Preface to the Second Edition
The first edition of this book (1998) classified and characterized the regionalscale ecosystem units (ecoregions) of the Earth as shown on a map that
I developed with the encouragement of several international organizations.
In addition to the descriptive account, my primary goal was to suggest
explanations of the mechanisms that act to produce the world pattern of
ecoregion distribution and to consider some of the implications for land use.
I included ocean types since understanding land regions depends on understanding ocean systems.
The Chief of the US Forest Service, Mike Dombeck, distributed this book
to Forest Service field offices, Washington Office staff directors, heads of
other agencies, Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior, leaders of professional societies and conservation organizations, Vice President Gore, and
select members of Congress. He wrote in his transmittal letter, “The Forest
Service is beginning to look beyond national forest boundaries and, based on
Bailey’s work, expand its horizons to view forests from a larger ecoregionbased perspective.”
The increasing importance of ecoregions is confirmed by the fact that
much planning, research, and management efforts by the Forest Service, The
Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, and other organizations are
taking place now within the framework of ecoregions. For example, in
1993, as part of the National Framework of Ecological Units, the US Forest
Service adopted ecoregions for use in ecosystem management.
Over the last 14 years since the book was first published, a number of
studies have greatly contributed to a better understanding of the Earth’s
ecoregions. This second edition is a completely updated and expanded
version. The main purpose of the revision is to incorporate the latest factual
information and the newest geographic ideas. However, it was felt that the
book would benefit from new sections that address how ecoregions are
changing under the relentless influence of humans (such as modification of
fire regimes and the introduction of invasive species) and climate change, use
of ecoregional patterns to transfer research results and select sites for
detecting climate change effects on ecosystem distribution, use of
ecoregional patterns to design monitoring networks and sustainable
landscapes, and how the system used in this book compares with other
approaches.
This book is intended for several audiences. In addition to environmental
planners and decision-makers, it should be particularly useful to those
vii
The first edition of this book (1998) classified and characterized the regionalscale ecosystem units (ecoregions) of the Earth as shown on a map that
I developed with the encouragement of several international organizations.
In addition to the descriptive account, my primary goal was to suggest
explanations of the mechanisms that act to produce the world pattern of
ecoregion distribution and to consider some of the implications for land use.
I included ocean types since understanding land regions depends on understanding ocean systems.
The Chief of the US Forest Service, Mike Dombeck, distributed this book
to Forest Service field offices, Washington Office staff directors, heads of
other agencies, Secretaries of Agriculture and Interior, leaders of professional societies and conservation organizations, Vice President Gore, and
select members of Congress. He wrote in his transmittal letter, “The Forest
Service is beginning to look beyond national forest boundaries and, based on
Bailey’s work, expand its horizons to view forests from a larger ecoregionbased perspective.”
The increasing importance of ecoregions is confirmed by the fact that
much planning, research, and management efforts by the Forest Service, The
Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund, and other organizations are
taking place now within the framework of ecoregions. For example, in
1993, as part of the National Framework of Ecological Units, the US Forest
Service adopted ecoregions for use in ecosystem management.
Over the last 14 years since the book was first published, a number of
studies have greatly contributed to a better understanding of the Earth’s
ecoregions. This second edition is a completely updated and expanded
version. The main purpose of the revision is to incorporate the latest factual
information and the newest geographic ideas. However, it was felt that the
book would benefit from new sections that address how ecoregions are
changing under the relentless influence of humans (such as modification of
fire regimes and the introduction of invasive species) and climate change, use
of ecoregional patterns to transfer research results and select sites for
detecting climate change effects on ecosystem distribution, use of
ecoregional patterns to design monitoring networks and sustainable
landscapes, and how the system used in this book compares with other
approaches.
This book is intended for several audiences. In addition to environmental
planners and decision-makers, it should be particularly useful to those
vii