Book Review

by Paul Ganderton

Odum EP. 1997. Ecology - A Bridge Between Science and Society. Sinauer Associates. pp. xiv + 330. 18.95 pounds. ISBN 0 87893 630 0.

Those of us brought up on Odum's models may be surprised to see them still being refined but here one of the leading ecologists of the C20th puts forward the ways in which he considers ecology can be used as a holistic tool in the understanding of the interactions between society and natural systems. As such this book is part ecology primer and part call for a greater understanding of what we are doing to the Earth. At the beginning, the analogy is made between the spacecraft (Apollo 13 - and not by accident) and the Earth, echoing Ward's thesis. The 8 chapters that follow cover a range of ecological topics not so much as an introduction to ecology per se but as an introduction to the application of ecological principles in other settings. Thus the first chapter "the life-support environment" deals with basic interactions but also examines the cost of supporting artificial environments (especially the Biosphere 2 experiments). Subsequent chapters examine ecological organisations, ecosystems, energetics, material cycles (i.e. human ecology and resources), population ecology, development and evolution and major ecosystems. The final chapter, an epilogue, is Odum's perspective on the current situation.

This must be one of the most fascinating books published recently. It's not the best ecology text by Odum; many beginning students would find it difficult to understand despite the large number of new cases quoted which would broaden the horizon. It's value lies in the numerous text boxes - Odum making insightful comments about the way ecology can be used or about the way society is progressing. As a fin-de-siecle offering by an ecologist who has seen most of it this text should be read by all serious students of ecology and it's history.