The waterbug : Book : a guide to the freshwater macroinvertebrates of temperate Australia

I've had this book for a few years now and every time i've opened it's pages it rarely disappoints. A handy reference to take with you on the field (waterproofing not included) or a quick guide to check in before diving into an extensive dicot key. A worthy buy! Winner of the 2003 Eureka Science Book Prize and the 2003 Whitley Medal. Freshwater macroinvertebrates provide a useful and reliable indicator of the health of our rivers, streams, ponds and wetlands. As environmental awareness within the community increases, there is an increasing interest in the need to assess the health of our local waterways and school curriculums are changing to reflect this important ecological trend. "The Waterbug Book" provides a comprehensive and accurate identification guide for both professionals and non-professionals. It contains an easy-to-use key to all the macroinvertebrate groups and, for the first time, high quality colour photographs of live specimens. It provides a wealth of basic information on the biology of macroinvertebrates, and describes the SIGNAL method for assessing river health. The Waterbug Book is full of practical tips about where to find various animals, and what their presence can tell about their environment. Features* Easy-to-use key to macroinvertebrate groups * First book to feature more than 300 colour photographs of live specimens * 120 diagrams * Glossary More than 300 species of Australian native animals — mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians — use tree hollows, but there has never been a complete inventory of them. Many of these species are threatened, or are in decline, because of land-use practices such as grazing, timber production and firewood collection. All forest management agencies in Australia attempt to reduce the impact of logging on hollow-dependent fauna, but the nature of our eucalypt forests presents a considerable challenge. In some cases, tree hollows suitable for vertebrate fauna may take up to 250 years to develop, which makes recruiting and perpetuating this resource very difficult within the typical cycle of human-induced disturbance regimes. Tree Hollows and Wildlife Conservation in Australia is the first comprehensive account of the hollow-dependent fauna of Australia and introduces a considerable amount of new data on this subject. It not only presents a review and analysis of the literature, but also provides practical approaches for land management. Freshwater macroinvertebrates provide a useful and reliable indicator of the health of our rivers, streams, ponds and wetlands. As environmental awareness within the community increases, there is an increasing interest in the need to assess the health of our local waterways and school curriculums are changing to reflect this important ecological trend. The Waterbug Book provides a comprehensive and accurate identification guide for both professionals and non-professionals. It contains an easy-to-use key to all the macroinvertebrate groups and, for the first time, high quality colour photographs of live specimens. It provides a wealth of basic information on the biology of macroinvertebrates, and describes the SIGNAL method for assessing river health. The Waterbug Book is full of practical tips about where to find various animals, and what their presence can tell about their environment. Winner of the 2003 Eureka Science Book Prize and the 2003 Whitley Medal. 1. Introduction 2. The hollow-using fauna of Australia 3. The evolution of hollow use 4. Hollow formation 5. The inventory of hollows and hollow-bearing trees 6. The selection of hollows by fauna 7. Hollow numbers and fauna populations 8. Perpetuating hollows 9. Pest and introduced species that use hollows 10. The role of nest boxes in research and management 11. Concluding remarks Appendices. Examines the hollow-dependent fauna of Australia, and includes new data on the development of hollows, selection by fauna, pests and introduced species, and artificial hollows. Examines the hollow-dependent fauna of Australia, looking at the development of hollows, selection by fauna, and pests and introduced species