Review of: Dorothy J. Howell, Ecology for Environmental Professionals (Quorum Books 1994). Appendices, bibliographical references, figures, glossary, index, preface, tables. LC 93-5580; ISBN 0-89930-745-0 [215 pp. Cloth $59.95. 88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881.

McManus, Karla Sievers

English

UNH Scholars' Repository

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)Volume 6 | Number 2 Article 14March 1995Review of: Dorothy J. Howell, Ecology forEnvironmental Professionals (Quorum Books1994)Karla Sievers McManusFollow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/riskPart of the Law Commons, Life Sciences Commons, Physical Sciences and MathematicsCommons, and the Social and Behavioral Sciences CommonsThis Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the University of New Hampshire – School of Law at University of New HampshireScholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002) by an authorized editor of University ofNew Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact ellen.phillips@law.unh.edu.Repository CitationKarla Sievers McManus, Review of: Dorothy J. Howell, Ecology for Environmental Professionals (Quorum Books 1994), 6 RISK 185(1995).Book ReviewsDorothy J. Howell, Ecology for Environmental Professionals (QuorumBooks 1994). Appendices, bibliographical references, figures, glossary, index,preface, tables. LC 93-5580; ISBN 0-89930-745-0 [215 pp. Cloth $59.95. 88 PostRoad West, Westport, CT 06881.]Professor Howell defines ecology as "the principal natural scienceserving environmental protection and natural resources management."1To protect the environment, there must be mutual respect betweenecology and law,2 but both are complex.3 Howell says:4only the human organism is directly amenable to legalconstraint, and then only to the extent the individualrespects the law.... Other biological systems, includingecosystems... respond to intervention.., according to theconstraints of natural law... only dimly understood, if at all.Howell hopes to help humans manage nature by teachingenvironmental professionals basic ecology. Her book is organized intosix parts based on her lectures at Vermont Law School. 5 It teacheseverything from the most basic to most complex tenets of ecology.In part one, Howell explains science, the scientific method and thescope of ecology. She starts with the premise that everything in theenvironment is interconnected. An ecosystem is very efficient andholistic. Each organism has a job and must do it for the ecosystem tofunction.6 This is demonstrated by the Theory of Integrative Levels,which holds that:7each level of organization within the natural sciences buildson those below in conceptual steps from pure mathematicsto the planetary complex of ecosystems identified as thebiosphere.1 At 14.2 At4.3 At49.4 At4.5 At xii.6 At 23.7 At10.6 Risk: Health, Safety & Environment 185 [Spring 1995]Thus, mathematics is seen as expanded by physics, chemistry andbiology to reach, at the highest level, ecology.Part two covers the basic units of a typical ecosystem, habitats,communities and specific organisms, but it is difficult to isolate them. 8Ecosystems are not static; they develop and evolve.9 To determinewhether an ecosystem is being polluted, an environmental professionalmust know its initial state.10 Although this is difficult, it is even moredifficult to translate this information into law and policy.1 1Part three describes how energy flows through ecological systemsand materials cycle biogeochemically. 12 Parts four and five discuss thelast two ecosystem elements, time and biota. For example, Howell saysthat extinction is infrequent and difficult to predict: "the last event in along sequence of subtle ecological and evolutionary processes acting inconcert." 13 She asks what an environmental professional should do if aspecies must adapt, evolve or face extinction. 14Howell's last chapter lists eighteen great ideas in ecology. Oneproblem she sees with the human perspective on environmental qualityis that it focuses on human use rather than healthy environments for allspecies. Some Native Americans consider the effects of actions throughseven generations. 15 Maybe that would be a good rule for all.Although short, Howell's book is informative, well organized anddocumented. It also has a glossary for those with limited technicalbackgrounds.Karla Sievers McManust8 At 39.9 At 37.10 At 49.11 At65.12 At 86.13 At 168.14 At 170.15 At 182.t Ms. McManus received her BA. (Psychology) from Cornell University. She is acandidate for the J.D. at Franklin Pierce Law Center and for the M.S.L.(Environmental) at Vermont Law School.

Review of: Dorothy J. Howell, Ecology for Environmental Professionals (Quorum
Books 1994)

University of New Hampshire

RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002)
Volume 6 | Number 2 Article 14
March 1995
Review of: Dorothy J. Howell, Ecology for
Environmental Professionals (Quorum Books
1994)
Karla Sievers McManus
Follow this and additional works at: https://scholars.unh.edu/risk
Part of the Law Commons, Life Sciences Commons, Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Commons, and the Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons
This Book Review is brought to you for free and open access by the University of New Hampshire – School of Law at University of New Hampshire
Scholars' Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in RISK: Health, Safety & Environment (1990-2002) by an authorized editor of University of
New Hampshire Scholars' Repository. For more information, please contact ellen.phillips@law.unh.edu.
Repository Citation
Karla Sievers McManus, Review of: Dorothy J. Howell, Ecology for Environmental Professionals (Quorum Books 1994), 6 RISK 185
(1995).
Book Reviews
Dorothy J. Howell, Ecology for Environmental Professionals (Quorum
Books 1994). Appendices, bibliographical references, figures, glossary, index,
preface, tables. LC 93-5580; ISBN 0-89930-745-0 [215 pp. Cloth $59.95. 88 Post
Road West, Westport, CT 06881.]
Professor Howell defines ecology as "the principal natural science
serving environmental protection and natural resources management."
1
To protect the environment, there must be mutual respect between
ecology and law,2 but both are complex.3 Howell says:4
only the human organism is directly amenable to legal
constraint, and then only to the extent the individual
respects the law.... Other biological systems, including
ecosystems... respond to intervention.., according to the
constraints of natural law... only dimly understood, if at all.
Howell hopes to help humans manage nature by teaching
environmental professionals basic ecology. Her book is organized into
six parts based on her lectures at Vermont Law School. 5 It teaches
everything from the most basic to most complex tenets of ecology.
In part one, Howell explains science, the scientific method and the
scope of ecology. She starts with the premise that everything in the
environment is interconnected. An ecosystem is very efficient and
holistic. Each organism has a job and must do it for the ecosystem to
function.6 This is demonstrated by the Theory of Integrative Levels,
which holds that:
7
each level of organization within the natural sciences builds
on those below in conceptual steps from pure mathematics
to the planetary complex of ecosystems identified as the
biosphere.
1 At 14.
2 At4.
3 At49.
4 At4.
5 At xii.
6 At 23.
7 At10.
6 Risk: Health, Safety & Environment 185 [Spring 1995]
Thus, mathematics is seen as expanded by physics, chemistry and
biology to reach, at the highest level, ecology.
Part two covers the basic units of a typical ecosystem, habitats,
communities and specific organisms, but it is difficult to isolate them.
8
Ecosystems are not static; they develop and evolve.9 To determine
whether an ecosystem is being polluted, an environmental professional
must know its initial state.10 Although this is difficult, it is even more
difficult to translate this information into law and policy.
1 1
Part three describes how energy flows through ecological systems
and materials cycle biogeochemically. 12 Parts four and five discuss the
last two ecosystem elements, time and biota. For example, Howell says
that extinction is infrequent and difficult to predict: "the last event in a
long sequence of subtle ecological and evolutionary processes acting in
concert." 13 She asks what an environmental professional should do if a
species must adapt, evolve or face extinction.
14
Howell's last chapter lists eighteen great ideas in ecology. One
problem she sees with the human perspective on environmental quality
is that it focuses on human use rather than healthy environments for all
species. Some Native Americans consider the effects of actions through
seven generations. 15 Maybe that would be a good rule for all.
Although short, Howell's book is informative, well organized and
documented. It also has a glossary for those with limited technical
backgrounds.
Karla Sievers McManust
8 At 39.
9 At 37.
10 At 49.
11 At65.
12 At 86.
13 At 168.
14 At 170.
15 At 182.
t Ms. McManus received her BA. (Psychology) from Cornell University. She is a
candidate for the J.D. at Franklin Pierce Law Center and for the M.S.L.
(Environmental) at Vermont Law School.


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Review of: Dorothy J. Howell, Ecology for Environmental Professionals (Quorum Books 1994)

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