Presents an overview of the world's forests; their locations and what they are like, the science of how they operate as complex ecosystems and how they interact with their environment.
List of contributors Preface Acknowledgements Part 1: Forest Resources and Types1. Global Forest Resources - History and Dynamics2. Forest Types and ClassificationPart 2: Biological and Ecological Processes3. Genetics and Speciation in the World's Forests4. Structural Dynamics of Forest Stands and Natural Processes5. Biological Interactions and Disturbance - Plants and Animals6. Biological Interactions and Disturbance - InvertebratesPart 3: Environmental Interactions7. Forest Soils8. Ecophysiology of Forests9. Models for Pure and Mixed Forests10. Forests and the Atmosphere11. Environmental Stresses to Forests12. Forest HydrologyPart 4: Social Factors and the Human Interface13. Trees in the Urban Environment14. The Importance of Social Values15. Non-Timber Forest Products and Rural Poverty: An Economic Analysis Synthesis and conclusions Index