EAT, POOP, DIE

A colorful picture of how wild animals can heal a damaged environment.

A book dealing with feces and carcasses may not sound like an appetizing read, but conservation biologist and marine ecologist Roman, author of Whale and Listed: Dispatches From America’s Endangered Species Act, delivers a thought-provoking, accessible text. His focus is on the interaction between wild animals and the environment, and he begins in Surtsey, a volcanic island that rose out of the ocean near Iceland in 1963. For years, it was a barren outcrop, but gradually seabirds began to nest there. Their excrement provided nitrates and phosphates for seeds to take root, and eventually the island became a lively place. This highlights the role that animals play in biological loops, and Roman continues his theme by tracing how whales spread valuable nutrients throughout the ocean. No armchair theorist, the author chronicles his treks through bear country in the Pacific Northwest to assess the environmental impact of salmon spawning. He sees great value in projects such as the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone Park and bison to the Great Plains. Ecosystems are basically puzzles, and each piece fits into many others. Even hippos play an important role as prolific contributors of fecal matter. At the tiny end of the size scale, insects like midges provide nutrition to plants through their decaying corpses. Roman makes a range of useful proposals, such as an expansion of rewilding programs and nature reserves. He points out that building up wild environments would help to fight climate change. While his commitment to the environment is clear, he avoids the hectoring tone of some ecologists, and the result is a book that entertains and encourages readers to see the world from a different perspective.

With expert knowledge and wry humor, Roman returns animals to their rightful place at the center of the environment.