Understanding Flowers and Flowering: An Integrated Approach

Beverley Glover

256 pages, parution le 08/11/2007

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Résumé

Uniquely addresses flowers and flowering from both a molecular genetic and an ecological perspective, providing the first truly integrated study of the topic
Provides a detailed description of the processes which lead to flower production in model plants
Examines how flowers differ in shape, structure and colour, and how these differences are generated
Assesses the role of these various aspects of floral biology in attracting pollinators and ensuring successful reproduction.
The breadth of coverage and integrated approach makes this advanced textbook an ideal choice for anyone interested in any aspect of floral biology.

Flowers are the beautiful and complex reproductive structures of the angiosperms, one of the most diverse and successful groups of living organisms. The underlying thesis of this book is that to fully understand plant development (and why flowers differ in shape, structure and colour), it is necessary to understand why it is advantageous for them to look like they do. Conversely, in order to fully understand plant ecology, it is necessary to appreciate how floral structures have adapted and evolved. Uniquely, this book addresses flowers and flowering from both a molecular genetic perspective (considering flower induction, development and self-incompatibility) and an ecological perspective (looking at the selective pressures placed on plants by pollinators, and the consequences for animal-plant co-evolution).

Understanding Flowers and Flowering first considers the evolution of flowers and the history of research into their development. This is followed by a detailed description of the processes which lead to flower production in model plants. The book then examines how flowers differ in shape, structure and colour, and how these differences are generated. Finally it assesses the role of these various aspects of floral biology in attracting pollinators and ensuring successful reproduction. In so doing, it provides the first truly integrated study of the topic - one that discusses both the how? and why? of flowering plant reproductive biology.

The breadth of coverage and integrated approach makes this advanced textbook an ideal choice for anyone interested in any aspect of floral biology. It will be particularly suitable for graduate level students taking courses in plant development, ecology, evolution, and reproductive biology.

Sommaire

Introduction
- The Evolution of Flowers
- Historical Interpretations of Flower Induction and Flower Development
The molecular mechanisms of flowering: induction and development
- Flower induction in Arabidopsis thaliana
- The autonomous pathways for floral inhibition and induction
- The photoperiodic pathway of floral induction
- The vernalization pathway of floral induction and the role of gibberellin
- Integrating the Arabidopsis thaliana flower induction pathways and assessing the extent to which the model is ubiquitous
- Changes at the shoot apical meristem in response to floral induction
- Development of the floral organs
- The ABC model in evolution
- Development of gametes
- Preventing self-fertilisation
Pollination success: molecular and ecological interactions
- Why are flowers different? Pollination syndromes - the theory
- Changing floral shape and structure
- Colouring the flower
- Enhancing flower colour
- Are flowers under selective pressure to increase pollinator attention?
- Do pollinators discriminate between different floral forms?
- Pollination syndromes - the evidence

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Caractéristiques techniques

	PAPIER
Éditeur(s)	Oxford University Press
Auteur(s)	Beverley Glover
Parution	08/11/2007
Nb. de pages	256
Format	19 x 24,5
Couverture	Relié
Intérieur	Quadri
EAN13	9780198565963
ISBN13	978-0-19-856596-3