A Field Guide to the Natural Communities of Michigan [Paperback]

The culmination of three decades of work by Michigan Natural Features Inventory ecologists, this essential guidebook to the natural communities of Michigan introduces the diverse terrain of a unique state. Small enough to carry in a backpack, this field guide provides a system for dividing the complex natural landscape of Michigan into easily understood and describable components called natural communities. Providing a new way to explore Michigans many environments, this book details natural communities ranging from patterned fen to volcanic bedrock glade and beyond. The descriptions are supplemented with distribution maps, vibrant photographs, and comprehensive lists of characteristic plant species. The authors suggest places to visit to further study each type of natural community and provide a comprehensive glossary of ecological terms, as well as a dichotomous key for aiding field identification. An invaluable resource, this book is meant to serve as a tool for those seeking to understand, describe, document, conserve, and restore the diversity of natural communities native to Michigan.

Small enough to carry in a backpack, this comprehensive guide explores the many diverse natural communities of Michigan, providing detailed descriptions, distribution maps, photographs, lists of characteristic plants, suggested sites to visit, and a dichotomous key for aiding field identification. This is a key tool for those seeking to understand, describe, document, conserve, and restore the diversity of natural communities native to Michigan.

Joshua G. Cohen is the Lead Ecologist with Michigan Natural Features Inventory, Michigans natural heritage program. Michael A. Kost was the Lead Ecologist for Michigan Natural Features Inventory from 2004 to 2012 and is the Native Plants Specialist with the Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum of the University of Michigan. Bradford S. Slaughter is Michigan Natural Features Inventorys Lead Botanist.ló: