California Grasslands: Ecology and ManagementMark R. Stromberg, Jeffrey D. Corbin, Carla M. D Antonio "This highly synthetic and scholarly work brings together new and important scientific contributions by leading experts on a rich diversity of topics concerning the history, ecology, and conservation of California's endangered grasslands. The editors and authors have succeeded admirably in drawing from a great wealth of recent research to produce a widely accessible and compelling, state-of-the-art treatment of this fascinating subject. Anyone interested in Californian biodiversity or grassland ecosystems in general will find this book to be an invaluable resource and a major inspiration for further research, management, and restoration efforts."—Bruce G. Baldwin, W. L. Jepson Professor and Curator, UC Berkeley "Grasses and grasslands are among the most important elements of the California landscape. This is their book, embodying the kind of integrated view needed for all ecological communities in California. Approaches ranging across an incredibly broad spectrum -- paleontology and human history; basic science and practical management techniques; systematics, community ecology, physiology, and genetics; physical factors such as water, soil nutrients, atmospherics, and fire; biological factors such as competition, symbiosis, and grazing -- are nicely tied together due to careful editorial work. This is an indispensable reference for everyone interested in the California environment."—Brent Mishler, Director of the University & Jepson Herbaria and Professor of Integrative Biology, UC Berkeley "The structure and function of California grasslands have intrigued ecologists for decades. The editors of this volume have assembled a comprehensive set of reviews by a group of outstanding authors on the natural history, structure, management, and restoration of this economically and ecologically important ecosystem."—Scott L. Collins, Professor of Biology, University of New Mexico |
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Even a year or two after I bought it and read it through, I still reference this book frequently. The chapter by Kat Anderson on Native American uses and tending of California grasslands is one of my favorites. Covers other interesting topics like fire ecology, community classification, species evolution, mammal interactions with grassland plant species / ecology, grazing, and of course restoration. Many case studies are used throughout. Reading about the effects on grasses & needs of animals from gophers all the way to grizzly bears (extinct since some time into Anglo American colonization/settling) is fascinating. A couple things I'd like to see more of, from a content or editorial perspective: more emphasis on the place of California native annual grasses, and content authored by Indigenous Californian culture bearers in relation to their ancestral grasslands. The photos and graphics are black and white but informative. Solidly built with matte pages that are easy to read. I'm a lay person: an amateur botanist who loves grasses and other California native plants, and I garden with natives and have spent a good amount of time doing volunteer habitat restoration in Southern California. I highly recommend "California Grasslands: Ecology and Management".
My concern is the lack of species (today) which have supposedly been protected.
Contents
the Time of First European | 1 |
Policy and Management | 3 |
Overview | 67 |
Systematics of California Grasses | 169 |
Community Classification | 180 |
History and Ecology of Feral | 191 |
Pleistocene and PreEuropean | 197 |
PETER E WIGAND | 218 |
REFERENCES | 323 |
375 | |
382 | |
389 | |