Introduction to World Vegetation

system.- 6.2 The ionic state of soil water and plant behaviour.- 6.3 The effects of plants on soils.- 6.4 Soil classification.- 6.5 Plants and soil salinity.- 6.6 Mineral cycles and erosion rates.- References and further reading.- 7 Plants in communities and their distributions.- 7.1 The distribution of individuals in a population.- 7.2 Theories of plant communities.- 7.3 Plant demography and species distributions.- 7.4 Community analysis and classification.- 7.5 The mapping of plant communities.- References and further reading.- 2 The vegetation of tropical and temperate regions.- 8 Vegetation and climate: an introduction to world vegetation patterns.- References and further reading.- 9 Tropical forests.- 9.1 Rainforests: structural characteristics and areal variations.- 9.2 Rainforests: climatic and other environmental relationships.- 9.3 Biomass, production and mineral cycling in rainforests.- 9.4 Rainforest soil types.- 9.5 The deforestation process.- 9.6 Variations in tropical wet forests.- 9.7 Seasonal tropical forests.- References and further reading.- 10 Tropical formations with conspicuous grasslands: savannas.- 10.1 Physiognomic and botanical character.- 10.2 Environmental relationships.- 10.3 Biomass, productivity and mineral cycling.- 10.4 Soils and agriculture.- References and further reading.- 11 The temperate deciduous forests.- 11.1 Biomass, production and mineral cycles.- 11.2 Soil types.- 11.3 Community patterns.- 11.4 Man and the deciduous forests.- 11.5 Vegetation of mediterranean affinities.- References and further reading.- 12 The coniferous forests of the Northern Hemisphere.- 12.1 Biomass, productivity and mineral cycles.- 12.2 Soil conditions.- 12.3 ¿Mixed¿ forests.- References and further reading.- 13 The temperate grasslands.- 13.1 Vegetational features.- 13.2 Biomass, production and mineral cycling.- 13.3 Soil types.- 13.4 The grassland-forest ecotone.- References and further reading.- 3 The vegetation of extreme habitats.- 14 Adaptations and selective factors: an introduction.- References and further reading.- 15 Vegetation of arid lands.- 15.1 Locations and characteristics.- 15.2 Biomass, production and mineral cycles.- 15.3 Soils of the arid lands.- 15.4 Man and the arid lands.- References and further reading.- 16 Wetlands.- References and further reading.- 17 Arctic and alpine tundra.- 17.1 Vegetation types.- 17.2 Biomass, production and mineral cycles.- 17.3 Tundra soils.- 17.4 The origin of the arctic tundra.- 17.5 Man and the tundra lands.- References and further reading.- 18 The vegetation of estuaries and sea shores.- 18.1 Extension of the land surface.- 18.2 Protection of lowland.- References and further reading.- Conclusion.- Indexes.