Freshwater Ecology: A Scientific Introduction

ISBN-13: 9780632052660 / Angielski / Miękka / 2003 / 240 str.

Alan Boulton

Opis

Freshwater ecosystems are under increasing pressure as human populations grow and the need for clean water intensifies. The demand for ecologists and environmental managers who are trained in basic freshwater ecology has never been greater. Students and practitioners new to the field of freshwater ecology and management need a text that provides them with an accessible introduction to the key questions while still providing sufficient background on basic scientific methods.

Gerry Closs, Barbara Downes and Andrew Boulton have written a text that meets the requirements of these students. Following an introduction to scientific methodology and its application to the study of ecology, several key concepts in freshwater ecology are reviewed using a wide range of scientific studies into fundamental and applied ecological questions. Key ecological questions that are explored in a freshwater context include the role of animal dispersal and predators on freshwater community structure and the impact of pollutants and introduced species on freshwater ecosystems.

This book represents the only freshwater ecology textbook that is specifically aimed at an introductory level. It will also be a useful primer for students who have not previously taken a specialized freshwater course but who require an accessible overview of the subject.

• General reviews on the methods of science, influence of scale, and the main features of freshwater systems.
  
• Coverage of several fundamental and applied ecological questions.
  
• A logical structure in each chapter that builds from a general observation of an ecological pattern, to an exploration of the various scientific approaches that can be used to investigate such patterns.
  
• Suggested further reading lists for each chapter.

Recenzje

"...Freshwater Ecology is a readable and well though out introductory text suitable for a non–major course in freshwater ecology...It clearly fills a void in the array of freshwater ecology texts and will undoubtedly be well received by students as a primary introduction to the fascinating world of freshwater ecological research." Hydrobiologia

"At first blush, this is a refreshingly new book about basic freshwater ecology. It is clearly written, thoughtfully well organized, and covers virtually all the topics I would want introduced to a budding freshwater biologist...I enjoyed reading this book and I think it should be required reading for every college senior and every new graduate student in the aquatic arena."
Journal of the North American Benthological Society

"This book is an important contribution to the literature and can be strongly recommended to anyone starting out on a study of freshwater biology."
African Journal of Aquatic Science

Spis treści

Preface.

Part I: The Tools Of Freshwater Ecological Science.

1. What Is Ecological Science?.

2. How Does Scale Of Measurement Affect What We See?.

3. Wonderful Water: Linkages From The Atom To The Biosphere.

4. What s In A Lake?.

5. What s In Rivers And Streams?.

Part II: Fundamental Ecological Questions.

6. How Are Population Numbers And Structure Affected By Dispersal?.

7. Why Do Organisms Occupy Particular Habitats?.

8. How Do Freshwater Communities Recover From Disturbance?.

9. What Is The Impact Of Predators In Freshwater Systems?.

Part III: Applied Freshwater Ecology.

10. What Are The Ecological Effects Of Changing A Water Regime?.

11. How Do We Assess The Impact Of Pollution?.

12. Can We Fix Smelly, Green Lakes?.

13. What Is The Impact Of Introduced Species?.

Concluding Remarks.

Index.

O autorze

Gerry Closs is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Otago. His research interests include ecology of freshwater fish and the structure and dynamics of food webs in streams and lakes.

Barbara Downes is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne with research experience in both freshwater and marine environments. She conducts research on questions in basic ecology as well as examining the effects of human impacts on the environment. Andrew Boulton is an Associate Professor in Aquatic Ecology at the University of New England. His research interests lie in river ecology and management, temporary waters, surface water/groundwater interactions, and tertiary science

Blurb

This book represents the only freshwater ecology textbook that is specifically aimed at an introductory level. It will also be a useful primer for students who have not previously taken a specialized freshwater course but who require an accessible overview of the subject. KEY FEATURES INCLUDE: General reviews on the methods of science, influence of scale, and the main features of freshwater systems. Coverage of several fundamental and applied ecological questions. A logical structure in each chapter that builds from a general observation of an ecological pattern, to an exploration of the various scientific approaches that can be used to investigate such patterns. Suggested further reading lists for each chapter.