Fire in Tropical Savannas: The Kapalga Experiment (Ecological Studies)

Book Description

The ten-year research program and the Kapalga fire experiment at CSIRO in Australia has provided a wealth of knowledge about savanna ecosystems and the critical but poorly understood role of fire. The frequent low intensity fires examined in this volume characterize fire in the tropics and are a dominant force in shaping the structure and function of tropical ecosystems. Contributors discuss fire in relation to rainfall, groundwater, and the mammals and plants in the ecology and management of ecosystems. Among the management issues addressed are: habitat management, endangered species, protection of people and property, erosion and nutrient depletion, integration of knowledge from indigenous people and western science, and atmospheric pollution from fire smoke. This book will be valuable to tropical and savanna ecologists, fire ecologists and fire managers throughout the world, whether they are interested in plants, animals, soils or in the landscape as a whole.

Determinants of Tropical Savannas (IUBS Monograph Series)

Average customer rating:

Determinants of Tropical Savannas (IUBS Monograph Series)

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Discovering the Tropical Savanna (World Habitats)

Average customer rating:

Discovering the Tropical Savanna (World Habitats)
Janey Levy
Manufacturer: PowerKids Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books

General | Literature | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1404237836

Forest and Savanna: An Introduction to Tropical Terrestrial Ecology With Special Reference to West Africa

Average customer rating:

Forest and Savanna: An Introduction to Tropical Terrestrial Ecology With Special Reference to West Africa
Brian Hopkins
Manufacturer: Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Textbook Binding

General | Education | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 043593421X

The Future of Tropical Savannas. An Australian Perspective.

Average customer rating:

The Future of Tropical Savannas. An Australian Perspective.
Andrew ed. ASH
Manufacturer: CSIRO, 1996.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000JW0L3U

Average customer rating:

The Future of Tropical Savannas: An Australian Perspective

Manufacturer: CSIRO Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Natural History | Nature & Ecology | Science | Subjects | Books

Book Description

Tropical savannas, with their continuous grassy layer and variable overstorey of trees and shrubs, are one of the most widespread vegetation types, covering more than 50% of the tropical land mass. They occur on all four tropical continents, in more than 20 countries, between the rainforests and deserts.

The Future of Tropical Savannas: An Australian Perspective is based on a symposium which brought together a diverse group of people interested in savannas (users, scientists and policy makers) and is divided into four parts:

The introductory section includes relevant policy issues and institutional responses to changing resource values, and the role of science in resource management and conflict resolution.In the second section, representatives of the major users of Australian savannas (livestock producers, National Park users, tourism operators, the military, miners and Aboriginal communities) present their aspirations for future use of the savannas.

The third section presents ways which accommodate the different perspectives of the users.

Book Description

This digital document is a journal article from Biological Conservation, published by Elsevier in 2007. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Media Library immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Description:
Fire plays a pivotal role in structuring ecosystems and often occurs as a human-mediated disturbance for land management purposes. An important component of fire regime is the season of burn. In tropical savannas, most fire management occurs during the dry season; however, wet season burning is often used for pastoral management and may be useful for controlling introduced plant species. We used replicated, experimental fire treatments (unburnt, dry season burnt and wet season burnt), spanning two habitats (riparian and adjacent open woodland), to examine the short- (within 12 months of fire) and longer-term (within four years of fire) changes of bird assemblages in response to wet and dry season burning in tropical savannas of northern Australia. Within 12 months of fire, we observed higher abundances of birds in the burnt treatments, although some species (e.g., red-backed fairy-wren, Malurus melanocephalus) were rarely observed in burnt sites. Dry season burnt sites contained higher abundances of insectivores and granivores, while wet season burnt sites had more carnivores. Four years following burning, dry season burnt sites were characterized by lower abundances, especially of nectarivores and granivores. Dry season burnt sites also contained a different assemblage than wet season burnt sites, but few differences were observed between wet season burnt and unburnt sites. Our results confirm that differences in fire regimes can substantially alter bird assemblages, especially in riparian zones, and emphasize the importance of incorporating burning season in fire management strategies.

Book Description

For more than 40 years, the editors of Wisconsin Trails magazine have roamed the Badger State searching for the best it has to offer. Here they reveal their favorite getaways, their most exciting discoveries and their secret travel spots.

Wisconsin Family Adventure Guide (1st ed.)

Average customer rating:

Wisconsin Family Adventure Guide (1st ed.)
Martin Hintz , and Stephen V. Hintz
Manufacturer: Globe Pequot Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Guidebooks | Reference & Tips | Travel | Subjects | Books

Family Travel | Specialty Travel | Travel | Subjects | Books

North America | Travel | Subjects | Books

General | Travel | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1564406156

Book Description

"The most comprehensive treatment of genetic variation and disorders in 'peoples of African origin' yet to appear. It is an encyclopedic work, broad in the scope of its mission and commendable in its achievement." -- American Journal of Human Genetics

"This volume is an excellent introduction to an interesting and important topic and is recommended for students, practitioners, and teachers in human genetics, biological anthropology, medicine, the health professions, and biology in general." -- Quarterly Review of Biology

The misuse of evidence of genetic differences among human populations to "prove" theories of white supremacy has seriously compromised studies of genetic variation among racial groups. But there is no question, argue James Bowman and Robert Murray, that genetic disorders do vary from one population to another. Emphasizing the positive value of genetic differences, Bowman and Murray offer an overview of the diverse African populations and trace their migrations both within Africa and throughout the world.

Topics include skeletal variation, pigmentation, polymorphisms, hemoglobinpathies and thalassemias, malaria, lactose intolerance, multiple births, congenital malformations, hypertension, and diabetes. The authors also explore the ethical and legal implications of genetic counseling for minority populations. Based on a careful survey and collation of the literature as well as on the authors' original research, Genetic Variation and Disorders in Peoples of African Origin provides more information on this subject than has been previously available in a single, concise volume.

GENETIC VARIATION AND DISORDERS IN PEOPLES OF AFRICAN ORIGIN

Average customer rating:

GENETIC VARIATION AND DISORDERS IN PEOPLES OF AFRICAN ORIGIN

Manufacturer: Johns Hopkins Baltimore and London
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000IA7QMM

Average customer rating:
Living Chemistry: An Introduction to General Organic and Biological Chemistry
David A. Ucko
Manufacturer: Harcourt College Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Reference | Subjects | Books
Organic & Inorganic | Chemistry | Sciences | New & Used Textbooks | Stores | Books
ASIN: 0155511157

Average customer rating:
Living Chemistry: An Introduction to General Organic and Biological Chemistry
David A. Ucko
Manufacturer: Harcourt College Pub
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000OJCHTY

Amazon.com

Why do we do science? Beyond altruistic and self-aggrandizing motivations, many of our best scientists work long hours seeking the electric thrill that comes only from learning something that nobody knew before. The Pleasure of Finding Things Out, a collection of previously unpublished or difficult-to-find short works by maverick physicist Richard Feynman, takes its title from his own answer. From TV interview transcripts to his acceptance speech for the Nobel Prize, we see his quick, sharp wit, his devotion to his work, and his unwillingness to bow to social pressure or convention. It's no wonder he was only grudgingly admired by the establishment during his lifetime--read his "Minority Report to the Space Shuttle Challenger Inquiry" to see him blowing off political considerations as impediments to finding the truth.

Feynman had a fantastic sense of humor, and his memoirs of his Manhattan Project days roil with fun despite his later misgivings about nuclear weapons. Though one or two pieces are a bit hard to follow for the nontechnical reader, for the most part the book is easygoing and engaging on a personal rather than a scientific level. Freeman Dyson's foreword and editor Jeffrey Robbins's introductions to each essay set the stage well and are respectful without being worshipful. Though Feynman has been gone now for many years, his work lives on in quantum physics, computer design, and nanotechnology; like any great scientist, he asked more questions than he answered, to give future generations the pleasure of finding things out. --Rob Lightner

Book Description

The national best seller--an unparalleled collection of timeless writings by one of the most beloved and original thinkers of the twentieth century.

The Pleasure of Finding Things Out is a magnificent treasury of the best short works of Richard Feynman, from interviews and speeches to lectures and printed articles. A sweeping, wide-ranging collection, it presents an intimate and fascinating view of a life in science-a life like no other.

From Feynman's ruminations on science in our culture to his Nobel Prize acceptance speech, this book will fascinate anyone interested in the world of ideas. Newcomers to Feynman will be moved by his wit and his deep understanding of the natural world and of the human experience; longtime admirers will discover many treasures available nowhere else.

Customer Reviews:

Great enjoyment in audio version.......2007-08-26

This is not the place to start with Feynman. I have read many of his works, such as "Surely You're Joking" and the "Genius" bio about him. Yes, I suppose I am a partial victim of Feyman's self-promotion and colorful life that lends itself to so much entertaining material. I don't care. What he says speaks to me in many ways, even when he steps into religion and other areas in which he is no formal expert.

Because of my familiarity with Feynman, I often knew more or less what was coming on some of the topics. However, I wanted to try the audio book because much of the content is Feynman telling stories or giving a lecture meant more to be heard than read. Here I believe the production really scores. Feynman's conversational style, even for complicated topics, is very effective. The narrator even vaguely sounded a bit as Feynman would (at least as I recall), minus the NY accent.

A counter-example may be the report on the Challenger disaster, with Feynman's famous keen analysis that is better read than heard. There is a bit more repetition than I would have preferred. Perhaps that was unavoidable while still retaining the integrity of the chapters. It's a little difficult to skim a tape.

The audio book accomplished what I wanted: it refreshed my recollection of Feynman and his work, it entertained in the parts where it meant to entertain, it educated when he wanted to educate, and it prompted much contemplation while on the road, which is ultimately what Feynman the teacher wanted from his audiences.

A great piece of work..........2007-08-15

This is the first book I have ready by Feynman, and I must admit, I am yearning to read more of his work.

While the book is a compilation of his speeches over the years, the topics covered are as relevant today as the time when the speeches were delivered. Many of the things Feynman spoke about in the 50's and 60's have come true today -especially the miniature devices that he mentions in his talks.

The breadth of topics is excellent as well - he touches on Religion and Science, Teaching of Science, The Room at the Bottom (miniaturization), and offers very simple, yet profound views on what is, and what can be.

It takes guts to admit that such an accomplished man may have blind spots and bodies of knowledge he knows nothing about; Feynman is not afraid to make such statements. This is not only the sign of a genius, but also of one who has intellectual honesty, and the willingness to face things for what they are. I wish more teachers, professors, engineers, doctors, and scientists would be that forthcoming.

Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings.......2007-07-16

Feynman reminds me that the basis for an interesting human being is that person's pursuit of curiosity.

As Salvador Dali said, "Intelligence without ambition is a bird without wings", this aphorism applies so very well to Feynman.

The chapters in the book I enjoyed the most were "The Pleasure of Finding Things Out", "What is Science?" "Cargo Cult Science: Some Remarks on Science, Pseudoscience, and Learning How to Not Fool Yourself" and "The Relation of Science and Religion".

It is always wonderful to read intelligent people express their ideas and thoughts so that one can learn from them and check one's own!

These short works gave me a glimpse of someone wonderfully human. Feynman is capable of great introspection and expressions of truth as he sees them. He jokes about his ignorance and then proceeds to "rush in where fools fear to tread". That is his strength and weakness. Here is a certified genius that sees the world around him in ways we are aware of but usually keep to ourselves since we do not have his chutzpah.

On page 245, Richard P. Feynman discusses the relation of Science to Religion where he writes "In this age of specialization, men who thoroughly know one field are often incompetent to discuss another." I heartily agree with him but wonder why he does not apply this dictum to himself.

First of all I will not dispute his genius status. I do not know him well enough, but will accept Freeman J. Dyson's opinion of Feynman "half genius and half buffoon". Freeman J. Dyson's forward to the book "This Side Idolatry" was the best chapter in the book.

Feynman's originality and greatness are in his physics and mathematics; his other pursuits have authority because of his Nobel Prize.

In this "short works" Richard P. Feynman's proletarian background and weakness in the humanities rear their unruly head from time to time.

Let me give you just one example: on pages 172-173 he writes, "What is science? Of course you all must know, if you teach it. That's common sense. What can I say? If you don't know, every teacher's edition of every textbook gives a complete discussion of the subject. There is some kind of distorted distillation and watered-down and mixed-up words of Francis Beacon from centuries ago, words which then were supposed to be the deep philosophy of science. But one of the greatest experimental scientists of the time who was really doing something, William Harvey (1578-1657, discovered the body's circulatory system), said that what Bacon said science was, was the science that a lord chancellor would do. He spoke of making observations, but omitted the vital factor of judgment about what to observe and what to pay attention to.".

I do not see why Feynman has this animus towards Francis Bacon. He is well respected by historians of science and they see Bacon in a positive light.

W.P.D. Wightman in his book, "The Growth of Scientific Ideas", Yale University Press, New Haven CT, 1953, page 61 had this to say about Francis Bacon* "but his comparisons are applicable to all the problems of nature. The gist of the message is that we must seek out the common natures of the things we are comparing, and thus, remembering that "all true and fruitful natural philosophy hath a double scale or ladder, ascendant and descendent, ascending from experiments to the invention of causes, and descending from causes to the invention of new experiments', we may knit all nature together into one coherent assemblage of events.".
*Francis Bacon (1561-1626)
"Advancement of Learning"
"Novum Organum"
"New Atlantis"

According to the "The Works of Marx K. & Engels F", Kyiv, 1955, Volume 2, page 135, Karl Marx had this opinion of Francis Bacon "the real progenitor of English materialism and current experimental science".

Quote from Feynman "William Harvey (1578-1657, discovered the body's circulatory system), said that what Bacon said science was, was the science that a lord chancellor would do.".

The "lord chancellor's view" in my opinion is indispensable in the development of abstract ideas and general principles.

Compare the science of ancient China, Egypt and Greece and you will see the foolishness of ignoring the "lord chancellor's view".

It was the ancient Greeks (6thh century B.C.) who for the first time in human history abstracted the concept of straight line, circle, radius, and angle and so on from the practical surveying geometry of the Egyptians. Fortunately for science the Greeks had a distain for physical labor, only slaves did that! This does not mean that applied science is any way less important. We need both, as Francis Bacon in his book "Advancement of Learning" propose.

The diversity of intellects, outlooks and experiences of billions of human beings over the years have enabled us to stumble onto the scientific method. I applaud all honest efforts to advance our limited knowledge by people such as Richard P. Feynman and Francis Bacon.

great book.......2007-01-03

This is THE best book I have read all year. Excellent insight into science, government, and religion. The arguments within the book are great ammunition for discussions in any of these areas.

interesting and entertaining.......2006-10-03

Although the forward by Dyson did seem a little too worshipful, I can't blame him for writing kind things about his friend and mentor.

This was the first of Feynman's works I've read (actually I listened to it, as an audiobook). I enjoyed his descriptions of his pranks and work at Los Alamos. I also very much enjoyed hearing his thoughts on the value of science and what science is. The talk at the Galileo symposium was great.

On a human level, it was interesting learning about how he interacted with other people, especially other physcists. I went to Caltech as an undergrad, but unfortunately that was after Feynman passed away. Reading this now, I appreciate how well he fit with the culture there. He didn't beleive in worshiping other people or accepting the opinions of anyone as dogma.

As a scientist, I know why the great physicists at Los Alamos appreciated this quality in the young Feynman. We need to be challenged, to hear criticism of our work. (Of course not everyone would have been able to meaningfully challenge Bohr's or Bethe's ideas about physics. I know I wouldn't have been able to. But Feynman could, and he didn't just sit quietly out of reverence like many other physicists who were there with them.)

His musing on nonscientific questions were interesting, even though I do not agree with all of them. In his own spirit of inquiry, his ideas pose interesting questions precisely when you don't take them as dogma. I particularly like his humility about addressing nonscientific topics.

Average customer rating:

Very Enjoyable Book from 100 Years Ago

a gem

A lot of common sense per square inch!

Good Graduate Book

2nd Best Collection of Wisdom

Letters from A Self-Made Merchant to His Son
George Lorimer
Manufacturer: Regnery Publishing, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Contemporary | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
20th Century | United States | World Literature | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
Similar Items:

Their Ancient Glittering Eyes

The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable

ASIN: 0895264757

Book Description

A timeless classic of advice from father to son. Now with an introduction by James Schlesinger.

Customer Reviews:

Very Enjoyable Book from 100 Years Ago.......2006-07-29

I read the editorial review from "Publisher's Weekely" and had to respond to their narrow minded critique. I found this to be a very informative and entertaining book, and I found the advice as relative today as it was over 100 years ago. Just because more than a century has passed since the publication of this book, it doesn't mean that principles of right and wrong have changed as well. The examples are obviously dated, but the principles surely are not. I will pass this book on for my son to read in the next few years in the hopes he may learn from it.

a gem.......2005-04-30

The PW reviewer got it wrong. This is a little-known gem, in its way as valuable as that never-outdated masterpiece, Edwin Lefevre's "Reminiscences of a Stock Operator". There are many people who've gone broke working for themselves or having given credit to others because they felt they had to, or who spent the fortune that they hadn't earned yet and never would, who could have used the advice in "Letters from...". It is very much not "the advice that young men always hear", especially now when Daddy can again buy them into the best schools, term papers are bought, credit is something to get as much of as possible and sloughing debt and emerging clean and bright in a new venture is just business. There is an attitude here that is quite foreign to the modern business-school-educated mind (but not to many successful in business), and a form of telling that has its own charm. If only for the swearing done then, and the realistic activities of the son who the letters are addressed to in the story that unfolds as it goes along, it's a fun read. But because the homilies are thickly spread throughout, it's the kind of read to not hog out on in one sitting.

A lot of common sense per square inch!.......2002-12-04

I have been reading this book (an OLD copy!) once a year since I was a senior in high school, at the behest of my father who was one of the wisest persons I've ever known. The old man exhibits a rare understanding of human nature, and is able to pack more common sense into every square inch than too many of us gain in a lifetime. I have found it to be a great gift for high school or college graduates, for young people trying to find themselves, for some older folks still grappling with some basic issues. A great book for your personal library, and to share!

Good Graduate Book.......2002-06-29

This book is good for the High School Graduate because the simple metaphors and stories make this book clear in a world full of obscur rules and references. I liked this book because it did speak in straight forward terms. An older audience may see this as a dribble of old advice, but to a younger man this is new wisdom.

2nd Best Collection of Wisdom.......2000-02-05

My grandfather gave me a 1905 printing of this book and told me that, in his opinion, this was the second best collection of wisdom he'd ever read, next to the Bible. After a reluctant reading, I agree wholeheartedly.

OLD GORGON GRAHAM: More Letters from a Self-Made Merchant to His Son

Average customer rating:

OLD GORGON GRAHAM: More Letters from a Self-Made Merchant to His Son
George Horace Lorimer
Manufacturer: Cosimo Classics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Classics | General | Literature & Fiction | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1596058978

Book Description

I don't care how much or how little money you make-I want you to understand that there's only one place in the world where you can live a happy life, and that's inside your income. A family that's living beyond its means is simply a business that's losing money, and it's bound to go smash. -from "V: New York, December 8, 189-" Chicago pork magnate John Graham is a thorough success in business... except when it comes to his ne'er-do-well son Pierrepont, who never seems to need the end of his father's no-nonsense advice on being a boss, being a husband, and being a man. This delightful 1904 book-a sequel to Lorimer's 1901 Letters From a Self-Made Merchant to His Son-is ostensibly a work of fiction, taking the form of exasperated letters from Graham to his would-be protégé, but it's still a genuine source of down-home counsel on how to hire family (carefully), how to drink on the job (don't), when to apologize to a wife (always), and more. American journalist GEORGE HORACE LORIMER (1867-1937) was editor in chief of the Saturday Evening Post from 1899 to 1936, leading the magazine to the heights of its popularity. He is also the author of False Gods (1906).

Letters From A Self Made Merchant To His Son

Average customer rating:

Letters From A Self Made Merchant To His Son
George Horace Lorimer
Manufacturer: Small Maynard & Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000K013Q0

Average customer rating:

Letters from a Self-Made Merchant to His Son
George Horace Lorimer
Manufacturer: Small, Maynard, and Co.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NZMSSO

Average customer rating:

Letters from a Self-Made Merchant to His Son
George Horace Lorimer
Manufacturer: Small, Maynard and Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000GR5I2W

Average customer rating:

Letters from a Self-made Merchant to His Son
John Graham
Manufacturer: Outerbridge & Dienstfrey
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000IDD84E

Average customer rating:

Letters from a Self-made Merchant to His Son
George Horace Lorimer
Manufacturer: Small Maynard
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000L1YMUW

Average customer rating:

LETTERS FROM A SELF-MADE MERCHANT TO HIS SON
JOHN GRAHAM
Manufacturer: Small,Maynard & Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000J54VCO

Average customer rating:

Letters from a Self-Made Merchant to His Son
George Horace Lorimer
Manufacturer: METHUEN
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000OLBYPU

Average customer rating:

Letters from a Self-made Merchant to His Son
George Horace Lorimer
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000L2D0I6

Books:

Books Index

Books Home

Recommended Books