For many years it has been apparent to me that there is a need for a good textbook in plant ecology. This book is aimed at middle to senior level undergraduates. I also hope that it will serve graduate students, fellow professors, and resource managers. Since many of the topics I include were new to me, I assume that they will be new to even relatively advanced readers.

In writing this book, I made two key assumptions regarding the experience of my audience and the availability of introductory biological information. I deliberately wrote for an audience who already had some exposure to both botany and ecology – an audience having had, perhaps, a first semester course in botany and another first semester course in general ecology, or a comprehensive introductory biology course. I assumed my readers would own, or at least would have access to, a basic introductory text in biology. I have not tried to repeat or rewrite such texts and have taken for granted that readers will have a working familiarity with topics in plant biology such as photosynthesis, transpiration, and meiosis. I have also not tried to repeat basic ecological concepts such as primary production, population growth, decomposition, and nutrient cycling, nor provide a broad illustrated summary of biomes. My impression is that such topics are not only well-covered in good biology texts, but are gradually filtering their way even into the elementary school system.