Landscape with Reptile

Landscape with Reptile
Author: Thomas Palmer
Publisher: University of Georgia Press
Total Pages: 355
Release: 2018
Genre: History
ISBN: 0820354112

In this entertaining book, first published in 1992, Thomas Palmer introduces us to a community of rattlesnakes nestled in the heart of the urban Northeast. Recognizing the unexpected proximity of rattlers in our urban environs, he examines the ecology, evolution, folklore, New England history, and American culture that surround this native species.

Landscape with Reptile

Landscape with Reptile
Author: Thomas Palmer
Publisher: University of Georgia Press
Total Pages: 355
Release: 2018-05-01
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0820354104

In this authoritative and entertaining book, first published in 1992, Thomas Palmer introduces us to a community of rattlesnakes nestled in the heart of the urban Northeast, one of several such enclaves found near cities across the United States. Recognizing the unexpected proximity of rattlers in our urban environs, Palmer examines not only Crotalus horridus but also the ecology, evolution, folklore, New England history, and American culture that surrounds this native species. Landscape with Reptile celebrates the rattlesnake’s survival with a multifaceted journey through nature, literature, and history. It includes a spirited defense of an outlaw species, an investigation of the hazards of snakebite, an account of a multimillion-dollar development project halted by Crotalus, a collection of tall tales, and a meditation on the spectacle of life on earth. Like the best nature writers, Palmer lives and breathes his landscape, but unlike most nature writers, he finds his landscape is his own backyard. Rarely has a book of natural history addressed so many historical and cultural touchstones in such original and unexpected ways. Palmer’s story is as authentic as the woodlands from which it sprang.

Herping Texas

Herping Texas
Author: Michael A. Smith
Publisher: Texas A&M University Press
Total Pages: 338
Release: 2018-10-12
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1623496659

Coiled beneath discarded trash or rocky slabs, basking along river edges, and tucked into rock cuts beside the highway, reptiles and amphibians constantly surround us. While many people go out of their way to avoid snakes or shudder at the thought of touching a toad, herpers take to the field armed with cameras, hooks, and notebooks hoping to come across a horned lizard, green tree frog, or even a diamondback rattlesnake. In Herping Texas: The Quest for Reptiles and Amphibians, Michael Smith and Clint King, expert naturalists and field herpers, take readers on their adventures across the state as they search for favorite herps and rare finds. Organized by ecoregion, Herping Texas describes some of the state’s most spectacular natural places, from Big Bend to the Big Thicket. Each chapter contains photographs of the various snakes, lizards, toads, and turtles Smith and King have encountered on their trips. Part nature travel writing and part guide to field herping, Herping Texas also includes a section on getting started, where the authors give readers necessary background on best field herping practices. A glossary defines herping lingo and scientific terms for newcomers, and an appendix lists threatened and endangered species at the state and federal level. Herping Texas promotes experiencing natural places and wildlife equipped with solid information and a responsible conservation ethic. Throughout their decades tracking herps, Smith and King have collected humorous anecdotes and fascinating facts about reptiles and amphibians. By sharing those, they hope to dispel some of the stigma and false ideas people have about these misunderstood animals.

Reptiles in Research

Reptiles in Research
Author: William I. Lutterschmidt
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2013
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 9781628086201

Reptiles demonstrate remarkable diversity across the landscape. From inland habitats of deserts and grasslands to coastal plains and oceans, the unique adaptations and life histories of reptiles have been shaped by a suite of abiotic and biotic factors. It is the interface between the organism and its environment that present biologists with the opportunity to explore how reptiles behaviorally and physiologically respond to their environments and to determine what factors govern their ecology. "Reptiles in Research: Investigations of Ecology, Physiology, and Behavior from Desert to Sea" will capture the interests of all readers with a text that is foundational for the novice herpetologist, while informative for beginning students and seasoned research scientists. This book offers its readers a glimpse into the passions of scientists who find reptiles fascinating creatures of study. You will see how reptiles serve as organismal models that continue to advance our knowledge and understanding of complex biological processes and systems. Dr. William I. Lutterschmidt (Professor of Physiological Ecology) has invited top researchers from around the world to share their personal research interests and illustrate how environment influences the ecology, physiology, and behavior of reptiles. This book will introduce a diversity of research fields and reptilian species, from how web-footed geckos move in desert sands to how sea snakes cope physiologically with high salinity. Topics include invasive species, urban ecology, mathematical simulation, sexual selection, hybridization and gene flow, chemical ecology, neurobiology, spatial ecology, conservation biology, biodiversity, immunology, and molecular biology.

Reptile Ecology and Conservation

Reptile Ecology and Conservation
Author: C. Kenneth Dodd Jr.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 426
Release: 2016-05-05
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0191039071

This practical handbook of reptile field ecology and conservation brings together a distinguished, international group of reptile researchers to provide a state-of-the-art review of the many new and exciting techniques used to study reptiles. The authors describe ecological sampling techniques and how they are implemented to monitor the conservation status and population trends of snakes, lizards, tuatara, turtles, and crocodilians throughout the world. Emphasis is placed on the extent of statistical inference and the biases associated with different techniques and analyses. The chapters focus on the application of field research and data analysis for achieving an understanding of reptile life history, population dynamics, movement patterns, thermal ecology, conservation status, and the relationship between reptiles and their environment. The book emphasises the need for thorough planning, and demonstrates how a multi-dimensional approach incorporates information related to morphology, genetics, molecular biology, epidemiology, statistical modelling, animal welfare, and biosecurity. Although accentuating field sampling, sections on experimental applications in laboratories and zoos, thermal ecology, genetics, landscape ecology, disease and biosecurity, and management options are included. Much of this information is scattered in the scientific literature or not readily available, and the intention is to provide an affordable, comprehensive synthesis for use by graduate students, researchers, and practising conservationists worldwide.

Reptile Ecology and Conservation

Reptile Ecology and Conservation
Author: C. Kenneth Dodd
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 491
Release: 2016
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0198726139

This practical handbook of reptile field ecology and conservation brings together a distinguished, international group of reptile researchers to provide a state-of-the-art review of the many new and exciting techniques used to study reptiles. The authors describe ecological sampling techniques and how they are implemented to monitor the conservation status and population trends of snakes, lizards, tuatara, turtles, and crocodilians throughout the world. Emphasis is placed on the extent of statistical inference and the biases associated with different techniques and analyses. The chapters focus on the application of field research and data analysis for achieving an understanding of reptile life history, population dynamics, movement patterns, thermal ecology, conservation status, and the relationship between reptiles and their environment. The book emphasises the need for thorough planning, and demonstrates how a multi-dimensional approach incorporates information related to morphology, genetics, molecular biology, epidemiology, statistical modelling, animal welfare, and biosecurity. Although accentuating field sampling, sections on experimental applications in laboratories and zoos, thermal ecology, genetics, landscape ecology, disease and biosecurity, and management options are included. Much of this information is scattered in the scientific literature or not readily available, and the intention is to provide an affordable, comprehensive synthesis for use by graduate students, researchers, and practising conservationists worldwide.

Lizards

Lizards
Author: Eric R. Pianka
Publisher: Univ of California Press
Total Pages: 366
Release: 2003-09-24
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 9780520234017

This book provides an overview of the diversity of lizards and their major adaptive features. The authors discuss the latest research findings and provide new hypotheses about lizard diversity.