Plant Ecology

This textbook covers Plant Ecology from the molecular to the global level. It covers the following areas in unprecedented breadth and depth: - Molecular ecophysiology (stress physiology: light, temperature, oxygen deficiency, drought, salt, heavy metals, xenobiotica and biotic stress factors) - Autecology (whole plant ecology: thermal balance, water, nutrient, carbon relations) - Ecosystem ecology (plants as part of ecosystems, element cycles, biodiversity) - Synecology (development of vegetation in time and space, interactions between vegetation and the abiotic and biotic environment) - Global aspects of plant ecology (global change, global biogeochemical cycles, land use, international conventions, socio-economic interactions) The book is carefully structured and well written: complex issues are elegantly presented and easily understandable. It contains more than 500 photographs and drawings, mostly in colour, illustrating the fascinating subject. The book is primarily aimed at graduate students of biology but will also be of interest to post-graduate students and researchers in botany, geosciences and landscape ecology. Further, it provides a sound basis for those dealing with agriculture, forestry, land use, and landscape management.

This book presents a global and interdisciplinary approach to plant ecology, guiding students through essential concepts with real-world examples.

"Offers the latest findings and research breakthroughs in plant ecology, as well as consideration of classic topics in environmental science and ecology. This wide-ranging compendium serves as an extremely accessible and useful resource for relative newcomers to the field as well as seasoned experts. Investigates plant structure and behavior across the ecological spectrum, from the leaf to the ecosystem levels."

For B.Sc. II, B.Sc. III, M.Sc. and Competitive Examinations . A brief note on Biosphere II, a self sustaining man-made Ecosystem is added to the chapter on Ecosystem.

Additional resources for this book can be found at: www.wiley.com/go/vandermaarelfranklin/vegetationecology. Vegetation Ecology, 2nd Edition is a comprehensive, integrated account of plant communities and their environments. Written by leading experts in their field from four continents, the second edition of this book: covers the composition, structure, ecology, dynamics, diversity, biotic interactions and distribution of plant communities, with an emphasis on functional adaptations; reviews modern developments in vegetation ecology in a historical perspective; presents a coherent view on vegetation ecology while integrating population ecology, dispersal biology, soil biology, ecosystem ecology and global change studies; tackles applied aspects of vegetation ecology, including management of communities and invasive species; includes new chapters addressing the classification and mapping of vegetation, and the significance of plant functional types Vegetation Ecology, 2nd Edition is aimed at advanced undergraduates, graduates and researchers and teachers in plant ecology, geography, forestry and nature conservation. Vegetation Ecology takes an integrated, multidisciplinary approach and will be welcomed as an essential reference for plant ecologists the world over.

Invasion of non-native plant species, which has a significant impact on the earth's ecosystems, has greatly increased in recent years due to expanding trade and transport among different countries. Understanding the ecological principles underlying the invasive process as well as the characteristics of the invasive plants is crucial for making good

Harsh environments found around the world harbour unique organisms adapted to extreme ranges in climatic, edaphic, and other environmental variables. Whether they occur in extreme climates such as alpine summits or inland deserts, in habitats frequently disturbed by fire or floods, or on edaphic islands created by unique geologies or anthropogenic contamination, the adaptations demonstrated by organisms found in such environments shed light on basic and applied aspects of ecology and evolution. This volume brings together current research on plants, fungi and microbes from harsh environments to reveal underlying patterns and common themes of these especially challenging habitats. Topics include the role of bedrock geochemistry and soil evolutionary processes in generating extreme habitats; the biology, ecology, and evolution of non-vascular and vascular plants, lichens, herbivores and pathogens, mycorrhizal fungi, and other beneficial microbes found in extreme environments. Habitats discussed in the book include alpine and arctic settings, fire-prone Mediterranean climates, serpentine outcrops, gypsum soils, metal-rich mine tailings, and saline soils. In addition to summarizing current research, we highlight new tools and emerging techniques in high-throughput phenotyping, genomics, and phylogenetics that are being used to develop our understanding of evolution in harsh environments. We also emphasise results gained from classical ecological approaches which have allowed us to examine adaptation to and evolution in harsh environments. In addition to discussing basic research, we cover applied work focusing on the threats posed by climate change and other anthropogenic impacts as well as efforts to restore and protect extreme habitats and the unique organisms they harbour. Finally, we discuss the uses of plant species found in extreme environments for agriculture and biotechnology, including the relatively new fields of phytoremediation and phytomining. The work highlighted in this volume demonstrates what these species and their environments have taught us about ecological and evolutionary theory, conservation, and restoration: knowledge that can be applied well beyond the habitats and species described in this book.

Methods in Comparative Plant Ecology: A laboratory manual is a sister book to the widely acclaimed Comparative Plant Ecology by Grime, Hodgson and Hunt. It contains details on some 90 critical concise diagnostic techniques by over 40 expert contributors. In one volume it provides an authoritative bench-top guide to diagnostic techniques in experimental plant ecology.