Ecosystem Geography From Ecoregions to Sites

About this book

The first edition of this book examined the distribution of ecosystems at different scales, and the processes that have differentiated them. It presented the principles for ecosystems mapping and explored the connections between ecosystem geography, conservation, and management. Ecosystem Geography was written in 1996, at a time when few published materials on ecosystem geography were available, and none had systematically elaborated the principles underlying the mapping of ecosystems in a form accessible to advanced students and practitioners.

This second edition builds on the strengths of its predecessor, incorporating new information and clarifying concepts presented in the first edition. New sections address how ecoregion boundaries were determined, ecoregion redistribution under climate change, ecosystem processes (such as fire regimes), empirical versus genetic approaches to classification, and human modification to ecosystems, such as through the introduction of invasive species.

Contents

Foreword
Preface
Ch. 1 Introduction
Ch. 2 Scale of Ecosystem Units
Ch. 3 The Question of Boundary Criteria
Ch. 4 Role of Climate in Ecosystem Differentiation
Ch. 5 Macroscale: Macroclimatic Differentiation
Ch. 6 Ecoclimatic Zones of the Earth
Ch. 7 Ecoregions of the United States
Ch. 8 Mesoscale: Landform Differentiation
Ch. 9 Microscale: Edaphic-Topoclimatic Differentiation
Ch. 10 Applications of Ecosystem Geography
Ch. 11 Summary and Conclusions
Appendix Ecoregions of the Oceans
Glossary
Further Reading
Bibliography
About the Author
Index

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