Eugene P Odum

With scholarly expertise and infectious enthusiasm, Whit Gibbons explores the many pieces that support our natural environment. Whether describing caterpillar disguises, fish that produce antifreeze, the mutual reliance of rhinoceroses and Trewia trees, or the origins of tumbleweed, he affirms the delicate and intricate biological relationships between species and encourages a deeper knowledge of our natural world. In these essays Gibbons celebrates the beauty of biodiversity and laments the tragedy of “ecovoids,” a term he coined to describe missing components of our environment that we wish were still present but can never be replaced.

This text presents basic ecological principles in a series of vignettes, covering such subjects as population growth, consumption of our natural resources, and resource management. It draws upon essays written during a 40-year career as an instructor, researcher and ecologist.