Ecology - Hardcover

Dodson, Stanley I.; Allen, Timothy F. H.; Carpenter, Stephen R.; Ives, Anthony R.; Jeanne, Robert L.; Kitchell, James F.; Langston, Nancy E.; Turner, Monica G.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0195120795 ISBN 13: 9780195120790

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 1998

Synopsis

Complex and diverse, modern ecology is often difficult to introduce to undergraduate students in a way that conveys the excitement and enthusiasm that ecologists feel for their field. In this text, the authors aim to encourage students by adopting a new approach to teaching modern ecology, dividing the field into several distinct subdisciplines, each with its own way of looking at the world...
Unique and accessible, Ecology concentrates on the ideas and techniques that separate different concept-based approaches to the study of ecology. It discusses six kinds of ecology: landscape, physiological, ecosystem, population, community, and behavioral, focusing on the kinds of questions ecologists ask about their world rather than on accumulated ecological knowledge. For each type of ecology, the authors explore how it is distinct, the theory and technology involved, and its successes and possibilities for the future. Each chapter discusses the roles of evolution and of modeling in that particular kind of ecology, and also emphasizes that there are important questions ecologists do not yet have the answers to. These questions encourage students to consider pursuing the study of ecology because there is still much significant work to be done. The authors, all experts in specific areas of ecology, strive to inspire students by communicating the excitement they feel about their respective fields of study and by actively involving students in the learning process. The discussions are set in the context of the human relationship to nature and include practical applications of ecology, such as resource management and conservation.
Easily accessible to undergraduate students in general ecology, this brief, up-to-date, and lucidly written text is an ideal starting place for learning ecology. It sets ecology in its cultural context and encourages students to see ecology happening all around them, opening their eyes to the wide range of possibilities in the field and providing them with a firm basis for further reading and for choosing advanced courses and careers. The text will soon be enhanced by helpful supplemental material: the authors are currently in the process of developing a website (which will include the art from the book, lab and field experiments, data sets, and sample tests) and a book of readings to accompany the text.

About this title

About the Author

Stanley I. Dodson, Timothy F.H.Allen, Stephen R. Carpenter, Anthony R. Ives, Robert L. Jeanne, James F. Kitchell, Nancy E. Langston and Monica Turner are all in the Department of Zoology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Review

"A concise but comprehensive book on general ecology. Good as a textbook as well as for general understanding of this subject. The eight major topics are treated very well."--Dr. Munir Ozturk, Faith University, Turkey

"An exceptional overview of the field of ecology. I could see it being used in an introductory/foundation course for Ecology majors at larger schools as well as a text for a non-majors science elective at all institutions."--Lynn D. Wike, University of South Carolina-Aiken

"The scope and organization of this text make it a wonderful tool for introducing students to this fascinating, critical, and diverse field."--Jonathan Frye, McPherson College

"Very good mid-level text. High interest factor. Human applications help with understanding. Topical approach is most similar to my own teaching."--Chris Newhouse, Spring Arbor College

"I am thrilled to see the approach taken in this new textbook, and can tell you now that I plan to adopt it for my future courses. What these authors have accomplished in their book is precisely what I work to achieve in my courses: to involve students in the learning process by emphasizing
the questions rather than just sterile concepts or facts." --Martha Groom, North Carolina State University

"This continues to be a really exciting project; having now read all the chapters of the book, I am convinced it will provide an innovative and important new direction for ecology teaching."--Andy Dobson, Princeton University

"I like the approach very much. It is unconventional to begin with a discussion of the history of nature and the history of ecology. These topics are nicely combined and give the students an interesting and sound basis to explore the subject. I like to begin with the largest picture and then
work in details and this book takes that approach. I like the style. It is student-friendly, chatty but not popular."--Frank Golley, The University of Georgia

"Finally! An ecology book that reaches my students--one that is easy to read, pertinent, and appropriate not just for mathematically-gifted biology majors. Great for my community college students!"--Sandra Mitchell, Western Wyoming College

"Dodson et al. is a striking example of an elegant introductory ecology textbook. The authors intended to focus on questions ecologists ask, rather than on questions ecologists have already answered. To do this, they have pared all of ecology down into eight concise chapters, including the
frequently overlooked subject of landscape ecology. . . . The layout is crisp and clear, all chapters are tightly edited to flow in a consistent style, and throughout there is a strong emphasis on concepts and questions. The supporting materials are also excellent, especially the cross-indexed list
of references. The index is also quite good."--Ecology

Edition details

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 1998
• ISBN 10: 0195120795
• ISBN 13: 9780195120790
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 464