Environmental managers and planners predicting the short- and long-term effects of environmental changes on ecosystems need to understand the basic principles of plant community physiology. This textbook is the first synthesis of the physiological processes that shape Australian vegetation at the level of the entire plant community. It examines the basic principles of community physiology by referring to the vegetation of Australia, with its great diversity of natural plant communities, many of which are still relatively undisturbed. The principles developed are applicable to landscapes throughout the world, By revealing the fundamental determinants of vegetation structure, the book enables the effects of climate change on biodiversity, of both vegetation and its associated fauna, to be predicted. Lavishly illustrated and written in a clear and concise style, the text refers to many studies of the processes operating in Australian vegetation. It is an excellent text for undergraduate and graduate courses in environmental science and planning, as well as an invaluable reference work.