Tropical Ecosystems and Ecological Concepts [Paperback]

Patrick L. Osborne (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 4, 2000 | ISBN-10: 0521645239 | ISBN-13: 978-0521645232 | Edition: 1

Over one third of the earth's terrestrial surface is situated in the tropics, with environments ranging from hot deserts to tropical rain forests. This introductory textbook, aimed at students studying tropical ecology, provides a comprehensive guide to the major tropical biomes and is unique in its balanced coverage of both aquatic and terrestrial systems. The volume considers the human ecological dimension, covering issues such as population growth, urbanization, agriculture and fisheries, natural resource use, and pollution. It is international in scope and addresses global issues such as conservation of biodiversity, climate change, and the concept of ecological sustainability. The text is supported throughout by boxes containing supplementary material on a range of topics and organisms, mathematical concepts and calculations, and is enlivened with clear line diagrams, maps, and photographs. A cross-referenced glossary, extensive bibliography, and comprehensive index are included as further aids to study.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"[A] valuable new resource...The writing style is clear and to-the-point with important terms highlighted in bold. Subsections within each chapter make the text easy to follow. The pictures, tables and diagrams are in black and white, clearly legible, with helpful legends. There are several attractive color photos on the front and back covers. At the end of the book there is an extensive glossary, with cross-references, a listing of references cited and a detailed index. Chapter summaries highlight the main points of each chapter."
Plant Science Bulletin

"This is a good introductory textbook for students of tropical ecology. It is international in scope and covers both aquatic and terrestrial tropical ecosystems. The text is well supported with tables, figures, maps, and photos, with a glossary and references at the end. This is a concise and valuable synthesis of a broad area of study, sure to become a widely used teaching text."
Southeastern Naturalist

Book Description

Over one third of the earth's terrestrial surface is situated in the tropics, with environments ranging from hot deserts to tropical rain forests. This introductory textbook, international in scope, provides a comprehensive guide to the major tropical biomes and is unique in its balanced coverage of both aquatic and terrestrial systems. The volume also considers human impact in the tropics and global issues such as the biodiversity loss and climate change. The text is supported by boxes containing supplementary material and is enlivened with clear line diagrams, maps and photographs.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 480 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (September 4, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521645239
• ISBN-13: 978-0521645232
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 7.5 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.3 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #547,726 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #12 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology > Ecosystems > Tropical

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