Tracing Darwin's Path in Cape Horn

Charles Darwin spent the majority of his 1831- 1836 voyage around the world in southern South America, and his early experiences in the Cape Horn region seem to have triggered his first ideas on human evolution. Darwin was not only a field naturalist, but also a scholar of the observation of the European explorers who proceed him. Richly illustrated with maps and color photographs, this book offers a guide to the sites visited by Darwin, and a compass for present-day visitors who can follow Darwin's path over the sea and land that todat are protected by the UNESCO Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve. Buy Now.

The Sub-Antarctic Biocultural Conservation Series

The Multi-Ethnic Bird Guide, published in 2010, describes the sub-Antarctic magellanic bird species' ecological and cultural contexts. It describes their physical appearances, typical habitats, and conservation status, but also describes the cultural relationships of the birds to the human inhabitants of the region. The Yahgan, Mapuche, Spanish, English, and scientific names are provided for each bird, and cultural stories about each bird are shared. The book comes with CDs to provide an audio experience of the bird calls and recitation of traditional stories about the birds. This book can be purchased in Spanish or English. Buy Now.

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Miniature Forests of Cape Horn, published in 2012, investigates a way to approach the bryophytes and lichens of the sub-Antarctic region. Cape Horn is a hot spot for bryophyte diversity; 5% of the world's bryophytes are found in less than 0.01% of the planet's terrestrial surface. Ecotourism with a hand lens teaches visitors to rest in the forest and pause to investigate the aesthetic, ethical, and biocultural elements of the miniature world within the larger forest. The text provides information on the biology of lichens and mosses of the sub-Antarctic forests, accompanied by a multitude of high-definition photographs of the bryophytes. This book is written with both Spanish and English. Buy Now.

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Sub-Antarctic Magellanic Ornithology compiles the diverse studies from 10 years of ornithological research by the sub-Antarctic Biocultural Conservation Program researchers between 2004 - 2014. The long-term ornithological studies at the Cape Horn Biosphere Reserve is composed of an interdisciplinary team practicing systematic research to gather knowledge of the seasonal variations in diversity and abundance, natural history, and ecology of the magellanic bird species. This book seeks to contribute to the knowledge of the birds and the protection of the habitats we share with them. This book can be purchased in Spanish or English. Buy Now.

The Ecology and Ethics Series

Ecology and Ethics is a series is devoted to continuing research at the interfaces of ecology and ethics (embedded in the multiple fields of philosophy and ecology) to broaden our conceptual and practical frameworks in this transdisciplinary field. Confronted with global environmental change, the academic community still labors under a tradition of strong disciplinary dissociation that hinders the integration of ecological understanding and ethical values to comprehensively address the complexities of current socio-ecological problems. During the 1990s and 2000s, a transdisciplinary integration of ecology with social disciplines, especially economics, has been institutionalized via interdisciplinary societies, research programs, and mainstream journals. Work at this interface has produced novel techniques and protocols for assessing monetary values of biodiversity and ecosystem services, as illustrated by the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment.

Linking Ecology and Ethics for a Changing World: Values, Philosophy, and Action is a collaborative work published in 2014. The book investigates the possibilities to integrate philosophy and ecology during an era of globalization, climate change, and biocultural diversity loss. Alternative worldviews and concepts of conservation are investigated, environmental philosophy is discussed, and contemporary ecosystem theories are evaluated. The book calls for and contributes to environmental ethics literacy; it begins to bridge the gaps between ecology and ethics through its collaborative efforts. Buy Now.

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Earth Stewardship implies a paradigm shift that links facts and values, multiple forms of ecological knowledge and practices, and broadens the mission of the ecological sciences. To confront global environmental change it is necessary, but not sufficient, to conduct long-term socio-ecological research. It is also necessary to act. Earth stewardship calls on ecologists to engage not only in the production of knowledge, but also in public discourse, decision making, education, and governance. As a means
of engaging science and society in rapidly reducing current rates of anthropogenic damage to the biosphere, the Ecological Society of America (ESA) launched the Earth Stewardship Initiative in 2009. Since then, this call for action has been appealing not only to ecologists, but also to anthropologists, sociologists, engineers, economists, religion scholars, philosophers, conservation biologists, other professionals, decision makers, and citizens interested in environmental, economic, and social sustainability. Buy Now.

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Book Summaries written by Rachel Weaver