Costa Rican Natural History
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Book Summary Information
Editor: Daniel H. JanzenEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1983-09-15
ISBN: 0226393348
Number of pages: 823
Publisher: University Of Chicago Press
Book Reviews of Costa Rican Natural History
Book Review: Immensely useful compendium for the American tropics
Summary: 5 Stars
Janzen's book is over twenty years old but remains an encyclopaedia of tropical America. The 174 authors, all experts in their fields, have penned over 800 fascinating pages. The final product is a milestone, since much of the information presented was previously unpublished.
Introductory chapters cover the history of field biology in Costa Rica, biogeography, climate, geology and soils. The information presented is a thorough background for Costa Rica and provides a wealth of references for those who want to have more detail. These chapters are a useful aid to understanding the biology of any area in the northern Neotropics.
The bulk of the book comprises species accounts grouped systematically with an additional section on agriculture. At the start of each chapter, a well-written introduction gives an overview of the Costa Rican group in question and a taxonomic checklist for the country. However, the meat of the book is the species accounts themselves. Written by a large number of authors, they range from a brief few paragraphs to a couple of pages with two dozen references, depending on the amount of information available. Monochrome photographs illustrate the accounts.
Not surprisingly, Janzen's tome has found its way into universities, research stations and personal libraries throughout the American tropics. For the tropical naturalist who wants to know more than the identity of an animal or plant, this is the book to go for, especially for a trip to Costa Rica. Highly recommended.
Summary of Costa Rican Natural History
This volume is a synthesis of existing knowledge about the flora and fauna of Costa Rica. The major portion of the book consists of detailed accounts of agricultural species, vegetation, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds, and insects.
"This is an extraordinary, virtually unique work. . . . The tremendous amount of original, previously unpublished, firsthand information is remarkable."?Peter H. Raven, Director, Missouri Botanical Garden
"An essential resource for anyone interested in tropical biology. . . . It can be used both as an encyclopedia?a source of facts on specific organisms?and as a source of ideas and generalizations about tropical ecology."?Alan P. Smith, Ecology
"This is an extraordinary, virtually unique work. . . . The tremendous amount of original, previously unpublished, firsthand information is remarkable."?Peter H. Raven, Director, Missouri Botanical Garden
"An essential resource for anyone interested in tropical biology. . . . It can be used both as an encyclopedia?a source of facts on specific organisms?and as a source of ideas and generalizations about tropical ecology."?Alan P. Smith, Ecology
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