708 Northeastern Naturalist Vol. 19, No. 4 Nature’s Compass: The Mystery of Animal Navigation. James L. Gould and Carol Grant Gould. 2012. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 320 pp. $29.95, hardcover. ISBN 9780691140452. We know that animals cross miles of water, land, and sky with pinpoint precision on a daily basis. But it is only in recent years that scientists have learned how these astounding feats of navigation are actually accomplished. With colorful and thorough detail, Nature’s Compass explores the remarkable methods by which animals find their way both near home and around the globe. Noted biologist James Gould and popular science writer Carol Gould delve into the elegant strategies and fail-safe backup systems, the invisible sensitivities and mysterious forces, and the incredible mental abilities used by familiar and rare species, as they investigate a multitude of navigation strategies, from the simple to the astonishing. The Goulds discuss how animals navigate, without instruments and training, at a level far beyond human talents. They explain how animals measure time and show how the fragile Monarch Butterfly employs an internal clock, calendar, compass, and map to commence and measure the two-thousand-mile annual journey to Mexico—all with a brain that weighs only a few thousandths of an ounce. They look at Honey Bees and how they rely on the sun and mental maps to locate landmarks such as nests and flowers. And they examine whether long-distance migrants, such as the Homing Pigeon, depend on a global positioning system to let them know where they are. Ultimately, the authors ask if the disruption of migratory paths through habitat destruction and global warming is affecting and endangering animal species. Providing a comprehensive picture of animal navigation and migration, Nature’s Compass decodes the mysteries of this extraordinary aspect of natural behavior. The Angler in the Environment: Social, Economic, Biological, and Ethical Dimensions. T. Douglas Beard, Robert Arlinghaus, and Stephen G. Sutton (Editors). 2011. American Fisheries Society, Bethesda, MD. 365 pp. $79, softcover. ISBN 978193487240. Based on papers presented at the 5th World Recreational Fishing Conference, this timely book focuses on the interactions between recreational an- 708 glers and the aquatic environment. Among the many emerging issues covered in the book are the consequences of various fishing rights for sustainable recreational fisheries; partnership approaches among the recreational fishing industry, managers, and researchers for solving sustainability challenges; biological impacts of recreational fisheries; the ethics of the sport; and innovative survey methods for assessing recreational fisheries. This volume will appeal to anyone interested in recreational fisheries management and policy. Aquatic Food Webs: An Ecosystem Approach. Andrea Belgrano, Ursula M. Scharler, Jennifer Dunne, and Robert E. Ulanowicz (Editors). 2005. Oxford University Press, New York, NY. 272 pp. $99, softcover. ISBN 9780198564836. This volume provides a current synthesis of theoretical and empirical food web research. Whether they are binary systems or weighted networks, food webs are of particular interest to ecologists in providing a macroscopic view of ecosystems. They describe interactions between species and their environment, and subsequent advances in the understanding of their structure, function, and dynamics are of vital importance to ecosystem management and conservation. Aquatic Food Webs provides a synthesis of the current issues in food web theory and its applications, covering issues of structure, function, scaling, complexity, and stability in the contexts of conservation, fisheries, and climate. Although the focus of this volume is upon aquatic food webs (where many of the recent advances have been made), any ecologist with an interest in food web theory and its applications will find the issues addressed in this book of value and use. This advanced textbook is suitable for graduate level students as well as professional researchers in community, ecosystem, and theoretical ecology, in aquatic ecology, and in conservation biology. The Biology of Lakes and Ponds. Second Edition. Christer Brönmark and Lars-Anders Hansson. 2005. Oxford University Press, New York, NY. 596 pp. $70, softcover. ISBN 9780198516132. This concise yet comprehensive introduction to the biology of standing waters (lakes and ponds) combines traditional limnology with current ecological and evolutionary theory. It integrates the effects of abiotic Noteworthy Books Received by the Northeastern Naturalist, Issue 19/4, 2012 2012 Noteworthy Books 709 constraints and biotic interactions at both the population and community level, allowing the reader to understand how the distribution and success of different organisms in this freshwater habitat can be explained and predicted. The book is focused on temperate lakes and ponds, drawing on examples from polar and tropical systems to provide a broader context. The Biology of Lakes and Ponds, now in its second edition, will be a valuable text for university courses. However, its lucid explanations and descriptions of adaptation, dominance, dispersal, and succession of organisms, as well as the effects of abiotic factors, predation, and competition, ensure its relevance and use to a broad audience of biologists and naturalists with an interest in freshwater ecology. The Kingdom Fungi: The Biology of Mushrooms, Molds, and Lichens. Steven L. Stephenson. 2010. Timber Press, Portland, OR. 328 pp. $34.95, hardcover. ISBN 9780881928914. The ubiquitous fungi are little known and vastly underappreciated. Yet without them we wouldn’t have bread, alcohol, cheese, tofu, or the unique flavors of mushrooms, morels, and truffles. We can’t survive without fungi. The Kingdom Fungi provides a comprehensive look at the biology, structure, and morphological diversity of these necessary organisms. It sheds light on their ecologically important roles in nature, their fascinating relationships with people, plants, and animals, and their practical applications in the manufacture of food, beverages, and pharmaceuticals. The book includes information about “true” fungi, fungus-like creatures (slime molds and water molds), and a group of “composite” organisms (lichens) that are more than just fungi. Particular attention is given to examples of fungi that might be found in the home and encountered in nature. The Kingdom Fungi is a useful introductory text for naturalists, mycologists, and anyone who wants to become more familiar with, and more appreciative of, the fascinating world of fungi. The Mating Lives of Birds. James Parry. 2012. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. 160 pp. $29.95, hardcover. ISBN 9780262018319. Birdsong may seem to us to be the purest expression of joy, but in fact when a male bird bursts into melodious song, he is warning off other males and advertising his availability to females. He may also engage in spectacular displays of plumage, dance-like movements, or even acrobatics (treebased or aerial)—all as part of courtship. The female, meanwhile, assesses his vocalization, plumage, and territory before accepting him as a mate. The Mating Lives of Birds offers an engaging and lavishly illustrated account of this most captivating phenomenon in the natural world: bird courtship and display. It explains how birds’ reproduction strategies have evolved, and describes bird monogamy, polygamy, polyandry, promiscuity, and communal living arrangements. It shows us dancing cranes, somersaulting hummingbirds, drumming ducks, and the outrageously extravagant plumage of birds of paradise. It describes group territorial displays, jousting males, and phalarope role reversal (with the female sporting brighter plumage)—not to mention elaborate nest decoration and the presentation of food offerings. The book’s fascinating account of the mating behavior of bird species from around the world is illustrated by 140 vividly detailed color images. Birdwatchers will find The Mating Lives of Birds to be an essential addition to their libraries. The Man Who Saved the Whooping Crane: The Robert Porter Allen Story. Kathleen Kaska. 2012. University Press of Florida, Gainesville, FL. 256 pp. $26.95, hardcover. ISBN 9780813040240. Millions of people know a little bit about efforts to save the Whooping Crane, thanks to the movie “Fly Away Home” and annual news stories about ultralight planes leading migratory flocks. But few realize that in the spring of 1941, the population of these magnificent birds—pure white with black wingtips, standing five feet tall with a seven-foot wingspan-- had reached an all-time low of fifteen. Written off as a species destined for extinction, the Whooping Crane has made a slow but unbelievable comeback over the last seven decades. This recovery would have been impossible if not for the efforts of Robert Porter Allen, an ornithologist with the National Audubon Society, whose courageous eight-year crusade to find the only remaining Whooping Crane nesting site in North America garnered nationwide media coverage. His search and his impassioned lectures about overdevelopment, habitat loss, and unregulated hunting triggered a media blitz that had thousands of citizens on the lookout for the birds during their migratory trips. Allen’s tireless efforts changed the course of US environmental history and helped lead to the passage of the Endangered Species Act in 1973. Though few people remember him today, his life 710 Northeastern Naturalist Vol. 19, No. 4 reads like an Indiana Jones story, full of danger and adventure, failure and success. His amazing story deserves to be told. Tidal Marsh Restoration: A Synthesis of Science and Management. Charles T. Roman and David M. Burdick (Editors). 2012. Island Press, Gainesville, FL. 432 pp. $50, softcover. ISBN 9781597265768. Many coastal tidal marshes have been significantly degraded by roadways and other projects that restrict tidal flows, limiting their ability to provide vital ecosystem services including support of fish and wildlife populations, flood protection, water quality maintenance, and open space. Tidal Marsh Restoration provides the scientific foundation and practical guidance necessary for coastal zone stewards to initiate salt marsh tidal restoration programs. The book compiles, synthesizes, and interprets the current state of knowledge on the science and practice of salt marsh restoration, bringing together leaders across a range of disciplines in the sciences (hydrology, soils, vegetation, zoology), engineering (hydraulics, modeling), and public policy, with coastal managers who offer an abundance of practical insight and guidance on the development of programs. The work presents in-depth information from New England and Atlantic Canada, where the practice of restoring tidal flow to salt marshes has been ongoing for decades, and shows how that experience can inform restoration efforts around the world. Students and researchers involved in restoration science will find the technical syntheses, presentation of new concepts, and identification of research needs to be especially useful as they formulate research and monitoring questions, and interpret research findings. Tidal Marsh Restoration is an essential work for managers, planners, regulators, environmental and engineering consultants, and others engaged in planning, designing, and implementing projects or programs aimed at restoring tidal flow to tide-restricted or diked salt marshes. Hawks in Flight, Second Edition. Pete Dunne, David Sibley, and Clay Sutton. 2012. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, MA. 352 pp. $26, hardcover. ISBN 9780395709597. Among the world’s most popular birds, hawks can be some of the most difficult birds to identify. They're most often seen flying high above and at a distance. In the first edition of Hawks in Flight, Pete Dunne, David Sibley, and Clay Sutton presented a holistic method of hawk identification, using general body shape, the way they move, and the places they are most likely to be seen. The new edition of the book that Roger Tory Peterson called a “landmark” integrates an array of carefully selected photographs, David Sibley’s superb illustrations, and a clear, information-packed text and takes raptor identification to a higher level. This edition covers all of the raptors that breed in North America, including those with limited ranges in Florida, the Southwest, and Texas. Picking up where its predecessor ended by including two decades of raptor identification refinement, Hawks in Flight summarizes and places in users’ hands an identification skill set that used to take years to master. The unique alchemy of Dunne, Sibley, and Sutton—including their collective experience of more than one hundred years watching hawks—make this book a singular achievement and a must-have for anyone interested in hawks. Owls. Marianne Taylor. 2012. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY. 224 pp. $35, hardcover. ISBN 9780801451812. From tiny Elf and Pygmy Owls through the familiar Tawny and Barn Owls to the giant Eagle and Fish Owls, these fierce hunters of dawn, dusk, and night have long held a fascination for people around the world. This informative book, covering all owl species found in the northern hemisphere, looks closely at how owls live their lives, and how best to recognize them. The first part of the book looks in detail at general owl biology: what distinguishes owls from other birds, where they live, how they live, how they breed, and how they feed, as well as the relationship of owls and humans, including the current threats to species survival and conservation efforts. The second part includes species accounts for all 47 species of owls that occur in the northern hemisphere, with emphasis on those of Europe and North America. These detailed accounts provide ample information on each species’ range, evolution and relationships, geographical variation, breeding behavior, life history, movements and migration, calls, habitat, hunting/ foraging behavior, diet, physical description, and conservation status. The large-format book is richly illustrated with sensational, full-color photographs of these compelling birds. Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in Pennsylvania. Andrew M. Wilson, Daniel W. Brauning, and Robert S. Mulvihill (Editors). 2012. Penn State University Press, University Park, PA. 612 2012 Noteworthy Books 711 The Northeastern Naturalist welcomes submissions of review copies of books that publishers or authors would like to recommend to the journal’s readership and are relevant to the journal’s mission of publishing information about the natural history of the northeastern US. Accompanying short, descriptive summaries of the text are also welcome. pp. $64.95, hardcover. ISBN 9780271056302. Twenty years after the first Atlas of Breeding Birds in Pennsylvania was published, the Second Atlas of Breeding Birds in Pennsylvania brings our knowledge of the state’s bird populations up to date, documenting current distribution and changes in status for nearly two hundred bird species. More than two thousand dedicated birdwatchers completed surveys of birds across the state from 2004 to 2009. The data amassed reveal the distribution of each species and show changes in distribution since the publication of the first Atlas. Additionally, a highly trained survey crew carried out bird counts at more than 34,000 locations statewide. These counts tabulated not just species but individual birds as well, in a manner that—for the very first time—enabled precise estimates of the actual statewide populations for more than half of the 190 breeding species detected. In all, more than 1.5 million sightings were compiled for the second Atlas, providing an unprecedented snapshot of the bird life of Pennsylvania—and perhaps of any comparably sized region in the world. The introductory chapters to the second Atlas describe and discuss recent changes in climate and bird habitats within Pennsylvania. The data gathered and summarized for this volume were used by the more than forty contributing authors to write comprehensive and authoritative accounts of each species. These accounts are illustrated by stunning photographs, usually taken somewhere within the state. Up to three maps per species show in fine detail their current distribution based on the second Atlas, changes in distribution since the first Atlas, and, for more than one hundred species, their abundance in Pennsylvania.