Tropical Ecosystems and Ecological Concepts - Softcover

Osborne, Patrick L.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0521645239 ISBN 13: 9780521645232

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2000

Synopsis

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.

About this title

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.

About the Author:

Patrick L. Osborne is the Executive Director of the Whitney R. Harris World Ecology Center at the University of Missouri, St Louis. He has spent most of his professional life studying and teaching tropical ecology and in 2007 he received the Science Educator Award from the Academy of Science, St Louis for outstanding contributions to science education.

About this edition

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 0521645239
• ISBN 13: 9780521645232
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 480