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.