Ecology: From Individuals to Ecosystems (Paperback)

by Michael Begon (Author), Colin A. Townsend (Author), John L. Harper (Author) "From our definition of ecology in the Preface, and even from a layman's understanding of the term, it is clear that at the heart of..." (more)
Key Phrases: dynamic thinning line, prey zero isocline, specialist predation hypothesis, New Zealand, North America, Great Britain (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
“Begon, Townsend and Harper has been the standard advanced textbook in ecology for nearly 20 years. I greatly welcome this fourth edition, which maintains the book’s position at the forefront of the discipline.”
Professor Sir John Lawton, Chairman, Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution, and formerly Chief Executive of the UK Natural Environment Research Council
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"Now in its fourth edition, this text will continue to be recognized as a forerunner in the science of ecology; it is very comprehensive, exploring ecological concepts with relevant field and laboratory studies, enriched by clear examples and illustrations."
Journal of Biological Education

“With remarkable clarity and insight, these gifted authors lay the evolutionary foundation of the discipline and then build the superstructure of Ecology, layer by layer. This is a complete reworking of the earlier version, a lucid synthesis sprinkled with clear examples. My colleagues and I have used this text to teach ecology for more than 20 years, and not surprisingly it has been recognized as the leading text in the field; this new version guarantees it will remain in pole position for many years to come.”
Peter Hudson, Pennsylvania State University

“Begon, Townsend and Harper’s Ecology has been the cornerstone text for teaching ecology for almost two decades. Its comprehensive breadth and depth provides details on ecological concepts supplemented with relevant field and laboratory studies. Ecology will remain an essential text for students and practioners alike for many years to come.”
Michael Bonsall, Oxford University

“Ecology: From Individual, to Ecosystems is unparalleled among ecology texts for its breadth of coverage of contemporary ecology and for its clear presentation of even the more complex topics. The coverage of population ecology is superb, and the presentation of all topics is enriched both by extremely clear illustrations and a rich use of examples of human relationships with the environment. It should be read by all aspiring ecologists and the professors who teach them.”
Marcel Holyoak, University of California, Davis

"...Overall, this text has continued to earn its dominance in the market...For those for whom Essentials is too basic this is the text to read at the next level. It's comprehensive coverage and wide range of examples make it an essential purchase for basic/advanced ecology education."
TENews, September 2005

Review of the previous edition

“arguably the best general textbook in ecology currently on the market”
Animal Ecology 1999

“This monumental book is obligatory reading for all ecologists. It has an engaging style, is user-friendly and is a fount of information and scientific rigour. It will take population biology, broadly defined, comfortably into the next century.”
Journal of Ecology 1997

“The language and structure of this textbook is quite comprehensive, making it the ideal book for undergraduates making their first steps in ecology.”
Journal of Animal Ecology 1997

Product Description
Begon, Townsend and Harper’s Ecology has long been regarded as the definitive textbook on all aspects of ecology. This new edition continues to provide a comprehensive treatment of the subject from the first principles of ecology to a vivid reflection of our understanding of ecology in the 21st century.

Thoroughly revised and updated, this fourth edition includes:

three new chapters on applied ecology, reflecting a rigorous, scientific approach to the ecological problems now facing mankind discussion of over 750 new studies, updating the text throughout an updated, user-friendly design with margin notes and chapter summaries that serve as study aids dedicated website The resulting textbook is easy to use, lucid and up-to-date, and is the essential reference for all students whose degree program includes ecology and for practising ecologists.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 752 pages
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell; 4 edition (January 14, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1405111178
• ISBN-13: 978-1405111171
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #69,518 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good, solid review of Ecology, January 18, 2007

By	Leah Penn Boris "lapenn" (Seattle, WA, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I'm a grad student in ecology, and this book is a wonderful review of the subject. The writing is straightforward and includes lots of examples from the scientific literature.

It's well written and has many levels, so it would be just as valuable for an undergrad with an interest in ecology as it is for the grad student boning up for qualifying exams (me!). Much better than comparable ecology books that I used as an undergraduate.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars GOOD FOR SCIENCE OLYMPIAD!, April 15, 2007

By	Patrick Mustard - See all my reviews

I may be the only person reviewing this book who's not in college. Anyway, I ordered this book because I needed to study for an event in science olympiad dealing with ecology. Ever since I received it, I have gotten first place at every tournament! The plethora of real-world examples in this book were very helpful. My only problem with it were the "illustrations". Come on, diagrams? Maybe... but illustrations? NO WAY! Except a few here and there. I also didn't like how all the diagrams were the exact same color.