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| A Buzz in the Meadow : The Natural History of a French Farm
ISBN: 9781250065896
Platform/Publisher: Ebook Central / Pan Macmillan
Digital rights: Users: Unlimited; Printing: Limited; Download: 7 Days at a Time
Subjects: Science; Science: Biology/ Natural History;
In 2003, British biologist Goulson (A Sting in the Tale) bought Chez Nauche, "a derelict farm deep in the heart of rural France," with the intention of establishing a wildlife sanctuary: "a place where butterflies, dragonflies, voles and newts could thrive, free from the pressures of modern agriculture." Discussion in this nostalgic and earnest volume revolves around the plants and animals that live on Goulson's "little corner of the French countryside," and he reflects on his professional past while looking to the future. Ever the scientist, Goulson details the ways in which "creatures in the meadow" are connected to one another as well as to their surroundings. He champions their delicate ecosystem, urging readers to "cherish life on Earth in all its forms," and he explains many of the roles that insects play. "They can be predators, parasites, herbivores or detritivores." Some live in large colonies. Others spend years alone in the darkness. Chapters on the "extraordinarily varied and often bizarre" mating habits of insects prove especially intriguing. Whether he's describing the quotidian existence of insects on his farm or sounding cautionary notes about the natural environment, Goulson appreciates the smallest things in the world and hopes others can do the same. (May) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
DAVE GOULSON studied biology at Oxford University and is now a professor of biological sciences at the University of Stirling. He founded the Bumblebee Conservation Trust in 2006, whose groundbreaking conservation work earned him the Heritage Lottery Award for Best Environmental Project and "Social Innovator of the Year" from the Biology and Biotechnology Research Council. His previous book, A Sting in the Tale, was a Seattle Times Best Book of the Year, and shortlisted for the Samuel Johnson Prize. |
