The Ghosts Of Evolution: Nonsensical Fruit, Missing Partners, and Other Ecological Anachronisms

The Ghosts Of Evolution: Nonsensical Fruit, Missing Partners, and Other Ecological Anachronisms
ISBN-10
0465005527
ISBN-13
9780465005529
Category
Science
Pages
304
Language
English
Published
2002-03-21
Publisher
Basic Books
Author
Connie Barlow

Description

A new vision is sweeping through ecological science: The dense web of dependencies that makes up an ecosystem has gained an added dimension-the dimension of time. Every field, forest, and park is full of living organisms adapted for relationships with creatures that are now extinct. In a vivid narrative, Connie Barlow shows how the idea of "missing partners" in nature evolved from isolated, curious examples into an idea that is transforming how ecologists understand the entire flora and fauna of the Americas. This fascinating book will enrich the experience of any amateur naturalist, as well as teach us that the ripples of biodiversity loss around us are just the leading edge of what may well become perilous cascades of extinction.

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