Fifty-one papers address the ecology, history, current conditions, and sustainability of upland oak forests - with emphasis on the Interior Highlands. Subject categories were selected to provide focused coverage of the state-of-the-art research and understanding of upland oak ecology of the region.

The conservation of biodiversity has profound implications for managing natural resources with the need for scientific information as a foundation for management decisions increasing dramatically. The_ intent of this book is to look beyond the theory of biodiversity to_ the principles, practices, and policies needed for its conservation. Its objectives are to provide the scientific basis for understanding biodiversity, document case examples of theory and concepts applied at differing scales, and examine policies that affect its conservation.