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This book offers a comprehensive understanding of the natural history of the Japanese Archipelago (Yaponesia), employing cutting-edge genomic research to provide insights into the prehistory in this region. It provides an in-depth exploration of the genetic makeup of domesticated plants and animals in the Japanese Archipelago, including their relationships with neighboring regions in Asia. The book is unique in its comprehensive approach, weaving together the latest genomic research, historical records, and linguistic analysis to provide a detailed understanding of the past. The book covers the development of Japanese society and culture from the Jomon era to the present day. It discusses the animal and plant diversity of the country, including their distribution, evolution, and interaction with human society and culture. The linguistic distributions of related terms are also explored. Using the latest genomic research, the book offers a fresh perspective on the past and present of the Japanese Archipelago, providing a comprehensive understanding of the natural and cultural history of the Japanese Archipelago. It is a valuable resource for professionals and academics in genomics, archaeology, and linguistics, as well as general readers interested in Japanese history, culture, and the environment.

This book provides a comprehensive, detailed, and coherent spatio-temporal account of Caribbean mangrove evolution from its evolutionary origins to the present that is not available for any mangrove region in the world. Mangroves are intertidal wetland forests that play a crucial role in the maintenance of terrestrial and marine biodiversity, and in the functioning of global biogeochemical cycles (especially the carbon cycle). These ecosystems dominate the tropical/subtropical coasts of all continents and are among the most threatened ecosystems in the world. This book combines all temporal scales, from the geological to the ecological, to provide an integrated picture of mangrove history and the natural and anthropogenic drivers of ecological and evolutionary change. This may be useful not only for understanding the current ecological status of these emblematic ecosystems, but also for informing their conservation in the face of ongoing global change.

Fruit and Nut Crops: A Treasure Trove of Diversity and ResilienceDive into the fascinating world of fruit and nut crops in this comprehensive volume. Explore their origins, evolution, and global journey, from wild ancestors to diverse cultivars nourishing us today. Uncover their crucial role in food security, providing vital nutrients and supporting livelihoods.This book champions urgent conservation efforts in the face of threats like habitat loss and climate change. It delves into both ex situ and in situ strategies, emphasizing the importance of preserving genetic diversity for the future. Learn about domestication processes and the development of gene pools adapted to specific environments.Discover the economic and social benefits of utilizing fruit and nut genetic resources, from breeding programs that empower communities to innovative techniques for enhancing yields and quality. This invaluable resource equips researchers, breeders, and policymakerswith the knowledge to safeguard and advance this critical agricultural sector

Rhodolith beds form biogenic reefs, oases of high biodiversity in sedimentary seabed environments. The rhodoliths are foundation species, which provide shelter and substrata for important and abundant benthic communities. Currently they have been recognized as an important player to the carbon balance, contributing to the planetarium climatic equilibrium. In Brazil, these environments are frequent and abundant and can be major carbonate ‘factories'with a key role in the biogeochemical cycling of carbon in the South Atlantic Ocean. However, these organisms and environments are under threat from climate change, particularly ocean acidification and global warming, as well as local stressors such as fishing impacts and coastal run-off. In our book, written by dozens of researchers from different regions and expertise, you will dive more deeply in these and many other subjects related to this wonderful and vulnerable pink and dynamic underwater ecosystems.

Research in recent years has increasingly shifted away from purely academic research, and into applied aspects of the discipline, including climate change research, conservation, and sustainable development. It has by now widely been recognized that “traditional” knowledge is always in flux and adapting to a quickly changing environment. Trends of globalization, especially the globalization of plant markets, have greatly influenced how plant resources are managed nowadays. While ethnobotanical studies are now available from many regions of the world, no comprehensive encyclopedic series focusing on the worlds mountain regions is available in the market. Scholars in plant sciences worldwide will be interested in this website and its dynamic content. The field (and thus the market) of ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology has grown considerably in recent years. Student interest is on the rise, attendance at professional conferences has grown steadily, and the number of professionals calling themselves ethnobotanists has increased significantly (the various societies (Society for Economic Botany, International Society of Ethnopharmacology, Society of Ethnobiology, International Society for Ethnobiology, and many regional and national societies in the field currently have thousands of members). Growth has been most robust in BRIC countries.The objective of this new MRW on Ethnobotany of Mountain Regions is to take advantage of the increasing international interest and scholarship in the field of mountain research. We anticipate including the best and latest research on a full range of descriptive, methodological, theoretical, and applied research on the most important plants for each region. Each contribution will be scientifically rigorous and contribute to the overall field of study.

This is the first comprehensive listing of Amazon fruits from an ethnobotanical perspective. This detailed book covers 50 botanical families, 207 species, in the Amazon including how the people of each region use them. It is lavishly illustrated with high-quality photographs taken by the author, an extensive list of references, and Dr. Smith's latest, meticulous research. This book should be a foundational work for scholars working in the plant sciences, researchers in ethnobotanical studies, and general interest scholars seeking more detailed information on the latest research by a leading scientist in the Amazon.

This book is the fifth volume of the “Marine Algal Flora of China-Rhodophyta.” The series has seven volumes covering about 20 orders, 45 families, 173 genera, and 560 species including over 150 species firstly described from China, indicating significant importance to the knowledge of North-Western Pacific marine algal flora. The fifth volume Ahnfeltiales, Gigartinales, Sebdeniales, Nemastomatales, Plocamiales, Gracilariales, and Rhodymeniales. It provides first-hand literatures necessary to phycologists who aimed to study algal taxonomy and diversity, especially in the North Western Pacific region. Almost all species involved are illustrated in detail on morphology, inner structure, habitats, and geographical distribution, based upon herbarium specimens collected along the China coast, and a lot of elaborate pictures are attached inside. This flora will gain our understanding of current Chinese marine red algae, but much research is still necessary to reflect the whole picture of the red algal diversity along the China coast.

This book is the fourth volume of the “Marine Algal Flora of China-Rhodophyta.” The series has seven volumes covering about 20 orders, 45 families, 173 genera, and 560 species including over 150 species firstly described from China, indicating significant importance to the knowledge of North-Western Pacific marine algal flora. The fourth volume covers coralline algae, including Sporolithales, Corallinales, and Hapalidiales.Almost all species involved are illustrated in detail on morphology, inner structure, habitats, and geographical distribution, based upon herbarium specimens collected along the China coast, and a lot of elaborate pictures are attached inside. This flora will gain our understanding of current Chinese marine red algae, but much research is still necessary to reflect the whole picture of the red algal diversity along the China coast.

This book presents a synthesis of critical new information for the Melastomataceae, one of the ten richest families among flowering plants with over 5,800 species that has its diversity highly concentrated in tropical or subtropical areas. It describes the family's global diversity and distribution and summarizes recent advances in systematics, evolution, biogeography, reproductive biology and ecology.

This book was compiled by researchers of Chinese Academy of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Southwest Forestry University, and Kunming University of Science and Technology. It has been the most comprehensive monograph about the bamboo resources in China until now.'Illustrated Flora of Bambusoideae in China'is composed of two volumes. Volume 2 consists of 18 chapters corresponding to 18 genera of the tribe Arundinarieae (i.e., Acidosasa, Ampelocalamus, Bashania, Chimonocalamus, Drepanostachyum, Fargesia, Ferrocalamus, Gaoligongshania, Gelidocalamus, Indocalamus, Menstruocalamus, Oligostachyum, Pleioblastus, Pseudosasa, Sasa, Sasaella, Thamnocalamus, Yushania). Sixteen forms, 17 varieties, and 397 species in 18 genera are included in this volume (430 taxa in total).

This edited book cover over 200 mushrooms with detailed profiles of all the species. Each profile includes information on macro-morphology, molecular characterization, application and a color photograph of the same. Gujarat mushrooms gives a complete idea of mushrooms found in Gujarat, there morphological identification, molecular barcoding and documented applications. Data presented on mushrooms spans collections of three consecutive years. The collected mushrooms were identified morphologically as well as at the molecular level using ITS as a marker. 942 specimens covering 316 species were submitted to BOLD. Of these the macrofungal diversity covered around 200 species. Some of the collected mushrooms were not only edible but were found to have nutraceutical as well as industrial value. Although the mushrooms collected are from Gujarat region only they are reported from different areas around the globe. Hence the proposed book will be useful not only regionally but across countries as well. Mushrooom is a macro fungus with a distinct fruiting body. Wild mushrooms have a significant biological and economic impact. The texture and pleasant flavor of certain mushrooms make them a delicacy for mankind. Mushrooms have a very high medicinal value as well with several reports of anticancer properties of mushroom extracts. This book is a useful read for researchers and academicians interested in mushrooms.

The volume on oilseed crops is developed as a part of a series on “Handbook of Agrobiodiversity: Conservation and Use of Plant Genetic Resources”. The handbook would function as a ready reference book for availability of PGR globally, along with specific source, wherefrom they can be procured, and used breeding programs, particularly to overcome various crop production constraints and to improve productivity and quality. The volume on floriculture and ornamental plants will be the source of basic information on origin and evolution and global dispersal of cultivated species of ornamentals. Presently, floriculture has established its credibility in improving income through increased productivity, generating employment and in enhancing exports. All research and developmental activities on ornamental crops are essentially multi-disciplinary in nature recognizing local issues as well as country issue. Floriculture is developing as an area of high technology based frontier interdisciplinary area on scientific excellence. Floriculture has progressed both scientifically and commercially due to concentrated efforts made on multidisciplinary research. It is developing as an area of high technology based frontier interdisciplinary area on scientific excellence. The volume will contain all information about different ornamentals. This shall be put together to develop a complete documentation of the results of the research and demonstrations conducted by different scientists. The volume will provide an illustrated horto-taxonomical account of important ornamental species and cultivars, germplasm status and their usages, propagation, nursery management, techno-economics, conventional breeding, induced mutagenesis, new varieties, cytogenetics, tissue culture, characterization of varieties, dehydration of flowers etc. This volume will give a coherent and concise account on recent developments. It will deal with all the important and relevant aspects of floriculture. The publication of this volume is planned to reveal multifarious activities done on different aspects of floriculture so that innovations made so far can be used judiciously for this sector. This book shall provide authoritative review account of many aspects of current interest and progress in the field of floriculture. The topics included in the book are interdisciplinary and cater not only classical floriculture but also relevant modern aspects. The book will provide valuable data on different aspects and will be widely accepted by by professional scientists, researchers, teachers, students, floriculturists, technocrats and planners. The volume will be an invaluable asset to floriculture scientists.

This volume is a monograph of the genus Diplusodon (Lythraceae), written by the world authority on this plant group. Diplusodon is a monophyletic genus of shrubs and subshrubs, with showy, 6-merous, actinomorphic flowers, and floral tubes on which the sepals alternate with conspicuous epicalyx segments. The capsular fruit contains winged seeds and, uniquely for the family, is divided by a bipartite placenta with two semi-lunate septa. Diplusodon is the second largest genus in the Lythraceae and occurs mostly in the Cerrado Biome, the floristically diverse savannah that covers more than two million km2 of the Central Brazilian Plateau, extending west into Bolivia, south to Paraguay and east to the Caatinga. A total of 104 species and eight varieties are recognized in the genus, for which 46 lectotypes, one neotype, one new status and one new combination are designated, nine new species are described, and 15 taxaare placed in synonymy. New information on floral and vegetative morphology, pollen, cytology, chemistry, floral biology, and habitat are provided for the genus. In addition, keys to the species are accompanied by descriptions, illustrations, distribution maps, and assignment of conservation status.

This book provides a comprehensive monograph of the family Humiraceae. It includes information on economic botany, conservation, phylogenetic relationships, taxonomic history, ecology, cytology, anatomy, and phytochemistry, among other topics. This volume is illustrated with line drawings, black and white photographs, and distribution maps. It was written by the world-leading authority on this plant group and contains a total of eight genera, 65 species, and 15 infraspecific taxa, with two new species described. This work is volume 123 in the Flora Neotropica book series (Lawrence M. Kelly, Editor-in-Chief). Flora Neotropica volumes provide taxonomic treatments of plant groups or families growing in the Americas between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn.

In order to feed the world, global agriculture will have to double food production by 2050. As a result, the use of soils with fertilizers and pesticides in agronomic ecosystems will increase, taking into account the sustainability of these systems and also the provision of food security. Thus, soil ecosystems, their health, and their quality are directly involved in sustainable agronomical practices, and it is important to recognize the important role of soil microbial communities such as mycorrhizal fungi, their biodiversity, interactions, and functioning. Soil ecosystems are under the threat of biodiversity loss due to an increase of cultivated areas and agronomic exploitation intensity. Also, changes in land use alter the structure and function of ecosystems where biodiversity is vital in the ecosystem.Soils are a major aid in food production in all terrestrial ecosystems; however, this means they are also involved in gas emission and global warming.Thus, in agronomic ecosystems, several mitigation practices have been proposed to promote the increase of carbon soil stock, and the reduction of warming gas emission from soils. In South America, most of the rural population depends economically on agriculture and usually works in family units. New, organic, safe, and sustainable agro-forestry practices must be applied to support local communities and countries to achieve hunger eradication, rural poverty reduction, and sustainable development.This book compiles new information for mycorrhizal occurrence in natural and anthropic environments in South America. It includes new reports of mycorrhizal fungi diversity along different mycorrhizal types and their effect on plant communities, plant invasions, the use of mycorrhizal fungi for ecological and sustainable studies, management programs of natural and agroecosystems, and forestry and food-secure production. This book fills the gaps in biodiversity knowledge, management and safe food production of mycorrhizas. It should be a valuable help to researchers, professors and students, to aid in use of mycorrhizal fungi while also focusing on their biodiversity, sustainable safe food production, and conservation perspectives.

This book documents timely and systematically marvelous fossils (plants and sporopollen) related to the biggest mass extinction of the Permian–Triassic transition. Numerous beautiful pictures and comprehensive records on the plants of this unique and critical interval of geohistory are presented in this book. It greatly contributes to understanding of the Permian–Triassic plant diversity and evolution. For geologists, it is important to understand the Permian–Triassic crisis, and for students, it is attractive to learn about the plants'response to palaeoclimatic changes.

A presentation of over 700 popular orchid species in 104 genera carefully detailed with beautiful photographs and concise descriptions of plants, their distribution and habitats by a well-known author and photographer. Each genus is assigned a separate chapter. Coverage of the most commonly cultivated Asian species including their varieties and cultivars (e.g. in Bulbophyllum 72 species; Coelogyne 33 species; Dendrobium 161 species; Paphiopedilum 58 species; Phalaenopsis 60 species; Vanda 44 species) is exhaustive. The orchids are photographed from their best perspective, individual blooms and entire inflorescence: additionally, many species are also shown growing in their natural habitat. Representative hybrids are included to illustrate how some species have contributed to show-worthiness of various genera, their adaptation to a wider climate range, and easy cultivation. This book is a pleasure to view; simultaneously, an easy reference for the identification of orchid species and it provides a guide on how best to grow them. Nowhere else will one find so many popular species beautifully illustrated in a single volume.A must for everyone fascinated by orchids or with a love for nature.

This sixth volume describes 226 species of 32 families of medicinal plants, which are commonly used in Chinese medicine. The most important species are Aquilaria sinensis and Daphne genkwa of Thymelaeaceae; Benincasa hispida, Siraitia grosvenorii, Trichosanthes kirilowii and Trichosanthes rosthornii of Cucurbitaceae; Camellia sinensis of Theaceae; Cleistocalyx operculatus, Eugenia caryophyllata and Rhodomyrtus tomentosa of Myrtaceae; Osbeckia chinensis of Melastomataceae; Quisqualis indica and Terminalia chebula of Combretaceae; Hypericum japonicum of Hypericaceae; Microcos paniculata of Tiliaceae; Hibiscus mutabilis of Malvaceae; Croton crassifolius, C. lachnocarpus, C. tiglium, Euphorbia humifusa, E. lathyris, E. pekinensis, Phyllanthus emblica and Sauropus spatulifolius of Euphorbiaceae. In each specie, it introduces the scientific names, medicinal names, morphologies, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processing methods of these medicinal plants, the content of medicinal properties, therapeutic effects, usage and dosage of these medicinal plants, and attaches unedited color pictures and pictures of part herbal medicines of each species.This book series has 10 volumes in total, which covers over 2000 kinds of Chinese medicines that are commonly used. These volumes not only introduce the efficacy function and some prescriptions of the medicines, but also introduce the biological characteristics of them in detail with clear photos of the habitats, so that readers can identify them in the field. Apart from the growing environment, the books expound the distribution areas and other information to facilitate researches and other applications. The volumes are targeted at readers of general interests and it is also of high referential value for scientific researcher and teachers. It can be used as a guide to researchers, clinical doctors, and students in the department of pharmaceutics and traditional Chinese medicine.

This fifth volume contains 253 species of medicinal plants from 25 families, which are commonly used in Chinese medicine. The most important species are Stachyurus himalaicus of Stachyuraceae; Liquidambar formosana, Semiliquidambar cathayensis of Hamamelidaceae; Broussonetia papyrifera, Cudrania cochinchinensis, Cudrania tricuspidata, Ficus carica, Morus alba of Moraceae; Boehmeria nivea and Pouzolzia zeylanica of Urticaceae; Cannabis sativa of Cannabaceae; Ilex asprella, Ilex cornuta, Ilex latifolia, Ilex pubescens of Aquifoliaceae; Euonymus alatus, Tripterygium wilfordii of Celastraceae; Taxillus chinensis, Viscum liquidambaricola of Loranthaceae; Santalum album of Santalaceae; Berchemia lineata, Ventilago leiocarpa, Ziziphus jujuba, Ziziphus jujuba var. Spinosa, Elaeagnus pungens of Rhamnaceae; Citrus aurantium, Citrus grandis var. tomentosa, Citrus medica var. sarcodactylis, Citrus reticulata, Evodia rutaecarpa, Phellodendron chinense and Zanthoxylum bungeanum of Rutaceae. In each specie, it introduces the scientific names, medicinal names, morphologies, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processing methods of these medicinal plants, the content of medicinal properties, therapeutic effects, usage and dosage of these medicinal plants, and attaches unedited color pictures and pictures of part herbal medicines of each species. This book series has 10 volumes in total, which covers over 2000 kinds of Chinese medicines that are commonly used. These volumes not only introduce the efficacy function and some prescriptions of the medicines, but also introduce the biological characteristics of them in detail with clear photos of the habitats, so that readers can identify them in the field. Apart from the growing environment, the books expound the distribution areas and other information to facilitate researches and other applications. The volumes are targeted at readers of general interests and it is also of high referential value for scientific researcher and teachers. It can be used as a guide to researchers, clinical doctors, and students in the department of pharmaceutics and traditional Chinese medicine.

This eighth volume describes 272 species of 13 families of medicinal plants, which are commonly used in Chinese medicine. The most important species are Adenophora stricta, Adenophora tetraphylla, Codonopsis pilosula, Codonopsis tangshen and Platycodon grandiflorus of Campanulaceae; Lobelia chinensis of Lobeliaceae; Hyoscyamus niger, Lycium barbarum and Lycium ruthenicum of Solanaceae; Cuscuta australis, Cuscuta chinensis, Erycibe obtusifolia of Convolvulaceae; Lagotis brevituba, Rehmannia glutinosa, Scrophularia ningpoensis of Scrpophulariaceae; Aeginetia indica, Cistanche deserticola, Cistanche of Orobanchaceae; Campsis grandiflora, Oroxylum indicum of Bignoniaceae; Andrographis paniculata, Strobilanthes cusia of Acanthaceae; Callicarpa formosana, Callicarpa kwangtungensis, Clerodendrum cyrtophyllum, Clerodendrum fortunatum, Verbena officinalis, Vitex trifolia of Verbenaceae; Agastache rugosa, Ajuga decumbens, Clerodendranthus spicatus, Clinopodium chinense, Glechoma longituba, Lamiophlomis rotata, Leonurus japonicus, Lycopus lucidus var. Hirtus, Mesona chinensis, Perilla frutescens, Pogostemon cablin, Prunella vulgaris, Salvia bowleyana, Salvia miltiorrhiza, Schizonepeta tenuifolia, Scutellaria baicalensis of Lamiaceae. In each specie, it introduces the scientific names, medicinal names, morphologies, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processing methods of these medicinal plants, the content of medicinal properties, therapeutic effects, usage and dosage of these medicinal plants, and attaches unedited color pictures and pictures of part herbal medicines of each species. This book series has 10 volumes in total, which covers over 2000 kinds of Chinese medicines that are commonly used. These volumes not only introduce the efficacy function and some prescriptions of the medicines, but also introduce the biological characteristics of them in detail with clear photos of the habitats, so that readers can identify them in the field. Apart from thegrowing environment, the books expound the distribution areas and other information to facilitate researches and other applications. The volumes are targeted at readers of general interests and it is also of high referential value for scientific researcher and teachers. It can be used as a guide to researchers, clinical doctors, and students in the department of pharmaceutics and traditional Chinese medicine.

A presentation of over 700 popular orchid species in 104 genera carefully detailed with beautiful photographs and concise descriptions of plants, their distribution and habitats by a well-known author and photographer. Each genus is assigned a separate chapter. Coverage of the most commonly cultivated Asian species including their varieties and cultivars (e.g. in Bulbophyllum 72 species; Coelogyne 33 species; Dendrobium 161 species; Paphiopedilum 58 species; Phalaenopsis 60 species; Vanda 44 species) is exhaustive. The orchids are photographed from their best perspective, individual blooms and entire inflorescence: additionally, many species are also shown growing in their natural habitat. Representative hybrids are included to illustrate how some species have contributed to show-worthiness of various genera, their adaptation to a wider climate range, and easy cultivation. This book is a pleasure to view; simultaneously, an easyreference for the identification of orchid species and it provides a guide on how best to grow them. Nowhere else will one find so many popular species beautifully illustrated in a single volume.A must for everyone fascinated by orchids or with a love for nature.

This book review and rearrange the research data of Triticeae published over hundreds of years, applying a modern scientific approach. Triticeae is an important tribe in the grass family (Peaceae). It includes the major cereal crops, such as wheat, barley and rye, in addition to many valuable forage crops found in different genera, such as Elymus, Agropyron, Pasthyrostachys, and Leymus. The knowledge of appropriate Triticeae taxonomy and biosystematics will serve as genetic breeding of wheat, barley, rye and forage grass. The authors attempted to remain the truth and remove the false for deriving a more natural biosystematics of Triticeae. This book covers taxonomy, cytogenetics, and molecular phylogeny. It summarizes the biosystematics of Triticeae with comprehensive and updated data. This book is divided into five volumes (Volumes 1- 5), and includes 30 genera, 2 subgenera, 464 species, 9 subspecies, and 186 varieties in Triticeae. Volume 5 introduces nine perennial genera in Triticeae: Campeiostachys, Elymus, Pascopyrum, Lophopyrum, Trichopyrum, Hordelymus, Festucopsis, Peridictyon, and Psammopyrum. Elymus (StH), Campeiostachys (StYH), Lophopyrum (E), and Trichopyrum (ESt)are polymorphic genus. They show similar morphological characters, and it is difficult to distinguish them based merely on morphological variation. Pascopyrum (StHNsXm), Hordelymus (XoXr), Festucopsis (L), Peridictyon (Xp), and Psammopyrum (EL) are small genera, mostly monotypic genera. This book can serve as highly qualified, valuable, and convenient handbooks for audiences who are interested in Triticeae. This book also includes many illustrations, in addition to the description, to help the audience understand, morphological features of the concerned taxa, which makes the explanation more precise andobvious. It is a useful tool to understand the relationship among species in Triticeae.

This book written by Professor Chi Yen of Sichuan Agricultural University in Chinese was published by China Agriculture Press (ISBN 978-7-109-22791-0). It describes a new theory on the constitution of organs of the higher plants based on experimental evidence, the multiple secondary axis theory. This theory states that all organs of the higher plants are the constitution of multiple secondary axes. The primary axis extends bipolarly to initiate the above- and the below-ground parts of a plant, from which secondary axes develop. Leaves are split, expanded upper ends of terminal secondary axes. Stems are merged lower ends of the secondary axes, Vascular bundles are secondary structures developed within the axes which interconnect with each other to form the central core of the stem and branches and the veins in the leaves. Roots form through the downward extension of the lower ends of the axes toward or within the underground and branch roots are unsplit secondary axes. All new axes emerge from the inner side of existing, split axes. All floral organs including fruits, seeds and vegetative reproduction organs such as bulbils and plantlets, are deformed axes. This theory is significant in guiding the scientific design of the ideotype of crops to optimize the development of the economically important organ(s) of a crop.

This third volume describes 226 species of 32 families of medicinal plants, which are commonly used in Chinese medicine. The most important species are Aquilaria sinensis and Daphne genkwa of Thymelaeaceae; Benincasa hispida, Siraitia grosvenorii, Trichosanthes kirilowii and Trichosanthes rosthornii of Cucurbitaceae; Camellia sinensis of Theaceae; Cleistocalyx operculatus, Eugenia caryophyllata and Rhodomyrtus tomentosa of Myrtaceae; Osbeckia chinensis of Melastomataceae; Quisqualis indica and Terminalia chebula of Combretaceae; Hypericum japonicum of Hypericaceae; Microcos paniculata of Tiliaceae; Hibiscus mutabilis of Malvaceae; Croton crassifolius, C. lachnocarpus, C. tiglium, Euphorbia humifusa, E. lathyris, E. pekinensis, Phyllanthus emblica and Sauropus spatulifolius of Euphorbiaceae. In each specie, it introduces the scientific names, medicinal names, morphologies, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processing methods of these medicinal plants, the content of medicinal properties, therapeutic effects, usage and dosage of these medicinal plants, and attaches unedited color pictures and pictures of part herbal medicines of each species.This book series has 10 volumes in total, which covers over 2000 kinds of Chinese medicines that are commonly used. These volumes not only introduce the efficacy function and some prescriptions of the medicines, but also introduce the biological characteristics of them in detail with clear photos of the habitats, so that readers can identify them in the field. Apart from the growing environment, the books expound the distribution areas and other information to facilitate researches and other applications. The volumes are targeted at readers of general interests and it is also of high referential value for scientific researcher and teachers. It can be used as a guide to researchers, clinical doctors, and students in the department of pharmaceutics and traditional Chinese medicine.

The Bahía Blanca Estuary is one of the largest coastal systems in Atlantic South America. This mesotidal estuary, situated in a sharp transition between humid subtropical and semiarid climates, has a unique combination of large interannual climatic variations. The estuarine area encompasses roughly 2300 square kilometers and is composed of wide expanses of intertidal flats, salt marshes, and emerged islands, which create intricate landscape patterns. Natural environments in the estuary sustain a high concentration of marine and terrestrial species, including endemic, threatened, and endangered fish and shorebirds. Puerto Cuatreros, in the inner zone of the estuary, hosts a permanent marine research station, whose records span more than 30 years of biophysical variables, and represent one of the largest time series of ecological data in South America. Beyond its ecological relevance, the Bahía Blanca Estuary is under increasing anthropogenic pressure from large urban settlements, industrial developments and harbors, raising the question of how to balance conservation and development. The Bahía Blanca Estuary: Ecology and Biodiversity offers a comprehensive review of life in the ecosystems of the estuary. The book is divided into five major sections, the first of which provides a description of the regional setting and covers key aspects of estuarine dynamics. The three following sections are dedicated to different habitat types and, within each section, the chapters are organized around major functional groups from pelagic and benthic environments. The fifth and final section covers issues related to management and conservation. Overall, the book provides essential and up-to-date reference material on the biodiversity and ecosystem processes of the Bahía Blanca Estuary, and will appeal to a broad international audience.

This seventh volume describes 247 species of 9 families of medicinal plants, which are commonly used in Chinese medicine. The most important species are Adina rubella, Gardenia jasminoides, Hedyotis diffusa, Morinda officinalis, Rubia cordifolia, Uncaria hirsuta, Uncaria macrophylla, Uncaria rhynchophylla, Uncaria sessilifructus, Uncaria sinensis of Rubiaceae; Lonicera confusa, Lonicera hypoglauca, Lonicera macranthoides, Lonicera japonica of Caprifoliaceae; Patrinia scabiosaefolia, Patrinia villosa, Nardostachys jatamansi of Valerianaceae; Dipsacus asperoides of Dipsacaceae; Arctium lappa, Artemisia annua, Artemisia argyi, Artemisia capillaris, Artemisia scoparia, Atractylodes lancea, Atractylodes macrocephala, Dendranthema indicum, Dendranthema morifolium, Eupatorium chinense, Eupatorium fortunei, Inula helenium, Saussurea costus, Saussurea involucrata, Senecio scandens, Serratula chinensis, Siegesbeckia orientalis, Solidago decurrens, Taraxacum mongolicum, Tussilago farfara、Xanthiumsibiricum of Compositae; Gentiana crassicaulis, Gentiana manshurica, Gentiana rigescens, Gentiana scabra, Swertia pseudochinensis of Valerianaceae; Lysimachia christinae of Primulaceae and Plantago asiatica of Plantaginaceae. In each specie, it introduces the scientific names, medicinal names, morphologies, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processing methods of these medicinal plants, the content of medicinal properties, therapeutic effects, usage and dosage of these medicinal plants, and attaches unedited color pictures and pictures of part herbal medicines of each species. This book series has 10 volumes in total, which covers over 2000 kinds of Chinese medicines that are commonly used. These volumes not only introduce the efficacy function and some prescriptions of the medicines, but also introduce the biological characteristics of them in detail with clear photos of the habitats, so that readers can identify them in the field. Apart from the growing environment, the books expound the distribution areas and other information to facilitate researches and other applications. The volumes are targeted at readers of general interests and it is also of high referential value for scientific researcher and teachers. It can be used as a guide to researchers, clinical doctors, and students in the department of pharmaceutics and traditional Chinese medicine.

This fourth volume describes 256 species of medicinal plants from 5 families, which are commonly used in Chinese medicine. The most important species are Agrimonia pilosa, Amygdalus persica, Armeniaca mume, Armeniaca vulgaris, Armeniaca sibirica, Chaenomeles sinensis, Eriobotrya japonica of Rosaceae; Chimonanthus praecox of Calycanthaceae；Albizia julibrissin, Archidendron clypearia, Entada phaseoloides, Bauhinia championii of Mimosoideae; Caesalpinia sappan, Cassia tora, Gleditsia sinensis of Caesalpiniaceae; Abrus cantoniensis, Astragalus membranaceus, Astragalus membranaceus, Dalbergia odorifera, Desmodium caudatum, Desmodium styracifolium, Erythrina variegata, Euchresta japonica, Flemingia prostrata, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, Glycyrrhiza inflata, Glycyrrhiza glabra, Lablab purpureus, Sophora japonica and Spatholobus suberectus of Butterflyaceae. In each specie, it introduces the scientific names, medicinal names, morphologies, habitats, distributions, acquisition and processingmethods of these medicinal plants, the content of medicinal properties, therapeutic effects, usage and dosage of these medicinal plants, and attaches unedited color pictures and pictures of part herbal medicines of each species. This book series has 10 volumes in total, which covers over 2000 kinds of Chinese medicines that are commonly used. These volumes not only introduce the efficacy function and some prescriptions of the medicines, but also introduce the biological characteristics of them in detail with clear photos of the habitats, so that readers can identify them in the field. Apart from the growing environment, the books expound the distribution areas and other information to facilitate researches and other applications. The volumes are targeted at readers of general interests and it is also of high referential value for scientific researcher and teachers. It can be used as a guide to researchers, clinical doctors, and students in the department of pharmaceuticsand traditional Chinese medicine.

In the past few decades, it has been realized through research that fungal siderophores epitomize the uptake of iron as well as other essential elements like zinc, magnesium, copper, nickel and arsenic. Understanding the chemical structures of different fungal siderophores and the membrane receptors involved in uptake of mineral ions has opened new areas for research. In this edited volume, recent research is presented on fungal siderophores in one comprehensive volume to provide researchers a strong base for future research. Siderophores are the low molecular weight, high affinity iron-chelating compounds produced by bacteria and fungi. They are responsible for transporting iron across the cell membrane. Fungi produce a range of hydroxamate siderophores involved in the uptake of essential elements in almost all microorganisms and plants. In recent years, siderophores have been used in molecular imaging applications to visualize and understand cellular functions,which thus provide an opportunity to identify new drug targets. Therefore, knowledge of fungal siderophores has become vital in current research. Siderophores have received much attention in recent years because of their potential roles and applications in various research areas. Their significance in these applications is because siderophores have the ability to bind a variety of metals in addition to iron, and they have a wide range of chemical structures and specific properties. For instance, siderophores function as biocontrols, biosensors, and bioremediation and chelation agents, in addition to their important role in weathering soil minerals and enhancing plant growth. This book focuses on siderophores with the following significant points. It discusses leading, state-of-the-art research in all possible areas on fungal siderophores. The contributors are well-known and recognized authorities in the field of fungal siderophores. It discusses aprojection of practical applications of fungal siderophores in various domains. This is the first book exclusively on fungal siderophores. In this comprehensive, edited volume, we show leading research on fungal siderophores and provide the most recent knowledge of researchers'work on siderophores. This book presents in-depth knowledge on siderophores to researchers working in areas of health sciences, microbiology, plant sciences, biotechnology, and bioinformatics.

Research in recent years has increasingly shifted away from purely academic research, and into applied aspects of the discipline, including climate change research, conservation, and sustainable development. It has by now widely been recognized that “traditional” knowledge is always in flux and adapting to a quickly changing environment. Trends of globalization, especially the globalization of plant markets, have greatly influenced how plant resources are managed nowadays. While ethnobotanical studies are now available from many regions of the world, no comprehensive encyclopedic series focusing on the worlds mountain regions is available in the market. Scholars in plant sciences worldwide will be interested in this website and its dynamic content.The field (and thus the market) of ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology has grown considerably in recent years. Student interest is on the rise, attendance at professional conferences has grown steadily, and the number of professionals calling themselves ethnobotanists has increased significantly (the various societies, like the Society for Economic Botany, the International Society of Ethnopharmacology, the Society of Ethnobiology, and the International Society for Ethnobiology currently have thousands of members). Growth has been most robust in BRIC countries.This new MRW on Ethnobotany of the Himalayas takes advantage of the increasing international interest and scholarship in the field of mountain research. It includes the best and latest research on a full range of descriptive, methodological, theoretical, and applied research on the most important plants in the Himalayas. Each contribution is scientifically rigorous and contributes to the overall field of study.

Research in recent years has increasingly shifted away from purely academic research, and into applied aspects of the discipline, including climate change research, conservation, and sustainable development. It has by now widely been recognized that “traditional” knowledge is always in flux and adapting to a quickly changing environment. Trends of globalization, especially the globalization of plant markets, have greatly influenced how plant resources are managed nowadays. While ethnobotanical studies are now available from many regions of the world, no comprehensive encyclopedic series focusing on the worlds mountain regions is available in the market. Scholars in plant sciences worldwide will be interested in this website and its dynamic content. The field (and thus the market) of ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology has grown considerably in recent years. Student interest is on the rise, attendance at professional conferences has grown steadily, and the number of professionals calling themselves ethnobotanists has increased significantly (the various societies (Society for Economic Botany, International Society of Ethnopharmacology, Society of Ethnobiology, International Society for Ethnobiology, and many regional and national societies in the field currently have thousands of members). Growth has been most robust in BRIC countries.The objective of this new MRW on Ethnobotany of Mountain Regions is to take advantage of the increasing international interest and scholarship in the field of mountain research. We anticipate including the best and latest research on a full range of descriptive, methodological, theoretical, and applied research on the most important plants for each region. Each contribution will be scientifically rigorous and contribute to the overall field of study.

Explorer-naturalists Robert Brown and Mungo Park played a pivotal role in the development of natural history and exploration in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. This work is a fresh examination of the lives and careers of Brown and Park and their impact on natural history and exploration. Brown and Park were part of a group of intrepid naturalists who brought back some of the flora and fauna they encountered, drawings of what they observed, and most importantly, their ideas. The educated public back home was able to gain an understanding of the diversity in nature. This eventually led to the development of new ways of regarding the natural world and the eventual development of a coherent theory of organic evolution. This book considers these naturalists, Brown, Park, and their contemporaries, from the perspective of the Scottish Enlightenment. Brown's investigations in natural history created a fertile environment for breakthroughs in taxonomy, cytology, and eventually evolution. Brown's pioneering work in plant taxonomy allowed biologists to look at the animal and plant kingdoms differently. Park's adventures stimulated significant discoveries in exploration. Brown and Park's adventures formed a bridge to such journeys as Charles Darwin's voyage on H.M.S. Beagle, which led to a revolution in biology and full explication of the theory of evolution.

This first volume describes 78 species of medicinal plants in 44 families, in which 7 families and 13 species are algae and fungi, 28 families and 52 species are ferns, 9 families and 13 species are gymnosperms. The algae include Laminaria japonica, Sargassum fusiforme, Ulva lactucam, Uiva pertusa et al.; the fungi include Calvatia lilacina, Calvatia lilacina, Cordyceps sobolifera, et al.; the gymnosperms include Ginkgo biloba, Pinus massoniana, Thuja orientalis, Ephedra sinica, Ephedra intermedia, Ephedra equisetina, et al. In each specie, it introduces the scientific names, herbal medicine names, characteristics, habitats, distributions, Acquisition and processing methods, medicinal traits, tastes, functions, use and dosages, and other information of medicinal plants. The color pictures of all species in their wild forms are presented, along with some pictures of medicinal products made of them. This book series has totally 10 volumes, which covers 2000kinds of Chinese medicines that are commonly seen or used. These volumes not only introduce the efficacy function and some prescriptions of the medicines, but also introduce the biological characteristics of them in detail with clear photos of the habitats, so that readers can identify them in the field. Apart from the growing environment, the books expound the distribution areas and other information to facilitate researches and other applications. The volumes are targeted at readers of general interests and it is also of high referential value for scientific researcher and teachers. It can be used as a guide to researchers, clinical doctors, and students in the department of pharmaceutics and traditional Chinese medicine.

This book provides keys, descriptions and illustrations for about 850 species of liverworts and hornworts, in 148 genera and 47 families, of Colombia and Ecuador. The largest genera are Lejeunea (66 spp.), Plagiochila (65), Frullania (54), Radula (33), Metzgeria (33), Cololejeunea (32), Cheilolejeunea (30), Bazzania (26), Drepanolejeunea (25), Ceratolejeunea (18), Diplasiolejeunea (18), and Syzygiella (18). Species descriptions include brief morphological characterization and discussion with emphasis on characters for identification, world range as well as distribution and habitat in Colombia and Ecuador. Classes, orders, families and genera are also described and the main features for recognition of the genera are briefly discussed. The introduction includes chapters on history of exploration, diversity and endemism, and classification. A glossary, bibliography and index to scientific names are alsoprovided.

This book was compiled by researchers of Chinese Academy of Forestry, Sichuan Agricultural University, Southwest Forestry University, Kunming University of Science and Technology, and Chinese Academy of Sciences. It has been the most comprehensive monograph about the bamboo resources in China until now.'Illustrated Flora of Bambusoideae in China'is composed of two volumes. Volume 1 contains prefaces written by Shougong Zhang and Dezhu Li and the foreword by the authors, and 28 chapters, i.e., Morphology of Bamboos, Geographical Distribution of Bambusoideae, Hardiness Zones of Bambusoideae in China, 16 genera of the tribe Bambusese (Bambusa, Bonia, Cephalostachyum, Dendrocalamopsis, Dendrocalamus, Gigantochloa, Guadua, Leptocanna, Lingnania, Melocalamus, Melocanna, Neomicrocalamus, Neosinocalamus, Pseudostachyum, Schizostachyum, Thyrsostachys), and 9 genera of the tribe Arundinarieae (Brachystachyum, Chimonobambusa, Hibanobambusa, Indosasa, Phyllostachys,Qiongzhuea, Semiarundinaria, Shibataea, Sinobambusa). Totally, 512 bamboo taxa are recorded in volume 1, including 4 hybrids, 119 forms, 38 varieties, and 351 species in 25 genera.

The range of nanomaterial applications has expanded recently from catalysis, electronics, and filtration to therapeutics, diagnostics, agriculture, and food because of unique properties and potentials of different nanoparticles and nanomaterials. Research shows that these exquisite particles can interact with an organism at the cellular, physiological, biochemical, and molecular levels. However, our knowledge of how they affect these changes, selectively or generally, in diverse organism or ecosystems is very limited and far from satisfactory. Data indicate that the biological function largely depends on the shape, size, and surface characteristics of the nanoparticles used besides life cycle stages of an organism. Therefore, this compilation will focus on the body of work carried out by distinguished investigators using diverse nanomaterials and plant and animal species. This book includes specific case studies as well as general review articles highlighting aspects of multilayered interactions, and targets not only research and academic scholars but also the concerned industry and policy makers as well.

This book shows the importance of rice for human consumption. It focuses on the rice panicle, its morphology and characteristics. High genetic diversity of rice has been economically profitable for mankind; the crop provides food calories to half of the human race on earth and because of its adaptability to diversified and unstable ecological conditions, the plant has an asynchronous flowering system in the panicle. The International Rice Research Institute has a collection of panicles with numerous branching phenotypes and lengths varying from 10 to 43 cm. Due to the heterogeneous architecture, grain filling depends on the position of the spikelet within a panicle. Spikelets on apical branches fertilize early and fill faster compared to their basal counterparts and therefore, individual grain weights of panicle vary widely. The discrepancy in grain filling between spikelets changes with panicle architecture but the relationship of variation in individual grain weight with panicle architecture has not been studied. Spikelet number has increased highly in the newly developed rice cultivars, but it has no benefit accrued on grain filling and yield. This book is recommended for students, researchers and teachers working in this field of expertise.

Plants are an important source of fats and oils, which are essential for the human diet. In recent years, genomics of oil biosynthesis in plants have attracted great interest, especially in high oil-bearing plants, such as sesame, olive, sunflower, and palm. Considering that, genome sequencing projects of these plants have been undertaken with the help of advanced genomics tools such as next generation sequencing. Several genome sequencing projects of oil crops are in progress and many others are en route. In addition to genome information, advanced genomics approaches are discussed such as transcriptomics, genomics-assisted breeding, genome-wide association study (GWAS), genotyping by sequencing (GBS), and CRISPR. These have all improved our understanding of the oil biosynthesis mechanism and breeding strategies for oil production.There is, however, no book that covers the genomes and genomics of oil crops. For this reason, in this volume we collected the most recent knowledge of oil crop genomics for researchers who study oil crop genomes, genomics, biotechnology, pharmacology, and medicine. This book covers all genome-sequenced oil crops as well as the plants producing important oil metabolites. Throughout this book, the latest genomics developments and discoveries are highlighted as well as open problems and future challenges in oil crop genomics. In doing so, we have covered the state-of-the-art of developments and trends of oil crop genomics.

A presentation of 491 popular orchid species with 13 varieties and 3 natural hybrids in 51 genera with names beginning with A to E carefully detailed with beautiful photographs and concise descriptions of the plants, their distribution and habitats by a well-known author and photographer. Each genus is assigned a separate chapter. Coverage of the most commonly cultivated Asian species including their varieties and cultivars (e.g. in Bulbophyllum 82 species; Coelogyne 37 species; Dendrobium 210 species) is exhaustive. The orchids are photographed from their best perspective as individual blooms or entire inflorescences. Many species are also shown growing in their natural habitat. Representative hybrids are included to illustrate how some species have contributed to show-worthiness of various genera, their adaptation to a wider climate range, and easy cultivation. This book is a pleasure to view; simultaneously, an easy reference for the identification of orchid species and it provides a guide on how best to grow them. Nowhere else will one find so many popular species beautifully illustrated in a single volume.Volume 1 is the first of a 3 Volume series that will showcase over 900 species plus varieties in 117 genera. A must for everyone fascinated by orchids or simply with a love for nature.

This book focuses on the significance and implications of Calcium (Ca2+) transport machinery in the plant cell in generating alternating Ca2+ levels and impacting the cell's physiological, biochemical and developmental processes. In the following sections, the concept of Ca2+ homeostasis, Ca2+ signature, various Ca2+ transport protein families and conductance systems would be discussed in detail- elucidation of their functional characterization, structure, mechanism, sub-cellular localization and specific physiological roles in ensuring Ca2+ homeostasis. Also, the aspect of Ca2+ as a “signaling hub” –transducing distinct plant responses to diverse environmental stimuli, Ca2+ binding proteins, and the tools used in studying these proteins are explained in brief to paint a holistic picture of Ca2+ transport in plant systems. This has resulted in an elaborative literature account to serve as a staple by providing recent insights and advance knowledge surrounding genetic and molecular dissection of Ca2+homeostasis maintenance mechanisms and extant Ca2+ transport systems in plants.

This is the first book to provide comprehensive information on the anatomy and ecology of arctic and alpine plants from cold sites around the globe, including representative species from Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, Himalaya, Japan, Argentina, Ecuador and Western USA. It presents the study sites, including characteristic landscape and vegetation photographs. It also discusses species distribution, habitat preferences and features plant pictures, particularly focusing on the specific stem anatomical features, which differ in many cases from temperate zone herbs. Furthermore, each plant is characterized according to a newly constructed codification system. Based on the first author's 20-years of field research, a close collaboration with numerous botanical gardens, and the vast ecological experience of the other authors, the book presents approximately 350 species. The general layout is comparable to Doležal et al's 2018 book Anatomy, Age and Ecology of High Mountain Plants in Ladakh, the Western Himalaya.

The regulation of the phosphorylation/dephosphorylation process, resulting in “cellular switches” that monitor normal plant physiology, growth and development, has immense potential in crop systems. With much of the information in the nascent stages, coming largely from Arabidopsis and rice particularly, the use of cell biology, genetic screens, biochemical approaches aided by an omics approach should help unravel the detail functional information available about signaling pathways in plants. The regulation could be exploited to develop crop varieties better equipped to handle changing environments and enhance agricultural productivity. In the post-genomic era, one of the major challenges is investigation and understanding of multiple genes and gene families regulating a particular physiological and developmental aspect of plant life cycle. One of the important physiological processes is regulation of stress response, which leads to adaptationor adjustment in response to adverse stimuli. With the holistic understanding of the signaling pathways involving phosphatases, one gene family or multiple genes or gene families, plant biologist can lay a foundation for designing and generating future crops, which can withstand the higher degree of environmental stresses. Especially abiotic stresses, which are the major cause of crop loss throughout the world without losing crop yield and productivity.This book incorporates the contributions from leading plant biologists in the field of stress-mediated dephosphorylation by phosphatases as an important task to elucidate the aspects of stress signaling by functional genomic approaches.

Dieses Bestimmungsbuch ermöglicht Urlaubern und Pflanzenfreunden eine einfache und schnelle Bestimmung der Wildpflanzen auf Mallorca, Menorca und Ibiza und kleineren Inseln der Balearen. Mittels eines neu entwickelten Bestimmungsschlüssels wird in einer Tabelle die Buchseite ermittelt, auf der eine Art in wenigen Folgeschritten einfach und schnell bestimmt werden kann. Über 250 Beispielfotos und Kurzbeschreibungen der Arten erleichtern das eindeutige Identifizieren der balearischen Wildpflanzen. Zusätzliche Angaben zu typischen Standorten und der Blütezeit ermöglichen eine schnelle Überprüfung der Ergebnisse. Die Kriterien zur Bestimmung sind so gewählt, dass nicht nur Wissenschaftler, sondern auch Pflanzenliebhaber ohne botanische Fachkenntnisse das Buch benutzen können. Das kleine, kompakte Format ermöglicht die Mitnahme auch auf größere Wanderungen.

Research in recent years has increasingly shifted away from purely academic research, and into applied aspects of the discipline, including climate change research, conservation, and sustainable development. It has by now widely been recognized that “traditional” knowledge is always in flux and adapting to a quickly changing environment. Trends of globalization, especially the globalization of plant markets, have greatly influenced how plant resources are managed nowadays. While ethnobotanical studies are now available from many regions of the world, no comprehensive encyclopedic series focusing on the worlds mountain regions is available in the market. Scholars in plant sciences worldwide will be interested in this dynamic content. The field (and thus the market) of ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology has grown considerably in recent years. Student interest is on the rise, attendance at professional conferences has grown steadily, and the number of professionals calling themselves ethnobotanists has increased significantly. Various societies of such professionals include the Society for Economic Botany, the International Society of Ethnopharmacology, the Society of Ethnobiology, the International Society for Ethnobiology, and many regional and national societies in the field that currently have thousands of members. Growth has been most robust in BRIC countries.This new MRW on Ethnobotany of Mountain Regions covers the latest scholarship in the field of mountain research. It offers the best and latest research on a full range of descriptive, methodological, theoretical, and applied research on the most important plants for each region. Each contribution was scientifically rigorous and contributes to the overall field of study.

Research in recent years has increasingly shifted away from purely academic research, and into applied aspects of the discipline, including climate change research, conservation, and sustainable development. It has by now widely been recognized that “traditional” knowledge is always in flux and adapting to a quickly changing environment. Trends of globalization, especially the globalization of plant markets, have greatly influenced how plant resources are managed nowadays. While ethnobotanical studies are now available from many regions of the world, no comprehensive encyclopedic series focusing on the worlds mountain regions is available in the market. Scholars in plant sciences worldwide will be interested in this dynamic content. The field (and thus the market) of ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology has grown considerably in recent years. Student interest is on the rise, attendance at professional conferences has grown steadily, and the number of professionalscalling themselves ethnobotanists has increased significantly. Various societies of such professionals include the Society for Economic Botany, the International Society of Ethnopharmacology, the Society of Ethnobiology, the International Society for Ethnobiology, and many regional and national societies in the field that currently have thousands of members. Growth has been most robust in BRIC countries.The objective of this new MRW on Ethnobotany of Mountain Regions is to take advantage of the increasing international interest and scholarship in the field of mountain research. We anticipate including the best and latest research on a full range of descriptive, methodological, theoretical, and applied research on the most important plants for each region. Each contribution will be scientifically rigorous and contribute to the overall field of study.

Research in recent years has increasingly shifted away from purely academic research, and into applied aspects of the discipline, including climate change research, conservation, and sustainable development. It has by now widely been recognized that “traditional” knowledge is always in flux and adapting to a quickly changing environment. Trends of globalization, especially the globalization of plant markets, have greatly influenced how plant resources are managed nowadays. While ethnobotanical studies are now available from many regions of the world, no comprehensive encyclopedic series focusing on the worlds mountain regions is available in the market. Scholars in plant sciences worldwide will be interested in this dynamic content. The field (and thus the market) of ethnobotany and ethnopharmacology has grown considerably in recent years. Student interest is on the rise, attendance at professional conferences has grown steadily, and the number of professionalscalling themselves ethnobotanists has increased significantly. Various societies of such professionals include the Society for Economic Botany, the International Society of Ethnopharmacology, the Society of Ethnobiology, the International Society for Ethnobiology, and many regional and national societies in the field that currently have thousands of members. Growth has been most robust in BRIC countries.This new MRW on Ethnobotany of Mountain Regions covers the best and latest research and scholarship in the field of mountain research. It offers a full range of descriptive, methodological, theoretical, and applied research on the most important plants for each region. Each contribution was examined with scientific rigor and contributes to the overall field of study.

This book presents light microscopic anatomical images of aquatic and wetland plant stem. It features double-stained cross- and longitudinal sections of almost 400 species of vascular plants from the lowland to the alpine zone in Central Europe, including plants from lakes, ponds, rivers, bogs, fens, wet meadows, saline meadows, tall herb associations and alpine snow beds. The microscopic photographs at various magnifications are supplemented with detailed anatomical descriptions. For each species it provides a photo of the whole plant, a short morphological and ecological description as well as indications about its world- and Central European distribution. The book includes a hydrobotanical and an anatomical section. The hydrobotanical section describes the ecological classification of aquatic and wetland plants and explains major ecophysiological processes e.g., photosynthesis, mineral nutrition, gas exchange, adaptations to soil anoxia, turion formation and ecology.The anatomical section highlights the variety of structures and anatomical features of vascular plants in all wet environments.

Potassium (K+) is an essential mineral macronutrient abundantly present in the cytosol which, unlike other macronutrients, is not metabolized and does not integrate into macromolecules. Compared to animal cells, K+ is more abundantly present in plant cells. Overall performance of the plant, and operation of metabolic machinery depends upon intracellular K+ homeostasis (K+ uptake and efflux) via K+ channels and transporters acting as mediators of cellular responses during plant development. Unlike animals, plants lack sodium/K+ exchangers; plant cells have developed unique transport systems for K+ accumulation and release. In Arabidopsis thaliana, 71 K+ channels and transporters have been identified and categorized into six families. Plant adaptive responses to several abiotic and biotic stresses are mediated by regulation of intracellular K+ homeostasis. In this report, we highlight the role of K+ in abiotic and biotic stresses, features of channels and transporters responsible for its homeostasis along with its evolutionary relationship, perception and sensing mechanisms, and K+ deficiency triggering different signaling cascades. Overall, this book covers the role of K+ in plants would be significantly helpful to research, academic community as well as students to understand the one of the major attributes of plant biology.

Plants have been a source of medicines and have played crucial role for human health. Despite tremendous advances in the field of synthetic drugs and antibiotics, plants continue to play a vital role in modern as well as traditional medicine across the globe. In even today, one-third of the world's population depends on traditional medicine because of its safety features and ability to effectively cure diseases. This book presents a comprehensive guide to medicinal plants, their utility, diversity and conversation, as well as biotechnology. It is divided into four main sections, covering all aspects of research in medicinal plants: biodiversity and conservation; ethnobotany and ethnomedicine; bioactive compounds from plants and microbes; and biotechnology. All sections cover the latest advances. The book offers a valuable asset for researchers and graduate students of biotechnology, botany, microbiology and the pharmaceutical sciences. It is an equally important resource for doctors (especially those engaged in Ayurveda and allopathy); the pharmaceutical industry (for drug design and synthesis); and the agricultural sciences.

Microbes are ubiquitous in nature. Among microbes, fungal communities play an important role in agriculture, the environment, and medicine. Vast fungal diversity has been found in plant systems. The fungi associated with any plant system are in the form of epiphytic, endophytic, and rhizospheric fungi. These associated fungi play important roles in plant growth, crop yield, and soil health.The rhizospheric fungi present in rhizospheric zones have a sufficient amount of nutrients released by plant root systems in the form of root exudates for growth, development, and activities of microbes. Endophytic fungi enter in host plants mainly through wounds that naturally occur as a result of plant growth, or develop through root hairs and at epidermal conjunctions. The phyllospheric fungi may survive or proliferate on leaves, depending on the extent of influences of material in leaf diffuseness or exudates. The diverse group of fungal communities is a key component of soil-plant systems, where they are engaged in an intense network of interactions in the rhizospheric, endophytic, and phyllospheric areas, and they have emerged as an important and promising tool for sustainable agriculture. These fungal communities help to promote plant growth directly or indirectly by mechanisms for plant growth-promoting (PGP) attributes. These PGP fungi can be used as biofertilizers, bioinoculants, and biocontrol agents in place of chemical fertilizers and pesticides in an environmentally and eco-friendly manner. This book covers the current knowledge of plant-associated fungi and their potential biotechnological applications in agriculture and allied sectors. This book should be useful to scientists, researchers, and students of microbiology, biotechnology, agriculture, molecular biology, environmental biology, and related subjects.

Plant growth and development is closely dependent on the plant environment, including the wide-spread presence of organic and inorganic xenobiotics and pollutants. Currently, heavy metals are the most common inorganic environmental pollutants and they have pronounced effects and consequences not only for plants, but also for the ecosystem in which the plants form an integral component. It has been suggested that these contaminants accumulate in agricultural crops, thus entering the food chain and posing a significant health risk. Plants growing in polluted sites exhibit altered metabolism, reduced growth, and decreased biomass production. These pollutants adhere to plant roots and exert physical or chemical toxicity and subsequently cell death in plants. Yet, plants have developed various defence mechanisms to counteract the toxicity induced by heavy metals. Only detailed study of the processes and mechanisms would allow researchers and students to understand the interactions, responses, and adaptations of plants to these pollutants; however, there are several unresolved issues and challenges regarding the interaction and biological effects of heavy metals. Therefore, this volume provides relevant, state-of-the-art findings on environmental phytotoxicity and the mechanisms of such interactions at the cellular and molecular levels. This volume consists of chapters on relevant topics contributed by different experts or group of experts so as to make available a comprehensive treatise designed to provide an in-depth analysis of heavy metals phytotoxicity. This book may serve as a reference to scientists, researchers and students in the fields of toxicology, environmental toxicology, phytotoxicology, plant biology, plant physiology, plant biochemistry and plant molecular biology, and especially those interested in heavy metals toxicology.