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kristinn's review against another edition
3.0
Forståelig bok om urban evolusjon, støttet av interessante eksempler på arter og steder rundt om kring i verden.
For meg var det mest fascinerende å lese om nøtteknekkerkråkene i Japan. De fleste eksemplene og omtalte eksperimentene handler om insekter og fugler. Kunne gjerne hatt flere illustrasjoner av ulike arter forfatteren nevner, og av ulike metoder forskerne bruker i sine forsøk.
Kanskje helhetlig litt overfladisk og repetitivt? Til tider spennende, andre ganger litt treg og tørt, men det handler vel om subjektiv interesse.
For meg var det mest fascinerende å lese om nøtteknekkerkråkene i Japan. De fleste eksemplene og omtalte eksperimentene handler om insekter og fugler. Kunne gjerne hatt flere illustrasjoner av ulike arter forfatteren nevner, og av ulike metoder forskerne bruker i sine forsøk.
Kanskje helhetlig litt overfladisk og repetitivt? Til tider spennende, andre ganger litt treg og tørt, men det handler vel om subjektiv interesse.
cameliarose's review against another edition
4.0
Menno Schilthuizen is an optimist and pragmatist regarding the ongoing human vs nature (other species). If you skip the first and last chapter, and if you desperately want to believe humans are not the worst enemies of nature, you probably will feel happier after reading this book. I can understand the author's worry that rightwing anti-intellectuals or climate-change-deniers may misinterpret his book.
Darwin Comes to Town: How the Urban Jungle Drives Evolution is about the evolution brought on by humans, especially in cities. The author clarifies in the first chapter that the purpose of the book is not against nature conservation. He believes we should conserve as much wilderness as possible. However, he also thinks outside the pristine wilderness areas, traditional conversation practices--eradicating exotic species, vilifying weeds and pests--may in fact destroying echo systems that may sustain humankind in the future. He then argues for embracing and harnessing the evolution forces shaping novel ecosystems in the urban areas, and allowing nature to grow in the heart of cities.
In each chapter, the author gives an example of evolutions triggered or sped up by humans-- English peppered moth evolution, parakeet colonies in major European cities, birds changing their songs in cities, dandelion on the city pavement producing heavier seeds than those in the meadows, to name a few. Are crows pests or just smart birds filling up the new evolution niche created by humans? City blackbirds stop migration and could soon become a different species than their countryside cousins.
"Natural selection here is so strong that urban life forms evolute rapidly, but we must also remember all the examples of urban evolution in this book form a biased samples of those life forms that are pre-adapted variables or simply lucky enough to evolve and survive. For each successful urban species, there are dozens of other species could not adapt to city life and disappeared."
To my understanding, the author attempts to draw up a second-best scenario, where humans coexist with other species "peacefully".
Nature survive despite of us, not because of us.
Darwin Comes to Town: How the Urban Jungle Drives Evolution is about the evolution brought on by humans, especially in cities. The author clarifies in the first chapter that the purpose of the book is not against nature conservation. He believes we should conserve as much wilderness as possible. However, he also thinks outside the pristine wilderness areas, traditional conversation practices--eradicating exotic species, vilifying weeds and pests--may in fact destroying echo systems that may sustain humankind in the future. He then argues for embracing and harnessing the evolution forces shaping novel ecosystems in the urban areas, and allowing nature to grow in the heart of cities.
In each chapter, the author gives an example of evolutions triggered or sped up by humans-- English peppered moth evolution, parakeet colonies in major European cities, birds changing their songs in cities, dandelion on the city pavement producing heavier seeds than those in the meadows, to name a few. Are crows pests or just smart birds filling up the new evolution niche created by humans? City blackbirds stop migration and could soon become a different species than their countryside cousins.
"Natural selection here is so strong that urban life forms evolute rapidly, but we must also remember all the examples of urban evolution in this book form a biased samples of those life forms that are pre-adapted variables or simply lucky enough to evolve and survive. For each successful urban species, there are dozens of other species could not adapt to city life and disappeared."
To my understanding, the author attempts to draw up a second-best scenario, where humans coexist with other species "peacefully".
Nature survive despite of us, not because of us.
purplemist2002's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
inspiring
relaxing
medium-paced
5.0
ty_reads's review against another edition
3.0
Interesting books showcasing several intriguing case studies of animal and plant adaptations to the urban landscape.
However, I feel as though the author oversteps and assumes a lot in his arguments throughout as he builds the case for urban evolution.
His advocacy on behalf of invasive species in cities felt egregious, especially considering his stance on how frequently urban evolution occurs. These plants and animals can have even further impacts on parts of fragmented habitat within, surrounding, and eventually further on from cities.
His aversion to corridors seems purely because he likes the way animals adapt to city life.
All of this said, I think it’s worth the read to learn about the lesser known impacts of urban landscapes on flora and fauna.
However, I feel as though the author oversteps and assumes a lot in his arguments throughout as he builds the case for urban evolution.
His advocacy on behalf of invasive species in cities felt egregious, especially considering his stance on how frequently urban evolution occurs. These plants and animals can have even further impacts on parts of fragmented habitat within, surrounding, and eventually further on from cities.
His aversion to corridors seems purely because he likes the way animals adapt to city life.
All of this said, I think it’s worth the read to learn about the lesser known impacts of urban landscapes on flora and fauna.
cannot_cross_water's review against another edition
4.0
A good humoured easy read on the diversity of urban habitats.
thesundayshelfie's review against another edition
3.0
3.5. Had a lot of really great insights and anecdotes but also found some passages to be dragging me through, reminding me why I hated science classes in school.