An Introduction to Tropical Rain Forests

by T.C. Whitmore

This book provides a complete introduction to the fascinating world of the tropical rain forest. Written for a broad readership, it describes the structure and function of rain-forest ecosystems, their value to us, and the damage we are causing them. A recognized authority in the field,
T.C. Whitmore confronts the problems of conserving these ecologically vital regions without sensationalism or distortion. He presents a wealth of vital information in a form accessible to anyone wishing to know more about these luxuriant and diverse regions.

Genres: Nonfiction

238 pages, Paperback

First published June 4, 1990

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very heavily biased towards plants as this is written by a botanist. It explains much of how the plant life in moist tropical forest functions, their growth patterns and structure. The author's focus and experience is Asia-centric thus this region gets more attention, though comparisons are made often with the neotropics and African rainforest as well. I wish there was more on animal ecology but what little there is was too broad and shallow, and is on the interface between plants and animals like pollination and seed dispersal. There are good chapters on the human aspects like logging and deforestation trends, though obviously the situation is much worse now than when the book was last updated in the 1990s.

[Usfromdk · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some parts are much better than others. I actively disliked some parts of the coverage and punished the author for politicizing.