Handbook Of Halophytes

Highlights the potential of biosaline agriculture in a changing environment Covers all important topics related to halophyte biology including biochemistry, genetics and genomics Provides information on potential use of halophytes Each topic is explained in detail and examined from various angles More than 100 contributions by international experts

Salinity is one of the acute problems causing enormous yield loss in many regions of the world. This phenomenon is particularly pronounced in arid and semiarid regions. Halophytes can remove salt from various types of problematic soils due to their unique morphological, physiological and anatomical adaptations to these environments. Halophytes are also used for the treatment of certain diseases but scientific documentation in terms of current phytotherapic applications is deficient in this unique group of plants. Different ethnic groups around the world use medicinal halophytes according to their own beliefs and ancestor’s experiences. However, their knowledge about the use of salt tolerant medicinal plants is usually confined to their own community. There is thus a knowledge gap on halophytes which should be bridged and preserved. This book provides a comprehensive account on the distribution of halophytes, their ethnobotanical and medicinal aspects, economic importance, and chemical constituents along with scientific description. The book therefore serves as a valuable resource for professionals and researchers working in the fields of plant stress biology and ethnobotanical aspects.

Ecology of Halophytes documents the proceedings of a symposium on the ecology of halophytes sponsored by the Physiological Ecology section of the Ecological Society of America, and held as a portion of the American Institute of Biological Sciences meetings in August 1972. The book considers the fundamentals of distribution, anatomy, and physiology of halophytes. It provides an overview of the role of the halophyte in ecosystems in various parts of the world. A section on habitat associations of halophytes considers the relation of the plants to other fauna and flora in natural systems. A final section deals with recent applied research related to halophytes and quantification of the impact of man on the ecology of halophytes. This text will be useful for various disciplines working in saline wetlands ecosystems. It is intended to serve land use planners, federal and state natural resources and transportation interests, and real estate developers in providing a comprehensive summary of the ""state of the art"" in understanding halophytic ecosystems. With a better fundamental knowledge of the system, the above mentioned professionals should be better able to plan activities and uses compatible with the natural halophytic ecosystem and avoid some of the past errors man has made.

Plants face a wide range of environmental challenges, which are expected to become more intense as a result of global climate change. Plant–soil interactions play an important role in the functioning of ecosystems. Soil properties represent a strong selection pressure for plant diversity and influence the structure of plant communities and biodiversity. The complexity of plant–soil interactions has recently been studied by developing a trait-based approach in which responses and effects of plants on soil environment are quantified and modelled. This fundamental research on plant–soil interaction in ecosystems is essential to transpose knowledge of functional ecology to environmental management.Frontiers in Plant-Soil Interaction: Molecular Insights into Plant Adaptation will address topics that provide advances in understanding plant responses to soil conditions through the integration of genetic, molecular, and plant-level studies of diverse biotic and abiotic stresses under field and laboratory conditions. This book will be beneficial to students and researchers working on stress physiology and stress proteins, genomics, proteomics, genetic engineering and other fields of plant-soil interactions. Frontiers in Plant-Soil Interaction will also help scientists explore new horizons in their area of research. Brings together global leaders working in the area of plant–environment interactions and shares their research findings Presents current and future scenarios for the management of stressors Illustrates the central role for plant-soil interactions in applying basic research to address current and future challenges to humans

This book focuses on morphological and anatomical strategies developed by halophytes during evolution that allow them to survive in high-salt environments. These adaptive strategies refer to well integrated structural features, such as succulence, salt secretion (salt glands and vesicular hairs), aerenchyma, Kranz anatomy, bulliform cells, successive cambia, tracheoidioblasts and endodermis with pronounced Casparian strips. The authors present cross sections of the roots, stems and leaves of 62 halophyte species belonging to 18 families from different habitats and climates (temperate, Mediterranean). They also discuss the ecological, physiological and evolutionary aspects of the various adaptive structures in an integrative way. Beginning with the structural level, this book offers novel insights into the ecology of halophytes and opens new perspectives for the identification of salt-tolerant crop plants or halophytes that can be used for ecological purposes, such as bio-remediation and revegetation.

Handbook of Bioremediation: Physiological, Molecular and Biotechnological Interventions discusses the mechanisms of responding to inorganic and organic pollutants in the environment using different approaches of phytoremediation and bioremediation. Part One focuses specifically on inorganic pollutants and the use of techniques such as metallothionein-assisted remediation, phytoextraction and genetic manipulation. Part Two covers organic pollutants and consider topics such as plant enzymes, antioxidant defense systems and the remediation mechanisms of different plant species. This comprehensive volume is a must-read for researchers interested in plant science, agriculture, soil science and environmental science. The techniques covered in this book will ensure scientists have the knowledge to practice effective bioremediation techniques themselves. Provides a comprehensive review of the latest advances in bioremediation of organic and inorganic pollutants Discusses a range of different phytoremediation techniques Evaluates the role of genomics and bioinformatics within bioremediation