This book identifies some life history features of plants and environmental factors that accelerate species diversity and others decelerating it. It quantifies and brings to light these features and highlights new findings, and bridges relevant information on aquatic and terrestrial plants on these aspects.
1. General Introduction
Part A: Environmental Factors
2. Photosynthesis and Chemosynthesis
3. Phototrophic Heterotrophy
4. Spatial Distribution
Part B: Life History Traits
B1: Sexuality
5. Monoecy: Reproductive Systems
6. Dioecy and Sex Ratio
7. Polyploids - Hybrids - Grafts
8. Parthenogenesis - Apomixis
9. Clonals and Stem Cells
Part C: Gametogenesis and Fertilization
10. Oogenesis and Spermatogenesis
11. Heterogamety - Sex Genes
12. Annuals - Herbs - Semelp
13. Pollination and Coevolution
14. Self- and Cross-Fertilization
15. Spores - Seeds - Dispersal
Part D: Germination and Development
16. Germination and Recruitment
17. Brooders and Vivipares
18. Sex Determination
19. Hormones and Differentiation
Part E: Past, Present and Future
20. Past: Weathering and Oxygenation
21. Present: Conservation and Dormancy
22. Future: Climate Change
23. References
T.J. Pandian, the recipient of the S.S. Bhatnagar Prize, the highest Indian award for scientists, and one of the ten National Professorships, has served as editor/member of editorial boards of many international journals. His books on Animal Energetics identify him as a prolific but precise writer. His five volumes on sexuality, sex determination and differentiation in fishes, published by CRC Press, are ranked with five stars. He has authored a multi-volume series on the reproduction and development of aquatic invertebrates, of which the volumes on Crustacea, Mollusca, Echinodermata and Prochordata, Annelida, Platyhelminthes and Minor Phyla have been published.