Overview

Savanna ecosystems play a major role in the natural landscape and in the economic life of vast areas of the tropics. These grasslands are inherently fragile, yet Third World economic development makes human exploitation inevitable. The question that remains is whether utilization of the savannas for agriculture and other purposes will create sustained economic growth or a desert waste. Guillermo Sarmiento is an unquestionable authority on the grasslands of the New World. His book is the first modern, integrated view of the genesis and function of this important natural system--a synthesis of savanna architecture, seasonal rhythms, productive processes, and water and nutrient economy. Sarmiento's emphasis is on the Venezuelan savannas that he has spent a lifetime studying, but his outlook is far broader. He makes frequent comparisons with other neotropical and tropical savannas and with temperate prairies, and he offers conclusions of global importance, not only for ecologists and agronomist but for anyone concerned with the politics of Third World development.

Full Product Details

Author:   Guillermo Sarmiento
Publisher:   Harvard University Press
Imprint:   Harvard University Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.00cm , Height: 2.50cm , Length: 23.00cm
Weight:   0.544kg
ISBN:  

9780674224605

ISBN 10:   0674224604
Pages:   256
Publication Date:   25 April 1984
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  Undergraduate ,  Postgraduate, Research & Scholarly
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Out of Print
Availability:   Awaiting stock  

Table of Contents

1. The Problem of the Tropical Savanna What Is a Tropical Savanna? Need to Explain the Existence of Savannas 2. The Architecture of the Savanna Vertical Structure Horizontal Structure 3. The Seasonal Rhythms of the Savanna Species Perennial Species with an Annual Semidormant Phase Evergreen Trees with Seasonal Growth The Ephemeral Species Annual Species with a Long Cycle Perennial Species with a Seasonal Rest Period Species with Continuous Growth and Blooming Summary of Phenological Strategies in Venezuelan Savannas Phenology of the Species in Other Tropical Savannas and Their Comparison with the Venezuelan Savannas 4. The Productive Process Biomass and Production in Venezuelan Savannas Methodological and Conceptual Problems in the Study of Productive Processes The Productive Processes of the Tropical Savannas Production Data of Other Savannas and Grasslands Summary 5. Water Economy The Seasonal Vibrations of Soil Moisture Elements for a Discussion of the Water Balance of Tropical Savannas General Conclusions 6. Nutrient Economy The Savanna as an Oligotrophic Ecosystem The Genesis of the Relief and Its Relation to the Characteristics of the Landscapes and Soils Chemistry of Savanna and Other Tropical Soils The Principal Nutrients in the Vegetation The Problem of Aluminum in the Savannas Other Nutrients and Mineral Elements in the Vegetation The Nutrient Cycles The Nitrogen Economy The Economy of Other Nutrients The Nutrient Balance in Tropical Rain Forests 7. Synthesis and Conclusions Elements for an Interpretation of Savanna Ecosystems References Index

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Author Information

Guillermo Sarmiento is Professor of Botany, Universidad de los Andes, Venezuela. Otto T. Solbrig is Bussey Professor of Biology, Harvard University.

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