Ecosystems of Florida is a
scholarly collection of well-edited chapters on the
ecology of Florida. Each chapter was written by the
current expert(s) on the subject and brings together all
that is known and published in thousands of technical
articles in research journals. (The bibliography provides
100 pages of references!) 29 scientists have provided
chapters on climate, soils, historical biogeography, pine
flatwoods and dry prairies, scrub and high pine
(sandhills), hardwood forests, south Florida rocklands,
freshwater swamps, freshwater marshes, lakes, rivers and
springs, coastal dunes and maritime forests, salt
marshes, mangrove swamps, inshore marine habitats and
coral reefs. A final chapter by the editors discusses
conservation issues. A forward by the late Marjorie Carr
recounts the contributions of earlier ecologists.
Ecosystems of Florida is required reading for biology
students and recommended reading for anyone who wants to
know more about the ecology of Florida. I have no doubt
that you can find this book near the desk of every
working biologist in the southeast. Ecosystems of Florida
is already a classic.
