Product Description

Priceless Florida presents the incomparable ecological riches of this unique region in a way that will appeal to young and old, laypersons and scientists. A cornucopia of colorful illustrations and exquisite photos makes you feel you’re there. The comprehensive text enlightens with facts and brims with intriguing curiosities while bridging multiple fields in a crisp, readable style that only seasoned science-educators like Drs. Whitney, Means, and Rudloe could offer.

The authors enlighten us on every kind of natural area found within the Sunshine State. Imagine yourself trekking into a hammock, slogging through a swamp, floating down a river, strolling along a beach, hovering over a coral reef, or probing the depths of an underwater cave. You’ll discover how everything from soils, rocks, water, and landforms shape flora and fauna—and vice versa. You’ll also learn how the survival of some of the world’s most endangered species and ecosystems hinges on our actions. Much of Florida has been bought and sold many times over, but this book makes clear how its value truly has no pricetag.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #482904 in Books
• Published on: 2004-10-31
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 423 pages

Review
"...combines the depth of an encyclopedia with the freshness and accessibility of a field manual." -- E.O. Wilson, author of Sociobiology, On Human Nature, and The Ants

About the Author
Ellie Whitney was educated at Harvard and Washington universities. She lives in Tallahassee, has taught at Florida State University, and has authored some two dozen college textbooks. Bruce Means has a Ph.D. in biology from FSU, is president of the Coastal Plains Institute and Land Conservancy, and teaches field ecology at FSU. Anne Rudloe has a Ph.D. in biology from FSU. She and her husband Jack Rudloe run the Gulf Specimen Marine Laboratory in Panacea, Florida.

Customer Reviews

Great Book on Florida Ecosystems!
As a required text for a wildlife of Florida class, I was obligated to purchase this book. I was overjoyed to see that I was going to get a text book for less than 20 bucks. When it arrived I simply couldn't believe that this book was priced as it was. The pictures alone rival any coffee table book on Florida I've ever see. I could stop the review here and say that for the pictures alone this book is clearly worth the price, however, it isn't just a picture book.

This book is somewhat like another excellent book on Florida ecosystems called "Ecosystems of Florida" by Myers and Ewell. The biggest difference, besides the heavy dose of great pictures, is that the text of this book isn't as detailed nor does it contain the level of scientific data as the Myers and Ewell book. This book is more suited to the newcomer to the environmental field or to someone just curious about Florida wildlife.

The Chapters or units this book is broken down into divide the areas of concentration into an overview of the state, inland communities (uplands, wetlands, and waters), and coastal communities. Each section is further divided into specific ecosystems. Within those chapters dealing with specific ecosystems you'll find a great narrative of the system, numerous illustrations, lots of interesting sidebars, and of course, stunning pictures of the system and its wildlife including plants, geologic formations (where notable), insects, fish, herps, mammals, and birds.

Where this book really shines compared to the Myers and Ewell book (besides the photos) is this book's attention to the wildlife of Florida in both descriptive and photographic form. Not only do you learn about the physical attributes of a system but you get a good overview of the flora and fauna found in the system also. Reading this book is the next best thing to walking through the systems you'll read about.

While not the most detailed book on Florida ecosystems, it provides an excellent overview of them. It is definitely a worthwhile addition to your collection of Florida books and very much a great value at its current price. It is absolutely worth the 5 stars.

Florida Through The Ages
The Orlando Sentinel clued me into this book. I wouldn't normally pick up a book that's overtly scientific. Actually the concepts within are pretty fascinating. It tells how Florida was covered by the sea where layers of limestone built up. Some of the fossil evidence links Florida more to Africa than to the North American continent, but the continents edged apart with Florida separating from Africa. Hey, there's a lot more in this book about Florida emerging from the sea and resubmerging, changes in the ocean currents, how it was affected by the ice ages, and the appearance of "early hominids."

An Important Book for All Who Love Wild Florida
Speaking as both a native Floridian who cherishes our remaining wild places and as a biologist, I must say that this is probably the best book ever compiled that ties all of our ecosystems together and helps us to understand the importance of maintaining all "the cogs in the wheel". If our state is to maintain any of its natural beauty and "wildness", this book should be looked at as the primer for both amature naturalist and professional alike. The text is easily understood and the photographs are amazing.