Beyond The Sea: The Hidden Life in Lakes, Streams and Wetlands
We live on a watery planet but still know very little about it. With media attention often focussed on the species living in the dramatic habitats of the oceans and seas, we sometimes forget these represent only part of a vast aquatic environment. David Strayer’s book is a thought-provoking celebration and warning of these sometimes-overlooked ecosystems as he asks us to turn our gaze inland to the freshwater lakes, streams, wetlands, swamps and groundwaters that teem with complex life.
Throughout numerous case studies, fascinating organisms and their adaptation to challenges, such as how to survive when there is no water, are highlighted. These include mussels whose larvae mimic fish food to lure hosts, carnivorous plants thriving in soggy soils and animals that can photosynthesise. The examples chosen are more than biological eccentricities; they are invitations for us to marvel at the intricacy of life. Strayer’s writing is both accessible and engaging, striking a balance between scientific depth and storytelling. The book’s structure makes ecological concepts digestible, ensuring its suitability for a broad readership, including scientists, students of environmental science and those without specialist knowledge. Theory is kept to a minimum, with technical moments being brief and well contextualised.
Strayer’s strength is the ability to blend natural aquatic wonder with consequence as our unquenchable thirst for water continues. He doesn’t shy away from the grim realities facing freshwater ecosystems: pollution, habitat fragmentation, destruction through the transfer of non-native species and climate change, which have pushed many species to the brink of survival. Hope is offered through discussion of practical conservation and restoration strategies that could make a real difference if we choose to adopt them.
Beyond the Sea is a rallying cry to urgently see the beauty and significance of the freshwater environments closest to home, before they disappear. The book will resonate with anyone who has ever paused by a pond and wondered what lives there. It is our moral duty to protect these places, and that begins with curiosity and understanding, as is provided through this book. The central message is both urgent and poetic: freshwater habitats are amazing and biologically rich, yet they are vulnerable, so we must deepen our knowledge and change our behaviours before they are gone.
Review by Phil Merrin
DETAILS
BY: David Strayer (2024) Johns Hopkins University Press, 215 pp. (hbk)
ISBN-13: 9781421450070
PRICE: $27.95 press.jh.edu
