Carbonic anhydrase (CA) is a seemingly ubiquitous enzyme of profound physiological importance, which plays essential roles in respiration, acid-base homeostasis, bone resorption, calcification, photosynthesis, several biosynthetic pathways and a variety of processes involving ion, gas and fluid transfer. This enzyme, which is present in at least three gene families (a, ss, ?), has found favour as a model for the study of evolution of gene families and for site-directed mutagenesis in structure/function relationships, for protein folding and for transgenic and gene target studies. Since the early use of CA inhibitors as diuretics and in treating congestive heart failure, the enzyme has been target of considerable clinical attention. Much of this is now focused on endeavours to produce a new generation of such drugs for the effective treatment of glaucoma and other potential applications. Recent data, suggesting links between CA and various disease processes, including cancer, have stimulated further...

The Boron '97 meeting was a great success in summarising all recent developments in basic and applied research on boron's function, especially in plants. New techniques have since been developed and new insight has been gained into the role of boron in plant and animal metabolism. Nevertheless, there were still lots of open questions. The aim of the present workshop held in Bonn as a satellite meeting to the International Plant Nutrition Colloquium was thus to gather all actual information which has been gained since the Boron '97 meeting and to compile knowledge, both from animal and plant sciences. Furthermore, applied aspects had to be addressed too, as there is an increasing awareness of boron deficiencies even in crops such as wheat, which have formerly not been considered as responsive to boron application. Genetic differences in boron demand and efficiency within one species are a further important topic which has gained importance since the 1997 meeting. More in-depth knowledge on the mechanisms of boron efficiency are required as an increased efficiency will be one major possibility to maintain and improve crop yields for resource-poor farmers. Nevertheless, it has also clearly been shown that an adequate supply of boron is needed to obtain high yields of crops with a high quality, and that a sustainable agriculture has to provide an adequate boron supply to compensate for inevitable losses through leaching (especially in the humid tropics and temperate regions) and for the boron removal by the crop.

In recent years, the study of the plant cell cycle has become of major interest, not only to scientists working on cell division sensu strictu , but also to scientists dealing with plant hormones, development and environmental effects on growth. The book The Plant Cell Cycle is a very timely contribution to this exploding field. Outstanding contributors reviewed, not only knowledge on the most important classes of cell cycle regulators, but also summarized the various processes in which cell cycle control plays a pivotal role. The central role of the cell cycle makes this book an absolute must for plant molecular biologists.

This book - the first published on this topic in plants - presents the reader with an overview of recent research on nitric oxide (NO) in plants, which, in view of its empirical interest and its growth regulatory potential, is in the forefront of scientific endeavor in plant science. Subject matter is divided into two parts: Part 1 deals with NO and peroxynitrite biochemistry and regulative mechanisms as presently known in the Plant Kingdom and outlines some of the problems still awaiting clarification. Emphasis is placed on ethylene emission regulation, postharvest control, plant phytopathology and environmental stress tolerance. A further topic is plant NO, like Viagra, related to cyclic nucleotide turnover. Part 2 deals with environmental aspects of NO as an atmospheric pollutant and discusses endogenous means which plants at times employ to cope with this particular type of stress, and how their coping mechanisms may be harnessed for purposes of depollution and augmentation of nitrogen fertilization. The text, accompanied by a wealth of illustrations and annotated references, is intended for lecturers, advanced students and research scientists at universities and research institutes dealing with plant sciences and agriculture, as well as for environmental researchers.

An understanding of the mechanisms by which plants perceive environmental cues, both physical and chemical, and transduce the signals that influence specific expression of genes, is an area of intensive scientific research. With the completion of the genome sequence of Arabidopsis it is understood now that a larger number of genes encode for proteins involved in signalling cascades and transcription factors. In this volume, different chapters deal with plant receptors, second messengers like calcium ions, phosphoinositides, salicylic acid and nitrous oxide, calcium binding proteins and kinases. In addition to dealing with the response of plants to light, hormones, pathogens, heat, etc. on cellular activity, work currently going on in apoptosis, cell division, and plastid gene expression is also covered in this book.

which successfully passed the QA-process (i.e., met the Data Quality Objectices) were included into the TFS-central data bank. The following summary of major results obtained in TFS would not have been possible without the contribution of many experimentalists and modellers participating in this project. I would like to thank these colleagues for their support. All participants are grateful for the financial support by the BMBF and for the assistance by the Projekttragerschaft (UKF-GSF-Miinchen). Garmisch-Partenkirchen, WOLFGANG SEILER February 2002 DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF A MESOSCALE MODEL HIERARCHY FOR THE DIAGNOSIS AND FORECAST OF THE DISTRIBUTION OF POLLUTANTS OVER GERMANY AND EUROPE Journal of Atmospheric Chemistry 42: 5-22, 2002. 5 (c) 2002 Kluwer Academic Publishers. An Empirical, Receptor-Based Procedure for Assessing the Effect of Different Ozone Mitigation Strategies WOLFGANG FRICKE, WINFRIED VANDERSEE and STEFAN GILGE Deutscher Wetterdienst, Meteorologisches Observatorium, Albin-Schwaiger-Weg 10, D-82383 Hohenpeissenberg, Germany, e-mail: [email protected] (Received: 6 November 2000; in final form: 29 May 2(01) Abstract. The paper presents a new receptor-based approach for investigating the effect of differ- ent mitigation strategies on surface ozone concentrations. The empirical approach relates measured ozone concentrations to 3-D back trajectories and European precursor emission data (NOx, VOC, isoprene). These are the only parameters used as input. Following a description of the method, results for two German stations, an urban and a rural mountain site, are described, and discussed in detail.

Genetic and molecular studies have recently come to dominate botanical research at the expense of more traditional morphological approaches. This broad introduction to modern flower systematics demonstrates the great potential that floral morphology has to complement molecular data in phylogenetic and evolutionary investigations. Contributions from experts in floral morphology and evolution take the reader through examples of how flowers have diversified in a large variety of lineages of extant and fossil flowering plants. They explore angiosperm origins and the early evolution of flowers and analyse the significance of morphological characters for phylogenetic reconstructions on the tree of life. The importance of integrating morphology into modern botanical research is highlighted through case studies exploring specific plant groups where morphological investigations are having a major impact. Examples include the clarification of phylogenetic relationships and understanding the significance and evolution of specific floral characters, such as pollination mechanisms and stamen and carpel numbers.

Ultimate success in exploiting the genetic capabilities of plants to grow in nutrient-stressed environments of the semi-arid tropics (SAT) requires a holistic view of food systems to ensure that genetic selections for improved yields on nutrient-poor soils will actually be adopted by farmers. This book sets out to address the important issue of how physiological mechanisms of nutrient uptake can best be combined with genetic options to improve the adaptation of crops to low-nutrient availability, thereby enhancing productivity of nutrient poor soils in the semi-arid tropics. The book examines (i) the sustainability of breeding for low-nutrient environments from the viewpoint of three interrelated disciplines; physiology, breeding, and socio-economics, (ii) candidate mechanisms and physiological traits to enhance uptake and utilization efficiencies, (iii) genetic approaches for manipulation of crop plants to enhance root exudation and access nutrients in the rhizosphere, and (iv) field practices and farmers' preferences for crop varieties grown in low-nutrient environments. Finally, the role of modelling in improving nutrient efficiency in cropping systems, recommendations for future research needs and strategies were highlighted. Attended by 50 international participants, this book is the outcome of the workshop held at ICRISAT-India during 27-30 September 1999 to mark the culmination of the Government of Japan/ICRISAT Project.

This book represents the authors' lifetime dedication to the study of inhibitors and phytohormones as well as its practical applications for achieving a more sustainable agriculture. Their work focuses on the functions of various groups of active molecules, their direct effect upon plant growth, but also implications for their impact upon the surrounding environment are explored. The main idea of the book evolved from the need to determine a balance among natural growth inhibitors and phytohormones. This approach was pursued through a better understanding of their biochemical pathways, their effects on plants physiological functions, and their influence upon stress factors on plant ontogenesis. Therefore, this effort proposes a more holistic approach to the study of plant physiology, in which the plant-soil interactions are discussed, with a profound description of different allelochemicals and their effects on plants growth. A rigorous attention is also paid to discuss the role of microorganisms in ecosystems and their capability to synthesize physiologically active substances, which trigger also unique plant-microbial interactions. These synergies are leading scientists to the discovery of major breakthroughs in agriculture and pharmacology that are revolutionizing old epistemologies and thus, contributing to the emergence of a philosophy of interconnectedness for the whole biosphere.

Molecular farming has been hailed as the "third wave" of genetically-modified organisms produced through biotechnology for the bio-based economy of the future. Unlike products of the first wave, such as herbicide resistant crop plants, which were perceived to benefit only the farmers who used them and the agrochemical companies who developed them, products of molecular farming are designed specifically for the benefit of the consumer. Such products could be purified from food or non-food organisms for a range of applications in industry, as well as animal and human health. Alternatively, the products of this technology could be consumed more directly in some edible format, such as milk, eggs, fruits or vegetables. There is a rapidly-growing interest Qn the part of the public as well as in the medical community in the role food plays in health, especially in the immunophysiological impact of food over and above the role of basic nutrition.

With the new techniques described in this volume, a new gene can be placed on the linkage map within only a few days. Leading researchers have updated the earlier edition to include the latest versions of DNA-based marker maps for a variety of important crops.

Plant Production in Closed Ecosystems provides overviews of the current trends and concepts in plant production in closed or semi-closed environments. The overviews reflect both the present and future challenges that face the agricultural industry and the methods and tools which will meet these challenges. Plant Production in Closed Ecosystems contains the full texts of the Special Lectures from the International Symposium on Plant Production in Closed Ecosystems, plus several contributed papers. The challenges which await the agricultural industry are diverse. This diversity is reflected in the topics that were covered in the special lectures given by experts in the field. These topics included: greenhouse horticulture, hydroponics, micropropagation, food production in space, environmental control, co-generation, controlled ecological life support systems (CELSS), and resource conservation.

Comparison is a powerful cognitive research tool in science since it does "across studies" to evaluate similarities and differences, e.g. across taxa or diseases. This book deals with comparative research on plant disease epidemics. Comparisons are done in specifically designed experiments or with posterior analyses. From the apparently unlimited diversity of epidemics of hundreds of diseases, comparative epidemiology may eventually extract a number of basic types. These findings are very important to crop protection. Plant disease epidemiology, being the ecological branch of plant pathology, may also be of value to ecologists, but also epidemiologists in the areas of animal or human diseases may find interesting results, applicable to their areas of research.

This account examines plant translocation specifically in the phloem (the tissue that conducts the products of photosynthesis and their metabolytes). It was first published in 1973 and gives a review of the well-established facts, whilst interpreting them in the light of the author's own theory of the mechanism. Professor Canny has produced numerous summaries of published data and recast quantitative information so that material that was scattered throughout the literature and difficult to compare sits together in an easily accessible form. The author has taken care to bring to the attention of the reader important passages from classical works, as well as writings on translocation from the sixties and seventies. The author writes in a lively style that is at once informative and provocative, and the book will appeal to those interested in the historical development of the many exciting and often conflicting theories of phloem transport.

The giant cells of certain algae are of especial value as experimental material for the investigation of physiological problems. This 1975 account gives a historical background to this. The authors consider water relations, ionic relations, the electrical properties of membranes, action potentials, active transport, carbon dioxide and bicarbonate ion transport and use, and protoplasmic streaming. The authors are at pains to point out the general implications of the findings for the plant kingdom and occasionally for the animal kingdom as well. Advanced students, teachers and research workers in plant physiology, cell physiology and biophysics will find this a stimulating account of an important area of research.

As a member of the working group (WG) on "Temperate Zone Fruit Trees in the Tropics and Subtropics" of the International Society for Horticulture, I was aware of the lack of readily available information needed in many warm-climate locations where temperate fruit crops are grown. The founder of this WG, Frank Dennis, Jr. , was motivated to encourage knowledge transfer by sharing knowledge with many developing countries. We shared his drive and in presenting this book we believe we are doing a service to all persons interested in temperate fruits, but especially to those in tropical and subtropical countries, many of which are developing countries interested in growing these crops and lacking the knowledge needed. In this book, we have collected information covering a variety of different aspects of growing temperate fruit crops in warm climates. As this is the first time such an evaluation of these species has been done, interesting and novel aspects of tree development and fruiting are presented, with stress on elements like dormancy and irrigation that are not of such basic concern in the natural of the temperate zones. We are living in a transition age; horticultural studies habitat are changing and expertise such as can be found in the array of participants in this book is probably not going to be easily found in the future. I hope that this book will broaden our understanding of the fruiting Temperate Zone tree in general and of its adaptation to warm climates, in particular.

Procedures for plant tissue culture have been developing from ca. 1930 onwards and are now essential in many domains of science and teaching. The use of these techniques for plant propagation only began to emerge some 40 years later. The first edition of Plant Propagation by Tissue Culture by Edwin F. George appeared in 1986. A second edition consisting of two volumes appeared in 1993 and 1996. For researchers and students, George s books have become the standard works on in vitro plant propagation. These volumes also contain a wealth of information crucial for researchers and companies working in related areas; particularly plant breeding, genetic engineering, phytopathology, production of secondary metabolites and conservation. Scientific knowledge has expanded rapidly since the second edition and it would now be a daunting task for a single author to cover all aspects adequately. Therefore, in this third edition, topics are being covered by a number of specialists in the field. However, this edition still maintains the integration that was characteristic of the previous editions. The first volume of the new edition highlights the scientific background of in vitro propagation. The second volume, which is in preparation, will cover the practice of micropropagation and describe its various applications."

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.

From their ability to use energy from sunlight to make their own food, to combating attacks from diseases and predators, plants have evolved an amazing range of life-sustaining strategies. Written with the non-specialist in mind, John King's lively natural history explains how plants function, from how they gain energy and nutrition to how they grow, develop and ultimately die. New to this edition is a section devoted to plants and the environment, exploring how problems created by human activities, such as global warming, pollution of land, water and air, and increasing ocean acidity, are impacting on the lives of plants. King's narrative provides a simple, highly readable introduction, with boxes in each chapter offering additional or more advanced material for readers seeking more detail. He concludes that despite the challenges posed by growing environmental perils, plants will continue to dominate our planet.

During the last two decades the modern techniques of histochemistry, electron microscopy, plant physiology, biochemistry, cell and molecular biology, immunology, and genetics have been applied to investigate the intricacies of the processes involved in embryo formation, and considerable new information has been generated. A better understanding of these processes has enhanced our capacity to manipulate fertilization and embryo development. This has changed the face of the embryology of angiosperms from a descriptive science to an experimental and applied science. The revolutionary progress made in this fascinating field of sexual reproduction was the motivation to prepare this volume. It includes 21 chapters written by experts who have made substantial contributions to their respective fields. It covers all aspects of the embryology of angiosperms, ranging from development, isolation, and structure of male and female gametes, their fusion in vivo and in vitro, and structure, physiology, and genetics of zygotic embryogenesis, to endosperm and seed development. Advances in somatic embryogenesis, synthetic seed technology and regeneration of haploid plants from male and female gametophytes are discussed. Other important topics covered in this volume are sexual incompatibility, parthenocarpy, and apomixis. The last chapter deals with the embryological perspective of inheritance of extra-nuclear genes. All the chapters contain up-to-date information and are profusely illustrated. Graduate and postgraduate students, teachers, and scientists of botany and other areas of plant sciences will find this book extremely useful.

D.A. Cooke and R.K. Scott Sugar beet is one of just two crops (the other being sugar cane) which constitute the only important sources of sucrose - a product with sweeten ing and preserving properties that make it a major component of, or additive to, a vast range of foods, beverages and pharmaceuticals. Sugar, as sucrose is almost invariably called, has been a valued compo nent of the human diet for thousands of years. For the great majority of that time the only source of pure sucrose was the sugar-cane plant, varieties of which are all species or hybrids within the genus Saccharum. The sugar-cane crop was, and is, restricted to tropical and subtropical regions, and until the eighteenth century the sugar produced from it was available in Europe only to the privileged few. However, the expansion of cane production, particularly in the Caribbean area, in the late seventeenth and the eighteenth centuries, and the new sugar-beet crop in Europe in the nineteenth century, meant that sugar became available to an increasing proportion of the world's population."

First published in 1975, this volume provides a unique comparative treatment of annual and seasonal photosynthetic production in both terrestrial and aquatic environments on a world scale and examines the efficiency with which incoming light energy is utilised in different types of natural and managed vegetation, including agricultural crops. It discusses the characteristics of the vegetation which determine this productivity, including such features as leaf or plant arrangement in relation to light interception, the photosynthetic activity of the individual leaves or other organs and the strategy of the plant in making use of assimilates for growth and development. Most professional ecologists and plant physiologists will find much to interest them here and the book should form valuable background reading for students in plant biology, ecology and agriculture.

One of the predicted consequences of the depletion of stratospheric ozone is an increase in the amount of ultraviolet light reaching the surface of the earth, in particular UV-B (320-280nm). Although the real effects are as yet unknown, this change in radiation could have profound consequences for plant growth and productivity. The need for information concerning the relationship between plants and UV-B is therefore pressing. This volume brings together authoritative contributions from leading experts in UV-B/plant studies and is unique in considering interactions at various scales, ranging from the level of the cell through to the level of the community. Information concerning ozone depletion and physical aspects of UV-B radiation complements the biological information to provide a thorough and comprehensive review of the present status of knowledge.

The rise in the concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere since the start of industrialization, and the global warming associated with this greenhouse gas, has stimulated research into the response of plants to elevated levels of CO2. Much of this work has been carried out in controlled environments which provide limited information about long-term effects on vegetation. In contrast, CO2-emitting mineral springs provide a unique opportunity to consider vegetation which has endured over many generations at naturally elevated levels of CO2. This volume presents findings from a range of sites, confirming the potential of these natural laboratories in the investigation of this important aspect of climate change.

Photosynthetic plant cells are compartmentalized into subcellular organelles such as chloroplasts, mitochondria, peroxisomes, the cytosol, and the vacuole. Although this compartmentation serves to isolate particular functions to particular subcellular locations, the successful metabolic activity of the cell is actually dependent on a controlled and coordinated interaction between these organelles. In this book, leading scientists have contributed reviews of current research on the interaction of organelles in processes such as C3, C4, C3-C4 and CAM photosynthesis, photorespiration, substrate and protein transport, respiration, lipid metabolism, and organelle biogenesis. The result is a comprehensive state-of-the-art volume that provides a rich source of reference and information for plant biochemists and their students.