Explains why the world's tropical rain forests are so universally rich in species, what factors may contribute to high species richness, and how ecologists investigate the complex interrelationships among flora and fauna. This book covers tropical montane ecology, riverine ecosystems, savanna, dry forest - and more. "Kricher has written the text in an easy to read style, which makes the study of the subject pleasurable, rather than a chore. Overall, Kricher provides a great text for the beginning and advanced student. I would recommend it as a text for students to obtain a good understanding of the concepts of tropical ecology."---Noel D. Preece, Austral Ecology