Louisiana crawfish,
cheatgrass, Russian thistle, Hottentot figs, rats, and sweet fennel.
These and dozens of other seemingly benign flora and fauna have become
some of the worst culprits in the destruction of ecosystems and native
wildlife in the American Southwest and Baja California. Although widely
publicized threats—such as pollution, land development,
changes
in the atmospheric condition, fire, and drought—are
frequently
credited with posing the greatest danger to indigenous animals and
plants, invasive species are quickly becoming a far more insidious
peril to the survival of native wildlife.
|
A result of both
accident and
human intervention, the frequency with which exotic species are being
introduced into nonnative environments is increasing at an alarming
rate. |
In Unnatural
Landscapes,
Ceiridwen Terrill combines lucid science writing with first-person
tales of adventure to provide a compelling introduction to invasion
ecology and restoration management. Traveling aboard her trusty kyak,
The Grebe, Terrill brings readers on a firsthand tour of various
“islands” in the Southwest and
Mexico—both actual
islands and self-contained habitat communities. From the islands of
Anaho, Santa Cruz, and Anacapa to Isla Tiburón in the Sea of
Cortez, Mexicali irrigation canals, and Pyramid Lake, Terrill takes an
in-depth look at the damage that invasive species cause. Drawing on
field observations, research, and interviews with scientists, resource
managers, and local residents, this book provides readers with the
background and knowledge they need to understand and to begin combating
what is quickly becoming the most important environmental crisis facing
the fragile ecosystems of the Southwest.
|
Unnatural
Landscapes
Tracking
Invasive Species
by
Ceiridwen Terrill
University
of Arizona Press, 2007.
Order
a copy.
|
