Overview

Providing students with a solid understanding of core ecological concepts while explaining how ecologists raise and answer real-world questions, this second edition weaves together classic and cutting-edge case studies to bring the subject to life. It is fully updated throughout, including two chapters devoted to climate change ecology, along with extensive coverage of disease ecology, and has been designed specifically to equip students with the tools to analyze and interpret real data. Each chapter emphasizes the linkage between observations, ideas, questions, hypotheses, predictions, results, and conclusions. Additional summary sections describe the development and evolution of research programs in each of ecology's core areas, providing students with essential context. Integrated discussion questions, along with end-of-chapter questions, encourage active learning. These are supported by online resources including tutorials that teach students to use the R programming language for statistical analyses of data presented in the text.

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9781108927222

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Reviews

'Dr. Singer's book is a masterpiece of ecological knowledge. I love how he improved upon the first edition with new information throughout, much of which builds upon classic studies. The increased emphasis on climate change in the second edition is a reflection not only of the time we live in, but of Dr. Singer's elegant response, providing an opportunity for the next generation not only to understand the existential problem we are facing, but also to be prepared with the tools and knowledge of how to effectively deal with a changing climate. Those sections are almost worth the price of admission alone, but the rest of the text, which is an in-depth look at all aspects of ecology and a student-centered focus on problem solving and learning how to be ecologists, continues to make this the best ecology text on the market.' Howard Whiteman, Murray State University 'If you're like me, and you want your students to be able to think critically, quantitatively, and ecologically, to understand the key concepts in ecology, to know that ongoing climate change shapes and will continue to shape nearly all aspects of the living world, and to see how ecologists do ecology, then this is the textbook for you. Using both classic and contemporary examples illuminated by crystal-clear graphics, Fred Singer highlights the science of ecology and how we know what we know about life on an ever-changing planet. All of that was true of the first edition of the book, and is even more evident in the second, especially with the focus on climate change ecology.' Nathan Sanders, University of Michigan 'This second edition continues to be an unparalleled textbook for teaching ecology to students - both undergraduates and postgraduates. Its clear presentation of complex topics with supporting case studies enables the student (and teacher) to see how ecological theory and principles are exhibited in practice in the natural world. All content is enriched with excellent illustrations and examples, making it an essential text in ecology education.' Bethan L. Wood, University of Glasgow 'I am impressed with the new edition. The text provides an excellent approach to ecology that will challenge the student without overwhelming them.' Troy A. Ladine, East Texas Baptist University 'For me, the most outstanding features of Singer's Ecology in Action are its conceptual clarity and that it interconnects what might otherwise seem disparate ecological ideas into a logical whole. Other ecology texts may have all the right words fitted into sentences, but they fail the critical reader or the engaged student who is wanting to understand why those ideas matter and how they relate to one another. I've not seen another standard ecology textbook that does such a good job of laying bare the fact that ecological ideas and other scientific findings are produced by real people with practical limitations - a perspective widely appreciated by practicing scientists and yet entirely missing from most textbooks beyond a few paragraphs in their introductory chapter on the 'nature of science.'' Alexis Powell, Emporia State University 'The first edition of Fred Singer's Ecology of Action was a welcomed addition to the ecology textbooks of this world. On opening the second edition, the new improved version soon captivates any reader with the style and engagement of both traditional concepts brought to life in the real world. It gives budding new ecologists a history lesson on the fundamentals of the ecology of the planet from micro level all the way through to biomes, but in my opinion goes much further than other books on the market. Fred gives the reader a deeper appreciation of how our understanding of ecology evolved and puts us in the here and now with case studies to make students and professors alike question their understanding and application of the fundamentals.' Nicholas Ray, Nottingham Trent University

Author Information

Fred D. Singer is Professor Emeritus of Biology at Radford University, where he has taught courses including general ecology, field ecology, and climate change ecology for 25 years. He was awarded the 2000 Radford Foundation Distinguished Creative Scholar Award in recognition of his work in developing dual research programs into spider behavioral and community ecology as well as approaches to active learning.

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