Holiday Book Salenature - mammalogy - herpetology

Holiday Book Sale

Title Reg. Price Sale Price

Turtles $39.95 $25

Mammals $34.95 $25

Southern Wonder $29.95 $20

Southern Sanctuary $39.95 $25

Their Blood Runs Cold $24.95 $15

Nature Journal $24.95 $10

Purchase online at www.uapress.ua.edu or by

telephone at (800) 621-2736.

Use discount code BAMAGIFT.

Sale ends December 31, 2015

University of Alabama

HOLIDAY | 1www.uapress.ua.edu

Beautifully designed and sturdily bound for rugged field use, Mammals of Alabama is the first and only exhaustive guidebook to Alabama’s diverse and fascinating mammalian fauna.

European and American naturalists visited the territory that would become Alabama as early as the late eighteenth century and marveled at the breadth and variety of its flora and fauna. Yet until today scientists, scholars, and nature enthusiasts had no systematic guide to the state’s mammals. Mammals of Alabama fills the gap.

Naturally occurring in the state are nine orders, twenty-two families, fifty-one genera, and seventy-two species of living mammals. Best and Dusi offer an engaging entry for each as well as additional species that have become extinct through natural processes or human extirpation. Illustrated with maps and photos, each entry includes:

• Identification notes • Dental formula

• Size and weight • Distribution

• Ecology • Life History

• Behavior • Parasites and Diseases

• Conservation Status • Notes and References

Ideal for backyards, hikes, libraries, and classrooms, Mammals of Alabama includes hundreds of professional, close-up color specimen photographs of both living animals in their natural habitats and skull plates, making identification of animals easy.

Best also offers fascinating and fun facts about Alabama mammals that will delight nature lovers of all ages, such as the surprising and excellent tree-climbing skills of the gray fox, the use in the past of mole skins to apply cosmetics, and the litters of identical quadruplets common to the nine-banded armadillo.

troy L. best is a professor of zoology and curator of mammals at Auburn University. He is coauthor, with Michael J. Harvey and J. Scott Altenbach, of Bats of the United States and Canada. Julian L. dusi was an assistant professor of zoology at Auburn University for forty-five years and published numerous research papers in mammalogy and ornithology.

Gosse Nature GuidesPublished in cooperation with the Alabama Wildlife federation

Mammals of Alabamatroy L. best and Julian L. dusi

ations,

HOLIDAy PRICE: $25

6 X 9 inches / 520 paGes / 304 coLor iLLustr incLudinG 81 maps isbn: 978-0-8173-5749-8 / $34.95t paper

“this book will find a wide audience of professional workers in natural history, as well as interested amateurs. With nothing comparable for alabama, there is a definite need for this book. . . . the detailed information on parasites of each species is a valuable compilation for the scientific readership.”

— don e. Wilson, curator emeritus of the national museum of natural history, smithsonian institution, and coeditor

of Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference

“What a beautiful book Mammals of Alabama is! the layout, images, distribution maps, skull plates, and accompanying information on the respective species are outstanding! this exceptional volume is a fitting tribute to Julian dusi, to the very concept of the Gosse nature Guides, and to the quality and standards of this series. i cannot say enough in praise of troy best and his spearheading this whole effort. i can hardly wait to get my copy!”

— Gary r. mullen, co-author of Philip Henry Gosse: Science and Art in “Letters from alabama” and “entomologia alabamensis” and co-editor of Medical and Veterinary Entomology

bioLoGiCAL sCieNCes / ZooLoGy / ALAbAmA

also of interest

Southern WonderAlabama’s surprising biodiversity

isbn: 978-0-8173-1802-4 / $39.95t cLoth isbn: 978-0-8173-5750-4 / $29.95t paper

HOLIDAY | 2www.uapress.ua.edu

Turtles of AlabamaCraig Guyer, Mark A. Bailey, and Robert H. Mount

G O S S E N AT U R E G U I D E S

Turtlesof alabama

CRAIG GUYER, MARK A. BAILEY, and ROBERT H. MOUNT

HOLIDAY PRICE: $256 X 9 / 304 PAGES / 65 COLOR & 56 B&W LINE ART ILLUSTRATIONS / 42 COLOR MAPS ISBN: 978-0-8173-5806-8 / $39.95T PAPER

“This book is very well written by an outstanding trio of herpetolo-gists and will be accepted as a first rate effort by experts in the region. It is a critical source of information for researchers, includ-ing students involved in projects anywhere in the Southeast, and is a useful reference for wildlife biologists and conservationists, as well as general naturalists in Alabama and adjoining states. The natural history facts are accurate, and the information presented about the various species is useful to all readers.” —Whit Gibbons, coauthor of Amphibians and Reptiles of Georgia and Snakes of the Southeast

“This new treatise on Alabama reptiles has been anxiously awaited. Turtles of Alabama will instantly become the de facto, must-have, authoritative book on Alabama’s turtle species for years to come.” —Roger Clay, certified wildlife biologist with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

NATURE / ALABAMA / HERPETOLOGY

Turtles of Alabama pulls together new discoveries, research knowledge, and taxonomic changes that have occurred in herpetology within the state of Alabama since the 1975 publication of the now-classic volume Reptiles and Amphibians of Alabama by Robert H. Mount.

With thirty-nine known species, Alabama harbors more turtle species than any other state in the nation, and its Mobile River basin is the center of the world’s greatest biodiversity in turtles, surpassing all other river systems around the globe, including the Amazon and the Nile. Turtles of Alabama documents that extraordinary wealth and presents each species in full, describing its physical appearance, habitat and range, behavior, conservation and management, and taxonomy.

In addition to providing sixty-five full-color photographs of juveniles and adults along with forty-two colorfully detailed distribution maps, this volume features an introductory section explaining the physiogra-phy, climate, and habitats of the state, and offers illustrated taxonomic keys for all the species considered, including the oceanic behemoths that lay their eggs on Alabama’s gulf beaches and the lumbering gopher tortoise that provides safe haven for countless other animals and arthropods in its underground burrows of the Coastal Plain. With fine line drawings to highlight various distinguishing attributes of the animals, this volume is the definitive guide to the state’s fascinating and diverse turtle populations—freshwater, marine, and terrestrial.

Although they are notoriously slow-moving, turtles are still surviving on Earth because of their remarkable adaptations—an exterior shell for body protection, long lives, high reproductive output, stamina, and a capacity for doing without. Turtles are cold-blooded reptiles that were here long before mammals, and they’re still around, continuing to adapt to many different habitats and ecological niches, still interbreed-ing, evolving, and speciating. Turtles of Alabama is a fitting celebration of that phenomenal variety and strength.

Craig Guyer is a professor of biological sciences at Auburn Univer-sity. He has authored and coauthored many scientific journal articles, and is the coauthor of Amphibians and Reptiles of La Selva, Costa Rica, and the Caribbean Slope: A Comprehensive Guide. Mark A. Bailey is the owner, director, and senior biologist with Conservation Southeast, Inc., a resource management firm specializing in native habitats and species of the southeastern United States. He has authored many conservation strategies and plans, most notably, the Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Habitat Management Guidelines for Amphibians and Reptiles of the Southeast. Robert H. Mount is emeritus professor of biological sci-ences at Auburn University and the author of the seminal work, Reptiles and Amphibians of Alabama.

Gosse Nature GuidesGary R. Mullen, sponsor, L. J. Davenport, Elberta G. Reid, and Edward O. Wilson, series editors

HOLIDAY | 3www.uapress.ua.edu

Southern Wonder explores Alabama’s amazing biological diversity, the reasons for the large number of species in the state, and the importance of their preservation.

Alabama ranks fifth in the nation in number of species of plants and animals found in the state, surpassed only by the much larger Western states of California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas. When all the species of birds, trees, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, wildflowers, dragonflies, tiger beetles, and ants are tallied, Alabama harbors more species than 90 percent of the other states in the United States. Alabama is particularly rich in aquatic biodiversity, leading the nation in species of freshwater fishes, turtles, mussels, crayfish, snails, damselflies, and carnivorous plants. The state also hosts an exceptional number of endemic species—those not found beyond its borders—ranking seventh in the nation with 144 different species. The state’s 4,533 species, with more being inventoried and discovered each year, are supported by no less than 64 distinct ecological systems—each a unique blend of soil, water, sunlight, temperature, and natural disturbance regimes. Habitats include dry forests, moist forests, swamp forests, sunny prairies, grassy barrens, scorching glades, rolling dunes, and bogs filled with pitcher plants and sundews. The state also includes a region of subterranean ecosystems that are more elaborate and species rich than any other place on the continent.

Although Alabama is teeming with life, the state’s prominence as a refuge for plants and animals is poorly appreciated. Even among Alabama’s citizens, few outside a small circle of biologists, advocates, and other naturalists understand the special quality of the state’s natural heritage. R. Scot Duncan rectifies this situation in Southern Wonder by providing a well-written, comprehensive overview that the general public, policy makers, and teachers can understand and use. Readers are taken on an exploratory journey of the state’s varied landscapes—from the TennesseeRiver Valley to the coastal dunes—and are introduced to remarkablespecies, such as the cave salamander and the beach mouse. By inter-weaving the disciplines of ecology, evolution, meteorology, and geologic history into an accessible whole, Duncan explains clearly why Alabamais so biotically rich and champions efforts for its careful preservation.

R. Scot Duncan is associate professor of biology and urban environmentalstudies at Birmingham-Southern College.

Published in Cooperation with The Nature Conservancy

Southern WonderAlabama’s Surprising BiodiversityR. Scot DuncanForeword by Edward O. Wilson

HOLIDAY PRICE: $20

7 X 9 / 432 PAGES / 132 COLOR ILLUStRAtIONS, INCLUDING 6 MAPS ISbN: 978-0-8173-5750-4 / $29.95t PAPER

“Scot Duncan has delivered one of the most important books ever written about Alabama. beautifully composed, it is a revelation about one of the most biologically diverse regions in North America and a call to Alabama’s people to treasure and protect the state’s living heritage.”

— Edward O. Wilson, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of The Social Conquest of Earth

“this book covers almost every nook of biodiversity in the state. It is well-thought-out and delivered. the organization makes it easy for both lay and experienced readers of scientific knowledge to become enthralled in the subject matter.”

— t. Wayne barger, State botanist, Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources

NaTuRal HiSToRy / ECology / CoNSERvaTioN Biology

HOLIDAY | 4www.uapress.ua.edu

Southern SanctuaryA Naturalist’s Walk through the SeasonsMarian Moore Lewis

HOLIDAY PRICE: $257.5 X 8.5 / 296 PAGES / 152 COLOR ILLUSTRATIONS / 1 MAP / 4 TABLESISBN: 978-0-8173-5783-2 / $39.95T CLOTH

“ On every page of Southern Sanctuary, I felt as if I were walking with the author through the preserve every month of the year, observing the plants and animals during the various seasons. The stories that are revealed throughout the book, the drama of everyday life at the Sanctuary, and the wonderful assemblage of photographs make it a work of lasting value. I would hope that naturalists throughout the country would, likewise, write about adventures in their favorite preserve.” —Robert H. Mohlenbrock, author of Where Have All the Wildflowers Gone? and “This Land” column for Natural History magazine

“North Alabama is located at the southern end of the Appalachian Mountains, a well-known ‘hot spot’ for biodiversity that dates back to the ice ages, and it is host to a myriad of habitats, including hard-wood forests, cedar glades, abundant waterways and wetlands, rich farmlands, mountains, and two-thirds of Alabama’s 4,250 known caves. Marian Lewis’s book on the flora and fauna of Goldsmith-Schiffman Preserve not only highlights some of these unique natural features of North Alabama in a factual way, but her outdoor journey through the seasons also encourages children, families, and adults to step outside and take a walk of discovery on their own.” —Hallie Porter, development director, Land Trust of North Alabama

NATURAL HISTORY / ALABAMA / NATURE

A year-long exploration of a wildlife preserve near Huntsville, Alabama, Southern Sanctuary offers a richly illustrated introduction to the beauty and biodiversity of plants and animals in the Southern Appalachians.

In Southern Sanctuary, retired NASA research scientist and writer Mar-ian Moore Lewis takes readers on a journey of discovery through the Goldsmith-Schiffman Wildlife Sanctuary, a 400-acre preserve in Madi-son County, Alabama. Writing in the voice of a knowledgeable friend and with accompanying color photographs, Lewis introduces wildlife that reside in the preserve’s meadows, woods, and waterways—similar to those found throughout the American South.

Lewis has organized this beautifully presented volume into twelve monthly chapters. She starts her year in April after the crystalline frosts of winter have thawed. Already a bobcat has stamped a padded paw print in the lush spring muds as crossvine blossoms of magenta and lemon beckon winged pollinators nearby. Walk with her into the months of summer, when trees leaf out into a cathedral of habitats for birds, insects, and small mammals. In language naturalists of any age will enjoy, Lewis explains marvelous compound eyes, called om-matidia, of iridescent dragonflies and the homey carpentry of beavers damming a creek. As colored reflections signal autumn, companion-able songbirds migrate south while the last caterpillars of summer roll themselves into a leaf tent, or hibernaculum, to exist in diapause until next spring. In winter, Lewis admires nature at rest and rocks like chert, sought by Native Americans for arrowheads. Chert lies over bedrock of crenellated limestone, remnant of a time when an undersea Alabama reverberated with life preparing to emerge from the sea.

Southern Sanctuary provides a rich compendium of useful features. Lewis uses both common and Latin names for plants and animals. Her photos and descriptions make it easy for explorers of Southern Appala-chian riparian habitats to use the book to identify species of plants and animals near their own homes. Rounding out this astonishing work are handy guides to additional resources, taxonomy and measurements, rainfall, soil types, and native trees.

Of particular value to educators and students, professional and ama-teur naturalists, hikers, birdwatchers, botanists, and ecologists, Southern Sanctuary infuses a wealth of useful data into an elegant design, thus encouragings an awareness of Alabama’s rich biodiversity. Southern Sanctuary is a new classic in the best tradition of nature writing.

Marian Moore Lewis is a photographer, naturalist, and writer. A lifelong nature advocate, she has received awards for fiction, nonfiction, and children’s writing, and published over a hundred research papers in scientific journals. Her photographs have been included in the Sanctu-ary Artists: The Art of Nature exhibitions in venues throughout north and central Alabama.

HOLIDAY | 5www.uapress.ua.edu

Their Blood Runs Cold is entertaining, informative reading that not only enhances our understanding of a unique group of animals, but also provides genuine insight into the mind and character of a research scientist.

Whit Gibbons possesses the rare talent of conveying the challenge and excitement of scientific inquiry. A research ecologist who specializes in the study of reptiles and amphibians, he gives accounts of work in the field that are as readable as good short stories.

From the dangers of being chased by an angry rattlesnake to the exhila-ration of discovering a previously undescribed species, Gibbons brings to life the everyday experiences of the herpetologist as he chases down lizards, turtles, snakes, alligators, salamanders, and frogs in their natural habitats. With essays like “Turtles May Be Slow but They’re 200 Million Years Ahead of Us” and “How to Catch an Alligator in One Uneasy Lesson,” Their Blood Runs Cold both entertains and informs.

The thirtieth anniversary edition of Their Blood Runs Cold features a new prologue and epilogue, as well as additions that address changes in the taxonomy and study of reptiles and amphibians that have occurred since the publication of the original edition and offer suggestions for further reading that highlight the explosion of interest in the topic.

Whit gibbons is professor emeritus of ecology, University of Georgia, and head of the Environmental Outreach Program at the Savannah River Ecology Laboratory.

Their Blood Runs ColdAdventures with Reptiles and Amphibians30th Anniversary Edition

Whit gibbons

HOLIDAY PRICE: $15

6 X 9 INCHES / 200 PAGES / 30 b&W ILLUStRAtIONS ER ISbN: 978-0-8173-5751-1 / $24.95t PAP

“A superbly written, personalized narrative on amphibians and reptiles. this book can be read and enjoyed by almost everyone with interests in people, research, and/or animals.”

— Choice

“Reading this funny and, at times, profound and moving book will at least help to revise many a misconception about these surprising animals.”

— Royal Society of New Zealand

naTural hisTory / rePTiles and amPhiBians

Overstock Special

Nature Journal is a curated collection of the best columns and

photographs from L. J. Davenport’s popular column in Alabama

Heritage magazine. Readers of the magazine have come to relish his

artful and drole descriptions of common species encountered in the

southeast. Each of the 25 chapters is a lesson in close observation of

species morphology, behavior, and habitat; nondestructive capture of

the subject by photography or drawing; and written description of

the total observed natural phenomenon.

Quality Paper, 256 pp., 26 figures, 978-0-8173-5569-2

Reg. Price: $24.95, Sale Price: $10

DISCOUNT CODE BAMAGIFT

Holiday Book Sale

Title Reg. Price Sale Price

Turtles $39.95 $25

Mammals $34.95 $25

Southern Wonder $29.95 $20

Southern Sanctuary $39.95 $25

Their Blood Runs Cold $24.95 $15

Nature Journal $24.95 $10

Purchase online at www.uapress.ua.edu or by

telephone at (800) 621-2736.

Use discount code BAMAGIFT.

Sale ends December 31, 2015

University of Alabama