Customer Reviews (1)

Great book for most all levels
This book covers the tpes of plants that can be found in forest and is organized in a logical manner. The entire forest as an ecosystem is presented so that the information is not abstracted and presented as a list but is instead shown in relation to its niche. The first part of the book covers the concept of a forest as an ecosystem. Following this is a large list of the more common plants that can be found in the forest. Then there is a section on collecting plants that is very well written. The last section is a number of exercises that could be used in a classroom fieldtrip or by anyone interested in nature. Overall the book is easy to read and very helpful. I have all three of this authors books and they are all great additions to my library. I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning more about the world around them. It would be of special interest to anyone who is interested in becoming a naturalist as a hobby or anyone who has a child that they would like introduced to the world outside. ... Read more

Product Description
This revised and reorganized text is designed for a standard forest ecology course for undergraduates in forestry, natural resources, environmental science, environmental ecology, and field ecology programs. Provides an eminently current perspective on the material by emphasizing forest ecosystems using a landscape-ecosystem or geo-ecosystem approach. Written by both field teachers and researchers of forest ecology and practitioners of forest ecology in both public and private arenas. Treats traditional plant ecology topics of community, succession, biota from a landscape ecosystem perspective, also emphasizes earth science. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (3)

Dislike
I was required to purchase this text for a class. I am highly unimpressed and have suggested the teacher look for new material in coming semesters. Good luck if you have to read this.

Excellent Forest Ecology Text
This book was required text for a 400+ level undergrad (Junior/Senior) and graduate course at the University of Maine. I thought the text was very engaging, and adequately and thoroughly covered the major themes in Forest Ecology. This text continues to serve as a reference for me as I used this text for comprehensive examination review and in writing my dissertation. I have not reviewed other Forest Ecology books, however can say that this text is outstanding in the presentation of material and in its readability for those who have an understanding of general ecology.

Not a good book for students of forest ecology
This book is the required text for a class on trees and forests that I am currently taking at UC Davis.It is an imposing text and reads much like a journal of ecology.It is far from a good study aid for undergrads and grad students in forest ecology.However, given its copious literature citations, it could easily serve as a reference text for an advanced undergraduate course or graduate seminar.

The book comes full of graphs, charts and pictures, but much of it is superfluous.Key terms and concepts are not fully explained for initiates, a glossary of terms is non-existent for quick reference, and brief, detailed summaries of each chapter are not provided at the end of each chapter for time-pressed students.The book also contains numerous photographs of forest stands, maps, diagrams, and charts; however, because none of these are in color, they lose much of their visual impact, detail and valuable utility.Furthermore, there are no study questions at the end of each chapter for exam preparation.As such, initiates to forestry or landscape ecology looking for a good introduction to the field are pretty much out of luck.

Although the book has gone through four editions, it is still quite far from being a good textbook.In addition to the above mentioned comments, the writing style needs to be tighter.However, negatives aside, teachers and educators looking for examples of many of the concepts in forest ecology for use in class discussions will find this an invaluable text. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Eastern Deciduous Forest, Second Edition: Ecology and Wildlife Conservation
The book arrived on 6/12/10 in "good condition" with clean pages, no writing, underlining, highlighting, or other marks, as advertised.They indicated "almost no shelf wear"; I did not observe any.The book was actually in like new, mint condition.Thank you very much.

Very informative , good overview of all ecological processes
This book is a must for anyone who is considering naural resource management as a career, as I am.It deals with the basic ecological terms and poses some very difficult problems that forest management will occure in the recent future.If you are interested in conservation, and not preservation, this book will be a wise investment. ... Read more

Product Description
Containing contributions from some of the world’s leading tropical ecologists this book provides a summary of the key issues in the discipline of tropical ecology.

• Includes contributions from some of the world’s leading tropical ecologists
  
• Covers patterns of species distribution, the maintenance of species diversity, the community ecology of tropical animals, forest regeneration and conservation of tropical ecosystems

Product Description

Product Description

"Agee examines in depth the issues in the ecological context and history of fire, wild and human. He sheds considerable light on this most important topic. This book is essential reading for anyone who wants a thorough understanding of the ecological and management issues related to fire in the forests.

-International Journal of Forestr.

The structure of most virgin forests in the western United States reflects a past disturbance history that includes forest fire. James K. Agee, an expert in the emerging field of fire ecology, analyzes the ecological role of fire in the creation and maintenance of natural western forests, focusing primarily on forest stand development patterns. His discussion of the natural fire environment and the environmental effects of fire is applicable to a wide range of temperate forests. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Seminal (and readable) text in fire ecology
One of the seminal books in fire ecology, regardless of what area of the world you're in. Despite the focus in this book on Northwestern forests, Agee provides one of the best overviews of wildland fire, fire effects, and fire history available, seamlessly integrating fire science, history, and policy into a seamless narrative. Agee's focus in this book is on Northwest forests, specifically on forest stand development patterns, yet his discussion of theory, the fundamental tenets of fire ecology and fire effects on an ecosystem are broadly applicable.

Great, very accessible writing style.

appreciated prompt service !
Thanks you for your prompt delivery of my new book.It was needed for on-line graduate coursework and it arrived early so that I was able to prepare for the class. ... Read more

Product Description
The Monteverde Cloud Forest Reserve has captured the worldwide attention of biologists, conservationists, and ecologists and has been the setting for extensive investigation over the past 30 years. Roughly 40,000 ecotourists visit the Cloud Forest each year, and it is often considered the archetypal high-altitude rain forest.

This volume brings together some of the most prominent researchers of the region to provide a broad introduction to the biology of the Monteverde and cloud forests in general. Collecting and synthesizing vital information about the ecosystem and its biota, the book also examines the positive and negative effects of human activity on both the forest and the surrounding communities. Ecologists, tropical biologists, and natural historians will find this volume an indispensable resource as will all those who are fascinated by the magnificent wonders of the tropical forests. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very good reference book
I have found this to be a fantastically helpful reference book for everything Monteverde-related.This book isn't meant to be a best-seller, it (seems to be) designed for the subset of people who are interested in Monteverde, Costa Rica.If you have spent some time in Monteverde, or plan to, it has pretty much everything you could ever want to know about natural history and climate.It is also put together in an easy and intuitive manner, which counts for a lot when you are trying to find one specific thing in a book that is about everything.It is aimed more towards science, but it also has quite a bit about the history of the town.This is the first place I would look for helpful tidbits of information about Monteverde like yearly rainfall/mist, neat graphs that break down the number of species of plants of various life forms ("X% of plants in MV are climbers, Y% are epiphytes, Z% canopy trees"), and the such.I would strongly suggest it to anyone interested in Monteverde natural history.This is not a field guide, it won't help you identify anything to species, but it will be a very good supplement to pretty much any field guide, so you can see what ever you are interested in the large framework of its ecosystem.

It is also just plain fun read. ... Read more

Product Description
This management-driven, comprehensive book on ecosystem ecology is the only one on the market that covers the entire field, linking conventional ecosystem-level forest ecology to forest management.It features ecological site classification, ecosystem modeling, and strong sections on ecological diversity and the physical environment. It provides a comprehensive treatment of forestry issues; as well as excellent coverage of ecosystem management, landscape management, natural disturbances and their emulation.An excellent reference work for professional foresters, resource managers, wildlife managers, parks managers, forest planners and policy makers, and forestry researchers. ... Read more

Product Description

This acclaimed textbook is the most comprehensive available in the field of forest ecology. Designed for advanced students of forest science, ecology, and environmental studies, it is also an essential reference for forest ecologists, foresters, and land managers.

The authors provide an inclusive survey of boreal, temperate, and tropical forests with an emphasis on ecological concepts across scales that range from global to landscape to microscopic. Situating forests in the context of larger landscapes, they reveal the complex patterns and processes observed in tree-dominated habitats.

The updated and expanded second edition covers

• Conservation• Ecosystem services • Climate change• Vegetation classification• Disturbance• Species interactions• Self-thinning• Genetics• Soil influences• Productivity• Biogeochemical cycling• Mineralization• Effects of herbivory• Ecosystem stability

Customer Reviews (3)

Indispensable...
I recently took a class in which this book was used as the primary text. I found it to be an outstanding and indispensable tool which will be an ongoing resource for years to come in my quest for a working and applied knowledge of forest science. The authors systematically weave together the essential principles and concepts of empirical research informed by thoughtful integration of present environmental concerns, giving the reader a deep appreciation and awareness of the interconnected "web" of ecosystems, implications for sustainability, and the incredible vitality and vulnerability of planet earth. I was left with a greater sense of personal responsibility and awe, and am inspired to continue my quest to be a life-long student of earth sciences. Obvious mastery of content by it's authors; Perry, Hart and Oren, from detailed analysis to global implications, place the book on a level of importance for students and working scientists that will cause it to be pulled from the shelf for reference time and time again.

Outstanding Book!!!
Perry, Oren and Hart have produced a smashing second edition Forest Ecosystem book. It it very well written and leads the reader from basic terminology into the forests of the world, climates and change over time. I especially enjoyed the chapters on disturbance in forest ecosystems as it relates to composition and structure. The chapter on biodiversity and how to maintain it -- is crucial. The book covers a number of other essential topics including genetics, soil, primary productivity, forest nutrition and nutrient cycling. I found the three cases studies to be well laid-out and concisely explained. The last chapter of the book - The Future is exceptional. Forest Ecosystems is a MUST read for all foresters, resource managers and conservation biologists. It's a book that will live long and prosper on many book shelves. Well done! Dr Reese Halter, Global Forest Science.

Great Reference
If you're looking for a detailed overview of how the forest ecosystem works, this is a great reference.Perry covers soil, nutrients, forest dynamics, etc.If you are new to the sciences, Perry does a good job of explaining key terms.This book is geared more towards science-minded people, but the material is broad enough for anyone interested in the forest. ... Read more

Product Description
Due to the decline of wood harvests in the Pacific Northwest, the pressure is on the hardwood forests of the Eastern United States, from New York to Georgia to Missouri, to make up the difference. This timely book presents in-depth information about forest management, silviculture, and the ecology of the eastern forest regions, which are fast approaching maturity. The author provides foresters and resource managers all the expert guidance needed to protect and maintain these valuable resources. ... Read more

Product Description

Developed by the pioneering landscape design firm of Andropogon Associates, world-renowned for their innovative approach to integrating environmental protection and restoration with landscape architecture and design, The Once and Future Forest is a guidebook for restoring and managing natural landscapes. Focusing on remnant forest systems, it describes methods of restoring and linking forest fragments to recreate a whole landscape fabric.

The book begins by explaining the history and current situation of forest ecosystems in the eastern United States. Following that is an in-depth examination of the restoration process, with thorough descriptions of ecological strategies for landscape management along with specific examples of how those strategies have been implemented in various sites around the country. The final section provides hands-on information about the many specific details that must be considered when initiating and implementing a restoration program. All aspects of the restoration process are considered, including:

Product Description
This is a fascinating analysis of chimpanzee behavior--based on an incredible 15-year long study.It sheds light on some of the central questions in human evolution and combines rigorous scientific observation and analysis with entertaining, first-hand experiences. It will appeal to anthropologists, behavior ecologists, primatologists, and anyone interested in human evolution. ... Read more

Product Description
With detailed information available for perhaps only a few hundred of the many thousand of species that occur, our current knowledge of the ecology of tropical rainforest trees is limited. This book aims to summarize the contemporary understanding of the ecology of tropical rainforest trees. The emphasis is on comparative ecology, an approach that can help to identify possible adaptive trends and evolutionary constraints and that may also lead to a workable ecological classification for tree species, conceptually simplifying the rainforest community and making it more amenable to analysis. ... Read more

Product Description
Extending from west Africa to Madagascar, from the vast lowland Congo Basin to the archipelago of forest islands on its eastern rim, the African rain forest is surpassed in size only by the Amazon. This book sheds light on the current efforts to understand and conserve the African rain forest, an area in need of urgent action to save its biological wealth, cultural heritage, and economic potential. Written by conservation scientists and practitioners based in the African rain forest, the book offers a multidisciplinary perspective that integrates many biological and social sciences. Early chapters trace the forces - from paleoecological factors to recent human actions - that have shaped the African forest environment. The next chapters discuss the dominant biological patterns of species ranging from the distinctive elephants, gorillas, and okapi to the less well known birds, butterflies, and amphibians. Other chapters focus on how such different groups as hunter-gatherers, forest farmers, bushmeat hunters, recent immigrants, and commercial foresters have used the forests. Several authors stress the need for tighter links between research and conservation action.The final section draws lessons from the collective experience of those working in an Africa wracked by political strife and economic hardship. ... Read more

Product Description
This field guide includes all the flora and fauna you're most likely to see in the forests of eastern North America. With 53 full-color plates and 80 color photos illustrating trees, birds, mammals, wildflowers, mushrooms, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, moths, beetles, and other insects. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Great
All of the Field Guides in this series are fabulous.I found this one useful for my undergrad ecology class... and cheap enough that it wasn't a big investment on top of the already expensive class/main textbook.

Outstanding overview of forest ecology
This has come to be one of my favorite of Peterson's Field Guides.While, as has been mentioned, it is not really a guide to identification per se, there are still many wonderful pictures of forest mammals, birds, trees, shrubs, flowers, reptiles, amphibians, and more that you may come across in your travels throughout eastern woods and fields.Beyond that, however, the book serves as an excellent guide to the functioning of forest ecology, which is a vastly more complex (and ultimately more satisfying) goal than simple identification.As a teacher of ecology, I often use this book with my students as superior to our actual ecology textbook, especially when dealing with the eastern American region in specific.So for those interested in patterns and functioning in a forest ecosystem, this book is outstanding.If you are more into identifications, then this is the one field guide to take that will give a comprehensive overview of forest life.Either way, it's an excellent resource for any naturalist.

field guide to field guides
Anyone who has some field guides should buy this one because it is an overview of the natural world of the Eastern U.S.So many questions are answered in a concise way.I read the book from cover to cover, a new experience as I don't normally read field guides as if they were books.The book is easy to read.An excellent gift for those interested in nature.

Great source for field work
This is a great, concise book for taking on field work expeditions.Very informative, excellent color pictures, and wonderful descriptions of Eastern Decidious Forest Binome.

How things really work
Though this guide and its companion Western forest edition have been in print for over a decade, I only stumbled on it last year. It concisely provides the missing links between other field guides to plants, fungi, insects, spiders, reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals, tracks, fossils ... you get the drift. As a hiker, bird-watcher or -feeder, observer, photographer or amateur naturalist, the first step is usually simple identification of species. (With summer warblers, of course, the first step is actually seeing the bird in question.) In the same way that traditional field guides provide portable I.D. info, the ECOLOGY version helps you understand the change you see as you hike down out of a Beech-Maple forest into an Oak-Hickory stand, or the subtle differences when a Northern Riverine Forest segues into a Northern Swamp. By no means comprehensive (remember this fits in your pocket), this book, like the science of ecology itself, is composed of seemingly endless delightful digressions. Where do galls come from? How do dragonflies mate? Have you ever bothered to learn frog calls? What can the vegetation in an old field tell you about history? This volume (and by my inference the Western companion) are an excellent and fascinating addition to any field guide collection. ... Read more

Product Description
A masterful work of natural history points the way to a new conservation model.

From the leaves at the top of the canopy to the insects living deep beneath the soil, a forest is a complete, unified ecosystem. Each event, from the growth of a single sapling to a cataclysmic fire, is critical to the life of the forest as organism.

Veteran science writer Luoma here chronicles the work of a unique and fascinating scientific research project that, over the course of several decades, will bring together scientists from almost every discipline-botanists, entomologists, wildlife ecologists, soil biologists, etc.-to piece together the long-term natural history of a single forest ecosystem, in this case a majestic old-growth forest of the Pacific Northwest.

What emerges is a wealth of information that even now is pointing the way to a new approach to forest management, one that will allow for the cutting of trees for timber, while preserving the beauty andintegrity of these proud woods.Amazon.com Review
Tucked away into the verdant folds of the Cascade foothills east of Eugene, Oregon, there is a forest that has been forming since before Columbus first set foot in the New World. The 16,000-acre Andrews Experimental Forest isan old-growth forest, a description largely unknown to the Americanpublic until the late 1980s, when the spotted owl swooped into notoriety.In some forestry circles, other adjectives like decadent are used todescribe this forest's towering Douglas firs, western red cedars, andwestern hemlocks--that is, a forest that has reached maximum wood fibercapacity. Loggers contend that allowing such giant trees to die, rot, andfall over is a waste of resources. "I'm clearcutting to save the forest,"declared a partisan newspaper ad in the go-go timber years of the 1970s,when old growth was liquidated at an unprecedented rate to make way formanaged forest crops. The only problem with this view is that it misses theforest for the trees. In The Hidden Forest, Jon Luoma takes usbelow--and above--the canopy to view the natural processes of an ancientforest and visit with the scientists working there.

The Andrews is unique in that it brings together scientists from diversefields to join a collaborative effort, with the end result being an entireecosystem under the microscope.

In the heart of summer research season, scientists can be found burrowing in the soil under logs; or trapping insects fifteen stories or more up in the tree canopy with the aid of rock-climbing gear; or scrambling crablike in a neoprene wet suit in a rushing, buffeting mountain stream....

Customer Reviews (6)

I use it in my class
This book IS required reading for my students.It's a good way for non specialists to get a glimpse of what ecology and environmental science is about.

Ought to be required reading.
Not only was The Hidden Forest a pleasure to read, but Jon Luoma told me so many things I didn't know.I thought I knew a great deal about forests, since I live next to a park, hike in the mountains, and have read many books about trees, but this book showed me that there really is a hidden forest right under my nose that I'd been mostly unaware of.Now, as I walk the trail through the woods, I think of the 16,000 tiny insects beneath my foot every time I take a step, and I think of the vital work they do that supports all life on Earth.



Policy decisions are being made every day--just recently the Bush administration announced plans to increase logging of old growth forests--in a political and economic climate in which most people are ignorant of the science of forest ecosystems.How can we possibly make the right choices if people are not properly informed?For example, many people have bought into the notion that protecting old growth hurts the economy and costs jobs.In fact, the losses in the salmon industry, billions of dollars, could have been prevented if old growth forests had been protected.Also, millions if not billions of dollars of damage caused by flooding in Washington and Oregon could have been avoided if the Forest Service had followed the advice of the scientists at the Andrews Experimental Forest.



Still, these scientists haven't even begun to scratch the surface of what we need to know about forest ecosystems.They haven't even identified half of the species that live in our forests.How can we know the value of what we are losing if we don't even understand what it is or how it works?Their work should be funded at a much higher level.(Check out their web site: http://www.fsl.orst.edu/lter/index.cfm )



While this book is not for everyone, it should be read by the following people:

--Policy makers in the Forest Service.

--Everyone in the Bush administration.

--People who vote.

--People who live in wood houses or use paper products.

--People who enjoy clean water.

--People who like to breath oxygen.



The rest of you needn't bother to read it.



(While I sound like I'm being paid by either the author or the Scientists and the Andrews Forest, I had never heard of either of them before my mom got me this book for my birthday.I just really liked the book--one of the best and most significant I've ever read.)

Draws Scientific Blood!
In the argument on whether or not to save old growth, this book draws scientific blood.

I read this book non-stop until I finished. I've never come across a work that so succintly explains the scientific research on old growth forests in the Northwest.

Want to understand why old growth is important? Read this book.

Just a Pleasure
I don't think I can add anything of much value to the editorial reviews, all of which are excellent and fairly describe this book.For all you who have ever walked in an old forest, gone hiking in a forest preserve, felt the immensity and wisdom that is offered there, this book brings that gloriously to life again.Luoma's description of his ride in the crane is worth the price alone.Sweeping over the forest canopy twenty-five stories in the air is not for the faint of heart.Only 209 pages of reading, it flies by in just a few days.And he brings the scientists who work on all this to our dens with such intimacy.These are people who work in the field, not huddled over their microscopes, mostly.Pick it up; you won't be sorry.

Highlighting the Hidden Forest: Luoma as Virgil to Our Dante
Luoma takes the reader on an intimate, guided tour with some of the tenacious pioneers of forested ecosystems research and the mysterious processes whereby the woods become established, grow and change--in thecase of the moist coastal uplands of western Oregon, processes that takecenturies to complete all their steps. For those who like their science inthe field, in the raw, and introduced by the human practitioners struggling(and loving) the dance of theory and experiment, this is a must-have.Ancient Forests rhetoric too frequently airbrushes over the hard scientificinquiry that helped reveal both the uniqueness of the Oregon forestedecosystems research site and yet suggests that some of these hiddenprocesses, or ones similar, will be found to play crucial roles in otherforest places as well. If Luoma doesn't beat me to it, I could do worsethan spend the rest of my career writing a series for all the Long-TermEcological Research stationsthat perform the valuablework of buildingbaselines and foundations in ecology for every major ecological region. Atleast, this is the sort of book that makes a reader feel that way! ... Read more

Product Description
Rain forests represent the world's richest repository of terrestrial biodiversity, and play a major role in regulating the global climate. They support the livelihoods of a substantial proportion of the world's population and are the source of many internationally traded commodities. They remain (despite decades of conservation attention) increasingly vulnerable to degradation and clearance, with profound though often uncertain future costs to global society. Understanding the ecology of these diverse biomes, and peoples' dependencies on them, is fundamental to their future management and conservation.

Tropical Rain Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation introduces and explores what rain forests are, how they arose, what they contain, how they function, and how humans use and impact them. The book starts by introducing the variety of rain forest plants, fungi, microorganisms, and animals, emphasising the spectacular diversity that is the motivation for their conservation. The central chapters describe the origins of rain forest communities, the variety of rain forest formations, and their ecology and dynamics. The challenge of explaining the species richness of rain forest communities lies at the heart of ecological theory, and forms a common theme throughout. The book's final section considers historical and current interactions of humans and rain forests. It explores biodiversity conservation as well as livelihood security for the many communities that are dependent on rain forests - inextricable issues that represent urgent priorities for scientists, conservationists, and policy makers. ... Read more

Product Description
Oak Forest Ecosystems focuses on the relationship between an oakforest's acorn yield and species of wildlife that depend on it. It begins by treating factors such asoak distribution, forest fires, tree diseases and pests, dynamics of acorn production, and acorndispersal by birds and mammals. Special consideration is given to the phenomenon ofmasting—whereby oaks in a given area will produce huge crops of acorns at irregular intervals—akey component for wildlife researchers and managers in understanding patterns of scarcity andabundance in the creatures that feed on this crop. Relationships between oaks and animals suchas mice, squirrels, turkeys, deer, and bear are discussed, as are the differences between eastern,southern Appalachian, southwestern, and California oak forests.

Contributors: Marc D. Abrams, Pennsylvania State University • Patrick H. Brose, U.S.Department of Agriculture Forest Service • John P. Buonaccorsi, University of Massachusetts •Daniel Dey, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service• Joseph S. Elkinton, University ofMassachusetts • George A. Feldhamer, Southern Illinois University • Peter F. Folliott,University of Arizona • Lee E. Frelich, University of Minnesota • Cathryn H. Greenberg, U.S.Department of Agriculture Forest Service • William M. Healy, U.S. Department of AgricultureForest Service • Roy L. Kirkpatrick, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University •Johannes M. H. Knops, University of Nebraska • Walter D. Koenig, University of California •Nelson W. Lafon, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries • Andrew M. Liebhold,U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service • William J. McShea, National Zoological ParkConservation and Research Center • William H. McWilliams, U.S. Department of AgricultureForest Service • Gary W. Norman, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries • StevenW. Oak, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service • Renee A. O'Brien, U.S. Department ofAgriculture Forest Service • Richard S. Ostfeld, Institute of Ecosystem Studies • Bernard R.Parresol, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service • Peter J. Perkins, University of NewHampshire • Gordon C. Reese, Colorado State University • Peter B. Reich, University ofMinnesota • Peter D. Smallwood, University of Richmond • Christopher C. Smith, Kansas StateUniversity • Richard B. Standiford, University of California–Berkeley • Martin A. Stapanian,Ohio Cooperative Wildlife Unit • Michael A. Steele, Wilkes University • David Steffen,Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries • David H. Van Lear, Clemson University •Michael R. Vaughan, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University • Karen L. Waddell,U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Technically Excellent
The book provides great insights to the interactions within the Oak Forest Ecosystem. The book is designed more for the practicing ecologist, forester or biologist and may be a bit tough to digest if you haven't taken Population Statistics classes.All and all a good read and a bit of an eye-opener for some of us "specie-ists." ... Read more

Product Description
Taking a functional rather than an ecosystem or a utilitarian approach, Thomas and Packham provide a concise account of the structure of woodlands and forests. Using examples from around the world - from polar treelines to savannahs to tropical rain forests - the authors explain the structure of the soil and the hidden world of the roots; how the main groups of organisms which live within them interact both positively and negatively. There is particular emphasis on woodland and forest processes, especially those involving the flow and cycling of nutrients, as well as the dynamics of wooded areas, considering how and why they have changed through geological time and continue to do so. This clear, non-technical, text will be of interest to undergraduates, foresters, ecologists and land managers. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A comprehensive basic reference on forest ecology
This wide-ranging book explains clearly the basic concepts of forest ecology. Its primary purpose is probably to be a text-book for undergraduates but it works also for people generally interested in forest ecology. A good thing is that there are examples from all over the world, although some of the examples outside British Isles and Central Europe have small errors. Some of the given examples have directly been rewritten from abstracts of scientific papers. Unfortunately, all the discussed concepts and taxa cannot be found from the index. ... Read more

Product Description
A comprehensive field guide, fully illustrated with color photographs, to the trees, wildflowers, insects, birds, and other natural wonders of North America's eastern forests and woodlands, from Hudson Bay to Florida. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

An invaluable resource
Wore out our first copy.It was a constant companion on camping and backpacking trips, and a ready reference on nature hikes.Next to Bible, only book we have actually worn out.

A Unique Field Guide
Unlike most of the field guides being offered by the Audubon Society and other organizations, this one contains sections on birds, insects, mammals, and vegetation--all in one volume.I have found that I use this one more often than my other newer field guides, simply because everything is in one book.This guide is definitely not as extensive as many other field guides on the market as far as the number of animals and vegitation listed, but it is by far my favorite and most used guide.It's a pity that it is no longer being published.

Excellent presentation of important information
In doing research for a novel set in Central Kentucky, I find "The Audubon Society Nature Guides: Eastern Forests" to be the perfect resource. The guide covers the Eastern half of North America and will be enjoyed at home or in the field. The comprehensive details of trees, shrubs, wildflowers, mushrooms, birds, butterflies, insects, and reptiles are depicted in gorgeous color plates, and the text is full of lively description that reads almost like poetry. Studying natural history, forest ecology, zoology, botany and forest fauna has never been so much fun! Mary Popham, Louisville, Kentucky

Eastern Forests ( Audubon Society Nature Guides)
Eastern Forests:The Audubon Society Nature Guides by Ann Sutton is a comprehensive field guide which is fully illustrated with color photographs.Trees, wildflowers, birds, mammals, insects, reptiles, and mushrooms are found within the pages of this field guide.

This comprehensive field guide comprises the Eastern Forests ofNorth America from Hudson Bay to Florida.Here you'll find the majority of what is found in these forests and woodlands.I found it quite useful while hiking in this area of North America.There is a glossary of terms used in the book that is very helpful and the habitat of the animals is found by each picture.

I'm sure that this book will be used if you do much hiking in this area, as I have used it to identify many flora and fauna.

Print more of this one!
Definitely not a waste of paper!This guide does many things very well indeed.The first part--brief but amazingly informative--gives the big picture about how forests work.It takes a quick and penetrating glance at each of the various forest communties found in Eastern North America,from the boreal forests of the north and the oak-and-hickory forests of the Ozarks to the mixed deciduous forests of the states south of the Great Lakes to the complex and ancient forests of the southern Appalachians.The second part gives the little pictures--hundreds of small but clear photographs of trees, shrubs, flowers, birds and animals.These photos are great for identifying common species quickly (bring the book with you when you walk) and include page-number references to the many informative mini-essays about each species which make up the third portion of the book.The book also contains a helpful glossary and an index. The Audubon "Western Forests" is equally good. ... Read more