Fundamentals of Ecology

Abstract

Long before ecology became associated in the public understanding with recycling glass bottles and cleaning the junk out of filth-clogged waterways, Eugene P. Odum was one of the true ecologists, doing basic research in, and teaching the world about, his chosen field of environmental biology. Ecology is truly "the totality of relations between organisms and their environment," and in this modern and interestingly written book Odum explores the basic concepts involved in forging a discipline out of the varied data going into the field. Part I, dealing with basic ecological principles and concepts, discusses ecosystems, homeostasis, energetics, biogeochemical cycles, limiting factors, and an analysis of biological systems at the community level, population level, species level, and ecosystem level. The second part of the book deals with an analysis of various habitats in terms of the basic inputs of Part I. These habitats break naturally into fresh water, marine, estuarine, and terrestrial. Part III of the book deals with those aspects of ecology which are popularly included in the public understanding of that term. Under the rubric "Applications and Technology," Odum considers such matters as resources, pollution and environmental health, radiation, remote sensing, microbial ecology, and ecology of space travel, the last written by G. Dennis Cooke. Finally, under the title "Toward an Applied Human Ecology," Odum tries all too briefly to list those rules essential to survival of man in an environment that is at least minimally human. Were I to teach a course in ecology, I would undoubtedly have this book as an essential component. It is modern, rigorous, interesting, and relevant to problems which interest students entering this field. Odum is to be congratulated for updating an important work. ARTHUR GALSTON Department of Biology Yale University, New Haven