Since the first edition ofthis book was written, public awareness oftropical rain forests has become so great that issues involving their exploitation are the stuffofdaily newspapers, radio and television. The plight offorest-living peoples has become an international issue; concerns over the greenhouse effect and other climatic changes are often linked to rain forest destruction. At the same time, there has been an unparalleled scientific interest in the workings ofthe rain forest and an increasingconcern by economists as to its potential in balancing the books of many developing countries....