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Biology of Plants and Their Importance for Planet Earth
Why is it that plants do not need to move? How does a nonmotile organism have sex or defend itself? Why are plants asymmetric and not of a fixed size? Why are some plants virtually immortal? Why is cloning a routine matter in the plant kingdom? What is the mechanism that allows plants to exploit a practically inexhaustible extraterrestrial energy source? How do plants regulate the composition of our planet’s atmosphere, its water cycle, the cycle of matter and energy, and ultimately our climate? Why have there not been mass extinctions among plants as there have been among animals? How do plants perceive the animate and inanimate worlds? How do they communicate with one another? In the end, are plants intelligent organisms? These are some of the questions this book addresses in an attempt to convince readers that contrary to popular – and wrong – belief, plants are not simple organisms lacking specific behaviour and intelligence and thus are unworthy of our interest. In fact, this book promises to be as pleasant a surprise as Alice’s experience in the white rabbit’s warren, in which she encountered a world very different from ours.
Introduction: Plants are no less complex than animals – they are just different -- Basic plant organisation– how it differs from that of animals -- Why trees are almost immortal and other related issues -- Short evolutionary history of plants -- Sex in non‐motile organisms -- The world through the eyes of plants -- The defence of a stationary organism -- Symbiosis galore -- Deviations from the basic biological type -- A final word on plant intelligence -- Epilogue: Tribute to Darwin.
Popular Science in Nature and Environment