Plant Physiological Ecology (eBook)

The growth, reproduction and geographical distribution of plants are profoundly influenced by their physiological ecology: the interaction with the surrounding physical, chemical, and biological environments. This renowned textbook is notable in emphasizing that the mechanisms underlying plant physiological ecology can be found at the levels of biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology, and whole-plant physiology. At the same time, the integrative power of physiological ecology is well-suited to assess the costs, benefits, and consequences of modifying plants for human needs, and to evaluate the role of plants in ecosystems.

This new edition of Plant Physiological Ecology features updated material, as well as full color images throughout. Boxed entries provide extended discussions of selected issues, and a glossary and numerous references to the primary and review literature are included.

Hans Lambers is Professor of Plant Ecology and Head of School of Plant Biology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of Western Australia. F. Stuart Chapin III is Professor of Ecology at the Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska Fairbanks. Thijs L. Pons recently retired as Senior Lecturer in Plant Ecophysiology at the Institute of Environmental Biology, Utrecht University.

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Box 9E. 1 Continued FIGURE 2. The C-S-R triangle model (Grime 1979). The strategies at the three corners are C, competiti- winning species; S, stress-tolerating s- cies; R,ruderalspecies. Particular species can engage in any mixture of these three primary strategies, and the m- ture is described by their position within the triangle. comment briefly on some other dimensions that Grime's (1977) triangle (Fig. 2) (see also Sects. 6. 1 are not yet so well understood. and 6. 3 of Chapter 7 on growth and allocation) is a two-dimensional scheme. A C-S axis (Com- tition-winning species to Stress-tolerating spe- Leaf Economics Spectrum cies) reflects adaptation to favorable vs. unfavorable sites for plant growth, and an R- Five traits that are coordinated across species are axis (Ruderal species) reflects adaptation to leaf mass per area (LMA), leaf life-span, leaf N disturbance. concentration, and potential photosynthesis and dark respiration on a mass basis. In the five-trait Trait-Dimensions space,79%ofallvariation worldwideliesalonga single main axis (Fig. 33 of Chapter 2A on photo- A recent trend in plant strategy thinking has synthesis; Wright et al. 2004). Species with low been trait-dimensions, that is, spectra of varia- LMA tend to have short leaf life-spans, high leaf tion with respect to measurable traits. Compared nutrient concentrations, and high potential rates of mass-based photosynthesis. These species with category schemes, such as Raunkiaer's, trait occur at the ''quick-return'' end of the leaf e- dimensions have the merit of capturing cont- nomics spectrum.