The Effects of Weapons on Ecosystems is a five-chapter book that describes the destruction of environment and its various ecosystems by humans. The book also explains the harmful effects, both intended and unanticipated, of the production, testing, stockpiling, and use of weapons of mass destruction. Organized into five chapters, the book begins with a classification of weapons of mass destruction and ecosystems. Subsequent chapter reviews the ecosystemic effects of weapons from data of ecological surveys of actual weapon test-sites and theaters of war. The book will clarify some outstanding issues on effects of weapons on ecosystems to concerned individuals, stimulate follow-up studies to advance the cause of disarmament and the protection of the environment, and lead to further action on these issues.

"This book describes several weapons of mass destruction and examines the extent and duration of environmental damage to be expected from them"--Jacket.

The effects of weapons of mass destruction cannot be contained, either spatially or temporally, are unpredictable, discriminate poorly between combatants and civilians, and are highly disruptive of ecosystems. This book, first published in 1977, examines several WMD and analyses the extent and duration of environmental damage to be expected from them. Chapters are devoted to the ecological impacts of nuclear weapons, chemical and biological weapons, and geophysical and environmental weapons.

The purpose of this book is specific and ambitious: to outline the distinctive elements, scope, and usefulness of a new and emerging field of applied ecology named warfare ecology. Based on a NATO Advanced Research Workshop held on the island of Vieques, Puerto Rico, the book provides both a theoretical overview of this new field and case studies that range from mercury contamination during World War I in Slovenia to the ecosystem impacts of the Palestinian occupation, and from the bombing of coral reefs of Vieques to biodiversity loss due to violent conflicts in Africa. Warfare Ecology also includes reprints of several classical papers that set the stage for the new synthesis described by the authors. Written for environmental scientists, military and humanitarian relief professionals, conservation managers, and graduate students in a wide range of fields, Warfare Ecology is a major step forward in understanding the relationship between war and ecological systems.

In Nuclear Weapons and the Environment, John Perry highlights the environmental damage caused by nuclear device testing. The failure of the Nuclear Proliferation Treaty and the continued proliferation of nuclear weapons is a grave risk to not only human life but to the environment. Pointing to the unstable political situation between a variety of state and non-state actors, the remediation of nuclear test sites, and the risks involved in the production of nuclear weapons, Perry makes a clear case for the dire importance of non-proliferation.

Background and approach. Weapons. Ecosystems. Possible impacts of weapons on ecosystems.

Herbicides in war: past and present; Terrestrial plant ecology and forestry; Terrestrial animal ecology; Soil ecology; Coastal, aquatic and marine ecology; Cancer and clinical epidemiology; Reproductive epidemiology; Experimental toxicology and cytogenetics; Dioxin chemistry.