What Should a Clever Moose Eat?: Natural History, Ecology, and the North Woods

What should a clever moose eat? This striking question is but one of many John Pastor asks as he closely examines the forest that encases Wisconsin, northern Minnesota, New England, Quebec, Ontario, and Labrador. (It is commonly known as the North Woods.) The book is divided into five parts: “The Assembly of a Northern Ecosystem and the European Discovery of Its Natural History,” which informs one of the effect of icebergs, trees, beavers, and humans had on the shape of the North Woods we see today; “Capturing the Light,” which is all about leaves; “Foraging, Food Webs, and Population Cycles of Predators and Their Prey,” which discusses the eating habits of various plants and animals; “Pollinators, Flowers, Fruits, and Seeds;” and “Fire and the Dynamics of the Landscape.”

Although this book is at times hard to read, it is utterly fascinating. The connections are so intricate and complex. It is a great intro to ecology for any interested reader; although the focus is quite narrow (just the North Woods), readers can learn much about how scientists study any ecosystem; at any rate, the North Woods is an amazing ecosystem that deserves study and respect.