Animal Sciences (Vol. 4)

Geared to high school and undergraduate levels, this color-illustrated reference has the strength of interdisciplinarity: coverage encompasses animal development, behavior, ecology, and issues (animal testing, rights, habitat loss, etc.). In the entry on animal testing, Ian Quigley (U. of Texas, Austin) stands firmly on middle ground: some experimentation necessary, much of it not, and things are getting better. In "Habitat Loss," Elliot Richmond (Austin Community College) discusses species-endangering anthropogenic causes: agriculture, urbanization, grazing, deforestation, mining, water projects, fire suppression, recreation, and traffic in non-native species. Features include a comprehensive glossary at the end of each volume, specific glossaries in the margins of each entry, and a comprehensive list of entries in 24 categories (e.g. animal groups, cell biology, historical figures in science, and humans and the animal world). In-depth indexes appear in each volume. Of the 25 contributors, 16 hail from institutions in Austin, Texas, while the rest are based elsewhere in the US.