Books: Biodiversity & Wildlife

Fascinated by your vegetable garden and edible plants, discover their history!

This unusual foray into the past of edible plants gives full meaning to the ever-growing interest in heritage varieties.

Did you know that tomatoes were tropical vines whose fruits were not always red?
Did cabbages grow in bushes?
That beans were once poisonous?

Exploring the history of the plants we eat reveals their astonishing evolutions. Since their original environment is largely located in tropical latitudes, it's understandable that our vegetables and herbs have traveled extensively in the baggage of explorers and horticulturists.

This exhibition offers a fresh perspective on the history of over fifty plant species, including tomatoes, potatoes, corn, arugula, and basil. This unusual exploration of the past of edible plants fully justifies the ever-growing interest in heritage varieties.

We must also acknowledge the work of the gardeners of yesteryear, to whom we owe the remarkable diversity of herbs and vegetables found on our plates today.

Author: Bertrand Dumont
Publisher: MULTIMONDES EDITIONS
Publication date: May 27, 2020
Pages: 300
ISBN: 978-2-8977-320-42
Language: French
Cover: Soft
Size: 13.97 x 21.59 cm (5.5 x 8.5 in)

In this fourth volume, primarily dedicated to Quebec, the authors present 34 stories highlighting individuals and educational and research institutions that, between 1867 and 1935, were concerned with plants for their agricultural, food, ornamental, medicinal, forestry or scientific value.

Alain Asselin, Jacques Cayouette and Jacques Mathieu set out to discover the origin of mysterious plants and recount the curious and astonishing history of their uses, both in America and in Europe.

In 1534, Jacques Cartier described the use of corn, tobacco, and a mysterious plant, annedda, which was said to cure scurvy and syphilis. But what was this miraculous conifer? What use was fir resin made of in European churches? And what kind of rosary did Native Americans eat?

It is inspiring to note that many questions concerning the earliest observations of Canadian plants remain unanswered and still require research. This detailed, exciting, and eventful story is also rich in often overlooked scientific, cultural, and historical information.

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Alain Asselin, Jacques Cayouette and Jacques Mathieu set out to discover the origin of these plants and recount the curious and astonishing history of their uses, both in America and in Europe.

As always with Septentrion, the layout is meticulous, the iconographic research impeccable, and the overall presentation appealing. This book is the perfect complement to Brother Marie-Victorin's Laurentian Flora and serves as its historical counterpart. A reference work that will quickly become indispensable.

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Authors: Alain Asselin, Jacques Cayouette and Jacques Mathieu
Publisher: Septentrion (Quebec, Canada)
Publication date: 2014
Pages: 288
ISBN 9782894487976
Language: French

What could be more enjoyable than understanding our environment through a wonderful story! This first volume in a truly unique series called " Earth's Allies " is aimed at children aged 9 and up, as well as adults. Its entertaining story and the awareness it raises about natural phenomena will captivate readers of all ages.

VOLUME 1: The Quest for the Hidden City

Summary of the story :
Magalie, a young queen, wants to save her kingdom from pollution. She meets an eccentric man named Vital Logissol. He entrusts her with the mission of finding a hidden city that will reveal the secrets to preserving the environment. She sets off on the back of her friend Nallue, a female dragon. Through her dreams, Magalie makes contact with invisible beings who manifest in the elements of the planet: water, air, earth, and light. These beings are responsible for the planet's well-being. A wonderful surprise awaits our travelers!

Content :

What could be more enjoyable than understanding our environment through a wonderful story! This first volume in a truly unique series called " Earth's Allies " is aimed at children aged 9 and up, as well as adults. Its entertaining story and the awareness it raises about natural phenomena will captivate readers of all ages.

Circular consumption processes are the key to life on Earth! Never heard of them? No wonder the Earth is in such a bad way! Become allies of the Earth too… true allies, just like Magalie and all the other characters in this story!

This is a perfect gift for your children and grandchildren. If you do, take the time to read the story yourself, as this book will both educate and entertain you.

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Authors: Serge Fortier and Kathia Trottier
Illustrations: Isabelle Lefebvre
Publisher: RDL Publishing
Collection: Green Science
Dimensions: 13.5 x 21cm (5 x 8 in)
Page 112, printed on Enviro paper made from 100% recycled fibers
Publication date: 2010
ISBN: 9781897552049

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The true nature of weeds presents and reveals 15 wild plants unfairly labeled as weeds!

The True Nature of Weeds aims to shed light on often-maligned plants. It explores the relationships First Nations peoples had with certain plants and is enhanced with numerous photographs and illustrations. The book invites reflection on what leads us to classify plants, and even humans, as good or bad.

The Discovery Guide provides information on;

• their life cycle and their anatomy
• their survival strategies
• their history and geographical origin
• Their uses: edibility and medicinal aspects
• beliefs and anecdotes about them

Author: Roger Larivière
Publisher: Naturat (Rouyn-Noranda, Quebec, Canada)
Publication date: May 2019
Pages:
90 color pages for the Discovery Guide,
110 black and white pages for the Botanical Notebook.

With the globalization of the agri-food industry, we are witnessing a globalization of the invasion of non-native plants, limited only by climate and the type of activities. This book introduces us to a world where harmfulness is a function of activities (crops, pastures, livestock) and exists at varying degrees along a harm-to-benefit continuum.

Nothing is more complex than living things. Nothing is more relative than the harmfulness of a plant. And, in some plants, nothing is more variable than the characteristics of the species. Add to this picture climate change, global trade, and the introduction of new species, and you'll understand why this book is more of a short treatise on weed science than an identification guide. To help the reader learn to see and speak the language of weeds, the author guides them through the evolution and emergence of the major botanical classes and their roots in terminology, draws illuminating comparisons between species, directs attention to critical details—in short, aims to develop good instincts and reflexes for identification. Anyone seeking basic knowledge, whether in their agricultural training or gardening activities, will be delighted by this beautifully illustrated presentation of the plants that live alongside us and sometimes make our lives difficult simply by behaving as they were born to behave...

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Author: Roger Doucet
Publisher: Berger - Canadian book
Collection: Agricultural Science
Category: Technology and Engineering
Publication date: 2013-08-27
Size: 20.5 cm x 23.0 cm
Pages: 367
Binding: Softcover
ISBN: 9782921416733
Language: French

This is an easy-to-use guide that will appeal to insect collectors, horticulturists, and nature lovers alike.

This book covers all the major insect groups. It's an easy-to-use guide that will appeal to insect collectors, horticulturists, and nature lovers alike. Designed to engage children as well as specialists in agriculture, forestry, and pest control, this guide features over 1,500 species illustrated with 2,000 color photos!

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ISBN: 9782890008250

Author: Yves Dubuc

Crops and farming practices are evolving at an increasingly rapid pace due to the globalization of trade, cutting-edge scientific knowledge, and climate change. Agricultural entomology is no exception. […] Whatever their motivation, everyone will come away from this reading dazzled by the beauty and imagination displayed by Nature.

Some harmful insects have become resistant to the control methods used to combat them, others, recently arrived, are wreaking havoc, and still others are being introduced to control these pests. Meanwhile, species classification is undergoing a revolution driven by phylogenetics, and there is an unprecedented surge in research on integrated pest management to meet new socio-health and environmental requirements. This book therefore focuses on the essentials. It brings together everything needed to identify the main harmful and beneficial insects, with a strong emphasis on illustrations.

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Author: Roger Doucet
Publisher: Berger - Canadian book
Category: Pure Sciences, Agricultural Science.
Publication date: 2017-02-21
Size: 20.5 cm x 23.0 cm
Pages: 452
Binding: Softcover
ISBN: 978-2-921416-87-0
Language: French

The garden is a fabulous world where many small creatures live, which this book will help you to know better.

To make them feel at home, build shelters where they can settle. Have fun observing them. You'll look at earthworms differently, you won't be afraid of earwigs anymore, and you'll always be amazed by butterflies!

You could also attract these beautiful butterflies with the seed box; Friend of butterflies !

A book full of activities!

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Author: Boudassou, Bénédicte
Publisher: Rustica
Publication date: March 2020
Pages: 64
ISBN: 9782815316156

How to attract beneficial insects and keep pests away?

Insects, defending our vegetable gardens!

Insects are the perfect ecological way to promote biodiversity in our gardens and vegetable patches. While some species can wreak havoc on flowerbeds, others are essential for their health. How can we tell the difference?

Albert Mondor & Daniel Gingras

Albert Mondor, horticulturist and biologist, and Daniel Gingras, entomologist, introduce novice and experienced gardeners to the fascinating world and unsuspected resources of butterflies, bees, and other pollinators. This guide contains, among other things:

• Several flower bed design plans that will attract beneficial insects
• Effective and eco-friendly tips for repelling pest insects
• Simple methods to distinguish beneficial insects from unwanted ones
• A directory of plants preferred by pollinating insects
• All the important elements to consider for insect farming, especially beekeeping

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Authors: Albert Mondor, Daniel Gingras
Publisher: Les Éditions du Journal
Pages: 240
Publication date: March 2021
ISBN: 9782897611040

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Discovering a fascinating and little-known world

Discreet and often disliked creatures, frogs, salamanders, turtles and grass snakes are captivating an increasingly wider audience.

Discovering a fascinating and little-known world

Discreet and often disliked creatures, frogs, salamanders, turtles and grass snakes are captivating an increasingly wider audience.

• A new, revised and expanded edition of an essential reference work
• A practical guide for both specialists and amateurs
• Over 500 striking photos, illustrating life stages, color variations, and behaviors
• Well-documented species identification sheets (description, reproduction, diet, predators, habitat, species status, notes)
• The most up-to-date distribution maps and clear, easy-to-use identification keys

David Rodrigue, a biologist specializing in herpetology, is the author of a book on the amphibians and reptiles of the world and several texts on the herpetological fauna of Quebec. He directs the Zoo Ecomuseum in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, an organization dedicated to education, conservation, and promotion of Quebec wildlife.

Jean-François Desroches is a biologist and bioecology techniques instructor at Cégep de Sherbrooke. He is the author or co-author of numerous reports and articles on the amphibians and reptiles of Quebec and co-author of the guide Freshwater Fish of Quebec and the Maritimes in the same collection.

Authors: Jean-François Desroches and David Rodrigue
Publication date: June 2018
Publisher: Quintin Michel
ISBN: 9782897623036