The world according to Pimm : a scientist audits the earth

摘要: Take a globe-circling tour of our endangered planet with conservation biologist Stuart Pimm - who is taking stock and keeping score. We use 50 per cent the world's freshwater supply. consume 42 plant growth. are liquidating animals plants 100 times faster than natural rate extinction. Such numbers should make it clear that human impact on has been, continues to be, extreme detrimental. Yet even after decades awareness environmental peril, there remains passionate disagreement over what problems how they be remedied. Much impasse stems from fact difficult quantify. How do we assess habitat loss various species, when haven't counted them all?And just factors go into biomass hungrily consuming? It only through an understanding will able break come agreement. Working front lines biology, one pioneers whose work put 'science' in science. In this book, he appoints himself 'investment banker global, biological accounts', checking gathered by tireless scientists always painstaking often heartbreaking. explains numerical results lucid prose. With wit, passion, candor, reveals importance where those mean. To so, takes reader beautiful, but weary, planet. as indomitable guide, travel volcanic mountains rainforests Hawaii boreal forests Siberia. see blue whale off Pacific coast Mexico, oceans slowly turning barren deserts.We birdwatching high up leafy canopy Amazon, which can hundreds smoke plumes busily working at deforestation. At times, view looks rather grim. But no Cassandra; never preaches or scolds. Ever optimistic, book presents world filled mysterious beauty, infinite variety nature, urgent hope planet's past present, inspired save future '[T]his unashamedly optimistic. celebration spectacular fascinating world. I have made attempt restrain my joy encounter its history peoples. By time you read epilogue know not doomed, fatally wounded, neither healthy. needs attention...' Pimm, Prologue.