Overview

From the lush forests of Appalachia to the frozen tundra of Alaska, and from the tallgrass prairies of the Midwest to the subtropical rainforests of Hawaii, the United States harbors a remarkable array of ecosystems. These ecosystems in turn sustain an exceptional variety of plant and animal life. For species such as salamanders and freshwater turtles, the United States ranks as the global center of diversity. Among the nation's other unique biological features are California's coast redwoods, the world's tallest trees, and Nevada's Devils Hole pupfish, which survives in a single ten-by-seventy-foot desert pool, the smallest range of any vertebrate animal. Precious Heritage draws together for the first time a quarter century of information on U.S. biodiversity developed by natural heritage programs from across the country. This richly illustrated volume not only documents those aspects of U.S. biodiversity that are particularly noteworthy, but also considers how our species and ecosystems are faring, what is threatening them, and what is needed to protect the nation's remaining natural inheritance. Above all, Precious Heritage is a celebration of the extraordinary biological diversity of the United States.

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9780195125191

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Reviews

[This] is a skillfully written and visually appealing book that calls on the American people to fully appreciate the rich, but threatened, biodiversity of the United States. Under the joint direction of The Nature Conservancy and the Association for Biodiversity Information, the twenty-six contributors to Precious Heritage survey and describe America's biodiversity and discuss the serious stresses this rich heritage is undergoing. After many chapters dedicated to this thorough exposition, Precious Heritage culminates its American journey by offering concrete suggestions for safeguarding the natural heritage that is described and beautifully photographed throughout this valuable book. . . . In its totality, Precious Heritage offers readers an invaluable education in U.S. biodiversity. . . .Such a shining example is Precious Heritage, and this book will encourage efforts to protect America's natural endowment. -- Environmental Law Precious Heritage is worth owning and is satisfying to read. The writing is interesting, the layout is attractive, the photographs are excellent (although I wish that some had been larger), and the paper is of high quality. . . . [It's themes place] the emphasis on geographic patterns and connections, on conserving ecosystems in order to conserve species and ecological processes, and on the conflict between agriculture and biodiversity. I highly recommend this book for general reading, for college courses, and for persuading legislators of the opportunities for protecting unique, wonderful, and vulnerable species and ecosystems in the United States. -- Wild Earth Overall, the book is engagingly written, lavishly illustrated both with photos and maps that display the results of the analyses, and peppered with detailed examples of the species and communities that are the focus of our conservation concern. It is also extremely well edited. Although it has over 25 authors, the book reads with a common voice and consistent style. I can think of no other data-rich reference book that also provides anecdotes about Louis Agassiz, J.J. Audubon, the Bartrams, Lewis and Clark, and Phil Pister[I]t will make a welcome addition to the library of anyone interested in any aspect of conservation in the United States, including those who are responsible for managing natural areas. The book's ability to provide detailed information on species and communities in specific regions of the United Statesas well as describe conditions in the United States as a whole makes it an entertaining read and a valuable reference. --Natural Areas Journal [M]ay be the most comprehensive survey of biological diversity in America. ... until now, the information ... had never been pulled together to produce a portrait of the status of wild America. --The New York Times [A] welcome resource for everybody who wants to do the right thing for future generations while still living well today. ... In a very accessible format -- clearly written text accompanied by numerous figures, maps, charts and tables -- Precious Heritage explains how the data has been collected and analyzed, indicates what it can tell us, and provides avenues for preservation. ... all planners -- governmental, corporate, not-for-profit -- should have a copy of Precious Heritage on their desks ... --Corporate Environmental Strategy [T]he most comprehensive look yet at the United States' creatures, plants, and biomes in a richly illustrated, 400-page tome ... --Science Overall, the book is engagingly written, lavishly illustrated both with photos and maps that display the results of the analyses, and peppered with detailed examples of the species and communities that are the focus of our conservation concern. It is also extremely well edited. Although it has over 25 authors, the book reads with a common voice and consistent style. I can think of no other data-rich reference book that also provides anecdotes about Louis Agassiz, J.J. Audubon, the Bartrams, Lewis and Clark, and Phil Pister[I]t will make a welcome addition to the library of anyone interested in any aspect of conservation in the United States, including those who are responsible for managing natural areas. The book's ability to provide detailed information on species and communities in specific regions of the United Statesas well as describe conditions in the United States as a whole makes it an entertaining read and a valuable reference. --Natural Areas Journal A landmark book. --Audubon The first and best book covering biodiversity in the US....No other book or nongovernmental project with private/public funding has done so well at describing the discovery and protection of the discovered. --Whole Earth This comprehensive [and extremely handsome] book analyzes patterns of biological diversity in the U.S. --Scientific American Amazing....[Provides] a handbook-like review of the status of US biodiversity....[Includes] hundreds of beautifully conceived and executed full-color photographs, figures, diagrams, and (especially) maps....A first-rate effort, offered at a rather low suggested retail price to boot! Very highly recommended, both as general private reading and as a reference source for professionals. --Choice In Precious Heritage some of the leading experts on the subject present the most comprehensive and accessible account of the state of the American biota to date. They invite us to turn inward, not by abandoning global conservation but by conserving our own fauna and flora in a manner that will set a shining example for the rest of the world. --from the Foreword by Edward O. Wilson I cannot praise it enough. It is certain to be the definitive text on U.S. biodiversity for years to come. It combines accessibility for a broad readership, authoritative encyclopedic coverage, and excellent writing and illustrations. I will be pulling it off my shelf constantly, and recommending it widely. --Edward Wilson The planet is in a human-caused, mass, biodiversity-extinction episode: the last mass extinction occurred 65 million years ago, when the dinosaurs went extinct. 'Precious Heritage: The Status of Biodiversity in the U.S.' . . . gives all of the current data on the U.S. biodiversity crisis. Tersely put, our economic activities . . . have 1) eliminated more than 75 percent of almost all of our ecosystems, with some totally gone; 2) caused approximately a third of all native species in the U.S. to be threatened, endangered, or extinct; 3) led to the listing of 876 of the 877 species on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's endangered species list--the only exception being the Florida salt-marsh vole. This mass extinction is of major concern for the survival of our civilization because it is biodiversity that provides our food, purifies our water, creates fertile soil, provides the air we breathe, and much more. --Carl N. McDaniel, Professor of Biology, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy The amazing thing about this book ... is that it succeeds admirably both as a reference volume and a coffee-table work. The editors have arranged the contents of the work in a manner providing a handbook-like review of the status of US biodiversity, and they have overseen the production of a book that can be understood by almost any intelligent person from the age of 13 up--no small feat. ... [T]he work will also prove valuable as a basic reference source to professionals. Notable points: hundreds of beautifully conceived and executed full-color photographs, figures, diagrams, and (especially) maps; a foreword by Edward O. Wilson; three particularly helpful appendixes ...; an excellent literature cited list, and a very good index. Chapter subject areas range from biodiversity as heritage through strategies for biodiversity protection. All in all, a first rate effort, offered at a rather low suggested retail price to boot! Very highly recommended ... --Choice America is far richer in plant and animal species than previously believed--but the survival of the country's unique natural heritage is in serious jeopardy. That's the conclusion of a new book that features the most complete analysis of U.S. plants and animals ever conducted. ... By documenting the presence in America of more than 200,000 native species--double the previous estimate--Precious Heritage highlights the U.S. as a globally important center of diversity. ... The book is illustrated with maps pinpointing the biodiversity 'hot spots' around the U.S., including a special section on aquatic species and their plight. ... A single river in Tennessee, for example, contains more fish species than are found in all of Europe. The study also reveals the U.S. as one of the most diverse countries on an ecosystem scale, harboring a high percentage of the world's broadleaf forests, temperate grasslands and Mediterranean-climate vegetation. --Montmorency County Tribune The authors, writing for professionals and the interested public, summarize and analyze patterns of species diversity in the United States. They identify several biological hot spots (from Hawaii to the Southern Appalachians) that present critical opportunities for preserving threatened fauna and flora. The volume also considers the scale of habitat conservation that will be required to protect not only individual taxa but entire ecological systems. --Science This is no ranting polemic -- all conservation biologists could learn from its measured tones. If it is numbers you want, this is the book for you -- the data are here, and if they are condensed, the reference to the paper in which they were originally published. But if it is just an overview of this incredible range and diversity of habitats and organisms found in the USA you need, buy this book as well. -- Biological Conservation Each page of this incredible book not only contains extensive information, but is illustrated with at least a colour photograph of a species or habitat/and or table, graph and map. The appendices summarize the scientific information, including the two important plant tables: a state by state assessment of the vascular plant species, number of endemics, and number at risk(according to The Nature Conservancy rankings) and a list of 11 extinct and 131 possibly extinct plant species. The breadth of this compilation goes beyond words. this book is a definite 'must have' .--Plant Talk Richly illustrated, the book serves as an elegant wake-up call to the citizens of the United States to protect their resources. Includes extensive literature cited section and index. Timely! --Northeastern Naturalist . . .Precious Heritage draws on more than 25 years of information compiled by natural heritage programs from all 50 states. This new book represents the first time information housed in each state natural heritage program has been collected and analyzed from a national perspective. --Smyth County News & Messenger, Marion, VA Precious Heritage draws on more than 25 years of information complied by Natural Heritage programs from all 50 states. . .This new book represents the first time that the information housed in each of the state Natural Heritage programs has been collected and analyzed from a national perspective, thus providing the most comprehensive look a the nation's overall biological health. --ews-Register Wheeling, WV Two conservation groups have produced the most comprehensive look yet at the United States' createures, plants, and biomes in a richly illustrated, 400-page tome called Precious Heritage: The Status of Biodiversity in the United States. Included is a first-ever topography ... showing 'hotspots' of species richness and rarity, which portrays the biological uniqueness of areas based on the distribution of 2800 at-risk species. Where can biological treasure be found? The Appalachians, Hawaii, and California rank high, with 'secondary hotspots' in areas such as Big Bend in Texas. Other fun facts: The U.S. has more than 200,000 native species--double previous tallies--and the world's richest collection of freshwater mussels and salamanders. --Science [This] is a skillfully written and visually appealing book that calls on the American people to fully appreciate the rich, but threatened, biodiversity of the United States. Under the joint direction of The Nature Conservancy and the Association for Biodiversity Information, the twenty-six contributors to Precious Heritage survey and describe America's biodiversity and discuss the serious stresses this rich heritage is undergoing. After many chapters dedicated to this thorough exposition, Precious Heritage culminates its American journey by offering concrete suggestions for safeguarding the natural heritage that is described and beautifully photographed throughout this valuable book. . . . In its totality, Precious Heritage offers readers an invaluable education in U.S. biodiversity. . . .Such a shining example is Precious Heritage, and this book will encourage efforts to protect America's natural endowment. -- Environmental Law Precious Heritage is worth owning and is satisfying to read. The writing is interesting, the layout is attractive, the photographs are excellent (although I wish that some had been larger), and the paper is of high quality. . . . [It's themes place] the emphasis on geographic patterns and connections, on conserving ecosystems in order to conserve species and ecological processes, and on the conflict between agriculture and biodiversity. I highly recommend this book for general reading, for college courses, and for persuading legislators of the opportunities for protecting unique, wonderful, and vulnerable species and ecosystems in the United States. -- Wild Earth [M]ay be the most comprehensive survey of biological diversity in America. ... until now, the information ... had never been pulled together to produce a portrait of the status of wild America. --The New York Times [T]he most comprehensive look yet at the United States' creatures, plants, and biomes in a richly illustrated, 400-page tome ... --Science [A] welcome resource for everybody who wants to do the right thing for future generations while still living well today. ... In a very accessible format -- clearly written text accompanied by numerous figures, maps, charts and tables -- Precious Heritage explains how the data has been collected and analyzed, indicates what it can tell us, and provides avenues for preservation. ... all planners -- governmental, corporate, not-for-profit -- should have a copy of Precious Heritage on their desks ... --Corporate Environmental Strategy

<br> [This] is a skillfully written and visually appealing book that calls on the American people to fully appreciate the rich, but threatened, biodiversity of the United States. Under the joint direction of The Nature Conservancy and the Association for Biodiversity Information, the twenty-six contributors to Precious Heritage survey and describe America's biodiversity and discuss the serious stresses this rich heritage is undergoing. After many chapters dedicated to this thorough exposition, Precious Heritage culminates its American journey by offering concrete suggestions for safeguarding the natural heritage that is described and beautifully photographed throughout this valuable book. . . . In its totality, Precious Heritage offers readers an invaluable education in U.S. biodiversity. . . .Such a shining example is Precious Heritage, and this book will encourage efforts to protect America's natural endowment. -- Environmental Law<p><br> Precious Heritage is worth owning and is sat

[This] is a skillfully written and visually appealing book that calls on the American people to fully appreciate the rich, but threatened, biodiversity of the United States. Under the joint direction of The Nature Conservancy and the Association for Biodiversity Information, the twenty-six contributors to Precious Heritage survey and describe America's biodiversity and discuss the serious stresses this rich heritage is undergoing. After many chapters dedicated to this thorough exposition, Precious Heritage culminates its American journey by offering concrete suggestions for safeguarding the natural heritage that is described and beautifully photographed throughout this valuable book. . . . In its totality, Precious Heritage offers readers an invaluable education in U.S. biodiversity. . . .Such a shining example is Precious Heritage, and this book will encourage efforts to protect America's natural endowment. -- Environmental Law<br> Precious Heritage is worth owning and is satisfying to read. The writing is interesting, the layout is attractive, the photographs are excellent (although I wish that some had been larger), and the paper is of high quality. . . . [It's themes place] the emphasis on geographic patterns and connections, on conserving ecosystems in order to conserve species and ecological processes, and on the conflict between agriculture and biodiversity. I highly recommend this book for general reading, for college courses, and for persuading legislators of the opportunities for protecting unique, wonderful, and vulnerable species and ecosystems in the United States. -- Wild Earth<br> Overall, the book is engagingly written, lavishly illustrated both with photos andmaps that display the results of the analyses, and peppered with detailed examples of the species and communities that are the focus of our conservation concern. It is also extremely well edited. Although it has over 25 authors, the book reads with a common voice and consistent style. I can think of no other data-rich reference book that also provides anecdotes about Louis Agassiz, J.J. Audubon, the Bartrams, Lewis and Clark, and Phil Pister[I]t will make a welcome addition to the library of anyone interested in any aspect of conservation in the United States, including those who are responsible for managing natural areas. The book's ability to provide detailed information on species and communities in specific regions of the United Statesas well as describe conditions in the United States as a whole makes it an entertaining read and a valuable reference. --Natural Areas Journal<br> [M]ay be the most comprehensive survey of biological diversity in America. ... until now, the information ... had never been pulled together to produce a portrait of the status of wild America. --The New York Times<br> [A] welcome resource for everybody who wants to do the right thing for future generations while still living well today. ... In a very accessible format -- clearly written text accompanied by numerous figures, maps, charts and tables -- Precious Heritage explains how the data has been collected and analyzed, indicates what it can tell us, and provides avenues for preservation. ... all planners -- governmental, corporate, not-for-profit -- should have a copy of Precious Heritage on their desks ... --Corporate Environmental Strategy<br> [T]he most comprehensive look yet at the United States'creatures, plants, and biomes in a richly illustrated, 400-page tome ... --Science<br>

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