Urban Biodiversity: The Natural History of the New Jersey Meadowlands

Kiviat and MacDonald offer a detailed, well-organized description of the Greater Meadowlands ecosystem in New Jersey. Given the proximity of the Meadowlands to densely urbanized Newark, Jersey City, and Manhattan, readers may be surprised to learn how many native species and functional habitats the area still supports. The book begins with the geology and environmental history of the region before detailing the plant communities of the marshes, aquatic habitats, uplands, and forested wetlands of the area. Once this scene is set, the authors describe the typical species communities by taxonomic group: mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles, fishes, and invertebrates. Throughout, the authors explain how stressors such as climate change, invasive species, human disturbance, and pollution have already impacted the ecosystem and what changes are expected in the future. Conservation, restoration, and management priorities are listed at the end of each chapter and form the core of the "Conclusion" chapter. A comprehensive "References Cited" section and species lists in the appendixes provide readers with ample further information. Recommended. All readers. * Choice Reviews * “It is a pleasure to read this book that documents the great variety of wonderful plants and animals that now call the Meadowlands home." -- Judith Weis, Rutgers University “This book presents a critically important case study of how biodiversity can be studied, monitored, and managed in our increasingly urban world. Kiviat and MacDonald bring to vivid life the habitats and creatures that have survived, and some that have even thrived, in the New Jersey Meadowlands, amidst interstates, suburbs, factories, and malls—and all of the associated environmental damage that comes with them. This will be a critical reference for scientists and land managers interested in the Meadowlands but also an inspiring resource for anyone with an interest in the natural history of urban areas. The sheer scope of the biodiversity identified here is itself a paean to the extraordinary skills of natural historians in the field." -- Felicia Keesing, Bard College “Kiviat and MacDonald patiently lead us through the complexities of what is, in ecological terms, the center of the New York City region—the estuarine heart of the region. Just as the Meadowlands are a still too-secret defense against the devastating impact of climate change, so Urban Biodiversity is a vital tool in a battle that unchecked development threatens to win each and every day.” -- Robert Sullivan, author of The Meadowlands, A Whale Hunt, and My American Revolution