Plant Roots: The Hidden Half (Books in Soils, Plants and the Environment) (Books in Soils, Plants, and the Environment)

Book Description

The third edition of a standard resource, this book offers a state-of-the-art, multi-disciplinary presentation of plant roots. It examines structure and development, assemblage of root systems, metabolism and growth, stressful environments, and interactions at the rhizosphere. Reflecting the explosion of advances and emerging technologies in the field, the book presents developments in the study of root origin, composition, formation, and behavior for the production of novel pharmaceutical and medicinal compounds, agrochemicals, dyes, flavors, and pesticides. It details breakthroughs in genetics, molecular biology, growth substance physiology, biotechnology, and biomechanics.

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Extremely detailed treatment
What a fantastic book - everything you always wanted to know
This is a fascinating and well written book ýý a must read.
This is a very well written and informative book
A good start--but much is missing

The Evolutionary Biology of Plants
Karl J. Niklas
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0226580830

Book Description

Although they are among the most abundant of all living things and provide essential oxygen, food, and shelter to the animal kingdom, few books pay any attention to how and why plants evolved the wondrous diversity we see today. In this richly illustrated and clearly written book, Karl J. Niklas provides the first comprehensive synthesis of modern evolutionary biology as it relates to plants.

After presenting key evolutionary principles, Niklas recounts the saga of plant life from its origins to the radiation of the flowering plants. To investigate how living plants might have evolved, Niklas conducts a series of computer-generated "walks" on fitness "landscapes," arriving at hypothetical forms of plant life strikingly similar to those of today and the distant past. He concludes with an extended consideration of molecular biology and paleontology. An excellent overview for undergraduates, this book will also challenge graduate students and researchers.

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Extremely detailed treatment.......2007-03-04

There are many natural questions that arise when considering the evolution of plants: Why did seeds evolve? How did the three separate genomes evolve in plants? How and why did plants evolve from aquatic habitats to terrestrial ones? Why do leafy plants have the leaf arrangements that they do? What is the average time scale needed for the evolution of a new plant species? What are the largest plant species that have yet evolved? How common is horizontal gene transfer in plants? What evolutionary advantages are there in pollination? From the standpoint of molecular biology, why do plants have the particular morphology that they do, as contrasted with other forms that seem plausible with respect to physical laws but do not occur? How extensive is the plant fossil record? Can the evolution of plants, indeed of living organisms in general, be simulated on a computing machine?

These questions, among many others, are addressed in this superbly written book, which despite being targeted towards readers with an advanced knowledge of botany can still be read by anyone curious about the subject matter. Unless the reader is an expert in evolutionary biology (which this reviewer is not), it would be difficult to assess the accuracy of the subject matter as compared to other works. The author does include however many references that can be consulted if readers find it necessary to gain more details on a particular topic. In addition to the quality of the writing, there are numerous diagrams and figures that illustrate the important principles. The inclusion of diagrams in any book on botany is of course a must, given the diversity of plant morphology. For readers with a background in modeling and simulation, the author includes a highly interesting discussion on how to simulate plant evolution by using computer-generated "adaptive walks" on "fitness landscapes". Simulations of course are not a replacement for sound and painstaking experimentation and scientific hypothesis building, but they can serve as a guide to understanding, at least in a general sense, of what is possible in biological evolution. In order to really appreciate the discussion on adaptive walks, the reader will need a fairly strong background in modeling and simulation, even though the discussion is purely descriptive, with no explicit mathematical formalism put down on paper.

The book is dense, being packed full of interesting information, demands the reader frequently back up and take pause so that the information can be assimilated more effectively. But the author's writing style is concise enough to keep the book at a manageable size. The different views on evolution, most of these coming down to the time scales over which changes are occurring, find their place in the book. The Darwinian view, which of course is the predominant one in the scientific community, is referred to as 'phyletic gradualism' in this book, and encapsulates the view that evolution is essentially an adaptive walk over a fitness landscape, driven by natural selection. One other view, called 'punctuated equilibrium', is at first glance a somewhat radical hypothesis, for it allows one to drop the requirement for intermediate phenotypes and view evolutionary change as "hopscotching" (in the author's words) from one fitness peak to another. The view of punctuated equilibrium is no doubt attractive to those who are wondering why the intermediate phenotypes are frequently missing observationally. Whichever of these viewpoints is closer to the truth, the wide variability in plants is quite amazing, over and above the case for other biological lifeforms in the opinion of the author. He refers to this as 'phenotypic plasticity' in the book, and alludes to the high rate of phenotypic innovation in some time periods. The concept of phenotypic plasticity is interesting for it allows a more quantitative measure of the degree to which changes are possible, i.e. a measurement of the impediments to evolutionary changes.

When contemplating the mechanisms of evolution it is easy to fall into the trap of believing that the morphology and functioning of an organism is the result of some sort of optimization process. The marvelous ingenuity of plants in dealing with their environments and their ingenious methods of reproduction sometimes begs for an explanation that is purposeful or goal-directed. There is no reason to believe however that the current morphology and functioning of a plant is the result of adaptation through natural selection. The author's view of adaptations is that they are specific to particular environmental contexts, namely that they are features that allow biological organisms to survive under very specific environmental conditions. In addition, any benefit that an organism obtains from an adaptation must assessed in relative terms. It would not be appropriate therefore to view a particular adaptation for a particular organism in a particular environment as being appropriate to another organism in another environment, even though the environments to both are similar enough that they tempt one to believe that the adaptations can be compared meaningfully. Of course, adaptations can only work by genetic transmission from one generation to the next, and there is no guarantee that they will remain efficacious for all future generations of the organism. An adaptation the author argues, is only a set of features that increases the probability that the organism will survive or reproduce successfully for a specific environment. It is natural to ask at this point whether if given a particular plant one can ascertain whether a certain feature is adaptive or not. The author is aware of this difficulty, since it requires the identification of the selection pressures that underly the functioning of the proposed adaptation. The resolution of this problem requires years of careful experimentation and observation, a course of activity that has characterized and will continue to characterize sound science.

What a fantastic book - everything you always wanted to know.......1999-05-18

A friend of mine told me about this book and said I had to read it. I am not a science student, but I found the book in my school library and read it anyway. It's a great book and I'm sure glad my friend told me about it. Plants are truly interesting, perhaps more so than animals because plants are so different from everything we are taught about in high school biology. Niklas's book is also well written. He speaks directly to the reader, using simple words to describe really complicated biological issues. Everything I always wondered about is found in this book. I've recommended it to my friends. I think everybody ought to know about the 'green world' that surrounds us!

This is a fascinating and well written book ýý a must read........1999-04-13

I am a student of animal biology and this book was assigned by one of my professors as a textbook. I knew nothing about plants until I read this book, and I really dreaded the idea of having to learn about plants. Niklas's book opened my eyes to the wonder and fascination of plant biology as well as the wonders of plant evolution, which are very different from what most of us have been taught about animals. I've read this book from cover to cover, at least twice. And each time I've picked up something new and exciting to think about. All of my friends in the class agree with me - - this is a great book and people should pay attention to it.

This is a very well written and informative book.......1999-04-13

The author has written an up to date and thoughtful book about evolution using plants as examples of all major ideas. This book should be read by any one interested in evolution or plant biology. The text is easy to read, with a minimum of jargon, and the book is well illustrated. I was especially interested in how the author combined information for the study of living plants with the information from the fossil record. This is one of the best books I've read in a long time. I recommend it highly.

A good start--but much is missing.......1998-04-08

The rarity of up-to-date general surveys on this topic makes this a valuable book, but I think a better job could have been done. It starts out in a promising way, with an excellent introduction to the issues and problems of evolution from the perspective of plant biology, and I found this to be the most enlightening section of the book. The writing at that point is clear and purposeful. However, things start ramping down from there. Plant evolution is dealt with in a piecemeal fashion: certain topics, notably the author's own concern with the evolution of morphology, are treated at length; other, equally important, topics, e.g., symbioses, are skipped almost entirely (there is not a single word on the evolution of mycorrhizal or nitrogen-fixation symbiosis, and very little about the various angiosperm-insect symbioses). Interactions with diseases, parasites and herbivores are virtually ignored. This seriously detracts from the book's clear intent to sketch the "big picture" in plant evolution, and the author's increasingly complicated and disconnected prose does not help matters. But for someone thirsting for knowledge on plant evolution, the book provides plenty of things to think about, and the ample bibliography points the way to more.

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Biology of Floral Scent

Manufacturer: CRC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0849322839

Book Description

As with nearly all living creatures, humans have always been attracted and intrigued by floral scents. Yet, while we have been manufacturing perfumes for at least 5000 years to serve a myriad of religious, sexual, and medicinal purposes, until very recently, the limitation of our olfactory faculty has greatly hindered our capacity to clearly and objectively measure scent. Today, thanks to advances in practical methodologies and affordable instrumentation, we are now able to collect, separate, and identify volatile compounds with aromatic impact. These advances are leading to much intensive investigation that has already resulted in many highly insightful and useful discoveries. Biology of Floral Scent provides the first comprehensive treatment of the biology of floral scents. It reviews the impressive research being done across several disciplines, incorporating molecular biology, enzymology, chemistry, entomology, genetic engineering, and functional genomics. Organized into a single volume for the first time, this landmark work covers every major aspect of floral scent research including- · Function and significance in the interactions between plants and pollinators · Composition and enzymology · Evolutionary aspects · Commercial applications, including the use of recently identified scent genes to genetically engineer flowers to produce new scents Meeting the needs of plant scientists, cell and molecular biologists, natural product chemists, pharmacognosists, and entomologists, as well as students in these fields, this work provides the background, findings, and insight that will stimulate new research to further advance an understanding of floral scent biology.

Phytoliths: A Comprehensive Guide for Archaeologists and Paleoecologists

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The most thorough phytolith book
Phytoliths & Starch: A key to the future of archaeology
The Definitive Book on the Subject

Phytoliths: A Comprehensive Guide for Archaeologists and Paleoecologists
Dolores R. Piperno
Manufacturer: AltaMira Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0759103852

Book Description

Introductory guide to the analysis of plant phytoliths in archaeology. Visit our website for sample chapters!

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The most thorough phytolith book.......2007-01-04

This book updates the 1988 volume and introduces new research. The book presents both background research and methodology, which will be useful for the beginner and the experienced researcher. The citation index provides leads to investigate any research angles not reviewed in the volume. Finally, this volume is much more affordable than the 1988 volume.

Phytoliths & Starch: A key to the future of archaeology.......2006-07-04

The body of this book is divided into eight chap¬ters, each covering a new and important topic. For those not familiar with the development or anatomy of plants, chapter 1 will be quite helpful because it thoroughly discusses how phytoliths are formed, where they occur in plants, their chemi¬cal characteristics, how they are dispersed, what factors en¬sure preservation, and which major plant families have phytoliths and which do not. Chapter 2 covers the many differ¬ent morphological types of phytoliths including the character¬istics of ones found in monocots and how those differ from ones found in dicots or gymnosperms. Chapter 3 is one of the more important ones because it provides detailed information about many phytolith types that are found in cultigens, then discusses how those types differ from the phytoliths produced by related taxa, which are wild forms rather than cultigens. This chapter is important because during the past several decades the discovery of key phytolith taxa in ancient archaeo¬logical soils in South and Central America has provided archae¬ologists with the best-confirmed evidence for the beginning of plant domestication in the New World. Before these re¬cent phytolith discoveries, most believed that early pollen and corncob records from archaeological deposits in Central Mexico held the key to finding the origin of farming in the New World. Likewise, the search for the origins of when Poly¬nesians first occupied many of the islands in the Pacific is becoming much better documented as a result of the discover¬ies of cultigen phytoliths and starch grains in early archaeo¬logical sites. Archaeologists have long realized that the Poly¬nesians carried cultigens with them as they explored the Pacific Islands. Unfortunately, earlier searches for fossil pollen or other types of plant evidence from those early island-grown cultigens revealed no usable data owing to the high levels of microbial activity and organic oxidation in the soils. Chapters 4 and 5 are important because they explore tech¬niques for sampling and recovering phytolith records from field locations such as archaeological soils, geologic deposits, lakes, swamps, and bogs, and then discuss how to extract essential phytolith data in the lab. Chapter 4 covers field sam¬pling and the importance of collecting modern control samples from surface soils. It also stresses the importance of under¬standing the complexity of the local vegetation cover and the types of phytoliths they produce. The second of these two chapters covers various methods used in extracting phytoliths from a variety of matrixes, including the calculus on teeth. Chapter 5 also examines techniques for recovering starch granules from fresh sources as well as from a variety of sedi¬ment types. The chapter also suggests ways to collect suffi¬cient numbers of phytoliths (containing trapped carbon particles) needed for precise AMS radiocarbon dates and for use in isotope studies. The chapter ends with tips on staining phytoliths, the best types of mounting media to use, micro¬scope photography, and the proper ways to ensure the long-term preservation of samples. Chapter 6 is another critical chapter because it first focuses on the importance of making proper identifications, and then dis¬cusses how to interpret phytolith data. In the past, some phytolith studies have presented their data in terms of ubiq¬uity. Others have tried different ways to quantify the numbers and types of phytoliths found in samples. Some have tried to find ways to determine phytolith concentration values, similar to the techniques used in pollen analyses. Still others have focused on trace element and isotope variations in phytoliths. Chapter 6 of Piperno's book concludes by examining some of the best ways to report phytolith results statistically in ways that best reflect past vegetational and environmental condi¬tions.
Grasses are prolific producers of phytoliths. Consequently, mainly botanists, soil scientists, agriculturalists, and ecologists used early phytolith studies of prairie soils and Holocene deposits to determine the types and expanses of early grasslands. Slowly other types of phytolith morphological studies emerged to complement those already known for many types of grasses. Chapter 7 is devoted to the importance of phytolith research in the field of archaeology and chronicles a history of its use. As early as 1900, European researchers applied their knowledge of phytoliths to the search for the beginnings of wheat, barley, and millet agriculture and to trace the spread of early farming at archaeological sites in Northern Europe and Turkey. Later, these same techniques were applied to the excavations of early farming settlements discovered in the Middle East. More im¬portantly, detailed studies of ancient and modern maize (Zea mays) phytoliths show that the two groups are distinctive and can be used as key indicators to trace the early domestication and spread of maize farming throughout the New World. Chapter 7 also focuses on the many other cultural clues that can be revealed from phytolith evidence at archaeological sites. Re¬cent discoveries of phytolith scratches on human teeth and on flint artifacts provide clues to the types of plants being har¬vested and the diets eaten. Some ancient stone, bone, and metal cutting tools contain the dried remains of plant materials still stuck to their cutting surfaces. Careful studies of those remains have revealed trapped phytoliths from the plant mate¬rials being cut. Phytoliths recovered from archaeological sites have also played a key role in identifying the source materials used for making adobe bricks, the types of plant material used to temper pottery, the plant sources used for caulking the seams of ancient ships, and the types of fibers used for making prehistoric twine and ropes. Phytoliths found in ancient human coprolites have revealed important information about food sources in early human diets.
The final chapter examines the importance of phytolith research as a tool in the search for paleoenvironmental infor¬mation. Although fossil pollen has played a significant histori¬cal role in reconstructing ancient environments and vegeta¬tional patterns, pollen is destroyed in some types of sediments by oxidation or microbial activity. Fortunately, phytoliths are often preserved in sediments that are hostile to fossil pollen preservation. Thus, in those regions the preserved phytolith chronology has often provided our only glimpse of the paleoenvironmental conditions and vegetational changes. Better still, in some regions the same sediment cores are now being used to search for both fossil pollen and phytoliths. Those types of studies are now providing more detailed infor¬mation about past vegetations. For example, all grass pollen looks the same; grass phytoliths, on the other hand, can be assigned to a number of key groups, each ecologically sensi¬tive. Chapter 8 concludes with a look to the future and specu¬lates about the potential uses of phytolith research in the decades to come. One potential area is revealed by the discov¬ery that phytoliths occur throughout the Tertiary in many types of sediments; in the past, however, geologists have been slow to seize upon the potential of using phytoliths in their analyses. The use of pollen and phytoliths as forensic tools is relatively new, but has great potential for the future. The recent discovery that aluminum ions in phytoliths can be used to distinguish between forested and herbaceous vegetations has great potential for future use as does the study of oxygen and hydrogen isotope signatures in phytoliths. Finally, many phytoliths trap tiny particles of carbon inside of them as they form. Perhaps DNA studies of these trapped carbon particles will help us unravel clues about plant evolution and about the paleoenvironments of the past.
So why should you want to own a copy of this book? The bottom line is that this amazing book is well worth the cost.

The Definitive Book on the Subject.......2006-03-17

Dr. Piperno is a research scientist in the area of prehistoric human adaptations in the lowland tropical regions of the world. Her theoretical orientation is heavily wedded to evolutionary and ecological approaches to reconstruction of human behavior, particularly behavioral ecology. She uses plant microfossils, including starch grains, phytoliths, and pollen to investigate research problems.

In 1988 her book phytoliths was the first to provide evidence that phytoliths were reliable fossil indicators of past plant life and climate in a wide variety of ancient contexts. Perhaps as a result of her book, more attention has been paid to phytoliths in the subsequent years and numerous publications have appeared.

This book, not exactly a second edition, covers the state of the art in phytoliths as it is known today. It's orientation is to serve as a guide for archaeologists and paleoecologists. As such it includes not only laboratory techniques to identify and extract information from samples but field techniques to obtain the proper samples, and the role of phytoliths in research.

This is the definitive book on the subject.

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Principles of Plant Nutrition
K. Mengel , and Ernest A. Kirkby
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1402000081

Book Description

This is the 5th edition of a well-established book Principles of Plant Nutrition which was first published in 1978. The same format is maintained as in previous editions with the primary aim of the authors to consider major processes in soils and plants that are of relevance to plant nutrition.This new edition gives an up-to-date account of the scientific advances of the subject by making reference to about 2000 publications. An outstanding feature of the book, which distinguishes it from others, is its wide approach encompassing not only basic nutrition and physiology, but also practical aspects of plant nutrition involving fertilizer usage and crop production of direct importance to human nutrition. Recognizing the international readership of the book, the authors, as in previous editions, have attempted to write in a clear concise style of English for the benefit of the many readers for whom English is not their mother tongue. The book will be of use to undergraduates and postgraduates in Agriculture, Horticulture, Forestry and Ecology as well as those researching in Plant Nutrition.

Genetic Resources of PHASEOLUS Beans: Their Maintenance, Domestication, Evolution and Utilization (Current Plant Science and Biotechnology in Agriculture)

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Genetic Resources of PHASEOLUS Beans: Their Maintenance, Domestication, Evolution and Utilization (Current Plant Science and Biotechnology in Agriculture)

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 9024736854
Release Date: 2007-03-30

Biomineralization in Lower Plants and Animals (Systematics Association Special Volume)

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Biomineralization in Lower Plants and Animals (Systematics Association Special Volume)

Manufacturer: Oxford University Press, USA
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

The Monera and Protista Kingdoms contain species that form many different mineral types by varying processes at different cellular locations. This book identifies the underlying trends and processes common to each group. It discusses the controls, products, and functional significance of
biomineralization for such simple organisms as algae, protozoans, bacteria, and lichens--information useful to botanists, zoologists, paleontologists, and research chemists.

Floral Biology - Studies on Floral Evolution in Animal-pollinated Plants

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Floral Biology - Studies on Floral Evolution in Animal-pollinated Plants
David G. Lloyd , and Spencer C.H. Barrett
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0412043416

Book Description

This volume highlights the new synthesis of pollination biology and plant mating systems which is rejuvenating the two-hundred-year-old discipline of floral biology. It provides a current examination of the evolution and functional significance of floral traits in animal-pollinated plants, combining ecological and genetic studies with natural history approaches and theoretical modeling. Divided into three sections, the book begins with the first English translation of Christian Konrad. Sprengel's introduction to his classic work and a historical analysis of his observations. The second section addresses current conceptual problems in floral biology, concentrating on floral diversification, floral longevity, pollen dispersal and mating patterns, the ecology of geitonogamous pollination, and flower size dimorphism in plants with unisexual flowers. The final chapters of the book examine model systems and include the evolution of floral morphology and function, deceit pollination, reproductive success and gender variation, stylar polymorphisms, and the evolution of flowers in relation to insect pollinators on islands. With its a detailed treatment of the selective forces shaping floral diversification in animal-pollinated plants, Floral Biology provides ecologists, evolutionary biologists, and botanists with a wealth of current information. Everyone interested in the evolution of flowering plants will benefit from this timely, authoritative resource on the interactions between insects and plants.

Vascular Transport in Plants (Physiological Ecology)

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Vascular Transport in Plants (Physiological Ecology)

Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Plant Physiology

ASIN: 0120884577
Release Date: 2005-08-01

Book Description

Vascular Transport in Plants provides an up-to-date synthesis of new research on the biology of long distance transport processes in plants. It will be a valuable resource and reference for researchers and graduate level students in physiology, molecular biology, physiology, ecology, ecological physiology, development, and all applied disciplines related to agriculture, horticulture, forestry and biotechnology. The book considers long-distance transport from the perspective of molecular level processes to whole plant function, allowing readers to integrate information relating to vascular transport across multiple scales. The book is unique in presenting xylem and phloem transport processes in plants together in a comparative style that emphasizes the important interactions between these two parallel transport systems.

* Includes 105 exceptional figures
* Discusses xylem and phloem transport in a single volume, highlighting their interactions
* Syntheses of structure, function and biology of vascular transport by leading authorities
* Poses unsolved questions and stimulates future research
* Provides a new conceptual framework for vascular function in plants

Plant Allometry: The Scaling of Form and Process

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Plant Allometry: The Scaling of Form and Process
Karl J. Niklas
Manufacturer: University Of Chicago Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Plant Biomechanics: An Engineering Approach to Plant Form and Function

ASIN: 0226580814

Book Description

Allometry, the study of the growth rate of an organism's parts in relation to the whole, has produced exciting results in research on animals. Now distinguished plant biologist Karl J. Niklas has written the first book to apply allometry to studies of the evolution, morphology, physiology, and reproduction of plants.

Niklas covers a broad spectrum of plant life, from unicellular algae to towering trees, including fossil as well as extant taxa. He examines the relation between organic size and variations in plant form, metabolism, reproduction, and evolution, and draws on the zoological literature to develop allometric techniques for the peculiar problems of plant height, the relation between body mass and body length, and size-correlated variations in rates of growth. For readers unfamiliar with the basics of allometry, an appendix explains basic statistical methods.

For botanists interested in an original, quantitative approach to plant evolution and function, and for zoologists who want to learn more about the value of allometric techniques for studying evolution, Plant Allometry makes a major contribution to the study of plant life.

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