Macroecology is the study of large-scale community structure and the influence this has on small-scale process. In recent years there has been a definite trend towards the large-scale approach, and this work is therefore timely and relevant. As John Lawton observes in a recent journal article, "To discover general patterns, laws and rules in nature, ecology may need to pay less attention to the 'middle ground' of community ecology, relying less on reductionism and experimental manipulation, but increasing research efforts into macroecology." (Oikos, 1999)

The book is probably too advanced for the undergraduate student, and so the core market will lie with graduate and professional ecologists.