Plants at the margin : ecological limits and climate change /

All the media publicity given to global climate change has spurred societal concerns internationally about environmental quality. Public officials and scientists are carefully paying attention to any type of anthropogenic environmental change. In Plants at the Margin, Crawford (emer., Univ. of St. Andrews, Scotland) eloquently describes the different types of fragile environments worldwide that are sensitive to climate issues and local human disturbances. Defining these environments as marginal areas, he systematically explains how scientists recognize them and how these sensitive environments are affected by disruptive human activities. The author's clear writing style makes the text understandable for nontechnical readers. The book describes biodiversity changes by primarily investigating the functions of plants in the sustainability of various environments. However, the work also addresses the roles of animals and microorganisms. Specific examples of destructive changes to marginal environments are mentioned. Crawford concludes with a selection of case histories about marginal habitats in various parts of the world that are showing declining quality. Each chapter contains color photographs and data charts. Includes ample current references. Summing Up: Recommended. General readers; lower-division undergraduate through professional collections. B. R. Shmaefsky Lone Star College - Kingwood