Introduction to Cultural Ecology
This badly needed book does a good job updating what we know about the ecological relationships between people and their habitats. The first four chapters provide a broad, worldwide perspective on the theory and history of cultural ecology, placing the specialty in a wider anthropological context. The next five chapters cover the four major human subsistence types (hunting and gathering, horticulture, pastoralism, and intensive agriculture) and discuss at length the important consequences of domesticating plants and animals. The four "subsistence type" chapters are richly illustrated by a number of case studies and contain well-cited discussions of relevant anthropological issues. The concluding chapter relates the cross-cultural study of cultural ecology to modern environmental issues and problems of interest to all people today. This book is well organized and the writing clear and concise. The references cited section is a valuable research tool, and the glossary is useful for defining the more technical terms used in the field. Highly recommended. Serious undergraduate readers as well as more advanced professionals. (Choice)