How do we understand the boundaries of individual creatures? What are the systems of interdependency that bind all living creatures together? Plants were among the the first to colonize the planet. ...They created the soil and the atmosphere that made life possible for animals. They are some of the largest and oldest life forms on Earth. In spite of their primacy, Western cultures have traditionally regarded plants as the lowest life forms, lacking mobility, sensation, and communication. But recent research argues that plants move and respond to their environment, communicate with each other, and form partnerships with other species. Art, poetry, and essays by cultural anthropologists, experimental plant biologists, philosophers, botanists and foresters expose the complex interactions of the vibrant living world around us and give us a lens through which we can explore our intertwined histories.
The pharmacopoeias of most African countries are available and contain an impressive number of medicinal plants used for various therapeutic purposes. Many African scholars have distinguished ...themselves in the fields of organic chemistry, pharmacology, and pharmacognosy and other areas related to the study of plant medicinal plants. However, until now, there is no global standard book on the nature and specificity of chemicals isolated in African medicinal plants, as well as a book bringing together and discussing the main bioactive metabolites of these plants. This book explores the essence of natural substances from African medicinal plants and their pharmacological potential. In light of possible academic use, this book also scans the bulk of African medicinal plants extract having promising pharmacological activities. * The book contains data of biologically active plants of Africa, plant occurring compounds and synthesis pathways of secondary metabolites * This book explores the essence of natural substances from African medicinal plants and their pharmacological potential * The authors are world reknowned African Scientists
The Plant Contract presents contemporary art that changes human perception of the vegetal world, after centuries of plant disassociation, and returns us to the genius and solace of "nature and ...thought".
This latest edition of Vascular Flora of Illinois includes over thirty-four hundred species of flora from Illinois, adding more than 250 newly-recognized plants to this definitive collection. Because ...cataloguing our heritage is foremost in importance among naturalists, this book compiles essential information about plants in Illinois. Mohlenbrock includes all known taxa native to Illinois either at present or in the past and all non-native vascular plants that grow spontaneously and appear able to maintain themselves year after year without cultivation. The sequence of groups in the guide is ferns, conifers, and flowering plants, with cotyledons given before monocotyledons. Within each group, the families are arranged alphabetically, as are the genera within each family and the species within each genus. For each taxon recognized in this book, Mohlenbrock gives us a common name if one is generally used in Illinois. He follows this with an indication of flowering time for flowering plants, and of spore-production time in the case of ferns and their relatives. He also provides a habitat statement and a general comment on distribution in Illinois for each taxon.
Containing information on Illinois flora not available anywhere else, this fourth edition of Vascular Flora of Illinois is essential for ecologists, environmentalists, and land developers. Those interested in wildflower identification will also find this guide helpful.
The strength and generality of the relationship between decomposition rates and detritus carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations was assessed by comparing published reports of decomposition ...rates of detritus of photosynthetic organisms, from unicellular algae to trees. The results obtained demonstrated the existence of a general positive, linear relationship between plant decomposition rates and nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations. Differences in the carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus concentrations of plant detritus accounted for 89% of the variance in plant decomposition rates of detritus originating from photosynthetic organisms ranging from unicellular microalgae to trees. The results also demonstrate that moist plant material decomposes substantially faster than dry material with similar nutrient concentrations. Consideration of lignin, instead of carbon, concentrations did not improve the relationships obtained. These results reflect the coupling of phosphorus and nitrogen in the basic biochemical processes of both plants and their microbial decomposers, and stress the importance of this coupling for carbon and nutrient flow in ecosystems.
Conservation and sustainable productivity are vital issues for Australia. In order to manage vegetation well from an agricultural, recreational or conservation point of view, an understanding of ...individual plant species is important. Plants of Central Queensland provides a guide for identifying and understanding the plants of the region so that pastoralists and others can be better equipped to manage the vegetation resource of our grazing lands. Central Queensland straddles the Tropic of Capricorn, although many of the plants in the book will also be found outside this area, as shown by their distribution maps. The book provides information on the habit, distribution, foliage and fruits of 525 plant species. Informative notes highlighting declared, poisonous, weed and medicinal plants are included, and plants useful for bees and bush tucker are also noted. These are the most important plants you might see if you live in or travel through central Queensland. This book has an easy-to-read, non-botanical format, with helpful photographs and distribution maps that greatly aid anyone interested in the vegetation of central Queensland. It is based on a previous work of the same title but is greatly expanded, incorporating information on an additional 285 plant species.
Vascular Plants of Alberta is a user-friendly, portable key to the ferns, fern allies, gymnosperms, and monocots of Alberta. This key to the species of Alberta will delight all those interested in ...botany, with its intuitive and exhaustive presentation of the plants, including new names and taxonomical understandings that have emerged in recent years. Designed to be carried into the field for handy reference and use, Vascular Plants of Alberta presents: -A list of all species, native and introduced, known to occur in Alberta, arranged alphabetically -Information on scientific names of taxa and their synonyms -Keys for identifying taxa, including infra specific -Descriptions of the major taxonomic categories -Discussion about taxonomic problems and relationships of the taxa -Distribution and habitat information for native species -Descriptions for new taxa
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