Books in the British Wildlife Collection series

A pioneering look at how climate change is affecting British wildlife--winners, losers, new arrivals and future prospects.“Fascinating but frightening, compelling and concerning … this book brings together all you need to know about how the climate is impacting wildlife.”CHRIS PACKHAMThere is no escaping the fact that the British climate is changing, and our wildlife is changing with it. In this remarkable account, Trevor Beebee examines the story so far for our plant, fungi and animal species. Warmer and wetter winters, combined with longer summers, have worked to the advantage of plants such as the rare Lady Orchid, and a whole range of insects. The UK is also hosting new arrivals that come in on the wing. But there is adversity, too. Alpine plants and seabirds – particularly Kittiwakes – are suffering declines as our countryside warms. Given the evidence so far, can we predict what the future holds for our British ecosystems?

An absorbing celebration of the ecology, biology, geology and cultural history of one of Britain''s most important and vulnerable landscapes.Heathlands are so much more than simply purple carpets of heather. This latest addition to the British Wildlife Collection celebrates the diversity and natural history of a distinct and vulnerable cultural landscape, one that can be found throughout the British Isles.Beginning with an introduction to heathlands, how they can be defined and the associated wildlife that may be encountered there, Clive Chatters goes on to take the reader on a geographical tour of suites of heathlands throughout the British lowlands, with an in memoriam nod to those that have been erased from common memory and understanding. He concludes with a review of how people have perceived and used heathland wildlife over the ages, and sets out a future vision for the conservation of this iconic landscape, its unique habitats and the species that live there.

Includes information about each of the huge variety of river-types to be found in Britain, discussion of individual examples both large and small, crucial insights into their maintenance and the dangers - felt so acutely in recent years across the UK - of their mismanagement.

'A meticulously researched, important and beautiful volume that goes well beyond the scope of its title to describe the hitherto neglected subject of woodland flora and place it in a broad ecological and historical context' - STEFAN BUCZACKIObserving the plants of the forest floor - the flowers, ferns, sedges and grasses - can be a vital way of understanding our relationship with British woodland. They tell us stories about its history and past management, and can be a visible sign of progress when we get conservation right. For centuries, woodland plants have also been part of our lives in practical ways as food and medicines, and they have influenced our culture through poetry, perfume and pub signs.In this insightful and original account, Keith Kirby explores how woodland plants in Great Britain have come to be where they are, coped with living in the shade of their bigger relatives, and responded to threats in the form of storms, fires, floods, the attentions of grazing herbivores and the effects of the changing seasons. Along the way, the reader is introduced to the work of important botanists who have walked the woods in the past, collecting information on where plants occur and why. In-depth profiles of some of our most important and popular ground flora species provide extra detail and insight. Beautifully illustrated, Woodland Flowers is a must for anyone who appreciates and wants to learn more about British woodland and its plants.