General in The Books Store

The book is divided into three parts.

Part I. Covers subjects of wide relevance to modelling and plant biology.

Part II. The reader may choose to select topics of particular interest from part II. However, the whole-plant modeller will need to study all chapters, and the plant ecosystem modeller may need to add other material also.

Frogs and toads provide one of the great animal success stories on Earth.

In this comprehensive book, renowned herpetologist Ellin Beltz offers a compelling picture of the history of the frog, its anatomical makeup, its place in the natural world and the threats that are seriously reducing its numbers around the world.

Today, frogs are found on most islands around the world and on all continents except Antarctica. Frogs live from the warmest and wettest tropical lowlands to about 17,000 feet above sea level in the Himalayas. Some areas of Earth have more frogs than others, but frogs are true survivors.

But it isn't easy being green. This hearty amphibian lives both on land and in the water and is exposed to a host of chemical and environmental threats. The frog is an animal that indicates the overall health of the environment in which it lives. It is not too much to say that "as goes the frog, so goes the swamp," and even perhaps the planet.

Frogs contains a detailed look at all 31 frog families, allowing the reader to learn more about specific ones and appreciate the range and diversity of this popular amphibian. And, yes, toads are covered here, too. There is also a fascinating section on frogs in myth and culture, showing the place frogs have occupied in art and literature.

This handsome book is lavishly illustrated with over 125 color photographs representing the remarkable range and world of an utterly fascinating creature.

A little more than forty years has past since the concept of bioerosion was formally recognised as the biological erosion of hard materials. In that time, it has become apparent from the literature that bioerosional processes affect a wide range of biological and geological systems that cross many disciplines among the sciences. This book is dedicated to crossing those traditional disciplinary boundaries to present a united and current perspective on the pattern and process of bioerosion.

The book opens with papers on the evolutionary significance of bioerosion, and subsequently ventures out to explore the remarkable diversity of bioerosive biota. From microboring bacteria to grazing echinoids, the studies use a variety of techniques ranging from field observations to sophisticated micro-computed tomography to investigate the ecological and environmental role of these organisms, including symbiotic interactions and alteration of non-carbonate substrates. The book concludes with a primer on the bioerosion bibliography website.

A diverse set of two dozen articles, including case studies and extensive reviews, highlight many aspects of the growing discipline of bioerosion research, from the early Palaeozoic to the present, from the Tropics to the Arctic, and from terrestrial environments to the deep-sea.

• Examines four phases of the modeling process: conceptual model formulation, quantitative model specification, model evaluation, and model use
  
• Provides useful building blocks for constructing systems simulation models
  
• Includes a format for reporting the development and use of simulation models
  
• Offers an integrated systems perspective for students, faculty, and professionals
  
• Features helpful insights from the author, gained over 30 years of university teaching