Tropical Rain Forests: An Ecological and Biogeographical Comparison - Hardcover

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Richard Primack, a professor at Boston University, has conducted research on forest ecology and conservation in Malaysia, India and Central America. He is the author of two leading textbooks in conservation biology, which have been translated into sixteen languages. He is the President of the Association for Tropical Biology and Editor of the journal Biological Conservation.

Richard Corlett, an associate professor at the University of Hong Kong, has studied tropical forests in New Guinea, Southeast Asia, and southern China. His major current research interest is in how rainforest plants and animals survive in human-dominated landscapes. He has previously taught ecology at the University of Chiang Mai, in Thailand, and at the National University of Singapore, and is co-author of books on the ecology of Singapore and Hong Kong.

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The popular view of the tropical rainforest as a monolithic tangle of rain-soaked trees, vines, birds, monkeys and big cats is a widespread myth. Tropical Rain Forests: An Ecological and Biogeographical Comparison explodes that myth by showing that rain forests in different tropical regions are unique despite superficial similarities.

Throughout the book the distinctive characteristics of rain forests in tropical Asia, tropical America, Africa, Madagascar, New Guinea, and Australia are emphasized. After an introduction to the climate, biogeographic history and environment of tropical rain forests, successive chapters are devoted to plants, primates, other mammals, birds, canopy animals and insects. The final chapter considers the impact of people on tropical forests and discusses conservation strategies that, based upon the characteristics of particular regions rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, may prove more effective in preserving different forest ecosystems.

This exciting new book, filled with natural history examples, figures and stunning photographs, will be invaluable reading for undergraduate students in a wide range of courses. The book’s comparative approach also poses many questions that will be of special interest to researchers and advanced students.