Arthropods of Tropical Forests

This book is a comprehensive review of the ecology of tropical rainforest insects and spiders.

Arthropods of Tropical Forests provides a comprehensive review of the many recent ecological studies carried out on the most diverse group of organisms on earth living in the most diverse ecosystems. The book focusses on the temporal and spatial dynamics of the arthropod communities and their resource use.Arthropods are the most diverse group of organisms on our planet and the tropical rainforests represent the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems. This book, written by 79 authors contributing to 35 chapters, aims to provide an overview of data collected during recent studies in Australia, Africa, Asia, and South America. The book focuses on the distribution of arthropods and their use of resources in the rainforest canopies, providing a basis for comparison between the forest ecosystems of the main biogeographical regions. Topics covered include the distribution of arthropods along vertical gradients and the relationship between the soil/litter habitat and the forest canopy. The temporal dynamics of arthropod communities, habitats and food selection are examined within and among tropical tree crowns, as are the effects of forest disturbance. This important book is a valuable addition to the literature used by community ecologists, conservation biologists entomologists, botanists and forestry experts.