The book “Biodiversity of Wetlands and Forests: A Nature Trail” focuses on biodiversity of wetlands and forests with special emphasis on field observations of plants, reptiles, birds and mammals recorded by the author in various geographical provinces of Gujarat, India. It highlights the need of biodiversity conservation, causes and concerns, exploitation of biodiversity, habitat destruction, interaction of man and technology with biodiversity, policy framework for biodiversity conservation, and wilderness and forests. Moreover, it summarizes a review on birds with special emphasis on geographical and ecological distribution of avifauna of north-western India, birds in ancient times with myths and motifs, an integral association of trees and birds, birds migration, magnetic orientation of birds, and mythological beliefs about birds. The present book covers exhaustive information on wetlands for tourism, important wetlands of national importance, wise use, characteristics and prime importance of wetlands as enduring habitats, and threats to viable wetlands. It emphasizes significant wetlands as abode for avifauna, wetlands as bird habitats, significant factors for survival of wetland birds, importance of wetlands for birds’ population, influence of wetlands on waterfowl population, wetland loss and decline of bird diversity, threats to avian habitats, and conservation and management strategies for potential avian ecosystems and legal policy framework for sustainability of waterbirds. The book is written in articulate manner citing notable sightings of some unique floral and faunal elements in the forested pockets. It encompasses archetypal records of plants, animals and birds along with their distinctive occurrence, feeding patterns, conservation, and management of threatened biodiversity, and many more. It describes some remarkable, noteworthy and astonishing sightings of species inhabiting in potential niches, habitats and ecosystems of Western India. Here, the author has shared his incidental as well as subsisting experiences in amazing habitats amidst the nature trails of forested patches and thickets. This book will undoubtedly enrich and enhance the knowledge and awareness of naturalists in the field. This book is a blend of two previously published books by the same author (Hiren B. Soni, Ph.D.) viz. ‘Biodiversity, Birds and Wetlands’, and ‘Biodiversity and Birds: A Field Journey’. This book is published to be handy and helpful to every reader and amateur of the world. Author believes that it would surely be a ready-reference for every researcher as well as nature lover in each and every corner of the world.

Originally published in 1998, Southern Forested Wetlands is an up to date, one source compendium of current knowledge on the wetland ecology of America’s southern forests. This book presents both the ecological and management aspects of these important ecosystems. The book was compiled by members of the Consortium for Research on southern forested wetlands, and was a collaboration of those working to conserve, study, and manage these economically and environmentally influential areas. The book covers geographic ranges from West Virginia to Florida, to Texas and inland north to Arkansas and Tennessee. It also addresses specific wetland types, including deep-water swamps, major and minor alluvial flood plains, pocosins and Carolina bays, mountain fens, pond cypress swamps, flatwoods wetlands, and mangroves.

Lakes are among the most extensive freshwater aquatic ecosystems in the world. Their evolution results from the interactions of numerous natural and anthropogenic factors. This book includes 12 chapters and presents case studies on the impacts of changes and tectonic movements on the evolution of lake water levels (Section 1), the interactions between anthropogenic activities and the physicochemical characteristics of lakes (Section 2), and the limnological characteristics and their interactions with other components of the environment (Section 3).

Authored by world-class scientists and scholars, The Handbook of Natural Resources, Second Edition, is an excellent reference for understanding the consequences of changing natural resources to the degradation of ecological integrity and the sustainability of life. Based on the content of the bestselling and CHOICE-awarded Encyclopedia of Natural Resources, this new edition demonstrates the major challenges that the society is facing for the sustainability of all well-being on the planet Earth. The experience, evidence, methods, and models used in studying natural resources are presented in six stand-alone volumes, arranged along the main systems of land, water, and air. It reviews state-of-the-art knowledge, highlights advances made in different areas, and provides guidance for the appropriate use of remote sensing and geospatial data with field-based measurements in the study of natural resources. Volume 3, Wetlands and Habitats, provides fundamental information on wetlands and their integral functions as a productive ecosystem. The topics it covers include wetlands biodiversity, wetlands classification and monitoring, floods, river ecosystems, pollution, and more. New to this edition are discussions on wetland vegetation, assessment of current wetland health status, restoration, sea-level rises and coastal storm, vulnerability to human impacts, and lakes and wetlands remote sensing. This volume demonstrates the key processes, methods, and models used through many case studies from around the world. Written in an easy-to-reference manner, The Handbook of Natural Resources, Second Edition, as individual volumes or as a complete set, is an essential reading for anyone looking for a deeper understanding of the science and management of natural resources. Public and private libraries, educational and research institutions, scientists, scholars, and resource managers will benefit enormously from this set. Individual volumes and chapters can also be used in a wide variety of both graduate and undergraduate courses in environmental science and natural science at different levels and disciplines, such as biology, geography, earth system science, and ecology.

Owls are birds from the order Strigiformes, which includes over 200 species of mostly solitary and nocturnal birds of prey typified by an upright stance, a large, broad head, binocular vision, binaural hearing, sharp talons, and feathers adapted for silent flight. Exceptions include the diurnal northern hawk-owl and the gregarious burrowing owl. Owls hunt mostly small mammals, insects, and other birds, although a few species specialize in hunting fish. They are found in all regions of the Earth except polar ice caps and some remote islands. Owls are divided into two families: the true (or typical) owl family, Strigidae, and the barn-owl family, Tytonidae. Throughout human history, owls have variously symbolized dread, knowledge, wisdom, death, and religious beliefs in a spirit world. In most Western cultures, views of owls have changed drastically over time. Owls can serve simultaneously as indicators of scarce native habitats and of local cultural and religious beliefs. Understanding historical and current ways in which owls are viewed, and not imposing Western views on other cultures, is an important and necessary context for crafting owl conservation approaches palatable to local peoples. The Book Owl: The Mysterious Bird is a systematic compilation of authentic and standard literature published by renowned ornithologists, professionals, amateurs and hobbyists of the world in the field of ornithology and wildlife biology. It also covers author’s (HBS) personal observations and published research work in the wild terrains of Gujarat (India) during his research exposure of 24 years as an Ornithologist and Wildlife Biologist. The present book highlights the remarkable key-points and noteworthy information about owls in terms of introductory notes on anatomy, sexual dimorphism, adaptations for hunting, flight and feathers, vision, hearing, talons, beak, camouflage behavior, breeding and reproduction, evolution and systematics, food and hunting, pellets, eyes, plumage, feet, breeding, calls, holistic information about owls (e.g. food and hunting, pellets, eyes, plumage, feet, breeding, calls), symbolisms about owls (African cultures, ancient European and modern Western culture, Asia, Hinduism, native American cultures), motifs and mythology, markers of gods, knowledge, wisdom, and fertility, owls in lore and culture, owls in tribal folklores, owls in mythology and culture, owls in Greek and roman mythology, owls in English folklore, owls in American Indian culture, owl mythology: a global perspective, human impacts on owls, individual impacts, toxicological impacts on owls, agricultural impacts on owls, impacts of habitat alteration on owls, legal protection to owls, owls as environmental indicators, towards a tolerant conservation, rodent control, attacks on humans, and conservation issues. The author has also acknowledged all the researchers, scientists, authors, website developers, NGOS, URLs, and direct or indirect informers in the form of ‘Citations’ in the section ‘Selected Bibliography’. This book will definitely be a ready reference material and handy study guide for students, researchers, scientists, folklore specialists, and bird conservationists around the world. The author renders his immense gratitude and enormous thankfulness to all the informants, who have helped him directly or indirectly during the compilation of this work.

`This work is a very comprehensive and multidisciplinary study of Indian wetlands.... This is a valuable book for scholars and students in the field of environment, ecology, development, biology, geography, economics and anthropology... it is an invaluable resource for policy makers, environmentalists, industrialists and NGO's' - International Journal of Environmental Studies Wetlands are among the most productive and biologically rich ecosystems on earth, yet their management has been gradually neglected. This has endangered the livelihoods and survival of the people depending upon these wetlands. This is the first book that studies the protection and management of wetlands from a multidisciplinary angle by India's premier ecologists.