The Tropical Rain Forest: An Ecological Study [Paperback]

P. W. Richards (Author), R. P. D. Walsh (Contributor), I. C. Baillie (Contributor), P. Greig-Smith (Contributor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521421942 | ISBN-13: 978-0521421942 | Publication Date: August 13, 1996 | Edition: 2

The rain forests of tropical America, Africa, Asia, and Australia are rapidly vanishing. With a focus on ecology, this book discusses rain forests as complex natural systems that are continually changing in response to climate and soil conditions, as well as to shifting cultivation, logging, and other human activities. The completely revised edition includes new chapters on climate (contributed by R.P.D. Walsh), microclimates and hydrology (contributed by R.P.D. Walsh), soils (contributed by I.C. Baillie) and an appendix on quantitative methods (contributed by P. Greig-Smith). This book, first published in 1952, is now a classic and represents an important record of what has become of the rain forest in the twentieth century and will be meaningful reading for botanists, ecologists, tropical biologists, conservationists, and general readers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"This new book will stand as a record of what the rain forest was like in the 20th century and will be valuable to graduate students in botany, tropical biology, ecology, and conservation biology." Weed Technology

"The long-awaited, much expanded second edition of this landmark work--superb!" Taxon

"This book is widely considered a classic in tropical biology...I highly recommend this book to all ecologists, botanists, and plant geographers. This volume is certain to become a new classic and a well used reference for biologists who are conducting their own tropical forest research." Ecoscience

Book Description

Originally published in 1952, this classic work represents an important record of what has become of the rain forest in the twentieth century. The completely revised edition includes new chapters on climate, microclimates and hydrology, and soils as well as an appendix on quantitative methods.

Product Details

• Paperback: 600 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 2 edition (August 13, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521421942
• ISBN-13: 978-0521421942
• Product Dimensions: 10.8 x 8.2 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,447,266 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #71 in Books > Science & Math > Nature & Ecology > Ecosystems > Tropical

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars New but old-looking edition of a classical book, August 26, 2011

By 

Kouta Räsänen (Germany) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Tropical Rain Forest: An Ecological Study (Paperback)

The first edition (1952) of Richards' classical book was a much cited pioneering work on Earth's tropical rainforests. This second edition should be completely rewritten but nevertheless the papers referred in its text are mostly decades, and even over 100 years, old. Consequently, you cannot be sure if the theories discussed in the book correspond to the modern views. However, the book is massive and exhaustive, written by a very experienced scientist who has studied tropical rainforests when they still streched over vast areas. The discussion is somewhat concentrated on a few sites where the author has first-hand experience, but a great range of other locations is discussed through countless references. Plenty of tree species and their characteristics have been mentioned. Animals are not discussed at all. There are a lot of photos, but unfortunately the photos, also the newer ones, are mostly of extremely poor quality, like copied with an office copier from 1980's. There is an index of plant names with families they belong to.