TY  - BOOK
AU  - DeFries,Ruth S.
TI  - The big ratchet: how humanity thrives in the face of natural crisis : a biography of an ingenious species 
SN  - 9780465044979 (hardback)
AV  - GF75 .D44 2014
U1  - 304.2 DEF 23
PY  - 2014///]
CY  - New York, NY
PB  - Basic Books
KW  - Nature
KW  - Effect of human beings on
KW  - Human ecology
KW  - Physical anthropology
KW  - Human evolution
KW  - Social evolution
KW  - Survival
KW  - SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Evolution
KW  - bisacsh
KW  - SOCIAL SCIENCE / Agriculture & Food
KW  - SOCIAL SCIENCE / Anthropology / Cultural
N1  - Includes bibliographical references and index
N2  - "Our species' pervasive presence on the planet is the combined result of two powerful forces: earth's rich natural endowments and humanity's ability to manipulate nature. From our ability to control fire to our expertise in breeding palatable plants, from our capacity to ship fertilizer across the Atlantic to our skill in selectively tinkering with plant genomes, DeFries describes the ingenious manipulations of nature that have enabled humankind to nourish and flourish. Throughout history humans have been able to ratchet up populations, survive the hatchets that threaten the species, and pivot to a new strategy for survival"--
ER  -