Description:
Ralph Lewin is a marine biologist who knows the value of poop. After all, the denizens of ocean bottoms receive much of their nutrients by eating the expelled waste of animals above. But marine food chains are only one part of this faintly disgusting story. Lewin goes into detail about the minutiae of the subject, from shapes, sizes, colors, smells, and textures of various droppings to the social importance of defecation among different species. He describes how animals deal with it and analyses human attitudes toward the stuff--from production to disposal. And it's all done with a wry sense of humor and a true scientist's curiosity about the world. An entire chapter is devoted to the famous dung beetle: The beetles clearly treat dung as a valuable commodity, sometimes fighting over choice bits; males of certain species may present prospective mates with small pellets as nuptial offerings. While Merde is a delightful, informative introduction to an overlooked branch of science, we wouldn't recommend quoting from it at mealtimes. --Therese Littleton
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