Why does the world stay green? : nutrition and the survival of plant-eaters

Nearly every form of life has the capacity to multiply and increase at a really astonishing rate. Think of plagues of locusts or mice. Clearly, for the vast majority of animals this does not happen, otherwise they would swamp the world and destroy all the plants. So why doesn’t it happen, and why does the world stay green? The concept explored in this book contends that animals are not controlled through predation but because plants have outwitted them; they cannot obtain enough of the food they must have to reproduce and grow. Why Does the World Stay Green? explains, in simple terms, how this comes about in nature and describes some of the many fascinating ways in which animals have evolved to cope with this usually chronic shortage of an essential resource. It is fascinating and easy-reading for anyone interested in natural history. The author, TCR White, has acted as a strong influence for the last 40 years on the ecological community, presenting confronting and at times controversial theories on the limiting role that nitrogen plays in the evolution of life. Why Does the World Stay Green? reveals this fascinating and important ecological theory. Features * Explores interesting and controversial theories on ecology * Presents new ways of thinking about the interaction of plants and animals * Filled with examples that will challenge many current ecologists * Written in non-technical language Nearly every form of life has the capacity to multiply and increase at a really astonishing rate. Think of plagues of locusts or mice. Clearly, for the vast majority of animals this does not happen, otherwise they would swamp the world and destroy all the plants. So why doesn t it happen, and why does the world stay green? The concept explored in this book contends that animals are not controlled through predation but because plants have outwitted them; they cannot obtain enough of the food they must have to reproduce and grow. "Why Does the World Stay Green?" explains, in simple terms, how this comes about in nature and describes some of the many fascinating ways in which animals have evolved to cope with this usually chronic shortage of an essential resource. It is fascinating and easy-reading for anyone interested in natural history. The author, TCR White, has acted as a strong influence for the last 40 years on the ecological community, presenting confronting and at times controversial theories on the limiting role that nitrogen plays in the evolution of life. Why Does the World Stay Green? reveals this fascinating and important ecological theory. Features* Explores interesting and controversial theories on ecology * Presents new ways of thinking about the interaction of plants and animals * Filled with examples that will challenge many current ecologists * Written in non-technical language" Contents 6 Foreword 8 Chapter 1 The green world 10 Finding food is too hard 13 Food tastes disgusting or is poisonous 14 Food is not nutritious enough 15 But what about the predators? 17 Nitrogen – the key limiting factor 18 How herbivores access nitrogen 21 Chapter 2 Herbivores are fussy eaters 24 Seeking out the best: flush-feeders 24 Going with the flow: seed-eaters 26 Prolonging the supply: grazers and gall-makers 29 Creaming off the best: fast-track feeders 32 Catching the late run: senescence-feeders 35 Double-dipping 38 Chapter 3 With a little help from microbes 42 Dung-eaters 42 Detritus-feeders 52 Chapter 4 Meat-eating vegetarians and cannibals 56 Strictly vegetarian? 57 Starting out carnivorous 60 Opportunistic predators 63 Cannibalism 65 Chapter 5 Feeding the favoured few 72 Territorial behaviour 72 Social dominance hierarchies 80 Chapter 6 Inefficient killers 88 Lions and other inefficient killers 89 Bungling invertebrates 93 Food supply is the key 97 Chapter 7 Plagues, outbreaks and the tyranny of weather 102 Weather’s dramatic effects 102 Successful reproductive strategies 109 Weather can affect food quality 113 Afterword 120 Further reading 124 Index 127 "Nearly every form of life has the capacity to multiply and increase at a really astonishing rate. Think of plagues of locusts or mice. Clearly, for the vast majority of animals this does not happen, otherwise they would swamp the world and destroy all the plants. So why doesn't it happen, and why does the world stay green? The concept explored in this book contends that animals are not controlled through predation but because plants have outwitted them, they cannot obtain enough of the food they must have to reproduce and grow. Why Does the World Stay Green? explains, in simple terms, how this comes about in nature and describes some of the many fascinating ways in which animals have evolved to cope with this usually chronic shortage of an essential resource. It is fascinating and easy-reading for anyone interested in natural history." -- Publisher's website.