Global Ecology

by Colin Tudge

Concern for the environment--brought about by the impact of widespread waste, pollution, and mismanagement--has created a pressing need for information about the countless ways that humans, animals and plants interact in the world around us. In Global Ecology , eminent science writer Colin Tudge offers an authoritative exploration of ecological science for general readers. Illustrated with many full-color photographs and drawings, and written in an clear, easy-to-read style, the book is a fascinating overview of the study of of living things and their interactions with the environment and each other. This body of knowledge encompasses a wide range of animal behavior and plant life, evolution, physiology, climatology, population balance, species extinction, and the impact of human civilization. This discussion involves many of today's most talked-about issues, including the origin of life, cleaning up the world's waterways, saving the coral reefs and tropical rainforests, atmospheric pollution, food chains and agricultural development, and strategies for the future. The book also describes the many diverse terrains, climates, and habitats where life occurs on our planet, while emphasizing the global unity of the Earth's ecosystem. Readers will gain a new appreciation for the delicate interplay of the diverse worlds of people, plants, and animals, and their vital dependence on shared environments and resources. Written to accompany the Ecology exhibition at London's Natural History Museum, the book represents an ideal opportunity for all readers to become acquainted with the findings and ideas of perhaps the most crucial scientific knowledge of our time.

176 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1989

About the author

Colin Tudge was educated at Dulwich College, 1954-61; and read zoology at Peterhouse, Cambridge, 1962-65.

Since 1965 he has worked on journals such as World Medicine, New Scientist and Pan, the newspaper of the World Food Conference held in Rome, 1974.

Ever since then he has earned a living by spasmodic broadcasting and a lot of writing—mainly books these days, but with occasional articles. He has a special interest in natural history in general, evolution and genetics, food and agriculture, and spends a great deal of time on philosophy (especially moral philosophy, the philosophy of science, and the relationship between science and religion).

He has two daughters, one son, and four granddaughters, and lives in Oxford with his wife, Ruth (nee West).