New co-author, Rick Relyea from the University of Pittsburgh
An aquatic ecologist, Dr. Relyea studies ecological communities, looking to make discoveries that are important to environmental conservation. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Michigan in 1998, under the mentorship of Earl Werner, and joined the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh the next year.
Presents the process of scientific discovery through a global lens.
Each chapter supports core concepts with examples of classic and contemporary research from across the globe. Students encounter science as a dynamic process of hypothesizing and experimenting, seeing how contemporary researchers challenge and extend the work of those who came before them.
Takes a “learning-by-doing” approach to basic quantitative tools and the use of data.
The text explains mathematical and statistical techniques in the context of ecological research using real data, followed by self-guided study problems and graphing exercises for practice. Over 500 graphs throughout the text present and describe actual research data.
Focuses across many scales and diverse habitats
- Examples and applications span the full range of interactions among organisms and their environment from the microscopic to the landscape level
- Research examples come from a diversity of terrestrial and aquatic habitats
- Over 600 photos and illustrations depict the natural world in all its complexity
Encourages ecological literacy through environmental applications
- Each chapter concludes with a case study applying chapter concepts to a contemporary ecological issue
- The text integrates topics relevant to public health, conservation, and the environment
- Throughout, the book focuses students on the effects and challenges of global climate change
LaunchPad for Ricklefs/Relyea, The Economy of Nature, Seventh Edition
W.H. Freeman’s breakthrough online course space makes it easy to create a course, make assignments, and assess student and class performance. LaunchPad is organized around a series of prebuilt LaunchPad Units—carefully curated, ready-to-assign resources for each chapter of the book that you can use as is or easily customize.
Resources available in LaunchPad for The Economy of Nature include:
- A fully interactive e-Book
- Pre-lecture Quizzes aligned to Chapter Objectives
- In Class Activities
- Journal Reading Exercises