Bamboos constitute one of a few select categories of plants which are taxonomically related, very rich in species and of vital economic and ecological importance. Since the early 20th century the accepted number of species of bamboos, world wide, has tripled. However, until now information was scattered through numerous, often not easily available publications.The Bamboos of the World, is the first comprehensive (taxonomic as well as horticultural) reference work that provides basic inform...

"A tour de force…highlights the odd reptiles that roamed all corners of the earth millions of years ago."— Sydney Morning HeraldFrom the outback of Australia to the Gobi Desert of Mongolia and the savanna of Madagascar, the award-winning science writer and dinosaur enthusiast John Pickrell embarks on a world tour of new finds, meeting the fossil hunters who work at the frontier of discovery. He reveals the dwarf dinosaurs unearthed by an eccentric Transylv...

The first edition of Evolution of Fossil Ecosystems was widely praised for its coverage and approach in describing and illustrating 14 well-known fossil sites from around the world. The authors have now updated the text and added 6 new chapters with many new color illustrations. Following a general introduction to fossil Lagerstätten, each chapter deals with a single site and follows the same format: its evolutionary position and significance; its background sedimentology, stratigraphy and...

Insects are the most diverse group of organisms in the 3 billion-year history of life on Earth, and the most ecologically dominant animals on land. This book chronicles for the first time the complete evolutionary history of insects: their living diversity, relationships and 400 million years of fossils. Whereas other volumes have focused on either living species or fossils, this is the first comprehensive synthesis of all aspects of insect evolution. The book is illustrated with 955 photo...

No other single volume reference to the Jehol site and its fossils exists and nowhere is there such a collection of fine photos of the fossils concerned. This book has pieced together the most up-to-date information on the Jehol Biota, a place that has shown the world some of the most astonishing fossil finds including the first complete skeleton of Archaeopteryx in 1861, four-winged dinosaurs- many feathered ones, the first beaked bird, the first plants with flowers and fruits, and thousa...

Lime trees (Tilia spp.) are widely distributed and locally important members of northern temperate broad-leaved forests. In marked contrast to the largely uniform morphology of the genus its taxonomic treatment has become increasingly confused and controversial, with over one hundred species and numerous subspecies described. Using extensive data from field studies of natural populations around the world, this book clarifies the situation, proposing a revised taxonomy of 23 species and 14 ...

Red Panda: Biology and Conservation of the First Panda provides a broad-based overview of the biology of the red panda, Ailurus fulgens. A carnivore that feeds almost entirely on vegetable material and is colored chestnut red, chocolate brown and cream rather than the expected black and white. This book gathers all the information that is available on the red panda both from the field and captivity as well as from cultural aspects, and attempts to answer that most fundamental of questions,...

Bamboo has an unparalleled history; it is very old, and at the same time very new. Bamboo plays a vital role in the survival of many animals and ecosystems as well as having unique characteristics that offer potential solutions to modern ecological dilemmas – it grows extremely quickly, for example, making it an easily renewable resource. With the advent of modern research and technologies, the use of bamboo has increased dramatically – it competes with hardwoods as home flooring and can b...

Botanical names can be baffling to even the most experienced gardener. But a plant's botanical name is more than just a handy label—it can tell a plant's country of origin, the shape of its leaves, the color of its petals, and much more.The A to Z of Plant Names clears the confusion and allows every gardener to name plants with confidence. This comprehensive yet handy guide features the botanic names of the plants that gardeners really grow. Additional information includes...

This is the first of two volumes on Gentianaceae. Comprising twelve chapters, it centres upon the characterization and ecology of Gentianaceae worldwide, with emphasis on the application of molecular and cytological approaches in relation to taxonomy. The first three chapters consider the classification of the family and review the advances in research since the earlier revision published in 2002, which resulted in the reclassification of some plants and the naming of new genera. The next ...

This book has been designed to summarize current, essential information for every one of the world’s 700+ hard tick species. Under each species name, we will cite the original description, followed by information on type depositories, known stages, distribution (by zoogeographic region and ecoregion), hosts, and human infestation (if any). Each species account will also include a list of salient references and, where necessary, remarks on systematic status. We envision eight chapters: six ...

Codonopsis and its allied genera, are a group of plants which are important in economy and horticulture. A Monograph of Codonopsis and Allied Genera (Campanulaceae s. str.) offers its audience comprehensive knowledge of these plants including palynology, cytology, population biology, morphological description, geographical distribution with vouchers cited, excellent ink illustrations, and color photos, and keys to genera and to species. This excellent work will facilitate identification of...