Download Free An Evolutionary Basis For Pollination Ecology Book in PDF and EPUB Free Download. You can read online An Evolutionary Basis For Pollination Ecology and write the review.

Fig., tab
Important breakthroughs have recently been made in our understanding of the cognitive and sensory abilities of pollinators: how pollinators perceive, memorise and react to floral signals and rewards; how they work flowers, move among inflorescences and transport pollen. These new findings have obvious implications for the evolution of floral display and diversity, but most existing publications are scattered across a wide range of journals in very different research traditions. This book brings together for the first time outstanding scholars from many different fields of pollination biology, integrating the work of neuroethologists and evolutionary ecologists to present a multi-disciplinary approach. Aimed at graduates and researchers of behavioural and pollination ecology, plant evolutionary biology and neuroethology, it will also be a useful source of information for anyone interested in a modern view of cognitive and sensory ecology, pollination and floral evolution.
Pollination and Floral Ecology is a very comprehensive reference work to all aspects of pollination biology.
A unique and personal insight into the ecology and evolution of pollinators, their relationships with flowers, and their conservation in a rapidly changing world. The pollination of flowers by insects, birds and other animals is a fundamentally important ecological function that supports both the natural world and human society. Without pollinators to facilitate the sexual reproduction of plants, the world would be a biologically poorer place in which to live, there would be an impact on food security, and human health would suffer. Written by one of the world’s leading pollination ecologists, this book provides an introduction to what pollinators are, how their interactions with flowers have evolved, and the fundamental ecology of these relationships. It explores the pollination of wild and agricultural plants in a variety of habitats and contexts, including urban, rural and agricultural environments. The author also provides practical advice on how individuals and organisations can study, and support, pollinators. As well as covering the natural history of pollinators and flowers, the author discusses their cultural importance, and the ways in which pollinator conservation has been portrayed from a political perspective. The book draws on field work experiences in South America, Africa, Australia, the Canary Islands and the UK. For over 30 years the author has spent his career researching how plants and pollinators evolve relationships, how these interactions function ecologically, their importance for society, and how we can conserve them in a rapidly changing world. This book offers a unique and personal insight into the science of pollinators and pollination, aimed at anyone who is interested in understanding these fascinating and crucial ecological interactions.
Pollination Biology reviews the state of knowledge in the field of pollination biology. The book begins by tracing the historical trends in pollination research and the development of the two styles of pollination biology. This is followed by separate chapters on the evolution of the angiosperms; the evolution of plant-breeding systems; the geographical correlations between breeding habit, climate, and mode of pollen transfer; and sexual selection in plants. Subsequent chapters examine the process of sexual selection through gametic competition in Geranium maculatum; the effects of different gene movement patterns on plant population structure; the foraging behavior of pollinators; adaptive nature of floral traits; and competitive interactions among flowering plants for pollinators. The book is designed to provide useful material for advanced undergraduate and graduate students wishing to familiarize themselves with modern pollination biology and also to provide new insights into specific problems for those already engaged in pollination research. The book is intended to be used for both teaching and research.
The reproductive organs and mating biology of angiosperms exhibit greater variety than those of any other group of organisms. Flowers and inflorescences are also the most diverse structures produced by angiosperms, and floral traits provide some of the most compelling examples of evolution by natural selection. Given that flowering plants include roughly 250,000 species, their reproductive diversity will not be explained easily by continued accumulation of case studies of individual species. Instead a more strategic approach is now required, which seeks to identify general principles concerning the role of ecological function in the evolution of reproductive diversity. The Ecology and Evolution of Flowers uses this approach to expose new insights into the functional basis of floral diversity, and presents the very latest theoretical and empirical research on floral evolution. Floral biology is a dynamic and growing area and this book, written by the leading internationally recognized researchers in this field, reviews current progress in understanding the evolution and function of flowers. Chapters contain both new research findings and synthesis. Major sections in turn examine functional aspects of floral traits and sexual systems, the ecological influences on reproductive adaptation, and the role of floral biology in angiosperm diversification. Overall, this integrated treatment illustrates the role of floral function and evolution in the generation of angiosperm biodiversity. This advanced textbook is suitable for graduate level students taking courses in plant ecology, evolution, systematics, biodiversity and conservation. It will also be of interest and use to a broader audience of plant scientists seeking an authoritative overview of recent advances in floral biology.
This text summarizes the results of studies on the pollination ecology of the unique family Compositae (Asteraceae). The complex structural and functional specializations of the capitulum (or head) for pollinator attraction and pollen transfer are described in detail. An attempt is made to identify the influence of these specializations on the development and the function of other floral parts. The remarkable sex polymorphism of the Compositae head, which has caused much confusion amongst students is traced to this influence and characterized as a secondary modification. The central concept in the book is taht pollination ecology is the guiding factor in Compositae evolution.
This book presents a comprehensive overview of our current understanding of mutualism origin, plant–pollinator specificity, mutualism stability, and reciprocal diversification. In particular, it focuses on the natural history and evolutionary history of the third example of obligate pollination mutualism, leafflower–leafflower moth association, which was discovered in the plant family Phyllanthaceae by the lead editor and then established by the editors and their coworkers as an ideal model system for studies of mutualism and the coevolutionary process. This work brings together the knowledge they have gained through an array of research conducted using different approaches, ranging from taxonomy, phylogenetics, ecology, and evolutionary biology to biogeography. Richly illustrated with numerous original color photographs, the volume consists of 13 chapters and is divided into three main parts: natural history, ecology, and evolution. It begins by showcasing numerous examples of plant–animal interactions and their origins to guide readers in the world of leafflowers and their pollinators. The immense diversity of Phyllanthaceae and pollinator moths is then explored, and in the following 7 chapters mutualism is discussed from a range of ecological and evolutionary points of view. The final chapter presents a review of the evolution and variety of obligate pollination mutualisms. This book offers researchers and students in the field of ecology, botany, evolutionary biology, pollination biology, entomology, and tropical biology fascinating insights into why such a costly pollination system has evolved and why Phyllanthaceae is so diverse despite the inconspicuousness of their flowers.