Danilov-Danilyan V.I., Reyf I.E. The Biosphere and Civilization: in the Throes of a Global Crisis. 2018. Springer. 263 p. ISBN 978-3-319-67193-2
The book presented to the readers' attention examines the causes of the crisis state of the environment in close connection with its demographic, social and other aspects, and considers ways to prevent an environmental disaster into which this crisis threatens to develop. A holistic (universal) understanding of the problem is proposed, which makes it possible to link together the understanding of biospheric processes, the role and place of the earth's biota in them and the destructive potential that human activity brings with itself. The book also shows the exceptional role of natural ecosystems in maintaining the stability of the environment, which cannot be compensated for by any human technologies.
Being written at the intersection of the scientific and popular science genres, the book is designed primarily for the student audience and, thanks to its lively, figurative language, the completeness of the coverage of the subject and the accessibility of its presentation, it can serve, if not a replacement, then an excellent addition to the university textbook. At the same time, it is also of interest to a wider range of readers who are concerned about the prospect of human survival in the face of an impending ecological catastrophe.
