Crossings: How Road Ecology Is Shaping the Future of Our Planet

Modern infrastructure fragments the natural world into millions of isolated patches, creating a global landscape defined by roadkill and genetic isolation. Ben Goldfarb examines the field of road ecology, documenting how asphalt arteries disrupt migration corridors for elk, grizzly bears, and monarch butterflies. He details the specific mechanics of habitat fragmentation and chemical runoff, while investigating engineering solutions like overpasses and undercuts. The narrative follows biologists and engineers as they attempt to reconcile human mobility with the biological needs of territorial predators and migratory amphibians.

This book serves ecologists, urban planners, and environmental advocates who want to understand the physical toll of transportation networks on biodiversity. Readers learn how artificial noise interferes with bird communication and how highway barriers force species into dangerous bottleneck zones. By the end, the reader possesses a technical framework for evaluating how wildlife crossings and smarter road design can restore connectivity to damaged ecosystems. It provides a data-driven look at the intersection of civil engineering and conservation biology.