eBooks are accessible online, and many are available for download or 2 week check out.
The Amphibians and Reptiles of Michigan
by
With its temperate climate and variety of habitats, Michigan supports a diverse array of animals and plants, including fifty-four species of amphibians and reptiles. The dispersal and biology of the Michigan herpetofauna--amphibians and reptiles--is even more unique because Michigan consists of two peninsulas that project into large freshwater seas and also because it was completely covered by a massive ice sheet a relatively short time ago. In The Amphibians and Reptiles of Michigan: A Quaternary and Recent Faunal Adventure, author J. Alan Holman explores the state's amphibians and reptiles in detail and with many helpful illustrations, making this the only volume of its kind available. Holman uniquely bridges the gap between neo- and paleoherpetology and shows that Michigan's modern herpetofaunas reflect Pleistocene (ice age) and Holocene (warm period after the ice age) events, as the entire modern population was forced to re-invade the state after the last withdrawal of ice. In Part 1, Holman discusses Michigan as an amphibian and reptile habitat, including a geological, climatic, and vegetational history. Part 2 presents recent species accounts, covering all fifty-four species of amphibians and reptiles, along with their general distribution, Michigan distribution (with range maps), geographic variation, habitat and habits, reproduction and growth, diet, predation and defense, interaction with humans, behavioral characteristics, population health, and general remarks. In Part 3, Holman examines the Michigan herpetofauna in Quaternary and recent historical times and the species accounts include Pleistocene, Holocene, and archaeological records. Color photographs of major herpetological habitats in Michigan are provided and color photographs of all modern species are included. Black-and-white illustrations depict both modern and ancient species. Herpetologists, paleontologists, zoologists, ecologists, and general biologists, as well as anyone who loves salamanders, frogs, turtles, and snakes will appreciate the comprehensive research presented in The Amphibians and Reptiles of Michigan.
The Atlas of Breeding Birds of Michigan
by
This comprehensive volume is based on a five-year survey conducted by the Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas project and the work of more than 1,000 volunteers. Information provided is drawn from a massive, 500,000-record database, which has become a foundation for monitoring bird populations documenting changes, protecting habitats, and preserving Michigan bird species.
Pigeon River Country: A Michigan Forest
by
The long awaited new edition of a classic offers memories, myths, and meanings of the largest contiguous piece of wild land in Michigan's Lower Peninsula. This updated edition explores more deeply why and how the outdoors moves and compels us. It's a book about mice who sing, elk who wear collars, deer who kiss, and birds who could dictate their compositions to Mozart. It's about the human species interacting in generous and sometimes misguided ways with the rest of life. It's about men trying to ripen pinecones into pineapples and women taking better aim with a revolver than expected. It's about poetry--from Mary Oliver, Lao Tzu, and Theodore Roethke--and seeing hawks dive in a night sky or feeling oil geologists shake the earth below. It's about finding fish dead in the river by the thousands and crouching behind a stump to watch beaver build a dwelling. While this book considers life beyond the boundaries of Pigeon River Country, it is steeped in the specifics of a place that lives mostly on its own, instead of human, terms. The Pigeon River Country is a remote northern forest, ecologically distinct from most of the United States. Laced with waterways, it has a storied past. Dale Clarke Franz has collected personal accounts from various people intrigued with the Pigeon River Country--including loggers, conservationists, mill workers, campers, even the young Ernest Hemingway, who said he loved the forest "better than anything in the world." There are comprehensive discussions of the area's flora and fauna, guides to trails and camping sites, and photos showcasing the changing face of this hidden national treasure.
Recovery of Gray Wolves in the Great Lakes Region of the United States: An Endangered Species Success Story
by
In this book, we document and evaluate the recovery of gray wolves (Canis lupus) in the Great Lakes region of the United States. The Great Lakes region is unique in that it was the only portion of the lower 48 states where wolves were never completely extirpated. This region also contains the area where many of the first modern concepts of wolf conservation and research where developed. Early proponents of wolf conservation such as Aldo Leopold, Sigurd Olson, and Durward Allen lived and worked in the region. The longest ongoing research on wolf-prey relations (see Vucetich and Peterson, Chap. 3) and the first use of radio telemetry for studying wolves (see Mech, Chap. 2) occurred in the Great Lakes region. The Great Lakes region is the first place in the United States where "Endangered" wolf populations recovered. All three states (Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan) developed ecologically and socially sound wolf conservation plans, and the federal government delisted the population of wolves in these states from the United States list of endangered and threatened species on March 12, 2007 (see Chap. 21). Wolf management reverted to the individual states at that time. Although this delisting has since been challenged, we believe that biological recovery of wolves has occurred and anticipate the delisting will be restored. This will be the first case of wolf conservation reverting from the federal government to the state conservation agencies in the United States.
Snakes and Lizards in Your Pocket
by
From the rare and docile massasauga, which relies on camouflage to remain unnoticed, to the more familiar bullsnake, which defends itself by hissing loudly and vibrating its tail from an S-shaped striking position, to the eastern racer, often seen crawling at more than three miles an hour during daytime, snakes are beautiful animals with habits both fascinating and beneficial to humans. Their relatives the lizards, most of which are more easily seen and identified, exhibit similarly fascinating behavior. This colorful addition to our series of laminated guides informs both amateur and professional herpetologists about twenty-seven species of snakes and six species of lizards in the Upper Midwest states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, South Dakota, North Dakota, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri. Terry VanDeWalle provides a complete description of each species, both adult and young, as well as distinguishing characteristics for thirty-two subspecies of snakes and two subspecies of lizards: length, color, head and neck patterns, scales, and so on. Also included is information about habitat preferences: forests, wet meadows, and sand prairies, for example. Most helpful for identifying snakes and lizards in the field are his comparisons of similar species and his comprehensive key. Superb photographs by Suzanne Collins of adult and, when needed for identification, young snakes and lizards make this guide the perfect companion for hikers in all kinds of environments whenever a snake ripples across your path or a lizard darts into the underbrush.
Wildflowers of Wisconsin and the Great Lakes Region : A Comprehensive Field Guide
by
Describing more than 1,100 species, this is a comprehensive guide to wildflowers in Wisconsin and parts of Minnesota, Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, and Ontario. A new introduction to this second edition discusses wildflowers in the context of their natural communities. Packed with detailed information, this field guide is compact enough to be handy for outdoors lovers of all kinds, from novice naturalists to professional botanists. It includes: * more than 1,100 species from 459 genera in 100 families * many rare and previously overlooked species * 2,100 color photographs and 300 drawings * Wisconsin distribution maps for almost all plants * brief descriptions including distinguishing characteristics of the species * Wisconsin status levels for each species of wildflower (native, invasive, endangered, etc.) * derivation of Latin names.
Circulating books may be checked out in 3 week intervals.
The Birds of Michigan
by
The Birds of Michigan is a major publishing event. It is the first popular, comprehensive survey of Michigan's birds in over forty years. Some of the state's leading ornithologist-naturalists have provided species accounts for more than 400 birds seen in the state. These accounts cover current status, distribution, history, habitat, seasonal occurrence, and general North American (or worldwide) breeding and wintering ranges. All of the authors incorporate field observations from Michigan. The 200 species which nest in the state are depicted in 115 full-page color paintings produced especially for this volume by five of Michigan's best-known wildlife artists.
Butterflies of the Great Lakes Region
by
The Butterflies of the Great Lakes is the first of its kind to present an overall picture of the biology of butterflies inhabiting the Great Lakes region. The straightforward approach and clear writing style make this book very understandable to the educated lay public as well as stimulating to professional biologists. Includes: An introductory section about the important geographic features of the Great Lakes region The climate factors that have affected the butterfly fauna and their distribution within the region since the retreat of the glaciers 10,000 years ago Descriptions of ancient environments and habitats of the Great Lakes Line drawings and award-winning color photographs of butterflies under natural field conditions The most recent information concerning each species' taxonomy, identification, adult food sources, adult habitat, behavior, and ecology A complete life history and description of typical larval host plants used by each species A section on the important practice of collecting, preserving, and conserving butterflies Extended reference section and glossary complete the book Matthew M. Douglas is Senior Adjunct Research Scientist, Snow Entomological Museum, University of Kansas; Department Head, Biology at Grand Rapids Community College in Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Visiting Professor in the Department of Entomology at Michigan State University. He is the author of The Lives of Butterflies. Jonathan M. Douglas holds a BS from the University of Chicago.
The Forests of Michigan
by
No book currently on bookstore shelves explores, as The Forests of Michigan does, the natural history, ecology, management, economic importance, and use of the rich and varied forests that cover about half of the state's 36.3 million acres. The authors look at the forests, where they are, how they got to be, and their present-day usage, using the story of Michigan forests as a backdrop for the state's history, including its archaeology. The Forests of Michigan explores how the forests came back after the great Wisconsin glacier began to recede over 12,000 years ago, and how they recovered from the onslaught of unrestrained logging and wildfire that, beginning in the mid-1800s, virtually wiped them out. The emphasis of the book is on sustaining for the long term the forests of the state, with a view of sustainability that builds not only upon the lessons learned from native peoples' attitude and use of trees but also on the latest scientific principles of forest ecology and management. Generously illustrated and written in an engaging style, The Forests of Michigan sees the forest and the trees, offering both education and delight. "As forest scientists," the authors note, "we opted for a hearty serving of meat and potatoes; anyone who reads this book with the intention of learning something will not be disappointed. Nonetheless, we do include some anecdotal desserts, too." Donald I. Dickmann is Professor of Forestry at Michigan State University and holds a doctorate from the University of Wisconsin. He is the author of The Culture of Poplars. Larry A. Leefers is Associate Professor in the Department of Forestry at Michigan State University. He holds a doctorate from Michigan State University.
Guide to Great Lakes Coastal Plants
by
The coastal beaches of the Great Lakes are some of the most outstanding features of this vast chain of freshwater lakes. Many plants of this region grow nowhere else, and a number of protected species are found along the shoreline. In Guide to Great Lakes Coastal Plants Ellen Elliott Weatherbee provides simple yet authoritative descriptions of sixty-seven of the most interesting plants found on the United States and Canadian shores. Each plant is illustrated with color photographs and line drawings for ease in identification. Wildlife and ethnobotanical uses add fascinating information about the plants, and distribution maps are included for easy reference. This is a must-have field guide for anyone who enjoys the natural beauty of wildflowers.
A Guide to Michigan's Endangered Wildlife
by
A descriptive profile of Michigan's threatened and endangered wildlife.
Insects of the Great Lakes Region
by
The insects are the world's most amazing animals and comprise over eighty-five percent of the known animal species. Insects of the Great Lakes Region is the first comprehensive guide to document the rich and diverse insect fauna of the Great Lakes region. In Insects of the Great Lakes Region, educators, insect enthusiasts, and the general public will find high-quality, well-presented, easy-to-understand information with over 250 illustrations of the insects found in yards, gardens, fields, and forests. Among the topics discussed are the geological, biological, and entomological history of the Great Lakes region, the distributional patterns of insects in the Great Lakes region, and insect classification and identification. Appendixes guide the reader to entomological organizations, entomological periodicals, public insect collections, regulations on collecting insects from public lands in the Great Lakes region, as well as rare, threatened, and endangered insects. This guide shows the amateur entomologist everything he needs to know, from where to collect milkweed bugs to how often to feed his pet tarantula. Gary Dunn is Executive Director and Editor, Young Entomologists' Society, Inc., International Headquarters, Lansing, Michigan.
Mammals of the Great Lakes Region
by
Revised and expanded edition of the classic Mammals of the Great Lakes Region.
Michigan Flora
by
A guide to the identification of plants and flowers in Michigan, with photographs.
Roadside Guide to Michigan Plants, Trees, and Flowers
by
Roadside Guide to Michigan Plants, Trees, and Flowers guides curious nature lovers into a blending of ecology and plant identification through vivid photography and sketches. The author's unique approach to organizing plants according to their succession provides a refreshing way to understand our natural world.
