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Spatial Database for GPS Wildlife Tracking Data
by Ferdinando Urbano Francesca CagnacciThis book guides animal ecologists, biologists and wildlife and data managers through a step-by-step procedure to build their own advanced software platforms to manage and process wildlife tracking data. This unique, problem-solving-oriented guide focuses on how to extract the most from GPS animal tracking data, while preventing error propagation and optimizing analysis performance. Based on the open source PostgreSQL/PostGIS spatial database, the software platform will allow researchers and managers to integrate and harmonize GPS tracking data together with animal characteristics, environmental data sets, including remote sensing image time series, and other bio-logged data, such as acceleration data. Moreover, the book shows how the powerful R statistical environment can be integrated into the software platform, either connecting the database with R, or embedding the same tools in the database through the PostgreSQL extension Pl/R. The client/server architecture allows users to remotely connect a number of software applications that can be used as a database front end, including GIS software and WebGIS. Each chapter offers a real-world data management and processing problem that is discussed in its biological context; solutions are proposed and exemplified through ad hoc SQL code, progressively exploring the potential of spatial database functions applied to the respective wildlife tracking case. Finally, wildlife tracking management issues are discussed in the increasingly widespread framework of collaborative science and data sharing. GPS animal telemetry data from a real study, freely available online, are used to demonstrate the proposed examples. This book is also suitable for undergraduate and graduate students, if accompanied by the basics of databases
Speak Out, Leonard!: Bilingual Edition English-spanish (Look! It's Leonard!)
by Jessie JamesGetting to school can be a difficult task if you are shy.Ask Leonard Shrew!Little Leonard finds it hard to make his voice heard. This sometimes means he misses out on some of the exciting experiences life has to offer: tasty seed snacks, playing games with the other children at free time, or being the first in the class to answer a question he knows he has the answer to. But when Leonard sees a friend being picked on by a bully in the playground can he find the courage to speak out and save the day? Parallel English and Spanish textStrong message to encourage self-awareness, confidence, compassion, and empathyInteractive sections - Little ones can encourage Leonard to speak by shouting &“Speak Out, Leonard!&” Beautifully illustrated artworkWith Speak Out, Leonard! children will develop a second language while understanding the importance of using your voice to speak out against injustice. Al pequeño Leonard le cuesta un poco expresarse y se pierde algunas experiencias del día a día cómo jugar con otros niños en el recreo, comerse el almuerzo o ser el primero en dar la respuesta correcta en clase. ¿Vencerá su timidez para ayudar a un amigo en apuros? ¡Habla, Leonard! es un cuento perfecto para que los niños se diviertan leyendo en dos idiomas mientras aprenden la importancia de expresar inconformidad ante las injusticias.
Speaking for Spot: Be the Advocate Your Dog Needs to Live a Happy, Healthy, Longer Life
by Nancy Kay"Kay provides an insider's guide to navigating the potentially overwhelming, confusing, and expensive world of veterinary medicine. The consummate guide to how to be your best friend's medical advocate!"--Animal Radio. "Could save you thousands of dollars and give you the tools to prevent the heartache that comes with making uninformed or rushed decisions about your dog's health care."--Linda Tellington-Jones, animal behaviorist and author, Getting in TTouch with Your Dog; Getting in TTouch with Your Puppy; and Unleash Your Dog's Potential.
Special Forces K-9 (Protectors at K-9 Ranch)
by Julie MillerA former soldier and his dogare about to come to her rescue After a heroic career, Special Forces ex-soldier Ben Hunter is fighting a new battle: adjusting to civilian life. But when the life of his occupational therapist is threatened, the wounded vet and his service dog, Rocky, spring into action. Maeve Phillips believes her friend was murdered and won&’t stop until she tracks down the killer…who is now hunting her. Nobody&’s going to harm Maeve on Ben&’s watch. Now a predator is about to find out what it feels like to be prey.From Harlequin Intrigue: Seek thrills. Solve crimes. Justice served.Discover more action-packed stories in the Protectors at K-9 Ranch series. All books are stand-alone with uplifting endings but were published in the following order: Book 1: Shadow SurvivorsBook 2: K-9 DefenderBook 3: Special Forces K-9Book 4: Protecting the PackBook 5: Crime Scene K-9
The Special Gift
by Ruth DoyleA magical, festive tale of friendship, resilience and the true meaning of gift-giving. Written by Ruth Doyle and beautifully illustrated by Carmen Saldaña, this is a Christmas story to treasure year after year. On a night of swirling snow, the storm carries Donkey far from the farm where there is no longer room for him. He's lost, alone and certain he has nothing to offer the world. But when a message from a magical bird leads Donkey to follow a bright star, he finds new purpose: to reach the forest and learn what gifts and treasures he has to share.On his travels, Donkey meets other animals who are lost in their own way: a lonely lamb, an old sheepdog who longs to be useful and a robin searching for a reason to sing. Guided by Donkey, the new friends help each other to navigate the storm to safety . . .And it is there, in the forest, where they find somewhere to belong . . . and learn that the greatest gifts we can share, are those we carry inside us.This is the perfect story to share at Christmastime to remind us of the most special gift we can offer - our own kindness.
Specialization, Speciation, and Radiation: The Evolutionary Biology of Herbivorous Insects
by Kelley Jean TilmonThis pioneering volume is a comprehensive, up-to-date treatment of the evolutionary biology of herbivorous insects, including their relationships with host plants and natural enemies. Chapters focus on the dynamic relationships between insects and plants from the standpoint of evolutionary change at different levels of biological organization--individuals, populations, species, and clades.
Species: The Evolution of the Idea, Second Edition (Species and Systematics)
by John S. WilkinsOver time the complex idea of "species" has evolved, yet its meaning is far from resolved. This comprehensive work is a fresh look at an idea central to the field of biology by tracing its history from antiquity to today. Species is a benchmark exploration and clarification of a concept fundamental to the past, present, and future of the natural sciences. In this edition, a section is added on the debate over species since the time of the New Synthesis, and brings the book up to date. A section on recent philosophical debates over species has also been added. This edition is better suited non-specialists in philosophy, so that it will be of greater use for scientists wishing to understand how the notion came to be that living organisms form species. Key Selling Features: Covers the philosophical and historical development of the concept of "species" Documents that variation was recognized by pre-Darwinian scholars Includes a section on the debates since the time of the New Synthesis Better suited to non-philosophers
Species at Risk: Using Economic Incentives to Shelter Endangered Species on Private Lands
by Jason F. ShogrenProtecting endangered species of animals and plants is a goal that almost everyone supports in principle--but in practice private landowners have often opposed the regulations of the Endangered Species Act, which, they argue, unfairly limits their right to profit from their property. <P><P>To encourage private landowners to cooperate voluntarily in species conservation and to mitigate the economic burden of doing so, the government and nonprofit land trusts have created a number of incentive programs, including conservation easements, leases, habitat banking, habitat conservation planning, safe harbors, candidate conservation agreements, and the "no surprise" policy.
Species Conservation in Managed Habitats: The Myth of a Pristine Nature
by Werner KunzWritten by an author with longstanding experience in the ecology of insects and birds and with a stellar academic record in molecular life sciences, this is a welcome challenge to the widely held beliefs in conventional environmental policies. Werner Kunz convincingly explains why maintaining high biodiversity in Europe depends heavily on the existence of open space and sparse ground vegetation that is neither used for intensive modern agriculture, nor eliminated by reforestation. He questions the commonly propagated opinion that nature conservation is equivalent to species protection - and shows that technical habitat design can rescue endangered species. A must-have for environmental agencies, policy makers, ecologists and all who are witnessing the current loss of species in Central Europe.
Species Diversity and Community Structure: Novel Patterns and Processes in Plants, Insects, and Fungi
by Teiji Sota Yoshino Ando Takashi Osono Hideki Kagata Shunsuke UtsumiThis book introduces recent progress in the study of species diversity and community structures in terrestrial organisms conducted by three groups at Kyoto University. First, it explains species diversity and the functioning of fungi in Asian regions as outlined by metagenomic approaches using next-generation sequencing technology. The advances in high-throughput sequencing technologies accelerate the speed of species inventorying, especially for microorganisms. Second, the study of complex interactions between herbivorous insects and plants in the community and ecosystem contexts is presented. Recent studies in community and ecosystem genetics shed light on these complex interactions with novel approaches incorporating genetic perspectives including genetic variation and phenotypic plasticity in plant defenses against herbivores. Finally, recent studies on speciation processes in insects are described, processes that are related to the evolution of particular life history strategies. Included is an examination of two hypotheses that may be important in understanding diversification of insect species in heterogeneous environments in space and time. This book is a valuable resource especially for ecologists who are interested in species diversity and community structure.
Species Diversity of Animals in Japan
by Masaharu Motokawa Hiroshi KajiharaThis book summarizes the status quo of the knowledge about the biodiversity in terrestrial, freshwater, and marine animals that live in Japan. Consisting of some 6,800 islands that are arrayed for approximately 3,500 km from north to south, the Japanese archipelago has a complex history in a paleogeographic formation process over time and harbors rich flora and fauna. This work will contribute to establishing a general biogeographic theory in archipelagoes around continental shelves. Facing the ongoing extinction crisis, one of the most important tasks for our generation is to bequeath this precious natural heritage to future generations. As the first step toward this goal, a species list has been compiled through solid, steady alpha-taxonomic work in each taxon. Furthermore, the phylogeography and population genetic structure for each species is elucidated for deeper understanding of the local fauna, the scientific results of which should be the basis for establishing conservation policies and strategies. Also the problem of alien or introduced species is investigated as another threat to the native fauna. Each of the 27 chapters is written by the most active specialist leading the field, thus readers can acquire up-to-date knowledge of the animal species diversity and their formation process of Japanese animals in the most comprehensive form available. This book is recommended for researchers and students who are interested in species diversity, biogeography, and phylogeography.
Species Matters: Humane Advocacy and Cultural Theory
by Marianne DeKoven Michael LundbladWhy has the academy struggled to link advocacy for animals to advocacy for various human groups? Within cultural studies, in which advocacy can take the form of a theoretical intervention, scholars have resisted arguments that add "species" to race, class, gender, sexuality, disability, and other human-identity categories as a site for critical analysis. Species Matters considers whether cultural studies should pay more attention to animal advocacy and whether, in turn, animal studies should pay more attention to questions raised by cultural theory. The contributors to this volume explore these issues particularly in relation to the "humane" treatment of animals and various human groups and the implications, both theoretical and practical, of blurring the distinction between "the human" and "the animal." They address important questions raised by the history of representing humans as the only animal capable of acting humanely and provide a framework for reconsidering the nature of humane discourse, whether in theory, literary and cultural texts, or current advocacy movements outside of the academy.
The Species Problem: A Conceptual History
by Igor Ya. PavlinovThe general notion of species is one of the most fundamental in biology. But an idea of species is also one of the most persistent unresolved obsessions of biologists, philosophers and theoreticians. This new book investigates the multifaceted problem species as a "conceptual envelope" of that notion. Contemporary conceptualists and evolutionary epistemology allow for a fresh look by analyzing the framework of history viewed as changes ordered by changing philosophical-scientific contexts. In this analysis, the species problem is characterized in a pluralistic non-trivial manner, in contrast to a more monistic "accepted view." Key Features Provides new insights into the persistent species "problem." Focuses on conceptual history and identifies pivotal landmarks in the history of the concept of species. Argues for a scientific consistency of species pluralism. Discusses the "evolving species-hood" in the context of new essentialism. Related Titles• Wilkins, J. S, et al., eds. Species Problems and Beyond: Contemporary Issues in Philosophy and Practice (ISBN 978-1-0322-2147-2)• Mishler, B. D. What, if anything, are species? (ISBN 978-1-4987-1454-9)• Wilkins, J. S. Species: The Evolution of the Idea, Second Edition (ISBN 978-1-1380-5574-2)• Sigwart, J. D. What Species Mean: A User's Guide to the Units of Biodiversity (ISBN 978-1-4987-9937-9)
Species Problems and Beyond: Contemporary Issues in Philosophy and Practice (Species and Systematics)
by John S. Wilkins, Frank E. Zachos, and Igor Ya. PavlinovSpecies Problems and Beyond offers a collection of up-to-date essays discussing from an interdisciplinary perspective the many ramifications of the ‘Species Problem.’ The authors represent experts in the philosophy of biology, in species-level evolutionary investigations, and in biodiversity studies and conservation. Some of the topics addressed concern the context sensitivity of the term ‘species’; species as individuals, processes, natural kinds, or as ‘operative concepts’; species delimitation in the age of Big (genomic) Data; and taxonomic inflation and its consequences for conservation strategies. The carefully edited volume will be an invaluable resource for philosophers of biology and evolutionary biologists alike. – Olivier Rieppel, Rowe Family Curator of Evolutionary Biology, Negaunee Integrative Research Center, Field Museum, USASpecies, or ‘the Species Problem’, is a topic in science, in the philosophy of science, and in general philosophy. In fact, it encompasses many aspects of the same problem, and these are dealt with in this volume. Species are often thought of as fundamental units of biological matter to be used in ecology, conservation, classification, and biodiversity. The chapters in this book present opposing views on the current philosophical and conceptual issues of the Species Problem in biology.Divided into four sections, Concepts and Theories, Practice and Methods, Ranks and Trees and Names, and Metaphysics and Epistemologies, the book is authored by biologists, philosophers, and historians, many leaders in their fields. Topics include ontology of species, definitions of both species category and units, species rank, speciation issues, nomenclature, ecology, and species conservation.Species Problems and Beyond aims to clarify the contemporary issues of the Species Problem. It is ideal for use in upper-level seminars and courses in Evolutionary Biology, Philosophy of Science, Philosophy of Biology, Systematics and Taxonomy, and Phylogenetics/Cladistics, and for any scholar in these fields.
Species, Science and Society: The Role of Systematic Biology (Routledge Studies in Conservation and the Environment)
by Quentin WheelerThis book presents an engaging and accessible examination of the role of systematic biology in species exploration and biodiversity conservation. Our planet and systematic biology are at a crossroads. Millions of species face an imminent threat of extinction, and, with knowledge of only a fraction of earth’s species we are unprepared to respond. Species, Science and Society explains what is at stake if we continue to ignore the traditional mission of systematics. Rejecting claims that it is too late to document earth’s species, that molecular evidence is sufficient and that comparative morphology and the grand traditions of systematics are outdated, this book makes a compelling argument for a taxonomic renaissance. The book challenges readers to rethink assumptions about systematics. Shattering myths and misconceptions and clarifying the role of systematics in confronting mass extinction, it hopes to inspire a new generation of systematists. Readers are given a deeply personal view of the mission, motivations and rewards of systematic biology. Written in narrative style with passion, wit and optimism, it is the first book to question the growing dominance of molecular data, defend descriptive taxonomy and propose a mission to discover, describe and classify all species. Our evolutionary heritage, the fate of society and the future of the planet depend on what we do next. This book will be of great interest to academics, researchers and professionals working in systematics, taxonomy and biodiversity conservation, as well as students with a basic background in biology.
Species, Science and Society: The Role of Systematic Biology (Routledge Studies in Conservation and the Environment)
by Quentin Wheeler- presents an engaging and accessible examination of the role of systematic biology in species exploration and biodiversity conservation - clarifies misconceptions about systematic biology, reimagining it for the 21st Century - proposes an ambitious, planetary-scale project to inventory and make known every kind of plant, animal, and microbe on Earth - challenges the next and present generations of taxonomists to allow molecular data to assume it’s proper place alongside traditional data, to reembrace the fundamentally important mission of systematics - will be of great interest to those researching and working in systematics in botany and zoology, as well as professionals working in taxonomy and biodiversity conservation.
Speck: An Itty-Bitty Epic
by Margaux MeganckEverything and everyone has a place in the universe, but for a little speck, lost at sea, it will take an extraordinary journey to find it.Deep in a tide pool, too small to see,Thousands of tiny specks go forth.Each one searchingfor a place to stay, and grow, and thrive...The little speck does not know what it is, only that it wishes to find out. And so it embarks on a journey across the sea. From sun-flecked surf to darkest depths, past schools of fish, storm-tossed ships and hungry eels.... Until, at last, it finds exactly what it was looking for: a place to belong.In vivid watercolor paintings, Margaux Meganck brings this tale to life, seamlessly shifting perspective to show how even the tiniest creatures—every barnacle, every child, every star in the sky—contributes to something greater than itself.
The Speckled Beauty: A Dog and His People
by Rick BraggFrom the best-selling, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of All Over but the Shoutin', the warm hearted and hilarious story of how his life was transformed by his love for a poorly behaved, half-blind stray dog. <P><P>Speck is not a good boy. He is a terrible boy, a defiant, self-destructive, often malodorous boy, a grave robber and screen door moocher who spends his days playing chicken with the Fed Ex man, picking fights with thousand-pound livestock, and rolling in donkey manure, and his nights howling at the moon. He has been that way since the moment he appeared on the ridgeline behind Rick Bragg's house, a starved and half-dead creature, seventy-six pounds of wet hair and poor decisions. <P><P>Speck arrived in Rick's life at a moment of looming uncertainty. A cancer diagnosis, chemo, kidney failure, and recurring pneumonia had left Rick lethargic and melancholy. Speck helped, and he is helping, still, when he is not peeing on the rose of Sharon. Written with Bragg's inimitable blend of tenderness and sorrow, humor and grit, The Speckled Beauty captures the extraordinary, sustaining devotion between two damaged creatures who need each other to heal. <P><P><b>A New York Times Best Seller</b>
The Spectacular Adventures of Sophie and Sebastian
by Ruth JeyaveeranSophie is a hippo with dreams-BIG dreams that involve flying high through the air on a skateboard. But even Sophie’s best friend, Sebastian, isn’t sure that it’s such a great idea for an O V E R S I Z E hippo to soar and glide. So what’s a hippo like Sophie to do? All day long the other hippos grumble and gossip about her daydreaming ways. If only she could figure out how to make her wish come true . . . Sebastian says Sophie needs a little inspiration. But where will she find it? And, more important, what sort of adventures will she have when she does?
Spectacular Bid: Racing's Horse of Steel (Thoroughbred Legends #9)
by Timothy T. CappsAuthor Timothy T. Capps tells the story of the great racehorse in Spectacular Bid, part of the Thoroughbred Legends series from Eclipse Press. Capps weaves the story of Spectacular Bid with those of his trainer, Bud Delp, a veteran of the Maryland racing circuit, and his owner Harry Meyerhoff, who made the decision to keep his horse in training at four after a top three-year-old season. The author also details the heart-breaking Triple Crown run of Spectacular Bid who could have achieved racing immortality were it not for a loose safety pin in his stall. Bid had already won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness and looked to be a sure thing in the Belmont Stakes until he stepped on the fateful safety pin prior to the race and ended up third. But Spectacular Bid's career was more than just a missed Triple Crown. He had versatile speed that allowed him to run from anywhere in the field, whether on the lead or far back, and he used his speed to overpower his rivals time and again.
Spectacular Bid: The Last Superhorse of the Twentieth Century (Horses in History)
by Peter Lee“Lee does a masterful job of telling the entire and real story of a racing star who overcame numerous obstacles . . . a book that you cannot put down!” —Brian Zipse, managing partner of Derby Day RacingOn the morning of the 1979 Belmont Stakes, Spectacular Bid stepped on a safety pin in his stall, injuring his foot. He had impressively won the first two races—the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness—but finished third in the Belmont, most likely due to his injury, making him one win shy of becoming the sport’s third straight Triple Crown champion.But that loss did not prevent him from becoming one of horse racing’s greatest competitors. After taking two months to recover, the battleship gray colt would go on to win twenty-six of thirty races during his career, with two second-place finishes and one third. He was voted the tenth greatest Thoroughbred of the twentieth century according to Blood-Horse magazine, and A Century of Champions places him ninth in the world and third among North American horses—even ahead of the renowned Man o’ War.This horse biography tells the story of the honest and not-so-glamorous colorful characters surrounding the champion—including Bud Delp, the brash and cocky trainer who was distrustful of the Kentucky establishment, and Ron Franklin, the nineteen-year-old jockey who buckled under the stress and pressure associated with fame—and how they witnessed firsthand the splendor and triumphs of Spectacular Bid. Including contemporary newspaper accounts of Bid’s exploits and interviews with key players in his story, this is an encompassing look into the legacy of one of horse racing’s true champions.
The Spectacular Spencer Gray
by Deb FitzpatrickSpencer Gray is just an ordinary kid, but he manages to get in to some pretty extraordinary situations. Playing soccer at school with his mates he accidentally uncovers a sinister animal smuggling operation and rescues a super-endangered potoroo. But when the smugglers discover him trying to release the potoroo, he risks becoming super-endangered himself. Trussed up and left in the bush, he needs to use all his inner strength and ingenuity to break free and get help. With good friends and a great family to back him up, Spencer manages to triumph in the end. A page-turning adventure story for middle readers.
Spectacular Spiders
by Linda GlaserDescribes, in simple text the physical characteristics, habits, and natural environment of the garden spider.
Spectacular Spots
by Susan StockdaleYou&’ll be amazed to discover all the different reasons why animals have spots! What kinds of animals have spots and why do they have them? With engaging rhymes and bright, bold images, award-winning author-illustrator Susan Stockdale introduces readers to a range of spotted animals, familiar and exotic, and some of the benefits of their patterns. In addition to providing beauty and inspiration, spots can help a creature masquerade as a different, more threatening species, provide camouflage for hunting or hiding, or scare off predators. From the ladybug to the blue poison dart frog, the green anaconda to the white-tailed deer fawn, these spectacularly spotted creatures will delight and fascinate budding naturalists. This entrancing companion to Stripes of All Types (130,000 copies sold in a variety of formats) features energetic rhyming text and beautifully detailed paintings that pop off the page. An afterword tells a little bit more about each animal and where it lives, and readers can test their knowledge of animal spots with a fun matching game at the end.