Essentials of Ecology, 2nd Edition

by Colin R. Townsend (Conservation and Biodiversity Research Group at Otago, New Zealand); Michael Begon (University of Liverpool); John L. Harper (University of Exeter)

• ISBN13: 9781405103282
• ISBN10: 1405103280
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-12-01
• Publisher: Wiley

Summary

Essentials of Ecology presents introductory ecology in an accessible, state-of-the-art format designed to cultivate the novice student's understanding of, and fascination with, the natural world. In a concise, engaging style, this text outlines the essential principles of ecology from the theoretical fundamentals to their practical applications. Full color artwork, simple pedagogical features and a wide range of timely examples make this book an ideal introduction to ecology for students at all levels.The second edition of this successful text provides expanded coverage and over 400 references including 100 new examples reflecting the vibrancy of the field. More than a simple update, the new edition also features new artwork http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/townsend/Images.htm, an enhanced design, and additional integrated applications to make Essentials of Ecology up-to-date and relevant. Outstanding features of the second edition of Essentials of Ecology include:* Dedicated website - study resources and web research questions provide students and instructors with an enhanced, interactive experience of the book www.blackwellpublishing.com/townsend * Key Concepts - summarized at the beginning of each chapter * Unanswered questions - highlighted throughout, emphasizing that in ecology, as in any science, we have much left to learn * History boxes - outlining key landmarks in the development of ecology * Quantitative boxes - allowing mathematical aspects of ecology to be explained thoroughly without interrupting the flow of the text * Topical ECOncerns boxes - highlighting ethical, social and political questions in ecology * Review questions - included at the end of each chapter

Table of Contents

Ecology and How to Do It

Introduction

Scales, diversity and rigor

Questions of scale

The diversity of ecological evidence

Statistics and scientific rigor

Ecology in practice

The brown trout in New Zealand - effects on individuals, populations, communities and ecosystems

Successions on old fields in Minnesota - a study in time and space

Hubbard Brook - a long-term commitment of large-scale significance

A model study: Genetically modified crops - bad for biodiversity?

Summary

Review Questions

The Ecology of Evolution

Introduction

Evolution by natural selection

Evolution within species

Geographical variation within species

Variation within a species with man-made selection pressures

Adaptive peaks and specialized abysses

The ecology of speciation

What do we mean by a "species"?

Islands and speciation

The effects of climate change on the evolution and distribution of species

The effects of continental drift on the ecology of evolution

Interpreting the results of evolution: convergent and parallel evolution

Summary

Review Questions

Physical Conditions and the Availability of Resources

Introduction

Environmental conditions

What do we mean by "harsh," "benign," and "extreme"?

Effects of conditions

Conditions as stimuli

The effects of conditions on interactions between organisms

Responses by sedentary organisms

Animal responses to environmental temperature

Microorganisms in extreme environments

Plant resources

Solar radiation

Water

Mineral nutrients

Carbon dioxide

Animals and their resources

Nutritional needs and provisions

Defense

The effect of intraspecific competition for resources

Conditions, resources, and the ecological niche

Summary

Review Questions

Conditions, Resources and the World's Communities

Introduction

Geographical patterns at large and small scales

Large-scale climatic patterns

Small-scale patterns in conditions and resources

Patterns in conditions and resources in aquatic environments

Temporal patterns in conditions and resources - succession

The terrestrial biomes

Describing and classifying biomes

Tropical rain forest

Savanna

Temperate grasslands

Desert

Temperate forest

Northern coniferous forest (taiga) grading into tundra

Aquatic environments

Stream ecology

Lake ecology

The oceans

Coasts

Estuaries

Summary

Review Questions

Birth, Death and Movement

Introduction

What is an individual?

Counting individuals, births, and deaths

Life Cycles

Life cycles and reproduction

Annual life cycles

Longer life cycles

Monitoring birth and death: life tables and fecundity schedules

Annual life tables

Life tables for populations with overlapping generations

A classification of survivorship curves

Dispersal and migration

Dispersal determining abundance

The role of migration

The impact of intraspecific competition on populations

Patterns of population growth

Life history patterns

Summary

Review Questions

Interspecific Competition

Introduction

The ecological effects of interspecific competition

Competition between diatoms for silicate

Coexistence and exclusion of competing salmonid fishes

Some general observations

Coexistence and exclusion of competing bumble bees

Coexistence of competing diatoms

Coexistence of competing rode

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