Book on plant ecology wanted ...

[neldadog]

Does anyone know of a good book that will tell you why plants are present in a certain habitat? (i.e. indicator species?)

For example, false oat grass is an indicator of dry abandoned grassland, herb-Paris of ancient woodland, common nettle of nutrient enriched substrates, black knapweed of neutral semi-improved grasslands, quaking grass of calcaerous grasslands.

The standard keys are generally of little help or detail (i.e. stace, rose).

I am slowly trying to pick up the NVC communities, however a could do with a book that either summarises the above or at least bridges the gap.

Ta.

[loripo]

The PDF on this site gives a list of books, not cheap but you may be able to get via Library.
http://www.summerfieldbooks.eclipse....%20History.pdf

[The Woodman]

You might find The Abridged Comparative Plant Ecology by Grime, Hodgson and Hunt - pub. Unwin Hyman ISBN 0-04-581026-5 useful.

My copy was published in 1990, there may be reprints available.

[Johnny Redgate]

The NVC texts come with a wealth of background info on habitat and management.

I'd also suggest The Abridged Comparative Plant Ecology. In addition I have a book called Ellenberg's indicator values for British plants which seems to have been adapted into Attributes of British and Irish Plants by Hill et al (no. 20 on loripo's link above). This gives an indication of the ecological requirements of all/most British species. My copy is not a good read - its just a list of species and indicator values but the new book might be more readable?

[Geology girl]

Hi,
Interestingly I was just logging in to ask a similar question but with a geological slant. I remember a short talk I heard about prospectors looking at the local plant life to find ore rocks as certain plants trived/ tolerated the high metal contents/ pH etc levels of the ores. I have come across this theory a couple of times and wondered it there was a book that anyone knew of that fitted the bill. Of course I want to use it to go gold prospecting in Wales ;o) Only joking!

Thanks