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Exotic animals range in appearance from truly striking to seemingly ordinary, and they live in wildlife preserves, on farms, in parks, and even in the wilderness across the United States. In this book, Elizabeth Cary Mungall provides ample information for anyone, from park visitor and zoo goer to rancher and wildlife biologist, who wants to identify and learn more about exotic wildlife in the United States. Richard D. Estes, author of The Safari Companion, says that "for everyone interested in exotic hoofed stock, Exotic Animal Field Guide is a well-written and beautifully illustrated book that fills a vacant niche." Indeed, the main portion of the book contains fully illustrated species accounts of eighty different kinds of hoofed animals, with native range maps and information about food habits, habitat, temperament, breeding and birth seasons, and fencing needs. A list of exotics-related organizations and a reference section round out the text. Photographs of each species make the book both attractive and useful as a field tool. In a chapter on photographing exotics, Christian Mungall shows readers how to take their own great pictures of these animals. Clearly, as James G. Teer, of the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences at Texas A&M University states, this is "much more than a field guide. Elizabeth Cary Mungall's book is a long awaited repository and data source on the ecology, technology, and management of more than 80 species of non-native hoofed animals. . . . Anyone with exotics on his or her property will require Exotic Animal Field Guide."
Covering 172 species of the most significant common grasses growing in Texas, this complete update of the now-classic Common Texas Grasses: An Illustrated Guide contains range maps and color images of the inflorescences and spikelets of each species along with the detailed, black-and-white illustrations found in the original volume. Identifying descriptive text, keys to genera and species, a checklist, and a glossary round out this standard field reference for botanists, students, and naturalists.
"This introductory guide offers an educational and inspirational starting point to discovering reptiles and amphibians in their natural habitats by introducing readers to the exciting native species they can encounter on a family nature trip or a walk through the local park"--
Texas boasts greater bird diversity than almost any state, with more than six hundred species living in or passing through during spring and fall migrations. Jennifer L. Bristol’s Parking Lot Birding speaks to people who would love to observe a wide variety of birds in easy access locations that don’t require arduous hikes or a degree in ornithology. As she explains, “I have personally trudged down hundreds of miles of trails in Texas, loaded down with gear, searching for birds, only to return to the parking lot to find what I was looking for.” Drawing on her experience as a former park ranger and lifelong nature enthusiast, Bristol explores ninety birding locations that are open to the public and accessible regardless of ability or mobility. Divided by geography, with each of the nine sections centered on a large urban area or defined ecoregion, Parking Lot Birding: A Fun Guide to Discovering Birds in Texas will take readers to birds in locales from the busy heart of Dallas to the remote Muleshoe Wildlife Refuge in the plains north of Lubbock. Each birding stop includes the name and address of a specific birding location, number of species that have been recorded, and types of birding amenities offered. Locational accounts end with a “Feather Fact” that provides interesting and relevant details about selected birds in a particular region. You never know what you might see when on the beaten path, especially in a state as big and ecologically diverse as Texas. So grab your binoculars and let’s go birding!
A Field Guide to the Woody and Flowering Species Covering the almost three million acres of southernmost Texas known as the Lower Rio Grande Valley, this user-friendly guide is an essential reference for nature enthusiasts, farmers and ranchers, professional botanists, and anyone interested in the plant life of Texas. Alfred Richardson and Ken King offer abundant photographs and short descriptions of more than eight hundred species of ferns, algae, and woody and herbaceous plants—two-thirds of the species that occur in this region. Plants of Deep South Texas opens with a brief introduction to the region and an illustrated guide to leaf shapes and flower parts. The book's individual species accounts cover: Leaves Flowers Fruit Blooming period Distribution Habits Common and scientific names In addition, the authors' comments include indispensible information that cannot be seen in a photograph, such as the etymology of the scientific name, the plant's use by caterpillars and its value from the human perspective. The authors also provide a glossary of terms, as well as an appendix of butterfly and moth species mentioned in the text.
The second edition of this handbook provides a state-of-the-art overview on the various aspects in the rapidly developing field of robotics. Reaching for the human frontier, robotics is vigorously engaged in the growing challenges of new emerging domains. Interacting, exploring, and working with humans, the new generation of robots will increasingly touch people and their lives. The credible prospect of practical robots among humans is the result of the scientific endeavour of a half a century of robotic developments that established robotics as a modern scientific discipline. The ongoing vibrant expansion and strong growth of the field during the last decade has fueled this second edition of the Springer Handbook of Robotics. The first edition of the handbook soon became a landmark in robotics publishing and won the American Association of Publishers PROSE Award for Excellence in Physical Sciences & Mathematics as well as the organization’s Award for Engineering & Technology. The second edition of the handbook, edited by two internationally renowned scientists with the support of an outstanding team of seven part editors and more than 200 authors, continues to be an authoritative reference for robotics researchers, newcomers to the field, and scholars from related disciplines. The contents have been restructured to achieve four main objectives: the enlargement of foundational topics for robotics, the enlightenment of design of various types of robotic systems, the extension of the treatment on robots moving in the environment, and the enrichment of advanced robotics applications. Further to an extensive update, fifteen new chapters have been introduced on emerging topics, and a new generation of authors have joined the handbook’s team. A novel addition to the second edition is a comprehensive collection of multimedia references to more than 700 videos, which bring valuable insight into the contents. The videos can be viewed directly augmented into the text with a smartphone or tablet using a unique and specially designed app. Springer Handbook of Robotics Multimedia Extension Portal: http://handbookofrobotics.org/
Well-managed ranch lands or rangeland in Texas capture the rain that permeates our soils, sustains creeks and rivers, and replenishes aquifers, which, in turn, water our cities. The stewardship of the region is the focus of this book—the largest contributing watershed in the Colorado River Basin—viewed through the lens of its plant communities. This field guide and management reference to four million acres of rangeland in the Concho River watershed of west central Texas offers general descriptions of more than 200 plant species, including information about the plant’s growing period, growth form, livestock and wildlife value, and special management issues. Accompanying photographs give the reader an idea of not only what the plant looks like on the range but also which identifiable features, such as flowers, fruit, or leaf shape, are most important to that particular plant. In addition, several experts cover the use of fire and the management of deer, turkey, dove, and other wildlife in this region. A discussion of noxious, invasive, and toxic plants; historical accounts of the region; four useful appendixes; a glossary; and a plant list complete the impressive content of this comprehensive volume.
In this new, complete Guide to Texas Grasses, Robert B. Shaw and the team at the Texas A&M University Institute of Renewable Natural Resources provide an indispensable reference to the world’s most economically important plant family. After discussing the impact of grass on our everyday lives as food, biofuels, land restoration, erosion control, and water become ever more urgent issues worldwide—the book then provides:a description of the structure of the grass plant;details of the classification and distribution of Texas grasses;brief species accounts;distributional maps;color photographs;plus black-and-white drawings of 670 grass species—native, introduced, and ornamental. Scientific keys help identify the grasses to group, genera, and species, and an alphabetized checklist includes information on: origin (native or introduced); longevity (annual or perennial);growth season (cool or warm season); endangered status;and occurrence (by ecological zone). A glossary, literature citations, and a quick index to genera round out the book. Guide to Texas Grasses is a comprehensive treatment of Texas grasses meant to assist students, botanists, ecologists, agronomists, range scientists, naturalists, researchers, extension agents, and others who work with or are interested in these important plants.
Winner, 2020 National Outdoor Book Award, Nature and the Environment Snakes inspire extreme reactions. Love or hate these limbless reptiles, almost everyone is fascinated by them. Although snakes are widespread and frequently encountered, they may be more misunderstood than any other group of animals. From giant rattlesnakes to mating dances, there are dozens of myths and misconceptions about snakes. In Secrets of Snakes: The Science beyond the Myths, wildlife biologist David Steen tackles the most frequently asked questions and clears up prevailing myths. In a conversational style with a bit of humor, Steen presents the relevant biology and natural history of snakes, making the latest scientific research accessible to a general audience. When addressing myths about snakes, he explains how researchers use the scientific method to explain which parts of the myth are biologically plausible and which are not. Steen also takes a close look at conventional wisdom and common advice about snakes. For example, people are told they can distinguish coralsnakes from non-venomous mimics by remembering the rhyme, “red on black, friend of Jack, red on yellow, kill a fellow,” but this tip is only relevant to coralsnakes and two mimics living in the southeastern United States, and it does not always work with other species or in other countries. Enhanced by more than 100 stunning color photographs and three original drawings, Secrets of Snakes: The Science beyond the Myths encourages readers to learn about the snakes around them and introduces them to how scientists use the scientific method and critical thinking to learn about the natural world. Number Sixty-one: W. L. Moody Jr. Natural History Series
Maps of towns, roads, parks and other landmarks along nearly 360 miles of the river's course.