The earth is continuously changing and evolving yet it is unclear how environmental changes will affect us in years to come. What changes are inevitable? What changes, if any, are beneficial? And what can we do as citizens of this planet to protect it and our future generations? Larry Slobodkin, one of the leading pioneers of modern ecology, offers compelling answers to these questions in A Citizen's Guide to Ecology. He provides many insights into ecology and the processes that keep the world functioning. This important guide introduces observations that underlie arguments about all aspects of the natural environment--including both global and local issues. To clarify difficult concepts, Slobodkin uses lake, ocean, and terrestrial ecosystems to explain ecological energy flows and relationships on a global scale. The book presents a clear and current understanding of the ecological world, and how individual citizens can participate in practical decisions on ecological issues. It tackles such issues as global warming, ecology and health, organic farming, species extinction and adaptation, and endangered species. An excellent introduction and overview, A Citizen's Guide to Ecology helps us to understand what steps we as humans can take to keep our planet habitable for generations to come. "This beautifully written book brings together careful observation, personal reflection, and theoretical understanding to explain the major environmental problems that confront us. Dr. Slobodkin's superb and sweeping work invites us to contemplate a great many facts and a few large values to motivate a clear and compelling response to losses of biodiversity, the problem of invasive species, global warming, and other environmental concerns."--Mark Sagoff, School of Public Affairs, University of Maryland

Acknowledgments Introduction Defining Ecology Changes Why Another Ecology Book? Who Are Ecologists? 1. THE BIG PICTURE Water and Energy: Life's Necessities The Origin of Life and of Atmospheric Oxygen Big Systems Lakes Lakes through the Seasons Oceans Dry Land How Independent Are Ecological Systems? 2. HOW DO SPECIES SURVIVE? Populations Individuals and Populations Species Diversity Species Extinction Are All Invasive Species Villains? 3. TWO MAJOR CURRENT PROBLEMS Global Warming and Endangered Species What Can Be Done About Global Warming? Protecting Endangered Species 4. APPLYING ECOLOGY Experts, Pseudoexperts, and How to Tell Them Apart The Importance of Being Natural and Vegetarian Medicine and Ecology as "Health" Sciences Conclusions Appendix References Index

Lawrence B. SlobodkinProfessor and Founding Chair in the Department of Ecology and Evolution, State University of New York at Stony Brook

"Like all great teachers, Slobodkin has a real gift for conveying complex information in user friendly terms" -- Ecology |k No