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The Anatomy of Palms: Arecaceae - Palmae

P. Barry Tomlinson, James W. Horn, and Jack B. Fisher

Palms are an economically important group of plants and support major agronomic and horticultural industries, quite apart from their regional use in the cultures of many tropical countries as sources ... More

Palms are an economically important group of plants and support major agronomic and horticultural industries, quite apart from their regional use in the cultures of many tropical countries as sources of food, fibre, and building materials. Although easily recognized and limited by a lack of secondary growth, they range widely in size, life form, and habitat. This book provides a survey of the structure and vegetative anatomy of members of the palm family (Arecaceae or Palmae) and uses the most recent molecular phylogenetic treatment of the family as the basis for interpreting the systematic and ecological significance of anatomical characters. The first section starts with a description of the often distinctive anatomical techniques used, followed by the principles of palm development, a series of chapters on the microscopic anatomy of all the main organs, and finally an analysis of how these structures might have evolved. The second section documents the systematic anatomical variation found in the subfamilies, tribes, and subtribes. The internal structure of all vegetative organs is reviewed, although lamina anatomy is emphasized. In those cases where genera are anatomically distinctive, they are described in detail. The intrinsic novelty of this approach is the innovative synthesis of the latest structural information for all genera of palms, set in a contemporary molecular phylogenetic context.Less

Anatomy of the Monocotyledons Volume X: Orchidaceae

William Louis Stern

Mary Gregory and David F. Cutler (eds)

For many years orchids have been among the most popular of ornamental plants, with thousands of species and hybrids cultivated worldwide for the diversity, beauty, and intricacy of their flowers. ... More

For many years orchids have been among the most popular of ornamental plants, with thousands of species and hybrids cultivated worldwide for the diversity, beauty, and intricacy of their flowers. This book presents over thirty years of research. It describes the structure and relationships among the cells and tissues of leaves, stems, and roots, and is organized systematically in line with the taxonomy expressed in the Genera Orchidacearum Series. The book is illustrated with over 100 photomicrographs and numerous original line drawings.Less

Bee Pollination in Agricultural Ecosystems

Rosalind James and Theresa L. Pitts-Singer (eds)

Bees play a vital role as pollinators for many agricultural crops. This book discusses the interplay between bees, agriculture, and the environment. Although honey bees are well recognized as ... More

Bees play a vital role as pollinators for many agricultural crops. This book discusses the interplay between bees, agriculture, and the environment. Although honey bees are well recognized as pollinators, managed bumble bees and solitary bees are also critical for the successful pollination of certain crops, while wild bees provide a free service. As bees liberally pass pollen from one plant to the next, they also impact the broader ecosystem, and not always to the benefit of humankind. Bees can enhance the unintentional spread of genes from genetically engineered plants, and may increase the spread of invasive weeds. Conversely, genetically engineered plants can impact pollinators, and invasive weeds can supply new sources of food for these insects. Bees' flower-visiting activities also can be exploited to spread biological control agents that help to control crop pests. Bee pollination is important for production of native plants used for restoration of wild lands. Managing bees for pollination is complex and must consider bee natural history, physiology, pathology, and behavior. Furthermore, transporting bees from native ranges to new areas for pollination services can be controversial, and should be done only after assuring that a non-native bee introduction will not disrupt the ecosystem. Even though bees are small, unobtrusive creatures, they play large roles in the ecosystem. The connection between bees and humankind is symbolic of a broader interconnection between humans and the natural world.Less

The Biology of Grasslands

Brian J. Wilsey

This accessible text provides a concise but comprehensive introduction to the biology of global grasslands. Grasslands are vast in their extent, with native and non-native grasslands now covering ... More

This accessible text provides a concise but comprehensive introduction to the biology of global grasslands. Grasslands are vast in their extent, with native and non-native grasslands now covering approximately 50 percent of the global terrestrial environment. They are also of vital importance to humans, providing essential ecosystem services and some of the most important areas for the production of food and fibre worldwide. It has been estimated that 60 percent of calories consumed by humans originate from grasses, and most grain consumed is produced in areas that were formerly grasslands or wetlands. Grasslands are also important because they are used to raise forage for livestock, represent a source of biofuels, sequester vast amounts of carbon, provide urban green-space, and hold vast amounts of biodiversity. Intact grasslands contain an incredibly fascinating set of plants, animals, and microbes that have interested several generations of biologists, generating pivotal studies to important theoretical questions in ecology. As with other titles in the Biology of Habitats Series, the emphasis is on the organisms that dominate this environment although restoration, conservation, and experimental aspects are also considered. The Biology of Grasslands is suitable for both senior undergraduate and graduate students (in departments of biology, geography, and environmental science) taking courses in grassland ecology, plant ecology, and rangeland ecology as well as the many professional ecologists and conservation biologists requiring an authoritative overview of the topic.Less

Cacti: Biology and Uses

Park Nobel (ed.)

The Cactaceae family, with about 1,600 species, is cultivated worldwide for fruits, forage, fodder, and even as a vegetable. Cacti are recognized for their attractive flowers, special stem shapes, ... More

The Cactaceae family, with about 1,600 species, is cultivated worldwide for fruits, forage, fodder, and even as a vegetable. Cacti are recognized for their attractive flowers, special stem shapes, and ability to tolerate drought. Because of their efficient use of water and other adaptations, biological and agronomic interest in cacti has soared. These plants also have much to teach us about biodiversity and conservation. This book, compiled by a well-known cactus biologist, includes chapters by 35 contributors from around the world on topics ranging from evolution to biotechnology. It compiles information on cactus biology, ecology, and uses in one place. The first half of the book provides an overview of cactus biology and morphology, and discusses the environmental and conservation issues that affect the plants, including a discussion of the evolution of the family which pays particular attention to new genetic and molecular approaches. The second half of the book focuses on the practical concerns of cultivating cacti, such as pest control and diseases, horticultural and forage applications, and techniques for agronomy. Other chapters cover the different markets for cacti and products that are made from them.Less

California Grasslands: Ecology and Management

Mark Stromberg (ed.)

Grasslands are one of California's most important ecosystems in terms of both biodiversity and economic value. Bringing together the large amount of research conducted in recent years on California's ... More

Grasslands are one of California's most important ecosystems in terms of both biodiversity and economic value. Bringing together the large amount of research conducted in recent years on California's grasslands, this comprehensive, state-of-the-art sourcebook addresses the pressing need to understand this unique habitat. Providing a summary of current grassland science and management, scholars examine the history of grasslands from the Pleistocene through European settlement; describe resources that influence grassland structure and productivity, focusing on water, nutrient dynamics, global environmental change, and soil biology; explore genetics, ecological interactions, grazing systems, and fire; and discuss grassland management, restoration, and public policy.Less

California's Fading Wildflowers: Lost Legacy and Biological Invasions

Richard Minnich

Early Spanish explorers in the late eighteenth century found springtime California covered with spectacular carpets of wildflowers from San Francisco to San Diego. Yet today, invading plant species ... More

Early Spanish explorers in the late eighteenth century found springtime California covered with spectacular carpets of wildflowers from San Francisco to San Diego. Yet today, invading plant species have devastated this nearly forgotten botanical heritage. The book synthesizes a unique and wide-ranging array of sources—from the historic accounts of those early explorers to the writings of early American botanists in the nineteenth century, newspaper accounts in the twentieth century, and modern ecological theory—to give the most comprehensive historical analysis available of the dramatic transformation of California's wildflower prairies. At the same time, this book challenges much current thinking on the subject, critically evaluating the hypothesis that perennial bunchgrasses were once a dominant feature of California's landscape. Instead, it argues that wildflowers filled this role. As the book examines the changes in the state's landscape over the past three centuries, it brings new perspectives to topics including restoration ecology, conservation, and fire management.Less

A Caribbean Forest Tapestry: The Multidimensional Nature of Disturbance and Response

Nicholas Brokaw, Todd Crowl, Ariel Lugo, William McDowell, Frederick Scatena, Robert Waide, and Michael Willig (eds)

Global change threatens ecosystems worldwide, and tropical systems with their high diversity and rapid development are of special concern. We can mitigate the impacts of change if we understand how ... More

Global change threatens ecosystems worldwide, and tropical systems with their high diversity and rapid development are of special concern. We can mitigate the impacts of change if we understand how tropical ecosystems respond to disturbance. For tropical forests and streams in Puerto Rico this book describes the impacts of, and recovery from, hurricanes, landslides, floods, droughts, and human disturbances in the Luquillo Mountains of Puerto Rico. These ecosystems recover quickly after natural disturbances, having been shaped over thousands of years by such events. Human disturbance, however, has longer-lasting impacts. Chapters reflect many years of experience in Puerto Rico and other tropical areas and cover the history of research in these mountains, a framework for understanding disturbance and response, the environmental setting, the disturbance regime, response to disturbance, biotic mechanisms of response, management implications, and future directions. The text provides a strong perspective on tropical ecosystem dynamics over multiple scales of time and space.Less

Carnivorous Plants: Physiology, ecology, and evolution

Aaron Ellison and Lubomír Adamec (eds)

Carnivorous plants have fascinated botanists, evolutionary biologists, ecologists, physiologists, developmental biologists, anatomists, horticulturalists, and the general public for centuries. ... More

Carnivorous plants have fascinated botanists, evolutionary biologists, ecologists, physiologists, developmental biologists, anatomists, horticulturalists, and the general public for centuries. Charles Darwin was the first scientist to demonstrate experimentally that some plants could actually attract, kill, digest, and absorb nutrients from insect prey; his book Insectivorous Plants (1875) remains a widely cited classic. Subsequent monographs by Lloyd (1942) and Juniper et al. (1989) summarized and synthesized available scientific data on these remarkable plants. Scientific investigations and understanding of carnivorous plants has evolved and changed dramatically in the nearly 30 years since Juniper et al’s Carnivorous Plants was published, and thousands of scientific papers on carnivorous plants have appeared in the academic literature. In putting together this fourth major work on the biology of carnivorous plants, Ellison and Adamec have assembled the world’s leading experts to provide a truly modern synthesis. The contributing authors examine every aspect of systematics, physiology, biochemistry, genomics, ecology, and evolution of what Darwin called ‘the most wonderful plants in the world,’ and describe the serious threats they now face from over-collection, poaching, habitat loss, and climatic change, which directly threaten their habitats and continued persistence in them. This accessible text is suitable for senior undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers in plant biology, ecology, and evolutionary biology. It will also be of relevance and use to horticulturalists and carnivorous plant enthusiasts.Less

Dipterocarp Biology, Ecology, and Conservation

Jaboury Ghazoul

Asian tropical forests are among the most diverse on the planet, a richness that belies the fact that they are dominated by a single tropical tree family, the Dipterocarpaceae. Many other families ... More

Asian tropical forests are among the most diverse on the planet, a richness that belies the fact that they are dominated by a single tropical tree family, the Dipterocarpaceae. Many other families contribute to Asia’s natural diversity, but few compare to the dipterocarps in the number and variety of species that occupy the forest canopy. Understanding the ecology and dynamics of Asian forests is, to a very great extent, a study of the Dipterocarpaceae. This book synthesizes current knowledge on the dipterocarps. The family is explored through ecological, evolutionary, and biogeographic perspectives. The variety of dipterocarp forest formations in both the ever-wet and seasonal tropics is described, with due consideration given to the poorly known African and South American dipterocarp species. The considerable progress on the phylogeny and biogeography of the family is synthesized. A chapter on dipterocarp reproductive ecology, and particularly masting behaviour, reflects the considerable research interest attributed to this subject and its importance in shaping the ecology of Asian lowland rain forests in particular. Ecophysiological responses to light, water, and nutrients, which underlie mechanisms that maintain dipterocarp species richness, are addressed in separate chapters. At broader scales, dipterocarp responses to variation in soil, topography, climate, and natural disturbance regimes are explored from population and community perspectives in two additional chapters. The book concludes with a consideration of the economic values of dipterocarps and the recent and ongoing threats to dipterocarp forests. Looking to the future, a scientific foundation is required to capitalize on opportunities for conservation and restoration, and it is this to which this book aims to contribute.Less

Dispersal in Plants: A Population Perspective

Roger Cousens, Calvin Dytham, and Richard Law

Ecologists, both practical and theoretical, now appreciate that to understand biological systems they must consider the spatial dimension. Consequently, dispersal has become one of the hottest topics ... More

Ecologists, both practical and theoretical, now appreciate that to understand biological systems they must consider the spatial dimension. Consequently, dispersal has become one of the hottest topics in plant ecology. However, in the midst of so much research output on dispersal, there is a need for a stock-take to determine the needs of future research: what has been achieved to date, where do current studies fit in, and what still needs to be determined? What are the implications of dispersal for those engaged in managing plant populations and communities? This is the first book for many years to present a synthesis of research on dispersal and its implications for plant population dynamics. The book consists of three sections: Section A reviews information on the biological and environmental processes that determine the path of an individual dispersing propagule, usually a seed, and the theory that has been developed to predict these trajectories; Section B discusses the distributions of seeds resulting from dispersal from an entire plant, theoretical research predicting the shapes of these distributions and design issues for future dispersal studies; Section C explores the implications of dispersal for expansion of populations, structure within existing populations and communities, and the evolution of dispersal traits.Less

Domestication of Plants in the Old World: The origin and spread of domesticated plants in Southwest Asia, Europe, and the Mediterranean Basin

Daniel Zohary, Maria Hopf, and Ehud Weiss

The origin of agriculture is one of the defining events of human history. Some 11,000-10,000 years ago bands of hunter-gatherers started to abandon their high-mobility lifestyles in favour of growing ... More

The origin of agriculture is one of the defining events of human history. Some 11,000-10,000 years ago bands of hunter-gatherers started to abandon their high-mobility lifestyles in favour of growing crops, and the creation of settled, sedentary communities. This shift into an agricultural lifestyle triggered the evolution of complex political and economic structures, and technological developments, and ultimately underpinned the rise of all the great civilisations of recent human history. This book reviews and synthesises the information on the origins and domestication of cultivated plants in the Old World, and subsequently the spread of cultivation from southwest Asia into Asia, Europe, and North Africa, from the very earliest beginnings. This book is mainly based on detailed consideration of two lines of evidence: the plant remains found at archaeological sites, and the knowledge that has accumulated about the present-day wild relatives of domesticated plants. This new edition revises and updates previous data and incorporates the most recent findings from molecular biology about the genetic relations between domesticated plants and their wild ancestors, and incorporates extensive new archaeological data about the spread of agriculture within the region. The reference list has been completely updated, as have the list of archaeological sites and the site maps.Less

Ecological Methods in Forest Pest Management

David Wainhouse

This book aims to provide a critical appraisal of the theory and practice of key methods of forest pest management. The appropriate application of these ‘ecological methods’ in the development of ... More

This book aims to provide a critical appraisal of the theory and practice of key methods of forest pest management. The appropriate application of these ‘ecological methods’ in the development of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programmes depends on a clear understanding of pest biology and population dynamics, and an appreciation of the ecology and economic importance of both semi-natural and plantation forests. These aspects provide a focus for discussion throughout the book. The main themes of the first four chapters are the influence of forest composition and structure on the nature and severity of pest problems, the threat posed by the introduction of exotic pests in global trade, how risk-rating of forests can provide an early warning of outbreaks, and the role that silviculture can play in both contributing to and helping to reduce the impact of pests. The following four chapters discuss in turn the nature of tree resistance and its exploitation, the principles and practice of biological and microbial control, and the use of semiochemicals in manipulating insect populations. The final chapter on IPM includes a discussion of the economic and environmental impact of pests, with practical examples of IPM illustrated in a series of case studies. The potential impact of climate change is briefly discussed. Many of the examples and case studies relate to insect pests, but the term ‘pest’ is used in its widest sense to include fungal pathogens. Brief reference is also made to mammalian herbivores.Less

The Ethnobotany of Eden: Rethinking the Jungle Medicine Narrative

Robert A. Voeks

In the 1980s, scientists and environmentalists sounded the alarm that deforestation was decimating the world’s tropical rainforests. Among the protection strategies that emerged, none resonated more ... More

In the 1980s, scientists and environmentalists sounded the alarm that deforestation was decimating the world’s tropical rainforests. Among the protection strategies that emerged, none resonated more with the general public than the notion that these threatened landscapes represented storehouses of drug plants for the battle against our most pernicious diseases. The resultant “jungle medicine narrative” developed around a series of assumptions regarding nature and culture in the tropical realm, some grounded in scientific theory, others the products of ancient prejudices and preconceptions. This book explores the origin and evolution of the various elements in this narrative, including the deployment of the pristine nature of tropical forested landscapes, and the romanticized forest-dweller archetype. Medicinal plants, the centerpiece of the narrative, are shown to be mostly weeds, crop plants, and other features of anthropogenic nature. The under-reported role of women as custodians of medicinal plant knowledge is investigated, as is the degree to which immigrants to the tropics have retained and developed healing pharmacopeias. The book considers the crucial question of whether local knowledge of healing plants is disappearing due to globalization before it can benefit society. Finally, the origins and impacts of environmental storytelling are investigated, in particular how the jungle medicine narrative was employed to address a pressing environmental problem—the destruction of the world’s tropical forests—and what was its ultimate outcome.Less

Flora Unveiled: The Discovery and Denial of Sex in Plants

Lincoln Taiz and Lee Taiz

Sex in animals has been known for at least ten thousand years, and this knowledge was exploited during animal domestication in the Neolithic period. In contrast, sex in plants wasn’t discovered until ... More

Sex in animals has been known for at least ten thousand years, and this knowledge was exploited during animal domestication in the Neolithic period. In contrast, sex in plants wasn’t discovered until the late seventeenth century. Even after its discovery, the sexual “theory” continued to be hotly debated for another 150 years, pitting the “sexualists” against the “asexualists.” Why was the idea of sex in plants so contentious for so long? In answer, Flora Unveiled offers a deep history of perceptions concerning plant gender and sexuality, from the Paleolithic to the nineteenth century. Evidence suggests that an obstacle far beyond the mere facts of pollination mechanisms stymied the discovery of two sexes in plants, and then delayed its acceptance. This was a “plants-as-female” paradigm. Flora Unveiled explores the sources of this gender bias, beginning with women’s roles as gatherers, plant-textile makers, crop domesticators, and early horticulturists. In myths and religions of the Bronze and Iron Ages, goddesses were strongly identified with flowers, trees and agricultural abundance. During the Middle Ages and Renaissance, this tradition was assimilated to Christianity in the person of Mary. The one-sex model of plants continued into the Early Modern Period, and staged resurgences during the eighteenth century Enlightenment and in the Romantic movement. Not until the nineteenth century, when Wilhelm Hofmeister demonstrated the universality of sex in the plant kingdom, was the controversy over plant sex finally resolved. Flora Unveiled chronicles how persistently cultural biases can impede discovery and delay the acceptance of scientific advances.Less

Floral Mimicry

Steven D. Johnson and Florian P. Schiestl

Mimicry is a classic example of adaptation through natural selection. The traditional focus of mimicry research has been on defense in animals (protective mimicry), but there is now also a highly ... More

Mimicry is a classic example of adaptation through natural selection. The traditional focus of mimicry research has been on defense in animals (protective mimicry), but there is now also a highly developed and rapidly growing body of research on floral mimicry in plants. Being literally rooted to one spot, plants generally have to use food bribes to cajole animals into acting as couriers for their pollen. Plants that lack these food rewards often deploy elaborate color and scent signals in order to mimic food sources, oviposition sites, or mating partners of particular animals, and thereby exploit these animals for the purposes of pollination. This book addresses the question of whether the evolutionary and ecological principles that were developed for protective mimicry in animals also apply to floral mimicry in plants. Visual, olfactory, and tactile signals can all be important in floral mimicry systems. The traditional focus has been on visual cues, but there is increasing evidence that some forms of mimicry, notably sexual and oviposition-site mimicry, are largely based on chemical cues. The molecular basis for these signals, their role in cognitive misclassification of flowers by pollinators, and the implications of these signals for plant speciation are among the topics covered in the book. The chapters of this book are designed to highlight particular systems of floral mimicry and to integrate them into the broader theory of mimicry.Less

Forest Ecology and Conservation: A Handbook of Techniques

Adrian Newton

Forest conservation has become one of the most important environmental issues currently facing humanity, as a result of widespread deforestation and forest degradation. Pressures on remaining natural ... More

Forest conservation has become one of the most important environmental issues currently facing humanity, as a result of widespread deforestation and forest degradation. Pressures on remaining natural forests continue to intensify, leading to high rates of biodiversity loss. Understanding how human activities influence ecological processes within forests is essential for developing effective conservation action. This book describes research methods and techniques relevant to understanding forest ecology, with a particular focus on those that are relevant to practical conservation and sustainable forest management. This information is currently disparate and difficult to locate, and the intention here is to provide a comprehensive synthesis. Methods are presented for assessing forest extent and condition, structure and composition, and forest dynamics at a variety of scales. Techniques for assessing genetic variation and reproductive ecology, and for evaluating the habitat value of forests are also described. Particular emphasis is given to state-of-the-art techniques, such as remote sensing, GIS, computer modelling, and molecular markers. However, traditional methods of forest mensuration and ecological survey are also presented. The methods and techniques described are generally applicable to all forest types, including both temperate and tropical forest ecosystems.Less

The Herbaceous Layer in Forests of Eastern North America

Frank Gilliam (ed.)

Over the last decade, the field of plant ecology has significantly developed and expanded, especially in research concerning the herb layer and ground vegetation of forests. This revised second ... More

Over the last decade, the field of plant ecology has significantly developed and expanded, especially in research concerning the herb layer and ground vegetation of forests. This revised second edition accounts for that growth, presenting research that approaches the ecology of the herb layer of forests from a variety of disciplines and perspectives. The book synthesizes the research of top ecologists and biologists on herbaceous layer structure, composition, and dynamics of a variety of forest ecosystem types in eastern North America. The 2003 first edition of this book was praised for containing the most extensive listing of herb-layer literature in existence. This second edition brings this material up to date, revised to include current research and data. The book incorporates quantitative data to support analyses that was previously unavailable during the publication of the first edition. Also featured are six entirely new chapters, focused on the response of the herbaceous layer to a wide variety of natural and anthropogenic disturbances.Less

Leaf Defence

Edward E. Farmer

This book addresses the question of why there are so many leaves on Earth and why living foliage resists attack by all but the most specialized organisms. This is of broad interest in biology given ... More

This book addresses the question of why there are so many leaves on Earth and why living foliage resists attack by all but the most specialized organisms. This is of broad interest in biology given the importance of leaves in terrestrial ecosystems and since plants form the basis of the carbon cycle. Part of the reason that leaves are resilient and resist attack is that they are well defended. However, although some leaf defences are easily seen, most defence mechanisms operating at the level of cells and molecules are invisible to the naked eye. Perspectives from both the laboratory and the field are combined throughout the book, which begins by examining the global scale of herbivory. The book then discusses the direct physical and chemical defences both on leaf surfaces and in the leaf interior and emphasizes how plants use specialized defence cells. Leaf survival also depends on various indirect defences conferred by carnivorous organisms that are attracted by plants that are under attack by herbivores. Remarkably, both direct and indirect defence processes are controlled and co-ordinated, and the molecular mechanisms that underlie this are now emerging. Recently discovered roles of the jasmonate signal pathway in regulating direct and indirect defences and plant growth are discussed. A central feature of the book is its emphasis on the co-evolution of leaf defences and the digestive tracts of animals including humans. This underscores the importance of understanding the impact of plant defences in agriculture, much of which depends on protecting leaves from pests.Less

Long-Term Response of a Forest Watershed Ecosystem: Clearcutting in the Southern Appalachians

Wayne T. Swank and Jackson R. Webster (eds)

This latest addition to the Long-Term Ecological Research Network series gives an overarching account of the recovery and management of a forest watershed ecosystem. It synthesizes and ... More

This latest addition to the Long-Term Ecological Research Network series gives an overarching account of the recovery and management of a forest watershed ecosystem. It synthesizes and cross-references important and rare-to-find, long-term data in fourteen chapters that deal with the hydrologic, biogeochemical, and ecological processes of mixed deciduous forests. The data is representative of the entire US, and shows the effects of commercial clearcutting using examples from the Southeastern US and a range of East Coast forests. It includes responses of both forest and stream components of the watershed and provides unique insights into the interrelationships between the effects of natural disturbances (floods, droughts, insects, and disease, etc.) versus management disturbances.Less