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Amazon Men: The World's Greatest Forest that Has Eluded and Deluded Explorers for 500 Years
by Adam Courtenay“Captivating . . . An examination of complex and contradictory human responses to the development of the Amazon and to its preservation” (The Australian). Amazon Men is about conquistadors and botanists, colonizers and human rights activists, slave traders and philanthropists—that is, people who have variously tried to conquer, rework, map, enslave, and save this region and its river system, each according to the needs and zeitgeist of their time in history. The environmental battles of today are part of a long-running story that’s been going on since Europeans first discovered this impenetrable ocean of green. For centuries there’s been a war of attrition between the greatest ecosystem and the greatest predator. Up until now, the predator has failed. Amazon Men is about those who’ve tried to conquer and exploit the Amazon—and those who’ve tried to understand and savor it. Conquistadors Francisco de Orellana and Lope de Aguirre play their parts as representatives of the Age of Discovery. Charles Marie de La Condamine is a perfect foil for the Age of Enlightenment. Alexander von Humboldt appears as a scientist of the Romantic age, seeking unity in the midst of chaos. Walter Hardenburg represents the machine age, defying the industrial imperatives of his time to oppose unfettered colonial capitalism. Sydney Possuelo, the greatest living Amazonian explorer, represents the ongoing conflict between modern expansion and environmental causes. What do their experiences tell us about our attitude to the unexplored and unknown? The stories of Amazon Men recount deeds of bravery and acts of brilliance, but also forgotten holocausts where guns, germs, and steel have all played their roles.
The Amazon Várzea: The Decade Past and the Decade Ahead
by Christine Padoch Mauro L. Ruffino Miguel Pinedo-Vasquez Eduardo S. BrondízioThis book takes a multi-disciplinary and critical look at what has changed over the last ten years in one of the world's most important and dynamic ecosystems, the Amazon floodplain or várzea. It also looks forward, assessing the trends that will determine the fate of environments and people of the várzea over the next ten years and providing crucial information that is needed to formulate strategies for confronting these looming realities.
Amazonian Floodplain Forests: Ecophysiology, Biodiversity and Sustainable Management (Ecological Studies #210)
by Florian Wittmann Jochen Schöngart Maria T. Piedade Pia Parolin Wolfgang J. JunkCentral Amazonian floodplain forests are an unique and endangered ecosystem. The forests grow in areas that are annually flooded by large rivers during mean periods of up to 8 months and at depths of up to 10 m. Despite this severe stress, these forests consist of over 1,000 species and are by far the most species-rich floodplain forests worldwide. The trees show a broad range of morphological, anatomical, physiological, and phenological adaptations that enable them not only to survive the adverse environmental conditions, but also to produce large amounts of biomass when the nutrient levels in water and soils are sufficiently high. This is the case in the floodplains of white-water rivers, which are used for fisheries, agriculture, and cattle-ranching but which also have a high potential for the production of timber and non-timber products, when adequately managed. Latest research on ecophysiology gives insight how tree species adapt to the oscillating flood-pulse focusing on their photosynthesis, respiration, sap flow, biochemistry, phenology, wood and leave anatomy, root morphology and functioning, fruit chemistry, seed germination, seedling establishment, nitrogen fixation and genetic variability. Based on tree ages, lifetime growth rates and net primary production, new concepts are developed to improve the sustainability of traditional forest managements in the background of an integrated natural resource management. This is the first integrative book on the functioning and ecologically oriented use of floodplain forests in the tropics and sub-tropics.It provides fundamental knowledge for scientist, students, foresters and other professionals on their distribution, evolution and phytogeography. "This book is an excellent testimony to the interdisciplinary collaboration of a group of very dedicated scientists to unravel the functioning of the Amazonian Floodplain forests. They have brought together a highly valuable contribution on the distribution, ecology, primary production, ecophysiology, typology, biodiversity, and human use of these forests offering recommendations for sustainable management and future projects in science and development of these unique wetland ecosystems. It lays a solid scientific foundation for wetland ecologists, foresters, environmentalists, wetland managers, and all those interested in sustainable management in the tropics and subtropics." Brij Gopal, Executive Vice President International Society for Limnology (SIL).
Amazonian Mammals: Current Knowledge and Conservation Priorities
by Wilson R. Spironello Adrian A. Barnett Jessica W. Lynch Paulo E. D. Bobrowiec Sarah A. BoyleThe mammal fauna of the Brazilian Amazon is one of the most diverse on Earth with over 450 known species. Bringing together more than 70 of the world’s top experts on Amazonian mammals, this book unites, for the first time, up-to-date data on the current state of knowledge on the ecology of all groups of non-rodent mammals in the Brazilian Amazon, analyses the effectiveness of current conservation programmes and identifies research and conservation priorities for the future.
The Ambassador's Son (Josh Thurlow #2)
by Homer HickamIt's 1943 and the Americans and Japanese are fighting a deadly war in the hot, jungle-covered volcanic islands of the South Pacific. The outcome is in doubt and a terrible blow has fallen on American morale. Lieutenant David Armistead, a Marine Corps hero and cousin of the President of the United States, is missing and some say he's gone over to the enemy. Coast Guard Captain Josh Thurlow and his ragtag crew are given the assignment to find Armistead, though not necessarily to bring him back alive. Recruited in the hunt is a tormented and frail PT-boat skipper nicknamed "Shafty" who is also known by another name: John F. Kennedy. When Josh is stranded in the jungles of New Georgia with a mysterious, sensual woman who has a tendency to chop off men's heads, it's up to Kennedy to come to the rescue and complete the mission. But to procure a gunboat, he first has to play high-stakes poker with a young naval supply officer called Nick who happens to be the best gambler in the South Pacific. Nick has another name, too: Richard M. Nixon. Based solidly on historical fact with echoes of James Michener, The Ambassador'sSon is a thrilling tale of the South Pacific and adventure fiction at its finest.
Amber Brown Horses Around (Amber Brown #12)
by Paula Danziger Bruce Coville Elizabeth Levy Anthony LewisThe most colorful chapter-book character is going to camp! <P><P> Amber Brown is one happy camper. She and her best friend, Justin, are spending the summer at Camp Cushetunk. Learning to ride Cinnamon, the sweetest horse ever, is so amazing that Amber doesn't even mind shoveling her poop. <P><P> Then Amber becomes the target of a series of pranks. Certain she knows who is behind them, Amber and her friends come up with the biggest prank ever to get revenge. But the outcome is not what they expect. <P><P> Turns out horsing around can lead to big trouble. But sometimes, Amber is surprised to learn, big trouble can lead to big changes for the better.
AMC Guide To Outdoor Leadership
by Alex KosseffThis completely revised and updated handbook details the critical skills and concepts every professional or volunteer outdoors leader needs to know. Building on the basic foundations of leadership, case studies, and his own extensive leadership experience, Alex Kosseff explores such topics as effective decision-making, group dynamics, risk management, self-awareness and evaluation, conservation, and more. Also included is a new chapter on techniques for leading and motivating youth. <P><P> Comprehensive, readable, and packed with practical advice and real-life experiences, AMC Guide to Outdoor Leadership, 2nd edition is a must-read for anyone committed to becoming a safe and effective outdoors leader.
AMC Guide to Outdoor Leadership: Trip Planning Promoting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Group Dynamics Decision-making Leading Youth Risk Management
by Alex Kosseff Sally ManikianThis completely revised and updated handbook details the critical skills and concepts every professional or volunteer outdoors leader needs to know. Author Sally Manikian worked in tandem with AMC's outdoor leaders and educators to bring make this book an authoritative exploration of such topics as effective decision-making, group dynamics, risk management, self-awareness and evaluation, conservation, and more. The outdoors belongs to all of us, and with that in mind, this new edition of AMC Guide to Outdoor Leadership puts a strong focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion. <P><P> Comprehensive, timely, and packed with practical advice and stories of real-life experiences, AMC Guide to Outdoor Leadership, 3rd Edition is a must-read for anyone committed to becoming a safe and effective outdoors leader.
Amelia Bedelia Goes Camping (I Can Read! #9)
by Peggy ParishA literal-minded housekeeper causes a ruckus on a camping trip when she attempts to make sense of some instructions. Picture descriptions added.
La amenaza del cambio climático
by Tim Flannery¿Qué significa el cambio climático? ¿Cómo afectará el calentamiento global a nuestras vidas? ¿Es la causa de las tormentas extremas y de las sequías cada vez más frecuentes? ¿Son inevitables estos sucesos? Con este libro, Tim Flannery responde a cuestiones tan urgentes como éstas y otras muchas. Para ayudarnos a comprender el dilema al que nos enfrentamos, nos cuenta con detalle la fascinante historia del clima y su posible futuro, pues si seguimos quemando combustibles fósiles, aumentarán los niveles de gases de efecto invernadero en la atmósfera y esto provocará un calentamiento del planeta aún mayor. A pesar de que cada país se ve influido de manera diferente por estos efectos no deseados, todos tenemos algo en común: la amenaza del cambio climático. La nueva meteorología que estamos generando pone en peligro el futuro de nuestra civilización. Tenemos que ser conscientes de que el estado de la atmósfera y del subsuelo, del agua y de la tierra depende de nosotros. Pero este reconocido científico va más allá de relatar la historia del clima y no pierde el optimismo. Con gran entusiasmo, Flannery muestra cómo podemos colaborar en la lucha contra estos problemas y nos transmite su confianza en una futura solución si todos nos implicamos. Nos sorprenderá lo mucho que aún podemos hacer. La amenaza del cambio climático nos puede cambiar la vida. Reseñas:«Por fin una explicación clara sobre una de las cuestiones más importantes y polémicas de la actualidad.»Jared Diamond «Éste es el libro que el mundo ha estado esperando -y necesitando- durante décadas. Por fin un libro que presenta, para el público general, la prueba irrefutable de que el cambio climático ya se está produciendo, y la necesidad de ser muy serios con este tema... rápidamente.»Peter Singer «Todo aquel que lea La amenaza del cambio climático podrá apreciar la fragilidad de nuestro clima y comprender que es ésta la generación que debe actuar para protegerla.»Tony Blair
The Amenity Migrants: Seeking and Sustaining Mountains and Their Cultures
by Laurence A. G. MossPlaces with perceived high environmental quality and distinctive culture are globally attracting amenity migrants. Today this societal driving force is particularly manifest in mountain areas, and while beneficial for both the new comers and locals, is also threatening highland ecologies and their human communities. This book describes and analyzes the challenges and opportunities of amenity migration and its management, and offers related recommendations. The book's chapters cover the subject through case studies at international, regional and local levels, along with overarching themes such as environmental sustainability and equity, mountain recreation users, housing, and spiritual motivation. A crucial issue addressed is the relationship of amenity migration to tourism, and migration motivated by economic gain. The introduction and concluding chapters bring all of the information and analyses together strategically, summarizing in a manner of theoretical and practical value for both academics and practitioners.
The Amenity Value of the Global Climate
by David MaddisonThis text develops and applies a far-reaching account of the economic value of climate, derived from its amenity value or the benefits which a particular climate provides to the people of that region or country. As climate change moves higher on the economic and political agendas, reliable measures of the benefits and costs of specific climates and changes to them become ever-more critical. Detailed studies of a range of countries including Britain, the US, India and Russia, show that the mobility of the population is crucial. When individuals are able to move, the amenity value of the climate is reflected in land prices and wage rates. Without mobility, amenity values emerge in patterns of purchasing, either to compensate for the disadvantages of the climate or to make best use of it. Indices are generated for the cost of living as a function of climate variables, and optimal climates are identified to determine who wins and who loses from climate change.
America: The Farewell Tour
by Chris HedgesA profound and provocative examination of America in crisis, where unemployment, deindustrialization, and a bitter hopelessness and malaise have resulted in an epidemic of diseases of despair—drug abuse, gambling, suicide, magical thinking, xenophobia, and a culture of sadism and hate.America, says Pulitzer Prize–winning reporter Chris Hedges, is convulsed by an array of pathologies that have arisen out of profound hopelessness, a bitter despair and a civil society that has ceased to function. The opioid crisis, the retreat into gambling to cope with economic distress, the pornification of culture, the rise of magical thinking, the celebration of sadism, hate, and plagues of suicides are the physical manifestations of a society that is being ravaged by corporate pillage and a failed democracy. As our society unravels, we also face global upheaval caused by catastrophic climate change. All these ills presage a frightening reconfiguration of the nation and the planet. Donald Trump rode this disenchantment to power. In America: The Farewell Tour, Hedges argues that neither political party, now captured by corporate power, addresses the systemic problem. Until our corporate coup d’état is reversed these diseases will grow and ravage the country. A poignant cry reported from communities across the country, America: The Farewell Tour seeks to jolt us out of our complacency while there is still time.
America by Rivers
by Tim PalmerPhotographer and writer Tim Palmer has spent more than 25 years researching and experiencing life on the waterways of the American continent. He has travelled by canoe or raft on more than 300 different rivers, down wide placid streams and rough raging rapids. His journeys have taken him to every corner of the country, where he has witnessed and described the unique interaction of geographical, historical, and cultural forces that act upon our nation's vital arteries.America by Rivers represents the culmination of that grand adventure. Palmer describes the rivers of America in all their remaining glory and tarnished beauty, as he presents a comprehensive tour of the whole of America's river systems. Filled with important new information as well as data gathered from hundreds of published sources, America by Rivers covers: the network of American waterways and how they fit together to form river systems unique features of individual rivers along with their size, length, and biological importance environmental problems affecting the rivers of different regions and what is being done to protect and restore them cultural connections and conflicts surrounding the rivers of each region Chapters address the character of rivers in distinct regions of the country, and each chapter highlights one river with a detailed view from the water. Rivers profiled include the Penobscot, Potomac, Suwanee, Minnesota, Niobara, Salmon, Rio Grande, American, Rogue, and Sheenjek. Eighteen maps guide the reader across the country and 100 photos illustrate the splendor of Palmer's fascinating subject.America by Rivers provides a new way of seeing our country, one that embraces the entire landscape and offers fresh avenues to adventure. It is compelling reading for anyone concerned about the health of our land and the future of our waterways.
America the Beautiful?: One Woman in a Borrowed Prius on the Road Most Traveled
by Blythe RobersonThe author of How to Date Men When You Hate Men examines Americans’ obsession with freedom, travel, and the open road in this funny, entertaining travelogue that blends the humorous observations of Bill Bryson with the piercing cultural commentary of Jia Tolentino.For writer and comedian Blythe Roberson, there are only so many Mary Oliver poems you can read about being free, and only so many times you can listen to Joni Mitchell’s travel album Hejira, before you too, are itching to take off. Canonical American travel writers have long celebrated the road trip as the epitome of freedom. But why does it seem like all those canonical travel narratives are written by white men who have no problems, who only decide to go the desert to see what having problems feels like?To fill in the literary gaps and quench her own sense of adventure, Roberson quits her day job and sets off on a Great American Road Trip to visit America’s national parks.America the Beautiful? is a hilarious trip into the mind of one of the Millennial generation’s funniest writers. Borrowing her Midwestern stepfather’s Prius, she heads west to the Loop of mega-popular parks, over to the ocean and down the Pacific Coast Highway, and, in a feat of spectacularly bad timing, through the southwestern desert in the middle of July. Along the way she meets new friends on their own personal quests, learns to cope with abstinence while missing the comforts of home, and comes to understand the limits—and possibilities—of going to nature to prove to yourself and your Instagram followers that you are, in fact, free.The result is a laugh-out-loud-while-occasionally-raging-inside travelogue, filled with meditations and many, many jokes on ecotourism, conservation, freedom, traffic, climate change, and the structural and financial inequalities that limit so many Americans’ movement. Ultimately, Roberson ponders the question: Is quitting society and going on the road about enlightenment and liberty—or is it just selfish escapism?
America the Possible: Manifesto for a New Economy
by James Gustave SpethIn this third volume of his award-winning American Crisis series, James Gustave Speth makes his boldest and most ambitious contribution yet. He looks unsparingly at the sea of troubles in which the United States now finds itself, charts a course through the discouragement and despair commonly felt today, and envisions what he calls America the Possible, an attractive and plausible future that we can still realize. The book identifies a dozen features of the American political economy—the country's basic operating system—where transformative change is essential. It spells out the specific changes that are needed to move toward a new political economy—one in which the true priority is to sustain people and planet. Supported by a compelling "theory of change" that explains how system change can come to America, the book also presents a vision of political, social, and economic life in a renewed America. Speth envisions a future that will be well worth fighting for. In short, this is a book about the American future and the strong possibility that we yet have it in ourselves to use our freedom and our democracy in powerful ways to create something fine, a reborn America, for our children and grandchildren.
American Agriculture, Water Resources, and Climate Change (National Bureau of Economic Research Conference Report)
by Gary D. Libecap and and Ariel DinarA collection of the most advanced and authoritative agricultural-economic research in the face of increasing water scarcity. Agriculture has been critical in the development of the American economy. Except in parts of the western United States, water access has not been a critical constraint on agricultural productivity, but with climate change, this may no longer be the case. This volume highlights new research on the interconnections between American agriculture, water resources, and climate change. It examines climatic and geologic factors that affect the agricultural sector and highlights historical and contemporary farmer responses to varying conditions and water availability. It identifies the potential effects of climate change on water supplies, access, agricultural practices, and profitability, and analyzes technological, agronomic, management, and institutional adjustments. Adaptations such as new crops, production practices, irrigation technologies, water conveyance infrastructure, fertilizer application, and increased use of groundwater can generate both social benefits and social costs, which may be internalized with various institutional innovations. Drawing on both historical and present experiences, this volume provides valuable insights into the economics of water supply in American agriculture as climate change unfolds.
American Alligator: Ancient Predator in the Modern World
by Kelby OuchleyHaving survived since the Mesozoic era, alligators teetered on the brink of extinction in the 1960s. Their recovery in the 1970s was largely due to legislative intervention, and today populations are closely monitored throughout their range. American Alligator is the most up-to-date and comprehensive treatment of this resilient relic, a creature with a brain weighing less than half an ounce that has successfully adapted to a changing Earth for more than 200 million years.Kelby Ouchley chronicles the evolution of A. mississippiensis from "shieldcroc"--the last common ancestor of modern-day alligators, crocodiles, caimans, and gavials--to its current role as keystone of the ecological health of America's southern swamps and marshes. In Florida, the apex predator uses its snout and feet to clear muck from holes in the limestone bedrock. During the dry season, these small ponds or "alligator holes" provide refuge, food, and water for a variety of wildlife. In Louisiana, millions of dollars are spent on the bounty of the non-native nutria that overgraze marsh vegetation, but alligators prey on these coastal rodents free of charge.The loss of the American alligator would be a blow to biodiversity and an ecosystem disruption affecting all levels of the food chain. While the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service removed it from the endangered species list in 1987 and today regulates the legal trade of the animal and its products, Ouchley cautions us not to forget the lessons learned: human activities, from urban development to energy production, can still threaten the future of the gator and its southern wetland habitat.
American Axe: The Tool That Shaped a Continent
by Brett McLeodFrom bronze axes of the Viking conquests to the American homesteader&’s felling axe, this is a tool that has shaped human history like few others. American Axe pays tribute to this iconic instrument of settlement and industry, with rich history, stunning photography, and profiles of the most collectible vintage axes such as The Woodslasher, Keen Cutter, and True Temper Perfect. Combining his experiences as a forester, axe collector, and former competitive lumberjack, author Brett McLeod conveys the allure of this deceptively simple woodcutting implement and celebrates the resurging interest in its story and use.
American Beetles, Volume I: Archostemata, Myxophaga, Adephaga, Polyphaga: Staphyliniformia
by Ross H. Arnett Jr. Michael C. ThomasA thorough update of Arnett's The Beetles of the United States, American Beetles, Volumes I and II cover the genera of beetles that occur in Alaska, Canada, and the contiguous United States. Built on the foundation of the original work and almost completely rewritten with contributions from more than 60 coleopterists, these volumes describe each fa
American Beetles, Volume II: Polyphaga: Scarabaeoidea through Curculionoidea
by Ross H. Arnett Michael C. Thomas Paul E. Skelley J. Howard FrankExperts offer the most sweeping reference available on the subject of North American beetles. Their rigorous standards for the presentation of data create a concise, useful format that is consistent throughout the book. This is the resource of choice for quick, accurate, and easily accessible information.
An American Bestiary
by Jack SchaeferIn a series of leisurely and loving portraits, Jack Schaefer describes a whole ark-full of creatures great and small, who mostly live beyond the din of traffic and the glare of city lights, from the industrious pika, whose sophisticated stockpiling permits him to live in comfort on the desolate rockslides of the high Rockies, to the magnificent pronghorn, whose very appearance represents a perfection of successful adaptation. The book is packed with a thousand bits of information, much of it surely unfamiliar even to the well-read naturalist: the special conditions of a bat's pregnancy, the subterranean architecture of the gopher, the seasonal frustrations of the stolid porcupine. But more important is the overall warmth and geniality of the author's vision--one would like to call it his humanity, but, alas, at the present stage of our development "animality" seems a more appropriate word. In any case, the reader will end up a better mammal, and perhaps even a wiser and more understanding human being.
The American Bird Conservancy Guide to the 500 Most Important Bird Areas in the United States
by American Bird ConservancyThe American Bird Conservancy Guide to the 500 Most Important Bird Areas in the United States offers both bird enthusiasts and conservationists specialized information never before compiled in a single comprehensive volume. This expert resource organizes the United States into 36 ornithologically distinct bird regions, then identifies and describes the 500 sites within these regions. Each site entry includes ornithological highlights, ownership information, a description of habitats and land use, a guide to which species one can expect to find, conservation issues, and visitor information. Full-color maps and illustrations throughout, along with a thorough index, make this book as useful as it is unique, an essential addition to the bird lover’s library.
The American Boy's Handy Book: Turn-of-the-Century Classic of Crafts and Activities
by Daniel BeardAs timely as it is timeless, this instructive book has captured the interest and imagination of boys for well over a century. Chapters on kite flying and fishing, rigging and sailing small boats, camping out without a tent, knot-tying for mountain climbing and other activities, as well as training dogs, raising wild birds, and other projects will appeal as much to today's youngsters as they did to children in the late 1800s. This classic includes scores of projects that will keep children occupied all year long ― from sculpting snowmen and making sleds to stocking aquariums and performing puppet shows. Many of these enterprises have also been known to compete effectively with TV and video games! Best of all, the projects have the power to inspire the imagination and help youngsters master new skills and experience the satisfaction of personal accomplishment.
The American Boy's Handy Book
by Daniel C. BeardLong before a "dangerous" book was all the rage there was The American Boy's Handy Book by Daniel Beard, a beloved classic for generations of youngsters. Specially designed to provide loads of ideas for adventures and games both indoors and outdoors during each season of the year, The American Boy's Handy Book was originally published in 1882 and became an instant bestseller.Now, Tuttle Publishing is bringing this much-loved book back for a new generation of boys to enjoy. If you're not too young to fly a kite or too old to enjoy a day fishing, The American Boy's Handy Book is chock full of fun activities intended just for you! There's something for every day of the year: making an aquarium, rigging and sailing small boats, camping without a tent, making a cornstalk fiddle, trapping, building a snow fort, and of course tons of other games and crafts, too.Daniel Beard firmly believed in letting boys make their own playthings, encouraging them to value their own hard work and gain the skills needed throughout life to successfully invent, construct and dream. In this world of instant gratification with ever-younger generations coveting the ubiquitous cell phones, computers and iPods, it seems as though the imagination and sense of adventure that permeated our country's past have all but disappeared. Welcome back the joys of childhood with The American Boy's Handy Book, and prepare to make old favorites new again!