Author(s): James P. Collins (Author), Martha L. Crump (Author), Thomas E. Lovejoy III (Author)
Publisher: OUP USA
Publication Date: 16 July 2009
Edition: Illustrated
Language: English
Print length: 304 pages
ISBN-10: 0195316940
ISBN-13: 9780195316940
Book Description
For over 350 million years, thousands of species of amphibians have lived on earth, but since the 1990s they have been disappearing at an alarming rate, in many cases quite suddenly and mysteriously. What is causing these extinctions? What role do human actions play in them? What do they tell us about the overall state of biodiversity on the planet? In Extinction in Our Times, James Collins and Martha Crump explore these pressing questions and many others as they document the first modern extinction event across an entire vertebrate class, using global examples that range from the Sierra Nevada of California to the rainforests of Costa Rica and the Mediterranean coast of North Africa. Joining scientific rigor and vivid storytelling, this book is the first to use amphibian decline as a lens through which to see more clearly the larger story of climate change, conservation of biodiversity, and a host of profoundly important ecological, evolutionary, ethical, philosophical, and sociological issues.
Editorial Reviews
Review
“Extinction in Our Times is centered on the global problem of declines and extinctions of amphibians, but it has important things to say to anyone interested in how science, policy and conservation can interact in the face of crisis. It is worthwile reading for anyone interested in conserving biological diversity.”–TREE
“I would recommend this book to anyone who wants an informative read that will allow him or her to understand the problem discussed as well as gain a perspective on how biological scientists proceed with their pursuits.”–Bioscience
“There are many reasons for every zoo herpetologist to own this book…readable and comprehensible for the layman but is also valuable for the specialist.”–Herpetological Review
“Extinction in Our Times sets out the key events that led to a realisation that amphibian declines were not only real, but were also occurring globally. It is a valuable and well-considered addition to the arsenal of evidence that we need to execute a rapid response to this accelerating catastrophe.”–PLoS Biology
Book Description
The first book to fully examine the dramatic, ongoing extinction of amphibian species across a whole vertebrate class, revealing what it may portend for the health of the planet
About the Author
James P. Collins is Virginia M. Ullman Professor of Natural History and the Environment in the School of Life Sciences at Arizona State University.
Martha L. Crump is Adjunct Professor of Biology at Northern Arizona University and is an active conservationist. Books by the same authors: Herpetology
Wow! eBook
