Tropical Montane Cloud Forests

This volume represents a uniquely comprehensive overview of our current knowledge on tropical montane cloud forests. 72 chapters cover a wide spectrum of topics including cloud forest distribution, climate, soils, biodiversity, hydrological processes, hydrochemistry and water quality, climate change impacts, and cloud forest conservation, management, and restoration. The final chapter presents a major synthesis by some of the world's leading cloud forest researchers, which summarizes our current knowledge and considers the sustainability of these forests in an ever-changing world. This book presents state-of-the-art knowledge concerning cloud forest occurrence and status, as well as the biological and hydrological value of these unique forests. The presentation is academic but with a firm practical emphasis. It will serve as a core reference for academic researchers and students of environmental science and ecology, as well as practitioners (natural resources management, forest conservation) and decision makers at local, national, and international levels. 'The editors and authors have done a tremendous job in assembling a comprehensive volume on the past and present of the biological diversity, hydrology, conservation and sustainable management of the Tropics' montane cloud forests. This book provides us with a wealth of knowledge that underscores the urgency to save the world's tropical highland cloud forests.' Maarten Kappelle, University of Tennessee, Knoxville and Lead Scientist, Nature Conservancy Science Program, Latin America 'This book contains the most up-to-date synthesis of the scientific understanding of tropical montane cloud forests. It is global and long-term in scope and is authored by the top scientific minds working on the subject. It will be essential reading for those interested in a holistic understanding of an ecosystem type at the cross hairs of climate and global environmental change.' Ariel E. Lugo, Director of the Institute of Tropical Forestry, Puerto Rico - US Department of Agriculture 'Representing a compilation of the currently available scientific knowledge by the most important cloud forest specialists of the world, this book provides conservationists and forest managers all the arguments and tools to convince policy-makers they should protect these forests. Use it!' Willem Ferwerda, Director of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), National Committee of The Netherlands 'This is an incredibly rich assemblage of work by leaders in an important field, and deserves to be on the shelves of all libraries of natural resource institutions ... It is also an exceptionally good launch pad for all further work on cloud forests that remains to be done ... I am very glad I shall have this book to hand as I attempt to conserve my forest for the future.' Jeff Sayer, International Forestry Review '... attractively designed ... offers a presentation of copious themes and a vast collection of references, and thus should be considered an important source for experts to enlarge their knowledge of TMCF ecosystems.' Frontiers of BiogeographyPart I. General Perspectives; Part II. Regional Floristic and Animal Diversity; Part III. Hydrometeorology of Tropical Montane Cloud Forest; Part IV. Nutrient Dynamics in Tropical Montane Cloud Forests; Part V. Cloud Forest Water Use, Photosynthesis, and Effects of Forest Conversion; Part VI. Effects of Climate Variability and Climate Change; Part VII. Cloud Forest Conservation, Restoration and Management Issues.