×


 x 

Shopping cart
James A. Estes - Serendipity: An Ecologist´s Quest to Understand Nature - 9780520285033 - V9780520285033
Stock image for illustration purposes only - book cover, edition or condition may vary.

Serendipity: An Ecologist´s Quest to Understand Nature

€ 41.70
FREE Delivery in Ireland
Description for Serendipity: An Ecologist´s Quest to Understand Nature Hardback. Tells the story of author's life as a naturalist and the concepts that drive his interest in researching the ecological role of large predators. Using the relationship between sea otters, kelp, and sea urchins as a touchstone, he retraces his investigations of numerous other species, ecosystems, and more. Series: Organisms and Environments. Num Pages: 256 pages, 19 b/w photos, 14 line illustrations, 3 maps. BIC Classification: PSAF; TQ. Category: (G) General (US: Trade). Dimension: 229 x 152. .
To newly minted biologist James Estes, the sea otters he was studying in the leafy kelp forests off the coast of Alaska appeared to have an unbalanced relationship with their greater environment. Gorging themselves on the sea urchins that grazed among the kelp, these small charismatic mammals seemed to give little back in return. But as Estes dug deeper, he unearthed a far more complex relationship between the otter and its underwater environment, discovering that otters play a critical role in driving positive ecosystem dynamics. While teasing out the connective threads, he began to question our assumptions about ecological relationships. These questions would ultimately inspire a lifelong quest to better understand the surprising complexity of our natural world and the unexpected ways we discover it. Serendipity tells the story of James Estes' life as a naturalist and the concepts that have driven his interest in researching the ecological role of top-level predators. Using the relationships between sea otters, kelp, and sea urchins as a touchstone, Estes retraces his investigations of numerous other species, ecosystems, and ecological processes in an attempt to discover why ecologists can learn so many details about the systems in which they work and yet understand so little about the broader processes that influence these systems. Part memoir, part natural history, and deeply inquisitive, Serendipity will entertain and inform readers as it raises thoughtful questions about our relationship with the natural world.

Product Details

Publisher
University of California Press
Format
Hardback
Publication date
2016
Series
Organisms and Environments
Condition
New
Weight
540g
Number of Pages
256
Place of Publication
Berkerley, United States
ISBN
9780520285033
SKU
V9780520285033
Shipping Time
Usually ships in 7 to 11 working days
Ref
99-1

About James A. Estes
James A. Estes is Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at University of California, Santa Cruz. He was coeditor of Trophic Cascades: Predators, Prey, and the Changing Dynamics of Nature and of The Community Ecology of Sea Otters, and senior editor of Whales, Whaling, and Ocean Ecosystems (UC Press). He is a recently elected member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Reviews for Serendipity: An Ecologist´s Quest to Understand Nature
Many of the findings in the book ... are classics of ecology... A rare and delightful insight into timely science.
Jane Lubchenco Nature Estes's refreshing narrative deftly weaves rigorous science with personal reflection to create an absorbing and introspective read that is equal parts memoir, ecological textbook, and motivational guidebook for young ecologists. Science This top-down picture - with predators influencing the health of plants - is depicted in enthralling detail. The Guardian Noteworthy... Summing up: Recommended. CHOICE

Goodreads reviews for Serendipity: An Ecologist´s Quest to Understand Nature


Subscribe to our newsletter

News on special offers, signed editions & more!