Riparian Landscapes examines the ecological systems of streamside and floodplain areas from the perspective of landscape ecology. The author describes the specific spatial pattern of riparian vegetation as a result of, and a control on, the ecological, geomorphological, and hydrological processes that operate along rivers. He also discusses the role of the riparian zone in controlling species distribution and abundance and highlights the intelligent management of these valuable ecological resources. Finally, Malanson explores the potential for linking hydrological, geomorphological and...

The predictability of the physical arrangement of plants, at whatever scale it is viewed, is referred to as a spatial pattern. Spatial pattern is a crucial aspect of vegetation that has important implications not only for the plants themselves, but also for other organisms that interact with plants, such as herbivores and pollinators; or those animals for which plants provide a habitat. This book describes and evaluates methods for detecting and quantifying a variety of characteristics of spatial pattern. As well as discussing the concepts on which these techniques are based, the book...

The adaptation of herbivore behavior to seasonal and locational variations in vegetation quantity and quality is inadequately modelled by conventional methods. Norman Owen-Smith innovatively links the principles of adaptive behavior to their consequences for population dynamics and community ecology, through the application of a metaphysiological modeling approach. The main focus is on large mammalian herbivores occupying seasonally variable environments such as those characterized by African savannas, but applications to temperate zone ungulates are also included. Issues of habitat...