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From the Pinacate lava fields and expansive dunes to the shores of the Gulf of California, the Gran Desierto is one of the hottest and driest places in the Western Hemisphere. Yet this region in the state of Sonora in northwestern Mexico embraces a remarkable number of habitats with a fascinating and surprisingly rich flora. This is the heart of the Sonoran Desert, still in a largely primordial state, in juxtaposition with the ravished wetlands of the once great Río Colorado. Flora of the Gran Desierto is the culmination of more than twenty-five years of research in this magnificent desert and delta by botanist Richard Felger. This comprehensive floristic study of more than 565 species of vascular plants features original diagnostic descriptions and innovative identification keys to the families, genera, and species. Particular attention has been devoted to taxa that are poorly known. Even weeds and their histories are treated in detail. Hundreds of illustrations by such eminent botanical artists as Lucretia Brezeale Hamilton, Matt Johnson, and Bobbi Angell will aid in the identification of plants. Common names of plants are given in English, Spanish, and O'odham. While emphasizing scientific accuracy, the book is written in an accessible style. Felger's observations and knowledge of plant ecology, geographic distribution, evolution, ethnobotany, plant variation and special adaptations, and the history of the region provides botanists, naturalists, ecologists, conservationists, and anyone else celebrating the desert with readable, interesting, and important information. With two of Mexico's newest biosphere reserves—the Pinacate and the Upper Gulf of California—this region is a keystone for desert conservation efforts. Its location linking vast preserves to the north makes this book especially useful for anyone interested in borderland studies and the Sonoran Desert. Flora of the Gran Desierto represents a most creative, definitive, and enthusiastic treatment of Sonoran Desert plant life and is highly relevant to ecological restoration in deserts and wetlands in arid places worldwide.

This book will present information on Pantanal vegetation including an updated checklist of flora, useful plants, ecological aspects and some topics never published for this region, such as lichens. It aims to be a reference for researchers, graduate and undergraduate students as well as stakeholders and decision makers interested in the flora and vegetation of one of the world's largest tropical wetlands.

Climate change is one of the most severe dangers for mankind worldwide. Beside the temperature increase, the sea level will rise and flood wide coastal areas, which is already remarkable today. The effects will be dramatic, in particular, at coasts with low elevation gradients such as at the German coasts of the North and Baltic Sea. The impact will be not only severe for coastal people, but still more for the unique coastal ecosystems, which harbors many plant and animal species that are already endangered today.This book focuses on the coastal terrestrial ecosystems of the German North and Baltic Sea. It describes the reactions of plants and animals (i.e. spiders, carabid beetles, bees and nematodes) on the future temperature and sea level increase. The combination of field and experimental studies is unique for Europe and for many parts of the world. It not only studies the actual elevation gradients and the climatic and saline gradients fromWest to East, but also the historical changes to document processes at coastal ecosystems that were already passed. In contrast to many books that studied the marine processes with similar backgrounds, this book concerns the terrestrial coastal ecosystems that were overall rarely studied and, in particular, never studied under this specific viewpoint.

This book emphasizes the necessity of green spaces and landscape planning to achieve a liveable city. It will more specifically enquire on how to reach a better liveability from the current conditions of Lima. This book takes on the one hand classic concepts from urban agronomy as are soil, water and plants, and on the other hand emphasizes the resources, the plant adaptations and the urban ecosystems, according to the context of Lima. Comparisons are also made to landscape concepts from other cities of the word, contemporary methods of urban landscape research are explained in perspectives of agronomy and ecology. The ecological restoration of some natural spaces of Lima are proposed and related to the food security which impacts on the sustainability of the city. Finally, it describes representative Parks of Lima and previous research projects that have allowed to improve the urban landscape. Considering the city's cultural diversity, comparisons to the mountain and rainforest areas are also made.

This up-to-date textbook of global vegetation ecology, which comprises the current state of knowledge, is long overdue and much-needed. It is a translation of the textbook “Vegetation der Erde” (Springer-Spektrum, Heidelberg). A short introductory chapter deals with the fundamentals of vegetation ecology that are of importance for the delimitation and characterization of the global vegetation presented in this book (chorology, evolution of plants, physiognomic and structural characteristics, phytodiversity and the human impact on it as well as general terminology concerning both plant growth forms and on vegetation structure types). In the following chapters the zonal and azonal vegetation from the tropics to the polar regions including high mountains is described and discussed. The main focus is on the characterization of interactions between the spatial location of plants and plant communities on the one hand and site conditions, historic and genetic processes, spatial andtemporal patterns, ecophysiology and anthropogenic influences on the other hand. Additional information on specific topics is provided in 51 boxes.

This overview of the roles of alien species in insect conservation brings together information, evidence and examples from many parts of the world to illustrate their impacts (often severe, but in many cases poorly understood and unpredictable) as one of the primary drivers of species declines, ecological changes and biotic homogenisation. Both accidental and deliberate movements of species are involved, with alien invasive plants and insects the major groups of concern for their influences on native insects and their environments. Risk assessments, stimulated largely through fears of non-target impacts of classical biological control agents introduced for pest management, have provided valuable lessons for wider conservation biology. They emphasise the needs for effective biosecurity, risk avoidance and minimisation, and evaluation and management of alien invasive species as both major components of many insect species conservation programmes and harbingers of change in invaded communities. The spread of highly adaptable ecological generalist invasive species, which are commonly difficult to detect or monitor, can be linked to declines and losses of numerous localised ecologically specialised insects and disruptions to intricate ecological interactions and functions, and create novel interactions with far-reaching consequences for the receiving environments. Understanding invasion processes and predicting impacts of alien species on susceptible native insects is an important theme in practical insect conservation.

This book offers a concise but comprehensive introduction to desert ecology and adopts a strong evolutionary focus. As with other titles in the Biology of Habitats Series, the emphasis in the book is on the organisms that dominate this harsh environment, although theoretical and experimental aspects are also discussed. In this updated second edition, there is a greater focus on the effects of climate change and some of its likely effects on deserts, seeing desertification as among the most serious results of climate change, leading ultimately to the increasing size of arid and semi-arid regions. The Biology of Deserts Second Edition includes a wide range of ecological and evolutionary issues including morphological and physiological adaptations of desert plants and animals, species interactions, the importance of predation and parasitism, food webs, biodiversity, and conservation. It features a balance of plant and animal (both invertebrate and vertebrate) examples, and also emphasizes topical applied issues such as desertification and invasive species. The book concludes by considering the positive aspects of desert conservation. This accessible textbook is intended for senior undergraduate and graduate students, as well as professional ecologists, conservation practitioners, and resource managers working in the field of desert ecology.

Genetic erosion is the loss of genetic diversity within a species. It can happen very quickly, due to catastrophic events, or changes in land use leading to habitat loss. But it can also occur more gradually and remain unnoticed for a long time. One of the main causes of genetic erosion is the replacement of local varieties by modern varieties. Other causes include environmental degradation, urbanization, and land clearing through deforestation and brush fires. In order to conserve biodiversity in plants, it is important to targets three independent levels that include ecosystems, species and genes. Genetic diversity is important to a species'fitness, long-term viability, and ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions. Chapters in this book are written by leading geneticists, molecular biologists and other specialists on relevant topics on genetic erosion and conservation genetic diversity in plants. This divisible set of two volumes deals with a broad spectrum of topics ongenetic erosion, and approaches to biodiversity conservation in crop plants and trees. Volume 1 deals with indicators and prevention of genetic erosion, while volume 2 covers genetic diversity and erosion in a number of plants species. These two volumes will also be useful to botanists, biotechnologists, environmentalists, policy makers, conservationists, and NGOs working to manage genetic erosion and biodiversity.

The southwestern Australian flora is unique in the world, not only for its biodiversity and endemism, but also for its functional biodiversity. It also contains the world's most nutrient-impoverished soils, has a prolonged-summer period and the vegetation is extremely fire-prone. These conditions have engendered an array of survival adaptations that have evolved in these harsh conditions across a diverse range of species. It is well recognised that the southwest flora has the toughest and most spiny vegetation of the world, the greatest number of species that store their seeds in woody fruits, and the most specialised means of obtaining limited soil nutrients and water.This book focuses on the survival mechanisms, adaptations and ecology of the unique Southwest Australian flora (restricted here to flowering plants). The book begins with an examination of how the flora has evolved into the present forms. It describes further in detail the adaptive responses of the flora to the main environmental pressures influencing survival - fire, summer drought, nutrient-impoverished soils, pollination and seed dispersal agents. Specialised responses to obtain essential nutrients are presented in three chapters – carnivorous plants, parasitic plants and specialised roots. An entire chapter is devoted to leaves, with an insight into how leaves may assist in protecting flowers and fruits from herbivores and seed-eaters. The book provides an ecological perspective on how the flora has evolved complex strategies to ensure species survival in the relatively harsh seasonal climate of a Mediterranean-type ecosystem.

This book is the first of its kind in bringing together biodiversity, chemical ecology, phytochemistry and cancer therapy. The highlight of the book is an exhaustive compilation of scientific data on biodiversity of medicinal plants, biodiversity and metagenomics, chemical ecology of medicinal plants, chemical ecology of marine organisms, natural products from terrestrial microbial organisms with activity towards cancer cells, marine organisms, ethnopharmacology and phytotherapy, contribution of African flora in world fight against cancer, natural products derived from terrestrial plants with activity towards cancer cells and established anticancer drugs from natural origin.The book discusses the state-of-the-art of each topic to serve as reference resource tools for graduate students as well as scientists and scholars in pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacology, organic chemistry and biochemistry, pharmacognosy, phytochemistry, ethnomedicine and ethnopharmacology, complementary and alternative medicine, medical and public health sciences and others. It includes cutting-edge developments in anticancer discovery from both medicinal plants and organisms.

Over the last decade, molecular studies carried out on the Australasian biota have revealed a new world of organic structure that exists from submicroscopic to continental scale. Furthermore, in studies of global biogeography and evolution, DNA sequencing has shown that many large groups, such as flowering plants, passerine birds and squamates, have their basal components in this area. Using examples ranging from kangaroos and platypuses to kiwis and birds of paradise, the book examines the patterns of distribution and evolution of Australasian biodiversity and explains them with reference to tectonic and climatic change in the region. The surprising results from molecular biogeography demonstrate that an understanding of evolution in Australasia is essential for understanding the development of modern life on Earth. A milestone in the literature on this subject, this book will be a valuable source of reference for students and researchers in biogeography, biodiversity, ecology and conservation.

The book is the first comprehensive analysis of the macroecology and geobotany of endemic vascular plants with case-studies and analyses from different regions in the world. Endemism is a pre-extinction phenomenon. Endemics are threatened with extinction. Due to international nature conservation policies and due to the perception of the public the concept's importance is increasing. Endemism can result from different biological and environmental processes. Depending on the process conservation measures should be adapted. Endemic vascular plant taxa, in the setting of their species composition and vegetation types are important features of landscapes and indicators of the quality of relating habitats. The book is an important basis for biologists, ecologists, geographers, planners and managers of nature reserves and national parks, and people generally interested in nature conservation and biogeography of vascular plants.

The global scale of alien species invasions is becoming more and more evident in the beginning ofthe new millennium. Though the problem ofbiological invasions became a rapidly growing research area, there are large gaps still, both geographically and the­ matically, to be filled in the near future. This book is the first attempt to provide an overall picture of aquatic species invasions in Europe. Its geographical scope stretches from Irish waters in the west to Volga River and the Caspian Sea in the east, and from Mediterranean in the south up to the Arctic coast of Europe. Not all parts of the continent could be equally covered, as in some countries species invasions are not studied yet. The book tends to represent the array of all major European aquatic systems on the broadest geographical and ecological scope possible from fully saline seas, semi-enclosed brackish water bodies and coastallagoons to freshwater lakes, major river systems and waterways. The key objectives include the present status and impacts caused by non-native aquatic species in European waters. Please note that lengthy species lists submitted for publication and additional informa­ tion were put on the Internet, as the electronical version of these tables benefits from computer assisted search for data (http://www. ku. lt/nemo/EuroAquaInvaders. htm). Altogether more than 100 scientists from 24 countries have joined to synthesize the available information on bioinvasions. However, the book does not claim to be fully comprehensive.

Savannas are the most widespread ecosystem in the tropics and as such are subjected to great human pressure that may result in massive soil degradation. The book addresses the role of species in the function of savanna ecosystems. It is shown that savannas are enormously diverse and that four factors determine the function of savanna ecosystems: Plant Available Moisture; Plant Available Nutrients; Fire; Herbivores.

In Volume 1 of this four-volume series, ecological problems of a general nature were discussed from a global point of view. Familiarity with this is essential for a full understanding of the more specialized treatment in this and subsequent volumes, for no similar approach is to be found in other ecological handbooks for beginners. This present volume deals in detail with the special ecological relation­ ships of the tropical and subtropical zonobiomes I to III. Most ecologists proceed from the basis of their experience in the temperate zones of the northern hemisphere. As a result, many ecological writings show a certain one-sidedness and there is a danger that generalizations made will not be broadly applicable. To avoid this, particular emphasis is laid, in this vol­ urne, on the special ecological features and the characteristics of the trop­ ical and subtropical regions. More specifically, we deal not only with the relationship of the euclimatope to zonal soils and zonal vegetation, but also pay attention to azonal conditions shown in pedobiomes and in the altitudinal belts of mountains, the orobiomes. In this and the subsequent volumes the same simple scheme is followed in treating each zonobiome: 1. climate; 2. soils; 3. producers; 4. consum­ ers; 5. decomposers; 6. ecosystems; 7. sub division into biomes; 8. oro­ biomes; 9. pedobiomes and 10. zonoecotones. Where it has appeared expedient, however, we have occasionally deviated from this scheme (see Deserts D, F, G and H).

Written by the leading authorities on the plant diversity and ecology of the Pacific islands, this book is a magisterial synthesis of the vegetation and landscapes of the islands of the Pacific Ocean. It is organized by island group, and includes information on geography, geology, phytogeographic relationships, and human influences on vegetation. Vegetation of the Tropical Pacific Islands features over 400 color photographs, plus dozens of maps and climate diagrams. The authors'efforts in assembling the existing information into an integrated, comprehensive book will be welcomed by biogeographers, plant ecologists, conservation biologists, and all scientists with an interest in island biology.

For several decades botanists have been impressed by the discovery that the distribution of secondary plant substances follows the general lines of plant relationships. However, it soon became clear that little was to be gained from the study of individual compounds and their natural distribu­ tion. Therefore, more comprehensive studies were attempt­ ed in which the secondary chemistry of a major plant group was carefully studied and evaluated in the broader context of comparative phytochemistry. Holger Erdtman's admir­ able work on Coniferae is the foremost example of this kind. Since then, there has been an upswing in the study of the biosynthesis of secondary plant substances and it has become quite customary to make use of biosynthetic knowledge in interpreting chemosystematic evidence. More­ over, since taxonomists have insisted that use be made of all potentially available evidence for building classifications, it has been claimed that chemosystematics too should con­ sider the whole array of constituents present in a major taxon. However, in practice it has proved difficult to utilize fully the potential of natural product chemistry and biosynthetic studies for plant systematics and evolution, because bota­ nists found themselves rather disorientated by the scattered, often hardly accessible chemical literature and the fact that the chemical evidence was difficult for them to evaluate! Although the pioneering work of E. C.

Inselbergs are isolated rock outcrops that stand out abruptly from surrounding plains. Despite the widespread occurrence of granite inselbergs throughout all climatic and vegetational zones, their remarkably rich plant life was largely neglected in the recent literature. This richly and partly in color illustrated volume provides a detailed survey of all major abiotic and biotic features characteristic for inselbergs. The extreme environmental conditions on inselbergs are described in depth as well as specific adaptive traits of rock outcrop plants including their morphological, anatomical and physiological responses. The diversity and structure of inselberg plant communities are examined on a global scale with detailed regional accounts for different tropical and temperate zones.

The Western Australian jarrah forest is unique, contammg some of the most beautiful flora in the world, more than 100 species of birds and some 50 mammals indigenous to this State. This book'The Jarrah Forest - A Complex Mediterranean Ecosystem'is a collection of scholarly essays on every known aspect of the northern part of the jarrah forest extending from south of Collie to the Avon River. All of the work has been researched by members of tertiary institutions, the private sector and government instrumentalities and was prepared expressly for this book. In the list of contributors are the names of many Western Australians who are in the forefront of their particular field. The book will be a very important reference work for senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions in Western Australia for many years to come. Additionally, it will have wide appeal to all interested in forestry management, both in Australia and overseas. I should like to express my appreciation for the efforts of all those involved in the conception and planning of this most valuable book. Perth, August 1988 Peter Dowding LL.B. M.L.A.

This volume is the final document of the 1st Balkan Botanical Congress and comprises after reviewing the full texts of the Congress Lectures submitted by their authors. The articles refer to all branches of plant sciences in the field of pure and applied research. The subjects dealt with in the Congress, and each representing a separate section in this book covered the following areas of interest: I. Taxonomy, geobotany and evolution II. Biochemistry, metabolism and bioenergetics lll. Ecology and ecophysiology IV. Structure and its dynamics V. Genetics, plant breeding and biotechnology VI. Growth, development and differentiation. The Congress was organized by the Department of Botany, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki and the Hellenic Botanical Society. The city of Thessaloniki was chosen by the Organizers since it enjoyed the accolade of the'cultural capital of Europe'for the year 1997. The Thessaloniki Congress has taken on the character of an International Congress since 320 scientists, mainly from the Balkan countries and the rest of Europe (26 countries in all) took part in it. The 11 invited speakers who shared their experience with us, were well-known specialists from all the European countries.

The conference'Combating Desertification with Plants'was held in Beer Sheva, Israel, from November 2-5, 1999, and was attended by 70 participants from 30 countries and/or international organisations. Desertification - the degradation of soils in drylands - is a phenomenon occurring in scores of countries around the globe. The number of people (in semiarid regions) affected by the steady decline in the productivity of their lands is in the hundred millions. The measures required to halt and reverse the process of desertification fall into many categories - policy, institutional, sociological-anthropological, and technical. Although technical'solutions'are not currently in vogue, the conference organizers felt that perhaps the pendulum had swung too far in the direction of'participatory approaches.'Hence IPALAC - The International Program for Arid Land Crops - whose function is to serve as a catalyst for optimizing the contribution of plant germplasm to sustainable development in desertification-prone regions - felt the time was opportune for providing a platform for projects where the'plant-driven'approach to development finds expression. Some 45 papers were delivered at the conference, falling into the categories of this volume: Overview, Potential Germplasm for Arid Lands, Introduction, Domestication and Dissemination of Arid Land Plants, Land Rehabilitation, and Mechanisms of Plant Transfer. The conference was funded by UNESCO (Division of Ecological Sciences), the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland, and MASHAV, Israel's Center for International Development Cooperation.

Planthoppers include some of the most devastating pests of major agricultural crops throughout the world. One species, the rice brown planthopper, is among the most economically important pests in Asia. In past decades, government policies encouraged the control of rice planthoppers with synthetic pesticides, a tactic which promoted insecticide resistance and often led to the pesticide-induced resurgence of pest populations. To deter planthopper outbreaks, a more ecologically sound management strategy is being implemented, one based on a thorough investigation of population dynamics, natural enemies, and the genetics of host plant and insecticide adaptation. In the natural habitats of North America and Europe, scientists have also used planthoppers as model organisms to test ecological and evolutionary theory. The consequence of these diverse studies is an extremely scattered literature on planthoppers that has never been synthesized from an ecological perspective. This volume summarizes what is known about planthopper ecology and biological control. It takes a theoretical approach yet is deeply concerned with the application of theory to the practical problems of pest management.

This book began life as a review article. That article spawned a symposium which was, in turn, greatly expanded to form the present volume. As the project moved through these developmental stages (hopefully, towards attainment of its full maturity), a number of people have provided invaluable assistance to us, and we would like to take this opportunity to thank them. Gordon Orians must certainly take a high place in that list. He has been both a friend and mentor to W.E.K., and many of the topics explored in this book have emerged from the resultant dialogue. His thought processes, ideas and perhaps even some of his turns of phrase emerge throughout much ofthe book. Gordon also played a pivotal role in inviting in motion, and so he has served as a catalyst the article that set this project to the book as well as one of its reagents. While he has not served as an editor of this book, he is one of its authors in more than just the literal sense.

Global Biodiversity is the most comprehensive compendium of conservation information ever published. It provides the first systematic report on the status, distribution, management, and utilisation of the planet's biological wealth.

For centuries biologists have been extremely interested in the structure of desert plants as examples of natural selection to harsh environmental conditions. Indeed, desert plants are frequently used as examples in many biology classes and textbooks to illustrate natural selection, but this has led to an unfortunate litany of errors and misconceptions about desert plant adaptations. This new synthesis focuses on plants of lowland tropical and subtropical arid deserts. Readers will be surprised to discover that many features commonly ascribed to desert plants are rareley observed in the most common species. Instead, the typical structural adaptations of nonsucculent warm desert plants are now viewed as ways to maximize photosynthetic rate.

In Flammable Australia: Fire Regimes, Biodiversity and Ecosystems in a Changing World, leading researchers in fire ecology and management discuss how fire regimes have shaped and will continue to shape the distribution and abundance of Australia's highly diverse plants and animals. Central to this is the exploration of the concept of the fire regime – the cumulative pattern of fires and their individual characteristics (fire type, frequency, intensity, season) and how variation in regime components affects landscapes and their constituent biota. Contributions by 44 authors explore a wide range of topics including classical themes such as pre-history and evolution, fire behaviour, fire regimes in key biomes, plant and animal life cycles, remote sensing and modelling of fire regimes, and emerging issues such as climate change and fire regimes, carbon dynamics and opportunities for managing fire regimes for multiple benefits. In the face of significant global change, the conservation of our native species and ecosystems requires an understanding of the processes at play when fires and landscapes interact. This book provides a comprehensive treatment of this complex science, in the context of one of the world's most flammable continents.

In this volume, 24 flowering plant families comprising a total of 911 genera are treated. They represent the asterid order Lamiales except for Acanthaceae (including Avicenniaceae), which will be included in a later volume. Although most of the constituent families of the order have been recognized as being closely related long ago, the inclusion of the families Byblidaceae, Carlemanniaceae and Plocospermataceae is the result mainly of recent molecular systematic research. Keys for the identification of all genera are provided, and likely phylogenetic relationships are discussed extensively. To facilitate the recognition of relationships, families are cross-referenced where necessary. The wealth of information contained in this volume makes it an indispensable source for anybody in the fields of pure and applied plant sciences.

'Atlas of Woody Plants in China: Distribution and Climate” documents the spatially-explicit county-level distribution of all 11,405 woody plants in China, together with life form information for most species. It also provides climate information for each species, with the county-level average and range of 12 climatic indices and of vegetation net primary productivity. It is the first and largest comprehensive atlas in the world for the distribution of China's plants and was compiled on the basis of almost all related literature published throughout China. The atlas should serve as an indispensable handbook for all those who are interested in the plants, ecology, geography, environment, horticulture, and silviculture of China and East Asia. Dr. Jingyun Fang is a Cheung Kong Professor at the Department of Ecology, Peking University, China. Dr. Zhiheng Wang and Dr. Zhiyao Tang are both ecologists working at the same institute.

The aim of this manual is to provide a comprehensive guide to the methods involved in collecting, preparing and screening plants for bioactive properties for manipulating key ruminal fermentation pathways and against gastrointestinal pathogens. The manual will better equip the reader with methodological approaches to initiate screening programmes to test for bioactivity in native plants and find ‘natural'alternatives to chemicals for manipulating ruminal fermentation and gut health. The manual provides isotopic and non-isotopic techniques to efficiently screen plants or plant parts for a range of potential bioactives for livestock production. Each chapter has been contributed by experts in the field and methods have been presented in a format that is easily reproducible in the laboratory. It is hoped that this manual will be of great value to students, researchers and those involved in developing efficient and environmentally friendly livestock production systems.

Armen Takhtajan is among the greatest authorities in the world on the evolution of plants. This book culminates almost sixty years of the scientist's research of the origin and classification of the flowering plants. It presents a continuation of Dr. Takhtajan's earlier publications including “Systema Magnoliophytorum” (1987), (in Russian), and “Diversity and Classification of Flowering Plants” (1997), (in English). In his latest book, the author presents a concise and significantly revised system of plant classification (‘Takhtajan system') based on the most recent studies in plant morphology, embryology, phytochemistry, cytology, molecular biology and palynology. Flowering plants are divided into two classes: class Magnoliopsida (or Dicotyledons) includes 8 subclasses, 126 orders, c. 440 families, almost 10,500 genera, and no less than 195,000 species; and class Liliopsida (or Monocotyledons) includes 4 subclasses, 31 orders, 120 families, more than 3,000 genera, and about 65,000 species.This book contains a detailed description of plant orders, and descriptive keys to plant families providing characteristic features of the families and their differences.

he „Atlas of Woody Plant Stems“ is a com- Naturally, it was impossible to cover completely the Tprehensively illustrated book with short, in- enormous variability of plant life forms. We have formative texts. We chose this layout because plant tried, however, to illustrate the main principles and anatomy and morphology can only be conveyed by features. Many decades of collection and prepa- detailed pictures. In addition, a vivid presentation tion provided the basis for this book. should attract a broader public, not only the s- cialist. We hope that the combination of anatomy Fritz Schweingruber would like to thank the Swiss and morphology will create interest and curiosity. Federal Research Institute WSL, that offered him Amateurs will enjoy the wide range of pictures; hospitality after his retirement. The authors thank all interested readers will be caught by particular chap- the students and colleagues that have, for decades, ters; specialists will delve into aspects and photo- collected and prepared samples, and who helped graphs that may have never been presented before; with the English translations. Thanks to John Kirby teachers may use the pictures for illustrations in who made the fnal English editing. classes with students.

In the last few decades more and more yeast habitats that were not investigated earlier, spanning cold climates to tropical regions and dry deserts to rainforests, have been explored. As a result, a large body of ecological data has been accumulated and the number of known yeast species has increased rapidly. This book provides an overview of the biodiversity of yeasts in different habitats. The recent advances achieved by the application of molecular biological methods in the field of yeast taxonomy and ecology are also incorporated in the book. Wherever possible, the interaction between yeasts and the surrounding environment is discussed.

The halophytes are highly specialized plants, which have greater tolerance to salt. They can germinate, grow and reproduce successfully in saline areas which would cause the death of regular plants. Most halophytic species are found in salt marsh systems along seashores or around landlocked inland lakes and flat plains with high evaporation. The halophytes play very significant role in the saline areas specially in the coast by overcoming the salinity in different ways, viz. with regulating mechanisms in which excess salts are excreted and with out regulating mechanism, which may include succulents or cumulative types. Besides that they protect coast from erosion and cyclones, provide feeding ground and nursery for fish, shrimps and birds. Halophytes get increasing attention today because of the steady increase of the salinity in irrigation systems in the arid and semi-arid regions where the increasing population reaches the limits of freshwater availability. In many countries, halophytes have been successfully grown on saline wasteland to provide animal fodder and have the potential for rehabilitation and even reclamation of these sites. The value of certain salt-tolerant grass species has been recognized by their incorporation in pasture improvement programs in many salt affected regions throughout the world. There have been recent advances in selecting species with high biomass and protein levels in combination with their ability to survive a wide range of environmental conditions, including salinity.

Man's recent colonization of New Zealand has dramatically altered the resident biota and resulted in the introduction of numerous alien organisms to these once remote islands. In reverse, there is increasing evidence of a lesser known export of species to other regions of the world. This volume presents an in-depth review of the level and rate of such invasions, and investigates what controls the success of invaders and the consequences for ecosystems both on land and offshore. It provides invasion biologists everywhere with tests of current theories about those factors leading to the success of invaders as well as evaluating principles for understanding the nature of their impacts that form a solid basis for the effective management of biological invasions worldwide.

Plant conservation is increasingly recognised as an outstanding global priority, yet despite considerable efforts over the last few decades, the number of threatened species continues to rise. The practice of plant conservation has for too long been a rather hit-or-miss mixture of methods. While microorganisms have been recognised as a crucial and essential element in supporting the lifecycles of plant species, there has been limited recognition of the relationships between macro level conservation facilitating ecosystem functioning at the micro level. This book addresses the role of microorganisms in conservation - both their support functions and deleterious roles in ecosystem processes and species survival. Importantly, a number of authors highlight how microbial diversity is, itself, now under threat from the many and pervasive influences of man. What is clear from this volume is that like many contemporary treatments of plant and animal conservation, the solution to mitigate the erosion of biodiversity is not simple. This book represents an attempt to bring to the fore the ecological underwriting provided by microorganisms.

Seeds: Ecology, Biogeography, and Evolution of Dormancy and Germination differs from all other books on seed germination. It is an all-encompassing volume that provides a working hypothesis of the ecological and environmental conditions under which various kinds of seed dormancy have developed. It also presents information on the seed germination of more than 3500 species of trees, shrubs, vines and herbaceous species, making this a valuable reference for anyone studying germination. This book delivers information on characteristics of each type of seed dormancy, how each type of dormancy is broken in nature, and what environmental conditions are required for germination after dormancy is broken. It explains how studies should be done to distinguish persistent from transient seed banks, and covers which species should be controlled, propagated, and conserved. Seeds gives the reader insight and guidelines for doing ecologically meaningful studies on the biogeography and evolution of seed dormancy and germination in order to better understand plant reproductive strategies, life history traits, adaptations to habitats, and physiological processes. Evolutionary/phylogenetic origins and relationships of various kinds of seed dormancy A world biogeographical perspective on seed dormancy and germination Ecophysiology of seeds with each type of dormancy Critical evaluation of methodology used in soil seed bank studies Germination ecology of plants with specialized habitat and life cycle types Genetic and maternal preconditioning effects on seed dormancy and germination Guidelines for doing ecologically-meaningful germination studies

It is over twenty years since Jared Diamond focused attention on the possible existence of assembly rules for communities. Since then there has been a proliferation of studies trying to promote, refute or test the idea that there are sets of constraints (rules) on community formation and maintenance (assembly). This timely volume brings together carefully selected contributions which examine the question of the existence and nature of assembly rules with some rigour and in some detail, using both theoretical and empirical approaches in a variety of systems. The result is a balanced treatment which encompasses a wide range of topics within ecology including competition and coexistence, conservation and biodiversity, niche theory, and biogeography. As such it provides much to interest a broad audience of ecologists, while also making an important contribution to the study of community ecology in particular.

Due to many issues related to long-term carbon dynamics, an improved understanding of the biology of C4 photosynthesis is required by more than the traditional audience of crop scientists, plant physiologists, and plant ecologists. This work synthesizes the latest developments in C4 biochemistry, physiology, systematics, and ecology. The book concludes with chapters discussing the role of C4 plants in the future development of the biosphere, particularly their interactive effects on soil, hydrological, and atmospheric processes.

Semi-arid woodlands are an important part of the Australian landscape and they have been the focus for scientific research by CSIRO since the 1960s. This book reviews that research and sets it in a historical perspective. It examines the development of pastoral science, with particular reference to the farming frontier in western New South Wales, as well as research conducted by CSIRO over the past thirty years aimed at helping manage increasing shrub densities while improving productivity. The author discusses past, current and future research directions and looks at how management perceptions and approaches continue to change as understanding of ecological processes and new strategies evolve.

Leading researchers in behavioural ecology discuss specific aspects of this important topic including: The mechanism of habitat selection and how it operates Its relevance to population biology Behavioural and physiological implications The ecological and evolutionary significance of habitat choice and survival and reproduction in various habitat types.

The present book is divided into several parts. An introductory chapter serves to make the reader aware of the diversity of the subject of habitat selection in birds. Many if the various aspects of habitat selection introduced in the first chapter are developed in subsequent chapters, and thus it serves to some extent as an overview of the subject and as a'lead-in'to subsequent work.