Programmed cell death is a common pattern of growth and development in both animals and plants. However, programmed cell death and related processes are not as generally recognized as central to plant growth. This is changing fast and is becoming more of a focus of intensive research. This edited work will bring under one cover recent reviews of programmed cell death, apoptosis and senescence.
Summaries of the myriad aspects of cell death in plants
Discussion of the broadest implications of these disparite results
A unification of fields where there has been no cross talk
Enables easy entry into diverse but related lines of research

The cell as the basis of plant life; the matter and mechanics of cells wall; chloroplast; the root; soil and absorption mineral; habitat-related aspect of mineral metabolism; water relations and absorption; absorption of water; ascent of sap, transpiration and water balance, respiration, photosynthesis.

In the past 20 years, there has been a revolution in plant sciences, as new methods of molecular biology and biophysics have been applied to investigate environmental stress, particularly desiccation tolerance. Today, there is a good level of understanding of how plant cells cope with extreme water stress. This book is divided into four sections, dealing with 1) the technical background to desiccation tolerance studies, 2) the frequency and levels of dehydration stress tolerance in biological systems, 3) mechanisms of damage and tolerance, and 4) a brief prospect and retrospect. It covers orthodox and recalcitrant seeds, pollen and spores, vegetative parts, and other plant tissues.

This book is an exploration of the latest insights into the theory and functioning of plant resource allocation. An international team of physiological ecologists has prepared chapters devoted to the fundamental topics of resource allocation.
Key Features
* Comprehensive coverage of all aspects of resource allocation in plants
* All contributors are leaders in their respective fields

The importance of carbon dioxide extends from cellular to global levels of organization and potential ecological deterioration may be the result of increased CO2 in our atmosphere. Recently, the research emphasis shifted from studies of photosynthesis pathways and plant growth to ground-breaking studies of carbon dioxide balances in ecosystems, regions, and even the entire globe.
Carbon Dioxide and Terrestrial Ecosystems addresses these new areas of research. Economically important woody ecosystems are emphasized because they have substantial influence on global carbon dioxide balances. Herbaceous ecosystems (e.g., grasslands, prairies, wetlands) and crop ecosystems are also covered. The interactions among organisms, communities, and ecosystems are modeled, and the book closes with an important synthesis of this growing nexus of research.
Carbon Dioxide and Terrestrial Ecosystems is a compilation of detailed scientific studies that reveal how ecosystems generally, and particular plants specifically, respond to changed levels of carbon dioxide.
Key Features
* Contributions from an international team of experts
* Empirical examination of the actual effects of carbon dioxide
* Variety of terrestrial habitats investigated
* Specific plants and whole ecosystems offered as studies

Coniferous forests are among the most important of ecosystems. These forests are widespread and influence both the financial and biological health of our globe. This text focuses attention on conifers and how these trees acquire, allocate and utilize the resources that sustain this crucial productivity. An international team of experts has surveyed and synthesized the information from an expanding area of inquiry. The first half of the book describes how resources are acquired both by means of photosynthesis and through root systems. The latter half of the volume focuses upon how resources are stored and used. As conifers continue as a resource and ever increasingly important contributor to the regional and global environment sustainability, this book should help establish how much sustainability can be expected and maintained.

Conifers--pine, fir, and spruce trees--are dominant species in forests around the world. This book focuses on the physiology of conifers and how these physiological systems operate. Special consideration is devoted to the means by which ecophysiological processes influence organismal function and distribution. Chapters focus on the genetics of conifers, their geographic distribution and the factors that influence this distribution, the impact of insect herbivory on ecophysiological parameters, the effects of air pollution, and the potential impact that global climatic changes will have upon conifers. Because of the growing realization that forests have a crucial role to play in global environmental health, this book will appeal to a developing union of ecologists, physiologists and more theoretically minded foresters.

This 33-chapter volume presents a critical examination of the importance of stable isotopes in understanding key plant metabolic processes.
Key Features
* Carbon isotope analyses for estimates of plant water use and metabolism
* Integrated estimates of stress impacts and life history in ecological systems
* Hydrogen and oxygen isotope analyses for evaluating water sources and transpiration
* Use of stable isotopes in scaling from leaf to global levels
* Sections include:
* History and Theoretical Considerations
* Ecological Aspects of Carbon Isotope Variation
* Agricultural Aspects of Carbon Isotope Variation
* Genetics and Isotopic Variation
* Water Relations and Isotopic Composition

This volume presents the latest research on herbivores, aquatic and terrestrial mammals and insects. The Second Edition, written almost entirely by new authors, effectively complements the initial work. It includes advances in molecular biology and microbiology, ecology, and evolutionary theory that have been achieved since the first edition was published in 1979. The book also incorporates relatively new methodologies in the area of molecular biology, like protein purification and gene cloning. Volume II, Ecological and Evolutionary Processes, also opens up entirely new subjects: The discussions of interactions have expanded to include phenomena at higher trophic levels, such as predation and microbial processing and other environmental influences.
Both this and Volume I, The Chemical Participants, will be of interest to chemists, biochemists, plant and insect ecologists, evolutionary biologists, physiologists, entomologists, and agroecologists interested in both crop and animal science.
Key Features
* Presents coevolution of herbivores and host plants
* Examines resource availability and its effects on secondary metabolism and herbivores
Studies physiology and biochemistry of adaptation to hosts
* Includes tri-trophic interactions involving predators and microbes

Ethylene in Plant Biology, Second Edition provides a definitive survey of what is currently known about this structurally simplest of all plant growth regulators. This volume contains all new material plus a bibliographic guide to the complete literature of this field. Progress in molecular biology and biotechnology as well as biochemistry, plant physiology, development, regulation, and environmental aspects is covered in nine chapters co-authored by three eminent authorities in plant ethylene research. This volume is the modern text reference for all researchers and students of ethylene in plant and agricultural science.
Key Features
* Completely updated
* Concise, readable style for students and professional
* Contains an extensive bibliographic guide to the original literature
* Well illustrated with diagrams and photographs
* Thorough coverage of:
* ethylene and ethephon roles and effects
* stress ethylene
* biosynthesis of ethylene
* molecular biology of ethylene
* action of ethylene
* agricultural uses of ethylene

This book presents a whole-plant perspective on plant integrated responses to multiple stresses, including an analysis of how plants have evolved growth forms and phenological responses to cope with changing stress patterns in natural environments.
Key Features
* Explores stress responses at both the structural and process levels
* Outlines structural, phenological, and physiological responses that optimize production under multiple stresses
* Combines physiological and evolutionary perspectives

The bibi iograp hy includes papers in a l I fields of photosynthesis research - from stu- dies of model biochemical and biophysical systems of t he photosynt hes is mechanism to primary prod ucti on studied by t he so-ca Ile d growth analysis . In addition to papers devoted enti rel y to photosynth es is , papers on other topics are inc luded if t hey con- t ai n data on photosynthetic activity, photorespiration, chloroplast structure, chlo- rophylland carotenoid synthesi s and destruction , eta. , or if they conta in valuable methodological information (measurement of selected environmentaI factars , leaf area, eta. ) . In many branches it has been difficult to defi ne th e limits of int erest for photosynthesis researchers. This problem has arisen e. g. in topics deal ing with t he transfer of gases, where - in addition to t he papers on ca rbon dioxide transfe r - so- me pape rs on water vapour transfer are included , these being of general appl icat ion or bringing new approaches . On th e other hand, m any papers deal ing wit h the anatomy and phys io logy of stomata have been omitted , if the aspect of ca rbon dioxide or water vapour exchange has not been discussed.

The bibl iography includes papers in all fields of photosynthesis research - from studies of model biochemical and biophysical systems of the photosynthetic mecha~ nism to primary production studied by the so-cal led growth analysis. In addition to papers devoted entirely to photosynthesis, papers on other topics are included if they contain data on photosynthetic activity, photorespiration, chloroplast structure, chlorophyll and carotenoid synthesis and destruction, etc. , or if they contain valuable methodological information (measurement of selected environmental factors, leaf area, etc. ). In many branches it has been difficult to define the I i- mits of interest for photosynthesis researchers. This problem has arisen e. g. in to- pics deal ing with the tranfer of gases, where - in addition to the papers on carbon dioxide transfer - some papers on water vapour transfer are included, these being of general appl ication or bringing new approaches. On the other hand, many papers deal ing with the anatomy and physiology of stomata have been omitted, if the aspect of carbon dioxide or water vapour exchange has not been discussed. This volume contains references to papers publ ished in the year 1982, and simi larly to preceding volumes also addenda including references publ ished in the preceding period (i. e. 1966 to 1981). The numbers of the additional references are labelled with an asterisk (*) in the I ist of references.

The bi b I i ography i nc I udes papers in a I I f i eids of photosynthes i s resea rch - f rom stu- dies of model biochemical and biophysical systems of the photosynthesis mechanism to primary production studied by the so-ca I led growth analysis. In addition to papers devoted entirely to photosynthesis, papers on other topics are included if they con- tain data on photosynthetic activity, photorespiration, chloroplast structure, chlo- rophy I I and ca roteno i d synthes i sand destruct i on, etc. , or i f they conta i n va I uab I e methodological information (measurement of selected environmental factors, leaf area, etc. ). In many branches it has been difficult to define the limits of interest for photosynthesis researchers. This problem has arisen e. g. in topics deal ing with the transfer of gases, where - in addition to the papers on carbon dioxide transfer - so- me papers on water vapour transfer are included, these being of general appl ication or bringing new approaches. On the other hand, many papers deal ing with the anatomy and physiology of stomata have been omitted, if the aspect of carbon dioxide or water vapour exchange has not been discussed. This volume contains references to papers publ ished in the year 1980, and, similarly to Vol.

The bibi iography includes papers in al I fields of photosynthesis research - from stu- dies of model biochemical and biophysical systems of the photosynthesis mechanism to primary production studied by the so-called growth analysis. In addition to papers devoted entirely to photosynthesis, papers on other topics are included if they con- tain data on photosynthetic activity, photorespiration, chloroplast structure, chlo- rophyll and carotenoid synthesis and destruction, etc. , or if they contain valuable methodo I og i ca I i nformat i on (measu rement of se I ected env i ronmenta I factors, I eaf a rea, etc. ). In many branches it has been very difficult to define the limits of interest for photosynthesis researchers. This problem has arisen e. g. in topics deal ing with the transport of gases, where - in addition to the papers on CO transfer - some pa- 2 pers on water vapour transfer are included, these being of general appl ication. On the other hand, many papers deal ing with the anatomy and physiology of stomata have been omitted, if the aspect of carbon dioxide or water vapour exchange has not been discussed. This volume contains references to papers publ ished in the year 1977, and, simi larly to Vol. 7, also addenda including references publ ished in the preceding period (i. e. 1966 - 1976). The numbers of these additional references are labelied with an asterisk in the I ist of references.

The bib I iography includes papers in alI fields of photosynthesis researc- from studies of model biochemical and biophysical systems of the photosynthesis mechanism to primary production studied so-cal led growth analysis. In addition to papers devoted entirely to photosynthesis, papers on other topics are included if they contain data on photosynthetic activity, photorespiration, chloroplast structure, chlorophyl I and carotenoid synthesis and destruction, etc., or if they contain valuable methodological information (measurement of selected environmental factors, leaf area, etc. ). In many branches it has been very difficult to define the I imits of interest for photosynthesis researchers. This problem has arisen e. g. in topics dealing with the transport of gases, where - in addition to the papers on C0 transfer- some papers on water vapour transfer are included, these 2 being of general application. On the other hand, many papers dealing with the anatomy and physiology of stomata have been omitted, if the aspect of carbon dioxide or water vapour exchange has not been discussed. To maximize the value of the bibliography the references are arranged alpha betically by author's names, and each volume is provided with three indexes. The authors' index to this volume contains alI names of authors, co-authors and editors. The subject index covers only primary items chosen according to their inter est for photosynthesis researchers. In this volume its preparation was based on the paper titles, key words and abstracts."

Originating in South America, cassava is grown in over 100 countries around the world. It is the third most important source of calories in the tropics after rice and maize. Its caloric value, as well as its ability to tolerate dry conditions and poor soils, makes it a key food security crop in developing countries. As demand for food grows, there is an urgent need to increase yields in the face of such challenges as climate change, threats from pests and diseases and the need to make cultivation more resource-efficient and sustainable. Drawing on an international range of expertise, this collection focuses on ways of improving the cultivation of cassava at each step in the value chain, from breeding to post-harvest storage. Volume 2 starts by reviewing genetic resources, advances in breeding and their application to produce varieties with desirable traits such as higher yield. It then goes on to review developments in understanding and managing pests and diseases. Achieving sustainable cultivation of cassava Volume 2: Genetic resources, breeding, pests and diseases will be a standard reference for agricultural scientists in universities, government and other research centres and companies involved in improving cassava cultivation. It is accompanied by Volume 1 which reviews cultivation techniques.

Carnivorous plants have fascinated botanists, evolutionary biologists, ecologists, physiologists, developmental biologists, anatomists, horticulturalists, and the general public for centuries. Charles Darwin was the first scientist to demonstrate experimentally that some plants could actually attract, kill, digest, and absorb nutrients from insect prey; his book Insectivorous Plants (1875) remains a widely-cited classic. Since then, many movies and plays, short stories, novels, coffee-table picture books, and popular books on the cultivation of carnivorous plants have been produced. However, all of these widely read products depend on accurate scientific information, and most of them have repeated and recycled data from just three comprehensive, but now long out of date, scientific monographs. The field has evolved and changed dramatically in the nearly 30 years since the last of these books was published, and thousands of scientific papers on carnivorous plants have appeared in the academic journal literature. In response, Ellison and Adamec have assembled the world's leading experts to provide a truly modern synthesis. They examine every aspect of physiology, biochemistry, genomics, ecology, and evolution of these remarkable plants, culminating in a description of the serious threats they now face from over-collection, poaching, habitat loss, and climatic change which directly threaten their habitats and continued persistence in them.

The eighteenth-century naturalist Erasmus Darwin (grandfather of Charles) argued that plants are animate, living beings and attributed them sensation, movement, and a certain degree of mental activity, emphasizing the continuity between humankind and plant existence. Two centuries later, the understanding of plants as active and communicative organisms has reemerged in such diverse fields as plant neurobiology, philosophical posthumanism, and ecocriticism. The Language of Plants brings together groundbreaking essays from across the disciplines to foster a dialogue between the biological sciences and the humanities and to reconsider our relation to the vegetal world in new ethical and political terms. Viewing plants as sophisticated information-processing organisms with complex communication strategies (they can sense and respond to environmental cues and play an active role in their own survival and reproduction through chemical languages) radically transforms our notion of plants as unresponsive beings, ready to be instrumentally appropriated. By providing multifaceted understandings of plants, informed by the latest developments in evolutionary ecology, the philosophy of biology, and ecocritical theory, The Language of Plants promotes the freedom of imagination necessary for a new ecological awareness and more sustainable interactions with diverse life forms. Contributors: Joni Adamson, Arizona State U; Nancy E. Baker, Sarah Lawrence College; Karen L. F. Houle, U of Guelph; Luce Irigaray, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris; Erin James, U of Idaho; Richard Karban, U of California at Davis; Andre Kessler, Cornell U; Isabel Kranz, U of Vienna; Michael Marder, U of the Basque Country (UPV-EHU); Timothy Morton, Rice U; Christian Nansen, U of California at Davis; Robert A. Raguso, Cornell U; Catriona Sandilands, York U.

Plant genetics has come a long way from the time Gregor Mendel observed the traits of his pea plants. This book provides a glimpse on the advancements in plant genetics, putting emphasis on the various sequencing technologies that were instrumental in unlocking the plant genome. The plant genome has also lent itself to manipulation and modification, contributing greatly to the body of genetic knowledge as well as producing economically-, nutritionally-, and medically-significant plants. This book compiles and describes these plant genetic engineering and genomic editing approaches.

Mimicry is a classic example of adaptation through natural selection. The traditional focus of mimicry research has been on defence in animals, but there is now also a highly-developed and rapidly-growing body of research on floral mimicry in plants. This has coincided with a revolution in genomic tools, making it possible to explore which genetic and developmental processes underlie the sometimes astonishing changes that give rise to floral mimicry. Being literally rooted to one spot, plants have to cajole animals into acting as couriers for their pollen. Floral mimicry encompasses a set of evolutionary strategies whereby plants imitate the food sources, oviposition sites, or mating partners of animals in order to exploit them as pollinators. This first definitive book on floral mimicry discusses the functions of visual, olfactory, and tactile signals, integrating them into a broader theory of organismal mimicry that will help guide future research in the field. It addresses the fundamental question of whether the evolutionary and ecological principles that were developed for protective mimicry in animals can also be applied to floral mimicry in plants. The book also deals with the functions of floral rewardlessness, a condition which often serves as a precursor to the evolution of mimicry in plant lineages. The authors pay particular attention to the increasing body of research on chemical cues: their molecular basis, their role in cognitive misclassification of flowers by pollinators, and their implications for plant speciation. Comprehensive in scope and conceptual in focus, Floral Mimicry is primarily aimed at senior undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers in plant science and evolutionary biology.