
Towns, Ecology, and the Land
Richard T. T. Forman(Author)
Cambridge University Press
Published on 7. February 2019
Book
Hardback
598 pages
978-1-107-19913-2 (ISBN)
Description
Towns and villages are sometimes viewed as minor, even quaint, spots, whereas this book boldly reconceptualizes these places as important dynamic environmental 'hotspots'. Multitudes of towns and villages with nearly half the world's population characterize perhaps half the global land surface. The book's pages feature ecological patterns, processes, and change, as well as human dimensions, both within towns and in strong connections and effects on surrounding agricultural land, forest land, and arid land. Towns, small to large, and villages are examined with spatial and cultural lenses. Ecological dimensions - water, soil and air systems, together with habitats, plants, wildlife and biodiversity - are highlighted. A concluding section presents concepts for making better towns and better land. From a pioneer in both landscape ecology and urban ecology, this highly international town ecology book opens an important frontier for researchers, students, professors, and professionals including environmental, town, and conservation planners.
Reviews / Votes
'This book provides valuable insights, through many and varied examples, to show the way.' A. M. Mannion, The Biologist '... readily accessible for geographers, conservationists, and land planners.' Ezequiel Gonzalez, Conservation Biology 'The volume is attentive to ecological dimensions, microhabitats, and scales for flora ... Researchers and environmental planners investigating town-based ecological dynamics will find the extensive conceptual review valuable for designing projects and writing grant proposals.' Susan Power Bratton, The Quarterly Review of BiologyMore details
Language
English
Place of publication
Cambridge
United Kingdom
Target group
Professional and scholarly
College/higher education
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
Worked examples or Exercises; 36 Plates, unspecified; 108 Halftones, unspecified; 84 Line drawings, unspecified
Dimensions
Height: 251 mm
Width: 191 mm
Thickness: 33 mm
Weight
1406 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-107-19913-2 (9781107199132)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Richard T. T. Forman
Towns, Ecology, and the Land
Book
02/2019
Cambridge University Press
€63.50
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Richard T. T. Forman
Towns, Ecology, and the Land
E-Book
02/2019
Cambridge University Press
€39.49
Available for download

Richard T. T. Forman
Towns, Ecology, and the Land
E-Book
01/2019
Cambridge University Press
€47.49
Available for download
Person
Richard T. T. Forman is Research Professor in Landscape Ecology at Harvard University, where he teaches Urban and Town Ecology. Often considered a 'father' of Landscape Ecology and Road Ecology, he helped spearhead Urban Ecology, and has received honours, awards, medals and honorary doctorates from universities across the world. His books include Landscape Ecology (1986), award-winning Land Mosaics (1995), Urban Regions (2008) and award-finalist Urban Ecology (2014). He received an award for excellence in teaching, and has served for many years on boards for town planning and land-protection non-profit organizations.
Content
Part I. Town Patterns, Processes, Change: 1. Town, village, and land spatial patterns; 2. Flows and movements; 3. Change; 4. Human dimensions; Part II. Ecological Dimensions of Towns: 5. Soil, chemicals, air; 6. Water systems and waterbodies; 7. Plants, habitats, greenspaces; 8. Diverse animals and town pattern; Part III. Town and Land Interactions: 9. Commercial, industrial, and residential areas; 10. Cropland, pastureland, and towns; 11. Forestland, aridland, and towns; 12. Tying transportation, towns, and land together; Part IV. Town Ecology Principles and Solutions: 13. Toward better towns, better land.