Nature Literature discussion

Please add your comments about The Sixth Extinction here. Sorry about the delay, everyone!

Well you really didn't have to share this information. I already have about 2500 natural history books and this site will just feed the habit. But in reality - thanks! The addict just scored another source!!!

What a find Rach! Thanks for sharing; John's site is a terrific resource for more nature books.

Looks like a good resource.

I was surprised, similarly, to learn that no one really talked about extinct species before Cuvier.

I'm just finishing the 2nd chapter on mastodons but I feel like I've picked up some new information in each chapter already. I'd never heard of this fungi epidemic with the amphibians and, like Ray, I couldn't believe extinct species weren't even a thought in anyone's head until just a few centuries ago.
She really is a good writer and there's no better testament to that than my 15 year old daughter who had to read this for her AP class as a summer assignment. Even after being forced to make 3 annotations on every page, even after completing a written assignment when she was done, and even after losing most of her last week of summer in order to finish this book, she still handed it over to me and told me how much she liked it.

The fungi afflicting amphibians has been known for quite a while, but has gotten very little attention. It is a major issue in biodiversity, and obviously a human impact via breaking down the barriers of biogeography.

Ray wrote: "The fungi afflicting amphibians has been known for quite a while, but has gotten very little attention. It is a major issue in biodiversity, and obviously a human impact via breaking down the barri..."

Yes, it is such a dramatic shift in the status of the amphibians. It seems like nobody really cannot agree on the reasons for their demise. It seems like a perfect storm combining a bit everything from habitat destruction, disease (the fungus), ozone (increased UV), decreased water quality (water pollution) and climate change. However, the fungus seems ominous. By the way (as you may know), another fungal disease is wiping out salamanders in Europe and another one a very large proportion of the bats in North America. It is a bit overwhelming at times to follow the demise of species.

I read an older (well, late 70s - older in terms of conservation status) book about birds over the summer (Vanishing Birds: Their Natural History and Conservation). It had some powerful information about some of the amazing bird species that have gone extinct of the last couple of centuries. The iconic ones were the Great Auk, the Passenger Pigeon, the Dodo, the Carolina Parakeet, the Solitaire and (unfortunately) many more species. The pigeons and the parakeets were extremely abundant. I learned that Audubon estimated a flock of Passenger Pigeons to be of the size of 300 miles long and 3-4 miles wide. I cannot quite imagine such a large mass of birds darkening the skies. The fell prey to hunting (we ate them literally) as well as habitat destruction (we cut down the mass of the forest habitat on the east coast that they depended on). Regardless, it was a great read. Even though it was dated it clearly explain the stories of these amazing species that are now wiped out from the Earth's fauna.

John wrote: "She really is a good writer and there's no better testament to that than my 15 year old daughter who had to read this for her AP class as a summer assignment. ."

I love how a high school teacher assigned this book for an AP assignment! It sounds like your daughter really took on this project with great determination? Was it a biology class or was it specifically a class focused on the environment?

Rach wrote: "I'm wondering if the meteor theory is now considered doctrine or if there is still debate.."

People seem to argue about how the dynamics of the ecosystems changed after the trigger of the meteor impact. The connection does not seem to be arbitrary.

Rach wrote: "I read the first chapter last night. I'm finding this book to be fascinating, terrifying, and quite well-written."

Like you I am always terrified when I read these types of book. I subscribe to the idea that doses of terror help us to become more aware and to actively participate in trying to build a sustainable world. I guess one could also respond by trying to escape it all. After all, bad news are not pleasant to listen to. What do you think?

Rach wrote: "we are now in the anthropocene."

It is amazing that scientists are debating to actually name a new geological epoch because of humanity's impact on the Earth. I cannot quite wrap my head around the magnitude of these issues. Kolbert wrote an article in National Geographic back in 2011 with these pictures:

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/201...

from:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/201...

Haaze wrote: "Rach wrote: "we are now in the anthropocene."

It is amazing that scientists are debating to actually name a new geological epoch because of humanity's impact on the Earth. I cannot quite wrap my h..."

I wonder if such articles will continue to appear with the change of ownership at National Geographic.

Ray wrote: "I wonder if such articles will continue to appear with the change of ownership at National Geographic. "

@Ray

I'm not familiar with the change. Please fill me in, Ray. Which entity bought National Geographic? It is true that NG has had quite an array of articles linked to the environment over the las ten years (especially climate change). NYT have been very good about writing about environmental issues as well.

@Ray

I'm not familiar with the change. Please fill me in, Ray. Which entity bo..."

Rupert Murdoch now owns National Geographic. https://www.theguardian.com/media/201...

Ray wrote: "Rupert Murdoch now owns National Geographic. https://www.theguardian.com/media/201...-..."

That's awful! I would expect a change as well. Hmm, I will do a little analysis of the content of the last year's issues.....

Haaze, actually the class is neither. It is a research based class called AP Seminar. The book was one of 3 or 4 she had to choose from.

John wrote: "Haaze, actually the class is neither. It is a research based class called AP Seminar. The book was one of 3 or 4 she had to choose from."

No specific environmental theme?

Nope

Do you think that a book like Kolbert's will make a difference in changing humanity's path towards environmental disaster? After all, the book has been highly recognized and won several awards. It is amazing that the Guardian listed the book on their best nonfiction of all time in February 2016.
https://www.theguardian.com/books/201...

This is an interesting lecture by Elizabeth Kolbert:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zy28V...

Haaze wrote: "Do you think that a book like Kolbert's will make a difference in changing humanity's path towards environmental disaster? After all, the book has been highly recognized and won several awards. It ..."

John wrote: "Nope"

No difference at all. Battles like this are won and lost on slogans and talking points. Actual analysis of the issues is beyond the reach of socio/political movements. I think Machiavelli painted the picture pretty accurately in The Prince. This, of course, assumes that anything we do in response to environmental threats actually makes a difference, and that item is also debatable.

Ray I was actually saying nope to her posted question to me about the theme of my daughter's class.
I don't know that the book will make a huge difference but the fact that it's being read in advanced high school classes across the country isn't a bad thing.

I agree, but I think it at least has a minor effect in terms of distributing information. Along the same lines, I think that the culture has very little awareness about the human impact on the biological systems surrounding us all. The baseline for the last fifty years is deforestation, cityscapes and indoor environments agricultural fields, overfished waters, polluted waters (nobody in the US drinks from open water sources), no large predators etc etc. Even in our highly educated rich world the awareness is lacking. The connection to nature is also absent. It seems like we only react to very "fast" events such as a flood or an earthquake versus the "slow" century long processes of climate changes or deforestation. Perhaps we need a disaster to be able to move towards a sustainable world view? Climate change is definitely moving into the media realm so awareness in increasing. Fast enough?
Some of the European nations (like Germany) are moving in the right direction. Their energy policies are challenging but definitely in the direction of sustainability.
Kolbert's book and activity among many others adds to our awareness level if we choose to be exposed, to read it, think about the issues and then hopefully participate in trying to change our ways in the world as individuals or as a community.

Why do you think Kolbert won a Pulitzer for this book?

Haaze wrote: "Why do you think Kolbert won a Pulitzer for this book?"

Only the selection committee knows for sure, but it is well written and well researched.

Rach wrote: "People like ourselves reading it is a bit like preaching to the choir. ."

That is very true Rach! In the same fashion, wouldn't it be the same audience that would check out the book at the library or purchase the book in a bookstore? I guess the larger question is if books is the right type of media to convey such an important environmental message? One could possibly argue that the readers (the environmentally inclined) become better educated and can participate more efficiently (and with more knowledge) in the community? But how does one convey such a message to decision makers that are not making sustainable choices?

I am still only halfway through the book. It is dense prose, but well worth the read.

A interesting article in today's NYT focusing on how the executive branch of our government is attempting to mitigate climate change:

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/08/us/...

Haaze wrote: "Rach wrote: "I'm wondering if the meteor theory is now considered doctrine or if there is still debate.."

People seem to argue about how the dynamics of the ecosystems changed after the trigger of..."

People will argue about all of these issues even after physical evidence - like flooded coastlines - has arrived.

I found the portion on the Neanderthal genome particularly interesting. Humans many well have caused their extinction as well as that of the megafauna.