Synopses & Reviews
Trees are vital to the healthy functioning of the global ecosystem and unparalleled in the range of materials they provide for human use. This volume is a comprehensive introduction to the natural history of trees, with information on all aspects of tree biology and ecology in easy-to-read and concise language. Peter Thomas uncovers fascinating insights into these ubiquitous plants, addressing in an illuminating way questions such as how trees are designed, how they grow and reproduce, and why they eventually die. Written for a nontechnical audience, the book is nonetheless rigorous in its treatment and a valuable source of reference for beginning students as well as interested lay readers.
Review
"Affable study...packed with information and peppered with interesting facts...clean, upbeat prose." Publishers Weekly"Thomas has the wonderful ability to mix in the odd but interesting fact to illustrate key ideas, all while maintaining a readable style...Trees is highly recommended, a fundamental book for all university libraries. Undergraduates through professionals." Choice"Thomas has the wonderful ability to mix in the odd but interesting fact to illustrate key ideas, all while maintaining a readable style...Trees is highly recommended, a fundamental book for all university libraries. Undergraduates through professionals." Choice"...this book was a pleasure to read. I will order it for my forest ecology class." The Quarterly Review of Biology"Written for non-specialists, this book provides a pleasantly readable introduction to what is known about trees. Well-written. A fine book for any library." Northeastern Naturalist"Written for non-specialists, this book provides a pleasantly readable introduction to what is known about trees. Well-written. A fine book for any library." Northeastern Naturalist"[V]ery good, interesting and loaded with an impressive amount of information...pleasant to read and refreshing. The sense of humour of Dr. Thomas certainly has a lot to do with that. The book is without question a must for all undergraduate students interested in any aspect of tree biology and evolution." Ecoscience"[V]ery good, interesting and loaded with an impressive amount of information...pleasant to read and refreshing. The sense of humour of Dr. Thomas certainly has a lot to do with that. The book is without question a must for all undergraduate students interested in any aspect of tree biology and evolution." Ecoscience
Synopsis
A comprehensive introduction to the natural history of trees, presenting information on all aspects of tree biology and ecology in an easy to read and concise text. Fascinating insights into the workings of these everyday plants are uncovered throughout the book, with basic questions tackled in an illuminating way.
Synopsis
Trees are familiar components of many landscapes, yet how much do we really understand about how they work? This book provides the only modern introduction to the natural history of trees, presenting information on all aspects of tree biology and ecology in an easy to read and concise text. Written for a non-technical audience, the book is nonetheless rigorous in its treatment and will provide a valuable source of reference for beginning students as well as those with a less formal interest in this fascinating group of plants.
Table of Contents
1. An overview; 2. Leaves - the food producers; 3. The trunk and branches - more than a connecting drainpipe; 4. Roots - the hidden tree; 5. Towards the next generation - flowers, fruits and seeds; 6. The growing tree; 7. The shape of trees; 8. The next generation - new trees from old; 9. Health, damage and death - living in a hostile world; Index.