Author: Urs Eggli Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media ISBN: 3642567150 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 399
Book Description
This handbook, consisting of six volumes, covers over 9000 taxa of succulents (excluding cacti), which have the ability to store water in their stems, leaves, or underground organs. In addition to the volumes on Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons, separate volumes are devoted to those families with predominantly succulent members, which show an especially great diversity, namely Aizoaceae, Asclepiadaceae and Crassulaceae. Following an alphabetical listing of families, genera and species, detailed descriptions are given, including the taxonomy with synonyms, data on the distribution and ecology, references, and keys to genera, species or subspecies. Over 2000 superb colour photographs complete this inventory of succulent plants.
Author: Barbara M. Thiers Publisher: Timber Press ISBN: 1604699302 Category : Nature Languages : en Pages : 281
Book Description
A treasury like no other Since the 1500s, scientists have documented the plants and fungi that grew around them, organizing the specimens into collections. Known as herbaria, these archives helped give rise to botany as its own scientific endeavor. Herbarium is a fascinating enquiry into this unique field of plant biology, exploring how herbaria emerged and have changed over time, who promoted and contributed to them, and why they remain such an important source of data for their new role: understanding how the world’s flora is changing. Barbara Thiers, director of the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium at the New York Botanical Garden, also explains how recent innovations that allow us to see things at both the molecular level and on a global scale can be applied to herbaria specimens, helping us address some of the most critical problems facing the world today. At its heart, Herbarium is a compelling reminder of one of humanity’s better impulses: to save things—not just for ourselves, but for generations to come.
Author: Carolyn Fry Publisher: Ivy Press ISBN: 071129495X Category : Gardening Languages : en Pages : 274
Book Description
Discover a vast treasure trove of botanical knowledge in The Botanist’s Library, a superbly illustrated collection of 300+ seminal books and illustrations from throughout history. From the earliest manuscripts penned by visionary naturalists, to the modern tomes that continue to shape our understanding of the plant kingdom, this book is a testament to the tireless dedication of the world's greatest botanists. Its compelling narrative and visual journey make it a must-have addition to the library of anyone fascinated by the beauty and complexity of the plant kingdom. This complete guide traces the development of botanical science through era-defining publications, covering: Historia Plantarum, the first history of botany, written between c. 350 BC and c. 287 BC, in which Theophrastus described plants by their uses, and attempted a biological classification, based on how plants reproduced, to the authors of the herbals of the 16th century Brunfels, Fuchs, Bock and Mattioli, who regarded plants as the vehicles of medicinal virtues The golden age of the 18th- and 19th-century flower hunters, who travelled to every corner of the world in search of new and exotic plants Today’s most significant works of botanical reference Each chapter delves into the pages of a seminal work, unveiling the insights, controversies, and stories behind the books that have shaped our understanding of the plant world. Whether you are a seasoned botanist, a budding enthusiast, or simply someone with an insatiable curiosity about the natural world, The Botanist's Library offers a comprehensive reference that will enrich your understanding of botany and its evolution.
Author: Alexandre Antonelli Publisher: University of Chicago Press ISBN: 0226821870 Category : Nature Languages : en Pages : 289
Book Description
An unforgettable exploration of the natural world and the concept of biodiversity—what it is, why it matters, and how we as individuals can work to preserve it. We are now living in an environmental emergency. As climate change, habitat loss, and other threats have placed almost one-fifth of all species on Earth at risk of extinction in the coming decades, a deeper understanding of biodiversity has never been more important. Biodiversity encompasses the rich variety of all life on Earth—the building blocks of life that provide invaluable sources of food, medicine, clothing, building materials, and more. Marking the arrival of a bold new voice in popular science, The Hidden Universe shows readers what’s at stake in the fight to protect and restore biodiversity, but also what can and should be done now to protect our planet and ourselves for the future. As director of science at one of the world’s largest research organizations in plant and fungal sciences, Brazilian-born scientist Alexandre Antonelli is ideally suited to reveal the wonders of biodiversity at a genetic, species, and ecosystem level—what biodiversity is, how it works, and why it is the most important tool in our battle against climate change. Antonelli offers recommendations for large-scale political changes, as well as smaller, practical steps that readers can implement in their own lives and homes. With Antonelli as our guide, The Hidden Universe helps us imagine a future where biodiversity is not just preserved but cherished.
Author: Geoffrey Newton Publisher: FriesenPress ISBN: 1039133789 Category : Medical Languages : en Pages : 149
Book Description
This book is about the coronavirus and the pandemic it spawned, and what this outbreak means for future pandemics. It analyses the official response and sees where improvements can be made, for example, the World Health Organization waited till March to designate the coronavirus a pandemic and a full year before confirming its airborne transmission. The book looks at the specific nature of the virus, its origins and how it was transmitted, why it was so deadly to predisposed individuals, how it compares to previous pandemics, what measures were taken mitigate the disease and how to protect ourselves against it in future. The book also looks into the wider implications of the pandemic and its causes, for example, how climate change and biodiversity are coming into direct conflict with ever expanding needs of population growth and urban sprawl has conspired to bring us into ever closer contact with these viruses, for example, Nipah virus outbreak from the deforestation of the Indonesian Rain Forest, and Ebola from settlement expansion in the Congo. Lastly the book looks at the wider nature of viruses and their historical significance to the tree-of-life of the planet, and their relationship to our evolution. This book is a timely search into the nature of viruses and how they will affect us going forward, and what measures we can take to protect ourselves and mitigate the dangers from future outbreaks by integrating our industrial society into an ecological friendly setting, thereby accommodating these viruses.
Author: Michael Lim Publisher: Thames & Hudson Australia ISBN: 1760763535 Category : Science Languages : en Pages : 213
Book Description
The kingdom of fungi has survived all five major extinction events. They are the architects of the natural world, integral to all life. They sustain critical ecosystems, recycling nutrients and connecting plants across vast areas, and help to produce many staples of modern life, such as wine, chocolate, bread, detergent and penicillin. Today, in the face of urgent ecological, societal and spiritual crises, fungi are being engineered to grow meat alternatives, create new sources of medicine, produce sustainable biomaterials, remediate the environment and even expand our collective consciousness. The Future is Fungi is a complete introduction to this hidden kingdom. Exploring their past, present and potential future impact in four key areas - food, medicine, psychedelics and mental health, and environmental remediation - this book not only reveals how fungi have formed the foundations of modern life but how they might help shape our future. Rich with informative texts, awe-inspiring 3D digital art and tips on how to immerse yourself in the world of fungi, this is a manifesto for the future, an invitation into a deeper awareness of our relationship with the natural world, each other, and ourselves.
Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org. ISBN: 9251312702 Category : Political Science Languages : en Pages : 576
Book Description
The State of the World's Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture presents the first global assessment of biodiversity for food and agriculture worldwide. Biodiversity for food and agriculture is the diversity of plants, animals and micro-organisms at genetic, species and ecosystem levels, present in and around crop, livestock, forest and aquatic production systems. It is essential to the structure, functions and processes of these systems, to livelihoods and food security, and to the supply of a wide range of ecosystem services. It has been managed or influenced by farmers, livestock keepers, forest dwellers, fish farmers and fisherfolk for hundreds of generations. Prepared through a participatory, country-driven process, the report draws on information from 91 country reports to provide a description of the roles and importance of biodiversity for food and agriculture, the drivers of change affecting it and its current status and trends. It describes the state of efforts to promote the sustainable use and conservation of biodiversity for food and agriculture, including through the development of supporting policies, legal frameworks, institutions and capacities. It concludes with a discussion of needs and challenges in the future management of biodiversity for food and agriculture. The report complements other global assessments prepared under the auspices of the Commission on Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, which have focused on the state of genetic resources within particular sectors of food and agriculture.
Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Publisher: Food & Agriculture Org. ISBN: 9251379904 Category : Nature Languages : en Pages : 146
Book Description
The availability of comprehensive and reliable information is crucial for developing evidence-based policies and strategies for the conservation and use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture. Information on food and agricultural crops, on their use, interdependence, demand, supply, and security is increasingly available but scattered through a number of information systems, databases and scientific literature. This study was undertaken by a team of international experts to pool together information from a wide range of sources in a user-friendly manner and to develop a reproducible set of metrics and indicators, complementing existing indicators. The main global database sources consulted include FAOSTAT, the Data Store of the International Treaty, FAO WIEWS, Genesys PGR, GBIF, PlantSearch, the Svalbard Global Seed Vault’s SeedPortal, UPOV’s PLUTO database, and NCBI’s Entrez database. The resulting metrics were organized into five domains – crop use, interdependence, demand, supply, and security.The study includes findings about the importance of the Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing of the International Treaty, the primary global operational mechanism to exchange plant germplasm needed for research and breeding around the world, while pointing at gaps and possibilities to enable its growth.A number of vignettes complete the study with information on contemporary issues on crop conservation and use, to further showcase how the management of plant genetic diversity is evolving at present.It is hoped that this publication will support countries, researchers, breeders and other stakeholders in prioritizing activities, implementing multilateral frameworks and leading policy discussions related to plant genetic resources for food and agriculture.
Author: Urs Eggli
Author: Barbara M. Thiers
Author: 
Author: Carolyn Fry
Author: Alexandre Antonelli
Author: Geoffrey Newton
Author: Michael Lim
Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Author: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Author: Dhanushka Nadeeshan Wanasinghe