Summary

Biodiversity and ecology are founded in evolutionary science. In order to understand why species of organisms occupy different parts of the world, it is important to comprehend how they evolved.

Encyclopedia of Biodiversity examines this evolutionary framework with the help of more than 150 cross-referenced entries and five essays averaging at least 2,000 words each. High school teachers can use these entries—grouped by topic—to meet many of the science education goals established by the National Academy of Sciences. Written by a leading expert in the field, this comprehensive, full-color encyclopedia makes information about groups of organisms (from bacteria to mammals) and about ecological concepts and processes (such as biogeography and ecological succession) clearly and readily available to students and the general public. Tables at the end of each entry have a consistent structure, allowing readers to see how environmental conditions and biodiversity have changed through evolutionary time. 

Entries include:

• Acid rain and fog
• Biodiversity in the Jurassic period
• Darwin's finches
• Galápagos Islands
• Peter and Rosemary Grant
• Life in bogs
• Natural selection
• Population genetics
• Seedless plants
• Tropical rainforests and deforestation
• Alfred Russel Wallace.

Specifications

Full-color photographs and illustrations. Appendixes. Glossary. Cross-references. Chronology.

About the Author(s)

Stanley A. Rice, Ph.D., is professor of biology in the department of biological sciences at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant. His current research involves evolutionary ecology, and he has published articles in such peer-reviewed journals as the American Journal of Botany and American Biology Teacher. He has made numerous presentations to scientific societies and is the author of Facts On File's acclaimed Encyclopedia of Evolution.

Reviews and Awards

"...a thorough and informative work...provide[s] accessible information...There is simply no other work that compares to this...High-school and public libraries will welcome such a well-researched title..."

"Fulfilling educational benchmarks identified by the National Academy of Sciences, this encyclopedia is an excellent choice for both public and academic libraries. Recommended."

"The text is suitable for high school students but advanced enough for adult readers, too...presents important biodiversity topics in one volume, providing a handy overview for term papers and class presentations."

"...clearly written and well organized..."