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OverviewIn an age of increasing environmental problems, ecology has had to grow up fast from a discipline dealing with relatively simple interactions between species to one that tries to explain changes in global patterns of diversity and richness. The issues are complex. Every species may seem to have its own unique role, but if that is true, then why are there hundreds of species of plankton in an ecosystem with only a handful of niches? The tropics have a high biodiversity, but does anybody know why? And how can a single introduced tree species wreak havoc in Hawaii 's rainforests, when it is one of thousands of quietly coexisting tree species in its native continent, South America? Full Product DetailsAuthor: Menno SchilthuizenPublisher: Springer Imprint: Springer Dimensions: Width: 23.40cm , Height: 1.00cm , Length: 15.60cm Weight: 0.268kg ISBN: 9783540863762ISBN 10: 3540863761 Pages: 184 Publication Date: 21 October 2008 Audience: General/trade , General Format: Undefined Publisher's Status: Unknown Availability: Out of stock Table of ContentsReviews<p>From the reviews: <p> Evolutionary biologist and science writer Menno Schilthuizen retells the story of the Wilson-Simberloff experiment at some length in The Loom of Life. His book is a readable, anecdotal introduction to the ecology of diversity, addressing basic questions about why there are so many different species and why some species are rare and others common. The Loom of Life is useful. might read this slender book for a bearing on how to tackle environmental problems. (Emma Marris, Nature, Vol. 455 (30), 2008)<p> In this enjoyable book, evolutionary biologist Schilthuizen conveys his love of natural ecosystems and species diversity. Schilthuizen covers great spans of time and geography in an effort to explain some epic questions including how ecosystems function, what factors contribute to determining biodiversity, and how theories develop and change over time. for those interested in learning about the intricacies of ecosystem ecology, The Loom of Life is well worth r Author InformationTab Content 6Author Website:Countries AvailableAll regions |