Impressively illustrated in full color, this text aimed at advanced undergraduates or those who have had a first course in biology uses a conceptual rather than strictly linear approach. It begins by describing the science of plant ecology, then moves to the individual and its environment with photosynthesis and light, water relations and energy balance, soils, mineral nutrition, and interactions below ground. Moving to considerations of populations and evolution, it describes structures, growth, decline, evolutionary processes, growth and reproduction of individuals, and life histories and then passes to communities and their causes, including community properties, competition and other interactions, herbivory and plant-pathogen interactions, disturbance, succession, local abundance, diversity and rarity. Topics on ecosystems and landscapes include processes and landscape ecology and those on global patterns and processes include climate and physiognomy, biomes, regional and global diversity, paleoecology and change in the relation between people and plants. Annotation ©2007 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)