ENG380W - Writing with Animals / Prof. Yang

The primary purpose of this book is to provide for identification of estuarine and coastal fishes that may be encountered by angling, seining, or trawling on the Georgia coast. Sport and commercial species are emphasized, but all groups occurring on the Continental Shelf are discussed. This book will be especially useful to ecologists who need to identify species in order to study community structure within the estuarine and coastal ecosystems. Information on habitats and seasonality will also aid scientists in collecting certain species for research projects.

A hidden world of amphibians and reptiles awaits the outdoor adventurer in Georgia's streams, caves, forests, and wetlands. Amphibians and Reptiles of Georgia makes accessible a wealth of information about 170 species of frogs, salamanders, crocodilians, lizards, snakes, and turtles. Throughout, the book stresses conservation, documenting declines in individual species as well as losses of local and regional populations.

This is a comprehensive historical record of all free-ranging bird species known to be breeding in Georgia around the beginning of the new millennium. The atlas profiles 182 species, from the sociable House Wren to the secretive Black Rail; from the thriving Red-shouldered Hawk to the threatened Wilson's Plover. The atlas is the result of a systematic survey conducted from 1994 to 2001, the massive collaborative effort of several private organizations, public agencies, and many individuals. It offers a wealth of information critical to bird-conservation efforts and provides a baseline so that changes to species ranges, numbers, and other significant aspects of each species' status can be better understood. Each species account includes: Color photograph of the bird Information on the bird's habitat and life history, distribution, population trends, and conservation status. Details discussed include diet, nesting habits, life cycle of the young, predators, and interactions with humans. Color distribution map showing the state's six ecoregions and indicating possible, probable, and confirmed breeding Graphs showing population trends, when appropriate Also included are chapters on the survey methodology, results of the surveys, influence of the physical environments of the state on bird distribution, changes in the avifauna since European settlement, and bird conservation.

The only portable full-color photographic guide to the most commonly seen bees east of the Mississippi River Bees play a vitally important role in the pollination of native plants and agricultural crops around the globe. Common Bees of Eastern North America is the first species-level photographic field guide to the most commonly seen bees in the eastern United States and Canada. Identifying bees to species is challenging even for taxonomists. This book walks you through the process of bee identification using breathtaking high-resolution color photos that highlight the unique characteristics of each species, making identification easier. Full of essential facts about the natural history of these magnificent creatures, this is the must-have field guide for naturalists and backyard gardeners alike. Covers 125 of the most commonly seen species in the eastern United States and Canada Features 500 stunning close-up photos in full color Shows multiple images for each species, with arrows highlighting key identifying marks Provides silhouette images depicting the actual size of each species Describes key identification features, size, phenology, floral preference, nesting, and related species Includes a range map for every species Contains a taxonomic key to the bee genera of the eastern United States and Canada

Designed for beginning birders and nature enthusiasts alike, this easy-to-use guide presents sixty-one of the most common species of birds in the greater Atlanta area. The guide features large color photographs throughout for immediate identification and is conveniently organized by bird size, starting with very small birds, such as the ruby-throated hummingbird, and progressing to larger species, such as the great blue heron. Information for each bird species includes common and scientific names, distinguishing marks and characteristics, and descriptions of bird calls, typical habitats, and nesting and feeding behaviors. Accounts also show variations in plumage according to sex, age, and season. The perfect companion for every backyard birder, Common Birds of Greater Atlanta also serves as an excellent introduction to birding, bird identification, and conservation.

Describing 102 species of salamanders occurring in the southeastern United States, ecologists Joe Mitchell and Whit Gibbons provide us with the most comprehensive and authoritative, yet accessible and fun-to-read, guide to these often secretive, always fascinating wonders of nature. Mitchell and Gibbons enumerate the distinguishing characteristics of salamanders, including how they are different from other amphibians and from reptiles, especially lizards. Also discussed are distribution, habitat, behavior and activity, reproduction, food and feeding, predators and defense, conservation, and taxonomy. Accompanying each account are photographs illustrating typical adults and variations and distribution maps for the Southeast and the United States. Given that 17 percent of the world's species of salamanders live in the Southeast and the scientific and popular concern for the worldwide decline in amphibian populations in general, Salamanders of the Southeast will appeal to people of all ages and levels of knowledge interested in natural history and conservation. The guide will help foster the growing interest in salamanders as well as cultivate a desire to protect and conserve these fascinating amphibians and their habitats. Features: Conservation-oriented approach More than 400 color photographs 77 distribution maps Clear descriptions and photographs of each species Sections on biology, worldwide diversity, identification, taxonomy, habitats, and conservation Did You Know?" sidebars of interesting facts

First comprehensive account of the mammals of the entire southeastern US The southeastern United States is home to a remarkable and diverse mammalian fauna that is a significant part of the region's rich natural heritage. Mammals of the Southeastern United States presents accounts of 137 species that currently or previously occurred in the Southeast. Although accessible and useful for the generalist, this book provides an up-to-date compilation of basic knowledge about native and nonnative mammals of the region that is suitable for students of all ages and for professional mammalogists and biologists alike.   This volume profiles common species like the eastern gray squirrel, the white-tailed deer, and the Virginia opossum, but also includes among its accounts many extant species, such as the jaguar and porcupine, that once occurred in the region; native species, like the Caribbean monk seal, that are now extinct; native species that have been extirpated, or wiped out, from all or part of the region, such as the red wolf, cougar, American bison, and elk; and many introduced species, including the Mexican mouse opossum, common squirrel monkey, and capybara.   Each species account includes full-color images of the animal, plates featuring at least three views of its skull, color distribution maps of its approximate geographic range in the Southeast and in North America, and an up-to-date synthesis of several aspects of its biology, including habitat, diet, predators, parasites, diseases, and behaviors. An introductory chapter on conservation summarizes the current status of mammalian populations in the region and provides insight into some of the threats mammals now encounter in the Southeast.  

"Carol Ruckdeschel and Bob Shoop have produced a compelling guide to sea turtles along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, providing an ideal source of information for amateur naturalists, whether visitors or residents."--Whit Gibbons, Savannah River Ecology Laboratory;""Sea Turtles of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts" is a superb account of the natural history of America's endangered sea turtles. Ruckdeschel and Shoop provide clear and highly readable accounts of these charismatic reptiles; the authors' obvious love for nature is evident in every word."--C. Kenneth Dodd, Jr., University of Florida;""Sea Turtles of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States," by Carol Ruckdeschel and Bob Shoop, will be a new and much valued addition to both my field kit library and office book shelve. It is both extremely thorough and very clearly written and will be useful to folks at all levels of sea turtle involvement or interest. This book is very readable and yet provides a complete course on sea turtle biology and conservation. Bob's very notable background in the academic world as a researcher and university professor and Carol's as an unmatched field biologist and resident barrier island naturalist are well blended in this work. Their vast knowledge and love of sea turtles and our environment comes across very clearly from its pages. Thanks so very much to Bob, in memorial, and Carol, still out on the beach."--John Crawford, University of Georgia Marine Extension Service;" A]ccessible, fully illustrated guidebook."--"Sandlapper";"Despite the large body of technical literature devoted to sea turtles, there are surprisingly few concise summaries of sea turtle natural history for the general public. Ruckdeschel and Shoop's work provides us with something that has been sorely missing, a well-written comprehensive guide to the biology of sea turtles in the southeastern United States. Particularly interesting are the species accounts that summarize the most recent scientific information on the complex and fascinating life histories of sea turtles. This book is highly recommended as a reference for students, educators, naturalists and anyone interested in sea turtles."--Mark G. Dodd, Georgia Sea Turtle Program Coordinator, Georgia Department of Natural Resources;" A] superb new guide to sea turtle biology and conservation . . . Well-written and meticulously-researched . . . clear, highly-readable . . . thorough and timely . . . This book is sure to become a treasured reference."--"Athens Magazine";"An accessible, fully illustrated guide to the species that frequent the Atlantic and Coasts of the United States . . . With this guide in hand, readers will be better equipped to understand sea turtle biology and support sea turtle conservation efforts."--"McCormick Messenger";"This book is an excellent introduction for the general public to some of the seas' most beautiful animals. . . . Ruckdeschel and Shoop did an excellent job compiling an easy-to-understand guide to sea turtles for the general public."--"Iguana"