Physiological Ecology of North American Desert Plants

Physiological Ecology of North American Desert Plants

Author: Stanley D. Smith

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 287

ISBN-13: 3642592120

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Following a description of the physical and biological characterization of the four North American deserts together with the primary adaptations of plants to environmental stress, the authors go on to present case studies of key species. They provide an up-to-date and comprehensive review of the major patterns of adaptation in desert plants, with one chapter devoted to several important exotic plants that have invaded these deserts. The whole is rounded off with a synthesis of the resource requirements of desert plants and how they may respond to global climate change.


Book Synopsis Physiological Ecology of North American Desert Plants by : Stanley D. Smith

Download or read book Physiological Ecology of North American Desert Plants written by Stanley D. Smith and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 287 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Following a description of the physical and biological characterization of the four North American deserts together with the primary adaptations of plants to environmental stress, the authors go on to present case studies of key species. They provide an up-to-date and comprehensive review of the major patterns of adaptation in desert plants, with one chapter devoted to several important exotic plants that have invaded these deserts. The whole is rounded off with a synthesis of the resource requirements of desert plants and how they may respond to global climate change.

Physiological Ecology of North American Plant Communities

Physiological Ecology of North American Plant Communities

Author: Brain F. Chabot

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 704

ISBN-13: 9400948301

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Although, as W.D. Billings notes in his chapter in this book. the development of physiological ecology can be traced back to the very beginnings of the study of ecology it is clear that the modern development of this field in North America is due in the large part to the efforts of Billings alone. The foundation that Billings laid in the late 1950s came from his own studies on deserts and subsequently arctic and alpine plants, and also from his enormous success in instilling enthusiasm for the field in the numerous students attracted to the plant ecology program at Duke University. Billings' own studies provided the model for subsequent work in this field. Physiological techniques. normally confined to the laboratory. were brought into the field to examine processes under natural environmental conditions. These field studies were accompanied by experiments under controlled conditions where the relative impact of various factors could be assessed and further where genetic as opposed to environmental influences could be separated. This blending of field and laboratory approaches promoted the design of experiments which were of direct relevance to understanding the distribution and abundance of plants in nature. Physiological mechanisms were studied and assessed in the context of the functioning of plants under natural conditions rather than as an end in itself.


Book Synopsis Physiological Ecology of North American Plant Communities by : Brain F. Chabot

Download or read book Physiological Ecology of North American Plant Communities written by Brain F. Chabot and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 704 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although, as W.D. Billings notes in his chapter in this book. the development of physiological ecology can be traced back to the very beginnings of the study of ecology it is clear that the modern development of this field in North America is due in the large part to the efforts of Billings alone. The foundation that Billings laid in the late 1950s came from his own studies on deserts and subsequently arctic and alpine plants, and also from his enormous success in instilling enthusiasm for the field in the numerous students attracted to the plant ecology program at Duke University. Billings' own studies provided the model for subsequent work in this field. Physiological techniques. normally confined to the laboratory. were brought into the field to examine processes under natural environmental conditions. These field studies were accompanied by experiments under controlled conditions where the relative impact of various factors could be assessed and further where genetic as opposed to environmental influences could be separated. This blending of field and laboratory approaches promoted the design of experiments which were of direct relevance to understanding the distribution and abundance of plants in nature. Physiological mechanisms were studied and assessed in the context of the functioning of plants under natural conditions rather than as an end in itself.

Physiological Ecology of North American Plant Communities

Physiological Ecology of North American Plant Communities

Author: Brain F Chabot

Publisher:

Published: 1985-04-04

Total Pages: 368

ISBN-13: 9789400948310

DOWNLOAD EBOOK


Book Synopsis Physiological Ecology of North American Plant Communities by : Brain F Chabot

Download or read book Physiological Ecology of North American Plant Communities written by Brain F Chabot and published by . This book was released on 1985-04-04 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Plant Physiological Ecology

Plant Physiological Ecology

Author: Hans Lambers

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2013-04-17

Total Pages: 565

ISBN-13: 1475728557

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This textbook is remarkable for emphasising that the mechanisms underlying plant physiological ecology can be found at the levels of biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology and whole-plant physiology. The authors begin with the primary processes of carbon metabolism and transport, plant-water relations, and energy balance. After considering individual leaves and whole plants, these physiological processes are then scaled up to the level of the canopy. Subsequent chapters discuss mineral nutrition and the ways in which plants cope with nutrient-deficient or toxic soils. The book then looks at patterns of growth and allocation, life-history traits, and interactions between plants and other organisms. Later chapters deal with traits that affect decomposition of plant material and with plant physiological ecology at the level of ecosystems and global environmental processes.


Book Synopsis Plant Physiological Ecology by : Hans Lambers

Download or read book Plant Physiological Ecology written by Hans Lambers and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-04-17 with total page 565 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This textbook is remarkable for emphasising that the mechanisms underlying plant physiological ecology can be found at the levels of biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology and whole-plant physiology. The authors begin with the primary processes of carbon metabolism and transport, plant-water relations, and energy balance. After considering individual leaves and whole plants, these physiological processes are then scaled up to the level of the canopy. Subsequent chapters discuss mineral nutrition and the ways in which plants cope with nutrient-deficient or toxic soils. The book then looks at patterns of growth and allocation, life-history traits, and interactions between plants and other organisms. Later chapters deal with traits that affect decomposition of plant material and with plant physiological ecology at the level of ecosystems and global environmental processes.

Plant Diversity and Ecology in the Chihuahuan Desert

Plant Diversity and Ecology in the Chihuahuan Desert

Author: Maria C. Mandujano

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2020-07-18

Total Pages: 332

ISBN-13: 3030449637

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Environmental and specific diversity in the Chihuahuan desert in general, and in the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin in particular, has long been recognized as outstanding. This book provides a global ecological overview, together with in-depth studies of specific processes. The Chihuahuan desert is the warmest in North America, and has a complex geologic, climatic and biogeographical history, which affects today’s distribution of vegetation and plants and generates complex phylogeographic patterns. The high number of endemic species reflects this complex set of traits. The modern distribution of environments, including aquatic and subaquatic systems, riparian environments, gypsum dunes and gypsum-rich soils, low levels of phosphorous and organic matter, and high salinity combined with an extreme climate call for a range of adaptations. Plants are distributed in a patchy pattern based on punctual variations, and many of them respond to different resources and conditions with considerable morphological plasticity. In terms of physiological, morphological and ecological variability, cacti were identified as the most important group in specific environments like bajadas, characterized by high diversity values, while gypsophytes and gypsovagues of different phylogenies, including species with restricted distribution and endemics.


Book Synopsis Plant Diversity and Ecology in the Chihuahuan Desert by : Maria C. Mandujano

Download or read book Plant Diversity and Ecology in the Chihuahuan Desert written by Maria C. Mandujano and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-07-18 with total page 332 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Environmental and specific diversity in the Chihuahuan desert in general, and in the Cuatro Ciénegas Basin in particular, has long been recognized as outstanding. This book provides a global ecological overview, together with in-depth studies of specific processes. The Chihuahuan desert is the warmest in North America, and has a complex geologic, climatic and biogeographical history, which affects today’s distribution of vegetation and plants and generates complex phylogeographic patterns. The high number of endemic species reflects this complex set of traits. The modern distribution of environments, including aquatic and subaquatic systems, riparian environments, gypsum dunes and gypsum-rich soils, low levels of phosphorous and organic matter, and high salinity combined with an extreme climate call for a range of adaptations. Plants are distributed in a patchy pattern based on punctual variations, and many of them respond to different resources and conditions with considerable morphological plasticity. In terms of physiological, morphological and ecological variability, cacti were identified as the most important group in specific environments like bajadas, characterized by high diversity values, while gypsophytes and gypsovagues of different phylogenies, including species with restricted distribution and endemics.

Sonoran Desert Plants

Sonoran Desert Plants

Author: Raymond M. Turner

Publisher: University of Arizona Press

Published: 2022-02-08

Total Pages: 523

ISBN-13: 0816547939

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

The Sonoran Desert, a fragile ecosystem, is under ever-increasing pressure from a burgeoning human population. This ecological atlas of the region's plants, a greatly enlarged and full revised version of the original 1972 atlas, will be an invaluable resource for plant ecologists, botanists, geographers, and other scientists, and for all with a serious interest in living with and protecting a unique natural southwestern heritage. An encyclopedia as well as an atlas, this monumental work describes the taxonomy, geographic distribution, and ecology of 339 plants, most of them common and characteristic trees, shrubs, or succulants. Also included is valuable information on natural history and ethnobotanical, commercial, and horticultural uses of these plants. The entry for each species includes a range map, an elevational profile, and a narrative account. The authors also include an extensive bibliography, referring the reader to the latest research and numerous references of historical importance, with a glossary to aid the general reader. Sonoran Desert Plants is a monumental work, unlikely to be superseded in the next generation. As the region continues to attract more people, there will be an increasingly urgent need for basic knowledge of plant species as a guide for creative and sustainable habitation of the area. This book will stand as a landmark resource for many years to come.


Book Synopsis Sonoran Desert Plants by : Raymond M. Turner

Download or read book Sonoran Desert Plants written by Raymond M. Turner and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2022-02-08 with total page 523 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Sonoran Desert, a fragile ecosystem, is under ever-increasing pressure from a burgeoning human population. This ecological atlas of the region's plants, a greatly enlarged and full revised version of the original 1972 atlas, will be an invaluable resource for plant ecologists, botanists, geographers, and other scientists, and for all with a serious interest in living with and protecting a unique natural southwestern heritage. An encyclopedia as well as an atlas, this monumental work describes the taxonomy, geographic distribution, and ecology of 339 plants, most of them common and characteristic trees, shrubs, or succulants. Also included is valuable information on natural history and ethnobotanical, commercial, and horticultural uses of these plants. The entry for each species includes a range map, an elevational profile, and a narrative account. The authors also include an extensive bibliography, referring the reader to the latest research and numerous references of historical importance, with a glossary to aid the general reader. Sonoran Desert Plants is a monumental work, unlikely to be superseded in the next generation. As the region continues to attract more people, there will be an increasingly urgent need for basic knowledge of plant species as a guide for creative and sustainable habitation of the area. This book will stand as a landmark resource for many years to come.

Physiological Ecology of North American Plant Communities

Physiological Ecology of North American Plant Communities

Author: Brian F. Chabot

Publisher: Springer

Published: 1985-04-04

Total Pages: 378

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

Physiological ecology is an exciting, rapidly developing field. This volume ably indicates the immense gaps in our knowledge in part through a compilation of current knowledge about how plants adapt to the environmental conditions of the various North American biomes. Single chapters consider Arctic, alpine, taiga, chaparral, grassland, deciduous forest, tropical and subtropical forest, marine beaches and dunes, and coastal marshes. Two chapters are devoted to Western forests and three to deserts. The short preface is a poor substitute for a thoughtful introduction and a summary is sorely missed. W.D. Billing's chapter on the history of plant ecophysiology is outstanding. The only remotely comparable single-volume work in English is Heinrich Walter's Vegetation of the Earth and Ecological Systems of the Geobiosphere (2nd ed., 1979; 1st ed., CH, Apr '74); the present volume fills in many details excluded in Walter's global treatment. A solid background in ecology and plant physiology is needed to comprehend at least half of each chapter; however, Chabot and Mooney provide an excellent reference work of use to advanced undergraduates, graduates, and faculty. Recommended for libraries in colleges with plant ecology, plant geography, or plant physiology courses.-G.D. Dreyer, Connecticut College--Choice Reviews.


Book Synopsis Physiological Ecology of North American Plant Communities by : Brian F. Chabot

Download or read book Physiological Ecology of North American Plant Communities written by Brian F. Chabot and published by Springer. This book was released on 1985-04-04 with total page 378 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Physiological ecology is an exciting, rapidly developing field. This volume ably indicates the immense gaps in our knowledge in part through a compilation of current knowledge about how plants adapt to the environmental conditions of the various North American biomes. Single chapters consider Arctic, alpine, taiga, chaparral, grassland, deciduous forest, tropical and subtropical forest, marine beaches and dunes, and coastal marshes. Two chapters are devoted to Western forests and three to deserts. The short preface is a poor substitute for a thoughtful introduction and a summary is sorely missed. W.D. Billing's chapter on the history of plant ecophysiology is outstanding. The only remotely comparable single-volume work in English is Heinrich Walter's Vegetation of the Earth and Ecological Systems of the Geobiosphere (2nd ed., 1979; 1st ed., CH, Apr '74); the present volume fills in many details excluded in Walter's global treatment. A solid background in ecology and plant physiology is needed to comprehend at least half of each chapter; however, Chabot and Mooney provide an excellent reference work of use to advanced undergraduates, graduates, and faculty. Recommended for libraries in colleges with plant ecology, plant geography, or plant physiology courses.-G.D. Dreyer, Connecticut College--Choice Reviews.

Ecology of Desert Organisms

Ecology of Desert Organisms

Author: Gideon Louw

Publisher: Longman Publishing Group

Published: 1982

Total Pages: 212

ISBN-13:

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

"In this book the authors consider the ecology of desert organisms. They have illustrated the principles involved with a selection of interesting examples from a wide body of research and from their own experience. In their study they have given equal emphasis to physiological ecology and population ecology. They have looked both at the way organisms avoid the extremes of the desert environment and at adaptations in their morphology, physiology and behaviour which make them better able to tolerate the unfavourable conditions. Reproduction and the dynamics, structure and evolution of desert communities are also discussed in detail, and in the concluding chapter the authors consider the increasingly important role of man in shaping the desert environment. The book provides a broad synthesis of the major principles of ecology, and with its balance between the botanical and zoological aspects of the subject, it will be of value to life scientists in general. Students wishing to broaden their knowledge of ecology as well as the reader interested in desert biology will find here a wealth of fascinating material in a clear and concise form" -- Back cover


Book Synopsis Ecology of Desert Organisms by : Gideon Louw

Download or read book Ecology of Desert Organisms written by Gideon Louw and published by Longman Publishing Group. This book was released on 1982 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "In this book the authors consider the ecology of desert organisms. They have illustrated the principles involved with a selection of interesting examples from a wide body of research and from their own experience. In their study they have given equal emphasis to physiological ecology and population ecology. They have looked both at the way organisms avoid the extremes of the desert environment and at adaptations in their morphology, physiology and behaviour which make them better able to tolerate the unfavourable conditions. Reproduction and the dynamics, structure and evolution of desert communities are also discussed in detail, and in the concluding chapter the authors consider the increasingly important role of man in shaping the desert environment. The book provides a broad synthesis of the major principles of ecology, and with its balance between the botanical and zoological aspects of the subject, it will be of value to life scientists in general. Students wishing to broaden their knowledge of ecology as well as the reader interested in desert biology will find here a wealth of fascinating material in a clear and concise form" -- Back cover

Environmental Physiology of Plants

Environmental Physiology of Plants

Author: Alastair H. Fitter

Publisher: Academic Press

Published: 2012-12-02

Total Pages: 396

ISBN-13: 0080549810

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

This is the third edition of an established and successful university textbook. The original structure and philosophy of the book continue in this new edition, providing a genuine synthesis of modern ecological and physiological thinking, while entirely updating the detailed content. New features include a fresh, unified treatment of toxicity, emphasizing common features of plant response to ionic, gaseous, and other toxins, explicit treatment of issues relating to global change, and a section on the role of fire in plant physiology and communities. The illustrations in the text are improved over previous editions, including color plates for the first time, and the authors' continuing commitment to providing wide citation of the relevant literature has further improved the reference list. This revision of Environmental Physiology of Plants will ensure the reputation of this title as a useful and relevant text well into the 21st century. Includes enhanced illustrations, now with color plates Examines new molecular approaches which can be harnessed to solve problems in physiology Features new topics such as the unified treatment of toxicity, an explicit treatment of the issues relating to global change, and a section on the role of fire


Book Synopsis Environmental Physiology of Plants by : Alastair H. Fitter

Download or read book Environmental Physiology of Plants written by Alastair H. Fitter and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2012-12-02 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is the third edition of an established and successful university textbook. The original structure and philosophy of the book continue in this new edition, providing a genuine synthesis of modern ecological and physiological thinking, while entirely updating the detailed content. New features include a fresh, unified treatment of toxicity, emphasizing common features of plant response to ionic, gaseous, and other toxins, explicit treatment of issues relating to global change, and a section on the role of fire in plant physiology and communities. The illustrations in the text are improved over previous editions, including color plates for the first time, and the authors' continuing commitment to providing wide citation of the relevant literature has further improved the reference list. This revision of Environmental Physiology of Plants will ensure the reputation of this title as a useful and relevant text well into the 21st century. Includes enhanced illustrations, now with color plates Examines new molecular approaches which can be harnessed to solve problems in physiology Features new topics such as the unified treatment of toxicity, an explicit treatment of the issues relating to global change, and a section on the role of fire

Structure-Function Relations of Warm Desert Plants

Structure-Function Relations of Warm Desert Plants

Author: Arthur C. Gibson

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 223

ISBN-13: 3642609791

DOWNLOAD EBOOK

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


Book Synopsis Structure-Function Relations of Warm Desert Plants by : Arthur C. Gibson

Download or read book Structure-Function Relations of Warm Desert Plants written by Arthur C. Gibson and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 223 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For centuries biologists have been extremely interested in the structure of desert plants as examples of natural selection to harsh environmental conditions. Indeed, desert plants are frequently used as examples in many biology classes and textbooks to illustrate natural selection, but this has led to an unfortunate litany of errors and misconceptions about desert plant adaptations. This new synthesis focuses on plants of lowland tropical and subtropical arid deserts. Readers will be surprised to discover that many features commonly ascribed to desert plants are rareley observed in the most common species. Instead, the typical structural adaptations of nonsucculent warm desert plants are now viewed as ways to maximize photosynthetic rate.