'Elements of Ecology' presents a clear, modular approach using explanatory writing style to focus non-majors students on the core concepts of ecology.
1. The Nature of EcologyI. THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT2. Climate3. The Aquatic Environment4. The Terrestrial EnvironmentII. THE ORGANISM AND ITS ENVIRONMENT5. Adaptation and Natural Selection6. Plant Adaptations to the Environment7. Animal Adaptations to the Environment8. Life History PatternsIII. POPULATIONS9. Properties of Populations10. Population Growth11. Intraspecific Population Regulation12. MetapopulationsIV. SPECIES INTERACTIONS13. Interspecific Competition14. Predation15. Parasitism and MutualismV. COMMUNITY ECOLOGY16. Community Structure17. Factors Influencing the Structure of Communities18. Community Dynamics19. Landscape EcologyVI. ECOSYSTEM ECOLOGY20. Ecosystem Energetics21. Decomposition and Nutrient Cycling22. Biogeochemical CyclesVII. BIOGEOGRAPHICAL ECOLOGY23. Terrestrial Ecosystems24. Coastal and Wetland Ecosystems25. Land-Water Margins26. Large-scale Patterns of Biological DiversityVIII. HUMAN ECOLOGY27. Population Growth, Resource Use, and Sustainability28. Habitat Loss, Biodiversity, and Conservation29. Global Climate Change