Book Reviews

Homage to G. Evelyn Hutchinson

G. Evelyn Hutchinson and the Invention of Mod-ern Ecology. Slack, N. G. 2010. Yale University Press,New Haven, CT 480 pp. $40 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-300-16174-8..

The Art of Ecology: Writings of G. Evelyn Hutchin-son. Skelly, D. K., D. M. Post, and M. D. Smith, editors.2010. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. 368 pp. $22(paperback). ISBN 978-0-300-15449-8.

Long before we have reached even an elementary knowl-edge of the distinction of the kinds of ecological phenom-ena, they may have disappeared, owing to the continualerosion of nature that is characteristic of our era.

G. E. Hutchinson (1978)

In his 1959 essay “Homage to Santa Rosalia,” G. EvelynHutchinson famously asked, “Why is there such an enor-mous number of animal species?” At the time, he feltdissatisfied that no theory could yet predict the num-ber of animal species on Earth to within an order ofmagnitude. Great progress toward a general theory ofbiological diversity has been made since—the field ofcommunity ecology has incorporated many of the ideasin “Homage to Santa Rosalia”—but we are still short ofa theory that can predict the number of animal species.We are also short of a theory that can predict how manyof these species will become extinct over the next 50years. Hutchinson foresaw the importance of many ofthe factors currently driving global change, including thesocial factors. By the 1950s, he was concerned that hu-man transformation of the biosphere was so great thatdeveloping a theory of diversity might be precluded bythe irreversible loss of biodiversity. It is fascinating toread Hutchinson’s writings from our perspective in the21st century because he clearly laid the foundations ofbiodiversity science. Biodiversity science is the emergingtransdisciplinary field that integrates taxonomy, system-atics, ecology, evolution, and conservation biology withthe social and economic aspects of governance of biolog-ical diversity.

The recent publication of 2 books focused on Hutchin-son and his writings make it easier than ever to appre-ciate his extraordinary influence. G. Evelyn Hutchinsonand the Invention of Modern Ecology by N. G. Slackconveys much of what was inspiring about the man.The other, The Art of Ecology: Writings of G. Evelyn

Hutchinson, edited by D. K. Skelly, D. M. Post, and M. D.Smith (all faculty at Yale University, Hutchinson’s aca-demic home), conveys the breadth of his writings. Thesebooks complement each other nicely, and when readtogether, foster a deep appreciation of Hutchinson thescientist, his approaches, and his ideas. One can read theclassic papers on n-dimensional niche space and paradoxof the plankton, and in the same sitting, learn the story ofhow Hutchinson came to be a professor at Yale withouta PhD.

The Art of Ecology is a valuable anthology, contain-ing Hutchinson’s writings on 5 broad themes: his lifestory, his vision for science, his contributions to limnol-ogy and theory, and his passion for museums. An intro-ductory essay accompanies each section. For example,Sharon Kingsland’s “Introduction” provides an insightfulcomparison between Hutchinson and von Humboldt andtheir shared vision on the aesthetic and intellectual valueof science as a means for personal development throughthe contemplation of nature. Kingsland’s chapter also re-minds us of the great value Hutchinson placed on thehistorical roots of ideas, as shown by the many footnotesthat detail his writing.

Hutchinson is perhaps best known for his seminal con-tributions to limnology and community ecology. We findmost of his classic papers from “Copepodology for Or-nithologists” to “The Paradox of the Plankton” in thisanthology. Most of us will not have read these since grad-uate school, but again we see the benefits of having themgathered together. It becomes easier to appreciate thatHutchinson was driven by a fundamental curiosity for na-ture, coupled with a desire to enhance the appreciationof the diversity of all organisms, even the most cryptic anduncharismatic. Ultimately, he advanced general theory bychallenging ecologists to consider the embellishments ofnatural systems (e.g., nonequilibrium dynamics, multidi-mensional niches) necessary to explain the remarkablediversity of all groups from copepods and diatoms tobeetles and warblers.

Slack’s book is largely a detailed biography of the manmany consider the father of modern ecology (even ifHutchinson himself did not) and of limnology. In ad-dition to insight into the man’s family life as a childand adult, we learn about his professional relationships,largely through Slack’s perusal of the enormous collec-tion of his letters in the Yale archives. Furthermore, as ev-idenced by the presence of the oft-cited Hutchinson “in-tellectual family tree” (Edmondson 1971), he left a largelegacy through his students, including many pioneering

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women. As also demonstrated in the anthology, Hutchin-son was a polymath who contributed to, or drew oninfluences from, art history to prehistoric archeology topsychoanalysis.

Hutchinson’s less well-known contributions to ecol-ogy, including conservation science and environmentalscience, come to light in Slack’s book. As a pioneeringresearcher of biogeochemistry, particularly in limnology,Hutchinson was interested in the alteration of biogeo-chemical cycles by human activity, including climatechange, in the 1940s. As a leader in the field, he wasfrequently consulted on the problem of eutrophicationin water bodies. However, above all, Hutchinson con-sidered himself a “philosophic naturalist . . . delightingin the understanding of nature” rather than an “engi-neer . . . attempting to reform her” (Hutchinson 1943).

Driven by his interest in diversity, Hutchinson arguedfor the preservation of natural conditions through re-serves, or what he called “living museums,” to better al-low the study of natural communities. Hutchinson calledfor the preservation of natural areas for fish close to homein Connecticut and in Lake Malawi, for whales in Japan,and for large mammals in Africa and for conservationof Aldabra Island (Seychelles). Furthermore, Hutchinsonsaw early on (1950s) the connection between conserva-tion and human society and psychology, arguing for theinclusion of such fields in a new conservation programat Yale. We also learn in the Slack book that Hutchinsonrecognized the important role of taxonomists in researchon species diversity and that he was vehemently opposedto the elimination of curatorial and research positions inmuseums, a clarion call still relevant today. As Hutchinsonput it, “We can never hope to understand this incrediblephenomenon, life, of which we are a part, if we per-mit a major portion of the evidence or data bank to beexpunged” (Slack 2010, p. 305).

Overall, we learn that Hutchinson believed that sci-ence should not be dedicated to controlling nature, butto advancing our appreciation and knowledge of its re-markable beauty and diversity. Through this knowledge,we will come to better understand ourselves and learnenough to avoid destroying the living systems on whichhuman society depends. The echoes of his philosophy re-verberate today. We wonder what Hutchinson’s reactionwould be to the new Intergovernmental Science-PolicyPlatform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Service (IPBES)created by the United Nations at the close of the Inter-national Year of Biodiversity (2010). We think he wouldhave applauded the efforts of many scientists to bringthe loss of biological diversity and its associated effectson ecosystem function to the attention of the world’sgovernments. He would, no doubt, have recognizedthe importance of fundamental conservation science asa foundation for policy, but he may also have calledfor a less utilitarian and economic basis for ecosystemconservation.

We recommend these books to anyone wanting tolearn more about one of the giants of ecology. Each bookaffords new insights, but it is when they are read to-gether that one begins to discern the full stature of G.Evelyn Hutchinson, the man and the scientist.

Andrew Gonzalez

Department of Biology, McGill University, 1205 Dr Penfield Avenue,Montreal, QC H3A 1B1, Canada, email andrew.gonzalez@mcgill.ca

Beatrix Beisner

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Quebec at Montreal,C.P. 8888 Succursal Centre-Ville, Montreal, QC H3C 3P8, Canada

Literature Cited

Edmondson, Y. H. 1971. Some components of the Hutchinson legend.Limnology and Oceanography 16:157–163.

Hutchinson, G. E. 1943. Marginalia. Scientific American 31:270.Hutchinson, G. E. 1978. An introduction to population ecology. Yale

University Press, New Haven.

An Adaptive Radiation of Texts

Essentials of Conservation Biology. 5th edition. Pri-mack, R. B. 2010. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA.601 pp. $86.95 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-8789-640-3.

Conservation Science. Balancing the Needs of Peo-ple and Nature. Kareiva, P., and M. Marvier. 2011.Roberts, Greenwood Village, CO. 543 pp. $90 (hard-cover). ISBN 978-1-93622-106-6.

Conservation Biology for All. Sodhi, N. S., and P. R.Ehrlich, editors. 2010. Oxford University Press, Oxford,United Kingdom. 344 pp. $65 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-19-955424-9.

Practitioners and instructors of conservation biologyand related fields should take note of three excellentand distinctly different new conservation biology text-books. The appearance at more or less the same timeof such different general texts reflects the escalationand diversification of both conservation needs and re-search activity and shows the vibrancy and maturing stateof conservation biology as an area of scholarship andpractice.

For those familiar with the previous work of these au-thors and editors, the various approaches of the textswill come as no surprise. Primack’s most recent editionis encyclopedic and complete, presenting the accretionof added knowledge over the three decades or so of theexistence of conservation biology as a recognized disci-pline. Kareiva and Marvier’s book, substantially shorterthan Primack’s but still comprehensive, presents a prag-matic approach to conservation that reflects the authors’

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extensive experience working in both academia andconservation nongovernmental organizations. Sodhi andEhrlich offer a head-on joining of the issues and top-ics most central to conservation, with a sharp focus onthe places, both conceptual and geographic, where thebiggest conservation payoffs can be had.

Comparison of these three treatments to earlier conser-vation biology texts provides a revealing look at the evo-lution of the field. Relative to Soule’s widely used 1986text, all of these books place more emphasis on the ul-timate causes of the extinction crisis, human populationand consumption, although each gives a slightly differentspin on the now widely accepted IPAT (environmentalimpact = population × affluence × technology) for-mulation (Ehrlich & Holdren 1972). The newer textsalso devote more attention to habitat- and landscape-related issues for biological diversity broadly defined,as opposed to the genetic and demographic threats topersistence of small populations emphasized in earliertexts. There is greater emphasis given to global climatechange as a threat to biological diversity (although it isworth remembering that global climate change was al-ready identified as a potentially large threat in texts fromthe 1980s), ecosystem services, and conservation prac-tice, for which there is now a more extensive record ofaccomplishment—and failure. All of these shifts in focuspoint to a field that has become more engaged with thelarger context of the extinction crisis, its implicationsbeyond the loss of particular species, and the centralimportance of humans and social systems in achievingconservation success.

Regarding the increased emphasis on practice and con-servation outcomes, it is instructive to contrast the im-pressive growth of conservation biology as an academicfield over the last 35 years (e.g., as indicated by mem-bership in professional conservation organizations, cir-culation of conservation journals, and publication of con-servation research) with the continued decline of theworld’s biological diversity. All three books reflect anawareness of this disparity and an intent to ensure thatfuture conservation biologists are not blithely “walkingnorth on a southbound train” (Orr 2003).

Primack’s new edition is scrupulous in its complete-ness, covering all significant conservation biology con-cepts and providing a thorough overview of the scientificand philosophical background and underpinnings of thefield. The text is well written and accessible to first-timestudents of conservation biology. Particularly useful forstudents is the explanation of all terms of art current inthe field. The book contains a wealth of beautiful pho-tographs, which convey the profound aesthetic appealof the diversity of life, an important motivation for con-servation. Concepts are illustrated and elaborated withmany examples, which are well presented in both textand graphic form. All of this amounts to a well-executedsummative compendium that, if read and thoroughly

digested, will provide even students taking their firstcourse in conservation biology with a comprehensiveunderstanding of the field. This if is a significant qualifierbecause the completeness of the text inevitably presentsa challenge to both students and instructors attemptingto cover so much material. My experience suggests thatinstructors will pick and choose the elements of the textthey wish to emphasize, leaving parts of the book un-touched. Nonetheless, even unread sections will be use-ful to students for reference long after they completetheir class.

Kareiva and Marvier present a forward looking view ofthe field that takes a less-is-more approach. Through eco-nomical writing, sensible limitations on references andexamples, less attention to foundational material (e.g.,explanation of the taxonomic classification system), andemphasis on some topics at the expense of others, theauthors have managed to produce a lively and engagingtext that, while necessarily less exhaustively completethan longer treatments, is more readable while still man-aging to convey nearly all current conservation biologyconcepts with clarity.

The authors posit that we need to accept that we livein a human-dominated world and get on with protectingnature for people (as opposed to despite people). Theyhave taken the critique of Nordhaus and Shellenberger(2007) to heart, concluding that to succeed conservationmust present people with a way forward that does notsimply require them to make unpleasant choices. Theysuggest that rather than pursuing a strategy of no growth,which will never become the basis of widespread action,society must be thoughtful about how it grows. I agreewith the authors on this, but it must also be admittedthat this is a bit of a leap of faith, as there are relativelyfew examples of growth resulting in progress in the con-servation of biological diversity, and the current tenor ofpublic and political discourse offers little hope for thethoughtfulness the authors prescribe.

Given the primacy of human desires as the basis forconservation, the authors emphasize the important roleof ecosystem services, working landscapes, and eco-nomic values in conservation of biological diversity.Theirs is a very habitat-based approach, devoting partic-ular attention to conservation in human-dominated land-scapes. For example, one of the most useful sectionsof the book addresses the importance of conservationon private lands. Past treatments of this topic in generaltexts do not go much further than reporting the highproportion of endangered species that occur on privateland. Kareiva and Marvier offer insights into various ap-proaches to conservation on private lands that reflectyears of experience in that setting. This has never beenmore timely because current and projected patterns ofdevelopment and population growth suggest that con-servation where people live (cf. Miller & Hobbes 2002)will be increasingly important in the future.

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Although the authors clearly present a particularview—one in which conservation of biological diversityis justified on the basis of its worth to humans—theyare evenhanded in their presentation. They take pains topresent the ambiguities and uncertainties of many topics,even where inconvenient for their argument, for exam-ple, the uncertain relation between ecosystem servicesand biological diversity. In sum, Kareiva and Marvier haveproduced a comprehensive book of manageable lengththat embodies the current and future directions of conser-vation biology and brings both theoretical and practicalconsiderations to bear on real-world conservation withall its complexities.

Unlike the first two books, Sodhi and Ehrlich do notintend a comprehensive treatment of the field. Rather,as suggested by the book’s title, their purpose is to putessential knowledge in the hands of those who need it—conservation practitioners in underserved populations,particularly in the developing world. Thus, they presenta balance of condensed coverage of classic themes of thefield (e.g., definition and measurement of biological di-versity, overviews of the major extinction threats) andapplied topics particularly relevant to the needs of theirintended audience (e.g., conservation planning and re-search design). In keeping with their goal of improvingaccess to information, the book is available free of chargeon the web. Although this is a collection of contributedchapters, the voice and purpose are remarkably consis-tent throughout, conveying the urgency of the situation,providing the current scientific evidence and backgroundinformation that will be most useful in supporting conser-vation action in tropical countries, and giving specific ad-vice for practitioners (e.g., urging scientists and amateursto collect and make available species lists and measuresof abundance every time they visit a field site in order toprovide species trend and other data).

Even more than Kareiva and Marvier, Sodhi andEhrlich’s book is heavily habitat and practice based. Littleis included on topics such as genetics and population vi-ability analysis that, although important in conservationbiology generally, are of less immediate practical impor-tance to those involved in “saving the big pieces” in thetropics. A particularly noteworthy aspect of many chap-ters in this volume is the extensive use of examples andstudies from the tropical and less-developed world. Andalthough the chapter authors, many of them well-knownauthorities on their topics, are primarily from the de-veloped world, where conservation biology originated(notably the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom,and Australia), the large number of studies of tropicalbiological diversity and conservation cited suggests thatprogress is being made in the internationalization of thefield. By making available the up-to-date science that con-servationists in the tropics need to both justify their pur-pose and guide their actions, this book should make agreat contribution to global conservation.

All of these new books show that conservation bi-ology has remained true to its founding principles asa mission-driven field, moving in directions that corre-spond to real-world conservation needs. The coverageof these texts also reveals areas in which more researchis needed. For example, the human psychology of con-servation is given little attention. It is, after all, humanswho will decide whether to conserve biological diversity,and little is known about the motivations of humans withrespect to conservation. More generally, the social sci-ences, although increasingly integrated into conservationwork and research, are still underrepresented. Similarly,although conservation of marine biological diversity isreceiving increasing attention, the research effort in themarine environment still lags behind that in terrestrialsystems. We can expect these and other emerging top-ics will be increasingly elaborated in the future. For thepresent, however, these three texts effectively representthe field, successfully filling distinctly different niches.

David L. Stokes

Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences, University of Washington, Bothell,18115 Campus Way NE, Box 358530, Bothell, WA 98011-8246, U.S.A.,email dstokes@u.washington.edu

Literature Cited

Ehrlich, P., and J. Holdren. 1972. A bulletin dialogue on the ‘ClosingCircle’. Critique: one dimensional ecology. Bulletin of the AtomicScientists 28:16–27.

Miller, J. R., and R. J. Hobbes. 2002. Conservation where people liveand work. Conservation Biology 16:330–337.

Nordhaus, T., and M. Shellenberger. 2007. Break through: from thedeath of environmentalism to the politics of possibility. HoughtonMifflin, New York.

Orr, D. W. 2003. Walking north on a southbound train. ConservationBiology 17:348–351.

Soule, M. E., editor. 1986. Conservation of biodiversity: the scienceof scarcity and diversity. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, Mas-sachusetts.

Climate Change: for the Birds

Bird Migration and Global Change. Cox, G. W. 2010.Island Press, Washington, D.C. 297 pp. $45 (paperback).ISBN 978-1-59726-688-8.

Fraser’s Penguins: a Journey to the Future inAntarctica. Montaigne, F. 2010. Henry Holt, New York,NY. 288 pp. $26 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-8050-7942-5-93.

Effects of Climate Change on Birds. Møller, A. P., W.Fiedler and P. Berthold, editors. 2010. Oxford UniversityPress, Oxford, United Kingdom. 344 pp. $62.95 (paper-back). ISBN 978-0-19-856836-0.

Three recent books document the predominantly detri-mental effects of climate change on birds and predicteven worse effects in the future. But the orthogonal

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approaches to this issue taken by each author providedistinct insights through highly differentiated styles andperspectives.

Why examine the effects of climate change on birdsin particular? Birds are nearly everywhere—on all sevencontinents and in or over every ocean. They fly, swim,run, and dig. In addition, people like birds. More than onein five U.S. adults watch birds as a hobby, which makesbird watching one of the most popular outdoor recre-ational activities (USFWS 2003). Birds are also a majorfocus in both the taxonomic and conservation literature,and the number of published articles on birds far exceedstheir relative proportion in nature (Clark & May 2002).Because birds are ubiquitous, people care about them,and scientists preferentially study them. Perhaps birdscan first play a key role improving our understanding ofthe effects of climate change on biological diversity, andsecond, help shift public and political attention to betteraddress these effects. So, birds it is.

Each of these three books presents independent andgenerally nonoverlapping perspectives on how climatechange affects birds, and each will appeal to very differ-ent sets of readers. Want the hard-core science perspec-tive? Pick up Effects of Climate Change on Birds. Prefera synthesis of the scientific literature translated into thevernacular? Read Bird Migration and Global Change.For a travelogue- and memoir-style book, try Fraser’s Pen-guins: a Journey to the Future in Antarctica.

Effects of Climate Change on Birds is an edited com-pilation of articles written in scientific journal style thatwill be most useful to academics. Many edited volumesof scientific research are poorly organized and highly un-even in terms of writing style, quality, and content. Thiscompilation is skillfully organized and edited and suffersfrom none of these flaws.

The book begins with an in-depth, stand-alone chapterthat introduces the topic of climate change. This bird-freechapter is general enough to be useful to any academicwanting an introduction to the science of climate change.The remainder of the book is divided into two sections:methods used to study climate change and the biologicaleffects of climate change.

The first section provides a rich and concentrated intro-duction to the primary research methods used by scien-tists studying responses of biota to climate change. Withthe exception of the first chapter on long-term time-seriesdata on birds, this section is also almost entirely bird freeand focuses on models that are not specific to bird re-search.

Birds at last become the focus in the second, andlarger, section. Here, the chapters address the biologi-cal effects of climate change on bird migration, breeding,resources, genetics, populations, communities, and inter-species and ecological interactions. Although the chapterorder seems random, the content does not. The must-readchapter of this book addresses potential conservation re-

sponses to effects of climate change on birds. This pithysummary provides essential information for understand-ing how climate change is affecting birds and ends witha brief list of general conservation priorities that are notlimited to birds.

Several of the chapters, particularly the methods chap-ters, should appeal to a wide audience and would bea useful resource for any number of university courses.But, many readers will want to hop directly to the sectionon the biological effects of climate change on birds, andreaders who are short on time should fly directly to thepenultimate chapter on conservation effects.

The scope of Bird Migration and Global Change isnarrower than Effects of Climate Change on Birds andfocuses on how climate change affects a subset of birds:those that migrate. George Cox deftly synthesizes andtranslates the preeminent scientific studies on bird migra-tion and climate change. In his effort to probe as deeplyas possible, Cox attempts to include all major speciesgroups, ecosystem types, and migratory patterns.

Cox explores this topic through the eyes of an aca-demic, the passion of a birder, and the patience of anexperienced educator. He summarizes thoughtfully whatis known from the scientific literature, and instead ofin-text citations, he provides a list of key references atthe end of each chapter. This approach will likely frus-trate more academic readers who will find it difficult tomatch up the facts and data Cox presents and his sourcesin the literature. At times, the writing and organizationare rather formulaic, with each new section or chapterpresenting yet another necessarily data-driven summary.But interspersed throughout the book are brief personalobservations and anecdotes, making this book seem bothmore intimate and compelling.

In parts I and II, Cox provides simple background in-formation on the ecological, taxonomic, and geographicpatterns associated with bird migration and how thesepatterns interact with climate change. Parts III and IV ad-dress the ecological and evolutionary responses of migra-tory birds to climate change. In the book’s final section(part V), Cox discusses the capacity of migratory birdsto adjust to climate change and key strategies for birdconservation.

One critical insight from Cox’s book is that the ef-fects of climate change are highly complex. Cox makesit clear that not all taxonomic groups, geographic loca-tions, and ecological types are or will be affected equally.Even though migrating birds comprise only a tiny subsetof global species, climate change affects each in some-times dramatically different ways—an important lessonwith broad implications. This book would be an excel-lent text for ornithology or migration courses that alsofocus on climate change.

Fraser’s Penguins: a Journey to the Future in Antarc-tica is an unusual book with a bit of an identity problem—part memoir, part summary of scientific research, part

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history lesson, and part social commentary. Fen Mon-taigne is a journalist and travel writer, and the frameworkfor his book is the 5 months he spent working as a fieldassistant with Bill Fraser’s research team at Palmer Sta-tion in the Antarctic Peninsula in 2005–2006. Bill Fraserbegan conducting research in Antarctica in 1974, and hislong-term research has focused on multiple aspects of bi-ological diversity, including Adelie Penguins (Pygoscelisadeliae).

Fraser is a fascinating person. However, in this book,he is mostly absent and seems rather a bit player. ThatFraser’s name is in the title is somewhat perplexing.Montaigne’s descriptions of his own experiences arefar broader than either Fraser or penguins and includebreathtaking depictions of many animal species. And asan added bonus, Montaigne limns the physical Antarcticenvironment with writing of crystal clarity and stained-glass beauty.

But this is not just a travelogue. Montaigne uses hisexperience to artfully describe how climate change is af-fecting the Antarctic and Adelie Penguins in particular.Montaigne successfully tackles some of the most com-plex and vexing scientific issues of our time in a manneraccessible to most anyone.

However, his is not the first book on the effect of cli-mate change on Adelie Penguins. David Ainley publisheda book on these penguins and climate change in 2002(Ainley 2002). Nor is this the first book on “Bill Fraser’s”Adelie Penguins and climate change at Palmer Stationin Antarctica. Meredith Hooper penned a book on thistopic in 2008 (Hooper 2008). So was another book onAdelie Penguins and climate change really needed? Formost, the combination of exceptionally well-crafted writ-ing and the topic of penguins and climate change alonewill justify Montaigne’s book.

These three books are primarily descriptive and fo-cus on how climate change affects birds. Climate changeeffects are not restricted to birds, and the insights andlessons gleaned from bird studies may often be applica-ble to other species and systems. Unfortunately, none ofthese books provide much insight into how best to ad-dress the effects of climate change even for birds. Conse-quently, we need even more books that are for the birds.

J. Alan Clark

Department of Biological Sciences, Fordham University, 441 E. FordhamRoad, Bronx, NY 10458, U.S.A., email jaclark@fordham.edu

Literature Cited

Ainley, D. G. 2002. The Adelie Penguin: bellwether of climate change.Columbia University Press, New York.

Clark, J. A., and R. May. 2002. Taxonomic bias in conservation research.Science 297:191–192.

Hooper, M. 2008. The ferocious summer: Adelie Penguins andthe warming of Antarctica. Greystone Books, Vancouver, BritishColumbia.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS). 2003. Birding in the UnitedStates: a demographic and economic analysis. Addendum to the2001 national survey of fishing, hunting, and wildlife-associatedrecreation. Report 2001-1. USFWS, Washington, D.C.

Noted with Interest

Soil Ecology in Northern Forests. A BelowgroundView of a Changing World. Lukac, M., and D. L.Godbold. 2011. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge,United Kingdom. 268 pp. $55 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-521-88679-6.

Long neglected by conservation biologists, soil is thebasis for much of the life we care about. We have anuneven understanding of the ecology of soils, even inbetter-known areas like the northern hemisphere, andwe know even less about how global change—includingnutrient enrichment and temperature alterations—willaffect this vital ecosystem.

Degraded Forests in Eastern Africa. Managementand Restoration. Bongers, F., and T. Tennigkeit, edi-tors. 2010. Earthscan, London, United Kingdom. 384 pp.$99.95 (hardcover). ISBN 978-1-84407-767-0.

Ecosystem Goods and Services from PlantationForests. Bauhus, J., P. Van Der Meer, and M. Kanninen,editors. 2010. Earthscan, London, United Kingdom. 240pp. $84.95 (hardcover). ISBN 978-1-84971-168-5.

Much of Earth’s original forest cover has been degradedor converted to plantations. It is time for us to startstudying these altered forest ecosystems seriously as loca-tions for conservation and for improving the well-beingof many of Earth’s poor people.

Constructed Climates. A Primer on Urban Environ-ments. Wilson, W. G. 2011. The University of ChicagoPress, Chicago, IL. 288 pp. $25 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-226-90146-6.

Urban Ecology. Gaston, K. J., editor. 2010. CambridgeUniversity Press, Cambridge, United Kingdom. 330 pp.$60 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-521-74349-5.

It is well known that there are currently more peopleliving in cities than outside of cities. But conservationprofessionals have devoted too little attention to the bi-ological diversity that lives in urban settings and how itaffects the lives of urban inhabitants. This very differentpair of books has much to offer those who think natureis not always somewhere far away, but is in the medi-ans along roads, in abandoned lots, and thriving—andrewarding people—in urban parks.

Listed. Dispatches from America’s EndangeredSpecies Act. Roman, J. 2011. Harvard University Press,

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Cambridge, MA. 360 pp. $27.95 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-674-04751-8.

The United States’ Endangered Species Act is one ofthe most important and contentious pieces of conserva-tion legislation in the world. Writing about the currentstate of a few of the taxa listed under this legislation,the author builds a picture of the current state of the actand proposes a way of bringing endangered species backinto the mainstream of our economic and social lives.

Books Received (January 2011–August 2011)

A World of Rivers: Environmental Change on Tenof the World’s Great Rivers. Wohl, E. 2010. The Uni-versity of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL. 368 pp. $40 (hard-cover). ISBN 978-0-226-90478-8.

Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change. Amer-ica’s Climate Choices: Panel on Adapting to the Impactsof Climate Change; National Research Council. 2010.The National Academies Press, Washington, D.C. 292 pp.$44.96 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-309-14591-6.

An Introduction to Methods and Models in Ecol-ogy, Evolution, and Conservation Biology. Braude,S., and B. S. Low, editors. 2010. Princeton UniversityPress, Princeton, NJ. 288 pp. $29.95 (paperback). ISBN978-0-691-12723-1.

The Atlas of Coasts and Oceans: Ecosystems, Threat-ened Resources, Marine Conservation. Hinrichsen,D. 2011. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL.128 pp. $22 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-226-34336-9.

Atlas of Global Development. Third edition. WorldBank. 2011. World Bank, Washington, D.C. 144 pp.$29.95 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-821-38583-8.

Aves de Cuba: Field Guide to the Birds of Cuba.Spanish-Language edition. Garrido, O. H., and A. Kirk-connel. 2011. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY. 304pp. $35 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-801-47691-4.

Bamboos at Tbgri. Koshy, K. C. 2010. Tropical BotanicGarden and Research Institute, Kerala, India. 104 pp. $30(paperback). ISBN 978-8-192-00980-3.

The Beaver: Its Life and Impact. Second edition.Muller-Schwarze, D. 2011. Cornell University Press,Ithaca, NY. 248 pp. $39.95 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-801-45010-5.

Biological Diversity: Exploiters and Exploited.Hatcher, P., and N. Battey. 2011. Wiley-Blackwell, Hobo-ken, NJ. 440 pp. $79.95 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-470-77807-4.

Biological Diversity: Frontiers in Measurement andAssessment. Magurran, A. E., and B. J. McGill, editors.2011. Oxford University Press, Oxford, United Kingdom.268 pp. $72.50 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-199-58067-5.

Biology of Subterranean Fishes. Trajano, E., M. E.Bichuette, and B. G. Kapoor, editors. 2010. Science Pub-lishers, Enfield, NH. 460 pp. $139.95 (hardcover). ISBN978-1-578-08670-2.

Birds of Brazil: the Pantanal and Cerrado of CentralBrazil. Gwynne, J. A., R. S. Ridgely, G. Tudor, and M.Argel. 2011. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY. 336pp. $35 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-801-47646-4.

The Birds of New Jersey: Status and Distribution.Boyle, Jr., W. J. T. Karlson (photo editor). 2011. Prince-ton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 320 pp. $24.95 (pa-perback). ISBN 978-0-691-14410-8.

The Birds of Panama: a Field Guide. Angehr, G. R.,and R. Dean. 2011. Cornell University Press, Ithaca, NY.392 pp. $35 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-801-47674-7.

Bird Watch: a Survey of Planet Earth’s Chang-ing Ecosystems. Walters, M. 2011. The University ofChicago Press, Chicago, IL. 256 pp. $45 (hardcover).ISBN 978-0-226-87226-1.

Burning Issues: Sustainability and Management ofAustralia’s Southern Forests. Adams, M., and P. At-tiwill. 2011. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, VIC, Aus-tralia. 160 pp. $53.39 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-643-09443-7.

Chimeras and Consciousness: Evolution of the Sen-sory Self. Margulis, L., C. A. Asikainen, and W. E. Krum-bein, editors. 2011. The MIT Press, Cambridge, MA. 339pp. $29 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-262-51583-2.

Chronobiology of Marine Organisms. Naylor, E.2010. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY. $78(hardcover). ISBN 978-0-521-76053-9.

Cloudette. Lichtenheld, T. 2011. Christy Otta-viano/Henry Holt, New York, NY. 40 pp. $16.99 (hard-cover). ISBN 978-0-80-508776-5.

Conservation Biogeography. Ladle, R. J., and R. J.Whittaker. 2011. Wiley-Blackwell, Hoboken, NJ. 320 pp.$79.95 (paperback). ISBN 978-1-444–33504-0.

Conservation of Tropical Birds. Sodhi, N. S., C. H.Sekercioglu, J. Barlow, and S. K. Robinson. 2011. Wiley-Blackwell, Hoboken, NJ. 312 pp. $129.95 (hardcover).ISBN 978-1-444-33482-1.

Conservation BiologyVolume 25, No. 6, 2011

1260 Books Received

Developing Animals: Wildlife and Early AmericanPhotography. Brower, M. 2011. University of MinnesotaPress, Minneapolis, MN. 280 pp. $25 (paperback). ISBN978-0-816-65479-6.

Donkey. Bough, J. 2011. The University of ChicagoPress, Chicago, IL. 224 pp. $19.95 (paperback). ISBN 978-1-861-89803-6.

Driven to Extinction: the Impact of Climate Changeon Biodiversity. Pearson, R. 2011. Sterling Publishing,New York, NY. 264 pp. $22.95 (hardcover). ISBN 978-1-302-77223-8.

The Eagle Watchers: Observing and ConservingRaptors around the World. Tingay, R. E., and T. E.Katzner, editors. 2010. Cornell University Press, Ithaca,NY. 256 pp. $29.95 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-801-44873-7.

Ecology. Second edition. Cain, M. L., W. D. Bowman, andS. D. Hacker. 2011. Sinauer Associates, Sunderland, MA.648 pp. $119.95 (casebound). ISBN 978-0-878-93445-4.

Ecology of Fragmented Landscapes. Collinge, S. K.2010. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore,MD. 360 pp. $70 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-801-89138-0.

Ecology of Industrial Pollution. Batty, L. C., and K.B. Hallberg, editors. 2010. Cambridge University Press,Cambridge, United Kingdom. $59 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-521-73038-9.

The Ecology of Place: Contributions of Place-BasedResearch to Ecological Understanding. Billick, I., andM. V. Price, editors. 2010. The University of ChicagoPress, Chicago, IL. 512 pp. $45 (paperback). ISBN 978-022-605043-0.

Ecosystem-Based Management for Marine Fish-eries: an Evolving Perspective. Belgrano, A., and C.W. Fowler, editors. 2011. Cambridge University Press,New York, NY. 402 pp. $115 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-521-51981-6.

Empire of the Beetle: How Human Folly and aTiny Bug Are Killing North America’s Great Forests.Nikiforuk, A. 2011. Greystone, Vancouver, B.C. 240 pp.$17.95 (paperback). ISBN 978-1-553-65510-7.

Encyclopedia of Climate and Weather. Second edi-tion. 2011. Oxford University Press, Oxford, United King-dom. 344 pp. $450 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-199-76532-4.

The Essential Naturalist: Timeless Readings in Nat-ural History. Graham, M. H., J. Parker, and P. K. Dayton,editors. 2011. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago,IL. 552 pp. $39 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-226-30570-7.

The Failure of Environmental Education: (and HowWe Can Fix It). Saylan, C., and D. T. Blumstein. 2011.

University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 247 pp.$24.95 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-520-26539-4.

The Fate of the Forest: Developers, Destroyers, andDefenders of the Amazon. Updated edition. Hecht, S.,and A. Cockburn. 2011. The University of Chicago Press,Chicago, IL. 398 pp. $22.50 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-226-32272-8.

Fern Ecology. Mehltreter, K., L. R. Walker, and J. M.Sharpe, editors. 2010. Cambridge University Press, Cam-bridge, United Kingdom. 460 pp. $59 (paperback). ISBN978-0-521-72820-1.

Field Guide to Marine Mammals of the Pa-cific Coast: Baja, California, Oregon, Washington,British Columbia. Allen, S. G., J. Mortenson, and S.Webb. 2011. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA.584 pp. $24.95 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-520-26544-8.

Field Notes on Science and Nature. Canfield, M. R.2011. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA. 320 pp.$27.95 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-674-05757-9.

Fisheries Subsidies, Sustainable Development andthe WTO. von Moltke, A., editor. 2010. Earthscan, Lon-don. 480 pp. $140 (hardcover). ISBN 978-1-849-71135-7.

Floral Diagrams: an Aid to Understanding FlowerMorphology and Evolution. Ronse De Craene, L. P.2010. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY. $60(paperback). ISBN 978-0-521-72945-1.

Forest Health: an Integrated Perspective. Castello, J.D., and S. A. Teale, editors. 2011. Cambridge UniversityPress, New York, NY. 404 pp. $49 (paperback). ISBN978-0-521-74741-7.

Fragile Web: What Next for Nature? Silvertown, J.,editor. 2010. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago,IL. 192 pp. $25 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-226-75781-0.

Frogs: the Animal Answer Guide. Dorcas, M., and W.Gibbons. 2011. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Balti-more, MD. 192 pp. $24.95 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-8018-9935-2.

Giraffe. Williams, E. 2011. The University of ChicagoPress, Chicago, IL. 224 pp. $19.95 (paperback). ISBN 978-1-86189-764-0.

The Global Carbon Cycle. Archer, D. 2010. PrincetonUniversity Press, Princeton, NJ. 224 pp. $24.95 (paper-back). ISBN 978-0-691-14414-6.

The Golden Eagle. Second edition. Watson, J. 2011.Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. 400 pp. $65 (hard-cover). ISBN 978-0-300-17019-1.

Conservation BiologyVolume 25, No. 6, 2011

Books Received 1261

The Great Basin: a Natural Prehistory. Grayson, D.K. 2011. University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 432pp. $75 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-520-26747-3.

Hope Is an Imperative: the Essential David Orr. Orr,D. W. 2011. Island Press, Washington, D.C. 375 pp. $35(paperback). ISBN 978-1-597-26700-7.

Human Impacts on Seals, Sea Lions, and Sea Otters:Integrating Archaeology, and Ecology in the North-east Pacific. Braje, T. J., and T. C. Rick, editors. 2011.University of California Press, Berkeley, CA. 328 pp. $65(hardcover). ISBN 978-0-520-26726-8.

Hydroecology and Ecohydrology: Past, Present andFuture. Wood, P. J., D. M. Hannah, and J. P. Sadler, ed-itors. 2011. John Wiley and Sons, Hoboken, NJ. 460 pp.$190 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-470-01017-4.

Insect Conservation: a Handbook of Approachesand Methods. Samways, M. J., M. A. McGeoch, and T.R. New. 2010. Oxford University Press, New York, NY.432 pp. $55 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-199-29822-8.

Island Environments in a Changing World. Walker,L. R., and P. Bellingham. 2011. Cambridge UniversityPress, New York, NY. 338 pp. $49 (paperback). ISBN978-0-521-51960-1.

Lawyers, Swamps, and Money: U.S. Wetland Law,Policy, and Politics. Gardner, R. C. 2011. Island Press,Washington, D.C. 280 pp. $35 (paperback). ISBN 978-1-597-26815-8.

Light and Photosynthesis in Aquatic Ecosystems.Third edition. Kirk, J. T. O. 2011. Cambridge UniversityPress, New York, NY. 662 pp. $90 (paperback). ISBN978-0-521-15175-7.

Lobster. King, R. J. 2011. The University of ChicagoPress, Chicago, IL. 224 pp. $19.95 (paperback). ISBN 978-1-861-89795-4.

Lobster: a Global History. Townsend, E. 2011. TheUniversity of Chicago Press, Chicago, IL. 176 pp. $15.95(cloth). ISBN 978-1-861-89794-7.

Metaphors for Environmental Sustainability. Lar-son, B. 2011. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT. 302pp. $40 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-300-15153-4.

Microbial Ecology of the Oceans. Second edition.Kirchman, D. L. 2011. Wiley-Blackwell, Hoboken, NJ. 620pp. $114.95 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-470-04344-8.

Mismanagement of Marine Fisheries. Longhurst, A.2010. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UnitedKingdom. 334 pp. $59 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-521-72150-9.

Monkeys on the Edge: Ecology and Managementof Long-Tailed Macaques and Their Interface withHumans. Gumert, M. D., A. Fuentes, and L. Jones-Engel.2011. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY. 380pp. $99 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-521-76433-9.

Ocean Zoning: Making Marine Management MoreEffective. Agardy, T. 2010. Earthscan, London, UnitedKingdom. 220 pp. $85 (hardcover). ISBN 978-1-844-07822-6.

Once and Future Giants: What Ice Age ExtinctionsTell Us about the Fate of Earth’s Largest Animals.Levy, S. 2011. Oxford University Press, Oxford, UnitedKingdom. 255 pp. $24.95 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-195-37012-6.

Parasites in Ecological Communities: from Interac-tions to Ecosystems. Hatcher, M. J., and A. M. Dunn.2011. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY. 113pp. $60 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-521-71822-6.

Passive Acoustic Monitoring of Cetaceans. Zimmer,W. M. X. 2011. Cambridge University Press, New York,NY. 366 pp. $105 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-521-19342-9.

The Physics of Foraging: an Introduction toRandom Searches and Biological Encounters.Viswanathan, G. M., M. G. E. Da Luz, E. P. Raposo, and H.E. Stanley. 2011. Cambridge University Press, New York,NY. 178 pp. $50 (hardcover). ISBN 978-1-107-00679-9.

Polar Bears in Northwest Greenland: an InterviewSurvey about the Catch and the Climate. Born, E. W.,A. Heilmann, L. Kielsen Holm, and K. L. Laidre. 2011.Museum Tusculanum Press, Copenhagen, Denmark. 232pp. $52 (hardcover). ISBN 978-8-763-53168-9.

Pollination and Floral Ecology. Willmer, P. 2011.Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 828 pp. $95(hardcover). ISBN 978-0-691-12861-0.

Population Demography of Northern Spotted Owls.Forsman, E. D. 2011. University of California Press, Berke-ley, CA. 120 pp. $39.95 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-520-27008-4.

Predictions in the Brain: Using Our Past to Generatea Future. Bar, M., editor. 2011. Oxford University Press,Oxford, United Kingdom. 400 pp. $99.95 (hardcover).ISBN 978-0-195-39551-8.

Rabbits: the Animal Answer Guide. Lumpkin, S., and J.Seidensticker. 2011. The Johns Hopkins University Press,Baltimore, MD. 272 pp. $24.95 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-801-89788-7.

The Ragged Edge of the World: Encounters atthe Frontier Where Modernity, Wildlands, and

Conservation BiologyVolume 25, No. 6, 2011

1262 Books Received

Indigenous Peoples Meet. Linden, E. 2011. Viking,New York, NY. 256 pp. $26.95 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-670-02251-9.

Reaching for the Sun: How Plants Work. King, J.2011. Cambridge University Press, New York, NY. 310pp. $39.99 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-521-73668-8.

Remote Sensing for Ecology and Conservation: aHandbook of Techniques. Horning, N., J. A. Robinson,E. J. Sterling, W. Turner, and S. Spector. 2010. OxfordUniversity Press, Oxford, United Kingdom. 448 pp. $60(paperback). ISBN 978-0-199-21995-7.

Repeat Photography: Methods and Applications inthe Natural Sciences. Webb, R. H., D. E. Boyer, and R.M. Turner, editors. 2010. Island Press, Washington, D.C.392 pp. $75 (paperback). ISBN 978-1-59726-713-7.

Revolution and the Antiquarian Book: Reshapingthe Past 1780–1815. Jensen, K. 2011. Cambridge Uni-versity Press, New York, NY. 328 pp. $90 (hardcover).ISBN 978-1-107-00051-3.

Saving Sea Turtles: Extraordinary Stories from theBattle against Extinction. Spotila, J. R. 2011. The JohnsHopkins University Press, Baltimore, MD. 240 pp. $24.95(hardcover). ISBN 978-0-801-89907-2.

Scientific Writing = Thinking in Words. Lindsay, D.2011. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, VIC, Australia. 128pp. $29.92 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-643-10046-6.

Seasonally Dry Tropical Forests: Ecology and Con-servation. Dirzo, R., H. S. Young, H. A. Mooney, and G.Ceballos, editors. 2011. Island Press, Washington, D.C.408 pp. $50 (paperback). ISBN 978-1-597-26704-5.

Seasons. Crausaz, A. 2011. Kane Miller, Tulsa, OK. 48pp. $15.99 (hardcover). ISBN 978-1-610-67006-7.

Seeds of Amazonian Plants. Cornejo, F., and J. Janovec.2010. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 186 pp.$35 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-691-14647-8.

Spatio-Temporal Heterogeneity: Concepts andAnalyses. Dutilleul, P. R. L. 2011. Cambridge Univer-sity Press, New York, NY. 416 pp. $57 (paperback). ISBN978-1-107-40035-1.

Spider Behaviour: Flexibility and Versatility. Her-berstein, M. E., editor. 2011. Cambridge University Press,

New York, NY. 404 pp. $55 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-521-74927-5.

Swamplife: People, Gators, and Mangroves Entan-gled in the Everglades. Ogden, L. A. 2011. Universityof Minnesota Press, Minneapolis, MN. 200 pp. $22.50(paperback). ISBN 978-0-816-67027-7.

Technological Nature: Adaptation and the Futureof Human Life. Kahn, P. H., Jr. 2011. The MIT Press,Cambridge, MA. 248 pp. $24.95 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-262-11322-9.

The Theory of Ecology. Scheiner, S. M., and M. R.Willig. 2011. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago,IL. 416 pp. $40 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-226-73686-0.

Toxic Bodies: Hormone Disruptors and the Legacyof DES. Langston, N. 2011. Yale University Press, NewHaven, CT. 256 pp. $20 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-300-17137-2.

Tropical Ecology. Kricher, J. 2011. Princeton UniversityPress, Princeton, NJ. 640 pp. $85 (hardcover). ISBN 978-0-691-11513-9.

Vulture. van Dooren, T. 2011. The University of ChicagoPress, Chicago, IL. 224 pp. $19.95 (paperback). ISBN 978-1-861-89806-7.

The Way of the Panda: the Curious History ofChina’s Political Animal. Nichols, H. 2011. PegasusBooks, New York, NY. 336 pp. $25 (hardcover). ISBN978-1-605-98188-8.

What Makes a Good Farm for Wildlife. Lindenmayer,D. B. 2011. CSIRO Publishing, Collingwood, VIC, Aus-tralia. 176 pp. $40.50 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-643-10031-2.

Wicked Environmental Problems: Managing Uncer-tainty and Conflict. Balint, P. J., R. E. Stewart, A. Desai,and L. C. Walters. 2011. Island Press, Washington, D.C.272 pp. $40 (paperback). ISBN 978-1-597-26475-4.

Wildlife of Southern Africa. Withers, M. B., andD. Hosking. 2011. Princeton University Press, Prince-ton, NJ. 310 pp. $19.95 (paperback). ISBN 978-0-691-15063-5.

World without Fish. Kurlansky, M. 2011. WorkmanPublishing, New York, NY. 192 pp. $16.95 (hardcover).ISBN 978-0-761-15607-9.

Conservation BiologyVolume 25, No. 6, 2011