Tropical Tree Physiology

This book presents the latest information on tropical tree physiology, making it a valuable research tool for a wide variety of researchers. It is also of general interest to ecologists (e.g. Ecological Society of America; > 3000 or 4000 members at annual meeting), physiologists (e.g. American Society of Plant Biologists; > 2,000 members at annual meeting), and tropical biologists (e.g. Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation, ATBC; > 500 members at annual meeting). (American Geophysical Union(AGU), > 20000 members at annual meeting). Since plant physiology is taught at every university that offers a life sciences, forestry or agricultural program, and physiology is a focus at research institutes and agencies worldwide, the book is a must-have for university and research institution libraries.

Taking readers out of the laboratory and into the humid tropical forests, this comprehensive volume explores the most recent advances occurring in tropical plant ecophysiology. Drawing on the knowledge of leading practitioners in the field, this book synthesizes a broad range of information on the ways in which tropical plants adapt to their environment and demonstrate unique physiological processes. This book is arranged into four sections which cover resource acquisition, species interactions, ecophysiological patterns within and among tropical forest communities, and the ecophysiology of forest regeneration. These sections describe plant function in relation to ecology across a wide spectrum of tropical forest species and growth forms. How do different species harvest and utilize resources from heterogeneous tropical environments? How do patterns of functional diversity reflect the overwhelming taxonomic and morphological diversity of tropical forest plants? Such fundamental questions are examined in rich detail. To illuminate the discussions further, every chapter in this book features an agenda for future research, extensive cross referencing, timely references, and the integration of ecophysiology and the demography of tropical species where the data exist. Tropical Forest Plant Ecophysiology provides plant scientists, botanists, researchers, and graduate students with important insights into the behavior of tropical plants. Biologists and foresters interested in tropical ecology and plant physiological ecologists will also benefit from this authoritative and timely resource.

This book is the result of a recommendation from the plenary session of ``TREE-PHYSINDIA-82'', an international symposium held at the Rubber Research Institute of India, Kottayam, that a publication be brought out presenting information on the methodology adopted for various physiological studies in tree crops. Containing reviews on general physiology as well as detailed information on certain selected tree crops, the choice of topics emphasizes many aspects of tree physiology. The contributed articles in Part A provide an insight into different approaches to studying the physiology of tree crops, with an emphasis on methodology. Part B provides case-histories of physiological investigations on selected economically important tropical tree crops. The volume will provide a valuable source of information and stimulus to scientists involved in the work of tree physiology.

Plant physiological research has a fundamental role in advancing our understanding of plants and their interactions with surrounding environments. As occurs with most tropical plant species, the gaps in our knowledge of the ecophysiology of tropical tree crops are incommensurable, though significant advances have occurred in recent years. This book highlights these recent advances, which could provide valuable information to manage crop plants for maximum productivity. Major tropical tree crops, considered here in a broader sense as including species such as banana, cassava, citrus, cocoa, coconut, coffee, mango, oil palm, papaya, rubber, and tea, are examined. For most of these crops, photosynthesis is treated as a central process affecting crop growth and performance. Crop physiological responses to environmental factors such as light and water availability and temperature are highlighted. The flowering control and fruit growth of crops such as citrus, coffee and mango are explored. In addition, several gaps in our database concerning the ecophysiology of tropical tree crops and areas for further research are indicated.

Growth and development. Ecological responses. Special topics and applications.

When this book was first published in 1978, tropical forests were unquestionably the largest scientifically unexplored region of the world, and being rapidly depleted by short-term exploitation. Species were being rendered extinct at a rate that is probably greater than the rate at which they are being discovered. This book is an assessment of scientific knowledge of tropical tree biology - construction, development, physiology, reproductive biology and evolution - set against a background of community ecology and forest structure. Its emphasis is on the study of the individual tree as a living system integrated into the larger forest community. The book publishes the results of the Fourth Cabot Symposium held at the Harvard Forest in 1976 and presents the special knowledge of the participants, each an expert in a special field. Much of the subject matter is presented in the form of reviews, making information easily accessible to an interested nonspecialist audience.

This book assesses the scientific knowledge of tropical tree biology set against a background of community ecology and forest structure.