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A new vision is sweeping through ecological science: The dense web of dependencies that makes up an ecosystem has gained an added dimension-the dimension of time. Every field, forest, and park is full of living organisms adapted for relationships with creatures that are now extinct. In a vivid narrative, Connie Barlow shows how the idea of "missing partners" in nature evolved from isolated, curious examples into an idea that is transforming how ecologists understand the entire flora and fauna of the Americas. This fascinating book will enrich and deepen the experience of anyone who enjoys a stroll through the woods or even down an urban sidewalk. But this knowledge has a dark side too: Barlow's "ghost stories" teach us that the ripples of biodiversity loss around us now are just the leading edge of what may well become perilous cascades of extinction.… (more)
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In addition to the explication of the professionals evidence and arguments, Barlow also experiments and contributes personal anecdotes to the book.
Until reading this book, I did not know that horse and camel progenitors developed first on the American continents, and then moved to Asia before dying out here.
I like the idea or re-introducing camels into the western US to browse on mesquite and other noxious shrubs that have invaded the grasslands and are not eaten by cattle or horses.
Style: Barlow, a science writer and journalist, writes in an easily accessible, folksy manner; however, she repeats many of her major points over and over (fruitlessly?), and fails to define certain technical terms early on (or ever), leaving the reader to puzzle them out by the context. A time-line putting the named eras in order would have been helpful as well.
She is not the only "popular science" writer to belabor obvious or easily-stated points while neglecting to give needed back-story or definitions to the lay reader; it is a curious intellectual "bubble" or set of blinders.