Book description
Functional Biology of Plants
provides students and researchers with a clearly written, well
structured whole plant physiology text. Early in the text, it provides
essential information on molecular and cellular processes so that the
reader can understand how they are integrated into the development and
function of the plant at whole-plant level. Thus, this beautifully
illustrated book, presents a modern, applied integration of whole plant
and molecular approaches to the study of plants.
It is divided into
four parts: Part 1: Genes and Cells, looks at the origins of plants,
cell structure, biochemical processes and genes and development. Part
2: The Functioning Plant, describes the structure and function of
roots, stems, leaves, flowers and seed and fruit development. Part 3:
Interactions and Adaptations, examines environmental and biotic
stresses and how plants adapt and acclimatise to these conditions.
Part 4: Future Directions, illustrates the great importance of plant
research by looking at some well chosen, topical examples such as GM
crops, biomass and bio-fuels, loss of plant biodiversity and the
question of how to feed the planet.
Throughout the book there are text boxes to illustrate particular
aspects of how humans make use of plants, and a comprehensive glossary
proves invaluable to those coming to the subject from other areas of
life science.
Dr Martin J. Hodson
, School of Biological & Molecular Sciences, Oxford Brookes
University. Martin Hodson is a Visiting Researcher in Environmental
Biology in the School of Life Sciences at Oxford Brookes University.
Professor John A. Bryant, Emeritus Professor, School of
Biosciences, University of Exeter. John Bryant is Professor Emeritus
of Cell and Molecular Biology at the University of Exeter; Visiting
Professor in Molecular Biology at West Virginia State University, USA;
Chair of Christians in Science and is a past President of the Society
for Experimental Biology.
