30-Second Ecology: 50 Key Concepts and Challenges, Each Explained in Half a Minute

Description

Whether you're looking to save the planet or learn more about your local environment, 30-Second Ecology introduces you to the diversity, behaviours and challenges within our ecosystem. Part of the 30-Second series, this introductory guide to ecology is split into 7 chapters that cover: Evolution & Ecology Behavioural Ecology Population Ecology Communities & Landscapes Biomes & Biodiversity Applied Ecology Ecology in a Changing World Plus profiles of notable ecologists, such as Robert H. Macarthur, Rachel Carson and Wangari Maathai. Each topic is summarised in 300 words with one image, helping you understand the subject at great speed. Written by professors and experts from around the world, this book shows us that humans are truly part of this global ecology, not a separate entity from it and our collective actions have far-reaching ramifications on the environment around us. If you like this, you might also be interested in 30-Second Zoology . . . Cover Half Title Title Copyright CONTENTS Introduction Evolution & Ecology GLOSSARY Natural selection Making new species Counting species Profile: Daniel H. Janzen Habitats & niches Life history trade-offs Behavioural Ecology GLOSSARY Sexual selection Mating systems Costs of reproduction Defence & counter-defence Group living Kin selection Profile: William D. Hamilton Population Ecology GLOSSARY Population distributions Dispersal Limits to population growth Profile: Paul R. Ehrlich Cycling populations Metapopulations Eating . . . . . . And being eaten Parasites Competition Mutual benefits Communities & Landscapes GLOSSARY Energy flows Nutrient cycles Keystone species Indirect effects Disturbance & resilience Ecological succession Species-area relationship Island biogeography Profile: Robert H. MacArthur Biomes & Biodiversity GLOSSARY Global patterns of biodiversity Oceans Freshwaters Tundra & boreal forests Temperate forests & grasslands Tropical forests & savanna Profile: Wangari Maathai Deserts Applied Ecology GLOSSARY Valuing biodiversity Ecosystem services Soil ecology Pollination & society Biological control Vectors of disease Overharvesting Conservation biology Profile: Rachel Carson Ecology in a Changing World GLOSSARY The sixth mass extinction Climate change Urban ecosystems Human-wildlife conflict Profile: Raman Sukumar Nature-deficit disorder Rewilding Appendices Resources Notes on contributors Index A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W Z Acknowledgements