Extinction: A Very Short Introduction - Softcover

Book 220 of 406: Very Short Introductions

Wignall, Paul B.

  • 3.58 out of 5 stars
    102 ratings by Goodreads
 
9780198807285: Extinction: A Very Short Introduction
Softcover
ISBN 10: 0198807287 ISBN 13: 9780198807285
Publisher: Oxford University Press, 2019

Synopsis

Most people are familiar with the dodo and the dinosaur, but extinction has occurred throughout the history of life, with the result that nearly all the species that have ever existed are now extinct. Today, species are disappearing at an ever increasing rate, whilst past losses have occurred during several great crises. Issues such as habitat destruction, conservation, climate change, and, during major crises, volacanism and meteorite impact, can all contribute towards the demise of a group.

In this Very Short Introduction, Paul B. Wignall looks at the causes and nature of extinctions, past and present, and the factors that can make a species vulnerable. Summarising what we know about all of the major and minor exctinction events, he examines some of the greatest debates in modern science, such as the relative role of climate and humans in the death of the Pleistocene megafauna, including mammoths and giant ground sloths, and the roles that global warming, ocean acidification, and deforestation are playing in present-day extinctions


ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.

About the Author

Paul Wignall is Professor of Palaeoenvironments at the University of Leeds, and a leading expert on extinctions. He has published over 200 papers on a multitude of research areas, including the causes of major environmental change such as the deoxygenation of the oceans, and the establishment of super greenhouse climates. In addition to his considerable research output, he has authored a popular science book, The Worst of Times (Princeton University Press, 2015), and has contributed articles to popular science magazines. He has also appeared in many television documentaries, including the recent Walking through Time (Channel 4).

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Publisher
Oxford University Press
Publication date
2019
Language
English
ISBN 10 
0198807287
ISBN 13 
9780198807285
Binding
Paperback
Number of pages
144
Rating
  • 3.58 out of 5 stars
    102 ratings by Goodreads