Solutions of World Resources

An understanding of basic ecological principles can help prevent ecological disasters like those we have described. Understanding how matter is cycled and recycled in nature, how populations grow, and how organisms in our lakes and forests use energy is fundamental to preserving the environment. There are no easy solutions to our ecological problems. Unless we deal with the problem of human overpopulation, however, solving the other problems will be impossible. We must work as a world community to prevent the spread of disease, famine, and other forms of suffering that accompany over-population. Bold and imaginative steps toward improved social and economic conditions and better resource management are needed. “Wildlife Alerts’’ that appear at the end of each chapter in the first two parts of this text remind us of the peril that an unprecedented number of species face around the world. Endangered or threatened species from a diverse group of animal phyla are highlighted.