There are 2 basic texts for this course:
1 - Forsyth, Adrian and Ken Miyata. 1987. Tropical Nature. Touchstone Books.
The book costs about $14.00, and can be ordered through your favorite bookstore or online book provider. You will need to read this before we leave - don't worry, it's an interesting read - and we'll use it as a base for discussion while in Belize.
2 - Reader
Tropical Nature will be supplemented with a class reader, a selection of more detailed readings on various topics, including Belizean cultures, habitats, etc. This will be provided for you at the orientation meeting for whatever it costs to print it (usually about $25).
Below are listed some other references (not a comprehensive list!), covering a broad range of topics. You may want to pick and choose from them in areas that you have more interest. For instance, the Beletsky guide has a field guide for many of the common fauna and flora of Belize, so for the general naturalist/zoologist, this is one you may want to use in the field as a resource. However, we will have lots of opportunities for birding, and those of you really interested in birding may want to get the Howell and Bell (for serious birders), Peterson, or Edwards field guide. Look around, check these out on the web, or ask me if you have a particular topic or need in mind.
Arvigo, Rosita. 1994. Sastun. HarperSanFrancisco
Beletsky, L. 1999. Belize and northern Guatemala: the ecotraveller's wildlife guide. Academic Press, San Diego, CA. 487 pages.
Coe, W.X. 1975. Resurrecting the grandeur of Tikal. National Geographic. Dec. 1975.
Davidson, W.V. 1987. Ethnogeography of Belize. Americana Indigena. Vol. XLVII(1). Jan.-March 1987.
Edwards, E.P., and E.M. Butler. 1998. A Field Guide to the Birds of Mexico and Adjacent areas: Belize, Guatemala, and El Salvador. University of Texas Press.
Emmons, K.M., et. al. 1996. Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary: Its history, flora, and fauna for visitors, teachers, and scientists. Producciones de la Hamaca, Caye Caulker, Belize and Orang-utan Press, Gay Mills, WI.
Emmons, L.H. 1990. Neotropical rainforest mammals: a field guide. Univ. of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL.
Garrett, W.E. 1989. La Ruta Maya. National Geographic. Oct. 1989.
Howell, N.G. and S. Webb. 1995. A guide to the birds of Mexico and northern Central America. Oxford Univ. Press, Oxford, UK.
Kaplan, E.H. 1988. A field guide to southeastern and Caribbean seashores. Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston, MA.
Jantzen, C.R. 1989. The Mennonites of Spanish Lookout. The World & I. June 1989. Pages 664-673.
Jantzen, C.R. 1987. From the Maya to the Mennonites: intercommunity relationships in west-central Belize. America Indigena XLVII (1). Jan.-March 1987.
Kricher, J. 1997. A Neotropical Companion. Second edition. Princeton Univ. Press, Princeton, NJ. 451 pages.
Lemonick, M.D. 1993. Secrets of the Maya. Time. Aug. 9, 1993.
Lipske, M. How a monkey saved the jungle. International Wildlife. Jan/Feb. 1992.
Rabinowitz, Allen. 1987. Jaguar: Struggle and Triumph in the Jungles of Belize, William Morrow.
or 2000Jaguar: One ManŐs Struggle to Establish the WorldŐs First Jaguar Preserve Island Press.Mallan, C. and P. Lange. 1998. Belize Handbook, 4th. ed. Moon Travel Handbooks, Chico, CA. 328 pages.
Peterson, R.T., and E. L. Chaliff. 1999. A Field Guide to Mexican Birds: Mexico, Guatemala Belize and El Salvador.
Sharer, R.J. 1994. The Ancient Maya, 5th ed. Stanford Univ. Press, Palo Alto, CA. 892 pages.
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