Our Dying Planet : An Ecologist's View of the Crisis We Face

Coral reefs are on track to become the first ecosystem actually eliminated from the planet. So says leading ecologist Peter F. Sale in this crash course on the state of the planet. Sale draws from his own extensive work on coral reefs, and from recent research by other ecologists, to explore the many ways we are changing the earth and to explain why it matters. Weaving into the narrative his own firsthand field experiences around the world, Sale brings ecology alive while giving a solid understanding of the science at work behind today's pressing environmental issues. He delves into topics including overfishing, deforestation, biodiversity loss, use of fossil fuels, population growth, and climate change while discussing the real consequences of our growing ecological footprint. Most important, this passionately written book emphasizes that a gloom-and-doom scenario is not inevitable, and as Sale explores alternative paths, he considers the ways in which science can help us realize a better future. Title......Page 6 Copyright......Page 7 Contents......Page 8 Preface......Page 10 Introduction......Page 16 Part One. Information: What We Are Doing to Our World......Page 30 1 Overfishing......Page 32 2 Removing Forests......Page 72 3 Disrupting the Ocean–Atmosphere Engine......Page 92 4 The Perilous Future for Coral Reefs......Page 122 Part Two. Understanding: Why We Don’t Comprehend the Scale of Our Problem......Page 166 5 The Problem of Shifting Baselines......Page 168 6 Our Unrealistic Belief in the Balance of Nature......Page 182 Part Three. Moving Forward: Why It Matters and What We Need to Do......Page 214 7 What Loss of Ecological Complexity Means for the World......Page 216 8. Reducing Our Use of Fossil Fuels......Page 252 9. Slowing Growth of the Human Population......Page 276 10. Our Alternative Futures......Page 288 Bibliography......Page 320 A......Page 338 B......Page 339 C......Page 340 E......Page 343 F......Page 345 G......Page 346 I......Page 347 M......Page 348 N......Page 349 P......Page 350 R......Page 351 S......Page 352 U......Page 353 Z......Page 354 Weaving into the narrative his own firsthand field experiences around the world, the author, an ecologist brings ecology alive while giving a solid understanding of the science at work behind today's pressing environmental issues. He delves into topics including deforestation, biodiversity loss, over fishing, population growth, use of fossil fuel and climate change while discussing the real consequences of out growing ecological footprint. Coral reefs are on track to become the first ecosystem actually eliminated from the planet. So says the author in this crash course on the state of the planet. He draws from his own extensive work on coral reefs, and from recent research by other ecologists, to explore the many ways we are changing the Earth and to explain why it matters. Most important, this book emphasizes that a gloom-and-doom scenario is not inevitable, and as the author explores alternative paths, he considers the ways in which science can help us realize a better future. States that Coral reefs are on track to become the first ecosystem actually eliminated from the planet. This title explores the many ways we are changing the earth and explains why it matters. It delves into topics including overfishing, deforestation, biodiversity loss, use of fossil fuels, population growth, and climate change.