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Super Species

the Creatures That Will Dominate the Planet
Nov 03, 2012johnsankey rated this title 5 out of 5 stars
This book is much more thoughtful than the alarmist cover implies. Hamilton chooses 20 organisms that have profited from human modification of our planet, that therefore are very visible to us, then shows that many are in fact increasing local biodiversity, rather than decreasing it as alarmists always claim. I've professional knowledge of one of his species, the house sparrow, and Hamilton's presentation is spot on. House sparrow numbers, initially huge, crashed when horse power was replaced by diesel power, and are decreasing again in eastern North America following the spread of the formerly western house finch into our urban areas. I'm not aware of a single species that has even been threatened by the introduction of house sparrows, and I've looked, carefully. This book can restore your hope for the future of life on our planet. It's well worth the time to read it.