Part I-Introduction.
1. Ecology and How To Do It.
2. The Ecology of Evolution.
Part II- Conditions and Resources.
3. Physical Conditions and the Availability of Resources.
4. Conditions, Resources, and the World's Communities.
Part III- Individuals, Populations, Communities, and Ecosystems.
5. Birth, Death, and Movement.
6. Interspecific Competition.
7. Organisms as Habitats.
8. Predation, Grazing, and Disease.
9. Population Processes--The Big Picture.
10. Patterns in Species Richness.
11. The Flux of Energy and matter through Ecosystems.
Part IV- Applied Issues in Ecology.
12. Sustainability.
13. Pollution.
14. Conservation
Essentials of Ecology presents introductory ecology in an accessible, state-of-the-art format designed to cultivate the novice student's understanding of, and fascination with, the natural world. In a concise, engaging style, this text outlines the essential principles of ecology from the theoretical fundamentals to their practical applications. Full color artwork, simple pedagogical features, and a wide range of carefully-chosen examples make this book an ideal introduction to ecology for students at all levels.
The third edition of this successful text is much more than a simple update, reflecting the vibrancy of the field. With hundreds of new examples, it contains for the first time a separate chapter on evolutionary ecology, with all other chapters, especially those on applied aspects, having been extensively revised and re-written. The new edition also features new artwork and an enhanced design, making Essentials of Ecology as attractive as it is up-to-date and relevant.
Outstanding features of the third edition of Essentials of Ecology include:
* Dedicated website - available at www.blackwellpublishing.com/townsend, featuring study resources and web research questions
* Key Concepts - summarized at the beginning of each chapter
* History boxes outlining key landmarks in the development of ecology
* Quantitative boxes - allowing mathematical aspects of ecology to be explained clearly without interrupting the flow of the text
* Topical ECOncerns boxes - highlighting ethical, social and political questions in ecology
* Review questions - included at the end of each chapter