The Ecology of Trees in the Tropical Rain Forest

Description

Our knowledge of the ecology of tropical rain-forest trees is limited, with detailed information available for perhaps only a few hundred of the many thousand of species that occur. Yet a good understanding of the trees is essential to unravelling the workings of the forest itself. This book aims to summarise contemporary understanding of the ecology of tropical rain-forest trees. The emphasis is on comparative ecology, an approach that can help to identify possible adaptive trends and evolutionary constraints and which may also lead to a workable ecological classification for tree species, conceptually simplifying the rain-forest community and making it more amenable to analysis.

From the hardback review: 'This is an excellent book that does not restrict itself to a dry description of how tropical trees work. It bravely tackles the bigger issue of why different species of tropical tree adopt different solutions to complex environmental problems and looks for patterns that may have adaptive or evolutionary significance.' Times Higher Education Supplement From the hardback review: 'The book gives a very complete picture of what is currently known about tropical rainforest trees. There is something for everyone - it is difficult to name a topic that is not dealt with.' Journal of Plant Systematics and Evolution From the hardback review: '... this information-packed and up-to-date book is a must-buy for graduate level students and researchers in tropical forests.' Tropical Biodiversity