David A. Perry is a professor of ecosystem studies at Oregon State University. He is lead editor of Maintaining Long-Term Productivity of Pacific Northwest Ecosystems. Ram Oren is a professor of ecology and chair of the Environmental Sciences and Policy Division of the Nichols School of the Environment and Earth Sciences at Duke University. Stephen C. Hart is a professor at Northern Arizona University's School of Forestry.

In this revised edition, Perry has added leading scientists Oren and Hart to the authorship of this large volume, the most comprehensive book on forest ecosystem ecology so far... The work is easily readable and very exciting... This well-written volume is a must read for graduate students, ecologists, and managers in forestry, ecosystem ecology, and forest management. Choice 2009

• Preface1. Introduction1.1. Why Study Ecosystems?1.2. State of the World's Forests1.3. The Study of Nature: Balance and Flux1.4. A Brief Overview of the Book1.5. Summary2. Basic Terminology and Concepts2.1. Some Basic Concepts2.2. The Subdisciplines of Ecology2.3. The Nature of Systems2.4. Summary3. Forests as Part of the Global Ecosystem3.1. A Brief Look at the Global Ecosystem3.2. Ecosystem Services Provided by Forests3.3. Forests and Human Health3.4. Summary4. Major Forest Types and Their Climatic Controls4.1. The Influence of Climate on Forest Type4.2. Latitudinal Gradients in Forest Characteristics4.3. How Will Global Climate Change Affect the Distribution of Forests?4.4. Summary5. Local Variation in Community Type: The Landscape Mosaic5.1. A Case History5.2. Topoedaphic Influences on Vegetation Patterns5.3. The Emergent Landscape: Integration of Topography, Soils, and Disturbance5.4. Vegetation Classification5.5. Summary6. Change in Time: An Overview6.1. Earth Music6.2. Summary7. Disturbance in Forest Ecosystems7.1. The Complex Nature of Disturbance7.2. Fire7.3. Wind7.4. Tectonic Activity7.5. Flooding7.6. Invasive Species7.7. Summary8. Patterns and Mechanisms of Succession8.1. Historical Notes8.2. Compositional and Structural Change during Succession8.3. Mechanisms of Succession8.4. Ecosystem Changes during Succession8.5. The Emergent Landscape Revisited8.6. Summary9. The Structure of Local Ecosystems9.1. Forest Structure9.2. Habitat and Niche9.3. Food Webs: Pathways of Energy Flow within Ecosystems9.4. Niche Overlap and Diversification9.5. The Tradeoff between Dominance and Diversity9.6. Scales of Diversity9.7. Summary10. How Biodiversity Is Created and Maintained10.1. Forces That Generate and Maintain Diversity within Communities10.2. The Variation of Species Richness amongEnvironments10.3. Relationships between Forest Structure and the Diversity of Animals and Microbes10.4. Forces Producing Diversity in Trees and Other Forest Plants10.5. Summary11. The Biological Web: Interactions among Species11.1. The Structure of Relationships within Communities11.2. Interactions between Two Species: Basic Concepts11.3. Mutualisms11.4. Competition11.5. Higher-Order Interactions11.6. Summary12. Size-Density Relationships in Forests over Time and across Space12.1. Self-Thinning: An Orderly Process12.2. Size-Density Relationships in Forests: The Spatial Dimension12.3. Summary13. Genetic and Evolutionary Aspects of Species Interactions13.1. The Role of Biotic Interactions in Evolution13.2. Community and Ecosystem Genetics13.3. The Selection of Cooperation within Groups13.4. Summary14. Soil: The Fundamental Resource14.1. What Is Soil?14.2. The Soil Profile14.3. Physical Properties of Soils14.4. Chemical Properties of Soils14.5. Biological Properties of Soils14.6. Soil Development14.7. Soil Classification14.8. Summary15. Primary Productivity15.1. Light Capture and Gas Exchange in Canopies15.2. Respiration by Trees and Ecosystems15.3. Net Primary Productivity15.4. Carbon Allocation in Different Environments15.5. The Limiting Factors of the Environment15.6. Trees Are Not Prisoners of the Environment15.7. Productivity in the Twenty-first Century15.8. Summary16. Forest Nutrition16.1. The Essential Nutrients and Their Physiological Roles16.2. Nutrient Requirements and Limitations16.3. Diagnosing Nutrient Deficiencies16.4. The Concept of Relative Addition Rate16.5. Summary17. Biogeochemical Cycling: Nutrient Inputs to and Losses from Local Ecosystems17.1. An Overview of Nutrient Inputs to Local Ecosystems17.2. Atmospheric Inputs17.3. Inputs from Weathering of Primary Minerals17.4. Biological Nitrogen Fixation17.5. Nutrient Losses from Undisturbed Forests17.6. Nutrient Losses from Disturbed Forests17.7. Summary18. Biogeochemical Cycling: The Intrasystem Cycle18.1. Overview of the Intrasystem Nutrient Cycle18.2. The Contribution of Nutrient Cycling to Primary Productivity18.3. Detritus18.4. The Intratree Nutrient Cycle18.5. Throughfall and Stem Flow18.6. Decomposition and Nutrient Cycling: Some Basic Concepts18.7. Broad Patterns of Decomposition: The k Value18.8. Factors Controlling the Rate of Decomposition18.9. Effects of Food-Chain Interactions on Decomposition, Immobilization, and Mineralization18.10. Biodiversity Affects Decomposition18.11. A Closer Look at Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Sulfur Cycles18.12. Plant Uptake18.13. Nutrient Cycling through Succession18.14. Global Change and Nutrient Cycling18.15. Summary19. Herbivores in Forest Ecosystems19.1. Effects of Herbivory on Primary Productivity19.2. Factors Controlling Herbivores19.3. Coevolutionary Balance in Forests19.4. Summary20. Ecosystem Stability I: Introduction and Case Studies20.1. Stability of What?20.2. Resistance, Resilience, Robustness20.3. Pollution20.4. Degrading Forests through Mismanagement20.5. Loss of Bioregulation: Breaking the Links between Plants and Soils20.6. Loss of Bioregulation: Breaking the Top-Down Links20.7. Balls, Dancers, and Dances20.8. Summary21. Ecosystem Stability II: The Role of Biodiversity21.1. May's Paradox21.2. Intensive Forest Management Simplifies Natural Ecosystems21.3. Does Biodiversity Stabilize Ecosystems? Yes, But . . .21.4. Understanding Stabilization Requires Understanding Structure-Function Interactions21.5. Summary22. Ecosystem Stability III: Conserving Species22.1. Conserving Species Means Protecting Habitat22.2. What Kind of Habitat? A Matter of Balance22.3. Fine Filters, Coarse Filters, and Pluralism22.4. Viable Populations22.5. Landscape Patterns: Fragmentation, Variegation, and Permeation22.6. Summary23. The Future23.1. The Implications of Global Warming23.2. Maintaining Biological Diversity in Managed Forests23.3. Coda: The New and the Renewed23.4. SummaryBibliographyIndex