The Guayana Highlands in northeastern tropical America, rising from
lowland rain forests and savannas up to 3000 m elevation, are
characterized by ancient tablelands called tepuis. The peatlands that
developed on the tepuis constitute unique and fascinating ecosystems and
are the focus of this volume, which starts with an overview of tropical
and subtropical peats, followed by an introduction to the geo-ecological
features of the Guayana region as a whole, with special emphasis on the
diversity of the vegetation cover from lowlands to uplands to highlands.
The core subject centers on the properties and dating of the peat
deposits and the interpretation of the chronological record in terms of
past environmental changes. The well illustrated book will appeal to a
broad range of scientists interested in tropical highland peats,
including quaternarists, soil scientists, geomorphologists, geographers,
geologists, ecologists, botanists, hydrologists, conservationists, and
land use planners.