The Web of Interactions begins with a discussion of three major sources of evidence that elucidate the history of an ecosystem: historical documents, field studies, and sedimentary records. The author then considers ways that people have affected the environment over time, using for examples a wide variety of habitats from all over the world. Some instances of human impact on the environment -- such as using fire and altering species ranges -- are difficult to distinguish from nonhuman impacts. Others -- such as agriculture and patterns of land ownership -- are distinctly human. The book's final section shows how a historical ecological approach deepens understanding of current environmental issues, including changes to lakes, loss of biodiversity, and sustainability of the biosphere.
"By merging ecology and the history of human activity and drawing from diverse international examples, Russell defines an impressive approach for reading, interpreting, and managing natural landscapes".-- David Foster, Director of the Harvard Forest, Harvard University
