United States
£ GBP
Although people have been altering earth's landscapes to some extent for tens of thousands of years, humankind today is causing massive changes to the planet. Such widespread environmental change is accompanied by accelerating rates of species extinction. In this book, noted ecologist H. H. Shugart presents important ecological concepts through entertaining animal parables. He tells the stories of particular birds and mammals - the packrat, ivory-billed woodpecker, penguin, dingo, European rabbit, and others - and what their fates reveal about the interactions between environmental change and the extinctions or explosions of species populations.
Change is the root of many planetary problems, but it is also an intrinsic feature of our living planet. Shugart explores past environmental change, discusses the non-existence of a 'balance of Nature', and documents how human alterations have affected plants, soils, and animals. He looks with hope toward a future in which thoughtful people learn, and use, ecological science to protect the landscapes upon which terrestrial creatures depend.
H. H. Shugart is W. W. Corcoran Professor, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia. He is the author or editor of more than 300 publications.
Through a menagerie of animal parables, Hank Shugart combines interesting stories with ecological information and a strong conservation message. This is a book for curious readers of all stripes. John B. Dunning, Jr., Purdue University "Dr. Shugart communicates his enthusiasm and passion for nature and ecology while at the same time deftly explaining the scientific basis for many major environmental issues facing humankind today. What a great read!" Oswald Schmitz, Yale University"
