This volume explores plastid evolution, structure, and function in algae, plants and protists. The methods described in this book help scientists visualize, fractionate, purify, and study primary and secondary plastids in plant and algal materials. The chapters in this book also look at various techniques to analyze plastids through means of combining biology strategies from genetics, genomics, proteomics, and lipidomics. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Cutting-edge and thorough, Plastids: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for students, engineers, and researchers who are interested in this evolving organelle and overall field.

How can cultivated plant biodiversity contribute to the transformation and the "ecologization" of agriculture in Southern countries? Based on extensive field work in the Southern countries, a great deal of scientific progress is presented in all areas affecting agriculture (agronomy, plant breeding and crop protection, cultivation systems, etc.) in order to intensify the ecological processes in cultivated plots and at the scale of rural landscapes.

The current volume, "Medicinal and Aromatic Plants of the Middle-East" brings together chapters on selected, unique medicinal plants of this region, known to man since biblical times. Written by leading researchers and scientists, this volume covers both domesticated crops and wild plants with great potential for cultivation. Some of these plants are well-known medicinally, such as opium poppy and khat, while others such as apharsemon and citron have both ritual and medicinal uses. All have specific and valuable uses in modern society. As such, it is an important contribution to the growing field of medicinal and aromatic plants. This volume is intended to bring the latest research to the attention of the broad range of botanists, ethnopharmacists, biochemists, plant and animal physiologists and others who will benefit from the information gathered therein. Plants know no political boundaries, and bringing specific folklore to general medical awareness can only be for the benefit of all.

This book provides an integrated approach to crop growth and development and the technical aspects of greenhouse cultivation and climate management. It combines an analysis of the relationship between crop production and ambient climate with an explanation of the processes that determine the climate in a protected environment. With the ability to modify the environment comes the need for growers to strike a balance between the costs and benefits of technology. This book outlines the methods and gives several examples of how to make 'optimal' choices about technology. Sustainable management of shoot and root environment is discussed, as well as the pros and cons of vertical farming. The processes addressed in this book, like crop growth, energy balance and mass exchange, apply to any kind of greenhouse. Therefore, in spite of the word 'technology', this is not a book about high-tech greenhouses only. 'Greenhouse horticulture' is an easy-to-read textbook for all those interested in protected cultivation, from university students and teachers to professional advisers in the field and managers of horticultural companies.

Ascorbic acid (AsA), vitamin C, is one of the most abundant water-soluble antioxidant in plants and animals. In plants AsA serves as a major redox buffer and regulates various physiological processes controlling growth, development, and stress tolerance. Recent studies on AsA homeostasis have broadened our understanding of these physiological events. At the mechanistic level, AsA has been shown to participate in numerous metabolic and cell signaling processes, and the dynamic relationship between AsA and reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been well documented. Being a major component of the ascorbate-glutathione (AsA-GSH) cycle, AsA helps to modulate oxidative stress in plants by controlling ROS detoxification alone and in co-operation with glutathione. In contrast to the single pathway responsible for AsA biosynthesis in animals, plants utilize multiple pathways to synthesize AsA, perhaps reflecting the importance of this molecule to plant health. Any fluctuations, increases or decreases, in cellular AsA levels can have profound effects on plant growth and development, as AsA is associated with the regulation of the cell cycle, redox signaling, enzyme function and defense gene expression. Although there has been significant progress made investigating the multiple roles AsA plays in stress tolerance, many aspects of AsA-mediated physiological responses require additional research if AsA metabolism is to be manipulated to enhance stress-tolerance. This book summarizes the roles of AsA that are directly or indirectly involved in the metabolic processes and physiological functions of plants. Key topics include AsA biosynthesis and metabolism, compartmentation and transport, AsA-mediated ROS detoxification, as well as AsA signaling functions in plant growth, development and responses to environmental stresses. The main objective of this volume is therefore to supply comprehensive and up-to-date information for students, scholars and scientists interested in or currently engaged in AsA research.

Estimation of the metabolite complement of plant material involves a wide range of techniques and technologies and that breadth continues to increase. Metabolomics research typically involves multiple sites for material preparation and analysis and most investigations are "high throughput", meaning that chemical analysis of sample sets are inevitably carried out over an extended period of time. In, Plant Metabolomics: Methods and Protocols expert researchers in the field detail many of the stages which are now commonly used to study plant metabolomics workflow. Stages of this workflow, up to and including the statistical analysis, accurate and detailed collection of meta-data are also essential for good process management, to satisfy reporting requirements and to ensure wider interpretability and reuse results.Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology (TM) series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Through and intuitive Plant Metabolomics: Methods and Protocols, seeks to aid scientists in the further study of the methods for all the stages of the plant metabolomics workflow.

This three-book set is devoted to the prominent bays of the Western North America. The first volume describes San Francisco Bay - a shallow estuary surrounded by a large population center. The forces that built it began with plate tectonics and involved the collision of the Pacific and North American plates and the subduction of the Juan de Fuka plate. Gold mining during the California gold rush sent masses of slit into the Bay. The second volume is devoted to San Diego Bay, which is also a shallow estuary surrounded by a large human population center that influenced the Bay. The third volume describes Puget Sound - a different sort of bay - a complex fjord-estuary system, but also surrounded by several large population centers. The watershed is enormous, covering nearly 43,000 square kilometers with thousands of rivers and streams. Geological forces, volcanos, Ice Ages, and changes in sea levels make the Sound a biologically dynamic and fascinating environment, as well as a productive ecosystem. Key Features Summarizes a complex geological, geographical, and ecological history Reviews how the San Diego Bay has changed and will likely change in the future Examines the different roles of various drivers of Bay ecosystem function Includes the role of humans-both first people and modern populations-on the Bay Explores San Diego Bay as an example of general bay ecological and environmental issues

After decades of dominance of genetics and genomics, the importance of structural biology is growing exponentially in the field of plant biology. The main objectives of this new book series is to "demystify" structural biology for plant researchers and to provide important insights into the basic molecular mechanisms underlying plant development through the diverse approaches utilized by structural biologists. The book series starts with a theme dedicated to hormonal signaling that has benefited from the application of structural biology. "Plant Structural Biology: Hormonal Regulations" provides up-to-date knowledge of the structural aspects of hormonal signal recognition, signal transduction, hormonal control of downstream regulatory pathways and hormonal crosstalk. The most distinctive features of this book as well as future titles is/will be to provide overview of cutting-edge research in the field of plant structural biology, and to serve as a compendium of various approaches that could be applied to problems being solved in modern plant biology. Last but not least, we hope this book will facilitate and broaden the community of (not only) plant scientists who are interested in structural biology approaches and tools. For these reasons, the style of this series is concise and general, in order to avoiding unnecessary details. Explanatory boxes describing the basics of specific approaches (e.g. X-ray crystallography, NMR, SAXS, molecular dynamics simulations, etc.) are included.

Edited by Jean-Claude Kader and Michel Delseny and supported by an international Editorial Board, "Advances in Botanical Research" publishes in-depth and up-to-date reviews on a wide range of topics in plant sciences. Currently in its 50th volume, the series features a wide range of reviews by recognized experts on all aspects of plant genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, physiology and ecology. This eclectic volume features six reviews on cutting-edge topics of interest to postgraduates and researchers alike.
* Multidisciplinary reviews written from a broad range of scientific perspectives
* For over 40 years, series has enjoyed a reputation for excellence
* Contributors internationally recognized authorities in their respective fields

Arabidopsis Protocols, Third Edition compiles some of the most recent methodologies developed to exploit the Arabidopsis genome. These methodologies cover from the guided access to public resources, to genetic, cell biology, biochemical and physiological techniques, including both those that are widely used as well as those novel techniques likely to open up new avenues of knowledge in the future. In addition, considering the recent unparalleled progress of the "omics" tools in Arabidopsis, leading experts have contributed sections on genome, transcriptome, proteome, metabolome and other whole-system approaches. Arabidopsis thaliana is acknowledged as the most important plant model system by the scientific community and Arabidopsis research has fundamentally influenced our understanding of the basic biology and ecology of plants. Written in the successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, Arabidopsis Protocols, Third Edition seeks to serve both experienced researchers and beginners with its detailed methodologies on this burgeoning scientific field.

This book provides extensive and comprehensive information to researchers and academicians who are interested in radionuclide contamination, its sources and environmental impact. It is also useful for graduate and undergraduate students specializing in radioactive-waste disposal and its impact on natural as well as manmade environments. A number of sites are affected by large legacies of waste from the mining and processing of radioactive minerals. Over recent decades, several hundred radioactive isotopes (radioisotopes) of natural elements have been produced artificially, including 90Sr, 137Cs and 131I. Several other anthropogenic radioactive elements have also been produced in large quantities, for example technetium, neptunium, plutonium and americium, although plutonium does occur naturally in trace amounts in uranium ores. The deposition of radionuclides on vegetation and soil, as well as the uptake from polluted aquifers (root uptake or irrigation) are the initial point for their transfer into the terrestrial environment and into food chains. There are two principal deposition processes for the removal of pollutants from the atmosphere: dry deposition is the direct transfer through absorption of gases and particles by natural surfaces, such as vegetation, whereas showery or wet deposition is the transport of a substance from the atmosphere to the ground by snow, hail or rain. Once deposited on any vegetation, radionuclides are removed from plants by the airstre am and rain, either through percolation or by cuticular scratch. The increase in biomass during plant growth does not cause a loss of activity, but it does lead to a decrease in activity concentration due to effective dilution. There is also systemic transport (translocation) of radionuclides within the plant subsequent to foliar uptake, leading the transfer of chemical components to other parts of the plant that have not been contaminated directly.

Edited by Jean-Claude Kader and Michel Delseny and supported by an international Editorial Board, "Advances in Botanical Research" publishes in-depth and up-to-date reviews on a wide range of topics in plant sciences.The series features a wide range of reviews by recognized experts on all aspects of plant genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, physiology and ecology. This eclectic volume features reviews on cutting-edge topics of interest to postgraduates and researchers alike.
Publishes in-depth and up-to-date reviews on a wide range of topics in plant sciences.
The series features a wide range of reviews by recognized experts on all aspects of plant genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, physiology and ecology.
Reviews cutting-edge topics of interest to postgraduates and researchers alike."

This volume covers protocols on techniques ranging from MAMP isolations from diverse microorganisms, PRR identifications from different plant species, MAMP-PRR binding, and a series of signaling responses and events revealed by various biochemical, cellular, genetic and bioinformatic tools. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introductions to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and practical, Plant Pattern Recognition Receptors: Methods and Protocols aims to ensure successful results in the further study of this vital field.

This volume summarizes recent advances in our understanding of the mechanisms that produce successful symbiotic partnerships involving microorganisms. It begins with a basic introduction to the nature of and mechanistic benefits derived from symbiotic associations. Taking that background knowledge as the starting point, the next sections include chapters that examine representative examples of coevolutionary associations that have developed between species of microbes, as well as associations between microbes and plants. The authors conclude with a section covering a broad range of associations between microbes and invertebrate animals, in which they discuss the spectrum of hosts, with examples ranging from bryozoans and corals to nematodes, arthropods, and cephalopods. Join the authors on this journey of understanding!

"Advances in Botanical Research" publishes in-depth and up-to-date reviews on a wide range of topics in plant sciences. The series features a wide range of reviews by recognized experts on all aspects of plant genetics, biochemistry, cell biology, molecular biology, physiology and ecology. Thisthematic volume features reviews on cutting-edge topics on BIOSYNTHESIS OF VITAMINS IN PLANTS.

Covers cutting-edge topics on BIOSYNTHESIS OF VITAMINS IN PLANTS Each chapter covers biological functions and requirements, distribution, Biosynthesis and location of the pathway, regulation, turnover and catabolism, Main differences with other autotrophic organisms, and engineering the pathway for nutritional enhancement."

New Zealand, with its long isolation from other lands and latitudes extending from subtropical to sub Antarctic, has a unique flora and highly diverse vegetation. This book is a comprehensive description of that vegetation, ranging from its origins to the major communities within which the plants exist. The text, supported by over 300 photographs, maps and diagrams, has made an outstanding contribution to the understanding of the biology of these islands. This is a reprint of the volume originally published in 1991. Chapters 1 - 4 describe the New Zealand environment, flora and fauna. They discuss the origin, relationships, life forms and reproductive aspects of the indigenous vegetation. Chapter 5 is a synopsis of vegetation types, habitat classes and environmental processes; it also serves to define the terms that are described in the book. Chapter 6 contains an outline of the geographic divisions of the country. Chapters 7 - 9 offer expanded descriptions of plant communities, preceded, where appropriate, by information on their structure and characteristic species and genera. The concluding chapters discuss ecologic functions and processes. Vegetation of New Zealand is an essential book for botanists, ecologists, conservationists and others who love New Zealand's plants, animals and landscapes. There will also be a large audience outside New Zealand. Its natural vegetation is unique; because of this and the longevity of its evolutionary history, it has always attracted considerable global interest. "The breadth of scholarship displayed by Peter Wardle is impressive. The book as a whole is remarkably readable; testimony to that comes from this reviewer who read all 672 pages in one day and was still captivated at the end " Annals of Botany "A simple title and a great achievement. This is a great book and a major achievement by the author. It will be a source book for many years to come." Vegetation "This book is a magnificent successor to Cockayne's original Vegetation in New Zealand." Biological Conservation

Steppes form one of the largest biomes. Drastic changes in steppe ecology, land use and livelihoods came with the emergence, and again with the collapse, of communist states. Excessive ploughing and vast influx of people into the steppe zone led to a strong decline in nomadic pastoralism in the Soviet Union and China and in severely degraded steppe ecosystems. In Mongolia nomadic pastoralism persisted, but steppes degraded because of strongly increased livestock loads. After the Soviet collapse steppes regenerated on huge tracts of fallow land. Presently, new, restorative steppe land management schemes are applied. On top of all these changes come strong effects of climate change in the northern part of the steppe zone. This book gives an up-to-date overview of changes in ecology, climate and use of the entire Eurasian steppe area and their effects on livelihoods of steppe people. It integrates knowledge that so far was available only in a spectrum of locally used languages.

This book highlights the advances in essential oil research, from the plant physiology perspective to large-scale production, including bioanalytical methods and industrial applications. The book is divided into 4 sections. The first one is focused on essential oil composition and why plants produce these compounds that have been used by humans since ancient times. Part 2 presents an update on the use of essential oils in various areas, including food and pharma industries as well as agriculture. In part 3 readers will find new trends in bioanalytical methods. Lastly, part 4 presents a number of approaches to increase essential oil production, such as in vitro and hairy root culture, metabolic engineering and biotechnology. Altogether, this volume offers a comprehensive look at what researchers have been doing over the last years to better understand these compounds and how to explore them for the benefit of the society.