Phylogenetic Ecology

Download Phylogenetic Ecology full books in PDF, epub, and Kindle. Read online Phylogenetic Ecology ebook anywhere anytime directly on your device. Fast Download speed and no annoying ads. We cannot guarantee that every ebooks is available!

Phylogenetic Ecology

Author : Nathan G. Swenson
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 022667150X
Total Pages : 229 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (266 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Phylogenetic Ecology by : Nathan G. Swenson

Download or read book Phylogenetic Ecology written by Nathan G. Swenson and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2019-11-20 with total page 229 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the past decade, ecologists have increasingly embraced phylogenetics, the study of evolutionary relationships among species. As a result, they have come to discover the field’s power to illuminate present ecological patterns and processes. Ecologists are now investigating whether phylogenetic diversity is a better measure of ecosystem health than more traditional metrics like species diversity, whether it can predict the future structure and function of communities and ecosystems, and whether conservationists might prioritize it when formulating conservation plans. In Phylogenetic Ecology, Nathan G. Swenson synthesizes this nascent field’s major conceptual, methodological, and empirical developments to provide students and practicing ecologists with a foundational overview. Along the way, he highlights those realms of phylogenetic ecology that will likely increase in relevance—such as the burgeoning subfield of phylogenomics—and shows how ecologists might lean on these new perspectives to inform their research programs.

Phylogenetic Ecology

Author : Nathan G. Swenson
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 022667164X
Total Pages : 229 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (266 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Phylogenetic Ecology by : Nathan G. Swenson

Download or read book Phylogenetic Ecology written by Nathan G. Swenson and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2019-11-22 with total page 229 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the past decade, ecologists have increasingly embraced phylogenetics, the study of evolutionary relationships among species. As a result, they have come to discover the field’s power to illuminate present ecological patterns and processes. Ecologists are now investigating whether phylogenetic diversity is a better measure of ecosystem health than more traditional metrics like species diversity, whether it can predict the future structure and function of communities and ecosystems, and whether conservationists might prioritize it when formulating conservation plans. In Phylogenetic Ecology, Nathan G. Swenson synthesizes this nascent field’s major conceptual, methodological, and empirical developments to provide students and practicing ecologists with a foundational overview. Along the way, he highlights those realms of phylogenetic ecology that will likely increase in relevance—such as the burgeoning subfield of phylogenomics—and shows how ecologists might lean on these new perspectives to inform their research programs.

Functional and Phylogenetic Ecology in R

Author : Nathan G. Swenson
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1461495423
Total Pages : 217 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (614 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Functional and Phylogenetic Ecology in R by : Nathan G. Swenson

Download or read book Functional and Phylogenetic Ecology in R written by Nathan G. Swenson and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2014-03-26 with total page 217 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Functional and Phylogenetic Ecology in R is designed to teach readers to use R for phylogenetic and functional trait analyses. Over the past decade, a dizzying array of tools and methods were generated to incorporate phylogenetic and functional information into traditional ecological analyses. Increasingly these tools are implemented in R, thus greatly expanding their impact. Researchers getting started in R can use this volume as a step-by-step entryway into phylogenetic and functional analyses for ecology in R. More advanced users will be able to use this volume as a quick reference to understand particular analyses. The volume begins with an introduction to the R environment and handling relevant data in R. Chapters then cover phylogenetic and functional metrics of biodiversity; null modeling and randomizations for phylogenetic and functional trait analyses; integrating phylogenetic and functional trait information; and interfacing the R environment with a popular C-based program. This book presents a unique approach through its focus on ecological analyses and not macroevolutionary analyses. The author provides his own code, so that the reader is guided through the computational steps to calculate the desired metrics. This guided approach simplifies the work of determining which package to use for any given analysis. Example datasets are shared to help readers practice, and readers can then quickly turn to their own datasets.

Phylogenies in Ecology

Author : Marc W. Cadotte
Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 0691157685
Total Pages : 264 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (911 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Phylogenies in Ecology by : Marc W. Cadotte

Download or read book Phylogenies in Ecology written by Marc W. Cadotte and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2016-08-09 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Phylogenies in Ecology is the first book to critically review the application of phylogenetic methods in ecology, and it serves as a primer to working ecologists and students of ecology wishing to understand these methods. This book demonstrates how phylogenetic information is transforming ecology by offering fresh ways to estimate the similarities and differences among species, and by providing deeper, evolutionary-based insights on species distributions, coexistence, and niche partitioning. Marc Cadotte and Jonathan Davies examine this emerging area's explosive growth, allowing for this new body of hypotheses testing. Cadotte and Davies systematically look at all the main areas of current ecophylogenetic methodology, testing, and inference. Each chapter of their book covers a unique topic, emphasizes key assumptions, and introduces the appropriate statistical methods and null models required for testing phylogenetically informed hypotheses. The applications presented throughout are supported and connected by examples relying on real-world data that have been analyzed using the open-source programming language, R. Showing how phylogenetic methods are shedding light on fundamental ecological questions related to species coexistence, conservation, and global change, Phylogenies in Ecology will interest anyone who thinks that evolution might be important in their data.

Phylogeny, Ecology, and Behavior

Author : Daniel R. Brooks
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 9780226075716
Total Pages : 456 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (757 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Phylogeny, Ecology, and Behavior by : Daniel R. Brooks

Download or read book Phylogeny, Ecology, and Behavior written by Daniel R. Brooks and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 1991 with total page 456 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The merits of this work are many. A rigorous integration of phylogenetic hypotheses into studies of adaptation, adaptive radiation, and coevolution is absolutely necessary and can change dramatically our collective 'gestalt' about much in evolutionary biology. The authors advance and illustrate this thesis beautifully. The writing is often lucid, the examples are plentiful and diverse, and the juxtaposition of examples from different biological systems argues forcefully for the validity of the thesis. Many new insights are offered here, and the work is usually accessible to both the practiced phylogeneticist and the naive ecologist."—Joseph Travis, Florida State University "[Phylogeny, Ecology, and Behavior] presents its arguments forcefully and cogently, with ample . . .support. Brooks and McLennan conclude as they began, with the comment that evolution is a result, not a process, and that it is the result of an interaction of a variety of processes, environmental and historical. Evolutionary explanations must consider all these components, else they are incomplete. As Darwin's explanations of descent with modification integrated genealogical and ecological information, so must workers now incorporate historical and nonhistorical, and biological and nonbiological, processes in their evolutionary perspective."—Marvalee H. Wake, Bioscience "This book is well-written and thought-provoking, and should be read by those of us who do not routinely turn to phylogenetic analysis when investigating adaptation, evolutionary ecology and co-evolution."—Mark R. MacNair, Journal of Natural History

Modern Phylogenetic Comparative Methods and Their Application in Evolutionary Biology

Author : László Zsolt Garamszegi
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3662435500
Total Pages : 553 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (624 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Modern Phylogenetic Comparative Methods and Their Application in Evolutionary Biology by : László Zsolt Garamszegi

Download or read book Modern Phylogenetic Comparative Methods and Their Application in Evolutionary Biology written by László Zsolt Garamszegi and published by Springer. This book was released on 2014-07-29 with total page 553 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Phylogenetic comparative approaches are powerful analytical tools for making evolutionary inferences from interspecific data and phylogenies. The phylogenetic toolkit available to evolutionary biologists is currently growing at an incredible speed, but most methodological papers are published in the specialized statistical literature and many are incomprehensible for the user community. This textbook provides an overview of several newly developed phylogenetic comparative methods that allow to investigate a broad array of questions on how phenotypic characters evolve along the branches of phylogeny and how such mechanisms shape complex animal communities and interspecific interactions. The individual chapters were written by the leading experts in the field and using a language that is accessible for practicing evolutionary biologists. The authors carefully explain the philosophy behind different methodologies and provide pointers – mostly using a dynamically developing online interface – on how these methods can be implemented in practice. These “conceptual” and “practical” materials are essential for expanding the qualification of both students and scientists, but also offer a valuable resource for educators. Another value of the book are the accompanying online resources (available at: http://www.mpcm-evolution.com), where the authors post and permanently update practical materials to help embed methods into practice.

Phylogenetic Diversity

Author : Rosa A. Scherson
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319931458
Total Pages : 223 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (199 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Phylogenetic Diversity by : Rosa A. Scherson

Download or read book Phylogenetic Diversity written by Rosa A. Scherson and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-08-31 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Biodiversity” refers to the variety of life. It is now agreed that there is a “biodiversity crisis”, corresponding to extinction rates of species that may be 1000 times what is thought to be “normal”. Biodiversity science has a higher profile than ever, with the new Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services involving more than 120 countries and 1000s of scientists. At the same time, the discipline is re-evaluating its foundations – including its philosophy and even core definitions. The value of biodiversity is being debated. In this context, the tree of life (“phylogeny”) is emerging as an important way to look at biodiversity, with relevance cutting across current areas of concern – from the question of resilience within ecosystems, to conservation priorities for globally threatened species – while capturing the values of biodiversity that have been hard to quantify, including resilience and maintaining options for future generations. This increased appreciation of the importance of conserving “phylogenetic diversity”, from microbial communities in the human gut to global threatened species, has inevitably resulted in an explosion of new indices, methods, and case studies. This book recognizes and responds to the timely opportunity for synthesis and sharing experiences in practical applications. The book recognizes that the challenge of finding a synthesis, and building shared concepts and a shared toolbox, requires both an appreciation of the past and a look into the future. Thus, the book is organized as a flow from history, concepts and philosophy, through to methods and tools, and followed by selected case studies. A positive vision and plan of action emerges from these chapters, that includes coping with inevitable uncertainties, effectively communicating the importance of this “evolutionary heritage” to the public and to policy-makers, and ultimately contributing to biodiversity conservation policy from local to global scales.

Phylogenetic Comparative Methods in R

Author : Liam J. Revell
Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 0691219044
Total Pages : 441 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (912 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Phylogenetic Comparative Methods in R by : Liam J. Revell

Download or read book Phylogenetic Comparative Methods in R written by Liam J. Revell and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2022-07-12 with total page 441 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An authoritative introduction to the latest comparative methods in evolutionary biology Phylogenetic comparative methods are a suite of statistical approaches that enable biologists to analyze and better understand the evolutionary tree of life, and shed vital new light on patterns of divergence and common ancestry among all species on Earth. This textbook shows how to carry out phylogenetic comparative analyses in the R statistical computing environment. Liam Revell and Luke Harmon provide an incisive conceptual overview of each method along with worked examples using real data and challenge problems that encourage students to learn by doing. By working through this book, students will gain a solid foundation in these methods and develop the skills they need to interpret patterns in the tree of life. Covers every major method of modern phylogenetic comparative analysis in R Explains the basics of R and discusses topics such as trait evolution, diversification, trait-dependent diversification, biogeography, and visualization Features a wealth of exercises and challenge problems Serves as an invaluable resource for students and researchers, with applications in ecology, evolution, anthropology, disease transmission, conservation biology, and a host of other areas Written by two of today’s leading developers of phylogenetic comparative methods

Parasite Diversity and Diversification

Author : Serge Morand
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1107037654
Total Pages : 503 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (7 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Parasite Diversity and Diversification by : Serge Morand

Download or read book Parasite Diversity and Diversification written by Serge Morand and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2015-02-26 with total page 503 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: By joining phylogenetics and evolutionary ecology, this book explores the patterns of parasite diversity while revealing diversification processes.

Handbook of Trait-Based Ecology

Author : Francesco de Bello
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1108472915
Total Pages : 311 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (84 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Handbook of Trait-Based Ecology by : Francesco de Bello

Download or read book Handbook of Trait-Based Ecology written by Francesco de Bello and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2021-03-11 with total page 311 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Trait-based ecology is rapidly expanding. This comprehensive and accessible guide covers the main concepts and tools in functional ecology.

The Ecology of the Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of Northern Florida

Author : Robert W. Simons
Publisher : University Press of Florida
ISBN 13 : 0813057833
Total Pages : 439 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (13 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The Ecology of the Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of Northern Florida by : Robert W. Simons

Download or read book The Ecology of the Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of Northern Florida written by Robert W. Simons and published by University Press of Florida. This book was released on 2021-07-19 with total page 439 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is an invaluable compilation of ecological information on 244 species of trees, shrubs, and woody vines found in the northern half of the Florida peninsula and in the Florida Panhandle. It covers the full range of native species in the region as well as common exotic plants, drawing on original experience and field research by ecologist Robert Simons. For each species, Simons describes the plant’s leaves, flowers, and fruit, geographical distribution, size, and lifespan. He also discusses its typical habitats, soil and light requirements, water needs and flooding tolerance, adaptation to fire, economic importance, and the plants, insects, and diseases most often associated with it. Notably, the book focuses on each plant’s relationship with wildlife, including which species eat the fruit or foliage or pollinate the flowers. It also features an introduction to the biological communities of northern Florida and a helpful glossary of botanical terms. The Ecology of the Trees, Shrubs, and Woody Vines of Northern Florida provides gardeners, landscapers, scientists, and students a foundational understanding of how these plants fit into the communities of organisms in which they live and how they have adapted to their place in their physical environment.

The Princeton Guide to Ecology

Author : Simon A. Levin
Publisher : Princeton University Press
ISBN 13 : 0691156042
Total Pages : 826 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (911 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis The Princeton Guide to Ecology by : Simon A. Levin

Download or read book The Princeton Guide to Ecology written by Simon A. Levin and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2012-09-30 with total page 826 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Princeton Guide to Ecology is a concise, authoritative one-volume reference to the field's major subjects and key concepts. Edited by eminent ecologist Simon Levin, with contributions from an international team of leading ecologists, the book contains more than ninety clear, accurate, and up-to-date articles on the most important topics within seven major areas: autecology, population ecology, communities and ecosystems, landscapes and the biosphere, conservation biology, ecosystem services, and biosphere management. Complete with more than 200 illustrations (including sixteen pages in color), a glossary of key terms, a chronology of milestones in the field, suggestions for further reading on each topic, and an index, this is an essential volume for undergraduate and graduate students, research ecologists, scientists in related fields, policymakers, and anyone else with a serious interest in ecology. Explains key topics in one concise and authoritative volume Features more than ninety articles written by an international team of leading ecologists Contains more than 200 illustrations, including sixteen pages in color Includes glossary, chronology, suggestions for further reading, and index Covers autecology, population ecology, communities and ecosystems, landscapes and the biosphere, conservation biology, ecosystem services, and biosphere management

Biodiversity Conservation and Phylogenetic Systematics

Author : Roseli Pellens
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319224611
Total Pages : 396 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (192 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Biodiversity Conservation and Phylogenetic Systematics by : Roseli Pellens

Download or read book Biodiversity Conservation and Phylogenetic Systematics written by Roseli Pellens and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-02-24 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is about phylogenetic diversity as an approach to reduce biodiversity losses in this period of mass extinction. Chapters in the first section deal with questions such as the way we value phylogenetic diversity among other criteria for biodiversity conservation; the choice of measures; the loss of phylogenetic diversity with extinction; the importance of organisms that are deeply branched in the tree of life, and the role of relict species. The second section is composed by contributions exploring methodological aspects, such as how to deal with abundance, sampling effort, or conflicting trees in analysis of phylogenetic diversity. The last section is devoted to applications, showing how phylogenetic diversity can be integrated in systematic conservation planning, in EDGE and HEDGE evaluations. This wide coverage makes the book a reference for academics, policy makers and stakeholders dealing with biodiversity conservation.

Niche Evolution and Phylogenetic Community Paleoecology of Late Ordovician Crinoids

Author : Selina R. Cole
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1108898947
Total Pages : 88 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (88 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Niche Evolution and Phylogenetic Community Paleoecology of Late Ordovician Crinoids by : Selina R. Cole

Download or read book Niche Evolution and Phylogenetic Community Paleoecology of Late Ordovician Crinoids written by Selina R. Cole and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2022-05-26 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fossil crinoids are exceptionally suited to deep-time studies of community paleoecology and niche partitioning. By merging ecomorphological trait and phylogenetic data, this Element summarizes niche occupation and community paleoecology of crinoids from the Bromide fauna of Oklahoma (Sandbian, Upper Ordovician). Patterns of community structure and niche evolution are evaluated over a ~5 million-year period through comparison with the Brechin Lagerstätte (Katian, Upper Ordovician). The authors establish filtration fan density, food size selectivity, and body size as major axes defining niche differentiation, and niche occupation is strongly controlled by phylogeny. Ecological strategies were relatively static over the study interval at high taxonomic scales, but niche differentiation and specialization increased in most subclades. Changes in disparity and species richness indicate the transition between the early-middle Paleozoic Crinoid Evolutionary Faunas was already underway by the Katian due to ecological drivers and was not triggered by the Late Ordovician mass extinction.

Phylogenetics

Author : Charles Semple
Publisher : Oxford University Press on Demand
ISBN 13 : 9780198509424
Total Pages : 258 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (94 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Phylogenetics by : Charles Semple

Download or read book Phylogenetics written by Charles Semple and published by Oxford University Press on Demand. This book was released on 2003 with total page 258 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'Phylogenetics' is the reconstruction and analysis of phylogenetic (evolutionary) trees and networks based on inherited characteristics. It is a flourishing area of intereaction between mathematics, statistics, computer science and biology.The main role of phylogenetic techniques lies in evolutionary biology, where it is used to infer historical relationships between species. However, the methods are also relevant to a diverse range of fields including epidemiology, ecology, medicine, as well as linguistics and cognitive psychologyThis graduate-level book, based on the authors lectures at The University of Canterbury, New Zealand, focuses on the mathematical aspects of phylogenetics. It brings together the central results of the field (providing proofs of the main theorem), outlines their biological significance,and indicateshow algorithms may be derived. The presentation is self-contained and relies on discrete mathematics with some probability theory. A set of exercises and at least one specialist topic ends each chapter.This book is intended for biologists interested in the mathematical theory behind phylogenetic methods, and for mathematicians, statisticians, and computer scientists eager to learn about this emerging area of discrete mathematics.'Phylogenetics' in the 24th volume in the Oxford Lecture Series in Mathematics and its Applications. This series contains short books suitable for graduate students and researchers who want a well-written account of mathematics that is fundamental to current to research. The series emphasises futuredirections of research and focuses on genuine applications of mathematics to finance, engineering and the physical and biological sciences.

Phylogenetics

Author : E. O. Wiley
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1118017870
Total Pages : 444 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (18 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Phylogenetics by : E. O. Wiley

Download or read book Phylogenetics written by E. O. Wiley and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-10-11 with total page 444 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The long-awaited revision of the industry standard on phylogenetics Since the publication of the first edition of this landmark volume more than twenty-five years ago, phylogenetic systematics has taken its place as the dominant paradigm of systematic biology. It has profoundly influenced the way scientists study evolution, and has seen many theoretical and technical advances as the field has continued to grow. It goes almost without saying that the next twenty-five years of phylogenetic research will prove as fascinating as the first, with many exciting developments yet to come. This new edition of Phylogenetics captures the very essence of this rapidly evolving discipline. Written for the practicing systematist and phylogeneticist, it addresses both the philosophical and technical issues of the field, as well as surveys general practices in taxonomy. Major sections of the book deal with the nature of species and higher taxa, homology and characters, trees and tree graphs, and biogeography—the purpose being to develop biologically relevant species, character, tree, and biogeographic concepts that can be applied fruitfully to phylogenetics. The book then turns its focus to phylogenetic trees, including an in-depth guide to tree-building algorithms. Additional coverage includes: Parsimony and parsimony analysis Parametric phylogenetics including maximum likelihood and Bayesian approaches Phylogenetic classification Critiques of evolutionary taxonomy, phenetics, and transformed cladistics Specimen selection, field collecting, and curating Systematic publication and the rules of nomenclature Providing a thorough synthesis of the field, this important update to Phylogenetics is essential for students and researchers in the areas of evolutionary biology, molecular evolution, genetics and evolutionary genetics, paleontology, physical anthropology, and zoology.

Tropical Forest Community Ecology

Author : Walter Carson
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1444356267
Total Pages : 686 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (443 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!

Book Synopsis Tropical Forest Community Ecology by : Walter Carson

Download or read book Tropical Forest Community Ecology written by Walter Carson and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2011-08-31 with total page 686 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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