Pollen and spores are ubiquitous, and preserve exceptionally well. This, and their enormous structural diversity, offers exceptional opportunities for integrating findings from studies of both recent and fossil material, and for developing new insights into the pathways and processes of diversification. This volume brings together both international authorities and younger researchers who have developed novel approaches from such diverse fields as paleobotany, ontogeny, molecular biology, and systematics. Three main issues are discussed: the evidence provided by the fossil record, the contribution of ontogenetic data, and the methods of systematic analysis. Of special interest are the sections detailing the most recent findings regarding fossil angiosperms and ontogeny in primitive angiosperms. The information provided will be of great interest and relevance to such disparate disciplines as vegetational history, geology, plant taxonomy and plant evolution.

Annual Plant Reviews, Volume 6 Reproduction is the final stage in the life cycle of a plant. This volume presents an overview of plant reproduction at research and professional level, from the induction of flowering to the setting of seeds. Authors address all the major contemporary issues in plant reproduction and the chapters are grouped into four sections along a chronological theme: physiological and molecular control of the floral transition, floral organ development, pollination, embryogenesis and senescence.

The Genomics Applications in Crop Improvement two volume set brings together a diverse field of international experts in plant breeding genomics to share their experiences in the field, from success stories to lessons learnt. In recent years advances in genetics and genomics have greatly enhanced our understanding of the structural and functional aspects of plant genomes. Several novel genetic and genomics approaches such as association genetics, advanced back-cross QTL analysis, allele mining, comparative and functional genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, etc. offer unprecedented opportunities to examine crop genetic variation and utilize this variability for breeding purposes. Enhancing the prediction of the phenotype from a genotype using genomics tools is referred to as 'genomics-assisted breeding'. To date, genomics-assisted breeding has shown its potential for crop improvement in several crops, however these successes have been largely restricted to temperate cereal and legume crops, and others such as Eucalyptus, sugarcane, tomato and other vegetables crops. Moreover, while success stories are available for improving resistance to biotic stresses, only a few examples are available on development of superior lines for abiotic stresses. These volumes will allow researchers the tools to begin to apply these technologies more broadly and will hopefully lead to lasting improvements in a wide variety of economically important crops. Volume One, Biotic Stress, focuses on genomic-assisted advances for improving economically important crops against biotic stressors, such as viruses, fungi, nematodes, and bacteria. Looking at key advances in crops such as rice, barley, wheat, and potato amongst others. Volume Two, Abiotic Stress, Quality and Yield Improvement, focuses on advances improving crop resistance to abiotic stresses such as extreme heat, drought, flooding as well as advances made in quality and yield improvement. Chapters examine advances in such key crops as rice, maize, and sugarcane, among others. * Two volumes covering important topics in crop genomics and applying that information to breeding improved varieties of economically important crops * Volumes cover improving resistance to abiotic and biotic stressors as well as breeding efforts to improve yield and quality * Includes chapters on current challenges for plant breeders such as fusarium disease in wheat and cyst nematodes in soybean crops * Organized by crop, with chapters covering a variety of topics for each including disease resistance, drought tolerance, salinity tolerance and overall improvement of yield * Written by an international team of experts This book is intended for crop science researchers, plant biologists, geneticists, physiologists, cellular and molecular biologists, and advanced students in related fields will also find this set useful.

Maize is used in an endless list of products that are directly or indirectly related to human nutrition and food security. Maize is grown in producer farms, farmers depend on genetically improved cultivars, and maize breeders develop improved maize cultivars for farmers. Nikolai I. Vavilov defined plant breeding as plant evolution directed by man. Among crops, maize is one of the most successful examples for breeder-directed evolution. Maize is a cross-pollinated species with unique and separate male and female organs allowing techniques from both self and cross-pollinated crops to be utilized. As a consequence, a diverse set of breeding methods can be utilized for the development of various maize cultivar types for all economic conditions (e.g., improved populations, inbred lines, and their hybrids for different types of markets). Maize breeding is the science of maize cultivar development. Public investment in maize breeding from 1865 to 1996 was $3 billion (Crosbie et al., 2004) and the return on investment was $260 billion as a consequence of applied maize breeding, even without full understanding of the genetic basis of heterosis. The principles of quantitative genetics have been successfully applied by maize breeders worldwide to adapt and improve germplasm sources of cultivars for very simple traits (e.g. maize flowering) and very complex ones (e.g., grain yield). For instance, genomic efforts have isolated early-maturing genes and QTL for potential MAS but very simple and low cost phenotypic efforts have caused significant and fast genetic progress across genotypes moving elite tropical and late temperate maize northward with minimal investment. Quantitative genetics has allowed the integration of pre-breeding with cultivar development by characterizing populations genetically, adapting them to places never thought of (e.g., tropical to short-seasons), improving them by all sorts of intra- and inter-population recurrent selection methods, extracting lines with more probability of success, and exploiting inbreeding and heterosis. Quantitative genetics in maize breeding has improved the odds of developing outstanding maize cultivars from genetically broad based improved populations such as B73. The inbred-hybrid concept in maize was a public sector invention 100 years ago and it is still considered one of the greatest achievements in plant breeding. Maize hybrids grown by farmers today are still produced following this methodology and there is still no limit to genetic improvement when most genes are targeted in the breeding process. Heterotic effects are unique for each hybrid and exotic genetic materials (e.g., tropical, early maturing) carry useful alleles for complex traits not present in the B73 genome just sequenced while increasing the genetic diversity of U.S. hybrids. Breeding programs based on classical quantitative genetics and selection methods will be the basis for proving theoretical approaches on breeding plans based on molecular markers. Mating designs still offer large sample sizes when compared to QTL approaches and there is still a need to successful integration of these methods. There is a need to increase the genetic diversity of maize hybrids available in the market (e.g., there is a need to increase the number of early maturing testers in the northern U.S.). Public programs can still develop new and genetically diverse products not available in industry. However, public U.S. maize breeding programs have either been discontinued or are eroding because of decreasing state and federal funding toward basic science. Future significant genetic gains in maize are dependent on the incorporation of useful and unique genetic diversity not available in industry (e.g., NDSU EarlyGEM lines). The integration of pre-breeding methods with cultivar development should enhance future breeding efforts to maintain active public breeding programs not only adapting and improving genetically broad-based germplasm but also developing unique products and training the next generation of maize breeders producing research dissertations directly linked to breeding programs. This is especially important in areas where commercial hybrids are not locally bred. More than ever public and private institutions are encouraged to cooperate in order to share breeding rights, research goals, winter nurseries, managed stress environments, and latest technology for the benefit of producing the best possible hybrids for farmers with the least cost. We have the opportunity to link both classical and modern technology for the benefit of breeding in close cooperation with industry without the need for investing in academic labs and time (e.g., industry labs take a week vs months/years in academic labs for the same work). This volume, as part of the Handbook of Plant Breeding series, aims to increase awareness of the relative value and impact of maize breeding for food, feed, and fuel security. Without breeding programs continuously developing improved germplasm, no technology can develop improved cultivars. Quantitative Genetics in Maize Breeding presents principles and data that can be applied to maximize genetic improvement of germplasm and develop superior genotypes in different crops. The topics included should be of interest of graduate students and breeders conducting research not only on breeding and selection methods but also developing pure lines and hybrid cultivars in crop species. This volume is a unique and permanent contribution to breeders, geneticists, students, policy makers, and land-grant institutions still promoting quality research in applied plant breeding as opposed to promoting grant monies and indirect costs at any short-term cost. The book is dedicated to those who envision the development of the next generation of cultivars with less need of water and inputs, with better nutrition; and with higher percentages of exotic germplasm as well as those that pursue independent research goals before searching for funding. Scientists are encouraged to use all possible breeding methodologies available (e.g., transgenics, classical breeding, MAS, and all possible combinations could be used with specific sound long and short-term goals on mind) once germplasm is chosen making wise decisions with proven and scientifically sound technologies for assisting current breeding efforts depending on the particular trait under selection. Arnel R. Hallauer is C. F. Curtiss Distinguished Professor in Agriculture (Emeritus) at Iowa State University (ISU). Dr. Hallauer has led maize-breeding research for mid-season maturity at ISU since 1958. His work has had a worldwide impact on plant-breeding programs, industry, and students and was named a member of the National Academy of Sciences. Hallauer is a native of Kansas, USA. Jose B. Miranda Filho is full-professor in the Department of Genetics, Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz - University of Sao Paulo located at Piracicaba, Brazil. His research interests have emphasized development of quantitative genetic theory and its application to maize breeding. Miranda Filho is native of Pirassununga, Sao Paulo, Brazil. M.J. Carena is professor of plant sciences at North Dakota State University (NDSU). Dr. Carena has led maize-breeding research for short-season maturity at NDSU since 1999. This program is currently one the of the few public U.S. programs left integrating pre-breeding with cultivar development and training in applied maize breeding. He teaches Quantitative Genetics and Crop Breeding Techniques at NDSU. Carena is a native of Buenos Aires, Argentina. http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/plantsci/faculty/Carena.htm

Over millions of years, terrestrial plants have competed for limited resources, defended themselves against herbivores, and resisted a myriad of environmental stresses. These struggles have helped generate more than a quarter million terrestrial plant species, each possessing a unique strategy for success. Yet, as "Resource Strategies of Wild Plants" demonstrates, the constraints on plant growth are universal enough that a few survival strategies hold true for all seed-producing plants. This book describes the five major strategies of growth for terrestrial plants, details how plants succeed when resources are scarce, delves into the history of research into plant strategies, and resets the foundational understanding of ecological processes.

Drawing from recent findings in plant-herbivore interactions, ecosystem ecology, and evolutionary ecology, Joseph Craine explains how plants attain available nutrients, withstand the immense stresses of drying soils, and flourish in the race for light. He shows that the competition for resources has shaped plant evolution in newly discovered ways, while the scarcity of such resources has affected how plants interact with herbivores, wind, fire, and frost. An understanding of the major resource strategies of wild plants remains central to learning about the ecology of plant communities, global changes in the biosphere, methods for species conservation, and the evolution of life on earth.

Paleopalynology, second edition, provides profusely illustrated treatment of fossil palynomorphs, including spores, pollen, dinoflagellate cysts, acritarchs, chitinozoans, scolecodonts, and various microscopic fungal and algal dispersal bodies. The book serves both as a student text and general reference work. Palynomorphs yield information about age, geological and biological environment, climate during deposition, and other significant factors about the enclosing rocks. Extant spores and pollen are treated first, preparing the student for more difficult work with fossil sporomorphs and other kinds of palynomorphs. Recognizing that palynomorphs occur together in rocks because of chemical robustness and stratigraphic distribution, not biological relationship, the central sections are organized stratigraphically.

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.

Plant Breeding Reviews presents state-of-the-art reviews on plant genetics and the breeding of all types of crops by both traditional means and molecular methods. Many of the crops widely grown today stem from a very narrow genetic base; understanding and preserving crop genetic resources is vital to the security of food systems worldwide. The emphasis of the series is on methodology, a fundamental understanding of crop genetics, and applications to major crops. It is a serial title that appears in the form of one or two volumes per year.

Flora of North America North of Mexico Volume 12 - Magnoliophyta: Vitaceae to Garryaceae - includes treatments prepared by 53 authors covering 765 species in 122 genera classified in 29 families. Among the families treated in this volume, the largest are Euphorbiaceae (259 species), Rhamnaceae (105), Loasaceae (94), Linaceae (52), Oxalidaceae (36), Celastraceae (34), Vitaceae (30), Hydrangeaceae (25), Phyllanthaceae (23), and Cornaceae (20). Descriptions for all of the families, genera, and species (plus infraspecies, if recognized) are provided plus occurrence maps for species and infraspecies are included with more than 27% of the species illustrated. Keys are included to aid in the identification of genera in families and species plus infraspecies within the genera. Volume 12 is the twentieth volume to be published in the planned 30-volume Flora of North America North of Mexico series.

This book maintains that higher plants manifest some degree of sexual selection, and it begins to build a framework that unifies many features of plant reproduction previously considered unrelated. Reviewing evidence for sexual selection in plants, the authors discuss possible male-female interactions, concluding with an extensive set of hypotheses for testing. Mechanisms that could be employed in sexual selection in plants include various cellular mechanisms, such as both nuclear and cytoplasmic genetics, B chromosomes, and paternal contributions to the zygote, as well as abortion, double fertilization, delayed fertilization, and certain forms of polyembryony. This study compares the consequences of these processes for the evolution of mate choice in "gymnosperms" and angiosperms.

Flora of North America North of Mexico Volume 6 - Magnoliophyta: Cucurbitaceae to Droseraceae - includes treatments prepared by 36 authors covering 545 species in 104 genera classified in 19 families. Among the families treated in this volume, the largest are Malvaceae (250 species), Violaceae (78), Hypericaceae (58), Cucurbitaceae (56), Cistaceae (40), and Passifloraceae (18). Descriptions for all of the families, genera, and species are provided plus occurrence maps for species are included and 28% of the species are illustrated. Keys are included to aid in the identification of genera in families and species within the genera. Volume 6 is the nineteenth volume to be published in the planned 30-volume Flora of North America North of Mexico series.

Flowers are the beautiful and complex reproductive structures of the angiosperms, one of the most diverse and successful groups of living organisms. The underlying thesis of this book is that to fully understand plant development (and why flowers differ in shape, structure and colour), it is necessary to understand why it is advantageous for them to look like they do. Conversely, in order to fully understand plant ecology, it is necessary to appreciate how floral structures have developed and evolved. Uniquely, this book addresses flowers and flowering from both a molecular genetic perspective (considering flower induction, development and self-incompatibility) and an ecological perspective (looking at the selective pressures placed on plants by pollinators, and the consequences for animal-plant co-evolution). Understanding Flowers and Flowering, the first edition of which won BES Marsh Book of the Year in 2009, begins by considering the evolution of flowers and the history of research into their development. This is followed by a detailed description of the processes which lead to flower production in model plants. The book then examines how flowers differ in shape, structure and colour, and how these differences are generated. Finally it assesses the role of these various aspects of floral biology in attracting pollinators and ensuring successful reproduction. This new edition has been completely revised and updated to reflect the latest advances in the field, especially an increased understanding of the evolution of floral traits. New chapters consider the genetic basis of the floral transition in diverse species, as well as the evolutionary lability of floral form. There is a new focus throughout on both phylogenetic position and morphological diversity across the angiosperm phylogeny. Understanding Flowers and Flowering continues to provide the first truly integrated study of the topic - one that discusses both the how and why of flowering plant reproductive biology.

Flowers are the beautiful and complex reproductive structures of the angiosperms, one of the most diverse and successful groups of living organisms. The underlying thesis of this book is that to fully understand plant development (and why flowers differ in shape, structure and colour), it is necessary to understand why it is advantageous for them to look like they do. Conversely, in order to fully understand plant ecology, it is necessary to appreciate how floral structures have developed and evolved. Uniquely, this book addresses flowers and flowering from both a molecular genetic perspective (considering flower induction, development and self-incompatibility) and an ecological perspective (looking at the selective pressures placed on plants by pollinators, and the consequences for animal-plant co-evolution). Understanding Flowers and Flowering, the first edition of which won BES Marsh Book of the Year in 2009, begins by considering the evolution of flowers and the history of research into their development. This is followed by a detailed description of the processes which lead to flower production in model plants. The book then examines how flowers differ in shape, structure and colour, and how these differences are generated. Finally it assesses the role of these various aspects of floral biology in attracting pollinators and ensuring successful reproduction. This new edition has been completely revised and updated to reflect the latest advances in the field, especially an increased understanding of the evolution of floral traits. New chapters consider the genetic basis of the floral transition in diverse species, as well as the evolutionary lability of floral form. There is a new focus throughout on both phylogenetic position and morphological diversity across the angiosperm phylogeny. Understanding Flowers and Flowering continues to provide the first truly integrated study of the topic - one that discusses both the how and why of flowering plant reproductive biology.

The edited book highlights various emerging Omics tools and techniques that are currently being used in the analysis of responses to different abiotic stress in agronomically important cereals and their applications in enhancing tolerance mechanism. Plants are severely challenged by diverse abiotic stress factors such as low water availability (drought), excess water (flooding/ waterlogging), extremes of temperatures (cold, chilling, frost, and heat), salinity, mineral deficiency, and heavy metal toxicity. Agronomically important cereal crops like Rice, Wheat, Maize, Sorghum, Pearl Millet, Barley, Oats, Rye, Foxtail Millets etc. that are the major sources of food material and nutritional components for human health are mostly exposed to abiotic stresses during the critical phases of flowering and grain yield. Different Omics platforms like genomics, transcriptomics proteomics, metabolomics and phenomics, in conjunction with breeding and transgenic technology, and high throughput technologies like next generation sequencing, epigenomics, genome editing and CRISPR-Cas technology have emerged altogether in understanding abiotic stress response and strengthening defense and tolerance mechanism of different cereals. This book is beneficial to different universities and research institutes working with different cereal crops in the areas of stress physiology, stress-associated genes and proteins, genomics, proteomics, genetic engineering, and other fields of molecular plant physiology. The book can also be used as advanced textbook for the course work of research and master's level students. It will be of use to people involved in ecological studies and sustainable agriculture. The proposed book bring together the global leaders working on environmental stress in different cereal crops and motivate scientists to explore new horizons in the relevant areas of research.

For centuries orchids have been among the most popular of plant families, with thousands of species and hybrids cultivated worldwide for the diversity, beauty, and intricacy of their flowers.
The Genera Orchidacearum series represents a robust and natural classification of the orchids, something that has eluded plant scientists and orchid enthusiasts for years. The editors, who are all distinguished orchid specialists, incorporate a wealth of new DNA data into a truly phylogenetic classification, identifying the areas and taxa that merit additional work. To this end, they have invited several international specialists to contribute in their particular areas of expertise. Each volume provides comprehensive coverage of one or two orchid subfamilies and the series as a whole will be an indispensable reference tool for scientists, orchid breeders and growers.
Orchidaceae is the largest monocotyledon family and perhaps the largest plant family in terms of number of species, approximately 25,000. However, for a variety of reasons it remains one of the least understood. The fossil record is poor, and active research has been relatively scarce until recent years, in part because of the sheer size and cosmopolitan distribution of the family.
The fifth volume treats 186 genera in tribe Cymbidieae of the largest subfamily, Epidendroideae, including some of the showiest orchids often used in hybridizing. Comprehensive treatments are provided for each genus, which include complete nomenclature, description, distribution (with map), anatomy, palynology, cytogenetics, phytochemistry, phylogenetics, pollination, ecology, and economic uses. Cultivation notes are included for those genera known to be in hobbyist collections. Genera are beautifully illustrated with line drawings and colour photographs.

This book adopts an experimental approach to understanding the mechanisms of evolution and the nature of evolutionary processes, with examples drawn from microbial, plant and animal systems. It incorporates insights from remarkable recent advances in theoretical modelling, and the fields of molecular genetics and environmental genomics. Adaptation is caused by selection continually winnowing the genetic variation created by mutation. In the last decade, our knowledge of how selection operates on populations in the field and in the laboratory has increased enormously, and the principal aim of this book is to provide an up-to-date account of selection as the principal agent of evolution. In the classical Fisherian model, weak selection acting on many genes of small effect over long periods of time is responsible for driving slow and gradual change. However, it is now clear that adaptation in laboratory populations often involves strong selection acting on a few genes of large effect, while in the wild selection is often strong and highly variable in space and time. Indeed these results are changing our perception of how evolutionary change takes place. This book summarizes our current understanding of the causes and consequences of selection, with an emphasis on quantitative and experimental studies. It includes the latest research into experimental evolution, natural selection in the wild, artificial selection, selfish genetic elements, selection in social contexts, sexual selection, and speciation.

This advanced textbook is the first to explore the consequences of plant dispersal for population and community dynamics, spatial patterns, and evolution. It successfully integrates a rapidly expanding body of theoretical and empirical research. The first comprehensive treatment of plant dispersal set within a population framework Examines both the processes and consequence of dispersal Spans the entire range of research, from natural history and collection of empirical data to modeling and evolutionary theory Provides a clear and simple explanation of mathematical concepts Dispersal in Plants is aimed principally at graduates interested in plant ecology, although given the strong current interests in invasive species and global change it will also be of interest and use to a broad audience of plant scientists and ecologists seeking an authoritative overview of this rapidly expanding field.

The reproductive organs and mating biology of angiosperms exhibit greater variety than those of any other group of organisms. Flowers and inflorescences are also the most diverse structures produced by angiosperms, and floral traits provide some of the most compelling examples of evolution by natural selection. Given that flowering plants include roughly 250,000 species, their reproductive diversity will not be explained easily by continued accumulation of case studies of individual species. Instead a more strategic approach is now required, which seeks to identify general principles concerning the role of ecological function in the evolution of reproductive diversity.
The Ecology and Evolution of Flowers uses this approach to expose new insights into the functional basis of floral diversity, and presents the very latest theoretical and empirical research on floral evolution. Floral biology is a dynamic and growing area and this book, written by the leading internationally recognized researchers in this field, reviews current progress in understanding the evolution and function of flowers. Chapters contain both new research findings and synthesis. Major sections in turn examine functional aspects of floral traits and sexual systems, the ecological influences on reproductive adaptation, and the role of floral biology in angiosperm diversification. Overall, this integrated treatment illustrates the role of floral function and evolution in the generation of angiosperm biodiversity.
This advanced textbook is suitable for graduate level students taking courses in plant ecology, evolution, systematics, biodiversity and conservation. It will also be of interest and use to a broaderaudience of plant scientists seeking an authoritative overview of recent advances in floral biology.

For centuries orchids have been among the most popular of plant families, with thousands of species and hybrids cultivated worldwide for the diversity, beauty, and intricacy of their flowers.
The Genera Orchidacearum series represents a robust and natural classification of the orchids, something that has eluded plant scientists and orchid enthusiasts for years. The editors, who are all distinguished orchid specialists, incorporate a wealth of new DNA data into a truly phylogenetic classification, identifying the areas and taxa that merit additional work. To this end, they have invited several international specialists to contribute in their particular areas of expertise. Each volume provides comprehensive coverage of one or two orchid subfamilies and the series as a whole will be an indispensable reference tool for scientists, orchid breeders and growers.
Orchidaceae is the largest monocotyledon family and perhaps the largest plant family in terms of number of species, approximately 25,000. However, for a variety of reasons it remains one of the least understood. The fossil record is poor, and active research has been relatively scarce until recent years, in part because of the sheer size and cosmopolitan distribution of the family.
This fourth volume treats the first 210 genera of the largest subfamily, Epidendroideae, including some of the showiest orchids often used in hybridizing. Comprehensive treatments are provided for each genus, which include complete nomenclature, description, distribution (with map), anatomy, palynology, cytogenetics, phytochemistry, phylogenetics, pollination, ecology, and economic uses. Cultivation notes are included for those genera known tobe in hobbyist collections. Genera are beautifully illustrated with line drawings and color photographs.

This book reviews the production of bioplastic from various raw materials and recycling wastewater into useful bioproducts by bacteria. In addition, it also addresses the recent advancement in pest control in rice plants, different methods to analyse genotoxicity on soil samples and the effect of phytocompounds on acrylamide-induced toxicity in Drosophilla. Interestingly, this book also discusses mesoporous silica nanoparticles' role as nanocarrier material for inhibiting the cancer cell, especially breast cancer and various biotechnological applications of marine fungal exopolysaccharides.

Recent advances in plant genomics and molecular biology have revolutionized our understanding of plant genetics, providing new opportunities for more efficient and controllable plant breeding. Successful techniques require a solid understanding of the underlying molecular biology as well as experience in applied plant breeding. Bridging the gap between developments in biotechnology and the application of biotechnology in plant improvement, "Molecular Plant Breeding" provides an integrative overview of issues from basic theories to their applications to crop improvement, including molecular marker technology, gene mapping, genetic transformation, quantitative genetics, and breeding methodology.

At the biological crossroads of the Americas, Costa Rica hosts one of the widest varieties of plants in the wold, with habitats ranging from tidal mangrove swamps, and lowland rainforests, to dry tropical evergreen and deciduous forests.
Field Guide to Plants of Costa Rica is a must-have reference guide for beginner and expert naturalists alike. It provides a thorough survey of more than 850 plant species, each entry accompanied by color photos and a concise yet detailed narrative description. Plants are conveniently grouped by the different types of vegetation: palms, tall trees, shrubs, woody vines, herbaceous vines, herbs, grasses and ferns. Along with 1400 color photographs, the guide also includes an illustrated glossary of plant parts, five maps of Costa Rica, and laminated covers for durability in the field. With so much readily accessible information, this book is essential for exploring Costa Rica's common and conspicuous flora from the plants growing along the roadside to the best natural parks.

What are the evolutionary mechanisms and ecological implications behind a pollinator choosing its favourite flower? Sixty-five million years of evolution has created the complex and integrated system which we see today and understanding the interactions involved is key to environmental sustainability. Examining pollination relationships from an evolutionary perspective, this book covers both botanical and zoological aspects. It addresses the puzzling question of co-speciation and co-evolution and the complexity of the relationships between plant and pollinator, the development of which is examined through the fossil record. Additional chapters are dedicated to the evolution of floral displays and signalling, as well as their role in pollination syndromes and the building of pollination networks. Wide-ranging in its coverage, it outlines current knowledge and complex emerging topics, demonstrating how advances in research methods are applied to pollination biology.

This completely revised, fourth edition of Introduction to Plant Population Biology continues the approach taken by its highly successful predecessors. Ecological and genetic principles are introduced and theory is made accessible by clear, accurate exposition with plentiful examples. Models and theoretical arguments are developed gradually, requiring a minimum of mathematics.

The book emphasizes the particular characteristics of plants that affect their population biology, and evolutionary questions that are particularly relevant for plants. Wherever appropriate, it is shown how ecology and genetics interact, presenting a rounded picture of the population biology of plants.

Topics covered include variation and its inheritance, genetic markers including molecular markers, plant breeding systems, ecological genetics, intraspecific interactions, population dynamics, regional dynamics and metapopulations, competition and coexistence, and the evolution of breeding systems and life history. An extensive bibliography provides access to the recent literature that will be invaluable to students and academics alike.
Effective integration of plant population ecology, population genetics and evolutionary biology.
The new edition is thoroughly revised and now includes molecular techniques.
The genetics chapters have been completely rewritten by a new co-author, Deborah Charlesworth.