Forests and woodland Books

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Book SynopsisBoreal ecosystems contain one-third of the world''s forests and stored carbon, but these regions are under increasing threat from both natural and anthropogenic disturbances. Written by leaders from the forefront of private, public and academic sectors, Restoration and Reclamation of Boreal Ecosystems emphasises a broad, conceptual approach to the specific application of empirical research into development planning, restoration and modelling of these ecosystems. The importance of this is highlighted at a time of global climate change, as these ecosystems act as carbon sinks. There is a focus on the reclamation of exploited ecosystems from a holistic standpoint, ranging from environmental and edaphic variables to the restoration of keystone flora. Recent advances in quantification of ecosystem services, such as habitat suitability and carbon storage modelling, are also detailed. The book contains case-studies which address how both historical and novel assemblages can provide ecosystem stability under projected climatic and land-use scenarios.Table of ContentsPreface; Part I. Utilizing Natural Regimes as Models for Reclamation and Restoration: 1. The changing boreal forest: incorporating ecological theory into restoration planning Dale H. Vitt and Jagtar Bhatti; 2. Disturbance and the peatland carbon sink in the Oil Sands Administrative Area R. Kelman Wieder, Melanie A. Vile, Kimberli D. Scott, Dale H. Vitt, Erin Brault, Michelle Harris and Stephen Mowbray; 3. Regional-scale modeling of greenhouse gas fluxes Pavel Jurus, Petr Musilek, Yaqiong Li and James Rodway; 4. Reclamation and restoration of boreal ecosystems: attaining sustainable development Doug Hiltz, Joyce Gould, Jae Ogilvie, Paul Arp and Barry White; 5. Fundamental paradigms, foundation species selection, and early plant responses to peatland initiation on mineral soils Sara Koropchak, Dale H. Vitt, Rosemary Bloise and R. Kelman Wieder; Part II. The Challenges of Reclamation in Boreal Ecosystems: 6. Advances in oil sands tailings management: building the base for oil sands reclamation Randy Mikula; 7. Rebuilding boreal forest ecosystems after industrial disturbance Ellen Macdonald, Sylvie Quideau and Simon Landhäusser; 8. Designing landscapes to support peatland development on soft tailings deposits: Syncrude Canada Ltd.'s Sandhill Fen Research Watershed initiative Carla Wytrykush, Dale H. Vitt, Gord McKenna and Rob Vassov; 9. Considerations for building a fen peatland in post-mined oil sands landscape Christine Daly, Jonathan Price, Line Rochefort, Fereidoun Rezanezhad, Remy Pouliot and Martha Darling Graf; 10. Plant community recovery on 'minimum disturbance' petroleum sites compared to burned sites in bogs of northern Alberta Melissa House, Dale H. Vitt and R. Kelman Wieder; 11. Oil sands reclamation and the projected development of wildlife habitat attributes Clive Welham, Juan Blanco, Brad Seely and Caroline Bampfylde; 12. Restoration of peatlands after peat extraction: impacts, restoration goals, and techniques Martha Darling Graf, Vicky Bérubé and Line Rochefort; 13. Importance of microbes in peatland dynamics, restoration, and reclamation Roxane Andersen; Part III. Carbon in the Boreal Forest: 14. Carbon and nitrogen stocks in western boreal forest ecosystems Jagtar Bhatti; 15. Projected patterns of C storage in upland forests reclaimed after oil sands mining Clive Welham, Brad Seely and Juan Blanco; 16. The business of carbon Mike Vitt; 17. Effects of peat extraction and restoration on greenhouse gas exchange from Canadian peatlands Maria Strack and J. M. Waddington; Index.

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Book SynopsisDespite a century of study by ecologists, recovery following disturbances (succession) is not fully understood. This book provides the first global synthesis that compares plant succession in all major terrestrial biomes and after all major terrestrial disturbances. It asks critical questions such as: Does succession follow general patterns across biomes and disturbance types? Do factors that control succession differ from biome to biome? If common drivers exist, what are they? Are they abiotic or biotic, or both? The authors provide insights on broad, generalizable patterns that go beyond site-specific studies, and present discussions on factors such as varying temporal dynamics, latitudinal differences, human-caused vs. natural disturbances, and the role of invasive alien species. This book is a must-read for researchers and students in ecology, plant ecology, restoration ecology and conservation biology. It also provides a valuable framework to aid land managers attempting to manipulate successional recovery following increasingly intense and widespread human-made disturbances.Trade Review'… a useful reference volume for students of succession … Prach and Walker … succeed in their comprehensive survey of plant succession, and in highlighting the many gaps for future research.' Gillian L Rapson, Conservation Biology'… a much-needed summary and synthesis in a single volume … By presenting a thorough, detailed comparative summary of plant succession research to date, Prach and Walker provide the needed foundation for future successional research.' Cynthia Chang, The Quarterly Review of BiologyTable of ContentsPart I. Plant Succession and Biomes: 1. Introduction; 2. Humans and succession; 3. Terrestrial biomes; Part II. Succession by Disturbance Type: 4. Comparative approach; 5. Volcanoes; 6. Glaciers; 7. Cyclones; 8. Dunes; 9. Landslides; 10. Floods; 11. Fire; 12. Clearcuts; 13. Plowed fields; 14. Mines; 15. Other disturbances; Part III. Synthesis: 16. Synthesis; 17. Conclusions and future research challenges.

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Book SynopsisDespite a century of study by ecologists, recovery following disturbances (succession) is not fully understood. This book provides the first global synthesis that compares plant succession in all major terrestrial biomes and after all major terrestrial disturbances. It asks critical questions such as: Does succession follow general patterns across biomes and disturbance types? Do factors that control succession differ from biome to biome? If common drivers exist, what are they? Are they abiotic or biotic, or both? The authors provide insights on broad, generalizable patterns that go beyond site-specific studies, and present discussions on factors such as varying temporal dynamics, latitudinal differences, human-caused vs. natural disturbances, and the role of invasive alien species. This book is a must-read for researchers and students in ecology, plant ecology, restoration ecology and conservation biology. It also provides a valuable framework to aid land managers attempting to manipulate successional recovery following increasingly intense and widespread human-made disturbances.Trade Review'… a useful reference volume for students of succession … Prach and Walker … succeed in their comprehensive survey of plant succession, and in highlighting the many gaps for future research.' Gillian L Rapson, Conservation Biology'… a much-needed summary and synthesis in a single volume … By presenting a thorough, detailed comparative summary of plant succession research to date, Prach and Walker provide the needed foundation for future successional research.' Cynthia Chang, The Quarterly Review of BiologyTable of ContentsPart I. Plant Succession and Biomes: 1. Introduction; 2. Humans and succession; 3. Terrestrial biomes; Part II. Succession by Disturbance Type: 4. Comparative approach; 5. Volcanoes; 6. Glaciers; 7. Cyclones; 8. Dunes; 9. Landslides; 10. Floods; 11. Fire; 12. Clearcuts; 13. Plowed fields; 14. Mines; 15. Other disturbances; Part III. Synthesis: 16. Synthesis; 17. Conclusions and future research challenges.

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Book SynopsisThe definitive story of the California redwoods, their discovery and their exploitation, as told by an activist who fought to protect their existence against those determined to cut them down.Every year millions of tourists from around the world visit California's famous redwoods. Yet few who strain their necks to glimpse the tops of the world's tallest trees understand how unlikely it is that these last isolated groves of giant trees still stand at all. In this gripping historical memoir, journalist and famed redwood activist Greg King examines how investors and a growing U.S. economy drove the timber industry to cut down all but 4 percent of the original two-million-acre redwood ecosystem. King first examined redwood logging in the 1980s-as an award-winning reporter. What he found in the woods convinced him to leap the line of neutrality and become an activist dedicated to saving the very last ancient redwood groves remaining in private hands. The land grab began in 1849, when a "green gold rush" of migrants came to exploit the legendary redwoods that grew along the Russian River. Several generations later, in 1987, Greg King discovered and named Headwaters Forest-at 3,000 acres the largest ancient redwood habitat remaining outside of parks-and he led the movement to save this grove. After a decade of one of the longest, most dramatic, and violent environmental campaigns in US history, in 1999 the state and federal governments protected Headwaters Forest. The Ghost Forest explores a central question, an overhanging mystery: What was it like, this botanical Elysium that grew only along the Northern California coast, a forest so spectacular-but also uniquely valuable as a cornerstone of American economic growth-that in the end it would inspire life-and-death struggles? Few but loggers and surveyors ever saw such magnificent trees, ancient sentinels that, like ghosts, have informed King's understanding of the world. On a lifelong journey, King finds himself through the generations, and through the trees.

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Book SynopsisForest ecology includes within its scope the components and functions of forest ecosystems -- a community of organisms interacting with each other and with their physical environment. Forest ecosystems, which consist of bacteria, plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, soil, water and air, differ from other ecosystems in that they are dominated by trees and other woody vegetation. Each of these components plays an important role in the function and health of the forest. This book presents important new research in the field.

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Book SynopsisForest ecology includes within its scope the components and functions of forest ecosystems -- a community of organisms interacting with each other and with their physical environment. Forest ecosystems, which consist of bacteria, plants, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, soil, water and air, differ from other ecosystems in that they are dominated by trees and other woody vegetation. Each of these components plays an important role in the function and health of the forest. This book presents important research in the field.

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Book SynopsisAfrican forests provide the focus for a growing body of historical research in Zimbabwe. This book draws on economic and environmental history approaches in exploring the exploitation and conservation of woodland, respectively. The main focus of the investigation is the consumption-conservation relationship between humans and the forest zone. Customary forest practice in the Zambezi teak or Baikiea woodland points towards a better understanding on the subject, informed by a wide range of sources; oral tradition, missionary records, travel accounts and colonial documents. British imperial interest in Zimbabwe accelerated in the mid-1880s motivated and accelerated by speculative mineral discoveries thought to rival the Witwatersrand gold mines in South Africa. The British South Africa Company colonised Zimbabwe in 1890 expecting to finding rich gold deposits and when these hopes were dashed, white settlers turned their interest to other resources, land and forests. The rapidity with which the BSAC surveyed forest resources was testament to their expected commercial value. The mkusi and other commercial species motivated the government to gazette and establish eight state forest reserves in North-Western Matabeleland with a combined total of 1.6 million acres. In the company era, timber merchants exploited gusu with little or no control and their activities resulted in much deforestation. When European farmers and miners established commercial farms and mines in colonial Zimbabwe, the latter received preferential treatment in timber and energy requirements from the government because they contributed the bulk of state revenue. This policy was a source of protracted conflict between miners and farmers over forest exploitation. However, the state also sought to orient settler farmers towards the production of export crops: tobacco, maize and cotton. The two major pillars of the colonial economy, mining and agriculture, directly caused a fundamental transformation in soil and forest use, leading to deforestation and soil erosion. Soil erosion was a major risk that was faced along with the logistic and financial difficulties of pioneer farming. It however highlighted the negative impact of settler farming, particularly the perennial cultivation of the same crop on the same field, notably tobacco and maize. Land was used for short-term economic gain. What was missing was a willingness on the part of the settler society to deal effectively with the problems of deforestation and erosion, and the need for radical change in individual and collective attitudes towards natural resources.

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Book SynopsisForests are enormously important to mankind. They not only supply essential harvestable products, but also ornamental landscapes, regulate climate, hydrology, mineral cycling and soil erosion. Over the last few decades, crucial changes have taken place in the views and demands on forests by society at large. In this book, the authors present topical research in the study of forestry ecology and policy. Topics discussed include forest management in Finland and Sweden; forestry-related GPS research; forestry trade and population growth in the Philippines and forestry education towards ecological civilization.

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Book SynopsisThe coming global climate changes associated with the increase of atmospheric greenhouse effect, may disturb the natural carbon cycle in the biosphere and may lead to large-scale ecological consequences. The cognition of the mechanisms of environmental sustainability in changing climate is connected with studying the biotic regulation of the carbon cycle. Boreal forests play an important role in the global carbon cycle. This book expounds the regional-local prognostic conception as a scientific basis of monitoring forest ecosystems under global climatic changes. Predictive landscape-ecological scenarios of the nearest future of temperate forests and their paleogeographical analogues as a single system of global changes have been considered for the first time by the example of a large region -- the Volga River basin.

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Book SynopsisThe Forest Service manages more than 158,000 miles of recreational trails offering hikers, horseback riders, cyclists, off-highway-vehicle drivers, and others access to national forests. To remain safe and usable, these trails need regular maintenance, such as removal of downed trees or bridge repairs. This book examines (1) the extent to which the Forest Service is meeting trail maintenance needs, and effects associated with any maintenance not done; (2) resources, including funding and labour, that the agency employs to maintain its trails; (3) factors, if any, complicating agency efforts to maintain its trails; and (4) options, if any, that could improve the agency''s trail maintenance efforts.

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Book SynopsisFossil records indicate the Neotropical Dry Forests had a more continuous distribution in the recent geological past, especially in the late Pleistocene, more precisely at the end of the last glacial period. Seasonal Deciduous Forests are remnants of a broader continuous distribution that was present in the past, ranging from North-Eastern Brazil to Argentina in the Pleistocene dry period. This currently fragmented structure is the result of the dry, cold climate that caused the retraction of Wet Forests to riversides and the spread of seasonal forests. This book discusses the ecology, species diversity and sustainable management of dry forests. The topics include a biogeographical overview of the "lianescent clade" of violaceae in the Neotropical region; diversity and distribution of hymenoptera aculeate in mid-western Brazilian dry forests; the Brazilian "caatinga"; changes in the labile and recalcitrant organic matter fractions due to transformation of semi-deciduous dry tropical forest to pasture in the western llanos, Venezuela; ecology and management of the dry forests and savannas of the western Chaco region, Argentina; predicting pasture security in rangeland districts of Kenya using 1 km resolution spot vegetation sensor ndvi data.

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Book SynopsisNatural resource policy and management in the United States often are characterized by limited budgets and multiple, and sometimes competing, societal objectives. The use and management of forest lands in the U.S. involve tradeoffs between the current and potential benefits public and private lands provide to society and the effects the policy and management actions have on the resiliency of natural systems. However, translating society''s multiple forestry objectives into policies and management actions has become more difficult as society''s objectives have become more complex. This book characterizes the concept of ecosystem services as it could apply to national forests; describes the value of an ecosystem service approach and provides examples of how management actions support the provision of these services; compares the Deschutes National Forest''s current accomplishment reporting system to ecosystem service outcomes that potentially result from management activities; identifies partners with potential to collaboratively plan, fund, or implement projects to enhance or conserve ecosystem services; describes current research efforts to support management application of the ecosystem service concept; and identifies research needs.

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Book SynopsisFor over a century, Experimental Forests and Ranges (EFRs) have provided critical science on the ecosystems and management activities of the National Forest System. Forest Service EFRs play a unique and important role both within the agency as well as in the broader field of land management. The goal of EFRs is to generate knowledge that benefits both public land managers and private land owners. This goal is achieved through research projects on pressing natural resource topics such as hydrology, fire dynamics, range management, erosion, climate change, silviculture, and forest regeneration. EFRs are uniquely situated for such research due to their relative stability and long-term datasets. This book specifically discusses the role of EFRs in understanding and adapting to climate change.

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Book SynopsisThe Amazon forest is one of the world''s most complex, unknown and threatened ecosystems that holds a considerable part of biodiverse species in different groups. This ecosystem needs greater scientific attention so that we can better understand the features of the fauna, flora and microbiota to conserve species before they disappear. Thus, this book addresses issues about resources of the largest rainforest of the world. Microbiota, fauna and flora are investigated differently, providing information of ecological interest, pharmaceutical and/or economic importance. Specialists and scientists that work in Amazonia can access new information about the species that inhabit this region with unprecedented advances on ecological and behavioral aspects of apple snails, meat yield and nutritive potential of crustacean species, tadpole knowledge, mitefaun in agroecosystems, pharmaceutical potential of plant species, computational models for flora cultivation, and reviews of microbiota composition of Amazonia. Scientists will acquire knowledge about aromatic plants from the Amazon and their applications, which include uses in perfumes, fragrances, cosmetics, phytopharmaceuticals, insecticides, fungicides, bactericides, larvicides and others. Regarding the microbiota of different Amazonian environments, the book is intended to present information about applications related to mycorrhizal fungi and endophytic microorganisms.

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Book SynopsisLONGLISTED FOR THE HIGHLAND BOOK PRIZE SHORTLISTED FOR THE RICHARD JEFFERIES AWARDA WATERSTONES BEST BOOK OF 2023Footprints in the Woods is John Lister-Kaye's account of a year spent observing the comings and goings of otters, badgers, weasels and pine martens. This family - Mustelidae - all live in the wild at Aigas, the conservation and field study centre that has been John's home for more than forty-five years.With the patient and meticulous care of a true naturalist, John observes and records the lives, habits and habitats of these elusive animals. Hours of careful waiting and watching in the woods and loch, the river, fields and moorland is rewarded with insight into how these animals live when unhindered by human interference; sometimes red in tooth and claw, but often playful, familial, curious and surprising.As a boy, badgers and weasels were John's first encounter with wild animals. Now he has spent fifty years living side-by side with them in the Highlands and come to know much of their ways. Footprints in the Woods is the culmination of that long association with the Mustelidae family, a love letter to the otters, badgers, weasels and pine martens that also call Aigas home, and a reminder of the fragility of habitat and the beauty and variety we have to lose if we don't choose to actively protect it.Trade ReviewSir John Lister-Kaye's latest book reveals the real, bloody world of nature's natural-born killers. [ . . . ] In the course of more than 50 years, he has become one of Britain's most celebrated nature writers and an expert on conservation * * The Times * *From pine martens to weasels, John Lister-Kaye's mesmerising new book reveals the true savagery of mustelids . . . Lister-Kaye's many expert, wide-eyed descriptions of their hunts - gleaned from thousands of hours of painstaking, superhumanly silent observation - bear both the unsentimentality of a lifelong naturalist and the eloquent punch of a superior thriller-writer. [He is] not only a marvellously lucid writer but also an unusually poetic one * * Telegraph * *Spellbinding . . . Footprints In The Woods is a wonderfully beguiling read, much like a rapt, highly observant and yet leisurely wander through some wild woodland, with no particular aim in mind but so forgetful of your small, limited self, so happily lost in the wide world of nature, that you hear and see everything. As an evocation of the author's beloved Highlands it is second to none, and it does what all great nature writing should do: it makes you want to get out there yourself * * Mail on Sunday * *This book conjures otters, badgers, pine martens and weasels right onto the page, in language that is deft, vivid and alive -- JAY GRIFFITHSLister-Kaye is the real thing: a peerless observer who is just as much part of the land as his beloved badgers. This, unusually, is nature writing that is actually about nature rather than the writer, and so it has the power and wisdom of the hills and forest. Marvellous -- CHARLES FOSTER, author of CRY OF THE WILDSir John Lister-Kaye, a leading naturalist and conservationist, has a fine eye for detail and a poetic turn of phrase. [ . . . ] Mesmerising * * Simple Things * *A love letter to the otters, badgers, weasels and pine martens . . . and a reminder of the fragility of habitat and the beauty and variety we have to lose if we don't choose to actively protect it * * Yorkshire Reporter * *Praise for John Lister Kaye: Utterly charming and captivating * * Sunday Times * *If only we could all be as attentive to the life around us as John Lister-Kaye. No one writes as movingly, or with such transporting poetic skills, about encounters with wild creatures -- HELEN MACDONALD, author of H IS FOR HAWKScotland's high priest of nature writing; it's charming and moving to wander along with him * * The Times * *

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Book SynopsisA comprehensive survey of eleven different woods, this book is a vivid account of the flora and fauna that comprise the various habitats of our large and small woods. More than a survey though, this book looks beyond the individual stories of the trees, plants, animals and insects and constitutes a readable account of the inter-dependence of species so vital for the preservation of biodiversity. In her lively and candid style, this timely publication taps immediately into one of the major challenges faced by the environment today. Stunning photography and absorbing text combine with authoritative surveys to make this book both informative and enchanting. Invaluable reference and a visual treat.Trade ReviewMay 09 Gardeners who enjoy walks in the woods will love Charlotte de la Bedoyere's account of the flora and fauna that make up their natural biodiversity. Portrait of a Woodland looks at a mix of animals, insects, trees and other plants. It also contains some amazing photography of all four in their natural settings. * Grow Your Own *Table of Contents* Timely publication/topical subject - coincides with the Biodiversity Action Plan being implemented by Government and non-Government organisations * Profusely illustrated with stunning photography mainly taken by the author * Ideal gift

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Book SynopsisCombining personal experience with concrete fact, A.K. Hellum''s Listening to Trees tells the story of a man''s lifelong journey to salvage today''s declining forests. In this enlightening account of Hellum''s half-century career as a forester, we become privy to our environment''s fragile state-of-being through the manipulation of forests that have been stripped of their resources and improperly regenerated over the span of a lifetime. As Hellum guides us on his journeys through the forests of Thailand, China, Guyana, and the Philippines, we emerge with a new understanding of how the smallest elements of the world''s ecosystem can have a significant and devastating impact on the environment at large. While reinforcing Stan Rowe''s life''s work as an environmentalist, Listening to Trees serves as a staunch reminder of the fragility of modern forests while providing a glimpse into the soul of an environmentalist pleading for his beloved timberland.

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Book SynopsisAges 8 to 10 years. The Environment Series deals with various subjects. Reading the encyclopaedias will make young readers more responsible towards the planet Earth.

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Book Synopsis

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Book SynopsisNo two trees are the same. To really know trees, we must understand them. Because to understand trees is to understand life itself.

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Book SynopsisSynoptic comparison of tropical forests, based on a detailed understanding of one particular tropical forest, Barro Colorado Island. Covers various aspects of tropical forest biology including natural history, tree architecture and forest physiognomy, ecosystem dynamics, community ecology, niche differentiation and species diversity.Trade Review"Throughout this book the imprint of Egbert Leigh's keen intellect is apparent. He has pulled together an incredible mass of information both from his own observations from forests throughout the world but also from a summary of the works of others. Each chapter has very extensive list of references. When needed, Leigh summarizes natural law in the form of mathematical equations and while these may be beyond the comprehension of some readers, the book also is written in a style that is fun to read. Subjects are treated thoroughly and in an interesting manner; despite the wealth of information in each chapter the progression of subjects makes sense and is easy to follow. While the book uses Barro Colorado Island as a sounding board the information in this book is pertinent to tropical forests everywhere. The book should be mandatory reading for any student of ecology or biology."--Plant Systematics and Evolution "This book introduces rain forests and their ecological organization, using the tropical rain forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama as a representative. Three essential questions addressed in the book are: How do tropical forests stay green with so many herbivores? Why do tropic forests have such diverse flora and fauna? And what role does mutualism play in rain forest ecology? . . . The text is illustrated with figures and tables. This book should be of interest to scientists in the fields of tropical biology, ecology, botany, zoology, evolution, and natural history."--Biological Abstracts/RRM® "Leigh has produced a wonderful synthesis of our understanding of tropical forests, one that should attract a wide audience. . .I greatly appreciated that much of the mathematical details were left for appendicies after each chapter. I look forward to further editions of thisbook as our knowledge of the tropical forests of the world continues to grow--at least as long as there are any tropical forests left to study."--Ecology "Focusing on the climate, structure, and productivity of this well-studied Panamanian rainforest, Leigh discusses three critical issues: why tropical forests are green despite their abundant herbivores, why forests are so diverse, and the importance of mutualistic interactions in the forsts' ecology/"--Science "Throughout this book the imprint of Egbert Leigh's keen intellect is apparent. He has pulled together an incredible mass of information both from his own observations from forests throughout the world but also from a summary of the works of others. Each chapter has very extensive list of references. When needed, Leigh summarizes natural law in the form of mathematical equations and while these may be beyond the comprehension of some readers, the book also is written in a style that is fun to read. Subjects are treated thoroughly and in an interesting manner; despite the wealth of information in each chapter the progression of subjects makes sense and is easy to follow. While the book uses Barro Colorado Island as a sounding board the information in this book is pertinent to tropical forests everywhere. The book should be mandatory reading for any student of ecology or biology."--Plant Systematics and Evolution "This book introduces rain forests and their ecological organization, using the tropical rain forest on Barro Colorado Island, Panama as a representative. Three essential questions addressed in the book are: How do tropical forests stay green with so many herbivores? Why do tropic forests have such diverse flora and fauna? And what role does mutualism play in rain forest ecology? . . . The text is illustrated with figures and tables. This book should be of interest to scientists in the fields of tropical biology, ecology, botany, zoology, evolution, and natural history."--Biological Abstracts/RRM® "Leigh has produced a wonderful synthesis of our understanding of tropical forests, one that should attract a wide audience. . .I greatly appreciated that much of the mathematical details were left for appendicies after each chapter. I look forward to further editions of thisbook as our knowledge of the tropical forests of the world continues to grow--at least as long as there are any tropical forests left to study."--Ecology "Focusing on the climate, structure, and productivity of this well-studied Panamanian rainforest, Leigh discusses three critical issues: why tropical forests are green despite their abundant herbivores, why forests are so diverse, and the importance of mutualistic interactions in the forsts' ecology/"--ScienceTable of ContentsIntroduction ; 1. Barro Colorado Island: The Background ; 2. Dramatis Personae ; 3. Tropical Climates ; 4. Runoff, Erosion, and Soil ; 5. Telling the Trees from the Forest: Tree Shape and Leaf Arrangement ; 6. Biomass and Productivity of Tropical Forest ; 7. The Seasonal Rhythms of Fruiting and Leaf Flush, and the Regulation of Animal Populations ; 8. Tropical Diversity ; 9. The Role of Mutualism in Tropical Forest ; 10. The Rainforest Endangered

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Book SynopsisThe Boreal forest is the northern-most forest in the world, whose organisms and dynamics are shaped by low temperature and high latitude. The Alaskan Boreal forest is now warming as rapidly as any place on earth, providing an unprecedented opportunity to examine a biome as it adjusts to change.Table of ContentsPART I: Alaska's Past and Present Environment 1: The Conceptual Basis of LTER Studies in the Alaskan Boreal Forest 2: Regional Overview of Interior Alaska 3: State Factor Control of Soil Formation in Interior Alaska 4: Climate and Permafrost Dynamics of the Alaskan Boreal Forest 5: Holocene Development of the Alaskan Boreal Forest PART II: Forest Dynamics 6: Floristic Diversity and Distribution in the Alaskan Boreal Forest 7: Successional Processes in the Alaskan Boreal Forest 8: Mammalian Herbivore Population Dynamics in the Alaskan Boreal Forest 9: Dynamics of Phytophagous Insects and Their Pathogens in Alaskan Boreal Forests 10: Running Waters of the Alaskan Boreal Forest PART III: Ecosystem Dynamics 11: Controls over Forest Production in Interior Alaska 12: The Role of Fine Roots in the Functioning of Alaskan Boreal Forests 13: Mammalian Herbivory, Ecosystem Engineering and Ecological Cascades in Alaskan Boreal Forests 14: Microbial Processes in the Alaskan Boreal Forest 15: Patterns of Biogeochemistry in Alaskan Boreal Forests PART IV: Changing Regional Processes 16: Watershed Hydrology and Chemistry in the Alaskan Boreal Forest: The Central Role of Permafrost 17: Fire Trends in the Alaskan Boreal Forest 18: Timber Harvest in Interior Alaska 19: Climate Feedbacks in the Alaskan Boreal Forest 20: Communication of Alaskan Boreal Science with Broader Communities 21: Summary and Synthesis: Past and Future Changes in the Alaskan Boreal Forest

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Book SynopsisOver the last decade, the field of plant ecology has significantly developed and expanded, especially in research concerning the herb layer and ground vegetation of forests. This revised second edition of The Herbaceous Layer in Forests of Eastern North America accounts for that growth, presenting research that approaches the ecology of the herb layer of forests from a variety of disciplines and perspectives. The book synthesizes the research of top ecologists and biologists on herbaceous layer structure, composition, and dynamics of a variety of forest ecosystem types in eastern North America. The 2003 first edition of The Herbaceous Layer in Forests of Eastern North America was praised for containing the most extensive listing of herb-layer literature in existence. This second edition brings this material up to date, revised to include current research and data. The book incorporates quantitative data to support analyses that was previously unavailable during the publication of the fTrade Review"Overall, the second edition of The Herbaceous Layer is much more than a corrected and lightly updated version of the first edition. The new chapters bring into sharp focus the importance of disturbance, conservation, and protection of forests and forest understories in states ranging from recovering clear-cuts to old-growth stands. The literature reviews and integrated bibliography are incredibly thorough and provide a one-stop shop for students beginning studies of the forest understory, for experienced researchers in need of a refresher, and for all, a reminder of the importance, the value, and the aesthetic beauty of the herbaceous layer." --RHODORATable of ContentsTable of Contents ; Chapter 1: The Herbaceous Layer-The Forest Between the Trees ; Frank S. Gilliam ; Chapter 2: Nutrient Relations of the Herbaceous Layer in Deciduous Forest Ecosystems ; Robert N. Muller ; Chapter 3: Ecophysiology of the Herbaceous Layer in Temperate Deciduous Forests ; Howard S. Neufield ; Donald R. Young ; Chapter 3 Appendix ; Chapter 4: Interactions of nutrient effects with other biotic factors in the herbaceous layer ; Wendy B. Anderson ; Chapter 5: Mating Systems and Floral Biology of the Herb Layer: A Survey of Two Communities and the State of our Knowledge ; Carol Goodwillie ; Claudia L. Jolls ; Chapter 6: Populations and Threats to Rare Plants of the Herb Layer ; Claudia L. Jolls ; Dennis Whigham ; Chapter 6 Appendix 1 ; Chapter 6 Appendix 2 ; Chapter 7: The Herbaceous Layer of Eastern Old-Growth Deciduous Forests ; Brian C. McCarthy ; Chapter 8: Habitat Heterogeneity and Maintenance of Species in Understory Communities ; Susan W. Beatty ; Chapter 9: Interactions Between the Herbaceous Layer and Overstory Canopy of Eastern Forests ; Frank S. Gilliam ; Mark R. Roberts ; Chapter 10: Herbaceous layer species richness of southeastern forests and woodlands ; Robert K. Peet ; Kyle A. Palmquist ; Samantha M. Tessel ; Chapter 11: Temporal Patterns in Herbaceous Layer Communities of the North Carolina Piedmont ; Robert K. Peet ; Norman L. Christensen ; Frank S. Gilliam ; Chapter 12: Composition and Dynamics of the Understory Vegetation in the Boreal Forests of Quebec ; Louis De Grandpre' Yves Bergeron ; Nicole J. Fenton ; Thuy Nguyen ; Catherine Boudreault ; Pierre Grondin ; Chapter 12 Appendix ; Chapter 13: Response of the Herbaceous Layer to Disturbance in Eastern Forests ; Mark R. Roberts ; Frank S. Gilliam ; Chapter 14: The Herbaceous Layer as a Filtering Determining Spatial Pattern in Forest Tree Regeneration ; Lisa O. George ; Fahhri A. Bazzaz ; Chapter 15: Forest Invasions: Perceptions, Impacts and Management Questions ; James O. Luken ; Chapter 16: Effects of Deer on Forest Herb Layers ; Donald M. Waller ; Chapter 17: A Case Study of Chronic Deer Overbrowsing Throughout the Allegheny National Forest Region of Pennsylvania ; Walter P. Carson ; Alejandro A. Royo ; Chris J. Peterson ; Chapter 18: Long-Term Effects on Clearcutting in the Southern Appalachians ; Julie L. Wyatt ; Miles R. Silman ; Chapter 19: Agricultural Legacies in Forest Herb Communities ; Kathryn M. Flinn ; Chapter 20: Effects of Excess Nitrogen Deposition on the Herbaceous Layer of Eastern North American Forests ; Frank S. Gilliam ; Chapter 21: Climate Change and Forest Herbs of Temperate Deciduous Forests ; Jesse Bellamare ; David A. Moeller ; Chapter 21 Appendix ; Chapter 22: The Dynamic Nature of the Herbaceous Layer ; Frank S. Gilliam ; References ; First Edition References

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Book SynopsisThe disappearance of tropical forests is a problem for the world environment. In this book, experts on four rainforest sights in Central and South America - Manaus, Brazil; Manu Park, Peru; Barro Colorado Island, Panama; and La Selva, Costa Rica - compare the characteristics of these systems.

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Book SynopsisSet off on a spellbinding expedition into the deep, dark woods...Page after page of this book is packed with vintage drawings that portray the enchanting beauty of a wild, ancient wood. Journey down snaking pathways, beneath towering trees, and amongst glorious plants and wildlife to uncover the odd magical surprise.Get creative! Adorn your personal items with more than 1,000 images of forest life, including intriguing toadstools, elegant trees, and even fantastical elves and more. Create gorgeous artwork and stationery, or simply enjoy this book as an exquisite keepsake.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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a huge range and FREE tracked UK delivery on ALL orders.

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