Field Guide to Coastal Wetland Plants of the Southeastern United States / Edition 1

by Ralph W. Tiner, Abigail Rorer

Overview

Tidal wetlands are a dominant landscape feature of the coastal zone in the southeastern United States. These wetlands are largely colonized by salt-tolerant plants forming salt and brackish marshes or mangrove swamps, or by other water-tolerant species in tidally influenced freshwater areas. Anyone driving to southern beaches is likely to have crossed coastal wetlands on the trip, since these wetlands often stretch for miles between barrier island beaches and the mainland. Oftentimes, people, both young and old, can be seen fishing or crabbing from bridges crossing tidal rivers or creeks. This provides one of very many direct evidence of the productivity and value of these natural habitats.

This book is arranged in four major sections: (1) Coastal Wetland Ecology: A General Overview, (2) Identification of Coastal Wetland and Aquatic Plants, (3) Wetland Plant Descriptions and Illustrations, and (4) Distribution of Coastal Wetlands in the Southeast. In addition , a list of references used in preparing this book and a glossary of technical terms are provided.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780870238338
Publisher:	University of Massachusetts Press
Publication date:	10/07/1993
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	352
Product dimensions:	7.00(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.10(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Ralph W. Tiner is a nationally recognized wetland ecologist with more than 40 years of experience mapping tidal marshes an other wetlands. He has directed the federal government's National Wetlands Inventory in 13 states for over 35 years and , as an adjunct professor has taught courses in wetland plant identification / ecology and wetland delineation/classification at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. He is currently treasurer for the U.S. National Ramsar Committee and also serves as the editor of Wetland Science and Practice (a journal of the Society of Wetland Scientists). To date, he has written over two hundred d publications including two field guides published by the University of Massachusetts Press.

Editorial Reviews

"A superb illustrated flora with clear line drawings by talented botanical artist Abigail Rorer. With more than 250 specimens fully described, one can identify any plant found in the coastal wetlands of the Southeast. An informative introduction covers the description of wetland plant communities. . . . There is an illustrated key to further enhance the manual. For species illustrated, Tiner provides description, flowing period, habitat, wetland indicator status, range, and similar species. A must for every library featuring botanical coverage or regional floras."—Choice

"Fills an empty niche for the interested layperson and wetlands ecologist alike. . . . This is a book that should be in the hands of everyone interested in the field ecology of the southeastern coast."—Quarterly Review of Biology

"A field guide worthy of its name. It is comprehensive and easy to use for identifying the majority of plants encountered in southeastern coastal marshes and mangrove swamps. However, with an informative chapter on coastal wetland ecology, accompanied by good photographs of significant wetlands, it is more than a field guide. . . . Unique to the book is the key (really a series of five keys that culminate in a major key—the illustrated key to flowering herbs). This is a very usable way to present such material. . . . I recommend this book highly."—Science Books and Films

"An easy-to-use, authoritative field guide for amateurs and specialists. . . . For those libraries that already own Tiner's guide to wetland plants of the northeast, this guide is essential to complete the coverage for the entire east coast."—American Reference Books Annual

From the Publisher

An easy-to-use, authoritative field guide for amateurs and specialists.... For those libraries that already own Tiner's guide to wetland plants of the northeast, this guide is essential to complete the coverage for the entire east coast.

American Reference Books Annual

A field guide worthy of its name. It is comprehensive and easy to use for identifying the majority of plants encountered in southeastern coastal marshes and mangrove swamps. However, with an informative chapter on coastal wetland ecology, accompanied by good photographs of significant wetlands, it is more than a field guide.... Unique to the book is the key (really a series of five keys that culminate in a major key—the illustrated key to flowering herbs). This is a very usable way to present such material.... I recommend this book highly.

Science Books and Films

Fills an empty niche for the interested layperson and wetlands ecologist alike.... This is a book that should be in the hands of everyone interested in the field ecology of the southeastern coast.

Quarterly Review of Biology

A superb illustrated flora with clear line drawings by talented botanical artist Abigail Rorer. With more than 250 specimens fully described, one can identify any plant found in the coastal wetlands of the Southeast. An informative introduction covers the description of wetland plant communities.... There is an illustrated key to further enhance the manual. For species illustrated, Tiner provides description, flowing period, habitat, wetland indicator status, range, and similar species. A must for every library featuring botanical coverage or regional floras.

Choice

Designed for nonspecialists, and intended primarily for use along the South Atlantic and Gulf coasts (from Virginia to Florida and west to Texas), this field guide fully describes and illustrates (nice b&w drawings by Abigail Rorer) some 250 plants of tidal marshes and swamps, while some 200 other plants are cataloged as similar species with distinguishing characteristics given. Nontechnical keys guide the reader in plant identification. The author also offers an overview of coastal wetland ecology, furnishes maps showing the locations of coastal marshes and mangrove swamps from Virginia to Texas, and lists places to observe coastal wetlands in each state. Paper edition (unseen), $19.95. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

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