The Ghosts Of Evolution: Nonsensical Fruit, Missing Partners, and Other Ecological Anachronisms: Barlow, Connie: 9780465005529: Amazon.com: Books

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Connie C. Barlow

The Ghosts Of Evolution: Nonsensical Fruit, Missing Partners, and Other Ecological Anachronisms Paperback – Big Book, March 21, 2002

by Connie Barlow (Author)

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A new vision is sweeping through ecological science: The dense web of dependencies that makes up an ecosystem has gained an added dimension-the dimension of time. Every field, forest, and park is full of living organisms adapted for relationships with creatures that are now extinct. In a vivid narrative, Connie Barlow shows how the idea of "missing partners" in nature evolved from isolated, curious examples into an idea that is transforming how ecologists understand the entire flora and fauna of the Americas. This fascinating book will enrich and deepen the experience of anyone who enjoys a stroll through the woods or even down an urban sidewalk. But this knowledge has a dark side too: Barlow's "ghost stories" teach us that the ripples of biodiversity loss around us now are just the leading edge of what may well become perilous cascades of extinction.

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Print length

304 pages
Language

English
Publication date

March 21, 2002
Dimensions

6 x 0.76 x 9 inches
ISBN-10

0465005527
ISBN-13

978-0465005529
Lexile measure

1280L
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"The Ghosts of Evolution will enrich your understanding of our time and place in nature." -- --Peter S. White, director, North Carolina Botanical Garden

About the Author

Connie Barlow is an editor and author of several books including Green Space, Green Time. She lives in Rockland County, New York.

Product details

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Basic Books (March 21, 2002)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Paperback ‏ : ‎ 304 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0465005527
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0465005529
Lexile measure ‏ : ‎ 1280L
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 15 ounces
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.76 x 9 inches

Best Sellers Rank: #596,888 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #131 in Endangered Species (Books)
- #1,002 in Ecology (Books)
- #1,432 in Environmentalism

Customer Reviews:
98

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Connie C. Barlow

Connie C. Barlow

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Connie Barlow (b. 1952) had 4 science books published between 1991 and 2001. All explore how a mainstream understanding of evolutionary biology can help us feel deeply rooted in this world and supported by a glorious ancestry. In 2001, she shifted her focus to online writings and curricula, as webmaster of the acclaimed TheGreatStory dot org website. In 2009 she (with her husband, Michael Dowd) launched a podcast: "America's Evolutionary Evangelists." She regularly uploads evolutionary videos to her YouTube channel, ghostsofevolution, which echoes the title of her last book, "The Ghosts of Evolution." You can sample Connie's free writings (including contributed chapters to books) at her publications page on her website (google: Connie Barlow publications). Connie is also the founder and webmaster of an ecological activist group: TorreyaGuardians dot org.

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4.6 out of 5

98 global ratings

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Joseph Lindquist

Reviewed in the United States on August 16, 2023

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Great book, great service at a fair price

Engaging and entertaining

Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2020

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Barlow has an interesting way of presenting the work of ecologists that came before her. She posits that some plant species in North America are missing their animal counterparts. These plants, like honey locust, persimmon, osage orange, and bitter melon, were being spread some 15,000 years ago by now extinct animals such as Mammoths, giant sloths, camels and native horses. She and others have laid out some pretty convincing evidence. I'm not sure I'm entirely convinced of all the examples, but I was thoroughly entertained and find a great deal of merit in her hypothesis.

4 people found this helpful

Adrian M. Davies

The Ghosts of Evolution

Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2005

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The Ghosts of Evolution is based on some very interesting observations, and the science cited is worth looking into. I would thoroughly recommend this to anyone who is seriously interested in evolutionary theory.

On the downside the book does suffer from the fact that, while the idea is intriguing, it has been spread to thin. It is too long, and too chatty, nevertheless, the basic contention proposed in the book is fascinating enough to make it worth reading

8 people found this helpful

Plants Remember

Reviewed in the United States on August 27, 2021

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This book opened my eyes to how plants and animals interact on an evolutionary time scale. I've read it several times and given away a few copies. Do I recommend it? I guess that speaks for itself.

3 people found this helpful

An awesome book!

Reviewed in the United States on September 29, 2007

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This book does a great job of explaining the history of many of our common plants and foods, and why they are what they are. It's a great tool for helping us understand how foods have co-evolved with us and with other species. The story is basic to our understanding of the whole web of life. It's an awesome and extremely understandable and fascinating book. Buy it!

Amazon Customer

If you are looking for a very compelling review and ...

Reviewed in the United States on December 30, 2016

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If you are looking for a very compelling review and examination of plant biotta in North America from the Post ice age this is definitely the book for you

Worth Reading, Just Note it's Strangely Organized with Way Too Much Irrelevant Info

Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2017

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Hugely interesting topic but scattered in its organization. Book also strangely begins by citing in GREAT, GREAT detail all the pioneers in this field/sub field of study. It's nice she thought it was important that she not only cites her source not in the back of the book but right upfront in the first chapters - even describing in great detail their lives or the exact circumstance of her getting permission to build upon their research - nice in one sense but weird - we understand research is built on previous researchers or pioneers, we appreciate her and us knowing that but I'm not sure we needed two chapters on that when we really just interested in learning about fruits/vegetables with no existing animals/dinosaurs to help spread its seed. So in addition to learning interesting things about this topic, she also takes way too much time covering YOU ARE THERE when some other researcher started this field of study ... maybe she's buttering them up? As a reader, I want you to write the book to ME/for me and not as a career kudo presentation at an alumni conference? So, it's worth reading, just be aware it could've been better organized for "regular reading" and not treating us an intern research assistant and who's who in the field ...

4 people found this helpful

John Carroll Ferguson

I found the link between plant evolution and animlas very interesting.

Reviewed in the United States on September 11, 2018

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It explains a lot on the issue of why seeds germinate or do not.

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つりがねそう

無駄に大きすぎる果実の謎

Reviewed in Japan on September 22, 2016

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果実の大きさは、それを食べる動物の大きさによって決まる。では、スーパーにある大きなアボカドは誰が散布するのだろうか？実は誰も散布していないのだ。野生のアボカドは、中央アメリカの熱帯雨林の林床でただ腐っている。散布者は絶滅してしまったのだ。アボカドの自生地では、ここ数万年の間にアボカドを散布できるような大型の草食獣の多くが絶滅した。結果として、巨大な実をつけるアボカドだけが残った。こうした大型動物と植物との関係の崩壊はいたる所に見られ、本書はその様々な事例を取り上げている。

One person found this helpful

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Buchtest

Ein botanischer Krimi

Reviewed in Germany on December 9, 2012

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Wozu hat die Amerikanische Gleditschie (Gleditsia triacanthos) so große Schoten, die von den meisten Tieren unangetastet bleiben? Warum verrotten die Früchte des Osage-Dorns (Maclura pomifera) am Fuße der Bäume? Diese beiden Arten sind nur zwei Beispiele für anachronistische Früchte, von denen angenommen wird, dass ihre ursprüngliche Kundschaft große amerikanische Säugetiere(Megafauna) waren, die mittlerweile ausgestorben sind.
Connie Barlow geht auf Spurensuche, um diese Theorie zu untermauern. Wie erkennt man Anachronismen? Welche Beispiele für an Megafauna angepasste Früchte gibt es in der alten Welt, wo es nach wie vor große Säugetiere wie Elefanten gibt? Wie kam es, dass die Arten mit den großen Früchten so lange überlebten, obwohl die Verbreitung der Samen durch Tiere nicht mehr gewährleistet ist? Welche Merkmale haben Früchte, die von Vögeln, Säugetieren oder Echsen gefressen werden?
Dieses Buch eröffnet einem den Blick für eine bereits vergangene Welt. Verrottende Früchte, die nicht gefressen werden, sieht man nun mit anderen Augen. Dazu lernt man eine ganze Menge über bizarre Strategien zur Samenverbreitung bei Pflanzen, immer mit dem Hauptaugenmerk auf der amerikanischen Flora.

Ein botanischer Krimi, der fesselnd geschrieben ist. Ein Meisterwerk der Wissenschaftsliteratur.

4 people found this helpful

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chris y

It isn't the parochialism I mind, it's the tweeness

Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 6, 2012

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The author's own research and that of her principal sources has been exclusively carried out in North and Central America, so it's fair enough that that region predominates in her account. That said, it would have been more interesting if she had compared her conclusions with another region with a different history. But maybe the work hasn't been done to enable that. Who knows?

But, dear God, we're not all nine years old! Who does she think she's writing for?

2 people found this helpful

TOratman

Perhaps the proper title would be The Ghost of Plants

Reviewed in Canada on December 23, 2022

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I learned a lot. However it was not what I expected.
The entire book was about Ghosts of Evolution and their effects on plants.
I expected to read more about other creatures.
Like the Pronghorn and Cheetah in North America. Or perhaps some aquatic species.
Interesting read .

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