Ecology and Economics of the Great Plains (Our Sustainable Future) - Hardcover

Licht, Daniel S.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0803229224 ISBN 13: 9780803229228

Publisher: University of Nebraska Press, 1997

Synopsis

The Great Plains were once characterized by vast expanses of grass, complex interdependence among species, and dynamic annual changes due to weather, waterways, and fire. It is now generally accepted that less than one percent of the original tallgrass prairie remains. Habitat fragmentation, the loss of natural predator-prey associations, changes in species composition, and various commercial practices continue to threaten grassland biodiversity. Recently scholars and conservationists have discussed opportunities for large-scale restoration projects in the Great Plains, but they have provided few details. Daniel Licht offers here a bold new approach to restoring and conserving the grassland ecosystem. In describing hypothetical reserves, he explains how they could help conserve grassland biodiversity, reduce federal expenditures on agriculture, increase recreational opportunities, and sustain rural economies outside the reserves.

About this title

From the Back Cover

This book describes the grassland ecosystem and the consequences of modern settlement (and conversely, how the ecosystem has influenced settlement). It presents and synthesizes new conservation principles and philosophies that can be used by resource managers and private landowners who wish to conserve the biotic integrity of grassland ecosystems.

About the Author

Daniel S. Licht is a fish and wildlife biologist at Fort Snelling, Minnesota. His articles have appeared in Prairie Naturalist and Great Basin Naturalist.

Edition details

• Publisher: University of Nebraska Press
• Publication date: 1997
• ISBN 10: 0803229224
• ISBN 13: 9780803229228
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 227