| Foreword | |
| Preface | |
| Acknowledgments | |
| A Personal Note to the Reader | |
| Conversions | |
| Ch. 1 | Tropical Climates and Ecosystems | 3 |
| Ch. 2 | Rainforest Structure and Diversity | 21 |
| Ch. 3 | How a Rainforest Functions | 44 |
| Ch. 4 | Evolutionary Patterns in the Tropics | 75 |
| Ch. 5 | Complexities of Coevolution and Ecology of Fruit | 126 |
| Ch. 6 | The Neotropical Pharmacy | 144 |
| Ch. 7 | Living Off the Land in the Tropics | 169 |
| Ch. 8 | Rivers through Rainforest | 189 |
| Ch. 9 | Introduction to the Andes and Tepuis | 218 |
| Ch. 10 | Savannas and Dry Forests | 228 |
| Ch. 11 | Coastal Ecosystems: Mangroves, Seagrass, and Coral Reefs | 239 |
| Ch. 12 | Neotropical Birds | 251 |
| Ch. 13 | A Rainforest Bestiary | 295 |
| Ch. 14 | Deforestation and Conservation of Biodiversity | 334 |
| Appendix | "And Hey, Let's Be Careful Out There" | 377 |
| Acronyms | 389 |
| Glossary | 390 |
| Neotropical Field Guides and Handbooks | 396 |
| Recommended Book-Length References | 399 |
| Literature Cited | 403 |
| Index | 435 |
