Unnatural Landscapes: Tracking Invasive Species [Paperback]

Ceiridwen Terrill (Author), Gary Paul Nabhan (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 28, 2007

Louisiana crawfish, cheatgrass, Russian thistle, Hottentot figs, rats, and sweet fennel. These and dozens of other seemingly benign flora and fauna have become some of the worst culprits in the destruction of ecosystems and native wildlife in the American Southwest and Baja California. Although widely publicized threats—such as pollution, land development, changes in the atmospheric condition, fire, and drought—are frequently credited with posing the greatest danger to indigenous animals and plants, invasive species are quickly becoming a far more insidious peril to the survival of native wildlife. A result of both accident and human intervention, the frequency with which exotic species are being introduced into nonnative environments is increasing at an alarming rate. In Unnatural Landscapes, Ceiridwen Terrill combines lucid science writing with first-person tales of adventure to provide a compelling introduction to invasion ecology and restoration management. Traveling aboard her trusty kyak, The Grebe, Terrill brings readers on a firsthand tour of various “islands” in the Southwest and Mexico—both actual islands and self-contained habitat communities. From the islands of Anaho, Santa Cruz, and Anacapa to Isla Tibur³n in the Sea of Cortez, Mexicali irrigation canals, and Pyramid Lake, Terrill takes an in-depth look at the damage that invasive species cause. Drawing on field observations, research, and interviews with scientists, resource managers, and local residents, this book provides readers with the background and knowledge they need to understand and to begin combating what is quickly becoming the most important environmental crisis facing the fragile ecosystems of the Southwest.

Editorial Reviews

Review

“Ceiridwen Terrill’s journey to the weeds is wholly engaging—reminiscent of John Steinbeck’s Log from the Sea of Cortez and Kim Todd’s Tinkering with Eden, yet all original in content and style. By personally paddling among several island ecosystems with a strong arm and a trained eye, she takes us deep into awareness of exotic species and their grim legacy, and out again into the grounded hope of restoration.” —Robert Michael Pyle, author of Wintergreen: Rambles in a Ravaged Land

About the Author

CEIRIDWEN TERRILL is an assistant professor at Concordia University in Portland, Oregon, where she teaches literary nonfiction, including environmental journalism and science writing.

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: University of Arizona Press (February 28, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0816525234
• ISBN-13: 978-0816525232
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 6.6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,024,953 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Her journeys read like a blend of scientific investigation and travelogue, June 8, 2007

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Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unnatural Landscapes: Tracking Invasive Species (Paperback)

Any collection strong in biological science - particularly college-level holdings - will want UNNATURAL LANDSCAPES: it blends science writing and research with first-person stories of adventure to provide a lively introduction to invasion ecology and restoration management, and uses the author's own kayak trips as a basis for considering invasive species in the Southwest and Mexico regions. Her journeys read like a blend of scientific investigation and travelogue and thus serve as a fitting introduction to habitat management issues.