Simon Levin - Böcker

Highlighting both the achievements of the past and the challenges of the future, this volume presents a review of the key ecological issues. Major topics are addressed in evolution and population biology; functional and community ecology; the ecology of changing environments; and the ecology of ecosystems, management and human impacts. It gives an account of key aspects of ecology and of its interfaces with related disciplines, such as genetics and economics. The international team of authors includes some of the most thoughtful ecologists of our time. This book will prove invaluable to both advanced students and researchers in ecology.

Highlighting both the achievements of the past and the challenges of the future, this volume presents a review of the key ecological issues. Major topics are addressed in evolution and population biology; functional and community ecology; the ecology of changing environments; and the ecology of ecosystems, management and human impacts. It gives an account of key aspects of ecology and of its interfaces with related disciplines, such as genetics and economics. The international team of authors includes some of the most thoughtful ecologists of our time. This book will prove invaluable to both advanced students and researchers in ecology.

We all know that our planet is losing its biological diversity at an alarming rate, with frightening implications for our future. But when does an ecosystem hit the breaking point? In this important book, Princeton biologist Simon Levin offers general readers the first look at how the new science of complexity can help to solve our looming ecological crisis. Levin argues that our biosphere is the classic embodiment of what scientists call complex adaptive systems. By exploring how such systems work, we can determine how they might fail: How much loss can an ecosystem bear before it starts to collapse? How resilient are these systems? Do they in fact hover at the edge of chaos? A deeply original work on one of the most pressing issues of our time, Fragile Dominion is a powerful appeal to understand and protect the global "commons."