James R. Ehleringer - Böcker

Extensive research in geology, atmospheric science, and paleontology provides a detailed history of CO2 in the atmosphere and an understanding of factors that have influenced changes in the past. This knowledge is used to illuminate the role of atmospheric CO2 in the modern carbon cycle and in the evolution of plants and animals. With an understanding of the history and dynamics of the biosphere, the authors address the future role of atmospheric CO2 and its likely effects on ecosystems. This book incorporates the advances of various earth science, environmental, and ecological fields into an overall account of global change and the changing dynamics of life on Earth.

Today global changes and human activities affect plants within each of the world’s ecosystems. Plant Ecology in a Changing World provides a foundation for understanding how the changes underway impact structure and function in the world’s major biomes, while also describing how evolution has resulted in the biochemical, physiological, structural, and life history features that shaped plants and their capacities to persist across widely contrasting environments. This textbook is designed for undergraduate students and graduate students as well to serve as a resource for climate change and ecosystem scientists seeking a foundation on the principles of plant ecology and the basis of plant adaptations. While many textbooks focus primarily on natural ecosystems, Plant Ecology in a Changing World also recognizes the ecological importance of invasive, managed, and urban ecosystems and of the ways in which ecosystems are already being impacted by both human activities and a warming planet.Key features:Replete with 450+ figures that help to elucidate concepts and charts to clearly present key dataBoxes within chapters allow those who wish to delve into more advanced aspects of topics and of those key methodological approaches used to quantify processesHighlights of key plant ecologists and of their contributionsEach chapter concludes with a bulleted summary, enabling students to recap the key points of the chapterEach chapter comes with both a list of references, as well as with suggested readings, allowing the student to expand their knowledge on a particular topicAssociated with the book is an array of supplementary materials. These are available and constantly updated at http://plantecology.site.