Nonfiction Monday

 

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For Nonfiction Monday  --  "Park scientists: gila monsters, geysers, andgrizzly bears in America's own backyard" written by Mary Kay Carson with photographs by Tom Uhlman.

 

 

Here is another excellent addition to the Scientist in the Field series.  Carson takes readers to three very diverse locations across the country to visit Yellowstone, Saguaro, and Great Smoky Mountains National Parks. Beginning in Yellowstone, American's first national park, readers follow the work of geologists who study the many geysers, hot springs, vents and boiling mud pots using a variety of instruments and observations. Biologists offer insight into their study of Grizzly bears: the collection of statistics, monitoring of individuals and conclusions based on the analysis of data.

 

Saguaro National Park in southern Arizona is a vastly different environment, but one that lends itself to the study of Gila monsters, the largest lizard in the United States, and the largest cactus, the Saguaro, which can live 150-200 years. Much of the data collection for these studies is done by citizens who volunteer to work under the supervision of biologists and botanists.

 

The Great Smoky Mountains is the salamander capital of the world and the study area of an evolutionary ecologist and firefly scientist. Each specialist is highlighted with an in depth look at how they carry out their research and background explaining how they became interested in their subjects.

 

A map at the beginning of the book locates America's national parks. Fact sheets provide information about the three parks and lists sources for additional information. A glossary explains terms and phrases. Quote Sources and Selected Bibliography by Chapter provides valuable background.