Pollinators, Predators & Parasites

Pollinators, Predators & Parasites
Author: Clarke Scholtz
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
Total Pages: 1271
Release: 2021-03-10
Genre:
ISBN: 1775846326

Pollinators, parasites, purifiers, predators, decomposers – insects arguably play the most important roles in the functioning of the Earth’s ecosystems. This lavishly illustrated and highly authoritative book is structured around southern Africa’s 13 distinct biomes; it reflects the essential role insects play in most ecological processes such as pollination, predation, parasitism, soil modification and nutrient recycling; details how they serve as food for multitudes of other organisms, including bacteria and fungi, as well as specially adapted plants, insect-feeding arthropods, reptiles, birds and mammals; depicts the insects and phenomena described in some 2,000 photographs that accompany the accessible text; highlights the crucial role insects play as ecosystem service providers, giving intimate insight into the beauty and importance of insects in the natural world. Includes a guide to each of the 25 insect orders found in southern Africa, with images showing their diagnostic characters. This key publication detailing the latest research in the field of entomology will appeal to academics and nature enthusiasts alike.

Biological Invasions in South Africa

Biological Invasions in South Africa
Author: Brian W. van Wilgen
Publisher: Springer Nature
Total Pages: 972
Release: 2020-03-10
Genre: Science
ISBN: 3030323943

This open access volume presents a comprehensive account of all aspects of biological invasions in South Africa, where research has been conducted over more than three decades, and where bold initiatives have been implemented in attempts to control invasions and to reduce their ecological, economic and social effects. It covers a broad range of themes, including history, policy development and implementation, the status of invasions of animals and plants in terrestrial, marine and freshwater environments, the development of a robust ecological theory around biological invasions, the effectiveness of management interventions, and scenarios for the future. The South African situation stands out because of the remarkable diversity of the country, and the wide range of problems encountered in its varied ecosystems, which has resulted in a disproportionate investment into both research and management. The South African experience holds many lessons for other parts of the world, and this book should be of immense value to researchers, students, managers, and policy-makers who deal with biological invasions and ecosystem management and conservation in most other regions.

Conservation Biology in Sub-Saharan Africa

Conservation Biology in Sub-Saharan Africa
Author: Richard Primack
Publisher: Open Book Publishers
Total Pages: 712
Release: 2019-09-10
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1783747536

Conservation Biology in Sub-Saharan Africa comprehensively explores the challenges and potential solutions to key conservation issues in Sub-Saharan Africa. Easy to read, this lucid and accessible textbook includes fifteen chapters that cover a full range of conservation topics, including threats to biodiversity, environmental laws, and protected areas management, as well as related topics such as sustainability, poverty, and human-wildlife conflict. This rich resource also includes a background discussion of what conservation biology is, a wide range of theoretical approaches to the subject, and concrete examples of conservation practice in specific African contexts. Strategies are outlined to protect biodiversity whilst promoting economic development in the region. Boxes covering specific themes written by scientists who live and work throughout the region are included in each chapter, together with recommended readings and suggested discussion topics. Each chapter also includes an extensive bibliography. Conservation Biology in Sub-Saharan Africa provides the most up-to-date study in the field. It is an essential resource, available on-line without charge, for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as a handy guide for professionals working to stop the rapid loss of biodiversity in Sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere.

Vegetation of Southern Africa

Vegetation of Southern Africa
Author: R. M. Cowling
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 656
Release: 1997
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780521548014

Comprehensive illustrated guide to plant science and ecology of southern African vegetation.

Vegetation of the Arabian Peninsula

Vegetation of the Arabian Peninsula
Author: S.A. Ghazanfar
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 380
Release: 1998-08-31
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 9780792350156

Vegetation of the Arabian Peninsula is the first comprehensive book on all aspects of the vegetation, phytogeography and conservation of the vast and varied region of the Arabian Peninsula. Written and edited by experts on the botany and environment of the Peninsula, this book synthesises the information available on all aspects of the flora and vegetation (including lower plants), from the mountains, sand seas, coasts, water bodies and desert plains to the plants of economic importance. The book contains chapters on the vegetation, ecology and phytogeography of the mountains, wadis, sand deserts, gravel plains, coasts and sabkhas. Chapters on climate and geology provide the background information for understanding the dynamics of the vegetation. A chapter on the diversity of plants gives details of the region's species richness and endemism, current threats to plant diversity and the measures taken in the form of protected areas and legislation in each country of the Peninsula. This book will be an invaluable reference for students, scholars and professionals interested in Southwest Asian botany.

Guide to Trees Introduced into Southern Africa

Guide to Trees Introduced into Southern Africa
Author: Hugh Glen
Publisher: Penguin Random House South Africa
Total Pages: 1682
Release: 2016-08-01
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1775844706

Southern Africa is home to more than 2,000 introduced (not indigenous) trees. These non-native species are encountered daily and form a familiar part of our urban landscapes, growing successfully in parks, gardens, along road sides, and in other open spaces. This guide features nearly 600 of the most common and familiar of these and, using the same model of identification as FG Trees of Southern Africa, facilitates ID based on leaf and stem features. The book provides the country of origin for each species and offers key information on cultivation and uses. Each entry is supported by colour images that depict key features, and a shaded map that shows the plant’s cold tolerance (where the species can grow). An essential guide for landscapers and gardeners as well as tree enthusiasts who will struggle to find these trees in their guide to indigenous trees.

People's Plants

People's Plants
Author: Ben-Erik Van Wyk
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2018-11-06
Genre: Plants, Useful
ISBN: 9781920217716

4e de couv.: People's Plants is a scientific review of all of the most important useful plants of southern Africa. It remains the first and only fully illustrated ethnobotanical reference source for southern Africa. In this expanded and updated second edition, traditional and contemporary uses of more than 700 plants are described and illustrated in 20 chapters, each dealing with a specific category of plant use. This fascinating book is a must for anyone interested in useful plants, new crop plants, medicinal plants, new product development, ecotourism, rural development, traditional crafts, African culture, ethnobotany and botany in general--Publisher's website.

Medicinal Plants of the World

Medicinal Plants of the World
Author: Ben-Erik Van Wyk
Publisher: Virago Press
Total Pages: 480
Release: 2004
Genre: Herbs
ISBN: 9781875093441

This publication provides a comprehensive and scientifically accurate guide to the best-known and most important medicinal plants, including those of special commercial or historical interest. It includes descriptions of more than 300 medicinal plants and their close relatives, with each entry summarising botanical background, geographical origin, therapeutic category, historical and modern uses, active ingredients, and pharmacological effects. Over 500 full-color photographs are included to assist in the identification of the plants.