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Contents
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About this book
This book is a synoptic comparison of tropical forests, based on a detailed understanding of one particular tropical forest, Barro Colorado Island (Panama). It covers various aspects of tropical forest biology including natural history, tree architecture and forest physiognomy, ecosystem dynamics, community ecology, niche differentiation and species diversity, evolutionary biology, and the role of mutualism in the ecological organization of tropical forest.
Contents
Introduction; 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
Customer Reviews
By: Edward Giles Leigh
245 pages, 62 line illus, tabs
"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