Books with author John P Rafferty

While they come in all shapes, textures, and sizes, animals that subsist on the Earths natural vegetation share many common elements as well. Occupying a unique place in the food chain, grazers all over the Earth provide vital nourishment for carnivores and are often valuable to humans for meat, skins, and various domestic uses. This volume provides a colorful view of these varied and complex creatures as well as the features and behaviors that both bind them together and set them apart.

The ice that many people associate with winter months and seasonal cooling is actually only one form that this versatile substance can take. As fixtures throughout the year in areas around the world, especially in the Arctic and Antarctic, glaciers and sea ice are vital to sustaining aquatic ecosystems and regulating ocean water temperature. Permafrost, a type of ground ice, dramatically affects the infrastructure and agricultural output of several communities around the world. The development of these varying formations and the interplay between them and the environment are thoughtfully considered in this fascinating volume.

Sharp-toothed and quick-footed, carnivorous mammals are primed for the hunt. Far from ruthless, however, carnivores—hunters by nature and necessity—are integral to maintaining ecological balance. While predatory behavior often seems grisly, many carnivores are actually omnivorous and many can even be domesticated. This striking volume journeys from secluded forest habitats to our own homes to survey the unique features and behaviors of various species of carnivore. Vivid color photographs accompany the text and provide a detailed look at these amazing creatures.

Primeval jungles, mountain ranges, and the cover of deep forests are not the only domains of meat-eating creatures. Carnivores also can be found stalking prey from the air, in ocean depths, and marshy swamps. Raptors, sharks, and crocodiles are among the most predominant non-mammalian meat-eaters that rely on hunting or scavenging for survival. This volume examines the various species in this select grouping, investigating the physical characteristics and traits that help these unique animals be successful predators.

Anyone who has marveled at the glimmer of a perfectly cut diamond, tended a garden, or consumed a nutritious meal has appreciated some of the many roles that minerals play in our lives. Present in many natural substances, minerals are highly structured entities, each with a unique chemical composition and set of properties. Accompanied by detailed tables, diagrams, and sidebars, this informative volume examines the various types of minerals and their structures and classifications, as well as the physical and chemical attributes that separate one mineral from another.

Whether ruining a commute or devastating entire homes and countries, inclement weather has the power to capture attention and headlines in a way few other topics can. While storms can be sudden or unexpected, the atmospheric conditions that produce them, as well as other kinds of weatherviolent and otherwiseare in place and churning well before the full range of their effects can be felt. This book examines the science that gives us a greater understanding of the patterns that produce hurricanes, tornadoes, cyclones, and a host of related conditions. It also discusses another persistent issue of inclement weather, which is how to better predict climactic extremes.

From lemurs to apes to human beings, primates are unique among mammalsfor example, our brains are large compared to our size. Our complex interactions, intricate social structures, and extensive range of emotions allow us to adapt and thrive in diverse habitats around the globe. In this volume, readers are invited into the many domains of these extraordinary creatures to discover the incredible diversity of primate species. Readers will also learn about the long history of human beings, from our earliest ancestors, the australopiths, to the homo sapiens of today.

Characterized by uncompromising climate, sparse population density, and extreme aridity, deserts, steppes, and scrublands represent some of the least accessible regions on the planet. However, despite the severity of these ecosystems, they still boast mesmerizing terrains and are capable of supporting diverse animal groups and plant varieties as well as nomadic human inhabitants. This volume tours the alluring landscapes and ecosystems of the unique deserts and steppes of the world and introduces readers to the unique populations that call them home.

Lakes and wetlands are significant ecosystems that nourish, sustain, and house many of the planets plant and animal species. Though both of these regions are defined by waterboth fresh and salineeach lake and particular type of wetland also has characteristics all its own. This detailed volume considers the formation, composition, and maintenance of these intricate ecological units and the various life forms they support. Dramatic full-color photographs and in-depth profiles of Earths major lakes highlight the beauty and complexity of these regions.

Between their verdant canopies and shaded floors, forests contain a multi-tiered ecosystem that supports an abundance of flora and fauna. Together with the grasses and vegetation in the grasslands to which they are frequently adjacent, forests make up 70 percent of the Earths land area and sustain the majority of its species. With careful detail and beautiful photographs, this volume journeys to the woodland and grassland areas of the planet and examines the distinctive features and wildlife of each as well as techniques in forestry and forest management that have helped these remarkable regions survive.