Natural History Of Amphibians And Reptiles In Wisconsin

Amphibians and reptiles represent an essential and interesting component of Wisconsin's wildlife. Eighteen species of amphibian and thirty-six species of reptile occupy landscapes across the state. They live in aquatic habitats that range from small streams to large lakes, and from open prairies to mature forests on land. These species are vital members of the biological communities in which they occur, acting as important predators, prey, and competitors, while also providing a wide variety of additional ecological functions. However, many amphibians and reptiles have experienced drastic population declines and even local extinctions in Wisconsin due to habitat loss and degradation, overharvesting, the introduction of invasive species, pollution, and other factors. This comprehensive volume, by an expert team of editors and contributors, consolidates the current state of scientific knowledge, aims to expand public knowledge and appreciation of Wisconsin's natural legacy, and brings out the herpetologist in all of us. This long-awaited, state-of-the-field synthesis also includes hundreds of color photographs and illustrations, state-level and North American range maps, dichotomous keys, and research and conservation anecdotes that will entertain and inform even the most dedicated nature lover. Amphibians and Reptiles of Wisconsin is set to become a lasting resource and armchair companion for anyone in the Midwest interested in the state's natural history and amphibian and reptile fauna.

This is a book for all readers who want to learn about amphibians, the animal group that includes frogs, toads, salamanders, and caecilians. It draws on many years of classroom teaching, laboratory experience, and field observation by the authors. Robert Stebbins and Nathan Cohen lead readers on a fascinating odyssey as they explore some of nature's most interesting creatures, interspersing their own observations throughout the book. A Natural History of Amphibians can serve as a textbook for students and independent learners, as an overview of the field for professional scientists and land managers, and as an engaging introduction for general readers. The class Amphibia contains more than 4,500 known living species. New species are being discovered so rapidly that the number may grow to more than 5,000 during our lifetimes. However, their numbers are being rapidly decimated around the globe, largely due to the encroachment of humans on amphibian habitats and from growing human-caused environmental pollution, discussed at length in the final chapter. The authors focus our attention on the "natural history" of amphibians worldwide and emphasize their interactions with their environments over time: where they live; how they reproduce; how they have been affected by evolutionary processes; what factors will determine their destinies over time. Through the experienced eyes of the authors, who are skilled observers, we come to see and understand the place of amphibians in the natural world around us.

Straddling temperate forests and grassland biomes and stretching along the coastline of two Great Lakes, Wisconsin contains tallgrass prairie and oak savanna, broadleaf and coniferous forests, wetlands, natural lakes, and rivers. But, like the rest of the world, the Badger State has been transformed by urbanization and sprawl, population growth, and land-use change. For decades, industry and environment have attempted to coexist in Wisconsin—and the dynamic tensions between economic progress and environmental protection makes the state a fascinating microcosm for studying global environmental change. The Vanishing Present brings together a distinguished set of contributors—including scientists, naturalists, and policy experts—to examine how human pressures on Wisconsin’s changing lands, waters, and wildlife have redefined the state’s ecology. Though they focus on just one state, the authors draw conclusions about changes in temperate habitats that can be applied elsewhere, and offer useful insights into future of the ecology, conservation, and sustainability of Wisconsin and beyond. A fitting tribute to the home state of Aldo Leopold and John Muir, The Vanishing Present is an accessible and timely case study of a significant ecosystem and its response to environmental change.

The reference source that biologists interested in West Indian herpetofauna have been waiting for.--Steven Reichling, curator, Memphis Zoo A state-of-the-art compendium. The West Indies is one of the hottest of the world's biodiversity hot spots and will continue to be a focus of ecological research, now invigorated by this definitive synthesis.--S. Blair Hedges, Pennsylvania State University The West Indies have become a major focus for biologists and conservationists. Its herpetofauna is considered one of the richest and most vulnerable in the world. These fragile natural environments are home to many unique animals that occur only on these islands. Loss of habitat, development of scenic areas for a burgeoning tourist industry, and the introduction of invasive species have contributed to an already tenuous situation for many of the region's native species. This volume summarizes the natural history of each of the more than seven hundred species of frogs and reptiles that live in the West Indies. Sure to be the starting point for all future research on West Indian amphibians and reptiles, it will be an essential companion to the biologist contemplating or conducting research in the area.