Jacksonville Public Library

The hidden company that trees keep, life from treetops to root tips, James B. Nardi

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 282-290) and index

platesillustrations

index present

non fiction

The hidden company that trees keep

bibliography

1327844074

James B. Nardi

life from treetops to root tips

"You can tell a lot about a tree by the company it keeps. James Nardi guides you through the innermost unseen world that trees share with a wondrous array of creatures. With their elaborate immune responses, trees recruit a host of allies as predators and parasites to defend against uninvited advances from organisms that chew on leaves, drain sap, and bore into wood. Microbial life thrives in the hidden spaces of leaf scales, twigs, and bark while birds, mammals, and insects benefit from the more visible resources trees provide. In return, animals help with pollination, seed dispersal, and recycling of nutrients. <i>The Hidden Company That Trees Keep</i> blends marvelous storytelling with beautiful illustrations and the latest science to reveal how the diverse lives of these companions are intertwined with those of their trees. [This book] features a wealth of richly detailed drawings accompanied by breathtaking images of microscopic landscapes on leaf, bark, and root surfaces; includes informative fact boxes; draws on new discoveries in biology and natural history; [and is] written by one of the world's leading naturalists." --Book jacket

Prologue -- The many forms and functions of a tree's companions -- Out on a limb: living on leaves, buds, and twigs -- Tapping a tree's circulatory system -- The world between bark and heartwood -- In the company of flowers and fruits -- The world beneath a tree -- Observing firsthand -- Epilogue

adult