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To understand almost any part of the tropical rain forest's
fabulously complex web of life, one must first learn to identify a
bewildering array of plants. Alwyn Gentry's landmark book,
completed just before his tragic death in 1993, is the only field
guide to the nearly 250 families of woody plants in the most
species-rich region of South America.
As a consummate field researcher, Gentry designed this guide to be
not just comprehensive, but also easy to use in rigorous field
conditions. Unlike many field guides, which rely for their
identifications on flowers and fruits that are only present during
certain seasons, Gentry's book focuses on characters such as bark,
leaves, and odor that are present year-round. His guide is filled
with clear illustrations, step-by-step keys to identification, and
a wealth of previously unpublished data.
All biologists, wildlife managers, conservationists, and government
officials concerned with the tropical rain forests will need and
use this field guide.
Alwyn Gentry was one of the world's foremost experts on the biology
of tropical plants. He was senior curator at the Missouri Botanical
Garden, and was a member of Conservation International's
interdisciplinary Rapid Assessment Program (RAP) team, which
inventories the biodiversity of the most threatened tropical areas.
From 1967 to 1993 he collected more than 80,000 plant specimens,
many of them new to science.
The rapid disappearance of tropical forests is widely recognized as
a crucial problem for the world's environment, yet little is known
about these complex ecosytems. In this book, experts on the four
most thoroughly studied rainforests in Central and South
America-Manaus, Brazil; Manu Park, Peru; Barro Colorado Island,
Panama; and La Selva, Costa Rica-compare the flora, fauna, and
ecological characteristics of these forests. This assemblage of
reliable data, available for the first time, will be an invaluable
resource for researchers and students.
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