Ken Thompson

Do We Need Pandas? (eBook, ePUB)

The Uncomfortable Truth About Biodiversity

• Format: ePub

Produktbeschreibung

How much do we really know about the species that make up the natural world?

All over the world, biodiversity is gravely threatened - by overfishing, habitat destruction, pollution and climate change. Yet life on Earth has previously experienced five episodes of mass extinction, and nature has repeatedly proved itself to be a resilient, regenerative force.

In this fascinating book, ecologist Dr. Ken Thompson surveys the Earth's biodiversity, its origins and some of the threats it currently faces. Thought-provoking and deeply engaging, Do We Need Pandas? offers a non-technical overview of our ecosystems and expands on the causes and consequences of biodiversity loss.

Importantly, it also examines what we should be doing to secure the survival not only of the species with which we share the planet, but of ourselves - and whether we need to be more concerned about ecosystems as a whole than about iconic species such as the orangutan and giant Panda.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Bloomsbury UK
• Seitenzahl: 160
• Erscheinungstermin: 28. Mai 2011
• Englisch
• ISBN-13: 9780857840059
• Artikelnr.: 38241880

Autorenporträt

Dr Ken Thompson was Senior Research Fellow and Honorary Senior Lecturer of the Department of Animal and Plant Sciences at the University of Sheffield before his retirement. He is the author of several books, including The Book of Weeds, An Ear to the Ground: Understanding your garden and No Nettles Required: The reassuring truth about wildlife gardening, and co-author of The Ecology of Seeds.

Inhaltsangabe

Foreword by Tony Kendle Introduction What is biodiversity? Biodiversity:
where and why? Inside species What is biodiversity worth? Threats to
biodiversity Are species necessary? Reasons to be cheerful? Glossary
References