The wealth of the natural sciences no longer consists in the abundance of facts, but in the way they are linked together. ALEXANDER VON HUMBOLDT There is no dearth of books on ecology. Why write yet another? Each person is different, and each views the problems in a different way. Each emphasizes different aspects and describes them in a different style. When I was a student I often found certain books more helpful than others, and I still think it is useful to have a variety of presentations from which to choose. This variety also allows the student to appreciate the diversity within the field of ecology. I have devoted considerable effort to making this book readable. Throughout I have refrained from using specialized terminology - thus also avoiding the problem that many terms are used differently in the various areas of ecology. Straightforward English is quite sufficient to describe complicated situations. Furthermore, precisely defined terms are usually associated with detailed quantitative descriptions, whereas we are concerned with a general understanding of the dynamics of ecology. For similar reasons I have tried to rely as little as possible on mathematical discussions. All too often, in recent years, people have overlooked the fact that mathematics - like language - can give only a description, albeit an especially precise one.

Inhalt

A. Ecology: the Basic Concept.- B. Autecology.- I. Theory of Autecology.- II. The Range of Ecological Factors.- III. Life-Form Types.- IV. Ecological Factors.- 1. Salinity and Osmotic Pressure.- 2. Temperature.- 3. Nutrition.- 4. Light.- 5. Oxygen Supply.- 6. Fire.- 7. Interspecific Competition.- 8. The Conspecific as an Environmental Factor.- 9. Ecological Neurobiology.- 10. Other Ecological Factors.- 11. Periodic Changes in the Habitat.- 12. The Interaction of Environmental Factors.- 13. Special Problems.- V. Case Studies in Autecology.- 1. Surface Chemistry and Choice of Biotope.- 2. Synchronization with Habitat Conditions.- 3. The Biology of Game Animals: Capercaillie and Roe Deer.- C. Population Ecology.- I. Theory of Population Ecology.- II. Population Genetics.- III. Demography.- IV. The Distribution of Organisms in Space.- V. Maintenance of an Average Population Density.- 1. Autoregulation.- 2. Predator-Prey Systems.- 3. Food Supply and Population Density.- 4. Abiotic Factors and Population Density.- VI. Case Studies in Population Ecology.- 1. Euphydryas: the Splitting of a Species into Separate Populations.- 2. Field Crickets: the Mechanisms Underlying Population Dynamics.- 3. Bat and Moth: the Coevolution of a Predator-Prey System.- 4. Larus: the Fusion of Species.- D. Ecosystems.- I. Theory of Ecosystems.- II. "Natural" Ecosystems.- III. The Climax Concept: Microcosmic and Seral Successions.- IV. Statics of Ecosystems.- V. Ecosystem Dynamics.- 1. The Cycling of Matter in Ecosystems.- a) The Circulation of Water.- b) Cycling of Other Materials.- 2. The Energy in Ecosystems.- a) Productivity.- b) Measurement of a Stand.- c) Food Chains and Food Webs.- d) Energy Flux.- VI. The Significance of Animals in an Ecosystem.- VII. Changeable and Constant Ecosystems.- VIII. Constancy and Stability.- IX. Case Studies of Ecosystems.- 1. Lake Nakuru (Kenya).- 2. Spitsbergen.- 3. Central Europe.- E. Outlook.- References.- General Books on Subjects Related to Ecology.