Earth in Our Care: Ecology, Economy, and Sustainability

Index

265 INDEX Abraham, 93 acacias, whistling-thorn, 17 acidification, ecosystem responses to, 105–106 acorn woodpeckers, 172 adaptation: defined, 198; for socialenvironmental sustainability, 198–199 adelgid, balsam woolly, 178 Adèlie penguins, 106 aesthetics, and biodiversity, 15 afforestation, 29 agribusiness, market-driven, 24 agricultural chemicals: in alpine ecosystem, 160; animal contact with, 77 agricultural lands: development of, 104; human alteration of, 46–49; loss of, 93 agricultural produce, increasing costs of, 78 agriculture: controlling foreign plants in, 128; conversion of forests to, 48; growing intensification of, 39, 99; intensified management in, 69; introduction of, 26–27; maize (corn), 98; origins of, 121. See also farms; irrigation agro-ecosystems, protecting traditional, 46 agroforestry: cacao, 39; and introduction of alien species, 29 air currents, toxins carried by, 109. See also atmosphere Aleutian Islands, 122 algae, 207: under deep snow, 51; in Palouse prairie ecosystem, 44 alien species: in Palouse prairie ecosystem, 44–45. See also exotic plants; invasive species Allen, James, 8 Amazonia: bushmeat trade in, 83; deforestation in, 38, 39; economic projects in, 143; forest fragmentation in, 41; illicit crops in, 99 Amazonian forests: arboreal ants in, 72; hunting in, 82; life-sustaining dust for, 109; logging in, 169–170. See also tropical rain forests amphibians, 179; ecological service of, 77; effect of microhabitat transitions on, 36; names for, 211–212; and pesticides, 77 analgesics, contamination with, 132 animal feed, rising prices for, 112–113 animals: advent of domesticating, 65–66; antibiotic overuse in,124; as pets, 258; seeds dispersed by, 74–75; treatment of wild, 59 Annan, Kofi, 104, 198 Antarctic waters, overexploitation of, 106 ant diversity, and land use, 38–39 ant gardens, 72 anthills, microhabitats created by, 192 antibiotics: contamination with, 132; overuse of, 124; resistance to, 124 antidepressants, contamination with, 132 ants, 179; arboreal, 72; black-headed, 17; environmental services of, 72; fire, 126; mimosa, 17; Penzig’s, 18; Sjöstedt’s, 18; and whistling-thorn acacias, 18 Appalachian mountain ranges, adelgid invasion of, 178 aquarium trade, 58 aquatic ecosystems, Arctic, 29 Archer Daniels Midland, 91 Arctic, human alteration of, 28–29 Aristotle, 93 Asian tiger mosquito, 128 Aswan High Dam, 135: building of, 136; consequences of, 138; effect on Mediterranean of, 138; effect on soils of, 137; glaciation associated with, 139; Nubians displaced by, 138; removal of, 140 Atlantic Ocean, warming of, 107 atmosphere, 1; degradation of, 142; increasing temperature of, 108; pollution of, 153 Australia, biodiversity in, 38–39 autogenic succession, 164–165 autonomous seed production, 176 Azáldegui, María, 161 Bachman’s sparrow, 184 backup, use of term, 79 backup systems, maintenance of, 80–81 bacteria: names for, 209; nitrogen-fixing, 102; in Palouse prairie ecosystem, 44 Bailey’s pocket mouse, 155 balance of nature, 154–156 balsam woolly adelgid, 178 Banggai cardinalfish, 58–59 banner-tailed kangaroo rat, 155 bark beetles, 87–88 bats: declining populations of, 99; in Gabon rain forest, 72; impact of habitat fragmentation on, 36; Mexican fruit, 185; and plant diversity, 185; plant reliance on, 41; Seba’s short-tailed, 185; shelter for, 180; Toltec fruit-eating, 185; yellowshouldered , 185 beauty in form, xii bees: declining diversity of, 70; value of, 69 beetles: bark, 87–88; corn rootworm, 177–178; Japanese, 108; in tree decomposition, 87–88; wood-boring, 87 benthic communities: and biodiversity, 148; major disruptions in, 50 Berry, Wendell, 16, 98 biodiversity, 247; declines in, 71; effects of fire on, 187–188; effects of grazing on, 187–188, 189; effects of mobile-fishing gear on, 148; growing loss of, 39; and interdependence of plants and animals, 74; lost, 80; maintaining, 14–15, 73; microbial, 53; protecting, 111, 178 biofuel, corn as, 98–105 biological corridors. See corridors biological diversity, 80. See also biodiversity biomass: defined, 247; standing, 81 biophysical principles, xv; cyclical nature of, 78; and science, 11; and social systems, 118; spirituality and, 4; study of, 7; and universal commonalities, 14 biosphere: defined, 1; degradation of, 142 biotic diversity, predictors of, 14. See also biodiversity bird communities: impact of deer on, 60; as indicators of environmental impacts, 46 birds: on agricultural land, 47; declining species of, 115; in ecosystem repair, 164; effect of habitat fragmentation on, 36; environmental services of, 71; extinction-prone, 70–71; functionally extinct, 70–71; loss of large-bodied, 149; names for, 212–213; northward movement of, 140; and plant diversity, 185; population trends of, 141; seeds dispersed by, 73–75; shelter for, 180; and shrubsteppe communities, 45; tree seeds planted by, 30–31...