Functional Ecology Of Woodlands And Forests

Functional Ecology of Woodlands is firmly based on the factors which govern the composition of woodland communities, but goes on to explore the dynamics of interactions between various ecosystem components. This is an authoritative text on the functioning of forest ecosystems, which will also assist readers to reach informed decisions about issues such as the greenhouse effect, acid precipitation, the greening of cities and agroforestry.

Functional Ecology of Woodlands is firmly based on the factors which govern the composition of woodland communities, but goes on to explore the dynamics of interactions between various ecosystem components. This is an authoritative text on the functioning of forest ecosystems, which will also assist readers to reach informed decisions about issues such as the greenhouse effect, acid precipitation, the greening of cities and agroforestry.

A concise, non-technical account of the structure and evolution of woodlands and forests, first published in 2007.

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.

Ecophysiological mechanisms underlie plant responses to environmental conditions and the influence these responses have on ecological patterns and processes. In this Special Issue, with a particular interest in the interactions between climate change, environmental disturbance, and functional ecology, experimental observations are described at a range of spatial scales. A modeling framework is used in an effort to relate mechanistic responses to ecosystem functions and services, and link forest ecophysiology and environmental indicators. This Special Issue collects important advances in studying and monitoring plant–environment interactions, covering biogeographic gradients from Mediterranean woodlands to boreal forests and from Alpine mountains to tropical environments.

"Forest Ecology" uses an ecosystem approach to understanding the ecology of forests. It examines the form and function of forest ecosystems and how they change over time in response to natural and human-caused disturbances. A complete treatment of the ecosystem including all the major structural components and functional processes of the forest ecosystem. This book examines forest ecology in the context of sustainable development and population growth. Gives equal emphasis to ecosystem function, the physical environment, the biotic processes (population and community ecology) and ecosystem change overtime.