Floral Biology

Floral Biology
Author: David G. Lloyd
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 420
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1461311659

Studies in floral biology are largely concerned with how flowers function to promote pollination and mating. The role of pollination in governing mating patterns in plant populations inextricably links the evolution of pollination and mating systems. Despite the close functional link between pollination and mating, research conducted for most of this century on these two fundamental aspects of plant reproduction has taken quite separate courses. This has resulted in suprisingly little cross-fertilization between the fields of pollination biology on the one hand and plant mating-system studies on the other. The separation of the two areas has largely resulted from the different backgrounds and approaches adopted by workers in these fields. Most pollination studies have been ecological in nature with a strong emphasis on field research and until recently few workers considered how the mechanics of pollen dispersal might influence mating patterns and individual plant fitness. In contrast, work on plant mating patterns has often been conducted in an ecological vacuum largely devoid of information on the environmental and demographic context in which mating occurs. Mating-system research has been dominated by population genetic and theoretical perspectives with surprisingly little consideration given to the proximate ecological factors responsible for causing a particular pattern of mating to occur.

Darwin's Orchids

Darwin's Orchids
Author: Retha Edens-Meier
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Total Pages: 440
Release: 2014-11-05
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 0226044912

A quorum of scientists offer reviews and results to celebrate the 150th anniversary of 'On The Various Contrivances By Which British And Foreign Orchids Are Fertilised By Insects, And On The Good Effects Of Intercrossing' (1862). Authors of the first ten chapters follow research on the pollination and breeding systems of the same orchid lineages that interested Darwin, including temperate and tropical species. Authors on the last two chapters provide information on the floral attractants and flowering systems of orchids using protocols and technologies unavailable during Darwin's lifetime.

Ecology and Evolution of Flowers

Ecology and Evolution of Flowers
Author: Lawrence D. Harder
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
Total Pages: 399
Release: 2006-11-30
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0198570856

Floral biology, floral function, sexual systems, diversification.

Pollination Biology

Pollination Biology
Author: Leslie Real
Publisher: Elsevier
Total Pages: 357
Release: 2012-12-02
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0323154514

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.

Pollination and Floral Ecology

Pollination and Floral Ecology
Author: Pat Willmer
Publisher: Princeton University Press
Total Pages: 790
Release: 2011-07-25
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 0691128618

Pollination and Floral Ecology is a very comprehensive reference work to all aspects of pollination biology.

Pollinators and Pollination

Pollinators and Pollination
Author: Jeff Ollerton
Publisher: Pelagic Publishing Ltd
Total Pages: 425
Release: 2021-01-18
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1784272299

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.

Cognitive Ecology of Pollination

Cognitive Ecology of Pollination
Author: Lars Chittka
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 360
Release: 2005-08-22
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9780521018401

Important breakthroughs have recently been made in our understanding of the cognitive and sensory abilities of pollinators, such as how pollinators perceive, memorize, 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 outstanding scholars from many different fields of pollination biology, integrating the work of neuroethologists and evolutionary ecologists to present a multidisciplinary approach.

Status of Pollinators in North America

Status of Pollinators in North America
Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
Total Pages: 327
Release: 2007-05-13
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0309102898

Pollinators-insects, birds, bats, and other animals that carry pollen from the male to the female parts of flowers for plant reproduction-are an essential part of natural and agricultural ecosystems throughout North America. For example, most fruit, vegetable, and seed crops and some crops that provide fiber, drugs, and fuel depend on animals for pollination. This report provides evidence for the decline of some pollinator species in North America, including America's most important managed pollinator, the honey bee, as well as some butterflies, bats, and hummingbirds. For most managed and wild pollinator species, however, population trends have not been assessed because populations have not been monitored over time. In addition, for wild species with demonstrated declines, it is often difficult to determine the causes or consequences of their decline. This report outlines priorities for research and monitoring that are needed to improve information on the status of pollinators and establishes a framework for conservation and restoration of pollinator species and communities.

The Ornaments of Life

The Ornaments of Life
Author: Theodore H. Fleming
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Total Pages: 615
Release: 2013-10-03
Genre: Science
ISBN: 022602332X

The average kilometer of tropical rainforest is teeming with life; it contains thousands of species of plants and animals. As The Ornaments of Life reveals, many of the most colorful and eye-catching rainforest inhabitants—toucans, monkeys, leaf-nosed bats, and hummingbirds to name a few—are an important component of the infrastructure that supports life in the forest. These fruit-and-nectar eating birds and mammals pollinate the flowers and disperse the seeds of hundreds of tropical plants, and unlike temperate communities, much of this greenery relies exclusively on animals for reproduction. Synthesizing recent research by ecologists and evolutionary biologists, Theodore H. Fleming and W. John Kress demonstrate the tremendous functional and evolutionary importance of these tropical pollinators and frugivores. They shed light on how these mutually symbiotic relationships evolved and lay out the current conservation status of these essential species. In order to illustrate the striking beauty of these “ornaments” of the rainforest, the authors have included a series of breathtaking color plates and full-color graphs and diagrams.