Synopses & Reviews
In the more than thirty years since the publication of Daniel H. Janzenandrsquo;s classic
Costa Rican Natural History, research in this small but astonishingly biodiverse, well-preserved, and well-studied Latin-American nation has evolved from a species-level approach to the study of entire ecosystems. And from the lowland dry forests of Guanacaste to the montane cloud forests of Monteverde, from the seasonal forests of the Central Valley to the coastal species assemblages of Tortuguero, Costa Rica has proven to be as richly diverse in ecosystems as it is in species.
In Costa Rican Ecosystems, Maarten Kappelle brings together a collection of the worldandrsquo;s foremost experts on Costa Rican ecologyandmdash;outstanding scientists such as Daniel H. Janzen, Jorge Cortandeacute;s, Jorge A. Jimandeacute;nez, Sally P. Horn, R. O. Lawton, Quandiacute;rico Jimandeacute;nez M., Carlos Manuel Rodrandiacute;guez, Catherine M. Pringle, and Eduardo Carrillo J., among othersandmdash;to offer the first comprehensive account of the diversity, structure, function, uses, and conservation of Costa Ricaandrsquo;s ecosystems. Featuring a foreword and introductory remarks by two renowned leaders in biodiversity science and ecological conservation, Thomas E. Lovejoy and Rodrigo Gandaacute;mez, chapters highlighting the geology, soils, and climate of Costa Rica, as well as the ecosystems of its terrestrial, freshwater, and marine habitats, and including previously unpublished information on Isla del Coco, this beautiful color-illustrated book will be an essential reference for academic scientists, students, natural history guides, conservationists, educators, park guards, and visitors alike.
Review
"Replete with plentiful photographs as well as helpful textual descriptions and distribution maps, not to mention a superb introductory section explaining the essentials of the biology of tropical trees, Trees of Panama and Costa Rica is a book that should be in the backpack or field bag of anyone undertaking any manner of nature-oriented trip into the countryside of either of these two nations."--Well-read Naturalist
Review
"Trees of Panama and Costa Rica includes superb color photos, abundant color distribution maps, and concise descriptions of key characteristics, making this guide readily accessible to botanists, biologists, and casual nature lovers alike."--Ian Paulsen, Birdbooker Report
Review
"There are many floras that professional botanists can use to identify tropical trees, but few quality field guides for laypersons. The current work is a concise, user-friendly field guide in the tradition of the popular Peterson and Audubon guides. . . . This is a valuable addition to the limited popular literature on tropical botany."--Choice
Review
"This is a wonderful book for visitors to the region who want to try to know the trees that grow there. It is also a major, important work for biologists ecologists, and students working in these two beautiful countries."--Dan Kunkle, Wildlife Activist
Review
"Quite rightly, the publisher claims there is no other book like this one. It well merits a long life in the hands of nature lovers of all stripes."--Neil A. Harriman, Plant Science Bulletin
Review
Trees of Panama and Costa Rica includes superb color photos, abundant color distribution maps, and concise descriptions of key characteristics, making this guide readily accessible to botanists, biologists, and casual nature lovers alike. Ian Paulsen
Review
Trees of Panama and Costa Rica includes superb color photos, abundant color distribution maps, and concise descriptions of key characteristics, making this guide readily accessible to botanists, biologists, and casual nature lovers alike. Ian Paulsen
Review
Replete with plentiful photographs as well as helpful textual descriptions and distribution maps, not to mention a superb introductory section explaining the essentials of the biology of tropical trees, Trees of Panama and Costa Rica is a book that should be in the backpack or field bag of anyone undertaking any manner of nature-oriented trip into the countryside of either of these two nations. Birdbooker Report
Review
There are many floras that professional botanists can use to identify tropical trees, but few quality field guides for laypersons. The current work is a concise, user-friendly field guide in the tradition of the popular Peterson and Audubon guides. . . . This is a valuable addition to the limited popular literature on tropical botany. Well-read Naturalist
Review
This is a wonderful book for visitors to the region who want to try to know the trees that grow there. It is also a major, important work for biologists ecologists, and students working in these two beautiful countries. Choice
Review
Quite rightly, the publisher claims there is no other book like this one. It well merits a long life in the hands of nature lovers of all stripes. Dan Kunkle - Wildlife Activist
Review
andldquo;One of the most important countries for tropical ecological education and research, Costa Rica also has the most comprehensive and successful national system of conservation areas.and#160;Costa Rican Ecosystemsand#160;takes an atypically holistic, integrated approach to its subject, offering both introductory and ecological chapters that together provide a very excellent overview of the important attributes and issues of the countryandrsquo;s major ecosystems. The authors are a literal andlsquo;whoandrsquo;s whoandrsquo; of Costa Rican ecological research, with an impressive percentage from Costa Rica. Kappelle has done an outstanding job in catalyzing and pulling together a great book.and#160;Costa Rican Ecosystemsand#160;is a strong and valuable contribution, a major advancement of our ecological knowledge.andrdquo;
Synopsis
"This is an impressive tour-de-force of tropical plant identification. The lively writing is accessible to nonspecialists, while the broad taxonomic coverage and authoritative species descriptions make this guide useful to professional botanists."
--Brad Boyle, University of Arizona"This book is exceptionally well organized and extremely user friendly, and the text is really good and succinct. The authors convey the excitement of learning tropical botany to successfully identify tree species, and the section on tree identification is exceptional--quite simply the best that I have ever read. This book fills a huge need and does so very well."--John Kricher, Wheaton College
Synopsis
This is the first field guide dedicated to the diverse tree species of Panama and Costa Rica. Featuring close to 500 tropical tree species,
Trees of Panama and Costa Rica includes superb color photos, abundant color distribution maps, and concise descriptions of key characteristics, making this guide readily accessible to botanists, biologists, and casual nature lovers alike.
The invaluable introductory chapters discuss tree diversity in Central America and the basics of tree identification. Family and species accounts are treated alphabetically and describe family size, number of genera and species, floral characteristics, and relative abundance. Color distribution maps supplement the useful species descriptions, and facing-page photographic plates detail bark, leaf, flower, or fruit of the species featured. Helpful appendices contain a full glossary, a comprehensive guide to leaf forms, and a list of families not covered.
- The only tree guide to cover both Panama and Costa Rica together
- Covers almost 500 species
- 438 high-resolution color photos
- 480 color distribution maps and two general maps
- Concise and jargon-free descriptions of key characteristics for every species
- Full glossary and guide to leaf forms included
Synopsis
This is the first field guide dedicated to the diverse tree species of Panama and Costa Rica. Featuring close to 500 tropical tree species, Trees of Panama and Costa Rica includes superb color photos, abundant color distribution maps, and concise descriptions of key characteristics, making this guide readily accessible to botanists, biologists, and casual nature lovers alike.
The invaluable introductory chapters discuss tree diversity in Central America and the basics of tree identification. Family and species accounts are treated alphabetically and describe family size, number of genera and species, floral characteristics, and relative abundance. Color distribution maps supplement the useful species descriptions, and facing-page photographic plates detail bark, leaf, flower, or fruit of the species featured. Helpful appendices contain a full glossary, a comprehensive guide to leaf forms, and a list of families not covered.
- The only tree guide to cover both Panama and Costa Rica together
- Covers almost 500 species
- 438 high-resolution color photos
- 480 color distribution maps and two general maps
- Concise and jargon-free descriptions of key characteristics for every species
- Full glossary and guide to leaf forms included
Synopsis
"This is an impressive tour-de-force of tropical plant identification. The lively writing is accessible to nonspecialists, while the broad taxonomic coverage and authoritative species descriptions make this guide useful to professional botanists."--Brad Boyle, University of Arizona
"This book is exceptionally well organized and extremely user friendly, and the text is really good and succinct. The authors convey the excitement of learning tropical botany to successfully identify tree species, and the section on tree identification is exceptional--quite simply the best that I have ever read. This book fills a huge need and does so very well."--John Kricher, Wheaton College
Synopsis
This is the first field guide dedicated to the diverse tree species of Panama and Costa Rica. Featuring close to 500 tropical tree species,
Trees of Panama and Costa Rica includes superb color photos, abundant color distribution maps, and concise descriptions of key characteristics, making this guide readily accessible to botanists, biologists, and casual nature lovers alike.
The invaluable introductory chapters discuss tree diversity in Central America and the basics of tree identification. Family and species accounts are treated alphabetically and describe family size, number of genera and species, floral characteristics, and relative abundance. Color distribution maps supplement the useful species descriptions, and facing-page photographic plates detail bark, leaf, flower, or fruit of the species featured. Helpful appendices contain a full glossary, a comprehensive guide to leaf forms, and a list of families not covered.
- The only tree guide to cover both Panama and Costa Rica together
- Covers almost 500 species
- 438 high-resolution color photos
- 480 color distribution maps and two general maps
- Concise and jargon-free descriptions of key characteristics for every species
- Full glossary and guide to leaf forms included
Synopsis
"This is an impressive tour-de-force of tropical plant identification. The lively writing is accessible to nonspecialists, while the broad taxonomic coverage and authoritative species descriptions make this guide useful to professional botanists."--Brad Boyle, University of Arizona
"This book is exceptionally well organized and extremely user friendly, and the text is really good and succinct. The authors convey the excitement of learning tropical botany to successfully identify tree species, and the section on tree identification is exceptional--quite simply the best that I have ever read. This book fills a huge need and does so very well."--John Kricher, Wheaton College
About the Author
Maarten Kappelle is currently coordinator for the United Nations Environment Programmeandrsquo;s global Chemicals and Waste Subprogramme and has previously held science and leadership roles in the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), The Nature Conservancy (TNC), Costa Ricaandrsquo;s Instituto Nacional de Biodiversidad (INBio), and several universities in the Netherlands and abroad. He is author, editor, or coeditor of many scientific books in Spanish and English, including Ecology and Conservation of Neotropical Montane Oak Forests, Biodiversity of the Oak Forests of Tropical America, Pandaacute;ramos de Costa Rica, and Diccionario de Biodiversidad. He lives and works in Nairobi, Kenya.
Table of Contents
(i) Dedication
(ii) List of Contributors
(iii) Foreword
Thomas E. Lovejoy
(iv) Presentation
Rodrigo Gandaacute;mez Lobo
(v) Preface
Maarten Kappelle
Part I. Introduction
1. Costa Ricaandrsquo;s Ecosystems: Setting the Stage
Maarten Kappelle
Part II. The Physical Environment
2. Climate of Costa Rica
Wilberth Herrera
3. Geology and Tectonic Geomorphology of Costa Rica: A Natural History Approach
Guillermo E. Alvarado and Guaria Candaacute;rdenes
4. Soils of Costa Rica: An Agroecological Approach
Alfredo Alvarado and Rafael Mata
Part III. The Pacific Ocean and Isla del Coco
5. The Pacific Coastal-Marine Ecosystem
Jorge Cortandeacute;s
6. The Gulf of Nicoya Estuarine Ecosystem
Josandeacute; A. Vargas
7. Isla del Coco: Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
Jorge Cortandeacute;s
8. Isla del Coco: Terrestrial Ecosystems
Michel Montoya
Part IV. The Northern Pacific Dry Lowlands
9. The Northern Pacific Lowland Seasonal Dry Forests of Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula
Quandiacute;rico Jimandeacute;nez M., Eduardo Carrillo J., and Maarten Kappelle
10. Biodiversity Conservation History and Future in Costa Rica: The Case of andAacute;rea de Conservaciandoacute;n Guanacaste (ACG)
Daniel H. Janzen and Winnie Hallwachs
Part V. The Central and Southern Pacific Seasonally Moist Lowlands and Central Valley
11. The Central Pacific Seasonal Forests of Puntarenas and the Central Valley
Quandiacute;rico Jimandeacute;nez M. and Eduardo Carrillo J.
12. The Southern Pacific Lowland Evergreen Moist Forest of the Osa Region
Lawrence E. Gilbert, Catherine Christen, Mariana Altrichter, John T. Longino, Peter M. Sherman, Rob Plowes, Monica B. Swartz, Kirk O. Winemiller, Jennifer A. Weghorst, Andres Vega, Pamela Phillips, Christopher Vaughan, and Maarten Kappelle
Part VI. The Moist and Clouded Highlands
13. The Montane Cloud Forests of the Volcanic Cordilleras
Robert O. Lawton, Marcy F. Lawton, R. Michael Lawton, and James D. Daniels
14. The Montane Cloud Forests of the Cordillera de Talamanca
Maarten Kappelle
15. The Pandaacute;ramo Ecosystem of Costa Ricaandrsquo;s Highlands
Maarten Kappelle and Sally P. Horn
Part VII. The Wet Caribbean Lowlands
16. The Caribbean Lowland Evergreen Moist and Wet Forests
Deedra McClearn, Enrique Castro, Ronald C. Coleman, Javier F. Espeleta, Carlos Garcandiacute;a-Robledo, Alex Gilman, Josandeacute; Gonzandaacute;lez, Armond T. Joyce, Erin Kuprewicz, John T. Longino, Nicole L. Michel, Carlos Manuel Rodrandiacute;guez, Andrea Romero, Carlomagno Soto, Orlando Vargas, Amanda Wendt, Steven Whitfield, and Robert M. Timm
Part VIII. The Caribbean Sea and Shore
17. The Caribbean Coastal and Marine Ecosystems
Jorge Cortandeacute;s
Part IX. The Rivers, Lakes, and Wetlands
18. Rivers of Costa Rica
Catherine M. Pringle, Elizabeth P. Anderson, Marcelo Ardandoacute;n, Rebecca J. Bixby, Scott Connelly, John H. Duff, Alan P. Jackman, Pia Paaby, Alonso Ramandiacute;rez, Gaston E. Small, Marcia N. Snyder, Carissa N. Ganong, and Frank J. Triska
19. Lakes of Costa Rica
Sally P. Horn and Kurt A. Haberyan
20. Bogs, Marshes and Swamps of Costa Rica
Jorge A. Jimandeacute;nez
Part X. Conclusion
21. Costa Rican Ecosystems: A Brief Summary
Maarten Kappelle
Subject Index
Systematic Index of Common Names
Systematic Index of Scientific Names