Plant Life Histories - Ecology, Phylogeny and Evolution

Paperback  331 pp, 42 diags, 35 tabs  ISBN 0521574951      £30.00

Plant Life Histories re-examines patterns of relationship between plant life history traits in phylogenetic perspective. The re-examination first recognises that because evolution is a branching process, traits are not randomly distributed across taxa and that therefore analysis of trait correlations cannot treat species as independent data points. It then discusses the use of phylogeny to reconstruct the evolutionary pathways of traits. Part I looks at the use of the phylogenetic perspective on trait correlation. Parts II-IV examine traits from the reproductive phase from seed production and dispersal to recruitment and growth. The final section looks at interactions between plants and competitors, herbivores and microbial symbionts, recognising that these interactions may have an ancient evolutionary history. Students and researchers of evolution, ecology and botany will find much of value here.

Contents

Preface; Part I. Phylogenetic Perspectives: 1. Comparing plants and connecting traits J. Silvertown, and M. Dodd; 2. Phylogenetic uncertainties and sensitivity analyses in comparative biology M. Donoghue, and D. Ackerly; 3. Comparative ecology of the native and alien floras of the British Isles M. J. Crawley, P. H. Harvey, and A. Purvis; Part II. Reproductive Traits: 4. The comparative biology of pollination and mating in flowering plants S. C. H. Barrett, L. D. Harder, and A. C. Worley; 5. How does self-pollination evolve? Inferences from floral ecology and molecular genetic variation S. C. H. Barrett, L. D. Harder, and A. C. Worley; 6. Effects of life history traits on genetic diversity in plant species J. L. Hamrick, and M. J. W. Godt; Part III. Evolutionary Ecology of Seed Dormancy and Seed Size: 7. Evolutionary ecology of seed dormancy and seed size J. L. Hamrick, and M. J. W. Godt; 8. Comparative ecology of seed size and dispersal M. Westoby, M. Leishman, and J. Lord; 9. Packaging and provisioning on plant reproduction D. L. Venable; Part IV. Recruitment and Growth: 10. Comparative ecology of clonal plants J. M. van Groenendael, L. Klimes, J. Klimesova, and R. J. J. Hendriks; 11. Life history variation in plants: an exploration of the fast-slow continuum hypothesis M. Franco and J. Silvertown; 12. Life history evolution in heterogenous environments: a review of theory R. M. Sibly; Part V. Interaction: 13. Plant-insect feeding associations D. Futuyma, and C. Mitter; 14. Trends in the evolution of root-microbe symbioses A. H. Fitter, and B. Moyersoen; 15. Competitive ability: definitions, contingency and correlated traits D. Goldberg; Index