J. R. Porter – författare

The book of Leviticus originally formed part of a larger whole comprising what are now the first four or five books of the Old Testament. Its name is descriptive - 'the Levitical book' being about the personnel of the temple, all of whom were supposed to be descended from Levi. In one way the description is accurate, since the material was produced among the priesthood which had survived the fall of Judah to the Babylonians in 587 BC as a manual of instruction for its members. However, since priests in Israel gradually emerged as leaders of the nation, the book of Leviticus is also directed at the laity and, by the promulgation of laws set in a historical narrative, intended to instruct them in their religious and civil obligations.

First published in 1991. Nutrition is a major environmental factor in regulating plant growth, and is therefore of significant practical concern to agriculturalists and ecologists. In order to achieve efficient plant production, it is essential to gain a full understanding of the basic principles underlying the three-way interaction between the plant, its nutrition and its environment. This book addresses the role of nutrition in regulating plant growth, at the level of both the individual and the community, by exploring the biochemical, cellular and physiological processes involved in energy metabolism and nutrient absorption. In the final section of the book, case studies are used to illustrate the practical implications of the interaction between plant and environment for crop and resource management. This book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers of agriculture, horticulture, forestry and ecology concerned with the complex ways in which plants interact with their environments.