Ecology for Gardeners - Paperback

by Steven B. Carroll (Author), Steven D. Salt (Author)

Even a relatively small garden is a miniature ecosystem. It includes a surprising diversity of organisms that interact in a myriad of ways. Some are permanent residents, others come and go in search of a meal or a mate. An insect feeding on a garden plant is simultaneously hunted by predators and weakened by parasites; it competes with other herbivores for choice food plants; it is hindered in its feeding by the plants' chemical and physical defenses; and it challenges other members of its species for the best mates and locations for egg-laying. Ecologists Carroll and Salt argue that the more completely we understand these interactions, the better gardeners we become.

Author Biography

Steven B. Carroll is an ecologist at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, where he teaches ecology and botany. He is particularly interested in pollination biology, plant reproduction, and problems posed by invasive species. Steve is also a Master Gardener. He lives with his wife and son on three mostly wooded acres, where the deer keep a close watch on their gardens.
Steven D. Salt holds a Ph.D. in biochemistry and microbiology and teaches college and university courses. He lives on Green Valley Farm in the forested hills of north-central Missouri, where he and his family raise vegetables, herbs, small fruits, and flowers that they sell at farmers' markets. Steve has written articles and given public presentations on vegetable and herb growing, small farm tools and techniques, and rural social issues.