Living in a Dynamic Tropical Forest Landscape

by Stork, Nigel; Turton, Stephen M.

• ISBN13: 9781405156431
• ISBN10: 1405156430
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-05-05
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell

Summary

This book brings together a wealth of scientific findings and ecological knowledge to survey what we have learned about the "Wet Tropics" rainforests of North Queensland, Australia. This interdisciplinary text is the first book to provide such a holistic view of any tropical forest environment, including the social and economic dimensions. The most thorough assessment of a tropical forest landscape to date Explores significant scientific breakthroughs in areas including conservation genetics, vegetation modeling, agroforestry and revegetation techniques, biodiversity assessment and modeling, impacts of climate change, and the integration of science in natural resource management Research achieved, in part, due to the Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management (the Rainforest CRC) Written by a number of distinguished international experts contains chapter summaries and section commentaries

Author Biography

Nigel Stork is Head of School of Resource Management and Geography and Head of the Burnley Campus at the University of Melbourne, Australia. Formerly the CEO of the Cooperative Research Centre for Tropical Rainforest Ecology and Management and Founder of the Australian Canopy Crane, he has studied tropical forest ecology and insect diversity in many tropical regions of the world with particular interest in the magnitude and decline of global biodiversity.

Stephen Turton is Professor and Executive Director of the Australian Tropical Forest Institute at Cook University in Cairns, Australia. Previously, he was Director of Research for the Rainforest Cooperative Research Centre. His research and teaching interests include tropical climatology, rainforest ecology, urban ecology, recreation ecology and natural resource management.

Table of Contents

Foreword

Introduction

Australian forests in a global context

History and Biodiversity of The Wet Tropics – Lead Editor

The synoptic meteorology of high rainfalls and the storm run-off response in the Wet Tropics

Impacts of tropical cyclones on forests in the Wet Tropics of Australia

Aboriginal cultures in the Wet

European settlement and its impact on the Wet Tropics region

The establishment of a World Heritage Area

The nature of rainforest tourism: Insights from a tourism social science research program

The dynamic forest landscape of the Australian Wet Tropics: Present, past and future

Floristics and plant biodiversity of the rainforests of the Wet Tropics

Towards an understanding of vertebrate biodiversity in the Australian Wet Tropics

Origins and maintenance of freshwater fish biodiversity in the Wet Tropics region

Diversity of invertebrates in Wet Tropics streams: Patterns and processes

The invertebrate fauna of the Wet Tropics: Diversity, endemism and relationships

International Perspective: Future of biodiversity in the Wet Tropics

Ecological Processes and Other Ecosystem Services – Lead Editor

Hydrological processes in the tropical rainforests of Australia

Seed dispersal processes in Australia’s tropical rainforests

Floral morphology, phenology and pollination in the Wet Tropics

Services and disservices from insects in agricultural landscapes of the Atherton Tableland

Economic approaches to the value of tropical rainforests

International Perspectives: Ecological processes and ecosystem services in the Wet Tropics Wright

Threats to The Environmental Values of The Wet Tropics – Lead Editor

Impacts of climate variability and climate change on the Wet Tropics of North Eastern Australia

The impact of climate change on the biodiversity and ecosystem functions of the Wet Tropics

Impacts of habitat fragmentation and linear clearings on Australian rainforest biota

Invasive weeds in the Wet Tropics

Vertebrate pests of the Wet Tropics bioregion: Current Status and Future Trends

Applications of high resolution remote sensing in rainforest ecology and management

Environmental impacts of tourism and recreation in the Wet Tropics

International Perspective: Conservation research in the Australian Wet Tropics

Living in A World Heritage Area

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