Nature's temples : a natural history of old-growth forests
Edition
Revised and expanded.
Publication Information
Princeton, NJ : Princeton University Press, [2023]
Physical Description
xiii, 216 pages : black-and-white illustrations, black-and-white maps ; 22 cm
Summary
"An old-growth forest is one that has formed naturally over a long period of time with little or no disturbance from humankind. They are increasingly rare and largely misunderstood. In this book, Joan Maloof, the director of the Old-Growth Forest Network, makes a heartfelt and passionate case for their importance. This evocative and accessible narrative defines old-growth and provides a brief history of forests. It offers a rare view into how the life-forms in an ancient, undisturbed forest-including not only its majestic trees but also its insects, plant life, fungi, and mammals-differ from the life-forms in a forest manipulated by humans. What emerges is a portrait of a beautiful, intricate, and fragile ecosystem that now exists only in scattered fragments. Black-and-white illustrations by Andrew Joslin help clarify scientific concepts and capture the beauty of ancient trees"--
Contents
- Preface
- What is an old-growth forest?
- The history of the forest
- The oldest trees
- Birds in the forests
- Amphibians in the forests
- Snails in the forests
- Insects in the forest
- Herbaceous plant in the forests
- Mosses in the forests
- Fungi in the forest
- Lichens in the forests
- Worms in the forests
- Mammals in the forests
- Humans and the forest?
- Forests and water
- Forests and carbon
- Fire in the forests
- The largest trees.