tailieunhanh - The Death of Our Planet’s Species A Challenge to Ecology and Ethics

Even though human-induced species extinction presently seems to rank low on peoples’ attention scale compared to other political and societal topics, this does not mean that its significance in earth history or its ecological consequences have diminished in any way. It must repeatedly be made clear that if current trends continue, within the next one hundred years half of all our planet’s species will most likely have become extinct. Thus, members of today’s generation are witnesses and also perpetrators of the greatest catastrophe in the history of life since the disappearance of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago | MARTIN GORKE About Island Press Island Press is the only nonprofit organization in the United States whose principal purpose is the publication of books on environmental issues and natural resource management. We provide solutions-oriented information to professionals public officials business and community leaders and concerned citizens who are shaping responses to environmental problems. In 2003 Island Press celebrates its nineteenth anniversary as the leading provider of timely and practical books that take a multidisciplinary approach to critical environmental concerns. Our growing list of titles reflects our commitment to bringing the best of an expanding body of literature to the environmental community throughout North America and the world. Support for Island Press is provided by The Nathan Cummings Foundation Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation Doris Duke Charitable Foundation Educational Foundation of America The Charles Engelhard Foundation The Ford Foundation The George Gund Foundation The Vira I. Heinz Endowment The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation Henry Luce Foundation The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation The Moriah Fund The Curtis and Edith Munson Foundation National Fish and Wildlife Foundation The NewLand Foundation Oak Foundation The Overbrook Foundation The David and Lucile Packard Foundation The Pew Charitable Trusts The Rockefeller Foundation The Winslow Foundation and other generous donors. The opinions expressed in this book are those of the author s and do not necessarily reflect the views of these .