Plant Biology, International Edition (with InfoTrac) - Softcover

1. About Plant Biology. 2. The Chemistry of Life. 3. The Plant Cell and The Cell Cycle. 4. The Organization of The Plant Body: Cells, Tissues, and Meristems. 5. The Shoot System I: The Stem. 6. The Shoot System II: The Form and Structure of Leaves. 7. The Root System. 8. Concepts of Metabolism. 9. Respiration. 10. Photosynthesis. 11. Absorption and Transport Systems. 12. Life Cycles: Meiosis and The Alternation of Generations. 13. The Flower and Sexual Reproduction. 14. Seeds and Fruits. 15. Control of Growth and Development. 16. Genetics. 17. Biotechnology. 18. Evolution and Systematics. 19. Archaea, Bacteria, and Viruses. 20. Kingdom Fungi. 21. The Protists. 22. Bryophytes. 23. The Early Tracheophytes. 24. Gymnosperms. 25. Angiosperms. 26. Ecology, Ecosystems, and Plant Populations. 27. Ecology and Plant Communities.

PLANT BIOLOGY, Second Edition provides a complete introduction to the science of plants, combining the most current, real-world examples with information on plant biodiversity and ecology, including topics like biotechnology, economic botany, and plant/human interactions. PLANT BIOLOGY begins with elements of botany that are most familiar to students: the structure, function, reproduction, physiology, and genetics of flowering plants. The evolutionary survey is then presented, with detail on the Prokaryotes, Protists, Fungi, Bryophytes, early Tracheophytes, Gymnosperms, and Angiosperms. The overall sequence of subjects builds from metabolism and plant function to reproduction, then from simpler to more advanced organisms, concluding with two ecological chapters. Each chapter has been written in a modular fashion, however, to allow them to be taught in any order. In this new edition, the biodiversity chapters provide the best-supported, most current phylogenetic view of the organisms. Cladistics are introduced along with basic information, including gene sequences, followed by modern studies using cladistics and sequence information to identify natural plant groupings. Through this presentation, students can appreciate different types of evidence that describe the past events and directions of evolution. Ecology is another exciting area of study for the introductory student. Can photosynthesis by plants ease problems associated with the burning of fossil fuels? Can we stem biodiversity loss through better ecosystem management? Questions like these are addressed, making the text topical, readable, and a useful guide, all the while maintaining the length and language appropriate for beginning biology students.