Texas Tech Professors to Release Second Textbook on Wildlife Toxicology

Newswise — A Texas Tech University professor has edited the first textbook to address environmental threats to wildlife in a single volume and recommend proven mitigation techniques to protect and sustain Earth’s wildlife populations.

Ron Kendall, director of The Institute of Environmental and Human Health (TIEHH), is chief editor of Wildlife Toxicology: Emerging Containment and Biodiversity Issues, which provides a global assessment of a range of environmental stressors, including pesticides, environmental contaminants, other emerging chemical threats and their impact on wildlife populations.

Other editors include Professors George Cobb and Stephen Cox at TIEHH, and Professor Tom Lacher at Texas A&M University. World-renowned conservation authority Thomas Lovejoy provides a forward to the text.

“These textbooks get attention because they establish academic leadership,” Kendall said. “Students say they want to come here because we are the leaders. It is inspiring to us. This book is a part of Texas Tech’s research journey in environmental toxicology. The book itself has international participation from here to Africa and around the world.”

The textbook also addresses atmospheric pollution that leads to species range shifts, ocean acidification, coral bleaching and impacts on heightened UV influx. The text presents several case studies that demonstrate effects of contaminants on species and impacts on communities.

Randy Brehm, editor for Chemical and Life Sciences Group at Taylor and Francis publishing firm, said there are 200 books on backorder.

“This is a novel book in the area and it is a hot field,” Brehm said, “and the cool part about it is that Ron founded this area of science. The book is done by the person who should have done it.”

After “Wildlife Toxicology and Population Modeling” was a best-selling text among the scientific community, Kendall was asked to create another expected bestseller, Brehm said. The book is scheduled for release May 10. For more information, visit www.crcpress.com/product/isbn/9781439817940.

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