An interesting challenge for those in experimental agriculture and forestry who have worked with single, and perhaps occasionally two or three species inter-planted. The sheer complexity of tropical forest ecology is unnerving, and this book at times does nothing to make it easy. As a non-specialist in the subject I found myself wanting to question where a contributor seemed to get tunnel vision in the pre-occupation with so-and-so's arcane theory. Fortunately this was more than balanced by contributors who have a broader understanding of what might affect their hypothesis (notably Hubbell's ‘neutral theory’). It would, however, be instructive to have cross-disciplinary meetings on these topics.

Contributions on endophytic fungi and the range of phytophagous ant species are going to be areas that few people will have known existed, prior to reading this book. At the same time, it is encouraging to see that secondary and fragmented forests are also studied, giving a realism to the scope of this book. The question of the future for a bio-diverse tropical forest is hardly new, but usefully covered in this type of book.

To conclude, whilst it will not be an easy book, especially for those uncomfortable with mathematical formulae, it does provide a valuable insight into a key biome in the world, and at a reasonable price for a substantial volume.