All 23 chapters of the book have been revised following the suggestions of numerous reviewers. An attempt was made to address reviewers' concerns, to update material where needed, add missing perspectives, correct errors, and generally
freshen and streamline the treatment. Suggested readings have been updated, drawing mainly from literature published since the publication of the fourth edition.The introduction now links the historical foundations of ecology with developing frontiers. Emphasis is placed on how new tools, such as stable isotope analysis and canopy access cranes, provide more powerful ways of investigating ecological systems, as we explore and attempt to sustain biodiversity in the face of global climate change and other environmental pressures.The evolutionary foundation for the book has been strengthened. The chapter on population genetics and natural selection has been moved from eighth position, in section III,
to fourth, in section I. Section I is now titled Natural History and Evolution. Moving evolution to this point in the text sets all the material to follow in a stronger evolutionary framework. This is particularly significant to section II, which is retitled as Adaptations to the Environment.The overall conceptual foundation of the text has been enriched. New concepts presented include the principle of allocation, apparent competition, indirect mutualism, and
the ecology of fear.The treatment of nutrient cycling has been improved. The nutrient cycling presentation now appears under its own umbrella concept and is buttressed by the addition of central concepts, including nutrient sinks, sources, fluxes, and pools, which are critical for understanding contemporary issues related to the buildup of atmospheric carbon dioxide.Lessons learned through the Investigating the Evidence boxes enrich the graphical presentation. Confidence intervals and standard error bars are added to selected graphs once the statistical concepts are introduced in section IV.New supplementary materials have been placed online. Suggested readings, answers to Concept Review questions, and answers to Critiquing the Evidence questions
are now online. In addition, examples cut from the fourth edition are also available online.New chapter opener photos, related to chapter content, have been added to enrich the visual presentation of ecology.
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