Tropical Forest Community Ecology

Historically, tropical ecology has been a science often content with descriptive and demographic approaches, which is understandable given the difficulty of studying these ecosystems and the need for basic demographic information. Nonetheless, over the last several years, tropical ecologists have begun to test more sophisticated ecological theory and are now beginning to address a broad array of questions that are of particular importance to tropical systems, and ecology in general. Why are there are so many species in tropical forests and what mechanisms are responsible for the maintenance of that vast species diversity? What factors control species coexistence? Are there common patterns of species abundance and distribution across broad geographic scales? What is the role of trophic interactions in these complex ecosystems? How can these fragile ecosystems be conserved? Containing contributions from some of the world s leading tropical ecologists, Tropical Forest Community Ecology provides a summary of the key issues in the discipline of tropical ecology: Includes contributions from some of the world s leading tropical ecologists Covers patterns of species distribution, the maintenance of species diversity, the community ecology of tropical animals, forest regeneration and conservation of tropical ecosystems

Historically, tropical ecology has been a science often contentwith descriptive and demographic approaches, which isunderstandable given the difficulty of studying these ecosystemsand the need for basic demographic information. Nonetheless, overthe last several years, tropical ecologists have begun to test moresophisticated ecological theory and are now beginning to address abroad array of questions that are of particular importance totropical systems, and ecology in general. Why are there are so manyspecies in tropical forests and what mechanisms are responsible forthe maintenance of that vast species diversity? What factorscontrol species coexistence? Are there common patterns of speciesabundance and distribution across broad geographic scales? What isthe role of trophic interactions in these complex ecosystems? Howcan these fragile ecosystems be conserved?Containing contributions from some of the world's leadingtropical ecologists, Tropical Forest CommunityEcology provides a summary of the key issues in thediscipline of tropical ecology:* Includes contributions from some of the world's leadingtropical ecologists* Covers patterns of species distribution, the maintenance ofspecies diversity, the community ecology of tropical animalsforest regeneration and conservation of tropical ecosystems