Friday, December 12, 2014

20 Books You Should Own: Foundational Books in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences





 by Kristen Tyson M.A.

With the Christmas season upon us, you might find yourself looking for a gift for that one person who either has everything, or who is just hard to pick for. Might I suggest you look no further than our list of 20 books recommended by our own wildlife and aquaculture professors and professionals? This list is simply a glimpse into the minds of wildlife and fisheries specialists who hand-picked these tomes as books worth keeping on the nightstand or coffee table. (These are ranked in no particular order.)

1)      Handbook for Aquaculture Water Quality by Claude E. Boyd and Craig S. Tucker (you may have to peruse your local library for this rare treasure)*

2)      Essential Readings in Wildlife Management and Conservation edited by Paul R. Krausman and Bruce D. Leopold

3)      American Women Afield by Marcia Myers Bonta

4)      Texas Natural History: A Century of Change by David J. Schmidly 

5)      The Physiology of Fishes edited by David H. Evans, James B. Claiborne, and Suzanne Currie

6)      Small Impoundment Management in North America edited by J. Wesley Neal and David W. Willis

7)      Wildlife Techniques Manual edited by Nova J. Silvy

8)      Fundamentals of Aquaculture by James W. Avault Jr.

9)      A Sand County Almanac by Aldo Leopold

10)   Naturalists of the Frontier by Samuel Wood Geiser 

11)   The Secret Lives of Lobsters by Trevor Corson

12)   Range Plants of North Central Texas by Ricky J. Linex

13)   Fisheries Techniques edited by Alexander V. Zale, Donna L. Parrish, and Trent M. Sutton

14)   On Bobwhites by Fred S. Guthery

15)   Beef, Brush, and Bobwhites by Fidel Hernández and Fred S. Guthery

16)   Wildlife Stewardship and Recreation on Private Lands by Delwin E. Benson, Ross “Skip” Shelton, and Don W. Steinbach

17)   Biology and Management of White-tailed Deer edited by David G. Hewitt

18)   Mammal Tracks & Sign: A Guide to North American Species by Mark Elbroch

19)   Game Management by Aldo Leopold

20)   Ecology and Management of Large Animals in North America by Stephen Demarais and Paul R. Krausman


You can find these books, aside from those noted, at your local bookstore or at online retailers. Feel free to begin your own list of your favorite wildlife and aquaculture books and share them with us on our Facebook page at WFSC Facebook.

*To purchase the Handbook for Aquaculture Water Quality contact Dr. Boyd at boydce1@auburn.edu.