Fossils document the existence of trees and wood-associated organisms from almost 400 million years ago, and today there are between 400,000 and 1 million wood-inhabiting species in the world. This is the first book to synthesise the natural history and conservation needs of wood-inhabiting organisms. Presenting a thorough introduction to biodiversity in decaying wood, the book studies the rich diversity of fungi, insects and vertebrates that depend upon dead wood. It describes the functional diversity of these organisms and their specific habitat requirements in terms of host trees, decay phases, tree dimensions, microhabitats and the surrounding environment. Recognising the threats posed by timber extraction and forest management, the authors also present management options for protecting and maintaining the diversity of these species in forests as well as in agricultural landscapes and urban parks.

A comprehensive overview of wood-inhabiting fungi, insects and vertebrates, discussing habitat requirements along with strategies for maintaining biodiversity.

About the Author
Jogeir N. Stokland is a researcher at the Norwegian Forest and Landscape Institute and an associate professor at the University of Oslo, Norway. He has conducted research on forest biodiversity, dead wood dynamics and species diversity in decaying wood for more than 20 years. His expertise covers both entomology and mycology. Juha Siitonen is a researcher at the Finnish Forest Research Institute. He has conducted research on the effects of forest management on dead wood and saproxylic species, including beetles and polypores, for more than 20 years. He is a member of the Finnish beetle working group, and has been involved in the red-list assessments of Finnish fauna. Bengt Gunnar Jonsson is a professor of Plant Ecology at Mid Sweden University. His research focuses on forest history and dynamics and its role in maintaining forest biodiversity. He has played an active role in several national conservation projects initiated by the Swedish Environmental Protection Agency and the Swedish Forest Agency.

Reviews
'The book is richly illustrated, containing dozens of photographs, plots and diagrams ... The authors succeed admirably in their aim of writing a book on dead wood ecology that is 'accessible to readers without expertise in any particular discipline' ... [It] is a worthwhile investment for anyone interested in dead wood ecology ... The book is heartily recommended ...' Nordicum-Mediterraneum: Icelandic e-Journal of Nordic and Mediterranean Studies (nome.unak.is/nm-marzo-2012/)
'... the first ever whole book to attempt an introductory synthesis of all that is known about the wildlife associated with decaying wood ... I discovered [I was] finding things previously unfamiliar to me in every chapter. A great strength is the combination of mycology and entomology ...' British Journal of Entomology and Natural History



Book Information
ISBN 9780521717038
Author Jogeir N. Stokland
Format Paperback
Page Count 521
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press
Weight(grams) 830g
Dimensions(mm) 228mm * 152mm * 24mm