Plant Ecology
Origins, Processes, Consequences

This book presents a global and interdisciplinary approach to plant ecology, guiding students through essential concepts with real-world examples.

Paul A. Keddy (Author)

9781107114234, Cambridge University Press

Hardback, published 17 April 2017

624 pages, 187 b/w illus. 192 colour illus. 64 tables 89 exercises
25.5 x 19.8 x 3.1 cm, 1.53 kg

'The new volume by Paul A. Keddy … provides a comprehensive overview of major concepts and hypotheses in ecology in general and plant ecology in particular. Because of the presentation of the basic concepts, this textbook could easily function as a teaching tool for general ecology, using plants as a focus group, with leaving only some subfields, such as behavioral ecology, untouched. As a volume for a plant ecology class, it provides everything that biology or ecology students can wish for, most importantly a very solid conceptual framework for the organization of knowledge on the subject.' André Kessler, The Quarterly Review of Biology

Presenting a global and interdisciplinary approach to plant ecology, this much-awaited new edition of the book Plants and Vegetation integrates classical themes with the latest ideas, models, and data. Keddy draws on extensive teaching experience to bring the field to life, guiding students through essential concepts with numerous real-world examples and full-colour illustrations throughout. The chapters begin by presenting the wider picture of the origin of plants and their impact on the Earth, before exploring the search for global patterns in plants and vegetation. Chapters on resources, stress, competition, herbivory, and mutualism explore causation, and a concluding chapter on conservation addresses the concern that one-third of all plant species are at risk of extinction. The scope of this edition is broadened further by a new chapter on population ecology, along with extensive examples including South African deserts, the Guyana Highlands of South America, Himalayan forests and arctic alpine environments.

Preface
1. Plants create the biosphere
2. The search for global patterns
3. Resources
4. Competition
5. Disturbance
6. Herbivores
7. Positive interactions
8. Time
9. Populations
10. Stress
11. Gradients and plant communities
12. Diversity
13. Conservation and management
Questions for review
References
Glossary
Index.

Subject Areas: Plant ecology [PSTS], Botany & plant sciences [PST], Biology, life sciences [PS], Mathematics & science [P]