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    A Neotropical Companion: An Introduction to the Animals, Plants, and Ecosystems of the New World Tropics. Illustrated by Andrea S. LeJeune
    Unavailable
    A Neotropical Companion: An Introduction to the Animals, Plants, and Ecosystems of the New World Tropics. Illustrated by Andrea S. LeJeune
    Unavailable
    A Neotropical Companion: An Introduction to the Animals, Plants, and Ecosystems of the New World Tropics. Illustrated by Andrea S. LeJeune
    Ebook496 pages13 hours

    A Neotropical Companion: An Introduction to the Animals, Plants, and Ecosystems of the New World Tropics. Illustrated by Andrea S. LeJeune

    By John Kricher

    4/5

    ()

    Currently unavailable

    Currently unavailable

    About this ebook

    A Neotropical Companion introduces armchair travelers, field naturalists, and conservationists to the tropics of Central and South America. In recent years the neotropics have been more and more frequently visited by those interested in rain forests and the exotic birds, mammals, insects, and plants of these ecosystems. At the same time scientific knowledge of the neotropics has bourgeoned. A primer for the student and for the scientific amateur, this well-illustrated volume presents a general and up-to-date view of some of the world's most complex natural environments. In addition, it provides the neotropical specialist with a broad look at the entire field of neotropical biology.

    After giving an overview of the different kinds of ecosystems in the tropics, the author describes the structure, function, and evolution of tropical rain forests. Tropical trees are then discussed, as are the vast array of vines, orchids, bromeliads, and other plants that live among the branches of the forest giants. A chapter on the "tropical pharmacy" treats the many drugs present in tropical vegetation and the evolutionary influence of these drugs. The book surveys the great diversity of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and arthropods of the neotropics and provides separate chapters on tropical savannas and on coastal ecosystems. An epilogue deals with the crucially important issues of the conservation of neotropical environments.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherPrinceton University Press
    Release dateFeb 18, 2015
    ISBN9781400866915
    Unavailable
    A Neotropical Companion: An Introduction to the Animals, Plants, and Ecosystems of the New World Tropics. Illustrated by Andrea S. LeJeune

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    Reviews for A Neotropical Companion

    4/5

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    • 4/5
      A Neotropical Companion is a sort of travel guide, textbook and scientific monograph all rolled into one. It's very serious when weighing differing opinions on, for instance, the formation and persistence of savannah. Every twenty pages or so, however, the author throws in a little pun or strange animal sighting to keep you smiling (e.g. "hamburgers on the halfshell" p. 211). Great read for travelers, naturalists or anyone interested in tropical ecosystems.
    • 4/5
      This is a great book for anyone taking a tourist trip to the Neotropics and who wants a better understanding of what they'll be seeing. While the illustrations are beautiful, they lack examples of commonly mentioned plants. Included photographic plates would be a definite plus. Although it's probably the best example I've seen of scientific writing for the layman, at times it seems to try too hard to walk the line between the average traveler and someone with an advanced education in the ecological sciences. In other words, it is probably too detailed for one and not sufficiently detailed for the other. Still, a fun read.
    • 4/5
      A Neotropical Companion is a sort of travel guide, textbook and scientific monograph all rolled into one. It's very serious when weighing differing opinions on, for instance, the formation and persistence of savannah. Every twenty pages or so, however, the author throws in a little pun or strange animal sighting to keep you smiling (e.g. "hamburgers on the halfshell" p. 211). Great read for travelers, naturalists or anyone interested in tropical ecosystems.
    • 5/5
      A great reference and a must-read before your first eco-trip to Central or South America.