Overview
"This second edition of Principles of Ecotoxicology builds upon the foundations laid by the outstanding success of the first edition. The text progresses from the molecular basis of pollutant toxicity to consequent effects at higher levels of organisation - cellular, whole organism, population, community and ecosystem." "It is essential reading for undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers from a wide variety of backgroundsenvironmental chemists, toxicologists, zoologists, biologists and agriculturalists. Professionals working in these areas will also find it a valuable reference point."--BOOK JACKET.The book contains black-and-white illustrations.
Synopsis
Presenting a multidisciplinary perspective in a concise format, Principles of Ecotoxicology, Third Edition discusses the fundamental chemical and ecological nature of pollution processes while identifying the major classes of pollutants and their environmental fate. The first edition was originally created to fill the need for a textbook that covered the basic principles of a developing and wide-ranging field and the second edition expanded on that theme. Keeping the focus on principles over practice that has made each incarnation of this textbook so popular, the third edition brings the text up to date and strengthens coverage in areas that have come to the forefront of the field.
The third edition features new material on pollutants that are receiving closer scrutiny, naturally occurring poisons, the history of chemical warfare, population risk assessment, community structure, neonicotinoids, endocrine disruption, and neurotoxicity. A new section on extrapolating from molecular interaction to the consequent population changes highlights the molecules to ecosystem approach and provides the groundwork for discussions on the employment of biomarker strategies in field studies. A major theme of the new material is how the concepts discussed can contribute to improved methods of environmental risk assessment. With updates to every chapter, this text provides essential information for students in easy to use and understandable format.
Booknews
An agricultural chemist and toxicologist, a chemist, a mathematician, and a zoologist (all animal and microbial sciences, U. of Reading, England) present a text they developed for their graduate course, which began in 1991. Their broad range of knowledge informs the interdisciplinary treatment and the integration of the different disciplines. They look at pollutants and their fate in ecosystems and the effects of pollutants on individual organisms and on populations and communities. They have revised the 1996 edition, partly by updating the material, but mostly by filling gaps that were pointed out in the coverage. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)