The Insect Crisis: The Fall of the Tiny Empires That Run the World

The Insect Crisis: The Fall of the Tiny Empires That Run the World
Author: Oliver Milman
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Total Pages: 272
Release: 2022-03-01
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1324006609

A devastating examination of how collapsing insect populations worldwide threaten everything from wild birds to the food on our plate. From ants scurrying under leaf litter to bees able to fly higher than Mount Kilimanjaro, insects are everywhere. Three out of every four of our planet’s known animal species are insects. In The Insect Crisis, acclaimed journalist Oliver Milman dives into the torrent of recent evidence that suggests this kaleidoscopic group of creatures is suffering the greatest existential crisis in its remarkable 400-million-year history. What is causing the collapse of the insect world? Why does this alarming decline pose such a threat to us? And what can be done to stem the loss of the miniature empires that hold aloft life as we know it? With urgency and great clarity, Milman explores this hidden emergency, arguing that its consequences could even rival climate change. He joins the scientists tracking the decline of insect populations across the globe, including the soaring mountains of Mexico that host an epic, yet dwindling, migration of monarch butterflies; the verdant countryside of England that has been emptied of insect life; the gargantuan fields of U.S. agriculture that have proved a killing ground for bees; and an offbeat experiment in Denmark that shows there aren’t that many bugs splattering into your car windshield these days. These losses not only further tear at the tapestry of life on our degraded planet; they imperil everything we hold dear, from the food on our supermarket shelves to the medicines in our cabinets to the riot of nature that thrills and enlivens us. Even insects we may dread, including the hated cockroach, or the stinging wasp, play crucial ecological roles, and their decline would profoundly shape our own story. By connecting butterfly and bee, moth and beetle from across the globe, the full scope of loss renders a portrait of a crisis that threatens to upend the workings of our collective history. Part warning, part celebration of the incredible variety of insects, The Insect Crisis is a wake-up call for us all.

How to Make a Plant Love You

How to Make a Plant Love You
Author: Summer Rayne Oakes
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 210
Release: 2019-07-09
Genre: Gardening
ISBN: 0525540296

Summer Rayne Oakes, an urban houseplant expert and environmental scientist, is the icon of wellness-minded millennials who want to bring nature indoors, according to a New York Times profile. Summer has managed to grow 1,000 houseplants in her Brooklyn apartment (and they're thriving!) Her secret? She approaches her relationships with plants as intentionally as if they were people. Everyone deserves to feel the inner peace that comes from taking care of greenery. Beyond the obvious benefits--beauty and cleaner air--there's a strong psychological benefit to nurturing plants as a path to mindfulness. They can reduce our stress level, lower our blood pressure, and improve our overall outlook. And they offer a rare opportunity to find joy by caring for another living being. When Summer Rayne Oakes moved to Brooklyn from the Pennsylvania countryside, she knew that bringing nature indoors was her only chance to stay sane. She found them by the side of the road, in long-forgotten window boxes, at farmers' markets, and in local garden shops. She found ways to shelve, hang, tuck, anchor, secure, and suspend them. She even installed a 150-foot expandable hose that connects to pipes under her kitchen sink, so she only has to spend about a half-hour a day tending to her plants--an activity that she describes as a "moving meditation." This is Summer's guidebook for cultivating an entirely new relationship with your plant children. Inside, you'll learn to: Pause for the flowers and greenery all around you, even the ones sprouting bravely between cracked pavement Trust that your apartment jungle offers you far more than pretty décor See the world from a plant's perspective, trading modern consumerism for sustainability Serve your chlorophyllic friends by learning to identify the right species for your home and to recreate their natural habitat (Bonus: your indoor garden won't die!) When we become plant parents, we also become better caretakers of ourselves, the people around us, and our planet. So, let's step inside the world of plants and discover how we can begin cultivating our own personal green space--in our homes, in our minds, and in our hearts.

Pests of Landscape Trees and Shrubs, Third Edition

Pests of Landscape Trees and Shrubs, Third Edition
Author: Steve H. Dreistadt
Publisher: UCANR Publications
Total Pages: 452
Release: 2016-02-24
Genre: Gardening
ISBN: 1601078641

Completely revised and expanded, Pests of Landscape Trees and Shrubs, 3rd Edition, is a comprehensive, how-to integrated pest management (IPM) resource for landscapers, arborists, home gardeners, retailers, and parks and grounds managers. This easy-to-use guide covers hundreds of insects, mites, nematodes, plant diseases, and weeds that can damage California landscapes. The book's 435 pages present the practical experience and research-based advice of more than 100 University of California (UC) and industry experts, including: • Pest-resistant plants and landscape design • Planting, irrigating, and other cultural practices that keep plants healthy • Conserving natural enemies to biologically control pests • Efficient monitoring so you know when to act • Selective pesticides and when their use may be warranted • Numerous references to regularly-updated, online guides with more pesticide choices and the latest IPM practices Inside you'll find: • 575 high-quality, color photographs to help you recognize the causes of plant damage and identify pests and their natural enemies. 140 more than the previous edition! • 101 line drawings and charts of pest biology and control techniques • Problem-solving tables to help you diagnose the pests and maladies of more than 200 genera of alphabetically-listed trees and shrubs Also in the 3rd Edition are dozens of newly added pests, including those affecting azaleas, camellias, hibiscus, camphor, eucalyptus, liquidambar, oaks, maples, palms, pines, olive, roses, and sycamores.

Growing Perennial Foods

Growing Perennial Foods
Author: Acadia Tucker
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2019
Genre: Gardening
ISBN: 9780998862354

Acadia Tucker's long love affair with perennial foods has produced this easy-to-understand guide to growing and harvesting them. A regenerative farmer who is deeply concerned about global warming, Tucker believes there may be no better time to plant these hardy crops. Perennials can weather climate extremes, promote healthy soil, mitigate drought conditions, and thrive without chemical fertilizers and pesticides. Many can be harvested year round. They taste good, pack lots of nutrients, and require little tending. In short, the world is a better place with more perennials in it and this book intends to get us there. Tucker inspires action by first laying the groundwork for tending an organic, regenerative garden. She highlights the 10 steps she recommends gardeners take to help perennial foods thrive. But most of the book is dedicated to profiles of popular perennial herbs, fruit, and vegetables, with explicit instructions on how to plant, grow, and harvest them. Tucker also offers suggestions on how to store and preserve perennials. Growing Perennial Foods is illustrated with dozens of pen & ink drawings and ends with a short chapter on frequently asked questions. And since this is a field guide, each profile gives readers enough space to write in any additional notes. While designed for gardening novices, this book is also for experienced gardeners who want to grow more resilient crops, and could use a little guidance. Growing Perennial Foods is part of our Growing Food book series and a companion guide to Growing Good Food: A Citizen's Guide to Backyard Carbon Farming, which is also written by Acadia Tucker and set to publish in the summer of 2019.

Pests, Diseases and Beneficials

Pests, Diseases and Beneficials
Author: F David Hockings AM
Publisher: CSIRO PUBLISHING
Total Pages: 281
Release: 2014-03-03
Genre: Gardening
ISBN: 1486300227

Helps gardeners identify and deal with common insects and small animals that are found in every Australian garden.

Tylenchida

Tylenchida
Author: Mohammad Rafiq Siddiqi
Publisher: CABI
Total Pages: 856
Release: 2000
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780851999432

The increasing use of integrated crop management, often requiring a reduction in the reliance upon chemical control, means that the need to rapidly identify pest nematodes has never been greater. This second edition of this standard reference work familiar to all plant nematologists is therefore even more useful than its predecessor published in 1986.The in-depth description of the life histories of the genera of the Tylenchida have been retained and brought up-to-date through the inclusion of all the research carried out between the publication of the last edition and this new edition. This expanded edition includes detailed diagnoses of well over 200 genera and familial and ordinal groups, and is well-illustrated with drawings of type or representative species. These, together with comprehensive lists of species and genera and their synonymies provide the foundation for the status and validation of each taxon within the Tylenchida. A considerable amount of information is provided regarding the biology, ecology and pathogenicity of these parasites.

Ecologically Based Pest Management

Ecologically Based Pest Management
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 160
Release: 1996-03-21
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 030917578X

Widespread use of broad-spectrum chemical pesticides has revolutionized pest management. But there is growing concern about environmental contamination and human health risksâ€"and continuing frustration over the ability of pests to develop resistance to pesticides. In Ecologically Based Pest Management, an expert committee advocates the sweeping adoption of ecologically based pest management (EBPM) that promotes both agricultural productivity and a balanced ecosystem. This volume offers a vision and strategies for creating a solid, comprehensive knowledge base to support a pest management system that incorporates ecosystem processes supplemented by a continuum of inputsâ€"biological organisms, products, cultivars, and cultural controls. The result will be safe, profitable, and durable pest management strategies. The book evaluates the feasibility of EBPM and examines how best to move beyond optimal examples into the mainstream of agriculture. The committee stresses the need for information, identifies research priorities in the biological as well as socioeconomic realm, and suggests institutional structures for a multidisciplinary research effort. Ecologically Based Pest Management addresses risk assessment, risk management, and public oversight of EBPM. The volume also overviews the history of pest managementâ€"from the use of sulfur compounds in 1000 B.C. to the emergence of transgenic technology. Ecologically Based Pest Management will be vitally important to the agrichemical industry; policymakers, regulators, and scientists in agriculture and forestry; biologists, researchers, and environmental advocates; and interested growers.

Growing Good Food

Growing Good Food
Author: Acadia Tucker
Publisher:
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2019
Genre: Gardening
ISBN: 9780998862330

A handbook for growing a victory garden when the enemy is global warming Written by regenerative farmer Acadia Tucker, Growing Good Food calls on us to take up regenerative gardening, also known as carbon farming, for the good of the planet. By building carbon-rich soil, even in a backyard-sized patch, we can capture greenhouse gases and mitigate climate change, all while growing nutritious food. To help us get started, and quickly, Tucker draft plans for gardeners who have no space, a little space, or a lot of space. She offers advice on how to prep soil, plant food, and raise the most popular fruits and vegetables using regenerative methods. She shares the gardening tools you need to get started, the top reasons gardens fail and how to fix them, and how to make carbon farming count when the only dirt you have is in pots. The book includes calls to action and insights from leaders in the regenerative movement, including David Montgomery, Gabe Brown, and Tim LaSalle. Aimed at beginners, the book is designed to inspire an uprising of citizen gardeners. Growing Good Food suggests what could happen if more of us saw gardening as a civic duty. By the end of it, you'll know how to grow some really good food and build a healthier world, too. Growing Good Food: A citizen's guide to backyard carbon farming is part of Stone Pier's "Growing Good Food" series. It joins Growing Perennial Foods: A field guide to raising resilient herbs, fruits, and vegetables, also written by Acadia Tucker.