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This comprehensive synthesis systematically covers the entire range of natural and managed oak forests in the highlands of tropical America. Originally, these forests were widely distributed, but largely through human impact large parts have disappeared and the remaining patches are under increasing threat.
For the first time, aspects as diverse as the paleo-ecology, biogeography, stand structure and composition, biodiversity, population dynamics, ecosystem dynamics, fragmentation and recovery, conservation and sustainable use of Neotropical montane oak forests are treated in a coherent manner. Providing a thorough understanding of ecological patterns and processes that determine the structure and functioning of these magnificent forests, this volume can serve as a sound basis for sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation in general.
The volume contains 34 chapters and is divided into the following seven parts: Introduction to Neotropical montane oak forests * Paleo-ecology and biogeography * Stand structure and composition * Population dynamics * Ecosystem disturbance and regeneration * Conservation and sustainable use * Synthesis.
From the reviews: "This volume is a highly valuable, almost complete contribution to the study of these widespread oak mountain ecosystems. ! The present volume synthesises an impressive amount of data and information in many ways. It provides a very sound basis for future research ! . In general, it is a remarkable volume of the 'Ecological Studies' series, which would deserve a wider distribution." (Siegmar-W. Breckle, Phytocoenologia, Vol. 37 (2), 2007) "This book summarizes current knowledge about neotropical montane oak ecosystems. ! This book will be great value to managers, researchers, teachers, and students who work in the Americas neotropical montane region. It also will be valuable to ecologists, forest managers, and researchers throughout the world ! ." (Brain Roy Lockhart, Mountain Research & Development, Vol. 27 (3), 2007)
