Minerva's French Sisters

This book presents the stories of six intrepid women of science in eighteenth-century France whose lives and accomplishments — though celebrated in their lifetimes — have been largely written out of the history of their period: mathematician and philosopher Elisabeth Ferrand, astronomer Nicole Reine Lepaute, field naturalist Jeanne Barret, garden botanist and illustrator Madeleine Françoise Basseporte, anatomist and inventor Marie-Marguerite Biheron, and chemist Geneviève d'Arconville. By adjusting our lens we can find them. In a society where science was not yet an established profession for men, much less women, these six audacious and inspiring figures made their mark on their respective fields of science and on Enlightenment society as they defied gender expectations and conventional norms. Their boldness and contributions to science were appreciated by such luminaries as Franklin, the philosophes, and many European monarchs. The book is written in an unorthodox style to match the women's breaking of boundaries.

Guide to Introduced Pest Animals of Australia

Australia’s introduced vertebrate pest species cost at least $1 billion annually in economic, environmental and social impacts. The Guide to Introduced Pest Animals of Australia is a comprehensive, practical guide to 60 introduced pest animal species present in Australia, including 27 mammals, 18 birds, nine freshwater fish, two amphibians and four reptiles. It contains descriptive information to identify each species in the field, including distinctive physical characteristics, size, weight, colouration, diet, breeding behaviour, habitat preferences, and information about footprints, dung, scats and audible animal calls. Each species profile is accompanied by practical management information, maps and high-quality photographs – allowing readers to learn about pest species in their local area, what problems they might cause, and what control options exist for management. This guide also contains a number of emerging high-risk pest species that may pose a significant threat to our natural environment, economy, agriculture and human health. Whether you are a farmer, natural resource manager, public land manager, pest controller, teacher, student, field naturalist or wildlife ecologist, this easy-to-use guide will help you identify Australia’s most significant introduced pest animals in your local area.

W. W. Smith (1852-1942): “Second to None in the Dominion as a Field Naturalist”

On his death in 1942, W. W. Smith was described in an obituary as “second to none in the Dominion as a field naturalist.” This phrase had been used some years earlier by scientist-politician George Malcolm Thomson. Today, Smith is largely recalled for his membership of the Scenery Preservation Commission (1904-1906) and work as the domain curator in Ashburton (1894-1904) and Pukekura Park in New Plymouth (1908-1920). This paper revisits Smith’s reputation as a naturalist. In so doing it considers the fields of knowledge he engaged with and identifies some of the scientific networks in which he was embedded.

Thematic Collection: The Canadian Field-Naturalist, Documenting Species New to Canada for Nearly a Century

Thematic Collection: The Canadian Field-Naturalist, Documenting Species New to Canada for Nearly a Century

Thematic Collection: Alvars in Canada

This is the first Thematic Collection of The Canadian Field–Naturalist, an initiative of the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club (OFNC) Publications Committee. Thematic Collections are editor-selected compilations ofpreviously published contributions to both The Canadian Field-Naturalist (CFN) and to the OFNC’s regional publication, Trail & Landscape (T&L), on a central theme with links to each article. The articles concern alvar landscapes, species that occur on alvars, and the conservation of alvar habitats. We estimate that the titles assembled here from those two publications represent 50% of the important papers published on Canadianalvars.

Publication Trends in The Canadian Field-Naturalist, 1980–2015

I examined publication trends for The Canadian Field-Naturalist (CFN) between 1980 and 2015 to determine whether a general decrease in natural history studies has been affecting CFN. I also establish a baseline of the types of authors that publish in CFN, and the types of studies that are typically published. Fewer but longer articles are being published every year. More authors per article with greater collaboration are publishing every year. The majority of authors are Canadian, but a large number of authors are from the USA. The majority of studies focus on vertebrates, and most of these focus on mammals, followed by birds, and then fish. Articles on basic biology are most common, although articles on conservation and species’ geographic ranges are also common. CFN remains an important outlet for basic biology and conservation studies, and despite the decreasing trends in the number of articles published per year, CFN will likely remain a keystone publication for natural history in Canada.

‘Reindeer Botanist’ and the Onset of Canadian Arctic Ecology (In memory of the 40th anniversary of A. E. Porsild’s passing)

Alf Erling Porsild, a field naturalist by birth and life-long practice was a pioneer, greater than life Canadian Arctic eco-botanist. And that before the term ‘ecology’ became a household name among the Canadian field biologists.

Francis Cook steps down after long and distinguished service with the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club and the Canadian Field-Naturalist

Francis Cook steps down after long and distinguished service with the Ottawa Field-Naturalists’ Club and the Canadian Field-Naturalist

Insects of South-Eastern Australia

A walk in the bush reveals insects visiting flowers, patrolling the air, burrowing under bark and even biting your skin. Every insect has characteristic feeding preferences and behaviours. Insects of South-Eastern Australia is a unique field guide that uses host plants and behavioural attributes as the starting point for identifying insects. Richly illustrated with colour photographs, the different species of insects found in Australia’s temperate south-east, including plant feeders, predators, parasites and decomposers, are presented. The guide is complemented by an introduction to the insects of the region, including their environment, classification, life history, feeding strategies and behaviour. Fascinating boxes on camouflage, mimicry and many other topics are also included throughout. Whether you are a field naturalist, entomologist or just want to know what’s in your backyard, Insects of South-Eastern Australia will help you to identify the insects most likely to be encountered, as well as understand the basics of their ecology and behaviour. Recipient of a 2016 Whitley Award commendation for Illustrated Guide