Northeastern Naturalist B1 Noteworthy Books 2014 Vol. 21, No. 1 Sedges of Maine: A Field Guide to Cyperaceae. Matt Arsenault, Glen H. Mittelhauser, Don Cameron, Alison C. Dibble, Arthur Haines, Sally C. Rooney, and Jill E. Weber. 2013. University of Maine Press, Orono, ME. 712 pp. $29.95, softcover. ISBN 9780891011231. Sedges are important components of Maine’s biodiversity and natural heritage. Over 25% of the sedge species in Maine are of conservation concern, yet sedges are ubiquitous in many habitats across the landscape. Proper identification of sedge species is an essential component of ecological studies such as wetland delineations, wetland functional assessments, natural resource inventories, site suitability assessments, ecological characterizations, land conservation value evaluations, and rare-species surveys and habitat assessments. Sedges of Maine is a fully-illustrated guide to all species, subspecies, and extant hybrids in the Cyperaceae family that occur in Maine. Field Guide to the New England Alpine Summits, Third Edition. Nancy Slack and Allison Bell. 2013. Appalachian Mountain Club Books, Boston, MA. 191 pp. $16.95, softcover. ISBN 9781934028889. Back by popular demand, this practical field guide captures the splendor of the rare, yet accessible, alpine zone of northern New England. This fascinating ecosystem is an enchanting world of delicate flowers, hardy plants, and remarkable wildlife that survive in the harsh and unpredictable climate of New England’s highest peaks from Vermont to Maine, including Mounts Mansfield, Lafayette, Washington, and Katahdin. Full-color photos and authoritative text offer quick answers to visitors’ questions: What is that lovely little pink flower along the side of the trail? How do these plants survive through winter? Which birds am I likely to see above treeline? New to this edition is an appendix on the phenology of the alpine zone—the study of the effect of climate change on plant species. Nature enthusiasts will appreciate this detailed look at climate change and its impact over time on this rare and fragile environment. This new edition also highlights the environmental success story of the rescue of Dwarf Cinquefoil, an extremely rare alpine plant that was removed from the endangered species list in summer of 2002 due to decades-long efforts by AMC and other conservation advocates. Mid-Atlantic Freshwater Wetlands: Advances in Wetlands Science, Management, Policy, and Practice. Robert P. Brooks and Denice Heller Wardrop, (Eds.). 2013. Springer, New York, NY. 491 pp. $179.00, hardcover. ISBN 9781461455950. This comprehensive book delves into the ecology and conservation of the critically important and valued freshwater wetland ecosystems of the Mid-Atlanic region, summarizing over two decades of work by Riparia, a Center at The Pennsylvania State University. The 14 chapters written or edited by Riparia’s leadership and colleagues, focus on understanding the ecology of freshwater wetlands and the stressors that affect them in a watershed context. Wetlands are viewed not as isolated patches, but as part of an integrated aquatic and terrestrial system. Early chapters address concepts of reference and hydrogeomorphic classification. The current state of our knowledge about hydrology, hydric soils, plants, and wildlife is covered in the middle chapters. Later chapters include policy issues and practice, with emphases on monitoring and assessment, restoration and mitigation, and conservation and regulatory programs. There are extensive reviews and listings of recent literature, and linkages to Riparia’s website where supplemental information can be found. Tidal Wetlands Primer: An Introduction to Their Ecology, Natural History, Status, and Conservation. Ralph W. Tiner. 2013. University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst, MA. 536 pp. $39.95, softcover. ISBN 9781625340221. At a time when more than half of the US population lives within fifty miles of the coast, tidal wetlands are a critical and threatened natural resource. The purpose of this book is to introduce the world of tidal wetlands to students and professionals in the environmental fields and others with an interest in the subject. Illustrated with maps, photographs, and diagrams, this volume provides a clear account of the factors that make these habitats unique and vulnerable. It discusses their formation, the conditions affecting their plant and animal life, and the diversity of types across North America, as well as their history, use by wildlife and humans, current status, conservation, restoration, and likely future. The emphasis is on vegetated wetlands—marshes and swamps—with additional discussion of eelgrass meadows, rocky shores, beaches, and tidal flats. Peril in the Ponds: Deformed Frogs, Politics, and a Biologist’s Quest. Judy Helgen. 2012. University of Massachusetts Press, Amherst, MA. 260 pp. $24.95, softcover. ISBN 9781558499461. Peril in the Ponds tells the story of a government biologist’s investigation into the mystery of deformed frogs, an epidemic that grew during the 1990s and continues Noteworthy Books Received by the Northeastern Naturalist, Issue 21/1, 2014 Northeastern Naturalist Noteworthy Books 2014 Vol. 21, No. 1 B2 today. It provides an inside view of a highly charged environmental issue that aroused the attention of the public and the media and sparked controversies among scientists, politicians, and government agencies. By the 1990s, wetlands across the United States were endangered from pollution and decades of drainage to convert them into farmland and urban developments. But when deformed frogs—many with missing legs or eyes, footless stumps, or misshapen jaws—began to emerge from Minnesota wetlands, alarm bells went off. What caused such deformities? Pollution? Ultraviolet rays? Biological agents? And could the mysterious cause also pose a threat to humans? Judy Helgen writes with passionate concern about vulnerable frogs and wetlands as she navigates through a maze of inquisitive media and a reluctant government agency. She reports on the complexity of a growing catastrophe for frogs and broadens the issue as she researches and meets with scientists from around the world. She affirms the importance of examining aquatic life to understand pollution and the need to rescue our remaining wetlands. She also shares the fears expressed by the teachers, students, and other citizens who found these creatures, sensed a problem, and looked to her for answers. Ultimately, this is a story about the biological beauty of wetlands and our need to pay attention to the environment around us. Practical Botany for Gardeners: Over 3,000 Botanical Terms Explained and Explored. Geoff Hodge. 2013. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL. 224 pp. $25.00, hardcover. ISBN 9780226093932. Gardening can be frustratingly shrouded in secrecy. Fickle plants make seemingly spontaneous decisions to bloom or bust, seeds sprout magicallyin the blink of an eye, and deep-rooted mysteries unfold underground and out of sight. Understanding basic botany is like unlocking a horticultural code; fortunately learning a little science can reveal the secrets of the botanical universe and shed some light on what’s really going on in your garden. Practical Botany for Gardeners provides an elegant and accessible introduction to the world of botany. It presents the essentials that every gardener needs to know, connecting explanations of scientific facts with useful gardening tips. Flip to the roots section and you’ll not only learn how different types of roots support a plant but also find that adding fungi to soil aids growth. The pruning section both defines “lateral buds” and explains how far back on a shoot to cut in order to propagate them. The book breaks down key areas and terminology with easy-to-navigate chapters arranged by theme, such as plant types, plant parts, inner workings, and external factors. “Great Botanists” and “Botany in Action” boxes delve deeper into the fascinating byways of plant science. This multifaceted book also includes two hundred botanical illustrations and basic diagrams that hearken to the classic roots of botany. Part handbook, part reference, Practical Botany for Gardeners is a beautifully captivating read for garden lovers and backyard botanists who want to grow and nurture their own plant knowledge. Four Seasons of Flowers: A Selection of Botanical Illustrations from the Rare Book Collection at Dumbarton Oaks. Harvard University Press. 2013. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. 108 pp. $24.95, softcover. ISBN 9780884023845. Four Seasons of Flowers is an illustrated volume that presents a selection of the manuscripts, herbals, and printed botanical texts from the Rare Book Collection at Dumbarton Oaks. Representing pivotal works in the intellectual history of Europe from the 16th to the 20th centuries, these drawings, books, and manuscripts are among the most significant materials conserved at Dumbarton Oaks. They offer an illuminating overview of the history of botany as a modern science, from its inception to the present day. Each text is accompanied by a remarkable set of botanical illustrations. Their scientific accuracy and aesthetic beauty testify to the importance of the visual image and the efficacy of the printing press as an instrument for the furtherance of knowledge in the sciences and technology—from anatomy to zoology and from astronomy to botany. Botanical illustrations constitute an indispensable source of information for historians of not only botanical sciences but also garden and landscape architecture, thus shedding light on the study of plants in different periods, as well as on the evolution of the visual arts in areas where the representation of the plant world played a central role. Running Silver: Restoring Atlantic Rivers and Their Great Fish Migrations. John Waldman. 2013. Lyons Press, Guilford, CT. 304 pp. $26.95, hardcover. ISBN 9780762780594. That one could “walk drishod on the backs” of schools of salmon, shad, and other fishes moving up Atlantic coast rivers was a not uncommon kind of description of their migratory runs during early Colonial times. Accounts tell of awe-inspiring numbers of spawners pushing their way upriver, the waters “running silver”, to complete life cycles that once replenished critical Northeastern Naturalist B3 Noteworthy Books 2014 Vol. 21, No. 1 marine fisheries along the Eastern Seaboard. This book is a hugely important, fascinating, and unique look at the fish of North America whose history and life-cycles and conservation challenges are poorly understood. Despite these primordial abundances, over the centuries these stocks were so stressed that virtually all are now severely depressed, with many biologically or commercially extinct and some simply forgotten. Running Silver will tell the story of the past, present, and future of these sea-river fish. This book will elevate public consciousness of the contrasts between the historical and the present to show the enormous legacy that has already been lost and to help inspire efforts to save what remains. Drawing on the author’s thirty-year career as a scientist and educator with a passion for the native river fish of the North East, Running Silver tells the story of these endangered fish with a mix of research, historical accounts, anecdotes, personal experience, interviews, and images. Bald Eagle Nest: A Story of Survival in Photos. Kate Davis. 2013. Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA. 112 pp. $16.95, softcover. ISBN 9780811711302. This unique book follows one Bald Eagle nest over a nesting season in which a pair of eagles managed to raise all four of their chicks to adulthood—a very rare feat. One hundred beautiful photos show feeding behavior, hunting, mating flight, the behavior of chicks in the nest, brooding and grooming, and learning to fly. Enjoy a close-up look at the lives of these once-endangered birds. Mushroom Cookbook: Recipes for White and Exotic Varieties. Mimi Brodeur. 2005. Stackpole Books, Mechanicsburg, PA. 128 pp. $19.95, hardcover. ISBN 9780811732741. This cookbook contains more than 60 great recipes with mushrooms as the main ingredient. Information on history, varieties, and nutritional value is included along with recipes for appetizers, soups, sandwiches, side dishes, and entrees and instructions on how to select, clean, store, and prepare mushrooms. Wildlife Damage Management: Prevention, Problem Solving, and Conflict Resolution. Russell F. Reidinger, Jr. and James E. Miller. 2013. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. 256 pp. $85.00, hardcover. ISBN 9781421409443. Whether you are a student in a wildlife degree program or a professional wildlife biologist, you will find all the up-to-date information on wildlife damage in the pages of this clear, comprehensive text. Wildlife Damage Management covers every imaginable topic. Authors Russell F. Reidinger, Jr., and James E. Miller explain the evolution of wildlife damage management, differentiate facts from myths, and detail the principles and techniques a professional biologist needs to know. The book discusses native as well as exotic invasive species, zoonotic diseases, hazards to endangered or threatened fauna and flora, and damage to crops, livestock, and property. Reidinger and Miller argue that, in recent years, the rate of undesirable human-wildlife interactions has risen in many areas, owing in part to the expansion of residences into places formerly wild or agricultural, making wildlife damage management even more relevant. From suburban deer eating gardens and shrubs, to mountain lions threatening pets and people, to accidentally introduced species outcompeting native species, Reidinger and Miller show how proper management can reduce wildlife damage to an acceptable, cost-effective level. An extensive section on available resources, a glossary that explains terms and concepts, and detailed figures will aid both students and seasoned professionals. Instructors will find this text arranged perfectly for a semester-long course. The end-of-chapter questions will allow students to ponder the ways wildlife damage management concepts can be put into practice. For those already working in the field—biologists and managers with federal, state, or international agencies—Wildlife Damage Management will serve as an ideal reference book. Destined to set the tone of wildlife damage conversations for the next decade and beyond, this book belongs on the shelf of all wildlife professionals. The Story of N: A Social History of the Nitrogen Cycle and the Challenge of Sustainability. Hugh S. Gorman. 2013. Rutgers University Press, New Brunswick, NJ. 260 pp. $49.95, hardcover. ISBN 9780813554389. In The Story of N, Hugh S. Gorman analyzes the notion of sustainability from a fresh perspective—the integration of human activities with the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen—and provides a supportive alternative to studying sustainability through the lens of climate change and the cycling of carbon. It is the first book to examine the social processes by which industrial societies learned to bypass a fundamental ecological limit and, later, began addressing the resulting concerns by establishing limits of their own. The book is organized into three parts. Part I, “The Knowledge of Nature”, explores the emergence of the nitrogen cycle before humans arrived on the scene and the changes that occurred as stationary agricultural societies took root. Part II, “Learning to Bypass an Ecological Northeastern Naturalist Noteworthy Books 2014 Vol. 21, No. 1 B4 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. Limit”, examines the role of science and market capitalism in accelerating the pace of innovation, eventually allowing humans to bypass the activity of nitrogen-fixing bacteria. Part III, “Learning to Establish Human-Defined Limits”, covers the twentieth-century response to the nitrogen-related concerns that emerged as more nitrogenous compounds flowed into the environment. A concluding chapter, “The Challenge of Sustainability”, places the entire story in the context of constructing an ecological economy in which innovations that contribute to sustainable practices are rewarded. Marine Community Ecology and Conservation. Mark D. Bertness, John F. Bruno, Vrian Silliman, and John J. Stachowicz. 2014. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA. 566 pp. $93.46, hardcover. ISBN 9781605352282. Marine Community Ecology and Conservation was written to give advanced undergraduate and graduate students a current overview of what is known about the structure, organization, and conservation of organism assemblages that live in the ocean. It largely focuses on advancements over the past decade since the publication of Marine Community Ecology in 2001. Each chapter is written by leading researchers to give students an up-to-date look at these communities, and what remains to be learned about them. The book is organized into three parts. Part 1 explores general processes that generate pattern in benthic communities. These introductory chapters examine how physical and biological forces interacting with historical and genetic constraints operate to structure marine communities. Part 2 examines the ecology of specific marine benthic community types, from rocky shores and coral reefs to deep-sea hydrothermal vents and open-ocean plankton communities. These chapters are intended to be the most current summaries available of our understanding of these communities. Part 3 examines conservation and management issues of marine communities. The closing chapters emphasize how pervasively and profoundly marine communities are impacted by humans and outlines how we can use our understanding of these systems to manage and preserve the valuable services and resources they provide. Marine Community Ecology and Conservation is extensively referenced and includes a bibliography of over 5000 citations. It is suitable as a text for advanced marine ecology courses and seminars, as well as a general reference for students and researchers. Evolution, 3rd Edition. Douglas J. Futuyma. 2013. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA. 656 pp. $126.95, hardcover. ISBN 9781605351155. Published in March 2013, this new edition is a comprehensive treatment of contemporary evolutionary biology that is directed toward an undergraduate audience. It addresses major themes—including the history of evolution, evolutionary processes, adaptation, and evolution as an explanatory framework—at levels of biological organization ranging from genomes to ecological communities. Throughout, the text emphasizes the interplay between theory and empirical tests of hypotheses, thus acquainting students with the process of science. Teachers and students will find the list of important concepts and terms in each chapter a helpful guide, and will appreciate the dynamic figures and lively photographs. The content of all chapters has been updated. Identification of Medicinal Plants: A Handbook of the Morphology of Botanicals in Commerce. Wendy Applequist. 2006. Missouri Botanical Garden Press, St. Louis, MO. 209 pp. $59.99, hardcover. ISBN 9780965555517. This work describes morphological characteristics used to identify species of botanicals, specifically those that can be observed with a hand lens or dissecting microscope. The first portion of the work provides a review of basic plant structure, practical advice on identification, and an introduction to botanical nomenclature. The second portion of the work provides information on individual species, organized alphabetically.