Rain Forests of the World (Hardcover, 2nd ed.)

Rain forests are fascinating, complex, and incomparably diverse ecosystems. They are full of life that has evolved over millions of years in countless ways -- from parasitic worms to herds of elephants, from algae to towering evergreens. They hold secrets waiting to be revealed about who we are, how we got here, and how we are linked to other life forms on Earth. The source of forty percent of the drugs and medicine in use today, rain forests also play a major role in our atmosphere and climate. Their potential is limitless. And yet, should the rate of human-made destruction of the rain forests continue, the vast majority of them might vanish by the middle of the twenty-first century. Rain Forests of the World explores the wonders, mysteries and future prospects of these endangered habitats.