Nature of the Rainforest by Adrian Forsyth

From the Publisher

A Zona Tropical Publication

"The words 'tropical rainforest' may conjure up vistas populated by jaguars, brilliant macaws, and flowers amid the grandeur of towering buttressed trees. But the eager, expectant visitor is not regaled with the sight of charismatic vertebrates, gaudy birds, and luminous orchids. In the rainforest, close encounters with life that moves are usually rare but brilliant episodes; one is bedazzled for an instant and then left alone in the quiet greenery. Under such conditions, one must see the episode as part of a process; tracing the connections between organisms is the essence of rainforest appreciation."-Nature of the Rainforest

Nature of the Rainforest is a breathtaking tour of an environment that is the pinnacle of biodiversity and evolutionary sophistication by an award-winning author and two photographers who love the rainforest, understand its intricacies, and have spent considerable time there documenting its wildlife and complexity. Adrian Forsyth draws on four decades of personal encounters with the animals of the rainforest-including poison-dart frogs, three-toed sloths, bushmasters, and umbrellabirds-as a starting point to communicate key ecological topics such as biodiversity, coevolution, rarity, chemical defense, nutrient cycling, and camouflage.

The luminous photographs capture stunning and rare creatures in action, including the now- extinct golden toad mating, a jaguar on the prowl, and the hermit hummingbird feeding. The behaviors and characteristics of the rainforest inhabitants featured here not only illustrate the text but also advance the scientific narrative and exemplify the critical importance of conservation. Thematicchapters are interspersed with four chapters devoted to specific habitats and regions of Costa Rica and Peru, areas with some of the most diverse arrays of plant and animal species in the world. The result is an exuberant celebration of the rainforest in text and images.

Kyrille Goldbeck - Library Journal

What at first appears to be a new work by the distinguished naturalist Forsyth is actually an update of his 1990 Portraits of the Rainforest. The two pieces in Portraits that discussed in detail human activity in rain forests have been removed and replaced by three new reflective essays on the history, ecology, and future existence of certain rainforests. The new chapters have a much better fit here, as they express Forsyth's desire to give readers his sense of admiration and compassion for these relatively unknown ecosystems. While Forsyth's easy-to-read prose definitely helps to deliver his message, it is by far the photographs from the renowned Fogden that truly give readers reasons to appreciate these ecological treasures. Very few pictures from the original Portraits are included; instead, the photographers incorporate new sets of their spectacular and breathtaking images to create awareness and concern for these endangered rainforest ecosystems. Recommended for medium-sized to large public libraries and those with (introductory) natural history programs.

Product Details