Australian rainforests : islands of green in a land of fire / D.M.J.S. Bowman.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Bowman, D. M. J. S., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Rain forest ecology--Australia.

Rain forest ecology.

Fire ecology--Australia.

Fire ecology.

Fragmented landscapes--Australia.

Fragmented landscapes.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (xi, 345 pages) : digital, PDF file(s).

Edition:

1st ed.

Place of Publication:

Cambridge : Cambridge University Press, 2000.

Language Note:

English

Summary:

Why do Australian rainforests occur as islands within the vast tracts of Eucalyptus? Why is fire a critical ecological factor in every Australian landscape? What were the consequences of the ice-age colonists use of fire? In this original and challenging book, David Bowman critically examines hypotheses that have been advanced to answer these questions. He demonstrates that fire is the most critical factor in controlling the distribution of rainforest throughout Australia. Furthermore, while Aboriginal people used fire to skilfully manage and preserve habitats, he concludes that they did not significantly influence the evolution of Australia's unique flora and fauna. This book is a comprehensive overview of the diverse literature that attempts to solve the puzzle of the archipelago of rainforest habitats in Australia. It is essential reading for all ecologists, foresters, conservation biologists, and others interested in the biogeography and ecology of Australian rainforests.

Contents:

1. Introduction

2. What is Australian rainforest?

3. The sclerophyll problem

4. The edaphic theory I. The control of rainforest by soil phosphorus

5. The edaphic theory II. Soil types, drainage, and fertility

6. The climate theory I. Water stress

7. The climate theory II. Light and temperature

8. The fire theory I. Field evidence

9. The fire theory II. Fire, nutrient cycling, and topography

10. The fire theory III. Fire frequency, succession, and ecological drift

11. The fire theory IV. Aboriginal landscape burning

12. The fire theory V. Aridity and the evolution of flammable forests

13. The fire theory VI. Fire management and rainforest conservation

14. Summary.

Notes:

Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 05 Oct 2015).

Includes bibliographical references (p. [289]-325.

ISBN:

0-511-15411-9

0-511-58349-4

0-511-01759-6

OCLC:

232161887