|
|
Sold Out
Book Categories |
| Foreword | ||
| Preface | ||
| Acknowledgments | ||
| Abbreviations and Acronyms Used in the Text | ||
| Points on Format and Presentation | ||
| 1 | History of Scientific Exploration | 1 |
| The History of Zoological Exploration of Madagascar | 1 | |
| 2 | Geology and Soils | 16 |
| Some Hypotheses on the Mesozoic and Cenozoic Paleoenvironmental History of Madagascar | 16 | |
| Mesozoic Terrestrial Vertebrate Faunas: The Early History of Madagascar's Vertebrate Diversity | 34 | |
| Late Cretaceous Vertebrates of Madagascar: A Window into Gondwanan Biogeography at the End of the Age of Dinosaurs | 40 | |
| Madagascar's Prehistoric Ecosystems | 47 | |
| Using Geological Substrate to Identify and Map Primary Vegetation Types in Madagascar and the Implications for Planning Biodiversity Conservation | 51 | |
| 3 | Climate | 75 |
| The Climate of Madagascar | 75 | |
| 4 | Forest Ecology | 88 |
| Remaining Forest Cover | 88 | |
| Rapid Methods for Characterizing Forest Structure in Madagascar | 96 | |
| Littoral Forest | 103 | |
| 5 | Human Ecology | 112 |
| The Rise of Malagasy Societies: New Developments in the Archaeology of Madagascar | 112 | |
| Relationship between Human Ecological Pressure and the Vertebrate Extinctions | 119 | |
| Comparing Agricultural Systems in Two Areas of Madagasacar | 123 | |
| The Dilemma of Reducing Shifting Cultivation | 134 | |
| The Fianarantsoa-East Coast Railroad and Its Role in Eastern Forest Conservation | 139 | |
| The Role of Socioeconomic Factors in Loss of Malagasy Biodiversity | 142 | |
| How Rules Affect Conservation Outcomes | 146 | |
| Fire and the Management of Highland Vegetation | 153 | |
| Human Diseases and Introduced Small Mammals | 158 | |
| Malaria | 161 | |
| Viruses | 165 | |
| 6 | Marine and Coastal Ecosystems | 179 |
| Marine and Coastal Ecosystems | 179 | |
| Mangroves and Salt Marshes | 209 | |
| Sea Turtles | 210 | |
| Marine Mammals | 213 | |
| Megaptera novaeangliae, Humpback Whale | 217 | |
| 7 | Plants | 229 |
| Introduction to the Flora of Madagascar | 229 | |
| Aquatic and Semiaquatic Vascular Plants | 250 | |
| Introduced and Invasive Plants | 257 | |
| Occurrence of Alkaloids and Phenolics in Malagasy Forests and Responses by Primates | 268 | |
| Pollination Ecology of Plant Communities in the Dry Forests of the Southwest | 272 | |
| Bacillariophyceae, Freshwater Diatoms | 276 | |
| Diversity, Ecology, and Distribution of the Pteridophyte Flora | 282 | |
| Checklist to the Pteridophytes | 295 | |
| Winteraceae, Takhtajania perrieri | 314 | |
| Annonaceae | 316 | |
| Myristicaceae | 319 | |
| Moraceae, Ficus and Associated Fauna | 322 | |
| Cactaceae, Opuntia spp., Prickly Pear | 335 | |
| Bombacaceae, Adansonia | 339 | |
| Sapotaceae | 342 | |
| Leguminosae (Fabaceae) | 346 | |
| Baudouinia rouxevillei | 374 | |
| Melastomataceae, Princess Flowers | 375 | |
| Euphorbiaceae - Overview | 379 | |
| Euphorbia | 384 | |
| Pollination and Evolution of Euphorb Vines in Madagascar | 391 | |
| Uapaca Woodlands | 393 | |
| Anacardiaceae | 398 | |
| Balsamaceae | 402 | |
| Gentianaceae | 409 | |
| Verbenaceae, Lantana camara | 415 | |
| Scrophulariaceae | 417 | |
| Gesneriaceae | 421 | |
| Bignoniaceae: Phylogenetics and Evolution of Pollination Systems | 425 | |
| Introduction to the Rubiaceae | 431 | |
| Breonia and Related Genera (Tribe Naucleeae) | 435 | |
| Carphalea (Tribe Hedyotideae) | 436 | |
| Coffea (Tribe Coffeeae) | 437 | |
| Coptosperma and Related Genera (Tribe Pavetteae) | 438 | |
| Gardenia and Related Genera (Tribe Gardenieae Subtribe Gardeniinae) | 441 | |
| Ixora (Tribe Ixoreae) | 442 | |
| Mussaenda and Related Genera (Tribe Mussaendeae) | 444 | |
| Paederia (Tribe Paederieae) | 444 | |
| Psychotria and Related Genera (Tribe Psychotrieae) | 446 | |
| Vangueria and Related Genera (Tribe Vanguerieae) | 447 | |
| Arecaceae, Palms | 448 | |
| Dypsis decaryi, Triangle Palm | 457 | |
| Pandanaceae, Pandanus | 460 | |
| Poaceae, Bambuseae, Bamboos | 467 | |
| Strelitziaceae: The Variants of Ravenala in Natural and Anthropogenic Habitats | 472 | |
| Pontederiaceae, Eichhornia crassipes, Water Hyacinth | 476 | |
| 8 | Invertebrates | 503 |
| An Introduction to Terrestrial and Freshwater Invertebrates | 503 | |
| Ecology of Aquatic Invertebrates | 511 | |
| Insect-Plant Interactions: Their Importance for Biodiversity and Ecological Functioning | 517 | |
| The Fauna of Savanna Grasslands in the Locust Outbreak Area in Southwestern Madagascar | 520 | |
| Gastropoda, Terrestrial Snails | 529 | |
| Scorpiones, Scorpions | 575 | |
| Araneae, Spiders | 579 | |
| Ixodida, Ticks | 588 | |
| Acariformes: Parasitic and Commensal Mites of Vertebrates | 593 | |
| Atyidae and Palaemonidae, Freshwater Shrimps | 603 | |
| Parastacidae, Astacoides, Freshwater Crayfishes | 608 | |
| Potamonautidae, Freshwater Crabs | 612 | |
| Diplopoda, Millipedes | 617 | |
| Collembola, Springtails | 627 | |
| Ephemeroptera, Mayflies | 639 | |
| Odonata, Dragonflies and Damselflies | 645 | |
| Isoptera, Termites | 654 | |
| Plecoptera, Stoneflies | 661 | |
| Megaloptera Fishflies and Alderflies | 662 | |
| Neuroptera, Lacewings | 663 | |
| Coleoptera: Cicindelidae, Tiger Beetles (Studies of Tiger Beetles CXI) | 669 | |
| Scarabaeidae: Melolonthinae: Tribe Enariini, Scarab Beetles | 677 | |
| Siphonaptera, Fleas | 687 | |
| Diptera, True Flies | 692 | |
| Blephariceridae, Net-Winged Midges | 702 | |
| Culicidae, Mosquitoes | 708 | |
| Simuliidae, Black Flies | 715 | |
| Tabanidae, Horse Flies | 721 | |
| Athericidae, Rhagionidae, and Vermileonidae | 727 | |
| Therevidae, Stiletto Flies | 730 | |
| Acroceridae, Spider-Fly Endoparasitoids | 734 | |
| Trichoptera, Caddisflies | 740 | |
| Lepidoptera: Systematics and Diversity | 748 | |
| Classification, Diversity, and Endemism of the Butterflies (Papilionoidea and Hesperioidea): A Revised Species Checklist | 762 | |
| Hymenoptera: Heterogynaidae, Ampulicidae, Sphecidae, and Crabronidae, Apoid Wasps | 793 | |
| Formicidae, Ants | 811 | |
| 9 | Fishes | 849 |
| Introduction to the Freshwater Fishes | 849 | |
| Clupeidae: Sauvagella | 864 | |
| Ariidae: Arius | 864 | |
| Anchariidae: Ancharius, Catfish | 865 | |
| Atherinidae: Teramulus | 866 | |
| Bedotiidae: Bedotia, Malagasy Rainbow | 867 | |
| Rheocles, Malagasy Rainbowfish | 868 | |
| Aplocheilidae: Pachypanchax, Malagasy Killifish | 870 | |
| Pantanodon | 871 | |
| Cichlidae: Paratilapia | 872 | |
| Ptychochromis | 873 | |
| Ptychochromoides | 875 | |
| Oxylapia | 876 | |
| Paretroplus | 877 | |
| Eleotridae: Typhleotris | 878 | |
| 10 | Amphibians | 883 |
| Introduction to Amphibians | 883 | |
| Consequences of Rain Forest Fragmentation for Herpetofauna: A Case Study from Ambohitantely | 899 | |
| Hyperoliidae: Heterixalus | 908 | |
| Mantellidae: Mantidactylus | 910 | |
| Mantella | 913 | |
| Boophis | 916 | |
| Aglyptodactylus | 920 | |
| Laliostoma | 921 | |
| Microhylidae | 922 | |
| Ranidae: Hoplobatrachus, Indian Tiger Frog | 926 | |
| Ptychadena, Mascarene Grass Frog | 927 | |
| 11 | Reptiles | 934 |
| Introduction to the Reptiles | 934 | |
| Introduced Reptiles and Amphibians | 949 | |
| Testudinae, Land Tortoises | 951 | |
| Pelomedusidae, Freshwater Turtles | 956 | |
| Chamaeleonidae, Chameleons | 960 | |
| Chameleon Population Density Estimates | 970 | |
| Gekkonidae, Geckos | 973 | |
| Gerrhosauridae, Plated Lizards | 978 | |
| Iguanidae (Oplurines), Oplurine Lizards | 983 | |
| Scincidae, Skinks | 986 | |
| Boidae, Boas | 993 | |
| Colubridae, Snakes | 997 | |
| Crocodylidae: Crocodylus niloticus, Nile Crocodile | 1005 | |
| 12 | Birds | 1019 |
| Introduction to the Birds | 1019 | |
| Biogeography, Guild Structure, and Elevational Variation of Madagascar Forest Birds | 1045 | |
| Bird Weights | 1059 | |
| Effects of Forest Fragmentation on Bird Communities | 1064 | |
| Endoparasites of Malagasy Birds | 1067 | |
| Freshwater Birds | 1071 | |
| Anseriformes: Anatidae, Wildfowl | 1077 | |
| Falconiformes and Strigiformes: Ecology and Status of Raptors | 1080 | |
| Falconiformes: Haliaeetus vociferoides, Madagascar Fish-eagle | 1085 | |
| Eutriorchis astur, Madagascar Serpent-eagle | 1088 | |
| Accipiter spp., Goshawk and Sparrowhawks | 1091 | |
| Mesitornithidae, Mesites | 1095 | |
| Psittaciformes: Coracopsis spp., Parrots | 1098 | |
| Cuculiformes: Coua spp., Couas | 1102 |
| Price | Condition | Delivery | Seller | Action |
| $99.99 | Digital |
| WonderClub |
Delia Ephron
reviewed The Natural History of Madagascar on September 06, 2012 The Natural History of Madagascar
In just over 2 weeks, my wife and I will leave home to head, for the sixth time in as many years for a holiday on an island off the west cost of Scotland. We've been to Islay, Skye, Arran and Mull (twice) and this time we will take our courage in both hands and go further still into the Outer Hebrides.
Reading Findings has definitely heightened my excitement about this upcoming holiday. Much of the book is set in the Inner and Outer Hebrides and I suppose this might partly explain why I enjoyed reading the book so much.
It is also a book that spoke to me about the way I approach my life. I spend a lot of time outside searching for wildlife that I can photograph. It was great to read...
"This is what I want to learn: to notice, but not to analyse. To still the part of the brain that's yammering, 'My God, what's that? A stork, a crane, an ibis? - don't be silly, it's just a weird heron.' Sometimes we have to hush the frantic inner voice that says 'Don't be stupid,' and learn again to look, to listen.
Much of the book is an encouragement to notice things in the midst of normal life:
"Then the osprey was gone and I turned back to the dryer, looking for matching socks".
There are chapters about birds, a chapter about salmon, a chapter about the illness of the author's husband, a chapter about cetaceans. And more. In all of them, the author infuses a sense of wonder with a sense of the "normalness" of life.
As a bird watcher, I perhaps especially loved the chapters about birds. Last year on Mull, we took a day trip to Iona where we stood by a field for 2 hours because we could hear 2 corncrakes calling and we wanted to see them. Seeing these birds is notoriously difficult and we had to give up when it was time to leave to catch the ferry back to Mull. So when I read this, about a woman who also wanted to see a corncrake...
"Birdwatchers come especially - Sarah tells of an old lady who sat quiet and demure on this very viewing bench for an hour, two hours...then there was a whoop, and Sarah turned to see the old lady leaping around, punching the air like a footballer, just for a glimpse of an elusive brown bird."
...I was there, I could relate!
There is a chapter about a museum collection of body parts. As I read this, I could not help being reminded of both Flights and Sight. Perhaps this quotation will explain why to those who have also read these books:
"Several times, in his writings, he approached anatomy through metaphor striving for exactitude. 'The opened body is as a foreign country,' he wrote, 'Anatomy is as a harvest field'; 'Anatomy is as to medicine as sight is to the body.'"
A collection of meditations that manages to link history to our modern world and that manages to encourage us to look for the beauty and the detail around us.
A beautiful book.
Login|Complaints|Blog|Games|Digital Media|Souls|Obituary|Contact Us|FAQ
CAN'T FIND WHAT YOU'RE LOOKING FOR? CLICK HERE!!! X
You must be logged in to add to WishlistX
This item is in your Wish List
X
This item is in your Collection
The Natural History of Madagascar
X
This Item is in Your Inventory
The Natural History of Madagascar
X
You must be logged in to review the productsX
X
X
Add The Natural History of Madagascar, , The Natural History of Madagascar to the inventory that you are selling on WonderClubX
X
Add The Natural History of Madagascar, , The Natural History of Madagascar to your collection on WonderClub |
