Community Ecology (PDF)

All life on earth occurs in natural assemblages called communities.
Community ecology is the study of patterns and processes involving
these collections of two or more species. Communities are typically
studied using a diversity of techniques, including observations of
natural history, statistical descriptions of natural patterns,
laboratory and field experiments, and mathematical modelling.
Community patterns arise from a complex assortment of processes
including competition, predation, mutualism, indirect effects,
habitat selection, which result in the most complex biological
entities on earth - including iconic systems such as rain
forests and coral reefs.

This book introduces the reader to a balanced coverage of
concepts and theories central to community ecology, using examples
drawn from terrestrial, freshwater, and marine systems, and
focusing on animal, plant, and microbial species. The
historical development of key concepts is described using
descriptions of classic studies, while examples of exciting new
developments in recent studies are used to point toward future
advances in our understanding of community organization.
Throughout, there is an emphasis on the crucial interplay between
observations, experiments, and mathematical models.

This second updated edition is a valuable resource for advanced
undergraduates, graduate students, and established
scientists who seek a broad overview of community ecology.
The book has developed from a course in community ecology that has
been taught by the author since 1983.

Figures and tables can be downloaded for free from href="http://www.wiley.com/go/morin/communityecology">www.wiley.com/go/morin/communityecology