Lists the contents of the full two-volume report, and gives the text of the chapter on the Mississippi River from vol. 1.

Assesses the health of the United States plants, animals, and ecosystems.

Sound decisions about the use and conservation of natural resources require high-quality, independent scientific information accessible to all who need it. Provision of such information, particularly on the status and trends of the nation's biological resources, is central to the mission of the U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Biological Resources Division, formerly the National Biological Service (NBS). This report, The Status and Trends of the Nation's Biological Resources, is a major contribution to meeting the nation's need for better information about our nation's living resources. This two-volume book provides the first large-scale assessment of the health of the nation's plants, animals, and ecosystems and is intended for use by managers, scientists, policy makers, and the general public. It synthesizes existing and new information about birds, mammals, fishes, plants, and other species and summarizes what is known about the status and trends of major U.S. ecosystems. The findings reported here offer valuable insight into both successes and failures in resource management and point the way to better management of biological resources in the future.

This book is the first comprehensive study to review and take stock in OECD countries of progress in developing indicators to measure the environmental performance of agriculture.

Understand the current concept of wetland and methods for identifying, describing, classifying, and delineating wetlands in the United States with Wetland Indicators - capturing the current state of science's role in wetland recognition and mapping. Environmental scientists and others involved with wetland regulations can strengthen their knowledge about wetlands, and the use of various indicators, to support their decisions on difficult wetland determinations. Professor Tiner primarily focuses on plants, soils, and other signs of wetland hydrology in the soil, or on the surface of wetlands in his discussion of Wetland Indicators. Practicing - and aspiring - wetland delineators alike will appreciate Wetland Indicators' critical insight into the development and significance of hydrophytic vegetation, hydric soils, and other factors. Features Color images throughout illustrate wetland indicators. Incorporates analysis and coverage of the latest Army Corps of Engineers delineation manual. Provides over 60 tables, including extensive tables of U.S. wetland plant communities and examples for determining hydrophytic vegetation.