Plant Functional Types: Their Relevance to Ecosystem Properties and Global Change (International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme Book Series) [Paperback]

T. M. Smith (Editor), H. H. Shugart (Editor), F. I. Woodward (Editor)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0521566436 | ISBN-13: 978-0521566438 | Publication Date: May 13, 1997 | Edition: 1

When predicting the effects of changing climate and carbon dioxide on plants at the global scale there is a major stumbling block--we have very little information, in many cases none, about how plants will respond in the future. In order to circumvent this problem, and until more information on species accumulates, we reduce the diversity of species to a diversity of functions and structures. The structures may be trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses. The functions may be types of photosynthetic processes, the capacity to minimize water loss and varying the timing of growth. This book describes approaches and methods for defining these functional types in ways that maximize our potential to predict accurately the responses of real vegetation with real species diversity. This book will be useful to those interested in botany, ecology, and environmental science.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"...an excellent introduction to the concept and use of PFT's and a valuable overview of the state of plant ecology in the 1990's." David A. Wedin, Ecoscience

"The strengths of the book are the consistently good quality of the chapters, its continuity of themes and its variety of perspectives...it is excellent for anyone interested in tundra or particularly arid and semiarid ecosystems... I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in functional plant ecology and vegetation response to global change." David Hooper, The Quarterly Review of Biology

"Rooted in game theory and treating plants as strategists and gamblers, Plant Functional Types, an undergraduate textbook, considers shape and form as functions of differential energy allocation during the lifetime of plants. The Achilles heel of each strategy is made poignant by looking at the effects of global climate change on species' survival and community composition. A fine example of how to integrate theoretical and applied biology." New Scientist

"...the depth and breadth of coverage are impressive....This book is an important addition to a growing library of knowledge related to global change." Thomas R. Crowe, Ecoscience

Book Description

We have little or no information to predict how plants will respond to the effects of changing climate and carbon dioxide at the global scale. This book describes approaches and methods to maximize our potential to predict the responses of real vegetation with real species diversity.

Product Details

• Paperback: 388 pages
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press; 1 edition (May 13, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0521566436
• ISBN-13: 978-0521566438
• Product Dimensions: 9.7 x 6.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,399,530 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)