This essential text for ecotoxicologists, environmental consultants and environmental scientists, explores the science of contaminants in the biosphere and toxicant effects on populations. Topics covered include: The population context for ecotoxicology Epidemiology of noninfectious disease in populations Population dynamics and demography Translating individual effects to population effects using energy allocation theory and phenotypic plasticity Toxicant-related natural selection The effect of toxicants on the genetic qualities of populations