LEADER 04141nam 2200685 a 450 001 9910455252303321 005 20200520144314.0 010 $a1-282-15879-1 010 $a9786612158797 010 $a1-4008-3026-5 024 7 $a10.1515/9781400830268 035 $a(CKB)1000000000788559 035 $a(EBL)457846 035 $a(OCoLC)440772419 035 $a(SSID)ssj0000108567 035 $a(PQKBManifestationID)11138230 035 $a(PQKBTitleCode)TC0000108567 035 $a(PQKBWorkID)10036006 035 $a(PQKB)10634851 035 $a(MiAaPQ)EBC457846 035 $a(MdBmJHUP)muse48979 035 $a(DE-B1597)453675 035 $a(OCoLC)979685622 035 $a(DE-B1597)9781400830268 035 $a(PPN)170259641 035 $a(Au-PeEL)EBL457846 035 $a(CaPaEBR)ebr10312538 035 $a(CaONFJC)MIL215879 035 $a(EXLCZ)991000000000788559 100 $a20081031d2009 uy 0 101 0 $aeng 135 $aur|n|---||||| 181 $ctxt 182 $cc 183 $acr 200 14$aThe balance of nature$b[electronic resource] $eecology's enduring myth /$fJohn Kricher 205 $aCourse Book 210 $aPrinceton $cPrinceton University Press$dc2009 215 $a1 online resource (251 p.) 300 $aDescription based upon print version of record. 311 $a0-691-13898-2 320 $aIncludes bibliographical references (p. [209]-227) and index. 327 $tFrontmatter -- $tContents -- $tPreface -- $t1. Why It Matters -- $t2. Of What Purpose Are Mosquitoes? -- $t3. Creating Paradigms -- $t4. Ecology B.C. ("Before Charles") -- $t5. Ecology A.D. ("After Darwin") -- $t6. The Twentieth Century: Ecology Comes of Age -- $t7. A Visit to Bodie: Ecological Space and Time -- $t8. Ecology and Evolution: Process and Paradigm -- $t9. Be Glad to Be an Earthling -- $t10. Life Plays the Lottery -- $t11. Why Global Climate Is Like New England Weather -- $t12. Taking It from the Top-or the Bottom -- $t13. For the Love of Biodiversity (and Stable Ecosystems?) -- $t14. Facing Marley's Ghost -- $tEpilogue -- $tAcknowledgments -- $tNotes -- $tIndex 330 $aThe idea of a balance of nature has been a dominant part of Western philosophy since before Aristotle, and it persists in the public imagination and even among some ecologists today. In this lively and thought-provoking book, John Kricher demonstrates that nature in fact is not in balance, nor has it ever been at any stage in Earth's history. He explains how and why this notion of a natural world in balance has endured for so long, and he shows why, in these times of extraordinary human influence on the planet's ecosystems, it is critical that we accept and understand that evolution is a fact of life, and that ecology is far more dynamic than we ever imagined. The Balance of Nature traces the fascinating history of the science of ecology and evolutionary biology, from the discipline's early innovators to the advent of Darwin and evolution, to the brilliant and inquisitive scientific minds of today. Blending insights and entertaining stories from his own remarkable life in science, Kricher reveals how evolution is a powerful engine that drives ecological change, how nature is constantly in flux and, in effect, quite naturally out of balance--and how notions to the contrary are misguided and ultimately hazardous to us all. The Balance of Nature forcefully argues that an understanding of the dynamic nature of ecology and evolution is essential to formulating policies of environmental ethics to guide humanity toward a more responsible stewardship of our planet's ecosystems. 606 $aEcology$xHistory 606 $aEcology$xPhilosophy 606 $aPhilosophy of nature 608 $aElectronic books. 615 0$aEcology$xHistory. 615 0$aEcology$xPhilosophy. 615 0$aPhilosophy of nature. 676 $a577 700 $aKricher$b John C$0623865 801 0$bMiAaPQ 801 1$bMiAaPQ 801 2$bMiAaPQ 906 $aBOOK 912 $a9910455252303321 996 $aThe balance of nature$92480279 997 $aUNINA