The Arena of Life: The Dynamics of Ecology by Milne, Lorus and Margery - 1971

Garden Ciry, NY: Doubleday/Natural History Press, 1971. First Thus. Hardcover. Very Good/Very Good. Type: Hard Back First Doubleday/Natural History Press Printing. Hardcover Book and Jacket in Very Good Condition. Over 260 outstanding illustrations and diagrams supplement the text throughout. The well-known husband and wife team of biologists and naturalists, Dr. Lorus Milne and Dr. Margery Milne explain the dynamics of ecology in sufficient depth to serve both the serious student and the general reader, bringing into play a dozen disciplines, from climatology to biogeography. They explore the all-important cycle in which plants utilize solar energy to create organic compounds, which are used by animals and ultimately broken down by bacteria. They make it abundantly clear why man cannot afford to dump into the environment more than the natural cycle can handle. They examine the many webs of life and ecological niches and the role they play. Challenges of extreme temperature, competition among the species, social aggregation, predation, parasitism, and commensalism, and also the problems created by the human population explosion are all examined in detail. In the second half of the book, the authors explain the pyramids of life in oceans, fresh water, the soil, forests, grasslands, deserts, and tundras. Bound in very clean and unmarked bright green cloth with red titles and decoration; corners and bottom edges of boards rubbed. Tight , solid and square sewn binding. Internals spotless, free of any markings, no creasing. Double column format. White and green glossy jacket is unclipped, clean, some colorless scratching on front, light edge wear. 351 pages with glossary, bibliography, and index. 7.75 x 10.5 inches. Doubleday/Natural History Press, Garden City, New York, 1971.