A TWO FOR ONE DEAL
Donate $25.00 and you will get a copy of
Diamonds in the Marsh the definitive book on Diamondback Terrapins
(paperback).Herpdigest
will pay the shipping and handling.
AND
Help Diamondback Terrapins - Paraphrasing From Russ Burke the scientist in
charge of the
terrapin project at Jamaica Bay, NYC.
Numerous human activities, from 18th century construction projects to harvest
hunting to 21st
century oil spills have imperiled diamondback terrapins. Conservation of the
remaining terrapin
populations requires a better understanding of the movements of individuals
over long periods of
time. Traditional radio telemetry is quite complicated with terrapins because
of the technical
difficulties of tracking in saltwater, and our lack of information about
terrapin behavior make
solving these problems difficult. I propose to use iButton temperature loggers
to answer the key
questions about terrapin behavior needed. The temperatures recorded will tell
us how long it
basks, just floats in the sea, hunts in the water and more.
HerpDigest will purchase on iButton for each $30.00 donation. Go to the very
bottom of this
newsletter and you find three ways how.
Diamonds in the Marsh - A Natural History of the Diamondback Terrapin
Barbara Brennessel
University Press of New England
2006 236 pp. 24 Color Illus. 35 B&W illus. 4 Tables. 6 x 9"
The first book-length investigation of a fascinating reptile
She's the mascot for the University of Maryland's sports teams (their slogan:
Fear the Turtle) and
her ancestors were nearly driven to extinction by Victorians who indulged in
turtle soup. But as she
buries herself in the mud every night to sleep, the diamondback terrapin knows
none of this. The
size of a dinner plate, she can live at least forty years and is the only
turtle in North America who
can live in brackish and salty waters.
The diamondback terrapin is named for the beautiful concentric rings on its
shell. Its habitat
ranges from Cape Cod to Corpus Christi, Texas, with seven subspecies identified
along the Atlantic
and Gulf coasts. Several diamondback populations have been the subjects of
ecological studies in
recent years, but most of that information was buried in scientific literature
and various state and
federal reports-until now.
Synthesizing all known research on this remarkable animal, Diamonds in the
Marsh is the first full-
scale natural history of the diamondback terrapin. Focusing on the northern
diamondback, Barbara
Brennessel examines its evolution, physiology, adaptations, behavior, growth
patterns, life span,
genetic diversity, land use, reproduction, and early years. She also discusses
its relationship to
humans, first as an important food source from colonial times through the
nineteenth century, and
more recently as a cultural icon, frequently depicted in Native American art
and design. She
concludes with a look at contemporary hazards to the terrapin, and urges
continued study of this
marvelous creature.
Reviews:
Environmentalists, ecologists and marine biologists will delight in this
meticulously detailed but
highly readable look at the only North American turtle species that can
tolerate the fresh water,
salt water, and everything in between Publishers Weekly
A serious treatment of the natural history of one of the most beloved creatures
of the Eastern
Seaboard... well illustrated with photographs.Natural New England Magazine
"A comprehensive natural history such as Diamonds in the Marsh is an
invaluable tool in the study
and conservations of a species, and can provide a solid foundation for future
research,
conservation, and management decisions. Brennessel effectively pulls together
the bulk of
literature on the diamondback and communicates it to the reader in a generally
clear, uncluttered
fashion so as to make it not only a resource for researchers, but also an
interesting read for reptile
aficionados."Herpetological Review
Useful for anyone interested in coastal species or reptiles.Northeastern
Naturalist
Endorsements:
Brennessel introduces us to the unsung heroes working to ensure the Terrapin's
future. Her book
offers inspiration to those wondering, What can I do? Charles Landrey,
Director, The Turtle
Conservation Project, www.NewEnglandTurtles.org
More than a mere treatise on terrapins; this is a book of fascinating facts
about the lives of these
turtles, intermingled with pertinent historywritten throughout with lucidity
and subtle humor.
Charlotte B. Sornborger, Terrapin Researcher, Barrington Land Conservation
Trust and President,
Audubon Society of Rhode Island
BARBARA BRENNESSEL is Professor of Biology at Wheaton College. Trained as a
biochemist, she is a
summer resident of Wellfleet, Cape Cod. She shifted her research interests to
the diamondback
terrapin after spending the summer of 2001 researching the species with the
Massachusetts
Audubon Society's Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary.
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