BIOS Instant Notes in Plant Biology

Dr Andrew Lack, School of Biological and Molecular Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, UK Dr David Evans, School of Biological and Molecular Sciences, Oxford Brookes University, UK

Section A - INTRODUCTION. Section B - STRUCTURE. The plant cell. The cell wall. Plastids and mitochondria. Membranes. Nucleus and genome. Cell Division. Section C - VEGETATIVE ANATOMY. Meristems and primary tissues. Roots. Herbaceous stems and primary growth. Woody stems and secondary growth. Leaves. Section D - REPRODUCTIVE ANATOMY. The flower. Pollen and ovlules. The seed. Fruits. Section E - PHYSIOLOGY AND REGULATION. Arabidopsis and other model plants. Methods in experimental plant science. Section F - GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. Features of growth and development. Biochemistry of growth regulation. Molecular action of hormones and intracellular messengers. Section G - SENSING AND RESPONDING TO THE ENVIRONMENT. Phytochrome, photoperiodism and photomorphogenesis. Tropisms. Nastic responses. Abscission. Stress avoidance and adaptation. Section H - FLORAL DEVELOPMENT AND REPRODUCTIVE PHYSIOLOGY. Physiology of floral initiation and development. Breeding systems. Self incompatibility. Seed development, dormancy and germination. Section I - PLANTS, WATER AND MINERAL NUTRITION. Plants and water. Water retention and stomata. Movement of nutrient ions across membranes. Uptake of mineral nutrients in the plant. Functions of mineral nutrients. Section J - METABOLISM. Photosynthetic pigments and the nature of light. Major reactions of photosynthesis. C3 and C4 plants and CAM. Respiration and carbohydrate metabolism. Amino acid, lipid, polysaccharide and secondary product metabolism. Section K - PLANT COMMUNITIES AND POPULATIONS. Physical factors and plant distribution. Plant communities. Ecology of different growth forms. Populations. Contributions to carbon balance and atmosphere. Section L - REPRODUCTIVE ECOLOGY. Ecology of flowering and pollination. Seed ecology. Regeneration and establishment. Polymorphisms and population genetics. Section M - INTERACTIONS BETWEEN PLANTS AND OTHER ORGANISMS. Mycorrhiza. Nitrogen fixation. Interactions between plants and animals. Fungal pathogens and endophytes. Bacteria, mycoplasma, viruses and heterokonts. Parasites and saprophytes. Carnivorous plants. Section N - HUMAN USES OF PLANTS. Plants as food. Plants for construction. Plants in medicine. Plants for other uses. Bioremediation. Section O - PLANT GENETIC ENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY. Plant breeding. Plant cell and tissue culture. Plant genetic engineering. Section P - PLANT DIVERSITY. Diversity and life cycles. The algae. The bryophytes. Reproduction in bryophytes. Section Q - SPORE-BEARING VASCULAR PLANTS. Early evolution of vascular plants. Clubmosses and horsetails. The ferns. Evolution of the seed. Section R - SEED PLANTS. Early seed plants. Conifers. Cycads, Gingko and Gnetales. Evolution of flowering plants. Mechanisms of evolution. Further reading. Index