Review: This is the third edition of what might be described as 'Ecology-lite'! The aim was to produce a text which gave all the key ideas in ecology but was for shorter courses than the main text. As such it would seek to provide those ideas central to ecology but also with mention of their application.

Having reviewed the first edition it's pleasing to note that there are many enhancements in the new edition. These are mostly stylistic but there are certainly many changes relating to the information given and its organisation. The text is divided into four with the opening two chapters looking at the development of ecology and something of the way in which ecology works as a science. Chapter one tackles the method. Here we are introduced to the scope of the subject and the key issues of scale, diversity and fieldwork. Chapter two takes a historical perspective in more ways than one blending the history of the subject with evolution, speciation and physical changes. The overall aim is to demonstrate the changing nature of ecosystems. Part two, also consisting of two chapters, looks at the abiotic side. However, in a nod to resource usage this part is titled 'conditions and resources'. The themes develop around the issue environmental conditions and resource availability (chapter three) and the concomitant impact on populations, ecosystems and biomes (chapter four). Part three looks at more conventional territory in terms of basic ecology. Chapter five deals with population dynamics and life cycles. This moves on to interspecific interactions and then into herbivory and disease (chapters six and seven). One of the main changes between editions comes up as chapter 8 looking at the relatively new field of evolutionary ecology. Chapter 9 looks more at population dynamics and the temporal and spatial patterns created. This moves on to species richness and the ways in which this can vary from simple models through to more complex patterns involving gradients and taxon patterns. Finally, there's a look at the movement of energy and matter through ecosystems form primary productivity to biochemical cycles. Part four describes three applied issues that are currently generating much coverage: sustainability, habitat loss and conservation. All three topics are crucial and there is definite need for ecological ideas and techniques to be applied. In sustainability this means population dynamics moving on to sustainable yields. Habitat loss (chapter 13) looks at the problems of agricultural losses, degraded landscapes and energy production. There's also ideas on how to reduce this impact. Finally, conservation gets an overview of key ecological ideas and how they can be used.

The biggest change here is in the layout and usability. Chapters start with an outline of contents and a note of key ideas. There are text boxes dealing with quantitative issues and current concerns. A summary and review questions finishes the pedagogical devices used. There has been a good attempt to look at what the mathematics tells us rather than include all workings so the overall effect is a basic guide that demands attention but which doesn't look down on the reader. Couple this with the book's pedigree, a fair companion website (sadly not the URL in the book) and a definite move to put the best of ecology into an basic package and you get one of the best books around. Overall, an excellent book, get a copy of this to help beginners understand before they move on to the main text.