26 Best Books on Ecology

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We have compiled a list of the Best Reference Books on Ecology, which are used by students of top universities, and colleges. This will help you choose the right book depending on if you are a beginner or an expert. Here is the complete list of Ecology Books with their authors, publishers, and an unbiased review of them as well as links to the Amazon website to directly purchase them. If permissible, you can also download the free PDF books on Ecology below.

1. Applied Ecology and Aquatic Ecology Resources

1."Concepts of Applied Ecology (Heidelberg Science Library)" by R S DeSanto
“Concepts of Applied Ecology (Heidelberg Science Library)” Book Review: This book presents the simplest and most direct approach to a complex field of ecology. It is useful for the reader who needs an overview of applied ecology. Every chapter contains a bibliography which has two functions. The first is to explain the main sources or reviews of information based on the associated chapter. The second part is to give sources for different examples utilized in the chapter and illustration summarizing and clarifying the text.

2."Applied Ecology and Human Dimensions in Biological Conservation" by Luciano M Verdade and Maria Carolina Lyra-Jorge
“Applied Ecology and Human Dimensions in Biological Conservation” Book Review: This book provides both the conceptual basic and technological tools which are required to identify and solve problems related to biodiversity governance. It explains intriguing evolutionary questions, which involve the sometimes surprising adaptive capacity of certain organisms. The book also discusses genes from the landscape, including individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems.

3."Applied Ecology and Natural Resource Management" by Guy R McPherson and Stephen DeStefano
“Applied Ecology and Natural Resource Management” Book Review: This book bridges the gap between ecology and natural resource management. It concentrates on the discipline of plant ecology as a foundation for vegetation and wildlife management. It explains how concepts and approaches used by ecologists to study communities and ecosystems can be applied to their management. The book highlights the importance of scientific studies to both the advancement of ecological knowledge. It also discusses the application of techniques for the management of plant and animal populations. It is useful for natural resource managers, as well as graduate and advanced undergraduate students.

4."Introduction to Systems Ecology (Applied Ecology and Environmental Management)" by Sven Erik Jorgensen
“Introduction to Systems Ecology (Applied Ecology and Environmental Management)” Book Review: This book explains a practically applicable ecosystems theory. It helps readers understand how ecosystems work and how they react to disturbances. It discusses how to apply the theory to explain observations and to make quantitative calculations and predictions. It covers topics such as thermodynamics, biochemistry, hierarchical organization, and network theory into a holistic theory of systems ecology. The book begins with the laws of thermodynamics and the basic biochemistry of living organisms. The second part discusses the seven basic properties that enable ecosystems to grow, develop, and survive.

5."Applied Ecology and Environmental Management" by Edward I Newman
“Applied Ecology and Environmental Management” Book Review: This book discusses ways that ecological science can be applied to solving the current most crucial problems of the world. The main theme of the book is how resources can be effectively managed and exploited in a sustainable manner. The book begins with an analysis of our planet’s basic natural resources – energy, water and soil. Further, it discusses the management of biological resources – fish, grazing lands and forests, pest control and pollution. At the end, it highlights conservation and management of wild species and the restoration of ecological communities. The book is designed for undergraduate students studying courses in applied ecology, environmental science. It is also useful for environmental management and natural resources management students.

6."Aquatic Ecosystems: Interactivity of Dissolved Organic Matter (Aquatic Ecology)" by Stuart Findlay and Robert L Sinsabaugh
“Aquatic Ecosystems: Interactivity of Dissolved Organic Matter (Aquatic Ecology)” Book Review: This book discusses the interplay between different movements of matter and energy through ecosystems mediated by Dissolved Organic Matter. It provides information how much DOM there is in a particular aquatic ecosystem and where it originates. It illustrates whether the DOM composition varies from time to time and place to place. It explains how DOM becomes incorporated into microbial food webs. The book provides a better, clear and easy-to-understand content to its significance of DOM.

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7."Ecology of Aquatic Management" by Chris Frid and Mike Dobson
“Ecology of Aquatic Management” Book Review: This book demonstrates latest exploitation practices, and the ecological basis and consequences of that exploitation. It explains the ecological effects of the extraction of non-living resources, including energy and water itself. It discusses the biology and ecology of aquatic organisms, and how these underpin the harvesting for aquatic resources. It illustrates different effective management strategies for natural hazards, the provision of ecological goods and services, and restoration of aquatic systems. The book also explains the importance of ecological science in exploitation management. It highlights the effects of human intervention in aquatic systems along with the role of ecology.

8."Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems: Science, Technology, and Public Policy" by National Research Council and Division on Earth and Life Studies
“Restoration of Aquatic Ecosystems: Science, Technology, and Public Policy” Book Review: The new edition of the book highlights the prospects for repairing the damage society has done to the nation’s aquatic resources. It explains a national strategy for aquatic restoration, with practical recommendations. The book also features case studies of aquatic restoration activities around the country. It illustrates main concepts and techniques used in restoration. The book covers important topics such as threats to the health of the nation’s aquatic ecosystems, common factors in successful restoration efforts. It also discusses the different approaches to evaluation before, during, and after a restoration project.

9."Essentials of Ecology" by Townsend C and Michael Begon
“Essentials of Ecology” Book Review: This textbook deals with the elementary aspects of, with special emphasis on the atmospheric sciences, climatology, meteorology and epidemiology, technology and Control provides current information on water use, drinking water standards, and alternative wastewater treatment so that the subject is perceived by the student as both a science and an art. The theories and explanations are supported by a large number of solved examples. Additional figures have also been added for the clarity and understanding of the book. Multiple choice questions and other pedagogically arranged questions are also provided to help students assess their subject knowledge. This book is designed primarily as a textbook for undergraduate and postgraduate students. It is also useful for undergraduate students of water quality engineering.

10."Growth and Defence in Plants: Resource Allocation at Multiple Scales (Ecological Studies)" by R Matyssek and Hans Schnyder
“Growth and Defence in Plants: Resource Allocation at Multiple Scales (Ecological Studies)” Book Review: This book discusses the importance of resource allocation and its regulations in plants. Theoretical concepts and methods on modelling plant resource locations are provided with differentiation balance hypotheses. Several ecological scenarios are discussed including pathogens, herbivores, soil microorganisms and carbon dioxide regimes. This book is useful for management students in the field of plant breeding and forestry.

11."Environmental Biology (Principles of Ecology)" by Verma P S and Agarwal V K
“Environmental Biology (Principles of Ecology)” Book Review: This book is useful for B.Sc(Hons.) and M.Sc. classes of all indian universities. This book will serve the purpose of the students of botany, zoology , agriculture, horticulture, forestry, fishery, limnology and oceanography. This book’s present edition is subject matter in the most simple, lucid but exhaustive way, so that it becomes easily understandable. The book includes a preliminary of ecology, ecology definition, preview, branches and scope. It also includes the historical background of ecology, growth Of Ecology In India 4 Ecological Tools And Techniques 5 Statistical Applications In Ecology 6 Concept Of Levels Of Organisation.

12."Fundamentals of Ecology and Environmental Biology" by Subhas Chandra Santra
13."Essentials of Ecology and Environmental Science" by Rana
“Essentials of Ecology and Environmental Science” Book Review: This revised fifth edition is a lucid presentation of the fundamental concepts and principles of ecology and environmental science.Extensively illustrated, the book provides in-depth coverage of major areas such as atmospheric and soil science, hydrobiology, biodiversity, and pollution ecology with indigenous examples. It seeks to impart comprehensive understanding of the major ecological issues, policies and laws, crucial for solving environmental problems. New sections on vital topics such as acid rain and deposition, metapopulations, environmental disasters and the Bali Summit on Climate Change 2007 contribute strongly to this endeavour. It covers extreme environments such as Antarctica, the Arctic region, open oceans, and deserts, along with up-to-date information on major ecosystems. It includes full chapters devoted to biodiversity as well as natural and genetic resources of India.The book is primarily intended for undergraduate (B.Sc.) students of environmental science and other relevant biological sciences. It will also be very useful for postgraduate (M.Sc.) students of these subjects as well as field professionals and researchers.

14."Urban Expansion, Land Cover and Soil Ecosystem Services (Routledge Studies in Urban Ecology)" by Ciro Gardi
“Urban Expansion, Land Cover and Soil Ecosystem Services (Routledge Studies in Urban Ecology)” Book Review: This book provides a review of the latest knowledge of the extension and projected expansion of urban areas at a global scale. It concentrates on the impact of the process of ‘land take’ on soil resources and the ecosystem services that they provide. It demonstrates different approaches and methodologies for detecting and measuring urban areas, based mainly on remote sensing. The book explains an analysis of the drivers and especially the impacts of soil sealing and land take on ecosystem services. It includes Case studies of cities from Europe, China and Latin America. It discusses solutions for the limitation, mitigation and compensation of this process.

15."Ecological Systems of the Geobiosphere: 3 Temperate and Polar Zonobiomes of Northern Eurasia" by Heinrich Walter and Siegmar-W Breckle
“Ecological Systems of the Geobiosphere: 3 Temperate and Polar Zonobiomes of Northern Eurasia” Book Review: Before the finish of the only remaining century, the solitary locale taking all things together of Europe where the common vegetation stayed immaculate over enormous fields was Eastern Europe. Data on the vegetation of this locale notwithstanding, remained for the most part inaccessible to western researchers albeit the natural way to deal with plant research began in Eastern Europe. Heinrich Walter was brought into the world in Russia, contemplated Natural Sciences – with an emphasis on herbal science – in Odessa and knows about all significant Russian writing on the environment. This volume accordingly offers researchers worldwide an exceptional and exhaustive review of all significant examinations, including the for the most part obscure writing distributed in Russian.

16."Plant Ecology" by Ernst-Detlef Schulze and Erwin Beck
“Plant Ecology” Book Review: This course book covers Plant Ecology from the sub-atomic to the worldwide level. It covers the accompanying zones in exceptional expansiveness and profundity: – Molecular ecophysiology (stress physiology: light, temperature, oxygen inadequacy, dry season, salt, weighty metals, xenobiotica and biotic pressure factors). – Autecology (entire plant environment: warm equilibrium, water, supplement, carbon relations). – Ecosystem nature (plants as a component of biological systems, component cycles, biodiversity). – Synecology (improvement of vegetation in reality, associations among vegetation and the abiotic and biotic climate). – Global parts of the plant environment (worldwide change, worldwide biogeochemical cycles, land use, global shows, financial corporations). The book is deliberately organized and elegantly composed: complex issues are exquisitely introduced and effectively reasonable. It contains in excess of 500 photos and drawings, generally in shading, delineating the entrancing subject. The book is basically focused on alumni understudies of science however will likewise bear some significance with post-graduate understudies and specialists in herbal science, geosciences and scene nature. Further, it gives a sound premise to those managing farming, ranger service, land use, and scenery.

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17."Ecology and Conservation of Butterflies" by Andrew Pullin
“Ecology and Conservation of Butterflies” Book Review: The book is designed to study the ecology and conservation of butterflies. This text shows how much important work has been done in recent years. Also it gives knowledge that the subject has reached its turning point and climax. The book suggests that the decline of butterflies has not stopped or even slowed down. Moreover, the threat to our butterflies continues to increase from habitat destruction and intensification of land use. This book is valuable for scientists, nature conservationists and amateur entomologists, as well as environmentalists. The book has access to up-to-date information of conservation endeavour.

18."Ecology, behaviour and conservation of the charrs, genus Salvelinus (Developments in Environmental Biology of Fishes)" by Pierre Magnan and Céline Audet
“Ecology, behaviour and conservation of the charrs, genus Salvelinus (Developments in Environmental Biology of Fishes)” Book Review: This comprehensive textbook discusses Salvelinus species, most studied groups of fishes. The book explains many reasons for the intense interest in charr biology. This volume comprises papers presented at the fourth International Charr Symposium. It includes papers on ecological interactions and behaviour, trophic polymorphism, movement and migration. There are chapters on ecophysiology and evolutionary genetics, ecological parasitology, environmental stress and conservation. The book covers all recent developments in the ecology, behaviour and conservation of Salvelinus species. This text helps in understanding their biology of great relevance to biodiversity and conservation. It discusses the cultural, commercial, and recreational significance of charr to many communities. The book also explores the current distribution of charr. The book explains the demographic characteristics of charr species such as slow growth, late maturity, and life in extreme environments, that may increase their susceptibility to extinction from habitat changes and overexploitation, especially in depauperate aquatic habitats.


2. Aquatic Ecology Resources and Microbiology

1."Ecology of Aquatic Systems" by Michael Dobson and Chris Frid
“Ecology of Aquatic Systems” Book Review: This book deals with effective management and fundamentals of aquatic systems. It includes freshwater, marine systems and its properties. Different examples of geographical range and types of aquatic habitats are mentioned in the book. Other ecological themes are contained in this book.

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2."Aquatic Microbial Ecology and Biogeochemistry: A Dual Perspective" by Patricia M Glibert and Todd M Kana
“Aquatic Microbial Ecology and Biogeochemistry: A Dual Perspective” Book Review: This book covers the aquatic microbial ecology and biogeochemistry. This book highlights the dual scientific processes and collaborative interactions. Important topics like microbial diversity, nitrogen, photosynthesis metabolism and changing ecosystems are provided in the book. It is a good reference for dual career couples and explores different Arabian sea, lakes to Australia and small lakes.

3."The Ecology of Aquatic Hyphomycetes" by Felix Bärlocher
“The Ecology of Aquatic Hyphomycetes” Book Review: This book covers the biology and ecology of aquatic Hyphomycetes. The book discusses the ecology of fungal groups, stream ecology and population ecology. It explains how the life of fungi in running water and the potential of wood. The book mentions interaction with invertebrates and germination of spores called sexual reproduction. It highlights water chemistry, human degradation and research summary. It is a good guide for mycologists and stream ecologists.

4."Aquatic Biofilms: Ecology, Water Quality and Wastewater Treatment" by Helena Guasch
“Aquatic Biofilms: Ecology, Water Quality and Wastewater Treatment” Book Review: This book explains the ecology and characteristics of aquatic biofilms and its applications to water pollution. The first part of biofilms mode of life which covers three dimensional structure and cell to cell communication. Prokaryotic diversity and biogeochemical cycles are covered in this book. The water quality biofilms are described. This book includes environmental risk assessment, monitoring and ecotoxicological approaches. Other microbial transactions are present in the text. This book focuses on the biofilms for water treatment, biodegradation of pollutants and biofilm capacity for nitrogen removal.

5."Transport Processes in Nature PB with CD-ROM: Propagation of Ecological Influences Through Environmental Space (Cambridge Studies in Landscape Ecology)" by William A Reiners and Kenneth L Driese
“Transport Processes in Nature PB with CD-ROM: Propagation of Ecological Influences Through Environmental Space (Cambridge Studies in Landscape Ecology)” Book Review: This book provides a new perspective on how events or conditions in environmental space have influences at other places in that space. The book introduces the general question of propagation of ecological influences through environmental space (terrestrial, aquatic and aerial). Methods of representing environmental heterogeneity and for modeling transport processes are discussed in the context of such propagations. In the second half of the book, properties of eight general transport vectors and examples of transport models in realistic ecological situations are explained.

6."Managed Ecosystems and CO2: Case Studies, Processes, and Perspectives (Ecological Studies)" by Josef Nösberger and S P Long
“Managed Ecosystems and CO2: Case Studies, Processes, and Perspectives (Ecological Studies)” Book Review: This book is targeted for undergraduate level students and the concepts are explained in a simple and concise manner. The points are covered in a logical way, and there are a wide range of solved examples given in the book. It’s main focus lies on Applied problems. Topics like effects of increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide on agroecosystems, forests, and grasslands and various problems dealing with annual crops, permanent pastures and plantation forests at 11 sites throughout the world during the past ten years are dealt in this book. Diagrams provided in this book are clear and error free.

7."Advances in Urban Ecology: Integrating Humans and Ecological Processes in Urban Ecosystems" by marina Alberti
“Advances in Urban Ecology: Integrating Humans and Ecological Processes in Urban Ecosystems” Book Review: Book focuses on co-evolution of human-ecological systems. It explains the way by which scholars of both urban systems and ecology can challenge the assumptions and world views within their disciplines and work towards a hybrid theory that builds on multiple worldviews. The book provides the synthesis of research findings and then leads its way explaining about the integration that we must achieve if we are to better understand and solve emerging issues in urban ecosystems.

8."Integrative Observations and Assessments (Ecological Research Monographs)" by Shin-ichi Nakano and Tetsukazu Yahara
“Integrative Observations and Assessments (Ecological Research Monographs)” Book Review: This book is interesting for biodiversity researchers. The student can essentially use the text for analyzing the current status and for the effective conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. This volume focuses on ideas in monitoring biodiversity in the Asia-Pacific region. The book is essential in studying the spatial variability of biodiversity across various ecosystems. This book also describes newly developed concepts and methods for biodiversity observation. The major topics included in the methods of conservation are ubiquitous genotyping, systematic conservation, monitoring of the functions and services of ecosystems and biodiversity informatics. The book helps to study integrative observations and assessments of biodiversity.

We have put a lot of effort into researching the best books on Ecology and came out with a recommended list and their reviews. If any more book needs to be added to this list, please email us. We are working on free pdf downloads for books on Ecology and will publish the download link here. Fill out this Ecology books pdf download" request form for download notification.

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