How the science of ecology is changing to meet the daunting challenges of environmental sustainability

Our species has transitioned from being one among millions on Earth to the species that is single-handedly transforming the entire planet to suit its own needs. The New Ecology shows how today's ecology can provide the insights we need to appreciate the crucial role we play in this era of unprecedented global environmental transition. Oswald Schmitz describes how the science of ecology is evolving to provide a better understanding of how human agency is shaping the natural world, often in never-before-seen ways. The new ecology emphasizes the importance of conserving species diversity and envisions humans taking on new roles as thoughtful stewards of the environment. It offers the ecological know-how to maintain and enhance our planet's environmental performance and ecosystem production for the benefit of current and future generations. Informative and engaging, this book provides the best available introduction to what this new ecology is all about-and why it matters more than ever before.

About the Author
Oswald J. Schmitz is professor of population and community ecology in the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies at Yale University. His books include Resolving Ecosystem Complexity (Princeton).

Reviews

Slim, highly readable, and well-written. . . . [In The New Ecology] Schmitz has done a remarkable job weaving together threads drawn from classical ecology, economics, and environmental studies and science into a wide-ranging yet coherent whole that should serve as a blueprint for 21st century research and praxis in ecology.
-Aaron M. Ellison, Ecology

Featuring novel ideas communicated clearly, [The New Ecology] is likely to have broad appeal. . . . [N]on-ecologists will comprehend the book easily, and ecologists will be interested in the fresh concepts.
-Anna Call, ForewordReviews.com

The New Ecology underlines the essential role that humans can play in shaping what the Earth will look like in the coming century. . . This book is an excellent introduction to the new ecology. It helps us understand that we humans-and all of nature-are intertwined and that we have to work with nature for a sustainable world. And it offers hope that change is possible.
-Lisa Kaaki, Arab News

Engaging, informative, easy to read, and filled with good examples that explained the interdependence between natural systems and human systems.
-Lisa Pike, NSTA Recommends

Book Information
ISBN 9780691182827
Author Oswald J. Schmitz
Format Paperback
Page Count 256
Imprint Princeton University Press
Publisher Princeton University Press