Love moss? Love what lives in it? I have been writing the book called Moss Safari: Exploring the Secret Life in Moss, over the past year. In this book I write about the microscopic Big Five that are commonly found living in moss: the oribatid mite, the nematode, the rotifer, the tardigrade and the gastrotrich. Here I list some of the best books I have used in my research. These help with identification and background knowledge of the microscopic Big Five.
This blog follows from Part 1: Best books for mosses
Please note that if you buy books from the links below, Moss Safari receives a small commission. This commission is used to support educational outreach activities.
This isn’t just moss, but the keys, identification, descriptions and information is very applicable to moss. I’ve used this regularly when identifying organisms I find in moss.
This is a very well thumbed book for me. It’s my starting point for identifying organisms that I find in moss. It has keys, pictures and useful information. A real classic. It’s a thin book but bursting with information.
A fantastic introduction to beneficial multicellular and unicellular organisms. A great read. Learnt a lot from it and go back in from time to time.
This book makes a great read for anyone fascinated by the microscopic world. Money covers the big groups in some detail and focus’s on key genre / species such as Cryptomonas, Rotifers, amoeba, nematodes, dinoflagellates, and so on. Fascinating details about morphology, behaviour and their ecology. He looks at water, soil and air and convinces the reader that we have barely scratched the surface regarding the microorganisms that live in our ecosystems.
Epic pictures and insights of mysterious microorganisms brought to you by the Microcosmos creator, James Weiss.
If you like to colour and learn, this is a great book for learning about a range of unicellular and multicellular microorganisms.
If I’ve missed any, or you have any recommendations, do let me know.
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Moss Safari 