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This comprehensive synthesis systematically covers the entire range of natural and managed oak forests in the highlands of tropical America. Originally, these forests were widely distributed, but largely through human impact large parts have disappeared and the remaining patches are under increasing threat. For the first time, aspects as diverse as the paleo-ecology, biogeography, stand structure and composition, biodiversity, population dynamics, ecosystem dynamics, fragmentation and recovery, conservation and sustainable use of Neotropical montane oak forests are treated in a coherent manner. Providing a thorough understanding of ecological patterns and processes that determine the structure and functioning of these magnificent forests, this volume can serve as a sound basis for sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation in general.
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Ecological Studies, Vol. 185 Analysis and Synthesis Edited by M.M. Caldwell, Logan, USA G. Heldmaier, Marburg, Germany R.B. Jackson, Durham, USA O.L. Lange, Würzburg, Germany H.A. Mooney, Stanford, USA E.-D. Schulze, Jena, Germany U. Sommer, Kiel, Germany Ecological Studies Volumes published since 2001 are listed at the end of this book. M. Kappelle (Ed.) Ecology and Conservation of Neotropical Montane Oak Forests With 62 Figures and 64 Tables 1 23 Dr. Maarten Kappelle The Nature Conservancy (TNC) Apartado 230-1225 San José Costa Rica Cover illustration: Landscape mosaic of the oak forest zone along the Savegre River at about 2,300 m elevation near San Gerardo de Dota, Costa Rica. This landscape is made up of old-growth montane oak forest along the mountain crests, recovering forests at the lower forest edges, pastures with isolated oak and Buddleja trees, living fences of cypress trees, and orchards with young apple trees. The photo was taken by Maarten Kappelle in 1992. ISSN 0070-8356 ISBN-10 3-540-28908-9 Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York ISBN-13 978-3-540-28908-1 Springer Berlin Heidelberg New York This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilm or in any other way, and storage in data banks. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the German Copyright Law of September 9, 1965, in its current version, and permissions for use must always be obtained from Springer-Verlag. Violations are liable for prosecution under the German Copyright Law. Springer is a part of Springer Science+Business Media springeronline.com © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006 Printed in Germany The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. Editor: Dr. Dieter Czeschlik, Heidelberg, Germany Desk editor: Dr. Andrea Schlitzberger, Heidelberg, Germany Cover design: design & production GmbH, Heidelberg, Germany Typesetting and production: Friedmut Kröner, Heidelberg, Germany 31/3152 YK – 5 4 3 2 1 0 – Printed on acid free paper The editor dedicates this book to his sons Derk Frederik and Bernard Floris, and to all other children living in and near the highland oak forests of the American Tropics. Today, these magnificent forests suffer severely from climate change, land use change, and ultimately, biodiversity loss. If we want our children – and their children and grandchildren – to enjoy the numerous, economically valuable environmental goods and services that these forests provide us, we need to pay for their conservation and sustainable use. On