Elminster's Ecologies (in-universe)

Elminster's Ecologies was a series of nine books, compiled by the sage of Shadowdale, Elminster, that detailed the various natural wildlife, local trees and plans, and magical beasts that could be found in a number of regions in the Heartlands and surrounding areas of northern and central Faerûn.

Books

 * An Investigation into the Natural Systems of Organisms and Their Surroundings:
 * A "definitive treatise" on the natural classification and order of the species of Toril. It described a number of concepts and ideas that applied to the understanding of the subsequent volumes.
 * The "chain of consumption" was charted, detailing the relationship between apex carnivores, lesser meat-eaters, matter-eaters, herbivores and plant life, in relation to the availability of these various life forms. It continued to explore the concepts of population control, competition over food sources and the effects of climate on the entire circle of life. It concluded with guidelines that had to be considered when observing life on Toril: creatures from different locales often displayed different behavior, they were governed by a variety of motivations, and while they tended to prefer certain locales, they often wandered from where they were usually found.
 * Written by Elminster Aumar.


 * Cormanthor:
 * This descriptive guide detailed the diverse plant life, natural species, magical creatures historical landmarks, geographical features and weather of the sprawling forest of Cormanthor. Its texts explored the four smaller woods that made up the greater region, including the Rimwood, Midwood, Starwood, and Edgelands. These included descriptions of the effects that residual magic from the Ruins of Myth Drannor had on the surrounding wild life and forests.
 * Written by the Lyra Sunrose


 * Anauroch
 * The secrets of the massive desert were detailed within this firsthand account. It offered a broad description of the three regions of the Anauroch desert, including the Sword, the Plain of Standing Stones, and the High Ice. It continued with an exploration of both the more commonly-found animals as well as the rarer, particularly deadly beasts found within the three regions.
 * Written by Ibn Al'Arif


 * The Storm Horns and the Thunder Peaks
 * Two of the most formidable mountain ranges in all of Faerûn, the Storm Horns and Thunder Peaks, were detailed from the perspective of an educated naturalist.


 * The Cormyrean Marshes


 * The Stonelands and the Goblin Marches


 * The Sea of Fallen Stars


 * The Great Gray Land of Thar


 * The Settled Lands

Contributors

 * Lyra Sunrose: The half-elf of Alyssim who had spent 11 years traveling Cormanthor with her husband, a scholar and lepidopterist from the Dalelands, Ruke Diggot.
 * Ibn Al'Arif: Born the son of a sheikh in the Maurani tribe, the bedine traveler spent many years braving the elements of the Anauroch desert in solitude.
 * Nibulus Loral: This wizard has spent much of his later life as a sage and a scholar, fully appreciative of the natural world he was studying.
 * Bryn Ohme Thornwood: The elven farmer lived on the outskirts of Mistledale for over 300 years.