This book demonstrates the social, historical, and environmental framework within which humans have developed a relationship with the forest and its resources. Starting from the biological basis that permits the existence of forests to the use of forest resources in a modern human context, this book summarizes the interaction between humans and forest ecosystems. Designed for readers from a broad range of disciplines and interests including those from environmental sciences, environmental economics, sociology, anthropology, biology, forestry and human ecology and other related disciplines, the book evokes interest in the development of an integrated approach towards forest ecosystems and natural resources in the context of sustainability.

Taking a functional rather than an ecosystem or a utilitarian approach, Thomas and Packham provide a concise account of the structure of woodlands and forests. Using examples from around the world - from polar treelines to savannahs to tropical rain forests - the authors explain the structure of the soil and the hidden world of the roots; how the main groups of organisms which live within them interact both positively and negatively. There is particular emphasis on woodland and forest processes, especially those involving the flow and cycling of nutrients, as well as the dynamics of wooded areas, considering how and why they have changed through geological time and continue to do so. This clear, non-technical, 2007 text will be of interest to undergraduates, foresters, ecologists and land managers.

This open access book synthesizes leading-edge science and management information about forest and rangeland soils of the United States. It offers ways to better understand changing conditions and their impacts on soils, and explores directions that positively affect the future of forest and rangeland soil health. This book outlines soil processes and identifies the research needed to manage forest and rangeland soils in the United States. Chapters give an overview of the state of forest and rangeland soils research in the Nation, including multi-decadal programs (chapter 1), then summarizes various human-caused and natural impacts and their effects on soil carbon, hydrology, biogeochemistry, and biological diversity (chapters 2-5). Other chapters look at the effects of changing conditions on forest soils in wetland and urban settings (chapters 6-7). Impacts include: climate change, severe wildfires, invasive species, pests and diseases, pollution, and land use change. Chapter 8 considers approaches to maintaining or regaining forest and rangeland soil health in the face of these varied impacts. Mapping, monitoring, and data sharing are discussed in chapter 9 as ways to leverage scientific and human resources to address soil health at scales from the landscape to the individual parcel (monitoring networks, data sharing Web sites, and educational soils-centered programs are tabulated in appendix B). Chapter 10 highlights opportunities for deepening our understanding of soils and for sustaining long-term ecosystem health and appendix C summarizes research needs. Nine regional summaries (appendix A) offer a more detailed look at forest and rangeland soils in the United States and its Affiliates.

A ground-breaking and beautifully written investigation into the Arctic Treeline with an urgent environmental message. 'Evocative, wise and unflinching' Jay Griffiths, author of Wild The Arctic treeline is the frontline of climate change, where the trees have been creeping towards the pole for fifty years already. Scientists are only just beginning to understand the astonishing significance of these northern forests for all life on Earth. At the treeline, Rawlence witnesses the accelerating impact of climate change and the devastating legacies of colonialism and capitalism. But he also finds reasons for hope. Humans are creatures of the forest; we have always evolved with trees and The Treeline asks us where our co-evolution might take us next. SHORTLISTED FOR THE JAMES CROPPER WAINWRIGHT PRIZE 'A moving, thoughtful, deeply reported elegy for our vanishing world and a map of the one to come' Nathaniel Rich, author of Losing Earth 'A lyrical and passionate book... The Treeline is a sobering, powerful account of how trees might just save the world, as long as we are sensible enough to let them' Mail on Sunday 'Ben Rawlence circumnavigates the very top of the globe - returning with a warning, in this enthralling and wonderfully written book' Mark Lynas, author of Six Degrees

This book investigates radiocesium movement in all major components of forest ecosystems, e.g. the plants, animals, insects, microorganisms, and soils, during the initial stage of contamination after the incident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. Most of the work was conducted at a common research site. More specifically, the book examines the contribution of surface uptake by trees in the dynamics of radiocesium during the initial contamination stage; the movement of radiocesium in the form of small organic fragments that are essential to the radiocesium dynamics in forest ecosystems; and the upward movement of radiocesium due to microorganism activity, which promotes the effective decontamination of the forest floor. Lastly, it explains why spiders could be a valuable indicator of the contamination level in forest ecosystems.

This acclaimed textbook is the most comprehensive available in the field of forest ecology. Designed for advanced students of forest science, ecology, and environmental studies, it is also an essential reference for forest ecologists, foresters, and land managers.

The authors provide an inclusive survey of boreal, temperate, and tropical forests with an emphasis on ecological concepts across scales that range from global to landscape to microscopic. Situating forests in the context of larger landscapes, they reveal the complex patterns and processes observed in tree-dominated habitats.

The updated and expanded second edition covers

- Conservation- Ecosystem services - Climate change- Vegetation classification- Disturbance- Species interactions- Self-thinning- Genetics- Soil influences- Productivity- Biogeochemical cycling- Mineralization- Effects of herbivory- Ecosystem stability

What is the role of religion in shaping interactions and relations between the human and nonhuman in nature? Why are Muslim and Christian organizations generally not a potent force in Southeast Asian environmental movements? The Camphor Tree and the Elephant brings these questions into the history of ecological change in the region, centering the roles of religion and colonialism in shaping the Anthropocene—“the human epoch.” Historian Faizah Zakaria traces the conversion of the Batak people in upland Sumatra and the Malay Peninsula to Islam and Christianity during the long nineteenth century. She finds that the process helped shape social structures that voided the natural world of enchantment, ushered in a cash economy, and placed the power to remake local landscapes into the hands of a distant elite. Using a wide array of sources such as family histories, prayer manuscripts, and folktales in tandem with colonial and ethnographic archives, Zakaria brings everyday religion and its far-flung implications into our understanding of the environmental history of the modern world.

Asian tropical forests are amongst the most diverse on the planet, a richness that belies the fact that they are dominated by a single family of trees, the Dipterocarpaceae. Many other families contribute to Asia's natural diversity, but few compare to the dipterocarps in terms of the number and variety of species that occupy the forest canopy. Understanding the ecology and dynamics of Asian forests is therefore, to a large extent, a study of the Dipterocarpaceae. This book synthesises our current knowledge concerning dipterocarps, exploring the family through taxonomic, evolutionary, and biogeographic perspectives. Dipterocarp Biology, Ecology, and Conservation describes the rich variety of dipterocarp forest formations in both the ever-wet and seasonal tropics, including the less well known African and South American species. Detailed coverage of dipterocarp reproductive ecology and population genetics reflects the considerable research devoted to this subject, and its particular importance in shaping the ecology of Asian lowland rain forests. Ecophysiological responses to light, water, and nutrients, which underlie mechanisms that maintain dipterocarp species richness, are also addressed. At broader scales, dipterocarp responses to variation in soil, topography, climate, and natural disturbance regimes are explored from both population and community perspectives. The book concludes with a consideration of the crucial economic values of dipterocarps, and their extensive exploitation, discussing future opportunities for conservation and restoration. This will be a useful resource for senior undergraduate and graduate courses in tropical forest ecology and management, as well as professional researchers in tropical plant ecology, forestry, geography, and conservation biology.

"Whether you get your mushrooms from the supermarket or the forest floor, a worthy addition to your library." --Star Tribune Get ready to fall in love with wild mushrooms! Absolutely everything you need to know to make mushrooming a lifestyle choice, from finding, storing, preserving, and preparing common and unusual species. Packed with content and lore from more than 20 skilled foragers around the country, Wild Mushrooms will help mushroom hunters successfully utilize their harvest, and includes practical information on transporting, cleaning, and preserving their finds. One of the best things about cooking wild mushrooms is that every time you open your dried caches, their unique aroma recalls your foraging experience creating an immediate and visceral connection back to the forest. There is no finer way to appreciate food. You will not only learn the best ways to locate, clean, collect, and preserve your mushrooms from the experts, the book will also discuss safety and edibility, preservation techniques, mushroom sections and flavor profiles, and more. Recipes will be categorized by mushroom species, with 115 recipes in total. Recipes include: Smoked Marinated Wild Mushrooms Black Trumpet, Blood Orange, and Beet Salad Maitake Beef Stew Candy Cap and Walnut Scones Baked Brie with Chanterelle Jam Porcini with Braised Pork Medallions Yellowfoot Mushroom Tart And more! From pickling to rich duxelles, soups, salads, and even mushroom teas, tinctures, jams, and ice cream, these recipes and invaluable insider tips will delight everyone from the most discerning mycophiles to brand new fungus fanatics.

This enlightening book brings together the work of gender and forestry specialists from various backgrounds and fields of research and action to analyse global gender conditions as related to forests. Using a variety of methods and approaches, they build on a spectrum of theoretical perspectives to bring depth and breadth to the relevant issues and address timely and under-studied themes. Focusing particularly on tropical forests, the book presents both local case studies and global comparative studies from Africa, Asia, and Latin America, as well as the US and Europe. The studies range from personal histories of elderly American women's attitudes toward conservation, to a combined qualitative / quantitative international comparative study on REDD+, to a longitudinal examination of oil palm and gender roles over time in Kalimantan. Issues are examined across scales, from the household to the nation state and the global arena; and reach back to the past to inform present and future considerations. The collection will be of relevance to academics, researchers, policy makers and advocates with different levels of familiarity with gender issues in the field of forestry.

Biodiversity is decreasing at the fastest rate in the history of the earth. The sustainable use of ecosystems allowing maintenance of biological diversity is an urgent problem that must be solved. The work featured in this book presents the results achieved by the RIHN project, together with reports on other international activities and related efforts, as ecologists, forestry scientists, environmental economists, and sociologists share in discussions of the issues.

This latest addition to the Long-Term Ecological Research Network series gives an overarching account of the recovery and management of a forest watershed ecosystem. It synthesizes and cross-references important and rare-to find, long-term data in 14 chapters that deal with the hydrologic, biogeochemical, and ecological processes of mixed deciduous forests. The data is representative of the entire U.S., and shows the effects of commercial clearcutting using examples from the Southeastern U.S. and a range of East coast forests. It includes responses of both forest and stream components of the watershed and provides unique insights into the interrelationships between the effects of natural disturbances (floods, droughts, insects, and disease, etc.) versus management disturbances. Clearly illustrating the importance and need for long-term research to evaluate recovery processes of long-lived ecosystems, the work will serve academics, professionals, and students seeking to understand more fully the effects of forest-cutting on forest and stream ecosystems.

This is a practical manual to managing woodland. It includes a Foreword written by HRH Prince Charles. It comes from conservation expert Charles Flower, author of highly acclaimed Where Have all the Flowers Gone? Charles Flower is passionate about restoring the countryside. He has spent many years working on and writing about the restoration of wild flowers to grasslands and has now turned his attention to ancient woodlands, many of which, though derelict, are treasure houses of diversity, an asset unrecognised by almost everyone including those in Government. Yet with a little effort glades and rides, which may represent less than ten per cent of the wood, can be opened up with remarkable results. Once light penetrates some wild flowers will reappear and all will thrive attracting back the insects, birds and animals that once flourished there. This book is not only a beautiful record of the ancient woodlands that, thanks to good management, have continued to thrive, it also constitutes a practical manual and provides inspiration for those working to preserve our existing ancient woodlands and those managing recently planted woods and planting the trees that will constitute our future woodland heritage.

Clifton Bain now completes his trilogy with this look at the Peatlands of Britain and Ireland. A source of fuel for many generations, they are now a haven for wildlife and plants as well as a storehouse of greenhouse gasses. Their social history is one of exploitation and the value of mending and restoring is a major theme of the book. Like its predecessors, The Peatlands of Britain and Ireland will be a sumptuous volume richly illustrated with photographs and with drawings by the wildlife artist Darren Rees.

With a population of more than eighteen million people, Mexico City is a major metropolitan area where the effects of urban development on air quality are of immediate concern. Air pollution exposures and effects on forests in the Mexico City Air Basin are in many respects similar to those reported in the Los Angeles, California Air Basin. Studies of air pollution impacts on forests in these two regions may serve as models for urban areas all over the world. Although scientists have studied air pollution and its effects on forests and vegetation in the Mexico City Air Basin for years, this book reviews and synthesizes this body of work for the first time. This synthesis is particularly valuable as air pollution increases at an alarming rate along with global urbanization. A thorough discussion of regional geology, climate and hydrology, historical natural resource utilization, and sociological factors provide the context for evaluating air pollution impacts on the highly valued forests surrounding this megacity. The environmental and ecological consequences of chronic exposure to biologically important pollutants are considered in various case studies.Finally, the editors discuss the state of air pollution research in the Mexico City Air Basin and the outlook for the health and sustainability of forests within the Basin.

This is a history of the trees, woodlands and forests of Scotland and of the people who used them. It begins 11,500 years ago when the ice sheet melted and trees such as hazel, pine, ash and oak returned, bringing with them first birds and mammals and, soon after, the first hunter-gathering humans. The book charts and explains the almost complete withdrawal of tree cover in Scotland over the following millennia, considers the revival of forests and woodlands in the twentieth century, and ends by examining the changes under way now. The book is intended for everyone interested in Scotland's natural history. It calls on an expert in pollen analysis to examine ancient patterns of woodland distribution; on archaeologists to describe how wood was put to good purpose, especially for buildings; on historians and foresters to explain how trees and woods have been exploited and enjoyed over the ages: on ecologists to show how the histories of people and woods are inseparably linked in Scotland; and on a geographer to consider how the Scottish landscape may react to changing policy, attitudes, populations, and climate.The text is fully illustrated by maps and photographs, in colour and black and white. The book has appendixes listing the native and imported species of trees and shrubs in Scotland, and ends with an extensive guide to further reading arranged by subject.

The U.S. Forest Service celebrates its centennial in 2005. With a new preface by the author, this edition of Harold K. Steen's classic history (originally published in 1976) provides a broad perspective on the Service's administrative and policy controversies and successes. Steen updates the book with discussions of a number of recent concerns, among them the spotted owl issue; wilderness and roadless areas; new research on habitat, biodiversity, and fire prevention; below-cost timber sales; and workplace diversity in a male-oriented field.

How do you dig up a 13,000 year-old footprint? Why do kelp forests need sea otters? How do you measure a shrinking glacier from an airplane? What is a 'zombie urchin'? Heart of the Coast brings these questions to life in a deep exploration of the beauty, mystery and biodiversity of the Pacific coast. Join Hakai Institute researchers in the field-archaeologists, oceanographers, marine biologists and beyond-as they journey from the ice fields of Klinaklini Glacier to the dazzling undersea reefs of a place called Crazy Town. British Columbia's Central Coast is a rich landscape called "a biologist's dream" and "the Amazon of the north." Since launching its Calvert Island ecological observatory there in 2009, the Hakai Institute has become a renowned centre of science and exploration. Collaborations with the Smithsonian Institution, the Monterey Bay Aquarium, and several First Nations on the BC coast--along with a wide array of scientists hailing from other agencies and universities across North America-have uncovered new species, advanced our knowledge of marine food webs, and helped track the effects of climate change on watersheds and coastal ecosystems. Stunning photography illuminates the institute's journey of discovery over the past decade. This unforgettable book will inspire you with wonder and awe for the natural world, but be careful-you may learn something along the way.

The Allegheny National Forest exists on what might have been the most heavily exploited landscape in the history of civilization. Careful stewardship over the last eight decades has transformed it into a beautiful forest that contains countless wildlife species and some of the world's most valuable timber. Local communities are steeped in pride for having written that unprecedented environmental success story. Unfortunately, the Allegheny is now the focus of a caustic new timber war that will ultimately test the limits of American environmentalism. No longer satisfied with protecting the pristine old growth that captured the national imagination in the early 1990s, activists have embarked on campaign to put an end to the Allegheny timber program. Litigation and protests have shaken the region for a decade. More recently, it has become a hotbed of eco-terrorism. But restoring the Allegheny to something activists accept will be far more difficult, expensive, and explosive than setting aside a few million acres for the northern spotted owl. This book examines the communities caught in the middle of that political crossfire and forces Americans to decide if they are ready to accept the new activist agenda: In their own words, 'If we can stop logging on the Allegheny, we can stop it everywhere.'

Field observations in the Scottish Highlands over decades - ptarmigan, red grouse, golden plover, dotterel, bird counts.The author documents hatch-dates of ptarmigan and red grouse in relation to blaeberry growth and climate. He collates field observations on golden plover, involving proportions of dark-plumaged summering birds, breeding success, population density within and amongst areas, and declines since the late 1970s. Another chapter reviews evidence on dotterel abundance. The author criticises a paper claiming benefits of game-keeping for moorland birds and a report on effects of predation on birds.

Discover the Secrets and Beauty of the World's Rarest Trees Did you know that the resin of the dragon tree was so prized that it was used and traded as medicine by the Roman Empire? Or that the Bornean ironwood is one of the only timbers dense enough to sink in water? Trees have adapted to thrive on steep mountains, high in cloud forests, on dry savannahs, in parched deserts, and in tropical wetlands. Our own human history--and our future--are interwoven with the trees that define the character and environments of our green planet. Rare Trees offers a stunning visual presentation of 60 of the most fascinating, bizarre, and threatened tree species on the planet, from conifers to magnolias to oaks. With color photographs showing trees and their most unusual features, maps of growing regions, callouts of memorable facts, and examples of poignant cultural and historical uses by Indigenous populations, Rare Trees will give everyone who loves trees an armchair tour of unique specimens from around the globe. You will be inspired to help preserve this critical canopy of life.

Most of us enjoy a regular stroll in our local wood, but we might not be aware of the ancient origins of our surroundings. From medieval times, woodlands were carefully managed commodities with hotly contested resources: conflicting demands from landowners, the Crown, the peasantry and local and national wood-based industries have all left their marks on today's woodland. Ian Rotherham here explains the various uses of our woods and their industries - such as coppicing, charcoal burning, basketmaking and bodging - and helps us to find the clues that can piece our woodland history together. Looking at the flowers, the trees that were once worked and the bumps in the ground can tell us about the people who worked and sometimes lived in the woods, and we can track their history from medieval times, through the age of enclosure and the decline of local industries, right up to the present.

This book, the magnum opus of one of the most highly regarded tropical ecologists, is a synoptic comparison of tropical forests, based on a detailed understanding of one particular tropical forest, Barro Colorado Island, and illuminated by a lively interest in natural history and a sound theoretical understanding of ecological and evolutionary process. It covers various aspects of tropical forest biology including natural history, tree architecture and forest physiognomy, ecosystem dynamics, community ecology, niche differentiation and species diversity, evolutionary biology, and the role of mutualism in the ecological organization of tropical forest.