Appendix A: List of Species Names. The Discovery of Rinderpest -- Finding Regulation -- Discovery of Food Regulation -- How Predators Regulate Prey -- How Migration Structures Serengeti -- Biodiversity and Stability of Ecosystems -- Disturbance and the Persistence of Ecosystems -- Continuous Change in Ecosystems -- Appearance of Multiple States and Rapid Shifts in Ecosystems -- The Fundamental Principle of Regulation of Ecosystems and Future Directions -- Threats to the Serengeti -- Lessons from Serengeti -- Rewildings -- Appendix A: List of Species Names.
Summary:
"With its biodiversity, astounding megafauna, and great animal migrations, the Serengeti is like no other ecosystem in Africa or indeed the world. It is also one of the most well studied places and perhaps no scientist has contributed more to our understanding of the Serengeti than Tony Sinclair, who has been researching this region since 1965. In this book, Sinclair recounts his quest to understand how the Serengeti works and what this unique place can tell us about how other ecosystems work and how they might even be repaired. Opening the book with his arrival in the Serengeti, Sinclair recounts how he began by asking what makes Serengeti outstanding and spectacular? What are the environmental features that allow a migration with so many animals? What determines the sizes of animal populations and the diversity of species that live there? Why does it have so many species? And what allows the Serengeti to persist over time? Subsequent chapters provide answers to these questions, as Sinclair describes how he (and others) discovered the overarching biological principles that regulate life on the Serengeti. In the concluding chapters Sinclair argues that these principles allow us to understand the problems facing Serengeti today, and what might happen to it in the future. More broadly, these principles allow us to understand how ecological problems in other areas of the world have developed and finally how we can repair them. Like the Serengeti, natural systems can repair themselves from major disturbances - even total collapse - if allowed time, protection and help"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.