This handbook covers the most commonly used techniques for measuring plant response to biotic and abiotic stressing factors, including: in vitro and in vivo bioassays; the study of root morphology, photosynthesis (pigment content, net photosynthesis, respiration, fluorescence and thermoluminiscence) and water status; thermal imaging; the measurement of oxidative stress markers; flow cytometry for measuring cell cycle and other physiological parameters; the use of microscope techniques for studying plant microtubules; programmed-cell-death; last-generation techniques (metabolomics, proteomics, SAR/QSAR); hybridization methods; isotope techniques for plant and soil studies; and the measurement of detoxification pathways, volatiles, soil microorganisms, and computational biology.

Brings together plant ecophysiology, remote sensing and modelling of vegetation and landscape function for advanced students and researchers.

The Handbook of Plant Ecophysiology Techniques you have now in your hands is the result of several combined events and efforts. The birth of this handbook can be traced as far as 1997, when our Plant Ecophysiology lab at the University of Vigo hosted a practical course on Plant Ecophysiology Techniques. That course showed us how much useful a handbook presenting a bunch of techniques would be for the scientists beginning to work on Plant Ecophysiology. In fact, we wrote a short handbook explaining the basics of the techniques taught in that 1997 course: Flow cytometry to measure ploidy levels, Use of a Steady-State porometer to measure transpiration, In vivo measure of fluorescence, HPLC analysis of low molecular weight phenolics, Spectrophotometric determinations of free proline and soluble proteins, TLC polyamines contents measures, Isoenzymatic electrophoresis, Use of IRGA and oxygen electrode. That modest handbook, written in Spanish, was very helpful, both for the people who attended the course and for other who have used it for beginning to work in Plant Ecophysiology. The present Handbook is much more ambitious, and it includes more techniques. But we have also had in mind the young scientists beginning to work on Plant Ecophysiology. In 1999 François Pellissier leaded a proposal presented to the European Commission in the Fifth Framework Program in the High Level * Scientific Conferences, including three EuroLab Courses about lab and field techniques useful to improve allelopathic research.

Microbes are ubiquitous in nature, and plant-microbe interactions are a key strategy for colonizing diverse habitats. The plant microbiome (epiphytic, endophytic and rhizospheric) plays an important role in plant growth and development and soil health. Further, rhizospheric soil is a valuable natural resource, hosting hotspots of microbes, and is vital in the maintenance of global nutrient balance and ecosystem function. The term endophytic microbes refers to those microorganisms that colonize the interior the plants. The phyllosphere is a common niche for synergism between microbes and plants and includes the leaf surface. The diverse group of microbes are key components of soil-plant systems, and where they are engaged in an extensive network of interactions in the rhizosphere/endophytic/phyllospheric they have emerged as an important and promising tool for sustainable agriculture. Plant microbiomes help to directly or indirectly promote plant growth using plant growth promoting attributes, and could potentially be used as biofertilizers/bioinoculants in place of chemical fertilizers. This book allows readers to gain an understanding of microbial diversity associated with plant systems and their role in plant growth, and soil health. Offering an overview of the state of the art in plant microbiomes and their potential biotechnological applications in agriculture and allied sectors, it is a valuable resource for scientists, researchers and students in the field of microbiology, biotechnology, agriculture, molecular biology, environmental biology and related subjects.

Plants in tropical regions are coping with enormous challenges of physiological stresses owing to changing environmental and climatic conditions. Rapid growth of human population and rampant exploitation of fossil fuels and other developmental activities are actively contributing to such perturbations. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has projected a sustained increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and thereby a rise in global temperature in the coming decades. The resultant changes in precipitation patterns are now evident across the globe due to intensication of hydrological cycle. Moreover, gaseous and particulate pollutants are also an immense challenge for tropical plants. Such vagaries in environmental conditions have signicant impacts on the ecophysiological traits of plants, resulting from altered interactions of tropical plants with each other, as well as other biotic and abiotic components within the ecosystem. Books available in the market that particularly focus on ecophysiological responses of tropical plants to abiotic and biotic environmental factors under climate change are limited. This book intends to fill this knowledge gap and provides a detailed analysis on ecophysiological responses of tropical plants to these environmental challenges, as well as suggesting some approachable measures for plant adaptations to these challenges. The book is equally applicable to undergraduate and postgraduate students, researchers, teachers and forest managers, and policy makers. Salient features of the book are: 1. A comprehensive discussion on adaptive mechanisms of plants through their ecophysiological responses to various biotic and abiotic stresses. 2. Elaboration on the recent techniques involved in ecophysiological research. 3. A detailed account of evolutionary responses of plants to changing climate. 4. Discussion of recent research results and some pointers to future advancements in ecophysiological research. 5. Presentation of information in a way that is accessible for students, researchers, and teachers practicing in plant physiology and ecology.

Twenty-nine, prominent, international researchers provide contributions which deal with understanding the basic ecophysiological and molecular principles governing the functioning of plant systems in relation to their environment. Divided into two headings: biotic and abiotic; the first consists of abiotic, natural environmental factors--light, ultraviolet radiation, chilling and freezing, high temperatures, drought, flooding, salt and trace metals. The latter half presents anthropogenic aspects including allelochemicals, herbicides, polyamines, air pollutants, carbon dioxide, radioisotopes and fire.

Plant Life under Changing Environment: Responses and Management presents the latest insights, reflecting the significant progress that has been made in understanding plant responses to various changing environmental impacts, as well as strategies for alleviating their adverse effects, including abiotic stresses. Growing from a focus on plants and their ability to respond, adapt, and survive, Plant Life under Changing Environment: Responses and Management addresses options for mitigating those responses to ensure maximum health and growth. Researchers and advanced students in environmental sciences, plant ecophysiology, biochemistry, molecular biology, nano-pollution climate change, and soil pollution will find this an important foundational resource. - Covers both responses and adaptation of plants to altered environmental states - Illustrates the current impact of climate change on plant productivity, along with mitigation strategies - Includes transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic and ionomic approaches

Conifers include a wide range of species that are spread all over the world. These species have wide diversity, variable stand structures ranging from monospecific monocohort to multispecific multicohort, and produce an assortment of products and services, the most frequent of which is timber. This book is a collection of contributions, both reviews and research studies, from different fields and perspectives on the management, regeneration, growth, diversity, and production of conifer stands. The book also addresses the effect of wildfires on conifer ecosystems and respiratory allergies to conifers.

Physiology and Behaviour of Plants looks at plants and how they sense and respond to their environment. It takes the traditional plant physiology book into a new dimension by demonstrating how the biochemical observations underlie the behaviour of the plant. In many ways the book parallels courses studied at university on animal physiology and behaviour. The plant has to meet the same challenges as an animal to survive, but overcomes these challenges in very different ways. Students learn to think of plants not only as dynamic organisms, but aggressive, territorial organisms capable of long-range communication. Hallmark features include: Based on a successful course that the author has run for several years at Sussex University, UK Relates plant biochemistry to plant function Printed in four colour throughout Includes a wealth of illustrations and photographs that engages the reader's attention and reinforce key concepts explored within the text Presents material in a modern 'topic' based approach, with many relevant and exciting examples to inspire the student An accompanying web site will include teaching supplements This innovative textbook is the ultimate resource for all students in biology, horticulture, forestry and agriculture. Companion website for this title is available at www.wiley.com/go/scott/plants

This book presents the state-of-the-art in plant ecophysiology. With a particular focus on adaptation to a changing environment, it discusses ecophysiology and adaptive mechanisms of plants under climate change. Over the centuries, the incidence of various abiotic stresses such as salinity, drought, extreme temperatures, atmospheric pollution, metal toxicity due to climate change have regularly affected plants and, and some estimates suggest that environmental stresses may reduce the crop yield by up to 70%. This in turn adversely affects the food security. As sessile organisms, plants are frequently exposed to various environmental adversities. As such, both plant physiology and plant ecophysiology begin with the study of responses to the environment. Provides essential insights, this book can be used for courses such as Plant Physiology, Environmental Science, Crop Production and Agricultural Botany. Volume 2 provides up-to-date information on the impact of climate change on plants, the general consequences and plant responses to various environmental stresses.