Nature's Services: Societal Dependence On Natural Ecosystems
Sep 2012 · Island Press
Ebook
412
Pages
reportRatings and reviews aren’t verified Learn More
About this ebook
Nature’s Services makes a compelling case for why the health of natural ecosystems is inseparable from the health of human societies. Behind every economy, every supply chain, and every breath of fresh air are invisible services provided by nature—clean water, climate regulation, soil fertility, pollination, and countless others. This groundbreaking volume brings those services into view, revealing their true worth and the urgent need to protect them.
Edited by Gretchen Daily and featuring contributions from leading scientists such as Paul R. Ehrlich, Jane Lubchenco, Sandra Postel, Robert Costanza, and others, the book offers a multidisciplinary synthesis of how ecosystem services function and why they are essential to modern life. Readers will gain a deep understanding of services often taken for granted, along with insights into how their disruption threatens food systems, public health, and global stability.
Chapters explore climate control, nutrient cycling, pest regulation, and ecosystem valuation—pairing theory with real-world case studies to show both the science and economics behind nature’s contributions. The book also addresses how we can integrate these insights into better policy, planning, and conservation.
Rich in science and grounded in relevance, Nature’s Services equips environmental professionals, economists, and engaged citizens with the knowledge to champion nature not as a luxury, but as the life-support system it truly is.
Edited by Gretchen Daily and featuring contributions from leading scientists such as Paul R. Ehrlich, Jane Lubchenco, Sandra Postel, Robert Costanza, and others, the book offers a multidisciplinary synthesis of how ecosystem services function and why they are essential to modern life. Readers will gain a deep understanding of services often taken for granted, along with insights into how their disruption threatens food systems, public health, and global stability.
Chapters explore climate control, nutrient cycling, pest regulation, and ecosystem valuation—pairing theory with real-world case studies to show both the science and economics behind nature’s contributions. The book also addresses how we can integrate these insights into better policy, planning, and conservation.
Rich in science and grounded in relevance, Nature’s Services equips environmental professionals, economists, and engaged citizens with the knowledge to champion nature not as a luxury, but as the life-support system it truly is.
About the author
Gretchen C. Daily is Associate Professor at Stanford University. A Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, she is the author of many articles and editor of one of the most widely cited publications in modern environmental science, Nature’s Services (Island Press). Daily, an ecologist whose work ranges from conservation science to environmental policy analysis to public outreach, is one of three founders of the Natural Capital Project and serves as its chief emissary to financial and government leaders. She is working to develop a scientific basis -- and political and institutional support -- for managing Earth's life-support systems. Daily has published more than 150 scientific and popular articles. Her most recent book is The New Economy of Nature: The Quest to Make Conservation Profitable, co-authored with journalist Katherine Ellison (2002, Island Press). She serves on the boards of The Nature Conservancy and the Beijer International Institute for Ecological Economics, and at Stanford she is Director of the Center for Conservation Biology.
Rate this ebook
Tell us what you think.
Reading information
Smartphones and tablets
Install the Google Play Books app for Android and iPad/iPhone. It syncs automatically with your account and allows you to read online or offline wherever you are.
Laptops and computers
You can listen to audiobooks purchased on Google Play using your computer's web browser.
eReaders and other devices
To read on e-ink devices like Kobo eReaders, you'll need to download a file and transfer it to your device. Follow the detailed Help Center instructions to transfer the files to supported eReaders.
