2010 Noteworthy Books 857 857 Noteworthy Books Received by the Southeastern Naturalist, Issue 9/4, 2010 The Barking Tree Frog and Other Curious Tales. Diane Casto Tennant. 2009. University of Virginia Press, Charlottesville, VA. 232 pp. $27.95, hardcover. ISBN 0813928418. Here’s something that doesn’t happen every millennium: Roughly 35 million years ago, a stray meteorite dropped out of the sky over Virginia and left an impact that helped shape one of the continent’s most distinctive coastlines. This scene of cataclysmic violence now lies beneath the calm waters of Chesapeake Bay. The occurrence of this prehistoric event only recently came to light, and the consequences of that impact will stretch far past our lifetimes. As Diane Casto Tennant makes clear in her new book, it wasn’t the last interesting thing to happen in these parts. Selected from Tennant’s widely admired writing for the Norfolk Virginian-Pilot, these stories reveal the rich natural history Virginia had compiled long before the first human set eyes on it—as well as the fascinating phenomena that still surround us. Her search for stories takes the author from dinosaur footprints along the Rappahannock to the best-preserved insect fossils on earth. On the way, she encounters a cast of characters that includes shark fishermen, math geniuses, wolf callers, and a birder with extraordinary eyesight. She speaks with a man who can read the minds of horses and introduces us to a very special Jamestown skeleton that could help solve a 400-yearold mystery. Tennant also explores those other inhabitants of the mid-Atlantic, looking to animals for miraculous stories of survival and adaptation. We witness the difficult life of Sea Turtle No. 62, whose journey illustrates the hazards confronting its species. We consider what it means to be the fastest dog in the world. We join a quest to find a Barking Tree Frog and glimpse the strange afterlife of beached whales. While the author doesn’t avoid the hard in the hard sciences, these stories speak primarily to the wonder of science. For the common reader, whose stores of scientific knowledge may not be vast but whose curiosity is, the perfect guide has just arrived. Woodworking for Wildlife: Homes for Birds and Animals. Carol L. Henderson. 2010. University of Texas Press, Austin, Texas, for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, Nongame Wildlife Program, St. Paul, MN. 164 pp. $19.95, softcover. ISBN 9780975433836. For everyone who enjoys attracting wildlife to their backyard, farm, woodlot, or lakeshore home, Woodworking for Wildlife is the perfect resource. With all the latest information on how to attract everything from bluebirds, chickadees, purple martins, and wood ducks to bumblebees, toads, owls, and woodpeckers, the book features thirty designs for nest boxes and nest platforms that will accommodate forty-six species of wildlife. It provides easy-to-follow diagrams for cutting out and assembling the nest boxes, accompanied by over three hundred beautiful color photographs. Carrol L. Henderson has dramatically improved and expanded the book with the best techniques for building, placing, and managing nest boxes. He provides new information on how to eliminate predation on nest boxes by Raccoons and cats, as well as how to reduce competition from exotic species such as house sparrows and starlings. The book also includes new designs for houses for flickers, Great Crested Flycatchers, toads, Bumblebees, Buffleheads, and Purple Martins. Woodworking for Wildlife is a great reference for backyard wildlife enthusiasts, conservationists, youth group leaders, teachers, woodworking instructors, and parents and grandparents who are looking for outdoor projects to do with children. The Seasons of the Robin. Don Grussing. 2010. University of Texas Press, Austin, TX. 158 pp. $24.95, softcover. ISBN 9780292721203. In a small nest 858 Southeastern Naturalist Vol. 9, No. 4 in a large oak tree, the drama begins. A young American Robin breaks open his shell and emerges into a world that will provide the warmth of sunny days and the life-threatening chill of cold, rainy nights; the satisfaction of a full stomach and the danger of sudden predator attacks; and the chance to mature into an adult robin who’ll begin the cycle of life all over again come next spring. In The Seasons of the Robin, Don Grussing tells the uncommon life story of one of the most common birds, the North American Robin. Written as fiction to capture the high drama that goes on unnoticed right outside our windows, the book follows a young male robin through the first year of life. From his perspective, we experience many common episodes of a bird’s life—struggling to get out of the egg; awkwardly attempting to master flight; learning to avoid predators; migrating for the first time; returning home; establishing a territory; finding a mate; and beginning the cycle again. This creative approach of presenting natural history through a fictional, yet factually based, story allows us to experience the spine-tingling, nerve-wracking, adrenaline-flowing excitement that is so much a part of the life of every wild thing. As Don Grussing concludes in his preface, “Once you experience the world through a robin’s eyes, I hope you'll look at every wild thing with new appreciation and respect for what they accomplish by living.” The Voyage of the Beagle: A Journal of Researches into the Natural History and Geology of the Countries Visited during the Voyage of the H.M.S. Beagle Round the World, Under the Command of Capt. Fitz Roy, R.N. Charles Darwin. 2009. National Geographic Books, Washington, DC. 469 pp. $20, hardcover. ISBN 9781426203916. On the bicentennial of Charles Darwin’s birth, retrace his landmark journey around South America in his own words in this special anniversary edition. Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution and natural selection has been debated and disparaged over time, but there is no dispute that he is responsible for some of the most remarkable and groundbreaking scientific findings in history. His five-year trip as a naturalist on the H.M.S. Beagle took him to such exotic locales as Chile, Argentina, and the Galapagos Islands. Darwin wrote the details of this expedition, including his thoughts about the people on the ship and of course, his observations of the flora and fauna, in his journal, published as Voyage of the Beagle. It is here that his original interpretations of the Galapagos ecosystem and the impact of nature and selection are first revealed. This edition of the classic travel memoir is enhanced with an introduction by bestselling nature writer David Quammen. Birds of Eastern North America: A Photographic Guide. Paul Sterry and Brian E. Small. 2009. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 336 pp. $18.95, softcover. ISBN 9780691134253. Birds of Western North America: A Photographic Guide. Paul Sterry and Brian E. Small. 2009. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 416 pp. $18.95, softcover. ISBN 9780691134284. Combining informative and accessible text, up-to-date maps, and—above all— stunning color photographs, these are among the best and most lavishly illustrated photographic guides to the birds of North America. All of the images have been carefully selected to convey both the sheer beauty and the key identification features of each bird, and many of the photos are larger than those found in other guides. Wherever possible, a variety of plumages are pictured, providing visual coverage and usefulness matching any artwork-illustrated field guide. And many of the images are state-of-the-art digital photographs by Brian Small, one of North America's finest bird photographers. These pictures, many seen here for the first time, reproduce a previously unimaginable level of detail. Finally, the ranges of nearly all species are shown on 2010 Noteworthy Books 859 maps from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology, the authority on North American birding. New and experienced birders alike will find this guide indispensable: the clear layout will help novices easily identify the birds they see, while the superb photographs will help seasoned birders confirm identifications. The best, most lavishly illustrated photographic guide to the region's birds. Contains: larger color photos than most other field guides; informative, accessible, and authoritative text; and range maps from the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology. One guide covers the entire eastern half of mainland North America and the arctic and subarctic territorial islands of the US and Canada, and the other covers the entire western half of mainland North America (excluding Mexico) and the arctic and subarctic territorial islands of the US and Canada (excluding Hawaii). Seasick: Ocean Change and the Extinction of Life on Earth. Alanna Mitchell. 2009. University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL. 176 pp. $25, hardcover. ISBN 9780226532585. We have long lorded over the ocean. But only recently have we become aware of the myriad life-forms beneath its waves. We now know that this delicate ecosystem is our life-support system; it regulates the earth’s temperatures and climate and comprises 99 percent of living space on earth. So when we change the chemistry of the whole ocean system, as we are now, life as we know it is threatened. In Seasick, veteran science journalist Alanna Mitchell dives beneath the surface of the world’s oceans to give readers a sense of how this watery realm can be managed and preserved, and with it life on earth. Each chapter features a different group of researchers who introduce readers to the importance of ocean currents, the building of coral structures, or the effects of acidification. With Mitchell at the helm, readers submerge 3,000 feet to gather sea sponges that may contribute to cancer care, see firsthand the lava lamp–like dead zone covering 17,000 square kilometers in the Gulf of Mexico, and witness the simultaneous spawning of corals under a full moon in Panama. The first book to look at the planetary environmental crisis through the lens of the global ocean, Seasick takes the reader on an emotional journey through a hidden realm of the planet and urges conservation and reverence for the fount from which all life on earth sprang. I Want to Be Left Behind: Finding Rapture Here on Earth. Brenda Peterson. 2010. Da Capo Press, Cambridge, MA. 277 pp. $25, hardcover. ISBN 9780306818042. In Brenda Peterson’s unusual memoir, fundamentalism meets deep ecology. The author’s childhood in the high Sierra with her forest ranger father led her to embrace the entire natural world, while her Southern Baptist relatives prepared eagerly and busily to leave this world. Peterson survived fierce “sword drill” competitions demanding total recall of the Scriptures and awkward dinner table questions (“Will Rapture take the cat, too?”) only to find that environmentalists with prophecies of doom can also be Endtimers. Peterson paints such a hilarious, loving portrait of each world that the reader, too, may want to be “left behind”. The Circumference of Home. Kurt Hoelting. 2010. Da Capo Press, Cambridge, MA. 262 pp. $25, hardcover. ISBN 9780306817748. After realizing the gaping hole between his convictions about climate change and his own carbon footprint, Kurt Hoelting embarked on a yearlong experiment to rediscover the heart of his own home: he traded his car and jet travel for a kayak, a bicycle, and his own two feet, traveling only within a radius of 100 kilometers from his home in Puget Sound. This “circumference of home” proved more than enough. Part quest and part guidebook for change, Hoelting’s journey is an inspiring reminder that what we need really is close at hand, and that the possibility for adventure lies around every bend. 860 Southeastern Naturalist Vol. 9, No. 4 The Environment and the People in American Cities, 1600s–1900s: Disorder, Inequality, and Social Change. Dorcetta E. Taylor. 2010. Duke University Press, Durham, NC. 640 pp. $27.95, softcover. ISBN 9780822344513. In The Environment and the People in American Cities, Dorceta E. Taylor provides an in-depth examination of the development of urban environments, and urban environmentalism, in the United States. Taylor focuses on the evolution of the city, the emergence of elite reformers, the framing of environmental problems, and the perceptions of and responses to breakdowns in social order, from the seventeenth century through the twentieth. She demonstrates how social inequalities repeatedly informed the adjudication of questions related to health, safety, and land access and use. While many accounts of environmental history begin and end with wildlife and wilderness, Taylor shows that the city offers important clues to understanding the evolution of American environmental activism. Taylor traces the progression of several major thrusts in urban environmental activism, including the alleviation of poverty; sanitary reform and public health; safe, affordable, and adequate housing; parks, playgrounds, and open space; occupational health and safety; consumer protection (food and product safety); and land use and urban planning. At the same time, she presents a historical analysis of the ways race, class, and gender shaped experiences and perceptions of the environment as well as environmental activism and the construction of environmental discourses. Throughout her analysis, Taylor illuminates connections between the social and environmental conflicts of the past and those of the present. She describes the displacement of people of color for the production of natural open space for the white and wealthy, the close proximity between garbage and communities of color in early America, the cozy relationship between middleclass environmentalists and the business community, and the continuous resistance against environmental inequalities on the part of ordinary residents from marginal communities. Ecology of Industrial Pollution. Lesley C. Batty and Kevin B. Hallberg (Editors). 2010. Cambridge Univesity Press, Cambridge, UK. 362 pp. $59, softcover. ISBN 9780521730389. Written for researchers and practitioners in environmental pollution, management and ecology, this interdisciplinary account explores the ecological issues associated with industrial pollution to provide a complete picture of this important environmental problem from cause to effect to solution. Bringing together diverse viewpoints from academia and environmental agencies and regulators, the contributors cover such topics as biological resources of mining areas, biomonitoring of freshwater and marine ecosystems, and risk assessment of contaminated land in order to explore important questions such as: What are the effects of pollutants on functional ecology and ecosystems? Do current monitoring techniques accurately signal the extent of industrial pollution? Does existing policy provide a coherent and practicable approach? Case studies from throughout the world illustrate major themes and provide valuable insights into the effects of industrial pollution, the provision of appropriate monitoring schemes, and the design of remediation and restoration strategies. Provides a complete picture of industrial pollution from cause to solution, enabling the reader to clearly identify links. Major themes are illustrated using case studies, showing how theory works in practice. Provides a balanced view of industrial pollution through contributions from both academics and practitioners. Monitoring Animal Populations and Their Habitats: A Practitioner's Guide. Brenda McCom, Benjamin Zuckerberg, David Vesely, and Christopher Jordan. 2010. CRC Press, Boca Raton, fl. 296 pp. $89.95, hardcover. ISBN 9781420070552. In the face of so many unprecedented 2010 Noteworthy Books 861 changes in our environment, the pressure is on scientists to lead the way toward a more sustainable future. Written by a team of ecologists, Monitoring Animal Populations and Their Habitats: A Practitioner’s Guide provides a framework that natural resource managers and researchers can use to design monitoring programs that will benefit future generations by distilling the information needed to make informed decisions. In addition, this text is valuable for undergraduate- and graduatelevel courses that are focused on monitoring animal populations. With the aid of more than 90 illustrations and a four-page color insert, this book offers practical guidance for the entire monitoring process, from incorporating stakeholder input and data collection, to data management, analysis, and reporting. It establishes the basis for why, what, how, where, and when monitoring should be conducted; describes how to analyze and interpret the data; explains how to budget for monitoring efforts; and discusses how to assemble reports of use in decision-making. The book takes a multi-scaled and multi-taxa approach, focusing on monitoring vertebrate populations and upland habitats, but the recommendations and suggestions presented are applicable to a variety of monitoring programs. Lastly, the book explores the future of monitoring techniques, enabling researchers to better plan for the future of wildlife populations and their habitats. Monitoring Animal Populations and Their Habitats: A Practitioner’s Guide furthers the goal of achieving a world in which biodiversity is allowed to evolve and flourish in the face of such uncertainties as climate change, invasive species proliferation, land-use expansion, and population growth. Wildlife Toxicology: Emerging Contaminant and Biodiversity Issues. Ronald J. Kendall, Thomas E. Lacher, George C. Cobb, and Stephen Boyd Cox (Editors). 2010. CRC Press, Boca Raton, fl. 340 pp. $119.95, hardcover. ISBN 9781439817940. Updating the extremely successful Wildlife Toxicology and Population Modeling (CRC Press, 1994), Wildlife Toxicology: Emerging Contaminant and Biodiversity Issues brings together a distinguished group of international contributors, who provide a global assessment of a range of environmental stressors, including pesticides, environmental contaminants, and other emerging chemical threats, and their impact on wildlife populations. A decade ago, many of these threats existed but were either unrecognized or considered minor issues, and all have now snowballed into major challenges for the conservation of wildlife populations. This is the first book to address these dangers in a single volume and recommend proven mitigation techniques to protect and sustain Earth’s wildlife populations. This book examines species range shifts, ocean acidification, coral bleaching, and impacts of heightened UV influx. This comprehensive reference identifies and documents examples of chemical stressor exposures and responses among ecosystem receptors worldwide. Chapters discuss emerging diseases and the expansion of pesticide/ contaminant use, as well as agricultural trends and biofuels, and the widespread use of munitions and explosives from military- and industrial-related activities. With the aid of several solid case studies, the book also addresses atmospheric contaminants and climate change, population modeling, and emerging transnational issues in ecotoxicology. Wildlife Toxicology: Emerging Contaminant and Biodiversity Issues stimulates dialogue among the academic and research communities and environmental public policy decision makers. The book challenges these groups to think more globally about environmental contaminants and their potential impacts on biodiversity and environmental degradation. Fossil Behavior Compendium. Arthur J. Boucot and George O. Poinar, Jr. 2010. CRC Press, Boca Raton, fl. 424 pp. $159, hardcover. ISBN 9781439810583. 862 Southeastern Naturalist Vol. 9, No. 4 In this complete and thorough update of Arthur Boucot’s seminal work, Evolutionary Paleobiology of Behavior and Coevolution, Boucot is joined by George Poinar, who provides additional expertise and knowledge on protozoans and bacteria as applied to disease. Together, they make the Fossil Behavior Compendium wider in scope, covering all relevant animal and plant groups and all epochs, and providing a detailed review of animal and plant fossil behavior in terrestrial and aquatic environments. Fossil behavior encompasses not only past evidence of the life history of an organism but also behavioral, predation, and symbiotic interactions, including parasitism. This book compares patterns of behavior and coevolution in the past with those of the present-day descendants. It also discusses how to evaluate the rates of evolution of behavior and coevolution at various taxonomic levels. The compendium emphasizes the interactions between fossils and compares these interactions with present-day counterparts. It also provides new discussions on topics related to fossils in amber. Keeping Boucot’s trademark, easy-to-read style, the book includes new findings never published previously, reports not easily accessed, numerous examples, 40 tables, 285 illustrations— some published here for the first time—and a four-page color insert. The book provides a concise account of the evidence for varied disease types recognized to date in the fossil record. Birds of Europe. Lars Svensson, Killian Mullarney, and Dan Zetterström. 2010. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 448 pp. $29.95, softcover. ISBN 9780691143927. Since it was first published a decade ago, Birds of Europe has become the definitive field guide to the diverse birdlife found in Europe. Now this superb guide has been brought fully up to date with revised text and maps along with added illustrations. Uniquely designed for easy use in the field, this expanded edition covers all 772 species found in the region as well as 32 introduced species or variants and 118 very rare visitors. Detailed species accounts describe key identification features, voice, habitat, range, and size. More than 3500 full-color illustrations depict every species and all major plumage variations, and color distribution maps provide breeding, wintering, and migration ranges for every species. Complete with an introduction to each group of birds that addresses major problems of observation and identification, this new edition is the ultimate field guide to Europe's fascinating birdlife. Essentials of Conservation Biology, Fifth Edition. Richard B. Primack. 2010. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA. 538 pp. $86.95, hardcover. ISBN 9780226532585. Essentials of Conservation Biology, Fifth Edition combines theory and applied and basic research to explain the connections between conservation biology and environmental economics, education, ethics, law, and the social sciences. A major theme throughout the book is the active role that scientists, local people, the general public, conservation organizations, and governments can play in protecting biodiversity, even while providing for human needs. Each chapter begins with general ideas and principles, which are illustrated with choice examples from the current literature. The most instructive examples are discussed in boxes highlighting species and issues of particular significance. Chapters end with summaries, an annotated list of suggested readings, and discussion questions. This new edition comes with summary statements in the text margins, as study aids. Essentials of Conservation Biology, Fifth Edition is beautifully illustrated and now in full color, and is written in clear, nontechnical language. Peterson Reference Guide to Molt in North American Birds. Steve N.G. Howell. 2010. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Boston, MA. 192 pp. $35, hardcover. ISBN 9780547152356. To most observers, molt seems an overwhelming subject. 2010 Noteworthy Books 863 But birders use many aspects of molt— more than they realize—to distinguish juvenile birds from adults, to pick out an individual hummingbird from among dozens visiting a feeder, and much more. For those whose interest goes beyond simply identifying birds, questions such as “what triggers molt to start?”, “how fast do feathers grow?”, and “how long do they last?” offer a fascinating window into the lives of birds. Put plainly, molt relates in some way to everything a bird does, including where it lives, what it eats, and how far it migrates. Here, for the first time, molt is presented for the nonscientist. Molting patterns are very orderly and built on only four underlying strategies: simple basic, complex basic, simple alternate, and complex alternate. This book clearly lays out these strategies, relates them to aspects of life history, such as habitat and migration, and makes this important subject accessible. 2010–2011 State of the Wild: A Global Portrait. Widlife Conservation Society (Kent H. Redford and Eva Fearn [Editors]). 2010. Island Press, Washington, DC. 245 pp. $29.96, softcover. ISBN 9781597266789. State of the Wild is a biennial series that brings together international conservation experts and writers to discuss emerging issues in the conservation of wildlife and wild places. Each volume in the series combines evocative writings with a fascinating tour of conservation news highlights and vital statistics from around the world. Onethird of each volume focuses on a topic of particular concern to conservationists. This 2010–2011 edition considers how destabilization and war affect wildlife and wild places. Only recently has the international community begun to appreciate the cost of conflict—simmering tension, war, and reconstruction—on the natural world. This special section examines the role that conservation plays in the context of human conflict considering issues such as, Can the work of saving wildlife and wild places help ameliorate tensions? Can conservation deepen political understanding? Can conservation help in post-conflict situations? The book’s twenty essays are intermixed with poetry and beautiful photos that capture our connection to the wild. State of the Wild’s accessible approach educates a wide range of audiences while at the same time presenting leadingedge scientific overviews of hot topics in conservation. Uniquely structured with magazine-like features up front, conservation news in the middle, and essays from eminent authors and experienced scientists throughout, this landmark series is an essential addition to any environmental bookshelf. Urban Carnivores: Ecology, Conflict, and Conservation. Stanley D. Gehrt, Seth P.D. Riley, and Brian L. Cypher (Editors). 2010. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. 304 pp. $75, hardcover. ISBN 9780801893896. With over half of the world's human population now living in cities, human-carnivore interaction in urban areas is a growing area of concern and research for wildlife managers, conservationists, urban planners, and the public at large. This volume brings together leading international carnivore researchers to explore the unique biological and ecological issues associated with mammalian carnivores in urban landscapes. Carnivores in urban areas are fascinating from an ecological standpoint. They elicit great passions—positive and negative—among humans and present difficult challenges for wildlife conservationists and managers. The first section of the book discusses the field of urban ecology and the many potential roles of carnivores in urban ecosystems, details the general behavior and ecology of this group of mammals, and addresses the human side of potential conflicts between people and carnivores in cities. The second section provides species accounts of the most common urban carnivores, including Raccoons, Coyotes, foxes, skunks, and Mountain Lions. A separate chapter examines the very specialized 864 Southeastern Naturalist Vol. 9, No. 4 The Southeastern 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 southeastern US. Accompanying short, descriptive summaries of the text are also welcome. place of domesticated cats and dogs. The last section compares how various carnivore species fare in cities, looks at the utility of existing conservation and conflict management efforts, and suggests directions for further research and future management initiatives. This thorough examination of the conflicts and complications surrounding urban wildlife is the first to focus specifically on carnivores. It includes an extensive bibliography and is an essential reference for wildlife biologists, mammalogists, and urban planners. The Biology of Small Mammals. Joseph F. Merritt. 2010. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. 336 pp. $60, hardcover. ISBN 9780801879500. The Biology of Small Mammals is the first exploration of the lives of small mammals undertaken in decades. Mammalogist Joseph F. Merritt offers an engaging, indepth discussion about a diverse array of small mammals, from the rare Kitti's Hognosed Bat of Southeast Asia to the bizarre Aye-aye of Madagascar to the familiar Woodchuck of North America. Small mammals include those mammals weighing under five kilograms (approximately eleven pounds). Merritt introduces the various species that fall under this heading, then follows with chapters that cover such topics as behavior, modes of feeding, locomotion, habitat use, reproduction, and coping with heat loss. Animals of this size face different physiological and ecological challenges than larger mammals. Merritt describes in rich detail how mammals across the globe have adapted to compensate for their small stature, showing how they contribute to and survive in diverse environments in many fascinating ways. For example, Arctic Foxes, weighing just 3 to 4.3 kilograms, are champion survivors in the cold. They cope with their harsh environs by decreasing activity, seeking shelter in temporary dens and snow burrows, growing a lush winter coat, and undergoing complex physiological changes to insulate themselves from chilling temperatures. Beautifully illustrated throughout, The Biology of Small Mammals provides a valuable and updated reference on nature's more diminutive creatures. Introduction to Copulas, Second Edition. Roger B Nelsen. 2006. Springer Science and Business Media, New York, NY. 270 pp. $109, hardcover. ISBN 9780387286594. Copulas are functions that join multivariate distribution functions to their one-dimensional margins. The study of copulas and their role in statistics is a new but vigorously growing field. In this book, the student or practitioner of statistics and probability will find discussions of the fundamental properties of copulas and some of their primary applications. The applications include the study of dependence and measures of association, and the construction of families of bivariate distributions. With nearly a hundred examples and over 150 exercises, this book is suitable as a text or for self-study. The only prerequisite is an upper level undergraduate course in probability and mathematical statistics, although some familiarity with nonparametric statistics would be useful. Knowledge of measure-theoretic probability is not required. .