You don't have to be a naturalist to care about nature, and you don't have to be an expert to appreciate the distinctive lives of animals. That's the main theme in this ecology narrative written as part travel diary - part memoir. Cynthia Moulton, a biology professor at Castleton University who has been traveling to St. John with college students for more than fifteen years, is uniquely qualified to lead you on a tour of the fascinating lives of animals residing in the sea, sand, and trees of this enchanted tropical island. Snorkel over the fringing reef of Waterlemon Cay, along the rocky shore of Yawzi Point and in the mangroves of Hurricane Hole. Swim with sea turtles, stingrays, groupers and damselfish to appreciate their beauty and grace, as well as their struggle for survival. From sex-changing parrotfish to group sex in corals, the animals of the island have stories to tell and secrets to reveal. Discover the many mysteries behind the island's subtle web of life in Interconnected.

This hardcover book by marine ecologist Dr. Caroline S. Rogers consists of 331 pages of high-resolution color photographs of birds and marine life from around the island of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, with most of them taken within Virgin Islands National Park. It has sections on birds, fish, corals, octopuses, sea turtles and other animals, most of which also occur elsewhere in the Western Atlantic and the Caribbean. Brief essays describe the coral reefs and associated biodiversity around this small island. The book also includes a very attractive map of St. John based on a photomosaic. Each page has one or more high-resolution, glossy images with informative, non-technical captions. Including the Index, the Acknowledgments, and References brings the total number of pages to 344. The Index is a list of each page with the common and scientific names of the subjects, and the location where each picture was taken.The book complements the author's previous books: Coral Reef Stars: A Galaxy of Undersea Images, in 2009, and The Mysterious, Magical Mangroves of St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, in 2011. It captures the natural beauty of St. John but also acknowledges the changes in the seascape, particularly those associated with the island's coral reefs, including the effects of the devastating hurricanes in 2017 and the recent arrival of a virulent coral disease. The book is becoming more and more of a compelling record of what has already been lost while focusing on what remains and hoping that recovery is still possible. The author believes that people will only protect what they know and understand and hopes that this book will bring pleasure and awareness to its readers, along with a greater sense of connection to the natural world which is now particularly threatened and in crisis.

Ecosystems and Human Well-Being is the first product of the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, a four-year international work program designed to meet the needs of decisionmakers for scientific information on the links between ecosystem change and human well-being. The book offers an overview of the project, describing the conceptual framework that is being used, defining its scope, and providing a baseline of understanding that all participants need to move forward. The Millennium Assessment focuses on how humans have altered ecosystems, and how changes in ecosystem services have affected human well-being, how ecosystem changes may affect people in future decades, and what types of responses can be adopted at local, national, or global scales to improve ecosystem management and thereby contribute to human well-being and poverty alleviation. The program was launched by United National Secretary-General Kofi Annan in June 2001, and the primary assessment reports will be released by Island Press in 2005. Leading scientists from more than 100 nations are conducting the assessment, which can aid countries, regions, or companies by: providing a clear, scientific picture of the current sta

"This global synthesis report serves as a call to action to decision makers. It provides a science-based synthesis of the different types of goods and services provided by mangroves and the associated risks in losing these services in the face of ongoing global habitat loss and degradation. The report provides management and policy options at the local, regional and global level with the aim of preventing further losses through effective conservation measures, sustainable management and successful restoration. In addtion to the report, key figures and maps are available to download as individual files."--Publisher's description.

Biodiversity and Climate Change Adaptation in Tropical Islands provides comprehensive information on climate change, biodiversity, possible impacts, adaptation measures and policy challenges to help users rehabilitate and preserve the natural resources of tropical islands. While biodiversity and climate change of tropical islands has previously received less attention, it is ironically one of the most vulnerable regions in this regard. The core content of the work derives largely from the ideas and research output from various reputed scientists and experts who have recorded climate change impacts on aquatic and coastal life in tropical regions. Contributors have direct working experience with the tribes in some of the tropical islands. All of their expertise and information is compiled and presented in the work, including coverage related to climate change. This work highlights the ever-growing need to develop and apply strategies that optimize the use of natural resources, both on land and in water and judicious use of biodiversity. It functions as a critical resource on tropical island biodiversity for researchers, academicians, practitioners and policy makers in a variety of related disciplines. Covers a huge range of biodiversity documentation, conservation measures and strategies that can be applied to various sectors, from forests to agriculture Brings together expertise from researchers in the area who have direct experience in the regions described Contains a wealth of field research related to biodiversity conservation and its applications from a variety of tropical islands

An illustrated overview of the sustainability of natural resources and the social and environmental issues surrounding their distribution and demand.