Plants Diversity and Evolution [Paperback]

A new textbook that advocates a more ecological and process oriented approach to plant sciences.Plants: Evolution and Diversity introduces students to the fundamental concepts of botany, plant science, plant ecology and plant evolutionary biology, using well-defined technical terms and extensive examples to add clarity. It describes the evolution of land plants and algae in relation to environmental change and examines the biochemical, physiological and morphological adaptations that plants have developed in differing environments. Chapters on plant cell characteristics and new classifications are included and the topical issue of plant exploitation is considered (e.g. natural medicines and GM crops).Plants: Evolution and Diversity introduces students to the fundamental concepts of botany, plant science, plant ecology and plant evolutionary biology, using well-defined technical terms and extensive examples to add clarity. It describes the evolution of land plants and algae in relation to environmental change and examines the biochemical, physiological and morphological adaptations that plants have developed in differing environments. Chapters on plant cell characteristics and new classifications are included and the topical issue of plant exploitation is considered (e.g. natural medicines and GM crops).Introducing students to the fundamental concepts of botany, plant science, plant ecology and plant evolutionary biology, this book uses well-defined technical terms and extensive examples. It describes the evolution of land plants and algae in relation to environmental change and examines their biochemical, physiological and morphological adaptations to differing environments. Chapters on plant cell characteristics, new classifications and the topical issue of plant exploitation are included.Preface; Acknowledgements; 1. Process, form, and pattern; 2. The genesis of form; 3. Endless forms?; 4. Sex, multiplication, and dispersal; 5. Ordering the paths of diversity; 6. ló,