Extinction in Our Times: Global Amphibian Decline - Hardcover

Collins, James P.; Crump, Martha L.; Lovejoy III, Thomas E.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0195316940 ISBN 13: 9780195316940

Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2009

Synopsis

For over 350 million years, thousands of species of amphibians have lived on earth, but since the 1990s they have been disappearing at an alarming rate, in many cases quite suddenly and mysteriously. What is causing these extinctions? What role do human actions play in them? What do they tell us about the overall state of biodiversity on the planet? In Extinction in Our Times, James Collins and Martha Crump explore these pressing questions and many others as they document the first modern extinction event across an entire vertebrate class, using global examples that range from the Sierra Nevada of California to the rainforests of Costa Rica and the Mediterranean coast of North Africa. Joining scientific rigor and vivid storytelling, this book is the first to use amphibian decline as a lens through which to see more clearly the larger story of climate change, conservation of biodiversity, and a host of profoundly important ecological, evolutionary, ethical, philosophical, and sociological issues.

About this title

About the Author

James P. Collins is Virginia M. Ullman Professor of Natural History and the Environment at the School of Life Life Sciences, Arizona State University, and the Assistant Director for Biological Sciences at the National Science Foundation.

Martha L. Crump is Adjunct Professor of Biological Sciences at Northern Arizona University and the author of Headless Males Make Great Lovers.

Review

"Extinction in Our Times is centered on the global problem of declines and extinctions of amphibians, but it has important things to say to anyone interested in how science, policy and conservation can interact in the face of crisis. It is worthwile reading for anyone interested in conserving biological diversity."--TREE

"I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an informative read that will allow him or her to understand the problem discussed as well as gain a perspective on how biological scientists proceed with their pursuits."--Bioscience

"There are many reasons for every zoo herpetologist to own this book...readable and comprehensible for the layman but is also valuable for the specialist."--Herpetological Review

"Extinction in Our Times sets out the key events that led to a realisation that amphibian declines were not only real, but were also occurring globally. It is a valuable and well-considered addition to the arsenal of evidence that we need to execute a rapid response to this accelerating catastrophe."--PLoS Biology

About this edition

• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Publication date: 2009
• ISBN 10: 0195316940
• ISBN 13: 9780195316940
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 304