From the ridgetops of the north to the Pinelands of the south, New Jersey's natural areas display an astonishing variety of plant life. This book--a completely revised edition of the classic Vegetation of New Jersey--enables readers to understand why the vegetation of New Jersey is what it is today and what it may become. The book portrays New Jersey as an ecosystem--its geology, topography and soil, climate, plant-plant and plant-animal relationships, and the human impact on the environment. The authors describe in detail the twelve types of plant habitats distinguished in New Jersey and suggest places to observe good examples of them. The book is amply illustrated with photographs of plant communities and individual species and maps. The appendixes provide a cross-reference between the common and scientific names of native plants of New Jersey, and hints for plant identification. Scientifically accurate yet written in a lively style, Plant Communities of New Jersey belongs on the bookshelf of every New Jerseyan who cares about the environment. Beryl Robichaud Collins has authored or coauthored seven books, including Vegetation of New Jersey and Protecting the New Jersey Pinelands, both with Rutgers University Press. She has served as senior vice president at McGraw-Hill and as a research associate in the Rutgers Institute of Coastal and Environmental Studies and member of the Graduate Faculty in the Rutgers Ecology Program. Karl H. Anderson is director of the New Jersey Audubon Society's Rancocas Nature Center in Mt. Holly. He has written extensively about New Jersey's natural history, including a checklist of New Jersey plants; and has led hundreds of botanical field trips throughout the Garden State.