The Nature of Nature

September 1, 2020
Marine ecologist Sala makes the case, with warmth and clarity, for protecting and restoring the environment, offering a crash course in ecology that draws on his explorations in the depths of both oceans and forests. With crisp definitions of terms and concepts, vivid analogies, and a touch of wonder, Sala brings into sharp focus the dynamic interconnectivity within ecosystems, and precisely explains why biodiversity is crucial to planetary life. His illuminating discussion of what makes our predatory species unique and uniquely damaging centers on our use of fossil fuels, the driving force behind habitat destruction, mass extinctions, and global warming. Sala sensitively and movingly addresses many aspects of the urgent need to change our ways, but what may be most useful is the clear link he traces between prosperous economies and a thriving biosphere. In his arresting epilogue on the COVID-19 pandemic, Sala attests to why a healthy natural world is our best antivirus, and drives home the key fact that we are intricately connected to every other living entity, from bacteria to whales, and that all are essential to our survival.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)