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Hurricane lizards and plastic squid : the fraught and fascinating biology of climate change / Thor Hanson.

By: Material type: TextTextPublisher: New York, NY : Basic Books, Hachette Book Group, 2021Copyright date: ©2021Edition: First editionDescription: xvii, 280 pages : illustrations ; 22 cmContent type:
  • text
Media type:
  • unmediated
Carrier type:
  • volume
ISBN:
  • 9781541672420
  • 1541672429
Other title:
  • Fraught and fascinating biology of climate change
Subject(s):
Contents:
Introduction: Thinking about it -- Part 1: The culprits (change and carbon) -- 1. Nothing stays the same -- 2. Mephitic air -- Part 2: the challenges (and opportunities) -- 3. Right place, wrong time -- 4. The nth degree -- 5. Strange bedfellows -- 6. The bare necessities -- Part 3: The responses -- 7. Move -- 8. Adapt -- 9. Evolve -- 10. Take refuge -- Part 4: The results -- 11. Pushing the envelope -- 12. Surprise, surprise -- 13. That was then, this is now -- Conclusion: Everything you can.
Summary: "As a young biologist, Hanson by his own admission watched with some detachment as our warming planet presented plants and animals with an ultimatum: change or face extinction. But his detachment turned to both concern and awe, as he observed the remarkable narratives of change playing out in each plant and animal he studied. In Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid, Hanson tells the story of how nature-both plants and animals, from beech trees to beetles-are meeting the challenges of rapid climate change head-on, adjusting, adapting, and sometimes noticeably evolving... As global warming transforms and restructures the ecosystems in which these animals and others live, Hanson argues, we are forced to conclude that climate change will not have just one effect: Some transformations are beneficial. Others, and perhaps most, are devastating, wiping out entire species. One thing is constant: with each change an organism undergoes, the delicate balance of interdependent ecosystems is tipped, forcing the evolution of thousands more species, including us. To understand how, collectively, these changes are shaping the natural world and the future of life, Hanson looks back through deep time, examining fossil records, pollen, and even the tooth enamel of giant wombats and mummified owl pellets. Together, these records of our past tell the story of ancient climate change, shedding light on the challenges faced by today's species, the ways they will respond, and how these strategies will determine the fate of ecosystems around the globe.-- Provided by publisher.
Holdings
Item type Home library Collection Call number Materials specified Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Adult Book Adult Book Main Library NonFiction 577.22 H251 Available 33111010774459
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

*A New York Times Editor's Choice pick

*Shortlisted for the 2022 Pacific Northwest Book Awards



A beloved natural historian explores how climate change is driving evolution



In  Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid , biologist Thor Hanson tells the remarkable story of how plants and animals are responding to climate change: adjusting, evolving, and sometimes dying out. Anole lizards have grown larger toe pads, to grip more tightly in frequent hurricanes. Warm waters cause the development of Humboldt squid to alter so dramatically that fishermen mistake them for different species. Brown pelicans move north, and long-spined sea urchins south, to find cooler homes. And when coral reefs sicken, they leave no territory worth fighting for, so aggressive butterfly fish transform instantly into pacifists.



A story of hope, resilience, and risk, Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid is natural history for readers of Bernd Heinrich, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and David Haskell. It is also a reminder of how unpredictable climate change is as it interacts with the messy lattice of life.

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Introduction: Thinking about it -- Part 1: The culprits (change and carbon) -- 1. Nothing stays the same -- 2. Mephitic air -- Part 2: the challenges (and opportunities) -- 3. Right place, wrong time -- 4. The nth degree -- 5. Strange bedfellows -- 6. The bare necessities -- Part 3: The responses -- 7. Move -- 8. Adapt -- 9. Evolve -- 10. Take refuge -- Part 4: The results -- 11. Pushing the envelope -- 12. Surprise, surprise -- 13. That was then, this is now -- Conclusion: Everything you can.

"As a young biologist, Hanson by his own admission watched with some detachment as our warming planet presented plants and animals with an ultimatum: change or face extinction. But his detachment turned to both concern and awe, as he observed the remarkable narratives of change playing out in each plant and animal he studied. In Hurricane Lizards and Plastic Squid, Hanson tells the story of how nature-both plants and animals, from beech trees to beetles-are meeting the challenges of rapid climate change head-on, adjusting, adapting, and sometimes noticeably evolving... As global warming transforms and restructures the ecosystems in which these animals and others live, Hanson argues, we are forced to conclude that climate change will not have just one effect: Some transformations are beneficial. Others, and perhaps most, are devastating, wiping out entire species. One thing is constant: with each change an organism undergoes, the delicate balance of interdependent ecosystems is tipped, forcing the evolution of thousands more species, including us. To understand how, collectively, these changes are shaping the natural world and the future of life, Hanson looks back through deep time, examining fossil records, pollen, and even the tooth enamel of giant wombats and mummified owl pellets. Together, these records of our past tell the story of ancient climate change, shedding light on the challenges faced by today's species, the ways they will respond, and how these strategies will determine the fate of ecosystems around the globe.-- Provided by publisher.

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