A textbook for advanced students of forest science, ecology, and environmental studies as well as a reference
for professionals in these fields, Forest Ecosystems offers a comprehensive survey of the structure and functioning
of forest ecosystems worldwide: temperate, tropical, and boreal. Basic ecological concepts are stressed throughout,
at scales ranging from the global to the microscopic.
The text begins with an introduction to the basic elements of the science of ecology and the role of forests in
the global ecosystem. The opening chapters describe how climate influences large-scale distribution of vegetation
types, and how global warming might influence that distribution. After a look at factors that influence landscape
patterns, the focus shifts to topics that include temporal dynamics, biological diversity, and soils. Subsequent
chapters deal with primary productivity, nutrient cycling, herbivory, ecosystem stability, and factors contributing
to ecosystem collapse such as acid rain and mismanagement. A concluding chapter discusses principles of sustainable
forest management.