A Field Guide to Eastern Forests North America

by Kricher, John C.

• ISBN13: 9780395928950
• ISBN10: 0395928958
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-10-15
• Publisher: HARPER COLLINS

Summary

This field guide includes all the flora and fauna you're most likely to see in the forests of eastern North America. With 53 full-color plates and 80 color photos illustrating trees, birds, mammals, wildflowers, mushrooms, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, moths, beetles, and other insects.

Table of Contents

Editor's Note	v	(2)
Preface	vii	(3)
Acknowledgments	x
1. HOW TO USE THIS BOOK	1	(7)
The Search for Patterns	2	(1)
Fields and Forests	3	(1)
Area Covered	4	(1)
General Organization	4	(2)
The Seasonal Approach	6	(1)
Getting Started	6	(2)
2. FOREST FIELD MARKS	8	(50)
Seeking Patterns	8	(1)
Stratification	9	(2)
Types of Trees	11	(2)
Indicator Species	13	(12)
Species Richness	25	(1)
Soil Characteristics	26	(2)
Soil Moisture and Habitat	28	(2)
Evidence of Fire	30	(1)
Plant Population Patterns	31	(2)
A Forest's Age	33	(1)
Forest Gaps	34	(1)
Predicting a Forest's Future	35	(1)
Ecotones	35	(1)
Old Fields	36	(2)
Animals of the Forest	38	(3)
The Forest Food Chain and Ecological Pyramid	41	(3)
Plant and Animal Identification	44	(6)
Getting Started: A Forest Field-mark Questionnaire	50	(2)
Plate 1. Trees--Non-indicator Species	52	(2)
Plate 2. Mammals--Non-indicator Species	54	(2)
Plate 3. Forest Birds--Non-indicator Species	56	(2)
3. EASTERN FOREST COMMUNITIES	58	(96)
COMMUNITIES OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS	58	(3)
What Determines a Community?	58	(3)
EASTERN FOREST COMMUNITIES	61	(11)
Boreal Forest	62	(5)
Boreal Bog	67	(3)
Jack Pine Forest	70	(2)
EASTERN DECIDUOUS FOREST COMMUNITIES	72	(31)
Northern Hardwood Forest	72	(3)
New England Alpine Community	75	(2)
Beech-Maple Forest	77	(3)
Maple-Basswood Forest	80	(1)
Oak-Hickory Forest	81	(4)
Northern Riverine (Floodplain) Forest	85	(3)
Northern Swamp Forest	88	(2)
Northern Pine-Oak Forest	90	(2)
Southern Mixed Pine-Oak Forest	92	(3)
White-cedar Swamp Forest	95	(2)
Mixed Appalachian Forest Communities	97	(1)
Appalachian Cove Forest	98	(4)
Appalachian Health Balds	102	(1)
SOUTHERN FOREST COMMUNITIES	103	(19)
Southern Hardwood Forest	103	(3)
Southern Riverine Forest	106	(1)
Baldcypress Swamp Forest	107	(2)
Southern Mixed Hardwood Swamp Forest	109	(2)
Subtropical Forest	111	(2)
Mangrove Swamp Forest	113	(2)
The Everglades	115	(1)
Texas Savanna	116	(2)
Prairie	118	(2)
Northern Savanna	120	(2)
Plate 4. Boreal Forest	122	(2)
Plate 5. Boreal Bog	124	(2)
Plate 6. Northern Hardwood Forest	126	(2)
Plate 7. Beech-Maple and Maple-Basswood Forests	128	(2)
Plate 8. Oak-Hickory Forest	130	(2)
Plate 9. Northern Riverine Forest	132	(2)
Plate 10. Northern Swamp Forest	134	(2)
Plate 11. Northern Pine-Oak Forest	136	(2)
Plate 12. Southern Mixed Pine-Oak Forest	138	(2)
Plate 13. Appalachian Cove Forest	140	(2)
Plate 14. Southern Hardwood Forest	142	(2)
Plate 15. Southern Riverine Forest	144	(2)
Plate 16. Baldcypress Swamp Forest	146	(2)
Plate 17. Southern Swamp Forest	148	(2)
Plate 18. Subtropical Forest	150	(2)
Plate 19. Mangrove Swamp Forest	152	(2)
4. DISTURBANCE AND PIONEER PLANTS	154	(96)
ECOLOGICAL SUCCESSION: THE PROCESS OF VEGETATION DEVELOPMENT OVER TIME	159	(51)
Old Field Succession	160	(2)
Early Old Fields	162	(4)
Old Field Succession--A Detailed Look	166	(6)
Perennial Herbs of Old Fields	172	(2)
Composites	174	(5)
Other Native Perennial Herbs	179	(1)
Alien Perennial Herbs	180	(3)
Legumes	183	(4)
Herbaceous and Woody Vines	187	(2)
Shrubs	189	(10)
Riverine Zonation	199	(1)
Vegetation Development Without a Soil Base	200	(1)
Sand Dune Zonation	200	(6)
Rocky Outcrops	206	(4)
LANDSCAPE PATCHES, FOREST FRAGMENTATION	210	(10)
Forest Islands	210	(1)
Other Patch Types	211	(1)
Corridors and Peninsulas	212	(1)
The Ecology of Patches and Corridors and the Effect of Forest Fragmentation	213	(1)
Birds of Old Fields, Edges, and the Forest Interior	214	(6)
Plate 20. Herbs of Old Fields--Adaptations	220	(2)
Plate 21. Herbs of Old Fields--Biennials	222	(2)
Plate 22. Herbs of Old Fields--Native Perennials	224	(2)
Plate 23. Selected Goldenrods and Asters	226	(2)
Plate 24. Birds of Old Fields	228	(2)
Plate 25. Herbs of Old Fields--Native Annuals and One Alien Annual	230	(2)
Plate 26. Herbs of Old Fields--Alien Annuals	232	(2)
Plate 27. Herbs of Old Fields--Native Composites	234	(2)
Plate 28. Herbs of Old Fields--Alien Composites	236	(2)
Plate 29. Herbs of Old Fields--Alien Perennials	238	(2)
Plate 30. Herbs of Old Fields--Legumes	240	(2)
Plate 31. Vines of Old Fields	242	(2)
Plate 32. Shrubs and a Fern of Old Fields	244	(2)
Plate 33. Waxmyrtles and Heaths	246	(2)
Plate 34. Trees of Old Fields	248	(2)
5. ADAPTATION	250	(19)
Bird Migration	253	(4)
Insect-eating Plants	257	(1)
Plant Defenses	258	(4)
Other Adaptations	262	(3)
How Adaptation Occurs--Natural Selection	265	(4)
6. PATTERNS OF SPRING	269	(51)
FLOWER STRUCTURE AND POLLINATION	270	(11)
Flower Structure	270	(2)
Wind Pollination	272	(1)
Insect Pollination	273	(8)
AMPHIBIANS IN SPRING	281	(13)
Frogs and Toads (Anurans)	282	(6)
Salamanders	288	(6)
BIRDS IN SPRING	294	(14)
Migrant Waves and Weather	294	(1)
Blackbird Flocks	295	(2)
Bird Vocalization	297	(1)
Territoriality	298	(2)
Sexual Dimorphism	300	(3)
Delayed Plumage Maturation in Songbirds	303	(2)
Courtship Feeding	305	(1)
Woodcock Courtship Behavior	306	(1)
Predator Mobbing and Harassment	307	(1)
MAMMALS -- DISPERSAL AND ROAD KILLS	308	(2)
Plate 35. Wind-pollinated Trees	310	(2)
Plate 36. Insect-pollinated Trees	312	(2)
Plate 37. Selected Frogs and Toads	314	(2)
Plate 38. Selected Salamanders	316	(2)
Plate 39. Sexual Dimorphism in Bird Plumage	318	(2)
7. NATURE IN SUMMER	320	(94)
TREES: GEOMETRY, LEAF SIZE, AND LEAF ANGLE	321	(3)
HABITAT AND GROWTH FORM IN PLANTS	324	(8)
Forests and Woodlands	325	(1)
Open Dry Fields	325	(2)
Wet Habitats and Meadows	327	(5)
PATTERNS OF FRUITING AND SEED DISPERSAL	332	(9)
Mid- to Late-summer Fruiting Species	334	(2)
Fall High-quality Fruiting Species	335	(1)
Fall Low-quality Fruiting Species	335	(1)
Foliar Fruit Flags	336	(1)
Fruit-consuming Birds and Mammals	337	(1)
Adaptations of Fruit for Seed Dispersal	338	(3)
MILKWEED ECOLOGY	341	(5)
Milkweed Butterflies	343	(2)
Mimicry and the Monarch	345	(1)
PATTERNS OF INSECT OR SPIDER CAMOUFLAGE AND MIMICRY	346	(8)
Leaf and Twig Mimics	347	(1)
Bark Mimics	348	(2)
Flower Mimics	350	(1)
Bee and Wasp Mimics	350	(2)
Bee Killers	352	(1)
Clear-winged Moths	352	(1)
Ant Mimics	353	(1)
DISTRACTION PATTERNS OF BUTTERFLIES AND MOTHS	354	(6)
A Complex Butterfly Mimicry System	356	(2)
Caterpillar Defenses	358	(2)
LEAF ROLLERS, FOLDERS, TIERS, AND MINERS	360	(21)
Leaf Rollers and Folders	360	(2)
Leaf Tiers	362	(1)
Leaf Miners	363	(1)
Gall-makers	364	(4)
Dragonfly Mating Patterns	368	(5)
Defense Adaptations of Snakes and Other Reptiles	373	(1)
Terrestrial Turtles	373	(1)
Lizards	374	(1)
Camouflage Patterning and Defensive Behaviors in Snakes	374	(5)
Warning Coloration and Mimicry in Snakes	379	(2)
PATTERNS OF BIRD NESTING	381	(11)
Nest Locations	382	(2)
Nest-building, Eggs, Incubation, and Defense	384	(8)
Plate 40. Wildflowers--Habitat and Growth Form	392	(2)
Plate 41. Goldenrods--Habitat and Growth Form	394	(2)
Plate 42. Milkweed Natural History	396	(2)
Plate 43. Insect and Spider Camouflage (Crypsis) and Mimicry	398	(2)
Plate 44. Insect Predation and Defense Behavior	400	(2)
Plate 45. Mimicry Patterns in Snakes and Butterflies	402	(2)
Plate 46. Adaptations of Reptiles	404	(2)
Plate 47. Bird Nesting Behavior	406	(2)
Plate 48. Mid- to Late-Summer Fruits	408	(2)
Plate 49. High-quality Fruits of Late-Summer and Fall	410	(2)
Plate 50. High/Low-quality Fruits of Late Summer and Fall	412	(2)
8. AUTUMN AND WINTER	414	(45)
SOIL NATURAL HISTORY	415	(2)
The Litter Layer	415	(2)
THE DECOMPOSERS	417	(19)
Fungi	418	(4)
Litter and Soil Animals	422	(13)
The Litter-Soil Food Web	435	(1)
PLANTS IN FALL	436	(6)
Leaf Color Changes	436	(3)
Anatomy of a Twig	439	(1)
Tree Trunks and Growth Rings	439	(2)
Mast Years	441	(1)
BIRDS: MIXED FORAGING FLOCKS	442	(8)
Irruptions of Bird Species	445	(4)
Winter Adaptations of Birds	449	(1)
MAMMALS: VOLE CYCLES	450	(2)
Plate 51. Mixed Foraging Flocks	452	(2)
Plate 52. Irruptive Bird Species--Periodic Winter Invaders	454	(2)
Plate 53. Selected Fungi	456	(3)
Index	459