspects related to the field of plant sciences including biochemistry, plant physiology, cytology, ecology, genetics, evolution, biogeography, earth history, and earth sciences. New entries such as evo-devo, sister relationship, polytomy, and parallel sequencing make this the most up-to-date and comprehensive dictionary available. Useful appendices (The Universal Genetic Code, The Geologic Time-Scale, SI Units, Plant Classification, Fungi Classification) and a dedicated companion website featuring web links to relevant online resources support and enhance the A to Z entries. Clear, accessible, and concise, this is the ideal dictionary for students of botany, plant sciences and plant biology, environmental science and horticulture, as well as for amateur botanists and naturalists, and for the general reader with an interest in botany.

This book offers a new interpretation of the spatial-political-environmental dynamics of water and irrigation in long-term histories of arid regions. It compares ancient Southwest Arabia (3500 BC–AD 600) with the American West (2000 BC–AD 1950) in global context to illustrate similarities and differences among environmental, cultural, political, and religious dynamics of water. It combines archaeological exploration and field studies of farming in Yemen with social theory and spatial technologies, including satellite imagery, Global Positioning System (GPS), and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) mapping. In both ancient Yemen and the American West, agricultural production focused not where rain-fed agriculture was possible, but in hyper-arid areas where massive state-constructed irrigation schemes politically and ideologically validated state sovereignty. While shaped by profound differences and contingencies, ancient Yemen and the American West are mutually informative in clarifying human geographies of water that are important to understandings of America, Arabia, and contemporary conflicts between civilizations deemed East and West.

Traces the origin of ecology and explains what it is and how it has progressed over time.

Explains what causes rain as well as drought, why the Earth and its life forms need rain and water, and how people cope with droughts; discusses some of history's more severe droughts.

Describes how tornadoes form, ongoing research to better understand why they form when they do, and histories of some of the worst storms to ever occur.

Discusses the history of various topics related to oceans and oceanography, covering mapping, the origins of ocean basics, the ocean floor, measurement of depth and flow, the creatures that inhabits the depths of the sea, and the adventures of modern explorers.

Describes the grassland biome, including climate, geology, geography and biodiversity.

The crucial importance of biodiversity law to future human welfare is only now being fully appreciated. This wide-ranging Handbook presents a range of perspectives from leading international experts reflecting up-to-date research thinking on the vital subject of biodiversity and its interaction with law. Through a rigorous examination of the principles, procedures and practices that characterise this area of law, this timely volume effectively highlights its objectives, implementation, achievements, and prospects. More specifically, the work addresses the regulatory challenges posed by the principal contemporary threats to biological diversity, the applicable general principles of international environmental law and the visions, values and voices that are shaping the development of the law. Presenting thematic rather than regime-based coverage, the editors demonstrate the state-of-the-art of current research and identify future research needs and directions. This comprehensive and authoritative Handbook will be an indispensable resource for legal scholars, students and practitioners alike.

Describes mudflows and landslides, providing information on how they develop, where they are most likely to occur, what tragedies have happened in the past, and what steps can be taken to develop warning systems that will save lives.

Explains the steps that we have taken to better understand how the earth functions and examines the development of Earth science.

Presents a history of atmospheric studies, discussing such topics as the study of air, water, and gases throughout the ages, the classification of climates, the development of weather maps and forecasting, and the discovery and theory of the ice ages.

The new edition of this popular student text offers an engaging introduction to environmental study. It covers the entire breadth of the environmental sciences, providing concise, non-technical explanations of physical processes and systems and the effects of human activities. In this second edition the scientific background to major environmental issues is clearly explained. These include: * global warming * genetically modified foods * desertification * acid rain * deforestation * human population growth * depleting resources * nuclear power generation * descriptions of the 10 major biomes. Special student text features include illustrations and explanatory diagrams, boxed case studies, concepts and definitions.

Explores the research conducted by philosophers, botanists, and scientists over centuries that resulted in the emergent fields of botany, plant sociology, ecology, and biodiversity.

Contains a history of the subjects of weather and climate, over 2,200 entries providing definitions and explanations of related topics, plus brief biographies of over 100 scientists.

Discusses the nature, causes, and dangers of blizzards, blizzards of the past, and ways to survive them.

Describes how tornadoes form, ongoing research to better understand why they form when they do, and histories of some of the worst storms to ever occur.

With over 8500 entries, this informative dictionary addresses the social, legal, political and economic aspects of the environment and conservation as well as the scientific terms.

Discusses the nature, causes, and dangers of hurricanes, hurricanes of the past, and the research being done to learn more about them.

Presents a history of the scientific understanding of animals, discussing such topics as classification, animal behavior, menageries and zoos, genetics, and mythology.

Written in a clear, accessible style, this authoritative and wide-ranging dictionary contains entries on all aspects of ecology and related environmental scientific disciplines such as biogeography, genetics, soil science, geomorphology, atmospheric science, and oceanography. Entries cover topics such as plant and animal physiology, animal behaviour, pollution, conservation, habitat management, population, evolution, environmental pollution, climatology, and meteorology. It also includes many line drawings and useful appendices. Fully revised, updated, and expanded, with over 300 new entries that include beach replenishment, delta method, urban heat island, and zonal soils, this new edition is invaluable to students of ecology, biology, and environmental and conservation studies, and professionals in related areas, as well as the general reader with an interest in the natural world.

Discusses climatic change throughout history, including atmospheric changes, global warming, ice ages, and sea level variations.

Discusses air pollution and its impact on the planet.

With over 6,000 entries, A Dictionary of Zoology is a detailed and authoritative guide to all areas of the field. It offers full taxonomic coverage of arthropods, other invertebrates, fish, reptiles, amphibians, birds, and mammals. It also includes terms from the areas of ecology, animal behaviour, evolution, earth history, zoogeography, genetics, and physiology. All entries have been fully revised and updated, making this the most up-to-date reference guide of its kind. There are around 400 entries new to this edition covering areas that include taxonomic groups, prefixes, and widely used descriptive terms. These include articles on micronucleus, stoma, platy-, proto-, and terrestrial. The dictionary is enriched through its useful web links, accessible via the companion website, as well as diagrams and detailed appendices. This fifth edition also includes a new Common Names appendix and three new illustrations.

Explains what causes rain as well as drought, why the Earth and its life forms need rain and water, and how people cope with droughts; discusses some of history's more severe droughts.

This new edition includes 10,000 entries which cover all areas of geoscience, including planetary science, oceanography, palaeontology, mineralogy and volcanology. In this edition, 675 new entries have been added, and include expanded coverage of planetary geology and earth-observing-satellites. Other new entries terms such as Ianammox, Boomerangian, earth rheological layering, and metamorphic rock classification. The entries are also complemented by more than 130 diagrams and numerous web links that are listed on a regularly updated dedicated companion website. Appendices supplement the A-Z and have been extended to include three new tables on the Torino Impact Hazard Scale, Avalanche Classes, and the Volcanic Explosivity Index. The list of satellite missions has also been revised and updated to include recent developments. A Dictionary of Geology and Earth Sciences is an authoritative, and jargon-free resource for students of geology, geography, geosciences, physical science, and those in related disciplines.

“We owe it to our plants to read this book. After all, while we just live with the weather, our plants have to survive it.” —The Washington Post All gardeners are at the whim of Mother Nature, and so are our plants. Whether it’s coping with extreme drought or record-breaking snow fall, gardeners—and gardens—across the country are fighting against the elements. Instead of just reacting to the weather, Michael Allaby suggests that gardeners use knowledge about how the weather works to create the best growing conditions for their plants. Allaby brings big-picture atmospheric concepts to life with a comprehensive introduction to how weather works and explanations climate change, weather systems, and microclimates. The Gardener’s Guide to Weather and Climate proves that instead of gardening at the mercy of the weather, knowledgeable gardeners can make the weather work for them

Did you know that floods cause more damage than any other natural phenomenon? Or that there are 2,000 thunderstorms in progress around the world right now? Feel the force of nature with DK Guide to Weather. Cutting edge satellite imagery allows you to examine amazing weather phenomena in close-up detail - from powerful storms to blistering heat.

Book's by Michael Allaby

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