Northeastern Naturalist B1 Noteworthy Books 2018 Vol. 25, No. 4 Woody Plants of the Northern Forest: A Photographic Guide. April 2018. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY. 64 pp. $16.95, softcover. ISBN 9781501719684. The Northern Forest Region is, collectively, one of the largest and most continuous temperate forests left in the world and, like much of the biosphere, it is at risk. This guide is an essential companion for those interested in stewardship and conservation of the region. Through multi-image composite photos that allow for unparalleled depth and clarity, this unique guide illustrates the majority of the 265 species of woody plants present in the forest and its associated communities. With a visual glossary, 19 quick guides, and 5 systematic sections, this book is intended as a quick reference for the rapid identification of twigs and leaves. It is an invaluable tool for foresters and an excellent teaching guide for all ages. Eastern Alpine Guide: Natural History and Conservation of Mountain Tundra East of the Rockies. Mike Jones and Liz Willey (Eds.). 2018. University Press of New England, Lebanon, NH. 360 pp. $35.00, Softcover. ISBN 9781512603026. This unique book celebrates and documents the incredible and colorful biodiversity of the mountain landscapes of eastern North America, covering all of the major alpine ecosystems in New England, New York, Québec, Newfoundland, and Labrador. Twenty scientists, explorers, naturalists, and land managers from the United States and Canada have collaborated to create this definitive and beautiful account of the flora and fauna of the eastern alpine tundra. Mike Jones, currently the Massachusetts state herpetologist, has studied rare plants and animals in Québec, New England, and beyond. Liz Wiley has worked in the mountains of New England for the Appalachian Mountain Club, the US Geological Survey, and Mount Washington Observatory. Birding the Hudson Valley. Kathryn J. Schneider. 2018. University Press of New England, Lebanon, NH. 352 pp. $29.95. Paperback. ISBN 9781611687187. Although an estimated 400,000 Hudson Valley residents feed, observe, or photograph birds, the vast majority of New Yorkers enjoy their birdwatching activities mostly around the home. Kathryn J. Schneider’s engaging site guide provides encouragement for bird enthusiasts to expand their horizons. More than just a collection of bird-finding tips, this book explores Hudson Valley history, ecology, bird biology, and tourism. It describes sites in every county in the region, including farms, grasslands, old fields, wetlands, orchards, city parks, rocky summits, forests, rivers, lakes, and salt marshes. Designed for birders of all levels of skill and interest, this beautifully illustrated book contains explicit directions to more than 80 locations, as well as useful species accounts and hints for finding the valley’s most sought-after birds. Squid Empire: The Rise and Fall of the Cephalopods. Danna Staaf. 2017. ForeEdge, Lebanon, NH. 256 pp. $27.95, hardcover. ISBN 9781611689235. Before there were mammals on land, there were dinosaurs. And before there were fish in the sea, there were cephalopods— the ancestors of modern squid and Earth’s first truly substantial animals. Cephalopods became the first creatures to rise from the seafloor. With dozens of tentacles and formidable shells, they presided over an undersea empire for millions of years. But when fish evolved jaws, these top predators became its most delicious snack. To step up their game Cephalopods streamlined their shells and added defensive spines. These enhancements only provided a brief advantage. So some abandoned the shell entirely, leading to a flood of evolutionary innovations: masterful camouflage, fin-supplemented jet propulsion, perhaps even dolphin-like intelligence. Squid Empire is an epic adventure spanning hundreds of millions of years. Anyone who enjoys the undersea world—along with all those obsessed with things prehistoric—will be interested in the sometimes enormous, often bizarre creatures that ruled the seas long before the first dinosaurs. Ecosystem-Based Management in Practice. Julia Marie Wondolleck and Steven Lewis Yaffee. 2017. Island Press, Washington, DC. 279 pp. $20.14, softcover. ISBN 9781610917995. Offers new insights for collaborative approaches in marine conservation management. Drawing from 10 keystone case studies, The authors offer carefully researched, practical advice along with 5 different pathways for collaborating successfully from community to multinational levels. This book offers a hopeful message to policy makers, managers, practitioners, and students who will find this an indispensable guide to field-tested, replicable marine conservation management practices that work. Noteworthy Books Received by the Northeastern Naturalist, Issue 25/4, 2018 Northeastern Naturalist Noteworthy Books 2018 Vol. 25, No. 4 B2 Sedges and Rushes of Minnesota: The Complete Guide to Species Identification. Welby R. Smith. 2018. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, MN. 696 pp. $39.95, softcover. ISBN 9781517902759. When most of us encounter a sea of what seem like grasses, we don’t know if we’re looking at a bog or a fen, a swamp or a marsh, or a meadow. What we’re seeing probably aren’t even grasses. They are sedges and rushes, which frequently make up the majority of plants in a wetland—and they can tell us, by their presence and pattern of occurrence, what kind of wetland it is. Quick to respond to changes in habitat, they are good indicators of ecological conditions. As significant as they are in the natural environment, sedges and rushes are also simply beautiful—noteworthy features in a garden and in the wild. With its finely detailed photographs and descriptions, Sedges and Rushes of Minnesota enables quick and reliable identification of these often difficult-to-distinguish species. As an in-depth introduction or a handy field guide, the book is the first complete, comprehensive reference on these important plants of Minnesota, an invaluable resource for specialists, naturalists, and wild-plant lovers. A Field Guide to the Natural World of the Twin Cities. John J. Moriarty. 2018. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, MN. 432 pp. $29.95, softcover. ISBN 9781517905491. Three million humans who call the Twin Cities and environs home share these 3000 square miles with myriad animals and plants. While most of the region’s wildlife has lost its original habitat to agriculture and urban development, a significant patchwork of native and restored habitat remains—prairies, woods, and wetlands, along with pockets in the parks and open spaces throughout the cities and suburbs. This easy-touse guide gives novice and long-time naturalists alike the tools to find and explore these natural places in the metropolitan Twin Cities. John J. Moriarty is a congenial expert on the remarkable diversity of plants and animals in the region’s habitats, from prairies and savannas to woods and wetlands, and urban and suburban spots. Featuring Siah L. St. Clair’s remarkable photographs, maps, and commentary on natural history, this field guide invites readers to investigate the Twin Cities’ wildlife. Here are Snapping Turtles, Otters, and Cooper’s Hawks, the Wild Lupines, White Water-lilies, and sprawling White Oaks, among hundreds of species found in the wild, the park, or even the backyard. Force of Nature: George Fell, Founder of the Natural Areas Movement. Arthur Melville Pearson. 2017. The University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, WI. 216 pp. $26.95, softcover. ISBN 9780299312305. Efforts to preserve wild places in the United States began with the allure of scenic grandeur: Yosemite, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon. But what about the many significant natural sites too small or fragile to qualify as state or federal parks? George Fell was determined to save these places, too—prairie remnants, upland forests, sedge meadows and fens, ocean beaches, desert canyons, mountain creeks, bogs, caves and gorges, and the full spectrum of other habitats essential to biological diversity. Force of Nature reveals how a failed civil servant, with few assets apart from his tenacity and vision, initiated the natural areas movement. In the boom years following World War II, as undeveloped lands were being mined, drained, or bulldozed, Fell transformed a loose band of ecologists into The Nature Conservancy, drove the passage of the influential Illinois Nature Preserves Act, and helped spark allied local and national conservation organizations in the United States and beyond. A Lakeside Companion. Ted J. Rulseh. 2018. The University of Wisconsin Press, Madison, WI. 224 pp. $22.95, hardcover. ISBN 9780299320003. Why do fish jump? Why don't lakes freeze all the way down to the bottom? Which lake plants are invasive? What are those water bugs? Is that lake healthy? Whether you fish, paddle, swim, snowshoe, skate, ski, or just gaze upon your favorite lake, A Lakeside Companion will deepen your appreciation for the forces that shape lakes and the teeming life in and around them. You'll discover the interconnected worlds of a lake: the water; the sand, gravel, rocks, and muck of the bottom; the surface of the lake; the air above; and the shoreline, a belt of land incredibly rich in flora and fauna. Explained, too, are the physical, biological, and chemical processes that determine how many and what kinds of fish live in the lake, which plants grow there, the color and clarity of the water, how ice forms in winter and melts in spring, and much more. Useful advice will help you look out for your lake and advocate for its protection. Northeastern Naturalist B3 Noteworthy Books 2018 Vol. 25, No. 4 High and Dry: Meeting the Challenges of the World's Growing Dependence on Groundwater. William M. Alley and Rosemarie Alley. 2017. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. 304 pp. $30.00, Hardcover. ISBN 9780300220384. Groundwater is essential for drinking water and food security. It provides enormous environmental benefits by keeping streams and rivers flowing. But a growing global population, widespread use of industrial chemicals, and climate change threaten this vital resource. Groundwater depletion and contamination has spread from isolated areas to many countries throughout the world. In this accessible and timely book, hydrology expert William M. Alley and science writer Rosemarie Alley sound the call to protect groundwater. Drawing on examples from around the world, including case studies in the United States, Canada, Australia, India, and Sub-Saharan Africa, the authors examine groundwater from key scientific and socioeconomic perspectives. While addressing the serious nature of groundwater problems, the book includes stories of people who are making a difference in protecting this critical resource. A Field Guide to Long Island Sound: Coastal Habitats, Plant Life, Fish, Seabirds, Marine Mammals, and Other Wildlife. Patrick J. Lynch. 2017. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. 416 pp. $27.50, softcover. ISBN 9780300220353. Long Island Sound consists of a diverse collection of unique marine, estuarine, and terrestrial ecosystems located in one of the most densely populated regions in the United States. The Sound and its coastlines are home not only to myriad species of plants and animals— from shorebirds and turtles to whales, seals, and fish—but also to more than twenty million people. Until now there has been no one-stop reference for those interested in exploring the Sound’s rich natural history. Author, photographer, and scientific illustrator Patrick Lynch has filled this gap. Brimming with maps, photographs, and drawings, Lynch’s guide introduces readers to the full breadth of the Sound’s environs from shorelines to deepest waters. With coastal areas at particular risk from climate change and pollution, his timing couldn’t be better. Whether readers are interested in the area’s geology and meteorology, its history of human intervention, or simply locating nature reserves and bird sanctuaries, they’re sure to find Lynch’s compendium indispensable. The Aliens Among Us: How Invasive Species are Transforming the Planet—and Ourselves. Leslie Anthony. 2017. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. 400 pp. $30.00, hardcover. ISBN 780300208900. From an award-winning adventure and science journalist comes an eyeopening exploration of a burgeoning environmental phenomenon and the science coalescing around it. Leslie Anthony leads readers on adventures physical and philosophical as he explores how and why invasive species are hijacking ecosystems around the globe. Weaving science, travel, history, and humor with diverse examples to chart and describe the phases of species invasion and human response, Anthony introduces field researchers and managers to the biological, social, and economic aspects of this complex issue. His work collectively suggests the emergence of a global shadow economy centered on invasives. With tales of pythons in the Everglades, Asian Carp and Lamprey in the Great Lakes, Japanese Knotweed seemingly everywhere, and the invasive organisms we don’t see—pathogens and microbes such as the Zika virus—this book rivets attention on a new ecological reality. The Empire of the Eagle: An Illustrated Natural History. Mike Unwin and David Tipling. 2018. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. 288 pp. $40.00, Hardcover. ISBN 9780300232899. Eagles hold a unique allure among birds for their combination of power, grace, and predatory prowess. Captivating the human imagination, these raptors have symbolized pride, freedom, and independence of spirit since humankind’s earliest times. This book, unlike any previous volume, encompasses each of the world’s 68 currently recognized eagle species, from the huge Steller’s Sea Eagle that soars above Japan’s winter ice floes to the diminutive Little Eagle that hunts over the Australian outback. Mike Unwin’s vivid and authoritative descriptions combined with stunning photographs taken or curated by David Tipling deliver a fascinating and aweinspiring volume. Featuring chapters organized by habitat, the book investigates the lifestyle and unique adaptations of each eagle species, as well as the significance of eagles in world cultures and the threats they face from humans. A gorgeous appreciation of eagles, this book will dazzle both eye and imagination. World Seas: An Environmental Evaluation. Second Edition. Volume III: Ecological Issues Northeastern Naturalist Noteworthy Books 2018 Vol. 25, No. 4 B4 and Environmental Impacts. Charles Sheppard.. 2018. Academic Press, London, UK. 666 pp. $221.25, softcover. ISBN 9780128050521. This book is an invaluable, worldwide reference source for students and researchers concerned with marine environmental science, fisheries, oceanography, marine engineering, and coastal zone development. It addresses global issues relating to our seas, including a biological description of the coast and continental shelf waters, the development and use of the coast, landfills and their effects, pollutant discharges over time, the effects of over-fishing, and the management methods and techniques used to ensure continued ecosystem functioning. The relative importance of water-borne and airborne routes in different parts of the world is explored, along with extensive coverage of major habitats and species groups, governmental, education and legal issues, fisheries effects, remote sensing, climate change and management. Twilight of the Hemlocks and Beeches. Tim Palmer. 2018. Penn State University Press, University Park, PA. 180 pp. $34.95, hardcover. ISBN 9780271079530. In this magnificently illustrated book, conservationist and celebrated outdoors photographer Tim Palmer launches us on a revealing journey among the hemlock and beech trees that have for millennia towered over America’s eastern woodlands. These trees once thrived from Maine to Georgia, casting shade on trout streams, nourishing wildlife large and small, and gracing uncounted valleys, mountainsides, parks, and backyards. They now face tragic decimation by exotic insects and pathogens. Palmer’s photos record the splendor of the cherished hemlock and beech in the same way that pictures of iconic, historic buildings commemorate classic landmarks gone the way of the wrecking ball. And yet, as Palmer underscores in his final chapter, the lessons learned as we address the fate of these trees can help us chart a better course for all wooded landscapes in the years ahead. This story of loss, scientific inquiry, and prospective recovery is vital to understanding nature in our time. The Seductions of Darwin: Art, Evolution, Neuroscience. Matthew Rampley. 2017. Penn State University Press. University Park, PA. 200 pp. $24.95, Hardcover. ISBN 9780271077420. The surge of evolutionary and neurological analyses of art and its effects raises questions of how art, culture, and the biological sciences influence one another, and what we gain in applying scientific methods to the interpretation of artwork. In this insightful book, Matthew Rampley addresses these questions by exploring key areas where Darwinism, neuroscience, and art history intersect. Rampley’s inquiry examines models of artistic development, the theories and development of aesthetic response, and ideas about brain processes underlying creative work. He considers the validity of the arguments put forward by advocates of evolutionary and neuroscientific analysis, as well as its value as a way of understanding art and culture. With the goal of bridging the divide between science and culture, Rampley advocates for wider recognition of the human motivations that drive inquiry of all types, and he argues that our engagement with art can never be encapsulated in a single notion of scientific knowledge. Narwhal: Revealing an Arctic Legend. Edited by William W. Fitzhugh and Martin T. Nweeia. 2017. IPI Press, Hanover, NH, and Artic Studies Center, National Museum of NaturaI History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. 233 pp. $35.00, softcover. ISBN 9780996748018. Few animals on the planet inspire the sense of wonder evoked by the Narwhal. The “Arctic unicorn” is everyone's version of “awesome” and “cool”. Explorers, aristocrats, artists, and scientists celebrate this elusive whale and its extraordinary tusk. From Flemish unicorn tapestries, Inuit legends and traditional knowledge, and the research of devoted scientists, comes a tale of discovery reported here from the top of the world; a place where climate change is rapidly transforming one of the harshest environments on earth. How did the Narwhal tusk become the horn of the fabled unicorn? What treasures do the Inuit hold about this majestic but elusive denizen? What have scientists discovered about the function of its tusk? Explore with whale biologists as they capture live Narwhals to answer questions of biology, migration, population, and behavior. Ponder the evolutionary history of the Narwhal through paleontology and genetic science. Contemplate the fate of animals, and peoples in a rapidly warming Arctic. Experience the insights and observations of Inuit hunters who have lived with the narwhal for thousands of years. Illustrated by more than a dozen photographers and graphic artists. Northeastern Naturalist B5 Noteworthy Books 2018 Vol. 25, No. 4 An Ecologically Annotated Checklist of the Vascular Flora at the Chesapeake Bay Center for Field Biology. Geoffrey Parker and Olav Oftedal (Eds.). 2016. Smithsonian Institution Scholarly Press, Washington, DC. 239 pp. Open access. ISBN 97819356239884. In May 1968, botanist Daniel Higman published An Ecologically Annotated Checklist of the Vascular Flora at the Chesapeake Bay Center for Field Biology, with Keys through the Smithsonian Institution’s Office of Ecology. Henceforth referred to as The Flora, it was based on Higman’s exploration of plant species found on 3 tracts of Smithsonian-owned land near the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland known as Java Farm, Corn Island and Ivy Neck, which together represent a broad spectrum of ecological systems. As part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center (SERC), this first-known SERC publication has been updated and republished. 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. Northeastern Naturalist Special Issue No. 9 ... currently in progress Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area: Overview of Recent Research A follow-up to Northeastern Naturalist Special Issue No. 3, the papers in this volume seek to provide updated insights, 20 years into the park’s existence, on the current state of understanding and research of the fauna, flora, and ecology of the habitats contained in the Boston Harbor Islands National Recreation Area. The intent of the issue is to focus on the park’s All Taxa Biodiversity Inventory as well as coastal geologic research. The first 4 articles are available online, and others will follow as they are ready. Remember: a regular subscription to SENA or NENA includes online access to all publications of both journals—including mongraphs and special issues—o n the journal’s website!