Novel Ecosystems
Rating: Richard J Hobbs, Eric S Higgs and Carol M Hall (eds). 2013. Novel Ecosystems – Intervening in the new ecological world order. Wiley Blackwell. ISBN 978 1 1183 5422 3 It’s not every day that you get to see a new perspective in a subject but this text might well be one such case. The central argument is that since we can’t “win” in some areas because invasive species have taken over then we might as well learn to […]
Urban Ecology
Rating: Niemela J, Breuste JH, Elmqvist T, Gunterspergen G, James P and NE Macintyre. (eds). 2012. Urban Ecology: patterns, processes and applications. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978 0 19 964395 0. It’s always interesting to see how perspectives change in any field and ecology is no exception. Twenty years ago, the words ‘urban’ and ‘nature’ would only be seen together if they were in opposition. No-one would suggest the towns and cities could create environments or modify habitats. It’s not […]
Conservation International
Conservation International – started in 1987 this has become one of the key global conservation organisations. It differentiates itself from many other groups by focussing not on reserves but on sustainability and biodiversity. Numerous ideas, projects etc.
Insects.org
Insects.org is an interesting site dedicated to all things insect especially human-insect interactions
IBSCO
IBSCO or International Bathymetric Chart of the Southern Ocean is an umbrella organisation aiming to map the Antarctic regions with a high degree of accuracy. Follow their work on this site and get data and maps.
World Resources Institute
World Resources Institute. One of the most impressive of all the global institutions largely for the quality of its research and database. It started with the World Resources series which, when it was new in the mid 1980s was one of the best sources for data, gathering material from the best research around the world. This continues today through its online database – Earthtrends.
Worldwatch Institute
Worldwatch Institute was founded in 1974. Since that time it’s made its name dealing with global issues and focussing on sustainable development. The main part of its work has been the publication of State of the World series, a biennial roundup of key global issues. The latest is the 2012 volume which focusses on the idea of sustainable prosperity.
Mongabay
Mongabay is a vast site focussing mainly on conservation. Started in 1999 by Rhett Butler it was slowly expanded to cover a wide range of issues, projects and news on conservation. Very useful resource for senior school students.
Global Environment Facility
Global Environment Facility – a group of 182 nations plus institutions etc. combining to tackle global issues on pollution, biodiversity etc. In May 2012 it released this useful guide to biodiversity conservation
Wetland Ecology
Rating: Paul A Keddy. 2010. Wetland Ecology: Principles and Conservation. 2e. Cambridge University Press. ISBN978 0 521 73967 2. Wetlands are rightly recognised as crucial, but often endangered, ecosystems. It follows that anything promoting them is welcomed. There’s also something about a second or subsequent addition that piques the interest. Clearly it was worth the publishing effort (suggesting a good book, in demand) but it also allows the author to update and gives the reader an insight into what has […]
