Stanford Scholars Author Detailed Book, Ecosystems of California

Emeritus Stanford Professor and Stanford Woods Institute Senior Fellow Harold Mooney (Biology) co-edited the book Ecosystems of California, which provides a thorough overview of the state’s varied and rich ecosystems. Many Stanford scholars contributed to the work, which was co-edited with UC Santa Cruz Biology Professor Erika Zavaleta, who studied with Mooney as an undergraduate at Stanford 20 years ago. Mooney met with several key California policy and decision makers in Sacramento and emphasized the value of the book as a resource for researchers, policy makers, natural resource managers, and students.

At 41 chapters and over 1,000 pages, the book details each ecosystem from oceans to mountains and discusses how processes within them may change over time. The book highlights opportunities for stewardship, regulation, and conservation to forward ecosystem health in California. A symposium on the book was hosted by the California Academy of Sciences.