A place like no other : discovering the secrets of Serengeti / Anthony R. E. Sinclair.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Sinclair, Anthony R. E., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Animal ecology--Tanzania--Serengeti National Park Region.

Animal ecology.

Serengeti National Park (Tanzania).

Physical Description:

1 online resource (303 pages)

Place of Publication:

Princeton, New Jersey : Princeton University Press, [2021]

Summary:

From famed zoologist Anthony Sinclair, an account of his decades-long quest to understand one of Earth's most spectacular ecosystemsWith its rich biodiversity, astounding wildlife, and breathtaking animal migrations, Serengeti is like no other ecosystem on the planet. A Place Like No Other is Anthony Sinclair's firsthand account of how he and other scientists discovered the biological principles that regulate life in Serengeti, and how those same principles are the rules by which the natural world works.When Sinclair first began studying this spectacular ecosystem in 1965, a host of questions confronted him. What environmental features make its annual migration possible? What determines the size of animal populations and the stunning diversity of species? What factors enable Serengeti to endure over time? In the five decades that followed, Sinclair and others sought answers. What they learned is that seven principles of regulation govern all natural processes in the Serengeti ecosystem. Sinclair shows how these principles can help us to understand and overcome the challenges facing Serengeti today, and how they can be used to repair damaged habitats throughout the world.Blending vivid storytelling with invaluable scientific insights from Sinclair's pioneering fieldwork in Africa, A Place Like No Other reveals how Serengeti holds timely lessons for the restoration and conservation of our vital ecosystems.

Contents:

Why Serengeti?

The Discovery of Rinderpest

Finding Regulation

Discovery of Food Regulation

How Predators Regulate Prey

How Migration Structures Serengeti

Biodiversity and Stability of Ecosystems

Disturbance and the Persistence of Ecosystems

Continuous Change in Ecosystems

Appearance of Multiple States and Rapid Shifts in Ecosystems

The Fundamental Principle of Regulation of Ecosystems and Future Directions

Threats to the Serengeti

Lessons from Serengeti

Rewildings

Appendix A: List of Species Names.

Notes:

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9780691222349

0691222347

OCLC:

1291506356