- Email: [email protected]
Physiological plant ecology
Agricultural Meteorology, 24 ( 1 9 8 1 ) 2 9 7 - - 2 9 8
297
Elsevier Scientific P u b l i s h i n g C o m p a n y , A m s t e r d a m - - P r i n t e d in T h e N e t h e r l a n d s
B o o k Review
Physiological Plant Ecology. W. Larcher. 2nd revised edn., translated by M.A. Biederman-Thorson. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1980, xvii + 303 pp., DM 59.00, US $34.90 (soft cover).
The second edition of this book is complemented with new material and is totally revised. It presents examples and a recent knowledge on physiological plant ecology from all climatic zones. It is abundantly illustrated with instructive figures compiled from various publications -- to study them is in itself a great pleasure giving at the same time basic information on the influence of various external and climatic conditions on the plant. However, a certain knowledge of plant a n a t o m y and physiology is assumed by the author. The book is divided into six chapters. Chapter 1 acts as a general introduction and includes basic information on environments surrrounding plants. The primary importance of plants among living organisms is emphasized because of their capability to absorb and maintain the solar energy and also the abundance of their biomass. Chapter 2 presents a survey on radiation and temperature in the atmosphere; on the effects of these two factors on the plant; on freezing tolerance and hardening against frost, as well as on heat tolerance. Special attention is given to the energy budget. The extent of absorption of radiation energy depends on the location of plants on the Earth's surface. The particular parts of this Chapter are concerned, therefore, with climatic rhythms, their seasonal and diurnal variations, the seasonality of growth and development of plants, synchronization of the growth and climatic rhythms. Chapter 3 supplies detailed information on the carbon metabolism in the plant, including photosynthesis and the effect of external factors on this process; on the carbon budget both in the plant alone and in plant communities; on the productivity of stands of plants and the net primary production of the Earth's plant cover. Chapter 4 deals with the utilization and cycling of mineral elements in the ecosystem and the effect of external conditions on these processes. Nitrogen metabolism in the plant is discussed in detail -- the forms in which the nitrogen occurs in soil, its uptake by plant roots and microbial aspects of the fixation of molecular nitrogen and its transformation in the soil. Special attention is focussed on the effects of salts and heavy metals on plant life in salty soils and in soils affected by pollution. The toxic effect of pollutants, particularly of SO2, hydrogen halides (HF, HC1), ozone, and nitrogen oxides, is declared to be very dangerous to plant cover. Mineral balance and nutrient circulation in plant communities are discussed at the end of this chapter. Chapter 5 is concerned with water relations. Here the water relations of the plant cell, of the plant as well as of various habitats in relation to their
298 plant cover and water e c o n o m y are described. The situation of plants and plant communities during droughts as well as drought resistance of plants are examined. The final chapter summarizes recommendations and approaches to a study of ecological factors, special features of ecological methodology, data synthesis, ecological models, and computer simulation. The book will be helpful as a t e x t b o o k to anyone who is interested in plant ecology. It will also be valuable as a source of reference to plant scientists and specialists in physiological plant ecology who will appreciate its present state of knowledge. V. VAN~URA (Praha)
297
Elsevier Scientific P u b l i s h i n g C o m p a n y , A m s t e r d a m - - P r i n t e d in T h e N e t h e r l a n d s
B o o k Review
Physiological Plant Ecology. W. Larcher. 2nd revised edn., translated by M.A. Biederman-Thorson. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 1980, xvii + 303 pp., DM 59.00, US $34.90 (soft cover).
The second edition of this book is complemented with new material and is totally revised. It presents examples and a recent knowledge on physiological plant ecology from all climatic zones. It is abundantly illustrated with instructive figures compiled from various publications -- to study them is in itself a great pleasure giving at the same time basic information on the influence of various external and climatic conditions on the plant. However, a certain knowledge of plant a n a t o m y and physiology is assumed by the author. The book is divided into six chapters. Chapter 1 acts as a general introduction and includes basic information on environments surrrounding plants. The primary importance of plants among living organisms is emphasized because of their capability to absorb and maintain the solar energy and also the abundance of their biomass. Chapter 2 presents a survey on radiation and temperature in the atmosphere; on the effects of these two factors on the plant; on freezing tolerance and hardening against frost, as well as on heat tolerance. Special attention is given to the energy budget. The extent of absorption of radiation energy depends on the location of plants on the Earth's surface. The particular parts of this Chapter are concerned, therefore, with climatic rhythms, their seasonal and diurnal variations, the seasonality of growth and development of plants, synchronization of the growth and climatic rhythms. Chapter 3 supplies detailed information on the carbon metabolism in the plant, including photosynthesis and the effect of external factors on this process; on the carbon budget both in the plant alone and in plant communities; on the productivity of stands of plants and the net primary production of the Earth's plant cover. Chapter 4 deals with the utilization and cycling of mineral elements in the ecosystem and the effect of external conditions on these processes. Nitrogen metabolism in the plant is discussed in detail -- the forms in which the nitrogen occurs in soil, its uptake by plant roots and microbial aspects of the fixation of molecular nitrogen and its transformation in the soil. Special attention is focussed on the effects of salts and heavy metals on plant life in salty soils and in soils affected by pollution. The toxic effect of pollutants, particularly of SO2, hydrogen halides (HF, HC1), ozone, and nitrogen oxides, is declared to be very dangerous to plant cover. Mineral balance and nutrient circulation in plant communities are discussed at the end of this chapter. Chapter 5 is concerned with water relations. Here the water relations of the plant cell, of the plant as well as of various habitats in relation to their
298 plant cover and water e c o n o m y are described. The situation of plants and plant communities during droughts as well as drought resistance of plants are examined. The final chapter summarizes recommendations and approaches to a study of ecological factors, special features of ecological methodology, data synthesis, ecological models, and computer simulation. The book will be helpful as a t e x t b o o k to anyone who is interested in plant ecology. It will also be valuable as a source of reference to plant scientists and specialists in physiological plant ecology who will appreciate its present state of knowledge. V. VAN~URA (Praha)