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Ecological Sustainability: Understanding Complex Issues
by Robert B. Northrop Anne N. ConnorComplex systems is a new field of science studying how parts of a system give rise to the collective behaviors of the system, and how the system interacts with its environment. This book examines the complex systems involved in environmental sustainability, and examines the technologies involved to help mitigate human impacts, such as renewable ene
Ecological Systems
by Rik LeemansEarth is home to an estimated 8 million animal species, 600,000 fungi, 300,000 plants, and an undetermined number of microbial species. Of these animal, fungal, and plant species, an estimated 75% have yet to be identified. Moreover, the interactions between these species and their physical environment are known to an even lesser degree. At the same time, the earth's biota faces the prospect of climate change, which may manifest slowly or extremely rapidly, as well as a human population set to grow by two billion by 2045 from the current seven billion. Given these major ecological changes, we cannot wait for a complete biota data set before assessing, planning, and acting to preserve the ecological balance of the earth. This book provides comprehensive coverage of the scientific and engineering basis of the systems ecology of the earth in 15 detailed, peer-reviewed entries written for a broad audience of undergraduate and graduate students as well as practicing professionals in government, academia, and industry. The methodology presented aims at identifying key interactions and environmental effects, and enabling a systems-level understanding even with our present state of factual knowledge.
Ecological Transition in Education and Research
by Hassan Ait Haddou Dimitri Toubanos Philippe VillienThis book centers on climate change, a pressing issue in the ecological transition, particularly for landscape and architecture schools.The scientific realities and consequences of this phenomenon are becoming increasingly well-known and it is now evident that architecture, urban planning and landscaping all have the potential to mitigate these consequences.Ecological Transition in Education and Research is a multidisciplinary collective work, intended to raise awareness of adaptation and mitigation strategies such as action-research, educational innovations and concrete transition practices that embrace different schools of thought. The overall goal is to promote educational practices and research on climate change.
Ecological Urbanism of Yoruba Cities in Nigeria: An Ecosystem Services Approach (Cities and Nature)
by Joseph Adeniran AdedejiThis book offers in-depth ethnographic analyses of key informants’ interviews on the ecological urbanism and ecosystem services (ES) of selected green infrastructure (GI) in Yoruba cities of Ile-Ife, Ibadan, Osogbo, Lagos, Abeokuta, Akure, Ondo, among others in Southwest Nigeria. It examines the Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS) demonstrated for wellbeing through home gardens by this largest ethno-linguistic group in Nigeria. This is in addition to the ES of Osun Grove UNESCO World Heritage Site, Osogbo; Biological Garden and Park, Akure; Lekki Conservation Centre, Lagos; Adekunle Fajuyi Park, Ado-Ekiti; Muri Okunola Park, Lagos; and some institutional GI including University of Ibadan Botanical Gardens, Ibadan; Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta Botanical Garden, Abeokuta; and University of Lagos Lagoon Front Resort, Lagos, Nigeria. The study draws on theoretical praxis of Western biophilic ideologies, spirit ontologies of the Global South, and largely, Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (2005) to examine eco-cultural green spaces, home gardens, and English-types of parks and gardens as archetypes of GI in Yoruba traditional urbanism, colonial and post-colonial city planning. The book provides methods of achieving a form of modernized traditionalism as means of translating the IKS into design strategies for eco-cultural cities. The strategies are framework, model, and ethnographic design algorithms that are syntheses of the lived experiences of the key informants.
Ecological Vignettes
by Eugene P OdumFirst Published in 2004. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.
Ecological Wisdom Inspired Restoration Engineering (EcoWISE)
by Abhijit Mukherjee Varenyam AchalThis book focuses on ecological wisdom inspired restoration engineering through theories, hypotheses, policies, practical understanding, and case studies. Understanding nature’s processes is a prerequisite for the healthy and sustainable functioning of a habitable Earth. As such, the book provides a guide for readers seeking to understand and build sustainable, urban socio-ecological systems using restoration technologies based on wisdom. Motivated by recent rapid advances in restoration engineering, such as the role of green building materials in urban infrastructures, and developing sustainable landscapes to benefit the environment, economy and communities, it is an essential reference on the most promising innovative technologies. It discusses engineering methods and practices in the restoration of soil, water, heritage sites, and other ecosystems, as well as the development and applications of green building materials. It presents a holistic and systematic approach that utilizes natural resources and the concept of ecological wisdom to reap sustainable environmental, economic and social benefits to fulfill the concept of living in harmony with nature. This book is a valuable resource for civil- and environmental engineering researchers as well as organizations engaged in eco-restoration practices.
Ecological Wisdom: Theory and Practice (EcoWISE)
by Bo Yang Robert Fredrick YoungThis book offers an introduction to the theory and practice of ecological wisdom (EW). EW is the integration of robust contemporary science with proven cultural and historical practices to identify long-term, sustainable solutions to problems of environmental management and urban design. The book combines theoretical concepts with specific case studies, illustrating the opportunities for interdisciplinary approaches combining historical experience, cultural context, and contemporary science as effective strategies for addressing complex problems confronting metropolitan and rural environmental and resource management in areas such as land use, water management, materials and building engineering, urban planning, and architecture and design. EW transcends the limitations in these fields of the normative approaches of modernity or traditional wisdom by offering a new, synthetic strategy to address socio-ecological issues. By presenting these ideas both theoretically and through existing case studies, the book provides researchers, practitioners and students with a powerful new perspective in developing long-term, resilient solutions to existing socio-environmental challenges. It is intended mainly for those working or interested in the fields of sustainable environmental and resource management, city and regional planning, architecture and design, civil engineering, landscape architecture, and the philosophy of science, particularly those with an ecological or sustainability focus.
Ecological and Economic Entomology: A Global Synthesis
by Brian FreemanEcological and Economic Entomology is a comprehensive advanced text covering all aspects of the role of insects in natural ecosystems and their impacts on human activity. The book is divided into two sections. The first section begins with an outline of the structure, classification and importance of insects, followed by the geographical aspects of plant distribution and the complex defences plants marshal against herbivorous insects. Insect pests affecting plant roots, stem, leaf, and reproductive systems are covered in a comprehensive review. This section also covers insects that are important in medical and veterinary science, paying particular attention to those that transmit pathogens. The section concludes with the beneficial aspects of insects, especially their use in biological control, but also as soil formers and their importance in forensic science. Autecology (or single-species ecology) and its application to pest management is the focus of the second section of the book. Firstly, some general aspects of autecology are examined, including species abundance, competition and speciation, and relevant genetics. The classic general theories of insect population dynamics are reviewed, followed by chapters on life tables, time series analysis and mathematical models in insect populations. The final chapter reviews the application of autecology to the insect pests of forests, farms and orchards and to the control of insect vectors of diseases of humans and livestock. Particular attention is paid to environmentally friendly methods of pest management and the application of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques. This volume is essential reading for professional entomologists and advanced students of agricultural, medical and veterinary entomology, insect ecology and conservation.
Ecological and Evolutionary Modelling (SpringerBriefs in Ecology)
by Cang Hui Pietro Landi Henintsoa Onivola Minoarivelo Andriamihaja RamanantoaninaEcology studies biodiversity in its variety and complexity. It describes how species distribute and perform in response to environmental changes. Ecological processes and structures are highly complex and adaptive. In order to quantify emerging ecological patterns and investigate their hidden mechanisms, we need to rely on the simplicity of mathematical language. Ecological patterns are emerging structures observed in populations, communities and ecosystems. Elucidating drivers behind ecological patterns can greatly improve our knowledge of how ecosystems assemble, function and respond to change and perturbation. Mathematical ecology has, thus, become an important interdisciplinary research field that can provide answers to complex global issues, such as climate change and biological invasions.The aim of this book is to (i) introduce key concepts in ecology and evolution, (ii) explain classic and recent important mathematical models for investigating ecological and evolutionary dynamics, and (iii) provide real examples in ecology/biology/environmental sciences that have used these models to address relevant issues. Readers are exposed to the key concepts, frameworks, and terminology in the studies of ecology and evolution, which will enable them to ask the correct and relevant research questions, and frame the questions using appropriate mathematical models.
Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology, volume 97 number 1 (January/February 2024)
by Ecological and Evolutionary PhysiologyThis is volume 97 issue 1 of Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology. Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology primarily publishes original research in physiological ecology, ecophysiology, comparative physiology, and evolutionary physiology. Studies at all levels of biological organization from the molecular to the whole organism are welcome, and work that integrates across levels of organization is particularly encouraged. Studies that focus on behavior or morphology are welcome, so long as they include ties to physiology or biochemistry, in addition to having an ecological or evolutionary context. Subdisciplines of interest include nutrition and digestion, salt and water balance, epithelial and membrane transport, gas exchange and transport, acid-base balance, temperature adaptation, energetics, structure and function of macromolecules, chemical coordination and signal transduction, nitrogen metabolism and excretion, locomotion and muscle function, biomechanics, circulation, behavioral, comparative and mechanistic endocrinology, sensory physiology, neural coordination, and ecotoxicology ecoimmunology.
Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology, volume 97 number 2 (March/April 2024)
by Ecological and Evolutionary PhysiologyThis is volume 97 issue 2 of Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology. Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology primarily publishes original research in physiological ecology, ecophysiology, comparative physiology, and evolutionary physiology. Studies at all levels of biological organization from the molecular to the whole organism are welcome, and work that integrates across levels of organization is particularly encouraged. Studies that focus on behavior or morphology are welcome, so long as they include ties to physiology or biochemistry, in addition to having an ecological or evolutionary context. Subdisciplines of interest include nutrition and digestion, salt and water balance, epithelial and membrane transport, gas exchange and transport, acid-base balance, temperature adaptation, energetics, structure and function of macromolecules, chemical coordination and signal transduction, nitrogen metabolism and excretion, locomotion and muscle function, biomechanics, circulation, behavioral, comparative and mechanistic endocrinology, sensory physiology, neural coordination, and ecotoxicology ecoimmunology.
Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology, volume 97 number 3 (May/June 2024)
by Ecological and Evolutionary PhysiologyThis is volume 97 issue 3 of Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology. Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology primarily publishes original research in physiological ecology, ecophysiology, comparative physiology, and evolutionary physiology. Studies at all levels of biological organization from the molecular to the whole organism are welcome, and work that integrates across levels of organization is particularly encouraged. Studies that focus on behavior or morphology are welcome, so long as they include ties to physiology or biochemistry, in addition to having an ecological or evolutionary context. Subdisciplines of interest include nutrition and digestion, salt and water balance, epithelial and membrane transport, gas exchange and transport, acid-base balance, temperature adaptation, energetics, structure and function of macromolecules, chemical coordination and signal transduction, nitrogen metabolism and excretion, locomotion and muscle function, biomechanics, circulation, behavioral, comparative and mechanistic endocrinology, sensory physiology, neural coordination, and ecotoxicology ecoimmunology.
Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology, volume 97 number 4 (July/August 2024)
by Ecological and Evolutionary PhysiologyThis is volume 97 issue 4 of Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology. Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology primarily publishes original research in physiological ecology, ecophysiology, comparative physiology, and evolutionary physiology. Studies at all levels of biological organization from the molecular to the whole organism are welcome, and work that integrates across levels of organization is particularly encouraged. Studies that focus on behavior or morphology are welcome, so long as they include ties to physiology or biochemistry, in addition to having an ecological or evolutionary context. Subdisciplines of interest include nutrition and digestion, salt and water balance, epithelial and membrane transport, gas exchange and transport, acid-base balance, temperature adaptation, energetics, structure and function of macromolecules, chemical coordination and signal transduction, nitrogen metabolism and excretion, locomotion and muscle function, biomechanics, circulation, behavioral, comparative and mechanistic endocrinology, sensory physiology, neural coordination, and ecotoxicology ecoimmunology.
Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology, volume 97 number 5 (September/October 2024)
by Ecological and Evolutionary PhysiologyThis is volume 97 issue 5 of Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology. Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology primarily publishes original research in physiological ecology, ecophysiology, comparative physiology, and evolutionary physiology. Studies at all levels of biological organization from the molecular to the whole organism are welcome, and work that integrates across levels of organization is particularly encouraged. Studies that focus on behavior or morphology are welcome, so long as they include ties to physiology or biochemistry, in addition to having an ecological or evolutionary context. Subdisciplines of interest include nutrition and digestion, salt and water balance, epithelial and membrane transport, gas exchange and transport, acid-base balance, temperature adaptation, energetics, structure and function of macromolecules, chemical coordination and signal transduction, nitrogen metabolism and excretion, locomotion and muscle function, biomechanics, circulation, behavioral, comparative and mechanistic endocrinology, sensory physiology, neural coordination, and ecotoxicology ecoimmunology.
Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology, volume 97 number 6 (November/December 2024)
by Ecological and Evolutionary PhysiologyThis is volume 97 issue 6 of Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology. Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology primarily publishes original research in physiological ecology, ecophysiology, comparative physiology, and evolutionary physiology. Studies at all levels of biological organization from the molecular to the whole organism are welcome, and work that integrates across levels of organization is particularly encouraged. Studies that focus on behavior or morphology are welcome, so long as they include ties to physiology or biochemistry, in addition to having an ecological or evolutionary context. Subdisciplines of interest include nutrition and digestion, salt and water balance, epithelial and membrane transport, gas exchange and transport, acid-base balance, temperature adaptation, energetics, structure and function of macromolecules, chemical coordination and signal transduction, nitrogen metabolism and excretion, locomotion and muscle function, biomechanics, circulation, behavioral, comparative and mechanistic endocrinology, sensory physiology, neural coordination, and ecotoxicology ecoimmunology.
Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology, volume 98 number 1 (January/February 2025)
by Ecological and Evolutionary PhysiologyThis is volume 98 issue 1 of Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology. Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology primarily publishes original research in physiological ecology, ecophysiology, comparative physiology, and evolutionary physiology. Studies at all levels of biological organization from the molecular to the whole organism are welcome, and work that integrates across levels of organization is particularly encouraged. Studies that focus on behavior or morphology are welcome, so long as they include ties to physiology or biochemistry, in addition to having an ecological or evolutionary context. Subdisciplines of interest include nutrition and digestion, salt and water balance, epithelial and membrane transport, gas exchange and transport, acid-base balance, temperature adaptation, energetics, structure and function of macromolecules, chemical coordination and signal transduction, nitrogen metabolism and excretion, locomotion and muscle function, biomechanics, circulation, behavioral, comparative and mechanistic endocrinology, sensory physiology, neural coordination, and ecotoxicology ecoimmunology.
Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology, volume 98 number 2 (March/April 2025)
by Ecological and Evolutionary PhysiologyThis is volume 98 issue 2 of Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology. Ecological and Evolutionary Physiology primarily publishes original research in physiological ecology, ecophysiology, comparative physiology, and evolutionary physiology. Studies at all levels of biological organization from the molecular to the whole organism are welcome, and work that integrates across levels of organization is particularly encouraged. Studies that focus on behavior or morphology are welcome, so long as they include ties to physiology or biochemistry, in addition to having an ecological or evolutionary context. Subdisciplines of interest include nutrition and digestion, salt and water balance, epithelial and membrane transport, gas exchange and transport, acid-base balance, temperature adaptation, energetics, structure and function of macromolecules, chemical coordination and signal transduction, nitrogen metabolism and excretion, locomotion and muscle function, biomechanics, circulation, behavioral, comparative and mechanistic endocrinology, sensory physiology, neural coordination, and ecotoxicology ecoimmunology.
Ecological and Practical Applications for Sustainable Agriculture
by Rana Pratap Singh Kuldeep Bauddh Sanjeev Kumar John KorstadRampant industrialization, urbanization, and population growth have resulted in increased global environmental contamination. The productivity of agricultural soil is drastically deteriorated and requires a high dose of fertilizers to cultivate crops. To ensure food security, farmers are compelled to apply excess chemical fertilizers and insecticides that contaminate soil, air, and water. Heavy loads of chemical fertilizers not only degrade the quality of agricultural land but also pollute water and air. Use of chemical fertilizers also accelerate the release of greenhouse gases like nitrous oxide and methane along with nutrient runoff from the watershed in to lower elevation rivers and lakes, resulting in cultural eutrophication.Farming practices globally in developed, developing, and under-developing countries should utilize and promote sustainable methods through viable combined environmental, social, and economic means that improve rather than harm future generations. This can include use of non-synthetic fertilizers like compost, vermicompost, slow-release fertilizers, farmyard manures, crop rotations that include nitrogen-fixing legumes. Organic fertilizers like compost and vermicompost improve soil properties like texture, porosity, water-holding capacity, organic matter, as well as nutrient availability. The purpose of this book is to document the available alternatives of synthetic fertilizers, their mode of action, efficiency, preparation methodology, practical suggestions for sustainable practices, and needed research focus. The book will cover major disciplines like plant science, environmental science, agricultural science, agricultural biotechnology and microbiology, horticulture, soil science, atmospheric science, agro-forestry, agronomy, and ecology. This book is helpful for farmers, scientists, industrialists, research scholars, masters and graduate students, non-governmental organizations, financial advisers, and policy makers.
Ecological-Economic Modelling for Biodiversity Conservation (Ecology, Biodiversity and Conservation)
by Martin DrechslerEcologists and economists both use models to help develop strategies for biodiversity management. The practical use of disciplinary models, however, can be limited because ecological models tend not to address the socioeconomic dimension of biodiversity management, whereas economic models tend to neglect the ecological dimension. Given these shortcomings of disciplinary models, there is a necessity to combine ecological and economic knowledge into ecological-economic models. Gradually guiding the reader into the field of ecological-economic modelling by introducing mathematical models and their role in general, this book provides an overview on ecological and economic modelling approaches relevant for research in the field of biodiversity conservation. It discusses the advantages of and challenges associated with ecological-economic modelling, together with an overview of useful ways of integration. Although being a book about mathematical modelling, ecological and economic concepts play an equally important role, making it accessible for readers from very different disciplinary backgrounds.
Ecologically Based Weed Management: Concepts, Challenges, and Limitations
by Nicholas E. Korres Ilias S. Travlos Thomas K. GitsopoulosEcologically Based Weed Management Protect crop yields and strengthen ecosystems with this essential guide Research into weed management is an increasingly critical component of both environmental stewardship and food production. The potential cost of weed propagation can be measured in crop yield reductions, under-nourished populations, stymied economies, and more. The propagation of herbicide-resistant weed populations means that purely chemical weed management is no longer viable; food production can now be secured only with an ecological approach to weed control. Ecologically Based Weed Management details such approaches and their potential to manage weeds across a range of agricultural and environmental contexts. It emphasizes the deployment of ecological principles to prevent weed infestations, reduce crop losses, and strengthen ecosystems. In a time when growing population and changing climates are placing enormous pressure on global food production, this approach to weed management has never been more vital. Ecologically Based Weed Management readers will also find: A global team of expert contributors to a multidisciplinary approach Detailed discussion of topics like herbicide limitation, integrated weed management, and more Insights pertinent to agriculture, academia, government, industry, and more Ecologically Based Weed Management is ideal for researchers in agriculture chemistry, weed science, agronomy, ecology, and related fields, as well as for regulators and advanced students.
Ecologically Mediated Development: Promoting Biodiversity Conservation and Food Security (Sustainable Development and Biodiversity #41)
by Hanuman Singh Jatav Tatiana Minkina Vishnu D. RaiputThis edited volume addresses the critical need to balance biodiversity preservation with ensuring a nutritious and ample food supply for the growing global population. It emphasizes how conserving biodiversity enhances agricultural resilience, promotes sustainable food production, and safeguards food security for present and future generations. The book explores the complex interdependence between biodiversity and food security, identifying both challenges and threats, presenting solutions and strategies, and examining the roles of policies, governance, regulations, and international agreements. It highlights the importance of fostering research and raising awareness to promote sustainable agricultural practices, biodiversity conservation, and equitable resource access essential for long-term food security. The book includes real-world case studies and examples from different regions to demonstrate successful initiatives and the impact of biodiversity conservation on local food systems. This book provides a platform for researchers, conservationists, and policymakers to exchange knowledge and ideas on integrating biodiversity conservation into food security initiatives. It is a compilation of information by the experts and will be useful for researchers in the fields of botany, agriculture, nutrition, policy making and biotechnology.
Ecologically Unequal Exchange: Environmental Injustice in Comparative and Historical Perspective
by Harry F. Dahms R. Scott Frey Paul K. GellertAt a time of societal urgency surrounding ecological crises from depleted fisheries to mineral extraction and potential pathways towards environmental and ecological justice, this book re-examines ecologically unequal exchange (EUE) from a historical and comparative perspective. The theory of ecologically unequal exchange posits that core or northern consumption and capital accumulation is based on peripheral or southern environmental degradation and extraction. In other words, structures of social and environmental inequality between the Global North and Global South are founded in the extraction of materials from, as well as displacement of waste to, the South. This volume represents a set of tightly interlinked papers with the aim to assess ecologically unequal exchange and to move it forward. Chapters are organised into three main sections: theoretical foundations and critical reflections on ecologically unequal exchange; empirical research on mining, deforestation, fisheries, and the like; and strategies for responding to the adverse consequences associated with unequal ecological exchange. Scholars as well as advanced undergraduate and graduate students will benefit from the spirited re-evaluation and extension of ecologically unequal exchange theory, research, and praxis.
Ecologics: Wind and Power in the Anthropocene
by Cymene HoweBetween 2009 and 2013 Cymene Howe and Dominic Boyer conducted fieldwork in Mexico's Isthmus of Tehuantepec to examine the political, social, and ecological dimensions of moving from fossil fuels to wind power. Their work manifested itself as a new ethnographic form: the duograph—a combination of two single-authored books that draw on shared fieldsites, archives, and encounters that can be productively read together, yet can also stand alone in their analytic ambitions. In her volume, Ecologics, Howe narrates how an antidote to the Anthropocene became both failure and success. Tracking the development of what would have been Latin America's largest wind park, Howe documents indigenous people's resistance to the project and the political and corporate climate that derailed its renewable energy potential. Using feminist and more-than-human theories, Howe demonstrates how the dynamics of energy and environment cannot be captured without understanding how human aspirations for energy articulate with nonhuman beings, technomaterial objects, and the geophysical forces that are at the heart of wind and power.
Ecologies Design: Transforming Architecture, Landscape, and Urbanism (Routledge Research in Sustainable Urbanism)
by Peter Connolly Maibritt Pedersen Zari Mark SouthcombeThe notion of ecology has become central to contemporary design discourse. This reflects contemporary concerns for our planet and a new understanding of the primary entanglement of the human species with the rest of the world.The use of the term ‘ecology’ with design tends to refer to how to integrate ecologies into design and cities and be understood in a biologically-scientific and technical sense. In practice, this scientific-technical knowledge tends to be only loosely employed. The notion of ecology is also often used metaphorically in relation to the social use of space and cities. This book argues that what it calls the ‘biological’ and ‘social’ senses of ecology are both important and require distinctly different types of knowledge and practice. It proposes that science needs to be taken much more seriously in ‘biological ecologies’, and that ‘social ecologies’ can now be understood non-metaphorically as assemblages. Furthermore, this book argues that design practice itself can be understood much more rigorously, productively and relevantly if understood ecologically. The plural term ‘ecologies design’ refers to these three types of ecological design. This book is unique in bringing these three perspectives on ecological design together in one place. It is significant in proposing that a strong sense of ecologies design practice will only follow from the interconnection of these three types of practice. Ecologies Design brings together leading international experts and relevant case studies in the form of edited research essays, case studies and project work. It provides an overarching critique of current ecologically-oriented approaches and offers evidence and exploration of emerging and effective methods, techniques and concepts. It will be of great interest to academics, professionals and students in the built environment disciplines.
Ecologies of Comparison: An Ethnography of Endangerment in Hong Kong
by Timothy ChoyA rich ethnography of ecopolitics in Hong Kong in the late 1990s, as the region shifted to Chinese sovereignty, Ecologies of Comparison describes how ecological concepts of uniqueness and scale resonated among environmentalists, including those seeking to preserve a species of white dolphin, to protect an aging fishing village from redevelopment, and to legitimize air quality as an object of political and medical concern. During his research, Tim Choy became increasingly interested in the power of the notion of specificity. While documenting the expert and lay production of Hong Kong's biological, cultural, and political specificities, he began comparing the logics and narrative forms that made different types of specificity--such as species, culture, locality, and state autonomy--possible and meaningful. He came to understand these logics and forms as "ecologies of comparison," conceptual practices through which an event or form of life comes to matter in environmentalist and other political terms. Choy's ethnography is about environmentalism, Hong Kong, and the ways that we think about environmentalism in Hong Kong and other places. It is also about how politics, freedom, culture, expertise, and other concepts figure in comparison-based knowledge practices.