Taxonomy and Plant Conservation [Paperback]

Highlights the key role played by taxonomy in the conservation and sustainable utilisation of plant biodiversity.Plants are vital for human well-being, providing food, medicines and oxygen. Yet despite our reliance on plants, a third of all known species are threatened with extinction. Unless we know the precise characteristics of a plant we cannot identify and conserve it. Taxonomy, the classification and naming of organisms, provides this tool. This book describes what taxonomy is and how it is used to identify and implement the necessary conservation action.Plants are vital for human well-being, providing food, medicines and oxygen. Yet despite our reliance on plants, a third of all known species are threatened with extinction. Unless we know the precise characteristics of a plant we cannot identify and conserve it. Taxonomy, the classification and naming of organisms, provides this tool. This book describes what taxonomy is and how it is used to identify and implement the necessary conservation action.This book illustrates the key role played by taxonomy in the conservation and sustainable utilization of plant biodiversity. Divided into four parts, the book opens with an overview of the place of taxonomy in science and in implementing the Convention on Biological Diversity. With contributions from taxonomists and also the users of taxonomy, the volume will provide a balanced treatment, suitable for advanced students, researchers and conservation professionals.Part I. Introduction: 1. Science, taxonomy and the future of plant diversity Peter Crane and Laura Pleasants; 2. Taxonomy in the implementation of the Convention on Biological Diversity Alan Paton, China Williams, Kate Davis; Part II. The Practice of Taxonomy: 3. Principles and practice of plant taxonomy Tod F. Stuessy; 4. Flowering plant families: how many do we need? James Cullen and Max Walters; 5. Taxonomy, floras and conservation Santiago Castroviejo; 6. The democratic processes of botanical nomenclatulM