Chapters in this book

1. Frontmatter i
2. Contents v
3. In Memory of Dr. Luis Diego Gómez Pignataro (1944– 2009) ix
4. Contributors xi
5. Foreword xv
6. Presentation xvii
7. Preface xix
8. Part I. Introduction
9. Chapter 1. Costa Rica’s Ecosystems: Setting the Stage 3
10. Part II. The Physical Environment
11. Chapter 2. Climate of Costa Rica 19
12. Chapter 3. Geology, Tectonics, and Geomorphology of Costa Rica: A Natural History Approach 30
13. Chapter 4. Soils of Costa Rica: An Agroecological Approach 64
14. Part III. The Pacific Ocean and Isla del Coco
15. Chapter 5. The Pacific Coastal and Marine Ecosystems 97
16. Chapter 6. The Gulf of Nicoya Estuarine Ecosystem 139
17. Chapter 7. Isla del Coco: Coastal and Marine Ecosystems 162
18. Chapter 8. Isla del Coco: Terrestrial Ecosystems 192
19. Part IV. The Northern Pacific Dry Lowlands
20. Chapter 9. The Northern Pacific Lowland Seasonal Dry Forests of Guanacaste and the Nicoya Peninsula 247
21. Chapter 10. Biodiversity Conservation History and Future in Costa Rica: The Case of Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) 290
22. Part V. The Central and Southern Pacific Seasonally Moist Lowlands and Central Valley
23. Chapter 11. The Central Pacific Seasonal Forests of Puntarenas and the Central Valley 345
24. Chapter 12. The Southern Pacific Lowland Evergreen Moist Forest of the Osa Region 360
25. Part VI. The Moist and Clouded Highlands
26. Chapter 13. The Montane Cloud Forests of the Volcanic Cordilleras 415
27. Chapter 14. The Montane Cloud Forests of the Cordillera de Talamanca 451
28. Chapter 15. The Páramo Ecosystem of Costa Rica’s Highlands 492
29. Part VII. The Wet Caribbean Lowlands
30. Chapter 16. The Caribbean Lowland Evergreen Moist and Wet Forests 527
31. Part VIII. The Caribbean Sea and Shore
32. Chapter 17. The Caribbean Coastal and Marine Ecosystems 591
33. Part IX. The Rivers, Lakes, and Wetlands
34. Chapter 18. Rivers of Costa Rica 621
35. Chapter 19. Lakes of Costa Rica 656
36. Chapter 20. Bogs, Marshes, and Swamps of Costa Rica 683
37. Part X. Conclusion
38. Chapter 21. Costa Rican Ecosystems: A Brief Summary 709
39. Acronyms 723
40. Subject Index 727
41. Systematic Index of Common Names 747
42. Systematic Index of Scientific Names 757