Tropical Forest Plant Ecophysiology

Exploring the most recent advances occurring in tropical plant ecophysiology, this volume synthesizes a range of information on the ways in which tropical plants adapt to their environment and demonstrate physiological processes. The book is arranged into four sections which cover resource acquisition, species interactions, ecophysiological patterns within and among tropical forest communities and the ecophysiology of the forest regeneration. These sections describe plant function in relation to ecology across a spectrum of tropical forest species and growth forms. How do different species harvest and utilize resources from heterogenous tropical environments? How do patterns of functional diversity reflect the overwhelming taxonomic and morphological diversity of tropical forest plants? Such questions are thoroughly examined with detail. To illuminate the discussions further, each chapter features an agenda for future research, extensive cross referencing, references and the integration of ecophysiology and the demography of tropical species where the data exist.