Description
Book SynopsisTaking a functional rather than an ecosystem or a utilitarian approach, Thomas and Packham provide a concise account of how wooded areas have changed over time and will continue to change, particularly through harvesting and pollution. This clear, non-technical, 2007 text will be of interest to undergraduates, foresters and land managers.
Trade Review'… good index … extensive references … well illustrated … breadth of material covered in a very readable way. I can see undergraduates finding it very useful as an introduction to key concepts and as a source book for essays.' Bulletin of the British Ecological Society
'… the paperback edition could be particularly useful for an introductory course in forest ecology and serve as a reasonably priced, accessible alternative to pricier, more densely packed textbooks …' Landscape Ecology
'The book is very up-to-date. … [it] tries to strike a balance. It addresses a more general reader and provides a comprehensive, clear, non-technical introduction to the many facets of forest ecology, but it is also a rich source of information for the expert. … Undergraduates, foresters, ecologists and land managers should have Ecology of Woodlands and Forests on their bookshelf.' Basic and Applied Ecology
'… essential reading for everyone from botany or geosciences who explor[es] the forests … a comprehensive, detailed, well-thought, and informative synthesis, which will be appreciated by professionals, beginners, and amateurs.' Zentralblatt für Geologie und Paläontologie
Table of ContentsPreface; 1. Introduction: forest basics; 2. Forest soils, climate and zonation; 3. Primary production and forest development; 4. Reproductive strategies of forest plants; 5. Biotic interactions; 6. Biodiversity in woodlands; 7. Decomposition and renewal; 8. Energy and nutrients; 9. Forest change and disturbance; 10. Working forests; 11. The future - how will our forests change?; References.
