Natural Science – Page 2

Revised and Expanded Guide to Hanauma Bay Now Available

Posted on July 9, 2013 by stephchun

This revised and expanded edition of the popular Exploring Hanauma Bay, by Susan Scott, is the only guidebook you will need for East O‘ahu’s spectacular nature preserve, a favorite of residents and visitors alike. Whether you plan to snorkel, dive, tour the park on foot, or take in the bay from the beach, this book will help you make the most of your visit. Veteran Hawai‘i columnist and marine enthusiast Susan Scott has devised six tours to accommodate a wide range of interests and abilities, while covering the geology, biology, and history of the bay. The book is fully illustrated with more than 250 color photos and includes safety tips, transportation advice, and a helpful list of park do’s and don’ts.

July 2013 / ISBN 978-0-8248-3748-8 / $16.99 (PAPER)

Rethinking and Rebuilding Nature in Hawai‘i

Posted on June 3, 2013 by stephchun

Three quarters of the U.S.’s bird and plant extinctions have occurred in Hawai‘i, and one third of the country’s threatened and endangered birds and plants reside within the state. Yet despite these alarming statistics, all is not lost: There are still 12,000 extant species unique to the archipelago and new species are discovered every year. In Restoring Paradise: Rethinking and Rebuilding Nature in Hawai‘i, Robert Cabin shows why current attempts to preserve Hawai‘i’s native fauna and flora require embracing the emerging paradigm of ecological restoration—the science and art of assisting the recovery of degraded species and ecosystems and creating more meaningful and sustainable relationships between people and nature.

“Bob Cabin has that rare gift of a scientist who writes like a novelist. The tale he tells is not so much about science as it is about courageous people—many of them dedicated volunteers—who are responding in very personal ways to environmental crises. These are people who are restoring impaired Hawaiian ecosystems in a heroic effort to recover Nature. Cabin, who has logged many hours as a restoration practitioner himself, explains that we can’t always return Hawai‘i’s fabled ecosystems back to the way they were in the past. Instead, he recovers as much as possible of the remaining native biodiversity and gives Nature the opportunity to reinvent itself in a contemporary expression. The story Cabin tells is one of fulfillment as Hawaiians engage directly in natural processes as if they were part of their own evolving ecosystems—and indeed they are.” ―Andre Clewell, Restoration Ecologist and President Emeritus, Society for Ecological Restoration

June 2013 / ISBN 978-0-8248-3693-1 / $24.99 (PAPER)

Plant & Gardening Book Sale: March 12-19, 40% Off Select Titles

Posted on March 5, 2013 by stephchun

Mark your calendars and get ready to get planting! UH Press will be offering more than 30 plant and gardening titles at 40% off: online only, March 12-19 (starts and ends noon, HST), while supplies last (sale prices in red):

A Native Hawaiian Garden: How to Grow and Care for Island Plants – $26.99/$16.19
Breeding Anthuriums in Hawaii – $31.00/$18.60
Breeding Dendrobium Orchids in Hawaii – $31.00/$18.60
Ethnic Culinary Herbs: A Guide to Identification and Cultivation in Hawai‘i – $26.99/$16.19
Flowers of the Pacific Island Seashore: A Guide to the Littoral Plants of Hawai‘i, Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, Cook Islands, Fiji, and Micronesia – $19.00/$11.40
A to Z of South East Asian Orchid Species – $39.00/$23.40
Hawaiian Heritage Plants: Revised Edition – $31.99/$19.19
Hawai‘i’s Ferns and Fern Allies – $25.00/$15.00
Landscape Planning in Singapore – $40.00/$24.00
Loulu: The Hawaiian Palm – $48.00/$28.80
Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii, Revised Edition – $97.00/$58.20
Orders and Families of Malayan Seed Plants – $22.00/$13.20
Plants for Tropical Landscapes: A Gardener’s Guide – $41.99/$25.19
Plants in Hawaiian Culture – $31.99/$19.19
Plants and Flowers of Hawai‘i – $26.99/$16.19
Poisonous Plants of Paradise: First Aid and Medical Treatment of Injuries from Hawai‘i’s Plants – $21.99/$13.19
Polynesian Herbal Medicine – $27.00/$16.20
Rainforest Trees of Samoa: A Guide to the Common Lowland and Foothill Forest Trees of the Samoan Archipelago – $27.00/$16.20
Samoan Herbal Medicine: ‘O La‘au ma Vai Fofo o Samoa – $13.00/$7.80
Small Trees for the Tropical Landscape – $41.99/$25.19
Specialty Crops for Pacific Islands – $75.00/$45.00
The Classical Gardens of Suzhou – $20.95/$12.57
The Essential Guide to Creating a Chinese-Style Garden – $29.95/$17.97
The Ornamental Edible Garden – $24.99/$14.99
The Small Food Garden: Growing Organic Fruit and Vegetables at Home – $19.99/$11.99
The World of Bananas in Hawai‘i: Then and Now – $80.00/$48.00
Tongan Herbal Medicine – $13.00/$7.80
Trees of Hawai‘i – $14.99/$8.99
Trees of Our Garden City: A Guide to the Common Trees of Singapore – $42.00/$25.20
Tropical Exotics – $36.99/$22.19
Tropical Shrubs – $36.99/$22.19
Useful Plants of Guam: A Facsimile Edition Reprint of the Original Book Published in 1905 – $60.00/$36.00

A Comprehensive Treatment of the Hawaiian Palm

Posted on November 13, 2012 by stephchun

The only native palms in Hawai‘i, loulu are among the Islands’ most distinctive plants. Several of the 24 recognized species are rare and endangered and all make handsome and appropriate ornamentals to adorn gardens and landscapes with their dramatic foliage, colorful flower clusters, and conspicuous fruits. In Loulu: The Hawaiian Palm, Donald R. Hodel shares his expertise on loulu, having traveled extensively throughout Hawai‘i to research and photograph nearly all the species in their native habitat. In the course of his work, he described and named three loulu that were new to science.

“I am very enthusiastic about this book. It is a loving tribute to some very threatened, very beautiful palms. They are an irreplaceable part of Hawai‘i’s natural history and patrimony. I hope this book brings the plight of these precious palms to the attention of the world.” —Scott Zona, Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University

November 2012 / ISBN 978-0-8248-3567-5 / $48.00 (CLOTH)

Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawaii Back in Print

Posted on July 28, 2011 by stephchun

Manual of the Flowering Plants of Hawai‘i, by Warren L. Wagner, Derral R.Herbst, and S. H. Sohmer, is available once again. The reprinting of the 2-volume revised edition, “the most significant botanical publication on Pacific plants in recent decades” (Flora Vitiensis Nova), was made possible by funding from the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of National History Publication Fund and Walcott Botanical Fund.

Praise for the first edition:
“The most complete and beautifully presented manual that this reviewer has ever seen. It will be an indispensable tool for serious students of the flora of Hawaii.” —Choice

“A very important tool for years to come for botanists studying the floristic and biogeographic questions involving these islands. The authors of this two volume set are to be commended on the production of a significant contribution to the understanding of an extremely interesting flora.” —Phytologia

Conservation of Pacific Sea Turtles

Posted on July 25, 2011 by stephchun

Historically efforts to conserve Pacific sea turtles have focused on nesting sites to protect eggs and breeding females; mortality from coastal and highseas fisheries was not addressed. In the past five years, recovery has widened to include rigorously curtailing fishing and technological fixes that lower rates of incidental sea turtle deaths during fishing. Although each of these approaches shows promise, it has become increasingly clear that they alone will not recover severely depleted populations. Recognizing the urgency of the problem, Conservation of Pacific Sea Turtles, edited by Peter Dutton, Dale Squires, and Mahfuzuddin Ahmed, presents ideas and case studies by conservation biologists, economists, marine life policy experts, fishing industry and fisheries professionals, management specialists, and development assistance researchers.

July 2011 / ISBN 978-0-8248-3407-4 / $55.00 (CLOTH)

Book of Honu Author Signings

Posted on December 13, 2010 by stephchun

Peter Bennett and Ursula Keuper-Bennett, authors of The Book of Honu: Enjoying and Learning About Hawai‘i’s Sea Turtles, will be signing copies of their book at these Maui locations:

Barnes & Noble – Lahaina
Saturday, December 18, 2:00-3:00 p.m.

Maui Ocean Center Store
Sunday, December 19, 11:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

“A magnificent guide for the budding high school marine biologist or anyone else with an interest in sea turtles. . . . Extensively researched, and the Bennetts’ passion for these creatures shines through every page.” —Honolulu Advertiser

Revised Edition of Shore Fishes of Hawaii

Posted on March 29, 2010 by stephchun

First published in 1996, this new edition of Shore Fishes of Hawai‘i, by John E. Randall, updates our knowledge of Hawaiian fishes and has been expanded to include 372 species. All are illustrated by the author’s 475 superb photographs. The most important characteristics to identify a fish are given as well as the size attained and its distribution. Each species account begins with the American common name, followed by the Hawaiian name (when known), and the scientific name. Because it is necessary to use some scientific terminology when giving the principal diagnostic characteristics of families or species of fishes and what they eat, a handy glossary appears at the back of the book before the Index.

March 2010 / ISBN 978-0-8248-3427-2 / $19.99 (PAPER)

Hawaiian Birds of the Sea

Posted on October 30, 2009 by stephchun

More than 300 species of seabirds range across the world’s oceans. In excess of 14 million birds, representing nearly two dozen species, make their home in the Hawaiian islands. These are na manu kai, the birds of the sea.

More than 135 color photographs illustrate Hawaiian Birds of the Sea: Na Manu Kai, by Robert J. Shallenberger. This beautiful book showcases the seabirds of Hawai‘i—from the far eastern tip of the Big Island to the recently created Papahanaumokuakea Marine National Monument.

A Latitude 20 Book
November 2009 / ISBN 978-0-8248-3403-6 / $21.99 (PAPER)

A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Hawaii

Posted on October 30, 2009 by stephchun

Hawai‘i is home to some of the most beautiful and sought after birds in the world. From the offshore waters, where graceful seabirds glide on the cool, refreshing trade winds, to the lush ancient forests of the mountains, where colorful endemic honeycreepers reside, Hawai‘i’s birds are wonderfully diverse. Introduced species and long-distance migrants contribute to the splendid assortment. Some island bird species are extremely abundant and instantly familiar since we encounter them daily in our outdoor activities. Others are so rare they are glimpsed only once in a lifetime. In these magnificent islands there is something for birders of every sort. Superbly illustrated in color by author Jim Denny and Jack Jeffrey, two of Hawai‘i’s best nature photographers, A Photographic Guide to the Birds of Hawai‘i includes nearly every species of bird on land and at sea in the main Hawaiian Islands.

A Latitude 20 Book
November 2009 / ISBN 978-0-8248-3383-1 / $19.99 (PAPER)

Jim Denny is also the author of The Birds of Kauai.

Ethnobotany of Pohnpei

Posted on March 5, 2009 by stephchun

Ethnobotany of Pohnpei: Plants, People, and Island Culture, compiled and edited by Michael J. Balick and others, examines the relationship between plants, people, and traditional culture on Pohnpei, one of the four island members of the Federated States of Micronesia. Traditional culture is still very strong on Pohnpei and is biodiversity-dependent, relying on both its pristine habitats and managed landscapes; native and introduced plants and animals; and extraordinary marine life. This book is the result of a decade of research by a team of local people and international specialists carried out under the direction of the Mwoalen Wahu Ileilehn Pohnpei (Pohnpei Council of Traditional Leaders). It discusses the uses of the native and introduced plant species that have sustained human life on the island and its outlying atolls for generations, including Piper methysticum (locally known as sakau and recognized throughout the Pacific as kava), which is essential in defining cultural identity for Pohnpeians.

The work also focuses on ethnomedicine, the traditional medical system used to address health conditions, and its associated beliefs. 387 color illus.

Published in association with The New York Botanical Garden
February 2009 / ISBN 978-0-8248-3293-3 / $28.00 (PAPER)

Hawaii’s Ferns Now Available in Paperback

Posted on September 17, 2008 by stephchun

Hawai‘i’s Ferns and Fern Alllies, by Daniel D. Palmer, is now available in paperback.

“A long awaited and much requested manual of the Hawaiian pteridophytes. Here, in one volume, is a guide to all of the ferns and fern allies of the Islands that will be welcomed by professionals and amateurs alike. This manual is well researched, detailed and comprehensive. It is an essential addition to the library of all those interested in pteridophytes as well as those interested in Hawaiian plants and in island floras.” —American Fern Journal

September 2008 / ISBN 978-0-8248-3347-3 / $25.00 (PAPER)