This two-volume book, Biomolecules and Pharmacology of Medicinal Plants, will be a valuable desk reference book on bioactives and pharmacology of medicinal plants. Listing the medicinal plants by species, each of these 77 chapters detail the plants' bioactive phytocompounds and their chemical structures along with their pharmacological activities and properties. These include the plants' antiviral, antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, anticancer, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, hepatoprotective, cardioprotective, and nephroprotective properties. Bioactive compounds typically occur in small amounts, and they have more subtle effects than nutrients. Bioactive compounds influence cellular activities that modify the risk of disease and cure and alleviate disease symptoms. These compounds can act as antioxidants, enzyme inhibitors and inducers, inhibitors of receptor activities, and inducers and inhibitors of gene expression among other actions. A wide array of biological activities and potential health benefits of medicinal plants have been reported, which include antiviral, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic properties as well as protective effects on the liver, kidney, heart, and nervous system. The volumes will be a must-have reference for pharmacy institutes and pharmacy professors, phytochemists and research scholars, botanists working with medicinal plants, and postgraduate students of pharmacy and medicine round the world. The comprehensive information presented here provides an invaluable source to aid in the development of new drugs.

In hierdie verbeterde, uitgebreide en aangepaste uitgawe van Algemende Plantkunde is die benadering steeds om basiese plantkunde, die vakwetenskap wat oor plante handel, aan studente bekend te stel. Die boek bied aan studente op voorgraadse vlak 'n waardevolle biologies-wetenskaplike basis. Die skrywers, onder leiding van HP van der Schijff, is gemoeid met die bekende, byna klassieke, maar tog moderne vorm van plantkunde om sodoende die hedendaagse student en navorser tot diens te wees, en aan hom/haar 'n onderbou te gee in die werklikheid van vorm, bou , funksie en voortplanting van die plante waarmee hy/sy werk.

Medicinal Plants of East Africa is a fully illustrated guide to 136 East African plants with important medicinal applications. Initially released in 2010, this fully revised edition updates the species descriptions, photographs and range of medicinal uses, and expands on the pharmacological properties of the plant parts.

Supported by more than 600 photographs, the book:

• describes the characters and ecology of each plant to aid identification
• lists indigenous names of species in 92 languages spoken in the region
• details the medicinal uses of the different plant parts by drawing on traditional knowledge
• includes recipes for the preparation and administration of remedies used to treat common ailments and afflictions
• discusses the active chemical compounds found in each plant to explain and unpack the healing properties at work

Covering Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda, this volume is a vital addition to the bookshelves of botanists, health and wellness practitioners, students, travelers, and all who have an interest in the healing properties of plants.

The Science of Compost: Life Death and Decay in the Garden takes you on a journey into the underworld of composting. Doberski explains the science of what goes on but also promotes interest in the living organisms who provide the 'hard graft' of transforming waste organic matter. It can be hard to envisage the hundreds, thousands or millions of different organisms involved but The Science of Compost reveals the secrets of this hidden world. Gardeners are familiar with the magic of compost and it is easy to see what goes in - organic waste - and what comes out - wonderful, friable and fertile compost - but what magic causes that to happen? Doberski explains what kind of 'mysterious' and complex chemical, physical and biological processes contribute to make composting effective. He covers the structural nature of decaying and dead plant material, the micro-organisms and invertebrates contributing to decomposition, and the combination of chemical, physical and biological factors which determine rates of decay. Although not a practical manual of composting, by explaining the science of what goes on in composting Doberski provides pointers to gardeners for getting composting right.

Wherever there is greenery, photosynthesis is working to make oxygen, release energy, and create living matter from the raw material of sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide. Without photosynthesis, there would be an empty world, an empty sky, and a sun that does nothing more than warm the rocks and reflect off the sea.

Eating the Sun is the story of a world in crisis; an appreciation of the importance of plants; a history of the earth and the feuds and fantasies of warring scientists; a celebration of how the smallest things, enzymes and pigments, influence the largest things, the oceans, the rainforests, and the fossil fuel economy. Oliver Morton offers a fascinating, lively, profound look at nature's greatest miracle and sounds a much-needed call to arms--illuminating a potential crisis of climatic chaos and explaining how we can change our situation, for better or for worse.

In recent years, the algal biorefinery is seen as a promising alternative to fossil derived products that reduce the environmental pollution, product costs and support circular bioeconomy. However, the upstream algal cultivation and downstream processing are the energy intensive processes and are considered as bottlenecks in promoting algal biorefinery. Improving the biomass productivity and bioproduct developments are still underway, while a number of novel bioprocess and bio-reactor engineering technologies were developed recently. Therefore, this book provides extensive knowledge of microalgae refineries. This book is divided into two volumes (Vol. I & Vol. II), which presents complete coverage of microalgae refineries. Therefore, Vol. I offers complete coverage of the algal bioproducts process, including biotechnological applications and environmental effects of microalgae cultivation. While Vol. II, provides various industrial applications and future prospects of algal biorefinery for sustainable development of circular bioeconomy. With contributions from world experts, focuses on microalgae from an organism perspective to deliver a complete picture from evolution to bioproducts. The edited book provides a concise introduction to the science, biology, technology, and application of algae. It covers downstream and upstream steps of the algal refinery for the production of algal biomass, which has several social benefits.

This is the first handbook that covers all aspects of bio-inoculants used in degraded lands to improve soil fertility and crop productivity as well as for the remediation of polluted lands. It discusses all novel sustainable approaches for the reclamation of problematic soils. Taking a multidisciplinary approach, this book explores the recent uses of plant microbe interactions in ecological and agricultural revitalization beyond normal agriculture practices and offers practical and applied solutions for the restoration of degraded lands for food, fodder, fuel and fiber security. Provides a single comprehensive platform for soil scientist, agriculture specialists, ecologists, and others.

In these short illustrated guides, Dr Mark Everard, avid nature-watcher, angler and scientist, takes a dedicated look at three British freshwater fishes, the Silver Bream, Gudgeon and Ruffe. Though an integral part of aquatic ecosystems and well-known to anglers, these fish are often overlooked by the wider public as well as scientists. Each book is in three sections, first exploring the biology of the fish itself, including science written in accessible style, second discussing angling history and tips, and thirdly exploring the fish's cultural connections, including etymology of the fish. A bibliography at the end of each guide directs the reader to additional resources.

Botanists and seed collectors Rod and Rachel Saunders set out on what seemed to some to be an impossible mission – to find and photograph, in full bloom, all gladioli species found in South Africa and to collect and share their observations in a field guide. They had found all but one species before their untimely deaths at the hands of kidnappers in a forest in KwaZulu-Natal.

In the wake of this tragic event, friends and colleagues collaborated to keep the Saunders’ dream alive. This book is the result their collective efforts.

Gladioli are showy bulbous plants that fall within the Iris family, and the bulk of species are endemic to South Africa. Comprehensive and lavishly illustrated with more than 1,300 photographs, this guide covers the 166 Gladiolus species known to occur in the region.

The book is divided into seven taxonomic sections, according to the species’ distinguishing features. Each species is presented on a double-page spread, with a full plate of color photographs, including close-ups of diagnostic features, different color forms and habitats. Botanical descriptions cover identification (corm, cataphyll, spike, bracts, anthers, pollen, capsules, seeds, and scent), distribution, pollination, conservation status, and notes on ecology and the authors’ personal observations in the field. Distribution maps and flowering periods are given for each species, and tables highlight differences between similar-looking gladioli.

There are almost 300 recognized species, widely distributed across Africa, Europe and the Middle East, with more than half of the species found in southern Africa, making this book useful to botanists world-wide, as well as to horticulturist, propagators, students, gardeners and anyone with an interest in natural history.

The Oxford University Studies in the Enlightenment series, previously known as SVEC (Studies on Voltaire and the Eighteenth Century), has published over 500 peer-reviewed scholarly volumes since 1955 as part of the Voltaire Foundation at the University of Oxford. International in focus, Oxford University Studies in the Enlightenment volumes cover wide-ranging aspects of the eighteenth century and the Enlightenment, from gender studies to political theory, and from economics to visual arts and music, and are published in English or French.

Ranunculus offers advice on how to care for and propagate these colourful cultivated members of the buttercup family. Naomi Slade explores a wide range of ranunculus species and cultivars, all beautifully photographed by Georgianna Lane in their technicolour glory from palest pink to deep burgundy via white, orange, red and yellow. Pert as a rosebud and blousy as a dahlia, Ranunculus asiaticus is the flower of the moment. From ancestors that grew wild in the eastern Mediterranean, these Persian buttercups have been bred and selected to create fully double blooms; with layers of delicate, tissue-paper petals sculpted to perfection and available in a range of colours to suit any occasion. The buttercup family is a huge and diverse one, however, and the genus Ranunculus contains not just these exotic florists' darlings, but a whole range of their close relatives too. Some are familiar: when fields and lawns are sprinkled with golden meadow buttercups, we can be sure that spring has arrived. Yet there are also rare mountain blooms, perched on crags and fed by the melting snow, and forms of Ranunculus that thrive in pond margins or flourish in fast-flowing streams. Naomi Slade explores the world of buttercups, from their wild origins to their most successfully cultivated and most popular forms. Some are easy to grow, some less so, and this book offers tips and advice to help the reader embrace not just those near-wild forms that lend themselves to naturalistic planting schemes, and the exquisite, collectible alpines, but also the brilliant, desirable, Persian buttercups that are so perfect for cutting and arranging.

About seventy-one per cent of the Earth's surface is water, and even on dry land we remain closely connected to aquatic life. It provides us with oxygen, food, medicine and materials. Wild waterlife infiltrates our lives in many surprising ways. Every other breath we take is filled with oxygen provided by ocean-dwelling microscopic plants. A type of seaweed provides a means to directly test whether people are infected with viruses, including Covid-19. Robotics design takes inspiration from a pike's ability to accelerate with greater g-force than a Porsche. Wild Waters by Susanne Masters is a celebration of the breadth of wildlife that can be found in and around our varied waterways, from oceans and rivers to rock pools and ponds. Armchair explorers can read a fascinating account of how aquatic plants and animals enrich human life. Swimmers, paddleboarders, dog walkers, families and anyone with a passion for the great outdoors can learn about local wildlife, including when and where to look for different species without causing any harm. With stunning illustrations by Alice Goodridge, Wild Waters provides a tantalising insight into the world beneath the surface.

This 4-volume set focuses on the use of microbial bioremediation and phytoremediation to clean up pollutants in soil, such as pesticides, petroleum hydrocarbons, metals, and chlorinated solvents, which reduce the soil's fertility and renders it unfit for plant growth. The volumes cover the many diverse eco-friendly microbial bioremediation and phytoremediation techniques for sustainable soil management. Bioremediation and Phytoremediation Technologies in Sustainable Soil Management: Volume 1: Fundamental Aspects and Contaminated Sites begins with an overview of phytoremediation and phytotechnologies and the role of environmental factors. It goes on to introduce soil assessment techniques and offers methods of remediation designed to combat soil and agricultural degradation. Attention is given to specific types of sites and soil pollution, such as soils contaminated by heavy metals; microbial and phytoremediation-based removal of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from coal, crude oil, and gasoline; microbial bioremediation and amelioration of pesticide-contaminated soils; phytoremediation techniques for biomedical waste contaminated sites; as well as biomediation processes for human waste sites. Biopesticides are also explained in the book as an alternative to conventional pesticides as well as the possibilities for the improvement of modern bio-pesticides. Volume 2: Microbial Approaches and Recent Trends focuses on new and emerging techniques and approaches to address soil pollution. These include the use of rhizobacteria, archae, cyanobacteria, and microalgae as biofertilizers and for soil bioremediation efforts. New technologies for assessment of soil bioremediation are explored also. The chapters provides in-depth coverage of the mechanisms, advantages, and disadvantages of the technologies used and highlights the use of different microbial enzymes that are used in the process of bioremediation and phytoremediation to clean up different pollutants without causing damage to the natural environment. Volume 3: Inventive Techniques, Research Methods, and Case Studies is organized in three themes: plants in green remediation, tools and techniques in bioremediation and phytoremediation, and special sites and their remediation techniques. Innovative new techniques that advance the use of molecular biological approaches, nanotechnology, immobilization, vermicomposting and genetic modification developments are investigated to take advantage of these possibilities. Volume 4: Degradation of Pesticides and Polychlorinated Biphenyls addresses pesticide degradation, PCBs degradation, and genetic interventions. It begins by describing environment pesticide degradation, mechanisms and sustainability, microbes and microbial enzymes, plant microbe interactions, organophosphorus degradations and endosulfan degradation. It then goes on to discuss PCBs and degradation, cypermethrin, degradation by Phanerochaete chrysosporium, carvone and surfactants for degradation of PCBs. The book also advocates for genetic systems for degradation of PCBs and pesticides, with discussion of the different advantages and disadvantages for each strategy and the various techniques. Together, these four volumes provide in-depth coverage of the mechanisms, advantages, and disadvantages of the bioremediation and phytoremediation technologies for safe and sustainable soil management. The diverse topics help to arm biologists, agricultural engineers, environmental and soil scientists and chemists with the information and tools they need to address soil toxins that are a dangerous risk to plants, wildlife, humans and, of course, the soil itself.

This six volume book set examines a range of topics and applications related to biotechnology. Volumes include fermentation and algal biotechnologies; agricultural biotechnology; medical biotechnology, biopharmaceutics; biosafety, bioethics, biotechnology policy; microbiomes; bioenergy and environmental biotechnology for sustainable development. The topics address significant aspects of the dairy and fermented foods; crop genetics, breeding and genomics; microalgae and novel products; molecular diagnostics and DNA forensics; biosafety, bioethics and legal issues in biotechnology; biotechnology policy advocacy, enlightenment and engagement with stakeholders; medical and pharmaceutical biotechnology; omics and bioinformatics; waste recycling, biofuels and environmental remediation; animal genetics, breeding and genomics; genetic resources conservation and utilization; medicinal and underutilized plants; medical insect biotechnology, genomics and molecular genetics of pests; microbiomes and microbial biotechnology; biotechnology education and curriculum development; and water and waste water research. Volumes include: I: Fermentation and Algal Biotechnologies for the Food, Beverage and other Bioproduct Industries II: Agricultural Biotechnology, Biodiversity and Bio-resources Conservation and Utilization III: Medical Biotechnology, Biopharmaceutics, Forensic Science and Bioinformatics IV: Biosafety and Bioethics in Biotechnology: Policy, Advocacy, and Capacity Building V: Microbiomes and Emerging Applications VI: Bioenergy and Environmental Biotechnology for Sustainable Development The book is a timely knowledge product that documents key issues on advances in biotechnology for use by a variety of readers including postgraduate students, professionals in the field, policy makers, science advocacy groups.

Written by leading global experts, including pioneers in the field, the four-volume set on Hyperspectral Remote Sensing of Vegetation, Second Edition, reviews existing state-of-the-art knowledge, highlights advances made in different areas, and provides guidance for the appropriate use of hyperspectral data in the study and management of agricultural crops and natural vegetation. Volume I, Fundamentals, Sensor Systems, Spectral Libraries, and Data Mining for Vegetation introduces the fundamentals of hyperspectral or imaging spectroscopy data, including hyperspectral data processes, sensor systems, spectral libraries, and data mining and analysis, covering both the strengths and limitations of these topics. Volume II, Hyperspectral Indices and Image Classifications for Agriculture and Vegetation evaluates the performance of hyperspectral narrowband or imaging spectroscopy data with specific emphasis on the uses and applications of hyperspectral narrowband vegetation indices in characterizing, modeling, mapping, and monitoring agricultural crops and vegetation. Volume III, Biophysical and Biochemical Characterization and Plant Species Studies demonstrates the methods that are developed and used to study terrestrial vegetation using hyperspectral data. This volume includes extensive discussions on hyperspectral data processing and how to implement data processing mechanisms for specific biophysical and biochemical applications such as crop yield modeling, crop biophysical and biochemical property characterization, and crop moisture assessments. Volume IV, Advanced Applications in Remote Sensing of Agricultural Crops and Natural Vegetation discusses the use of hyperspectral or imaging spectroscopy data in numerous specific and advanced applications, such as forest management, precision farming, managing invasive species, and local to global land cover change detection.

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

This series of natural history field guides has been developed in the hope that young people and anyone with a budding interest in natural history will take up the challenge to learn the secrets of southern Africa's fascinating fauna and flora. These little guides are an invaluable resource for the beginner, providing information at a glance through superb photographs, maps, and easy-to-read text.

Sasol First Field Guide to Wild Flowers of Southern Africa provides fascinating insight into the wild flowers of the region.

With the help of full-colour photo graphs and easy-to-read text, the beginner and budding naturalist will be able to identify the more common wild flowers that grow in southern Africa, discover where they are found, and learn about their unique features.

This is a comprehensive handbook focused on geospatial applications used to study, assess, and monitor the Himalayan mountains. As a region of high relevance and very vulnerable regarding geohazards, it is crucial to detect landscape changes and understand the drivers behind the changes. With advanced remote sensing and GIS tools, in-depth analyses, and interdisciplinary approaches, the Handbook of Himalayan Ecosystems and Sustainability, Two Volume Set studies forest and agriculture ecosystems, urban sprawl and air pollution, geo and other hazards, and provides a breadth of data to support decision making and to aids in the preservation of the landscapes in a sustainable way. Features: Uses geospatial technology for studying fragile Himalayan ecosystems and their sustainability Includes 21 case studies from Indian Himalayan, Nepal, and Afghanistan regions Provides satellite data and geospatial modelling tools for assessing and monitoring all Himalayan landscapes Addresses cryospheric studies and related ongoing geohazards and potential climate change impacts Discusses ecology of the Himalayan rivers, biodiversity, and floristic shifting of endemic species, and landscape restoration

In these short illustrated guides, Dr Mark Everard, avid nature-watcher, angler and scientist, takes a dedicated look at three British freshwater fishes, the Silver Bream, Gudgeon and Ruffe. Though an integral part of aquatic ecosystems and well-known to anglers, these fish are often overlooked by the wider public as well as scientists. Each book is in three sections, first exploring the biology of the fish itself, including science written in accessible style, second discussing angling history and tips, and thirdly exploring the fish's cultural connections, including etymology of the fish. A bibliography at the end of each guide directs the reader to additional resources.

The Sunday Times Bestseller A new, fully updated narrative edition of David Attenborough's seminal biography of our world, The Living Planet. Nowhere on our planet is devoid of life. Plants and animals thrive or survive within every extreme of climate and habitat that it offers. Single species, and often whole communities adapt to make the most of ice cap and tundra, forest and plain, desert, ocean and volcano. These adaptations can be truly extraordinary: fish that walk or lay eggs on leaves in mid-air; snakes that fly; flightless birds that graze like deer; and bears that grow hair on the soles of their feet. In The Living Planet, David Attenborough's searching eye, unfailing curiosity and infectious enthusiasm explain and illuminate the intricate lives of the these colonies, from the lonely heights of the Himalayas to the wild creatures that have established themselves in the most recent of environments, the city. By the end of this book it is difficult to say which is the more astonishing - the ingenuity with which individual species contrive a living, or the complexity of their interdependence on each other and on the habitations provided by our planet. In this new edition, the author, with the help of zoologist Matthew Cobb, has added all the most up-to-date discoveries of ecology and biology, as well as a full-colour 64-page photography section. He also addresses the urgent issues facing our living planet: climate change, pollution and mass extinction of species.

Carbon moves through the atmosphere, through the oceans, onto land, and into ecosystems. This cycling has a large effect on climate - changing geographic patterns of rainfall and the frequency of extreme weather - and is altered as the use of fossil fuels adds carbon to the cycle. The dynamics of this global carbon cycling are largely predicted over broad spatial scales and long periods of time by Earth system models. This book addresses the crucial question of how to assess, evaluate, and estimate the potential impact of the additional carbon to the land carbon cycle. The contributors describe a set of new approaches to land carbon cycle modeling for better exploring ecological questions regarding changes in carbon cycling; employing data assimilation techniques for model improvement; and doing real- or near-time ecological forecasting for decision support. This book strives to balance theoretical considerations, technical details, and applications of ecosystem modeling for research, assessment, and crucial decision making. Key Features Helps readers understand, implement, and criticize land carbon cycle models Offers a new theoretical framework to understand transient dynamics of land carbon cycle Describes a suite of modeling skills - matrix approach to represent land carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus cycles; data assimilation and machine learning to improve parameterization; and workflow systems to facilitate ecological forecasting Introduces a new set of techniques, such as semi-analytic spin-up (SASU), unified diagnostic system with a 1-3-5 scheme, traceability analysis, and benchmark analysis, for model evaluation and improvement Related Titles Isabel Ferrera, ed. Climate Change and the Oceanic Carbon Cycle: Variables and Consequences (ISBN 978-1-774-63669-5) Lal, R. et al., eds. Soil Processes and the Carbon Cycle (ISBN 978-0-8493-7441-8) Windham-Myers, L., et al., eds. A Blue Carbon Primer: The State of Coastal Wetland Carbon Science, Practice and Policy (ISBN 978-0-367-89352-1)

This two-volume book is an up-to-date revision of methods and principles of phylogenetic analysis of morphological data. It is also a general guide for using the computer program TNT in the analysis of such data. The book covers the main aspects of phylogenetic analysis, and general methods to compare classifications derived from molecules and morphology. Practical application of all principles discussed is illustrated by reference to TNT, a freely available software package that can perform all the steps needed in a phylogenetic analysis. Key Features Provides in depth discussion of the connections between hypotheses of homology and the parsimony criterion Helps understand the basis for designing different aspects of a morphological study, from hints on delimiting the problem and data collecting, to character definitions and analysis Discusses the applicability of statistical models coopted from sequence analysis to the analysis of morphological data Gives detailed descriptions of the principles behind algorithms for evaluating and searching phylogenetic trees Presents extensive information on commands and options of the TNT computer program