La Selva, a nature reserve and field station in Costa Rica, is one of the most intensively studied and best-understood tropical field sites in the world. This is a comprehensive review of the thirty years of intensive research carried out on the reserve's ecology, flora and fauna. In five parts, the first looks at the physical setting and environment of the rainforest, and history of the station. Parts 2 and 3 cover the plant and animal communities, whilst Part 4 addresses the interactions between them, and the effects on species diversity. Finally, Part 5 considers the impact of land use and agricultural development on the reserve, and other areas of Costa Rica. A major source of information on tropical ecology.