AmAZed!

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CSIRO's A to Z of Biodiversity

By: Andrea Wild

eBook - June 2021 - eRetailers

Packed with fabulous facts about plants, animals, microbes, and the scientists who study them.

Prepare to be AmAZed! on this wild ride through Australia’s biodiversity from A to Z! + Full description

Go on an amazing scientific journey through 100 topics inspired by the specimens and stories from CSIRO’s National Research Collections Australia. This book is filled with fabulous facts about plants, animals, microbes and the scientists who study them.

Find out how new species get their names and discover an orchid that grows underground, identify a fly that looks like a bee, and explore strange fish that live in the deep sea.

AmAZed! CSIRO’s A to Z of Biodiversity covers Australia’s natural wonders and impressive discoveries for each letter of the alphabet, accompanied by engaging photos and illustrations. Get ready to encounter the Lost Shark, the phenomena of sea sparkle and zombie worms!

Reading level varies from child to child, but we recommend this book for ages 6-12.

- Short description

Reviews

"This is an excellent book for older readers (10 and up) due to the language used in the text BUT the photographs and illustrations can help younger readers to engage too. A great book for the science classroom, the literacy block and lovers of nature."
Vanessa Ryan-Rendall, Educate.Empower Blog, 8 June 2021

"This is a marvellous dip-and-delve book that both teacher and student will find fascinating as they find something to accompany or satisfy their curiosity. A whole new world of discovery awaits."
Barbara Braxton, The Bottom Shelf, 21 June 2021

"The text and information support the generation of some great inquiry questions across a range of concepts including: science, scientific research, biology, conservation, sustainability and biodiversity. I highly recommend this text and believe it would be a wonderful addition to your school library."
Alex Parrington, Teaching Science 67(4) December 2021

"This book would be perfect for engaging students in learning about the biodiversity in Australia, about sustainability, and about ecosystems in general. AmAZed would also make an excellent reference resource for an inquiry unit where students chose a particular aspect of the Australian biodiversity to explore."
Fi Morrison, Stem Ed Magazine, Issue 3, June 2021

"AmAZed! CSIRO’s A to Z of Biodiversity takes the reader on a wondrous journey with amazing facts to learn and share. A great resource for home, school or public libraries."
Kathryn Beilby, Read Plus, 21 February 2022

Details

Features

Takes the reader on a journey through the alphabet, with each entry inspired by Australia's unique biodiversity.
Features photos of the incredible specimens within CSIRO's natural history collections, alongside quirky illustrations by Rachel Tribout.
Includes amazing facts about a range of science topics, including insects, birds, plants and much, much more!
Aligns with the Australian curriculum to inspire excitement, interest and awareness in STEM among primary school children.

Acknowledgments
Preface
Collections
A – Aerogard, Algae collection, Antibiotics, Apisomyia bathae
B – Biodiversity, Bluebottles, Bry the Fly Guy, Bushfire
C – Carcharhinus obsoletus, Cindy Bessey, Crimson Rosellas, Cyrtobagous salviniae
D – Deep-sea fish, Diptera, Dragons, Dung beetles
E – Eggshell DNA, Emu in the Sky, Eucalyptus platyphylla, Evolution
F – Feathers, Field trips, Fire, Fish collection
G – Galahs, Germ theory, Golden fungi, Gut parasites
H – Haslea, Haycocknema perplexum, Head lice
I – Influenza virus, Insect collection, Insect eating, Invasive species
J – Jellyfish-like pseudo-organisms, Jewel beetles, Joeys, Jumping spiders
K – Kangaroo Grass, Kauri Moths, Kingdom Animalia, Kookaburras
L – Leopardwood, Lichens, Loch Ness monster, Luana Lins
M – Metal nests, Migratory birds, Mining our biodiversity, Mosses of Antarctica
N – Natural history, Nematodes, New species, Nymphaea violacea
O – Oceans of plastic, Origins of life, Ornithoptera richmondia, Oysters
P – Paradise Parrots, Perfume, Plant collection, Pollinators
Q – Queen Alexandra’s Birdwing, Quisqualis and Quinqueremulus, Quokkas, Quolls
R – Rats, Rays, Rock pools, RV Investigator
S – Sea sparkle, Soil crusts, Spider wasps, Swift Parrots versus Sugar Gliders
T – Taeniophyllum cylindrocentrum, Taxidermy, Thylacine skull, Tree seed collection
U – Underground orchid, Unknown mosquitoes, Upside-down flies, UV light
V – Vaccines, Vanishing insects, Velvet ants, Virus collection
W – Weevils in amber, White-faced Robins, Wildlife collection, Will White
X – Xiao Deng, Xiphias gladius, X-rays of fish
Y – Yellow Box, Yellow Crazy Ants, Yowies
Z – Zeus faber, Zombie worms, Zoology
Glossary

View the full table of contents (PDF, 74 kb)

Authors

Andrea Wild is a science writer at CSIRO. She works with the National Research Collections Australia, home to more than 15 million natural-history specimens, from tiny mosquitoes to huge sharks. Andrea's work helps publicise the scientists' important work. She has two sons, one who loves nature and one who loves experiments.