A Fragile Balance: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Marsupials [Hardcover]

Christopher Dickman (Author), Rosemary Woodford Ganf (Illustrator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0226146308 | ISBN-13: 978-0226146300 | Publication Date: January 30, 2008

Marsupials are nearly synonymous with Australia. Although one of these enigmatic pouched mammals—the opossum—inhabits the United States and another 80 or so thrive in South America, some 220 species are confined to the Australasian region. In Australia, marsupials are the most diverse and dominant indigenous species, from the wallaby and the wombat to the kangaroo and koala.

The extraordinary story of these fascinating animals, A Fragile Balance provides the most up-to-date information on marsupials without losing sight of the unique set of circumstances that led them to prevalence Down Under. Covering all marsupial species in Australia, the book uses an evolutionary framework to interpret the marsupial’s biological traits. Each species account includes a basic biological description, a range map, and a measure of conservation status. The accounts are bounded by general chapters on biology, natural history, cultural history, and conservation. A Fragile Balance is the first book to emphasize interactions between and among marsupials, as well as between humans and marsupials.

Combining the expertise of renowned biologist Christopher Dickman with the artistic talents of illustrator Rosemary Woodford Ganf, A Fragile Balance will be a much celebrated reference for mammalogists worldwide, as well as for readers interested in Australian natural and cultural history.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Many drawings and far more words have been devoted to Australian mammals; this book surpasses them all. The drawings, nay the art , of Ganf, is breathtaking. Every hair, every spot of mold on a leaf, every piece of bark, is drawn in exquisite detail. The text . . . is authoritative and engaging. . . . Don''t miss the opportunity to bound to a bookstore, glide to the Internet, or jump on the opportunity to spend hours with this book."—Choice

(Choice )

"The author is one of the world''s leading marsupiologists, and he draws deeply on his own three decades of research experience as he leads us through the evolution, systematics, ecology, ethology, natural history, and conservation of Australian marsupials. . . . A superb all-round introduction for any researcher who wants to know more about marsupials. . . . Ganf''s breathtaking portraits of marsupials have a kind of transcendent quality that almost suggests an inherent vulnerability, in corroboration of the book''s title."—Marcel Cardillo, Quarterly Review of Biology

(Marcel Cardillo Quarterly Review of Biology )

About the Author

Christopher Dickens is professor in the school of biological sciences at the University of Sydney.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 256 pages
• Publisher: University Of Chicago Press (January 30, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0226146308
• ISBN-13: 978-0226146300
• Product Dimensions: 12.3 x 9.6 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #116,811 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Biological Sciences > Zoology > Mammals

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A treasure to behold and own, January 1, 2008

By 

James L. Spingarn "bird&aircraft book lover" (Glen Head, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: A Fragile Balance: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Marsupials (Hardcover)

Magnificently produced volume on everything one could possibly wish to know about Australian marsupials. It is written by a very knowlegable and readable expert , Christopher Dickman, (definitely not a textbook) and wonderfully illustrated (perhaps amongst the finest mammalian artwork ever (Audubon would have been envious); illustrations borrowed from the three volume collector's set "Marsupials of Australia," which took over 15 years to complete by the incomparable Rosemary Woodford Ganf. Thus, this is a steal at $65 US. If you like beautiful, authoritative, informative books on natural history, then this is a must for you.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A wonderfully produced book on an Australian icon, July 4, 2008

By 

Robert C. Ross (New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Fragile Balance: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Marsupials (Hardcover)

Icons, rather.

There is one marsupial species in North America, 80 or so in South America, and some 220 in the Australasian region (not counting extinct species). Even the names are fascinating: the spotted tail quoll, the green ringtail, the red-necked wallaby, the brushtail possum ... and many, many more. Makes our opossum sound downright pedestrian.

Christopher Dickman is an elegant and clear writer:

"[J]ust about every aspect of marsupial biology is intrinsically fascinating. Let us consider, for example, the reproductive biology of these mammals. Pregnancy lasts from just 11 to 42 days, depending on the species, and the young at birth are not much larger than a grain of rice. Yet, these tiny creatures make their own way independently to the mother's pouch, where they attach to a nipple to obtain nourishment for the next stage in their lives. In kangaroos that nurse young of different ages, the mother has the extraordinary ability to produce two different kinds of milk from different nipples; each is attuned exquisitely to the requirements of the joey that suckles them. Among the smaller marsupials, antechinuses are renowned for their frenetic approach to reproduction. Both sexes mate promiscuously for about two weeks each winter, and then all males die. Females in these and other marsupial species appear able to bias the sex ratio of their litters, producing more males or more females depending on their age and environmental conditions."

Each of the species is described with great care, and Dickman has called on other experts to expound on their particular interests: David Lindenmayer writes about Leadbeater's possum; Peter McRae about bilbies, Daniel Lunney about koalas; and Dr Menna Jones on Tasmanian devils and an infectious facial tumor disease.

The drawings are extraordinary and worth the price of the book simply as an artistic triumph. Rosemary Woodford Ganf is an award-winning illustrator who places her subjects in their natural environment. Details entrance: a whiptail wallaby joey climbs into its pouch beside a log carefully drawn to show the shedding bark and scars of wood borers.

Dickman is a champion for preservation of these wonderful creatures: "There are signs that many living [marsupial] species are on borrowed time and may vanish if we lower our guard. Could we face a time when Australia is no longer the land of marsupials?"

One hopes that Dickman's fears are unfounded. In the meantime, this wonderful book is one of the very best nature books I've ever read or enjoyed. Excellent science, but fascinating and approachable for a general reader.

Robert C. Ross 2008

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A beautiful balance !, March 31, 2008

By 

M. G. Kuijpers - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: A Fragile Balance: The Extraordinary Story of Australian Marsupials (Hardcover)

I bought this book as soon as it came on the market.
Great it is.

Why you are asking ? Well first of all the drawings, they are great and must be one of the most beautiful seen and made today. Take a look at the cover of this book here on Amazon, and then think of a book full of these !

The text explains to you the developement of the marsupials, their status,distribution in Australia (remember this is about the Australian marsupials) and different marsupial families.
It highlights some of the most unusual marsupials.

If you have got any interest in Australian marsupials this book should be in your library.