Terra Kaffe - Shop now
$4.99 with 90 percent savings
Print List Price: $49.00

These promotions will be applied to this item:

Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. For details, please see the Terms & Conditions associated with these promotions.

eBook features:
  • Highlight, take notes, and search in the book
You've subscribed to ! We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. When new books are released, we'll charge your default payment method for the lowest price available during the pre-order period.
Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at
Your Memberships & Subscriptions
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Foundations of Ecology: Classic Papers with Commentaries 1st Edition, Kindle Edition

4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 59 ratings

Assembled here for the first time in one volume are forty classic papers that have laid the foundations of modern ecology. Whether by posing new problems, demonstrating important effects, or stimulating new research, these papers have made substantial contributions to an understanding of ecological processes, and they continue to influence the field today.

The papers span nearly nine decades of ecological research, from 1887 on, and are organized in six sections: foundational papers, theoretical advances, synthetic statements, methodological developments, field studies, and ecological experiments. Selections range from Connell's elegant account of experiments with barnacles to Watt's encyclopedic natural history, from a visionary exposition by Grinnell of the concept of niche to a seminal essay by Hutchinson on diversity.

Six original essays by contemporary ecologists and a historian of ecology place the selections in context and discuss their continued relevance to current research. This combination of classic papers and fresh commentaries makes
Foundations of Ecology both a convenient reference to papers often cited today and an essential guide to the intellectual and conceptual roots of the field.

Published with the Ecological Society of America.
Due to its large file size, this book may take longer to download

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Leslie A. Real is professor of biology at Indiana University. He is coeditor (with James H. Brown) of Foundations of Ecology: Classic Papers with Commentaries, also published by the University of Chicago Press.


James H. Brown is a Distinguished Professor of Biology at the University of New Mexico, and past president of the International Biogeography Society.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B00IMYIGBG
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ The University of Chicago Press; 1st edition (December 20, 2012)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ December 20, 2012
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 91.9 MB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 1972 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 59 ratings

Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
59 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers

Customers say

Customers find the book provides insightful coverage of ecology. They describe it as an easy read that reveals the foundations of ecology. However, opinions differ on the text quality - some find it great and wonderful for anyone interested in ecology, while others find it difficult to read due to underlines and writing.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more
6 customers mention "Insight"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book insightful and valuable for ecologists. It provides a good overview of ecology, with descriptions of old papers and contemporary authors. Readers are provided with a good idea of the evolution of ecological thought. The commentary enhances the overall experience.

"...You get a pretty good idea of the evolution [sic] of ecological thought thanks to the way the papers have been organized, where you can literally..." Read more

"...has led to our current understanding of the field will validate current trends in ecology, as well as provide a setting for new perspectives...." Read more

"...It has been a very easy read yet very insightful." Read more

"A must-have book for all ecology grad students." Read more

6 customers mention "Text quality"2 positive4 negative

Customers have different views on the text quality. Some find it a great introduction to ecology, with helpful essays by modern ecologists. Others find the text difficult to read due to underlines and writing on small pages. The book is also reported as defective, with missing pages and commentaries on papers.

"This book is old and has stain marks. There are underlines and writing in it too. But everything else is in pretty good condition." Read more

"I purchased this book for a class that I grade for. It has been a very easy read yet very insightful." Read more

"Book is defective. Pages of text missing. Replacement is the same." Read more

"...the Kindle version for my ecology course, but it's missing all of the commentaries on the papers. So buy the actual print version." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on January 28, 2008
    This is a great collection of papers. Some of the papers included in this volume are not easily available online in the PDF format, nor are they available in too many libraries for loan, making this, in my opinion, a must-have for the serious ecology/evolution academic.

    You get a pretty good idea of the evolution [sic] of ecological thought thanks to the way the papers have been organized, where you can literally see concepts grow, develop, gain momentum, and then either get worshiped or completely rubbished.

    And the book really is well-organized. It is divided into several sections, peppered with insightful commentary that enhances the whole experience. What really makes this book such a pleasure to read, personally, is the emphasis in the first section of the book on old, descriptive ecological papers, which is a type of publication that (for better or for worse) seems to be completely missing from modern ecological discourse.

    I recommend this book to academic and armchair ecologists alike.
    6 people found this helpful
    Report
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2019
    A historical perspective of one's field is invaluable. This book is a collection of papers that reveal the foundations of ecology. Seeing the train of thought that has led to our current understanding of the field will validate current trends in ecology, as well as provide a setting for new perspectives. This collection of papers should be on the shelf of every ecologist.
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 9, 2013
    This book is old and has stain marks. There are underlines and writing in it too. But everything else is in pretty good condition.
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 2, 2013
    Do explain why you liked or disliked this product.
    Do compare to similar products and share how long you've used this product.
    Do identify specific attributes (e.g. comfort & fit of a shirt or the battery life of a camera) and whether they met your expectations.
    Don't describe your seller or shipping experience (you can do that at amazon.com/feedback).
    Don't include promotional content of any kind or reviews written in exchange for compensation
  • Reviewed in the United States on October 9, 2016
    I purchased this book for a class that I grade for. It has been a very easy read yet very insightful.
  • Reviewed in the United States on February 24, 2019
    A must-have book for all ecology grad students.
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2013
    Textbook for my graduate level "core" course in ecology. Can be supplemented by readings from contemporary authors for great coverage of many areas of ecology.
  • Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2018
    As long as i have been going to school i thought that ecology and evolutionary biology were scientific in origin. Through these assays i have found that this is not the case and far from it. Druids, orgies in nature, it almost seems like a fetish rather than science. Although it is interesting to find out how these ideas actually evolved into science.

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Andrea
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excelente libro
    Reviewed in Mexico on September 22, 2021
    Llegó en excelentes condiciones y un día antes de lo esperado.
  • Roddy
    4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed this very much
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on March 13, 2016
    Going through this was very interesting. Enjoyed it and there was plenty of content that I was able to use for my course writing.

Report an issue


Does this item contain inappropriate content?
Do you believe that this item violates a copyright?
Does this item contain quality or formatting issues?