The Flowering of Australia's Rainforests provides an overview of pollination in Australian rainforests, especially subtropical rainforests. It also examines the plant-pollinator relationships found in rainforests worldwide. The Flowering of Australia's Rainforests progresses through introductory and popular sections that cover pollination in lore and legend; plant and flower evolution and development; and the role and function of colour, fragrance and form. Later chapters deal with breeding systems; mimicry; spatial, temporal and structural influences on plant-pollinator interactions; and a discussion and overview of floral syndromes. The book concludes with a section on conservation and fragmentation, and individual plant pollination case studies. Illustrated with colour photographs of major species, this reference work will be treasured by field naturalists, ecologists, conservation biologists, botanists, ecosystem managers, environmentalists, community groups and individuals involved in habitat restoration, students, and those with a broad interest in natural history.

An overview of the pollination in Australian rainforests, especially subtropical rainforests. It also examines the plant-pollinator relationships found in rainforests worldwide.

The Invertebrate World of Australia’s Subtropical Rainforests is a comprehensive review of Australia’s Gondwanan rainforest invertebrate fauna, covering its taxonomy, distribution, biogeography, fossil history, plant community and insect–plant relationships. This is the first work to document the invertebrate diversity of this biologically important region, as well as explain the uniqueness and importance of the organisms. This book examines invertebrates within the context of the plant world that they are dependent on and offers an understanding of Australia’s outstanding (but still largely unknown) subtropical rainforests. All major, and many minor, invertebrate taxa are described and the book includes a section of colour photos of distinctive species. There is also a strong emphasis on plant and habitat associations and fragmentation impacts, as well as a focus on the regionally inclusive Gondwana Rainforests (Central Eastern Rainforest Reserves of Australia) World Heritage Area. The Invertebrate World of Australia’s Subtropical Rainforests will be of value to professional biologists and ecologists, as well as amateur entomologists and naturalists in Australia and abroad.

Rainforests of Australia's East Coast is aimed primarily at the reader group of more than 500,000 active bushwalkers in Australia. A large percentage of bushwalkers visit all subforms of rainforests on a regular basis and identification of plant species is a common subject. The book is written in a comprehensible, engaging style and employs descriptive illustrations and photos to raise the interest into the great diversity, primeval origins and uniqueness of Australian rainforests. The many beautiful images are taken from the author's own collection which has been built up over many decades. Photos of widely distributed rainforest species including mosses, ferns, mushrooms and lichens together with informative texts enable the reader to identify species commonly encountered. Easy to use identification keys to the major plant groups and fungi are provided. The book demonstrates that rainforests are self-sustaining ecosystems that rely on a myriad of associations to reproduce and survive. It will be a valuable information source for bushwalkers, for anyone with an interest in Australia's native flora, and also for readers involved in outdoor activities such as gardening and horticulture.

Rare, unique and irreplaceable – precious native rainforests occupy a precariously small part of Australia while retaining a remarkable level of both biological and chemical diversity unrivalled by any other ecosystem. Australia's ancient history and traditions are intimately intertwined with the rainforest plants that humans have utilised as both food and medicine. Phytochemistry of Australia's Tropical Rainforest is a record of this history and details how our understanding of these plants has led to the discovery of anaesthetics, analgesics, steroids, antimalarials and more. It provides an insight into the habitat, ecology and family associations of hundreds of species and explores their future therapeutic potential, alongside phytochemical studies of the ancient plant lineages. Toxicological evaluations of important poisonous plants are also included. Rainforests provide shelter for unique flora and fauna that are counted among the rarest species on Earth, many of which are illustrated in this book. This comprehensive work is an essential reference for phytochemists, ethnobotanists and those with an interest in rainforests and their medicinal and botanical potential.

The Flowering of Australia’s Rainforests provides a comprehensive introduction to the pollination ecology, evolution and conservation of Australian rainforest plants, with particular emphasis on subtropical rainforests and their associated pollinators. This significantly expanded second edition includes new information on the impact of climate change, fire, fragmentation and invasive species. Rainforests continue to be a focus of global conservation concern, not only from threats to biodiversity in general, but to pollinators specifically. Within Australia, this has been emphasised by recent cataclysmic fire impacts, ongoing extreme drought events, and the wider consideration of climate change. This second edition strengthens coverage of these issues beyond that of the first edition. The Flowering of Australia’s Rainforests makes timely contributions to our understanding of the nature and function of the world’s pollinator fauna, plant-reproduction dependencies, and the evolutionary pathway that has brought them to their current state and function. Illustrated with 150 colour plates of major species and rainforest formations, this reference work will be of value to ecologists and field naturalists, botanists, conservation biologists, ecosystem managers and community groups involved in habitat restoration.

For more than twenty years Kaisa and Stan Breeden have lived in the rainforest of northeast Queensland and seen its wonders unfold. The rainforest is also where they developed and refined their photographic techniques. This book is their intimate and affectionate portrait of Australia's tropical rainforest and its variety of life. Using artistic and technical skills gained through many years' experience and experimentation, the Breedens continue their quest to capture nature as a contemplation. The mystery and beauty of the wet tropics are brought to life in this digital dossier of one of Australia's greatest natural treasures. As the Breedens explore the legacy of the Gondwana forests - the remaining strip of tropical rainforest between the Coral Sea and the Great Driving Range - their pictures and text join to evoke wonder and learning. The Breeden's inventive photographic techniques combine focus stacking, HDR and macro panoramas, creating visions of great depth, texture and clarity. Some subjects are the result of the combination of 25 or more photographs. Capturing the rainforest at its most vivid, this is an exceptional and uplifting exploration of Australia's tropical rainforest.