This engaging, conversational book presents a comprehensive overview of all aspects of ecology, including evolution, ecosystems, theory, practical applications, plants, and animals. Ecology and Field Biology, Fifth Edition features major shifts in the presentation of topics: two chapters on soil have been incorporated into one, while other various topics, such as acid deposition and global change, have been integrated into appropriate chapters. New issues discussed in this fifth edition include the importance of statistical power tests in ecological studies, the effects of impoundments on river ecology, intraguild predation, and more. Also featured in this edition are the addition of new pedagogical aids, a four-color design, and an entirely rewritten chapter on ecological experimentation and models.
Author(s): Robert Leo Smith
Edition: 5
Publisher: HarperCollins College Publishers
Year: 1996
Language: English
Pages: 740
City: New York, New York
Front Cover
Holdridge Life Zones
Title Page
Copyright Page
Dedication
Brief Contents
Detailed Contents
Preface
Part 1 Introduction
1 Ecology: Its Meaning and Scope
Ecology Defined
The Development of Ecology
Tensions Within Ecology
2 Experimentation and Models
Inductive and Deductive Approaches
Collecting Data
Testing Hypotheses
Models and Predictions
Part 2 The Organism and Its Environment
3 Adaptation
The Meaning of Adaptation
Tolerance
Homeostasis
4 Climate
Solar Radiation: The Key to Climate
Effects of Rotation
Regional Climates
Microclimates
Climate and Vegetation
5 Water Balance
The Structure of Water
Physical Properties
The Water Cycle
Plant Responses to Moisture
Animal Responses to Moisture
6 Thermal Balance
Thermal Energy Exchange
Temperature and Metabolism
Plant Responses to Temperature
Animal Responses to Temperature
Temperature and Distribution
7 Light and Biological Cycles
The Nature of Light
Plant Adaptations to Light Intensity
Photoperiodism
Tidal and Lunar Cycles
Seasonality
8 Nutrients
Essential Nutrients
Nutrient Sources and Cycling
Nutrients and Plants
Nutrients and Consumers
9 Soils
Definitions of Soil
The Soil Profile
Properties of Soil
The Living Soil
Soil Genesis
Soil Development
Classification and Mapping
Mismanaged Soil
Part 3 The Ecosystem
10 Concept of the Ecosystem
Components of Ecological Systems
Essential Processes
11 Ecosystem Energetics
The Nature of Energy
Primary Production
Secondary Production
Food Chains
Models of Energy Flow
12 Biogeochemical Cycles
Gaseous Cycles
Sedimentary Cycles
Acid Deposition
Chlorinated Hydrocarbons
Radionuclides
Part 4 Comparative Ecosystem Ecology
13 Grassland to Tundra
Grassland
Tropical Savannas
Shrublands
Deserts
Tundras
14 Forests
Coniferous Forests
Temperate Broadleaf Forests
Tropical Forests
15 Freshwater Ecosystems
Lentic Ecosystems
Lotic Ecosystems
Wetlands
16 Saltwater Ecosystems
Physical Features
The Open Sea
Rocky Shores
Sandy Shores and Mudflats
Coral Reefs
Estuaries
Salt Marshes
Mangrove Wetlands
Part 5 Population Ecology
17 Properties of Populations
Defining Populations
Density and Dispersion
Age Structure
Sex Ratios
Mortality and Natality
18 Population Growth and Regulation
Rate of Increase
Population Growth
Density-Dependent Population Regulation
Density-Independent Influences
Population Fluctuations and Cycles
Key Factor Analysis
Extinction
19 Intraspecific Competition
Density and Stress
Dispersal
Social Interactions
20 Life History Patterns
Patterns of Reproduction
Mating Systems
Sexual Selection
Reproductive Effort
Gender Allocation
r-Selection and K-Selection
Habitat Selection
21 Population Genetics
Genetic Variation
Natural Selection
Interbreeding
Genetic Drift
Minimum Viable Populations
22 Interspecific Competition
Classic Competition Theory
Studies of Competition
Resource Partitioning
Differential Resource Utilization
The Niche
23 Predation
Models of Predation
Predator-Prey Systems
Functional Response
Numerical Response
Foraging Theory
24 Plant-Herbivore Systems
Predation on Plants
Plant Defenses
Herbivore Countermeasures
Functional Response of Herbivores
Models of Interaction
25 Herbivore-Carnivore Systems
Prey Defense
Predator Offense
Cannibalism
Intraguild Predation
Predator-Prey Cycles
Regulation
Exploitation by Humans
26 Parasitism
Characteristics of Parasites
Hosts as Habitat
Life Cycles
Host Responses
Population Dynamics
Evolutionary Responses
Social Parasitism
27 Mutualism
Coevolution
Types of Mutualism
Pollination
Seed Dispersal
Origins of Mutualism
Population Effects
Part 6 The Community
28 Community Structure
The Community Defined
Physical Structure
Biological Structure
Edge Communities
Island Communities
Population Interactions
Community Patterns
Classification Systems
29 Disturbance
Characteristics of Disturbance
Sources of Disturbance
Effects on Nutrient Cycling
Animal Response to Disturbance
Community Stability
30 Succession
Succession Defined
A Descriptive Approach
Models of Succession
The Climax
Fluctuations
Changes in Ecosystem Attributes
Time and Direction in Succession
Succession and Animal Life
Degradative Succession
Paleosuccession
Appendices
A. Sampling Plant and Animal Populations
Sampling Plant Populations
Sampling Animal Populations
B. Measuring Community and Population Structure
Measuring Community Structure
Measuring Population Structure
C. Journals of Interest to Ecologists
Glossary
Bibliography
Acknowledgments
Photo Acknowledgments
Illustration Acknowledgments
Index
Ecoregions of the Continents
Back Cover
