"Dictionary of South American Trees "provides a single-source reference for botanists, biologists, ecologists, and climatologists on the many native trees in South America. The index lets readers find a tree in four languages, by its common name, or abbreviation, followed by taxonomy that includes common uses for each part of the tree.

Using this information, scientists and students can identify and classify plants, their growth structure and environment, the uses of their products, and alternative options with similar characteristics.
Complete coverage of all native South American trees the only single-source reference for botanists, biologists, ecologists and climatologists working in this diverse and changing regionIncludes taxonomy at genera, species, sub-species, and varietal levels, providing information from the most basic level up and allowing readers to identify their subjects using numerous criteriaIndicates Latin, English, French, and Spanish names as well as common names and abbreviations, facilitating accurate and efficient identificationProvides growth information, climatology, ecology and uses for the tree to provide insight into each tree as well as for comparative purposes when seeking similar tree-based resources"

This volume provides the reader with step-by-step methods to study plant ARGONAUTE (AGO) functions. Chapters in Plant Argonaute Poteins: Methods and Protocols summarize the main biochemical, molecular and cytological methods to study AGO-small RNA complexes and their interactions with target RNAs, AGO subcellular localization, AGO association with polysomes, AGO role in meiosis and DNA repair, methods for the identification, cloning and characterization of AGO genes in different plant species, and non-radioactive protocols for small RNA detection. Finally, a series of chapters describing computational methods to study plant AGO function and evolution are provided. 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 Argonaute Proteins: Methods and Protocols aims to deliver the most complete and updated list of protocols to study plant AGO function.

In "Plant Metabolic Flux Analysis," expert researchers in the field provide detailed experimental procedures for each step of the flux quantification workflow. Steady state and dynamic modeling are considered, as well as recent developments for the reconstruction of metabolic networks and for a predictive modeling. 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 key tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls.

Authoritative and practical" Plant Metabolic Flux Analysis," seeks to aid scientists in the further study of cutting-edge protocols and methodologies that are crucial to getting ahead in MFA.

This is an original and wide-ranging account of the careers of a close-knit group of highly influential ecologists working in Britain from the late 1960s onwards. The book can also be read as a history of some recent developments in ecology. One of the group, Robert May, is a past president of the Royal Society, and the author of what many see as the most important treatise in theoretical ecology of the later twentieth century. That the group flourished was due not only to May's intellectual leadership, but also to the guiding hand of T. R. E. Southwood. Southwood ended his career as Linacre Professor of Zoology at the University of Oxford, where he also served a term as Vice-Chancellor. Earlier, as a professor and director of the Silwood Park campus of Imperial College London, he brought the group together. Since it began to coalesce at Silwood it has been named here the Silwood Circle. Southwood promoted the interests of its members with the larger aim of raising the profile of ecological and environmental science in Britain. Given public anxiety over the environment and the loss of ecosystems, his actions were well-timed.Ecology, which had been on the scientific margins in the first half of the twentieth century, came to be viewed as a science central to modern existence. The book illustrates its importance to many areas. Members of the Silwood Circle have acted as government advisors in the areas of conservation and biodiversity, resource management, pest control, food policy, genetically modified crops, sustainable agriculture, international development, defence against biological weapons, and epidemiology and infectious disease control. In recounting the science they carried out, and how they made their careers, the book reflects also on the role of the group, and the nature of scientific success.

Bryophytes, which are important constituents of ecosystems globally and often dominate carbon and water dynamics at high latitudes and elevations, were also among the pioneers of terrestrial photosynthesis. Consequently, in addition to their present day ecological value, modern representatives of these groups contain the legacy of adaptations that led to the greening of Earth. This volume brings together experts on bryophyte photosynthesis whose research spans the genome and cell through whole plant and ecosystem function and combines that with historical perspectives on the role of algal, bryophyte and vascular plant ancestors on terrestrialization of the Earth. The eighteen well-illustrated chapters reveal unique physiological approaches to achieving carbon balance and dealing with environmental limitations and stresses that present an alternative, yet successful strategy for land plants.

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.

This is the fourth updated and revised edition of a well-received book that emphasises on fungal diversity, plant productivity and sustainability. It contains new chapters written by leading experts in the field. This book is an up-to-date overview of current progress in mycorrhiza and association with plant productivity and environmental sustainability. The result is a must hands-on guide, ideally suited for agri-biotechnology, soil biology, fungal biology including mycorrrhiza and stress management, academia and researchers. The topic of this book is particularly relevant to researchers involved in mycorrhiza, especially to food security and environmental protection. Mycorrhizas are symbioses between fungi and the roots of higher plants. As more than 90% of all known species of plants have the potential to form mycorrhizal associations, the productivity and species composition and the diversity of natural ecosystems are frequently dependent upon the presence and activity of mycorrhizas. The biotechnological application of mycorrhizas is expected to promote the production of food while maintaining ecologically and economically sustainable production systems.

This book highlights current Cannabis research: its botany, authentication, biotechnology, in vitro propagation, chemistry, cannabinoids biosynthesis, metabolomics, genomics, biomass production, quality control, and pharmacology. Cannabis sativa L. (Family: Cannabaceae) is one of the oldest sources of fiber, food and medicine. This plant has been of interest to researchers, general public and media not only due to its medicinal properties but also the controversy surrounding its illicit use. Cannabis has a long history of medicinal use in the Middle East and Asia, being first introduced as a medicine in Western Europe in the early 19th century. Due to its numerous natural constituents, Cannabis is considered a chemically complex species. It contains a unique class of terpeno-phenolic compounds (cannabinoids or phytocannabinoids), which have been extensively studied since the discovery of the chemical structure of tetrah ydrocannabinol ( 9-THC), commonly known as THC, the main constituent responsible for the plant's psychoactive effects. An additionally important cannabinoid of current interest is Cannabidiol (CBD). There has been a significant interest in CBD and CBD oil (extract of CBD rich Cannabis) over the last few years because of its reported activity as an antiepileptic agent, particularly its potential use in the treatment of intractable epilepsy in children.

The aim of this volume is to merge classical concepts of plant cell biology with the recent findings of molecular studies and real-world applications in a form attractive not only to specialists in the realm of fundamental research, but also to breeders and plant producers. Four sections deal with the control of development, the control of stress tolerance, the control of metabolic activity, and novel additions to the toolbox of modern plant cell biology in an exemplary and comprehensive manner and are targeted at a broad professional community. It serves as a clear example that a sustainable solution to the problems of food security must be firmly rooted in modern, continuously self re-evaluating cell-biological research.

No green biotech without green cell biology. As advances in modern medicine is based on extensive knowledge of animal molecular cell biology, we need to understand the hidden laws of plant cells in order to handle crops, vegetables and forest trees. We need to exploit, not only empirically, their astounding developmental, physiological and metabolic plasticity, which allows plants to cope with environmental challenges and to restore flexible, but robust self-organisation.

Plant microbe interaction is a complex relationship that can have various beneficial impacts on both the communities. An urgent need of today's world is to get high crop yields in an ecofriendly manner. Utilization of beneficial and multifaceted plant growth promoting (PGP) microorganisms can solve the problem of getting enhanced yields without disturbing the ecosystem thus leading to sustainability. For this to achieve understanding of the intricate details of how the beneficial microbes form associations with the host plant and sustain that for millions of years must be known. A holistic approach is required wherein the diversity of microbes associated with plant and the network of mechanisms by which they benefit the host must be studied and utilized. 'Plant Microbe Symbiosis - Fundamentals and Advances' provides a comprehensive understanding of positive interactions that occur between plant and microorganisms and their utilization in the fields. The book reviews the enormous diversity of plant associated microbes, the dialog between plant-microbes-microbes and mechanisms of action of PGP microbes. Utilization of PGPRs as nutrient providers, in combating phytopathogens and ameliorating the stressed and polluted soils is also explained. Importantly, the book also throws light on the unanswered questions and future direction of research in the field. It illustrates how the basic knowledge can be amalgamated with advanced technology to design the future bioformulations.

The coastal and ocean ecosystem is a significant feature of our planet and provides a source of food for much of life on Earth. Millions of species have been, and are still being discovered in the world's oceans. Among these zooplankton serve as secondary producers and are significant as they form pelagic food links and act as indicators of water masses. They constitute the largest and most reliable source of protein for most of the ocean's fishes. As such, their absence or depletion often affects fishery. In many countries, the decline in fishery has been attributed to reduced plankton populations. Furthermore, trillions of tiny copepods produce countless faecal pellets contributing greatly to the marine snow and therefore accelerating the flow of nutrients and minerals from the surface waters to the seabed. They are phylogenetically highly successful groups in terms of phylogenetic age, number of living species and success of adaptive radiation. A study of the basic and applied aspects of zooplankton would provide an index of the fishery potential and applications, offering insights into ocean ecology to safeguard food supplies and livelihoods of the millions of people living in coastal areas. For this reason, we need to understand all the facets of zooplankton as well as their interactions with atmosphere and other life forms, including human. In this context, this book discusses the basic and applied aspects of zooplankton, especially taxonomy, mosquitocidal activity, culture, analysis of nutritional, pigments and enzyme profile, preservation of copepods eggs, bioenrichment of zooplankton and application of zooplankton in sustainable aquaculture production, focusing on novel biofloc-copefloc technologies, and the impact of acidification and microplastics on zooplankton. Offering a comprehensive overview of the current issues and developments in the field of environmental and commercial applications, this book is a valuable resource for researchers, aquaculturists, environmental mangers wanting to understand the importance of zooplankton and develop technologies for the sustainable production of fish and other commodities to provide food and livelihoods for mankind.

Plants and other living organisms have great potential to treat human disease. There are two distinct types of biomedical research that seek to develop this potential. One type of research explores the value of medicinal plants as traditionally used andstudies of these plants have the potential to determine which plants are most potent, optimize dosages and dose forms, and identify safety risks. Another type of research uses bioassays to identify single molecules from plants that have interesting bioactivities in isolation and might be useful lead compounds for the development of pharmaceutical drugs.

This new volume of Advances in Botanical Research covers the recent trends in Medicinal Plants Research over 11 chapters. Topics that are covered include Development of Drugs from Plants - Regulation and Evaluation, Chinese Herbal Medicines for Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Taxol, camptothecin and beyond for cancer therapy.
Covers the recent trends in medicinal plants research over 11 chaptersTopics that are covered include Development of Drugs from Plants - Regulation and Evaluation, Chinese Herbal Medicines for Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Taxol, camptothecin and beyond for cancer therapy"

Lignins are nature s aromatic polymers and are the second most abundant organic constituent of the biosphere next to cellulose. Lignification mainly occurs in the walls of terrestrial vascular plants, mainly in the secondarily thickened cells of supportive or conductive tissues, which thus acquire novel properties.

This new volume of "Advances in Botanical Research" gives a special emphasis to the bioengineering of these enigmatic polymers. It is divided in nine chapters containing up-to-date reviews by expert groups in their field.
Gives a special emphasis to the bioengineering of these enigmatic polymers, ligninsDivided in nine chaptersContains up-to-date reviews by expert groups in their field"

This volume aims to provide an update on recent developments in protein secretion studies in plants versus yeast and mammalian systems. This book also discusses case studies that analyze the use of plant protein secretion using various tools and systems. The chapters in this book explore topics such as the study of Golgi-mediated protein traffic in plant cells; actin-based intracellular trafficking in pollen tubes; secretion system for identification of cargo proteins of vacuolar sorting receptors; isolation of the plant exocyst complex; and plant autophagy. 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. Comprehensive and authoritative, Plant Protein Secretion: Methods and Protocols is a valuable resource for researchers interested in furthering their studies in plant protein secretion."

Genetic approaches to understanding plant growth and development have always benefitted from screens that are simple, quantitative and rapid. Visual screens and morphometric analysis have yielded a plethora of interesting mutants and traits that have provided insight into complex regulatory pathways, and yet many genes within any given plant genome remain undefined. The premise underlying High Throughput Phenotyping in Plants: Methods and Protocols is that the higher the resolution of the phenotype analysis the more likely that new genes and complex interactions will be revealed. The methods described in this volume can be generally classified as quantitative profiling of cellular components, ranging from ions to small molecule metabolites and nuclear DNA, or image capture that ranges in resolution from chlorophyll fluorescence from leaves and time-lapse images of seedling shoots and roots to individual plants within a population at a field site. Written in the 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 protocols, and notes on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and easily accessible, High Throughput Phenotyping in Plants: Methods and Protocols serves as an invaluable guide to plant researchers and all scientists who wish to better understand plant growth and development.