Kristin Ohlson's Sweet in Tooth and Claw takes the old adage of "...Nature, red in tooth and claw" and provides several examples of cooperation rather than competition in the natural world. From the Pacific Northwest the the Great Barrier Reef, there are lots of ways that nature has evolved to support cooperative growth.

Ohlson is not a scientist herself and credits those scientists whom she interviewed with endless patience for her many questions, and the resulting work is very accessible for the average person with an interest in nature but no PhD.

Expecting a science book, this is not exactly what I anticipated. The book description mentioned cooperation in nature, so I looked at the cover photo, and misunderstood the subject. I envisioned creatures helping each other live and survive--something showcasing species that work together. (A one bird species helping another, or helping another species; squirrels perhaps.)

Instead, this follows a journey of discovery by the author, Kristin Ohlson, as she learns about studies that lead her across the map and from one associated subject to another.

The author's interest was captured by a (friend) Canadian forest ecologist who has been uncovering the hidden cooperation among trees and other living things in the forest--so that is where this story begins. The entire book follows that journey in a travel journal-like form. It's unusual, but after the first chapter, the style makes much more sense.

The book is about interconnectedness, codependence, symbiosis, and sometimes cooperation. Observers around the world are finding that living things can--at times--go about their lives in a way that's part of a string of behaviors showing a clear chain for survival. Not cooperation in the strictest sense (working together by choice), but the opposite of competition (re: Darwin), and each link in the chain is important for a strong ecosystem.

A good chain example; a particular species of coffee plant is successful because birds eat spiders, which increases wasp populations, which reduces insects that eat coffee plants. Coral hold algae inside for mutual benefit, and other things work side by side.

The final chapters describe how countries to residents can honor nature by creating ecosystems instead of just "green spaces," so animals and creatures can be supported (and thrive) while our living spaces and our lives are improved in multiple ways!

I considered including highlights of the subjects covered, because they get more exciting (literally exciting) as the book progresses, but that makes a long review! I recommend this book, and suggest taking notes and/or using a highlighter.

How You Can Help: A community becomes biophilic (nature loving) when "...more than 50% of the residents can name and recognize at least 10 native plants, birds, and butterflies."

4/5 Stars
-1 Star for mild swearing.

#SweetinToothandClaw #NetGalley
#PatagoniaBooks #Ecology #Science
#Environmentalism #Nonfiction #OutdoorsNature #Forestry #Mutualism
#Farming #Interconnected #Cooperation
#Codependence #TenNativePlantsBirdsButterflies

Charles Darwin’s theory of "survival of the fittest" introduced a competitive mindset about nature—the strongest survive at the expense of the weak. In Sweet in Tooth and Claw: Nature Is More Cooperative Than We Think, author Kristin Ohlson offers a different model, one of mutual support. Those plants and animals that are allowed to live in a spirit of mutualism—you help me, I’ll help you—are the ones who thrive. And it’s not just one species that ends up the victor; it’s all of us.

Published by Patagonia, this is a gorgeous book, full of color photos of natural systems, some that are working, some that have been dangerously changed—a lush rebuilt waterway in Nevada that replaced an arid landscape; sheep chomping on weeds, then fertilizing a California orchard; tiny Peruvian tomatoes that can be used to develop new varieties; parts of the Amazon rain forest destroyed for agriculture.

Readers who loved The Overstory and Braiding Sweetgrass will see some familiar names and themes here. The book is solidly researched, enjoyable to read, and packed with innovation and hope for the future of humans and the planet. I thank Patagonia and NetGalley for a review copy in exchange for an honest review. See full review on Psychology Today:https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/all-is-well/202204/sweet-in-tooth-and-claw