Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents vii
3. Preface ix
4. Acknowledgments xi
5. 1 A Land Like No Other: Introduction 1
6. 2 In the Beginning: Volcanism and Plate Tectonics 9
7. 3 You Can’t Get There from Here: How Isolation Frames Island Life 45
8. 4 A Place for Everything: Hawai‘i’s Diverse Habitats and Plants 64
9. 5 Original Owners: Hawaiian Birds and Other Unique Creatures 102
10. 6 A Whale’s Tale: Whales and Other Marine Megafauna 144
11. 7 Ring around the Islands: Coral Reefs and Beyond 167
12. 8 Landfall: The First Hawaiians 222
13. 9 Let Me Introduce You: New Life Comes to the Islands 253
14. 10 Growth Potential: Agriculture and Culture 278
15. 11 Heavens Above: Why Hawai‘i Stargazing Is the Best 300
16. 12 Early Departure: Extinction and Why It Matters 320
17. 13 Is It Hot in Here? Climate Change and How It Threatens Islands 335
18. Appendix: Field Trips by Island 349
19. Index 361