This book explores the difficult questions as to why we assign certain feelings and values towards different groups of living things, and what our motivations are for considering these living things as being worthy and unworthy of our respect and efforts for accommodating in our interactions with the natural world. It is critical to understand why most people dislike most species, because almost all contribute invaluable services for the welfare of society. While the world’s most charismatic species are currently receiving support for conservation, unfortunately the species are not particularly attractive, and are being endangered by extinction, with the result that the welfare of the planet’s ecology is also threatened. The topic that is timely, given the increased focus on climate change, our role in this process and the negative consequences of this global phenomenon for biodiversity. Author’s writing is very detailed and comprehensive analysis with a well-structured composition that imparts clarity of the message.

Many edible plants considered exotic in the Western world are actually quite mainstream in other cultures. While some of these plants are only encountered in ethnic food markets or during travels to foreign lands, many are now finding their way onto supermarket shelves. Top 100 Exotic Food Plants provides comprehensive coverage of tropical and semitropical food plants, reviewing scientific and technological information as well as their culinary uses. Wide-ranging in scope, this volume's coverage includes plants that produce fruits, vegetables, spices, culinary herbs, nuts, and extracts. A user-friendly format enables readers to easily locate information on botanical and agricultural aspects, economic and social importance, food uses, storage, preparation, and potential toxicity. The book also contains an introductory chapter that reviews important historical, economic, geopolitical, health, environmental, and ethical considerations associated with exotic food plants. Thoroughly referenced with more than 2000 literature citations, this book is enhanced by more than 200 drawings, many chosen from historical art of extraordinary quality. This timely volume also highlights previously obscure edible plants that have recently become prominent as a result of sensationalistic media reports stemming from their inherently entertaining or socially controversial natures. Some of these plants include the acai berry, kava, hemp, and opium poppy. A scholarly yet accessible presentation, the book is filled with numerous memorable, fascinating, and humorous facts, making it an entertaining and stimulating read that will appeal to a broad audience.

Cannabis sativa is best known as the source of marijuana, the world's most widely consumed illicit recreational drug. However, the plant is also extremely useful as a source of stem fiber, edible seed oil, and medicinal compounds, all of which are undergoing extremely promising research, technological applications, and business investment. Indeed, despite its capacity for harm as a recreational drug, cannabis has phenomenal potential for providing new products to benefit society and for generating extensive employment and huge profits. Misguided policies, until recently, have prevented legitimate research on the beneficial properties of cannabis, but there is now an explosion of societal, scientific, and political support to reappraise and remove some of the barriers to usage. Unfortunately, there is also a corresponding dearth of objective analysis. Towards redressing the limitation of information, Cannabis: A Complete Guide is a comprehensive reference summarizing botanical, business, chemical, ecological, genetic, historical, horticultural, legal, and medical considerations that are critical for the wise advancement and management of cannabis in its various forms. This book documents both the risks and benefits of what is indisputably one of the world's most important species. The conflicting claims for medicinal virtues and toxicological vices are examined, based mainly on the most recent authoritative scientific reviews. The attempt is made consistently to reflect majority scientific opinion, although many aspects of cannabis are controversial. Aside from the relevance to specialists, the general public should find the presentation attractive because of the huge interest today in marijuana. Unfortunately, society has become so specialized and compartmentalized that most people have limited appreciation of the importance of science to their lives, except when a topic like marijuana becomes sensationalized. This review of cannabis can serve as a vehicle for public education in the realm of science and technology. Indeed, towards the goal of disseminating the important information in this book to a wide audience, the presentation is user-friendly, concise, and well-illustrated in the hope that non-specialists will find the topics both informative and entertaining.

Many edible plants considered exotic in the Western world are actually quite mainstream in other cultures. While some of these plants are only encountered in ethnic food markets or during travels to foreign lands, many are now finding their way onto supermarket shelves. Top 100 Exotic Food Plants provides comprehensive coverage of tropical and semitropical food plants, reviewing scientific and technological information as well as their culinary uses.

Wide-ranging in scope, this volume's coverage includes plants that produce fruits, vegetables, spices, culinary herbs, nuts, and extracts. A user-friendly format enables readers to easily locate information on botanical and agricultural aspects, economic and social importance, food uses, storage, preparation, and potential toxicity. The book also contains an introductory chapter that reviews important historical, economic, geopolitical, health, environmental, and ethical considerations associated with exotic food plants. Thoroughly referenced with more than 2000 literature citations, this book is enhanced by more than 200 drawings, many chosen from historical art of extraordinary quality.

This timely volume also highlights previously obscure edible plants that have recently become prominent as a result of sensationalistic media reports stemming from their inherently entertaining or socially controversial natures. Some of these plants include the acai berry, kava, hemp, and opium poppy. A scholarly yet accessible presentation, the book is filled with numerous memorable, fascinating, and humorous facts, making it an entertaining and stimulating read that will appeal to a broad audience.

Many North American plants have characteristics that are especially promising for creating varieties needed to expand food production, and there are excellent prospects of generating new economically competitive crops from these natives. The inadequacy of current crops to meet the food demands of the world's huge, growing population makes the potential of indigenous North American food plants even more significant. These plants can also generate crops that are more compatible with the ecology of the world, and many also have inherent health benefits. Presenting detailed scholarship, a thoroughly accessible style, and numerous entertaining anecdotes, North American Cornucopia: Top 100 Indigenous Food Plants is a full-color book dedicated to the most important 100 native food plants of North America north of Mexico that have achieved commercial success or have substantial market potential. The introductory chapter reviews the historical development of North American indigenous crops and factors bearing on their future economic success. The rest of the book consists of 100 chapters, each dedicated to a particular crop. The book employs a user-friendly chapter format that presents the material in sections offering in-depth coverage of each plant. The first section of each chapter provides information on the scientific and English names of the plants, followed by a section on the geography and ecology of the wild forms, accompanied by a map showing the North American distribution. A section entitled "Plant Portrait" comprises a basic description of the plant, its history, and its economic and social importance. This is followed by "Culinary Portrait," concerned with food uses and culinary vocabulary. The chapters then provide an analysis of the economic future of each crop, discuss notable and interesting scientific or technological observations and accomplishments, and present extensive references.

Best known as an animal feed, Alfalfa "Medicago sativa" is one of the most important and widely produced livestock crops grown throughout the temperate world. "Alfalfa and Relatives: Evolution and Classification of Medicago" provides an in-depth introduction to the "Medicago" genus, exploring its evolution, breeding and adaptation. Not only are Alfalfa's agricultural and environmental benefits unsurpassed but, due to technological advances, this staple crop is now being developed as a source of human food extracts, pharmaceuticals, enzymes, industrial chemicals, and biofuels. Through this detailed text, the author defines the ecological applications of the plant while carefully illustrating its economic value and its growing importance as a genetic resource. This is a co-publication with NRC Research Press.

Cannabis sativa is best known as the source of marijuana, the world's most widely consumed illicit recreational drug. However, the plant is also extremely useful as a source of stem fiber, edible seed oil, and medicinal compounds, all of which are undergoing extremely promising research, technological applications, and business investment. Indeed, despite its capacity for harm as a recreational drug, cannabis has phenomenal potential for providing new products to benefit society and for generating extensive employment and huge profits. Misguided policies, until recently, have prevented legitimate research on the beneficial properties of cannabis, but there is now an explosion of societal, scientific, and political support to reappraise and remove some of the barriers to usage. Unfortunately, there is also a corresponding dearth of objective analysis. Towards redressing the limitation of information, Cannabis: A Complete Guide is a comprehensive reference summarizing botanical, business, chemical, ecological, genetic, historical, horticultural, legal, and medical considerations that are critical for the wise advancement and management of cannabis in its various forms. This book documents both the risks and benefits of what is indisputably one of the world's most important species. The conflicting claims for medicinal virtues and toxicological vices are examined, based mainly on the most recent authoritative scientific reviews. The attempt is made consistently to reflect majority scientific opinion, although many aspects of cannabis are controversial. Aside from the relevance to specialists, the general public should find the presentation attractive because of the huge interest today in marijuana. Unfortunately, society has become so specialized and compartmentalized that most people have limited appreciation of the importance of science to their lives, except when a topic like marijuana becomes sensationalized. This review of cannabis can serve as a vehicle for public education in the realm of science and technology. Indeed, towards the goal of disseminating the important information in this book to a wide audience, the presentation is user-friendly, concise, and well-illustrated in the hope that non-specialists will find the topics both informative and entertaining.