A Colour Atlas of Plant Propagation and Conservation

Hardcover  224 pages, 300 Colour & b/w illust.  ISBN 1874545707      £48.00

Softcover  ISBN 1874545928      £26.95

Contributors: Don Blaxell (Australia), Bryan G. Bowes (UK), N.A. C. Brown (South Africa), Eric Bunn (Australia), M. Clemente Munoz (Spain), K.W. Dixon (Australia), Michael F. Fay (UK), ?David Ingram (UK), José Iriondo (Spain), Paul Matthews (UK), Mike Maunder (UK), Scott A. Merkele (USA), Valerie C. Pence (USA), C. Perez (Spain), Ghillean T. Prance (UK), David Rae (UK), Margaret M. Ramsay (UK), Ted St. John (USA), D.H. Touchell (Australia)

While scientific and socio-political communities around the world are aware of the natural and economic importance of biodiversity, we are faced with an ever-increasing number of plant species under threat of extinction. Conservation is thus a vital part of the plant scientist's work, in the field, in botanic gardens and in universities.

This colour atlas has been conceived to integrate the dual botanical themes of plant propagation and conservation. Various texts deal with propagation, in vivo and in vitro, and with aspects of conservation, but none marries the two themes, let alone a book which uses the concise, focused colour atlas approach.

Each of the chapters has been written by an acknowledged international authority on the subject, under the editorship of Dr Bryan Bowes whose Colour Atlas of Plant Structure (1996) is already highly successful. Topics range from the history and likely future of conservation and the effects of human activity on plant diversity, to the practical techniques of collection, preservation, germination, propagation and management of plant populations in the laboratory and in the field.

The text is referenced and is illustrated throughout by colour photos and photomicrographs of the highest quality. It will appeal worldwide to students of conservation, plant science and biology, and to professionals and academics, plant propagators, ecologists, and conservationists working in botanic gardens, universities and colleges, in field research and in nurseries specialising in indigenous plants.

Contents: Chapter 1 - General Introduction, Chapter 2 - The Rationale of Conservation, Chapter 3 - Plant Diversity - Distribution and Measurement, Chapter 4 - Collection of Plant Specimens in the Field, Chapter 5 - Propagation from Seeds to Seed Preservation, Chapter 6 - The Role of Fire in Enhancing Regeneration: The Situation in th Cape Floral Region, Chapter 7 - Vegetative Propagation from Stem Cuttings, Leaves and Roots, Chapter 8 - In Vitro Propagation from Non-sterile Explants, Chapter 9 - In Vitro Culture and Plant Conservation, Chapter 10 - In Vitro Collection in the Field, Chapter 11 - In Vitro Propagation, Chapter 12 - In Vitro Preservation, Chapter 13 - Applications of In Vitro Culture for Conservation of Forest Chapter 14 - Anatomical and Histo-Cytological Changes in Regenerating Plants, Chapter 15 - The Role of Mycorrhizae in Regeneration of Native Vegetation, Chapter 16 - Conservation of Natural Populations, Chapter 17 - Conservation and the Future. References. Index.