The Boreal Ecosystem presents an overview of the state of knowledge on the boreal forest region of North America, with extensive reference to the boreal regions of Europe and Asia.
Initial sections of this book deal with aspects of the floristic composition and evolutionary history of the boreal vegetation. These introduce subsequent discussions on the processes at work in vegetation, soils, and the atmosphere-in short, with the boreal forest as an ecosystem, the sum total of the influences of many closely interlaced biotic and physical factors. These include not only plant species that make up the visible vegetation but also nutrients, soil, temperature, rainfall, progression of the seasons, soil microflora, arthropods, insects, and larger animals such as marten, otter, beaver, moose, caribou, bear, and wolf, and man. All are closely linked strands in the web of life, a web apart from, yet dependent on and influencing, the raw physical environment.
This book should serve as an introduction and reference source to its audience: undergraduate and graduate students in the biological and ecological disciplines, research workers in these fields as well as in related areas such as soil science, agronomy, genetics, and climatology; in short, everyone with an interest in boreal ecology.

PrefaceA Note on Nomenclature1. Introduction: Boreal Ecology and Ecosystems Analysis North American and Eurasian Similarities Boreal Ecosystematics Community Structure: Continuum Theory Investigating Native Communities The Basic Elements Problems of Modeling Summary References2. History of the Boreal Vegetation Species and Environment Dispersal Origins of the Flora The End of the Tertiary Survival in Refugia Postglacial Vegetation The Palynological Record Postglacial History The Southern Boreal Border The Northern Border Forest-Tundra Communities Ecological Significance of Historical Events References3. Climate of the Boreal Forest Boreal Climate: General Discussion Climatic Parameters Local Boreal Climates Forest Systems Climatology Atmospheric Subsystem Radiation and Temperature Local Energy Budget Climate and Permafrost Climate and Species Distribution References4. The Boreal Soils Subsystem Genesis of Podzol Soils The Chemical Processes The Geography of Podzols Soil Classification: Boreal Regions Genetic Variations and Plant Communities Moisture and Permafrost Soil Organisms Soil Microorganisms Soil Animals Summary: Climate and Soils References5. Boreal Communities and Ecosystems: The Broad View Plants and Environment The Circumpolar Boreal Forest The North American Boreal Continuum Alaska The Cordillera Northwestern Mackenzie-Yukon Region Southwestern Mackenzie and Northern Alberta The Canadian Shield Region Shield Communities; Species Composition Boreal Forests of Eastern Canada Gaspé-Maritime Region The Forests of Balsam Fir Cape Breton and Newfoundland Labrador-Ungava Northern Central Quebec Black Spruce Communities Altitudinal Tree Line The Northern Forest Border Lichens and Mosses of the Forest Floor Mosses in the Communities The Appalachian Extension Extent of the Eurasian Boreal Forest Summary References6. Relationships of Canadian Boreal Plant Communities Procedure Statistical Methods Results Discussion Broad Climatic Relationships The Study Species Behavior Regional Environmental Analysis Future Possibilities Summary References7. Boreal Communities and Ecosystems: Local Variation Environmental Gradients Environmental Gradients: Moisture Environmental Gradients: Light and Shade Environmental Gradients: Nutrients The Dynamics of Competition: Adaptation Succession Neoclassic Succession Concepts Permafrost and Succession Succession in Peatlands The Ecology of Fire Sapling Establishment Conclusion References8. Nutrient Cycling and Productivity Nutrient Cycling and the Boreal Ecosystem The Nature of Cycling Processes Chemical Changes during Decomposition Nutrient Cycles Through Soil Populations The Carbon Cycle The Nitrogen Cycle The Nitrogen Cycle in Forest Stands Other Elements Effects of Fire on Cycling Productivity: Community Comparisons The Lichen Associates of the Communities Ecosystem Nutrients and Management References9. The Trophic Pyramid: Animal Populations Plants and Animals Wildlife: A Biotic Factor Biomass of the Avifauna The Trophic Levels The Plant-Moose-Wolf Subsystem The Wolverine and Wolf Compared Role of Insects Effects of Fire on Animal Populations Population Cycles References10.