From salamanders and micro-snails to plants that communicate via fungi, learn the life forms and relationships that make old-growth forests unique--as well as why human attempts to manage forests never duplicate nature's handiwork. This book invites anyone who has ever felt the power of an ancient forest to discover what makes these sacred places irreplaceable. Includes bibliographical references and index.
Contents:
What is an old-growth forest? -- History of the forest -- Forests and carbon -- The oldest trees -- The largest trees -- Birds and their habitat preferences -- Forests and the needs of amphibians -- Snails as indicators -- The role of insects in the forest -- Herbaceous plant populations and logging -- Mosses, liverworts, and trees -- Fungi in the forest ecosystem -- What lichens tell us about forests -- Worms: friend or foe of forests? -- Mammals that roam the forest -- Do humans need the forest?
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.