Format:
1 online resource (399 pages)
ISBN:
9780191513862
Series Statement:
Oxford Biology
Content:
The reproductive organs and mating biology of angiosperms (flowering plants) exhibit greater variety than those of any other group of organism, and floral traits provide some of the most compelling examples of evolution by natural selection. Given this diversity, a more strategic approach to their study is required which seeks to unravel general principles concerning the role of ecological function in the evolution of reproductive diversity. Harder & Barrett adopt just such an. approach to expose new insights into the functional basis of floral diversity. Major sections of the book in turn examine functional aspects of floral traits and sexual systems, the ecological influences on reproductive adaptation, and the role of floral biology in angiosperm diversification. Overall,. this integrated treatment illustrates the role of floral function and evolution in the generation of angiosperm biodiversity. - ;The reproductive organs and mating biology of angiosperms exhibit greater variety than those of any other group of organisms. Flowers and inflorescences are also the most diverse structures produced by angiosperms, and floral traits provide some of the most compelling examples of evolution by natural selection. Given that flowering plants include roughly 250,000 species, their reproductive diversity will not be explained easily by continued accumulation of case studies of individual. species. Instead a more strategic approach is now required, which seeks to identify general principles concerning the role of ecological function in the evolution of reproductive diversity. The Ecology and Evolution of Flowers uses this approach to expose new insights into the functional basis of floral diversity, and presents the very latest theoretical and empirical research on floral evolution. Floral biology is a dynamic and growing area and this book, written by
Content:
Intro -- Contents -- List of contributors -- 1 David G. Lloyd and the evolution of floral biology: from natural history to strategic analysis -- 1.1 Introduction -- 1.2 Biographical sketch -- 1.3 Self- and cross-fertilization in plants -- 1.3.1 Early investigations on mating systems -- 1.3.2 Integration of pollination and mating -- 1.4 Gender strategies -- 1.4.1 Early investigations of plant sexual diversity -- 1.4.2 Theories on the evolution of sexual systems -- 1.4.3 Gender concepts and theory -- 1.5 Allocation strategies -- 1.5.1 Allocation to competing functions -- 1.5.2 Size-number compromises -- 1.5.3 Application to specific problems -- 1.6 Floral mechanisms -- 1.6.1 Sexual interference -- 1.6.2 The evolution of heterostyly -- 1.7 Lloyd's evolution -- References -- Part 1 Strategic perspectives on floral biology -- 2 Selection on reproductive characters: conceptual foundations and their extension to pollinator interactions -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Phenotypic selection on reproductive strategy -- 2.3 Plant and pollinator interaction -- 2.4 Self-fertilization, phenotypic selection, and reproductive assurance -- 2.5 Discussion -- References -- 3 Evolutionarily stable reproductive investment and sex allocation in plants -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 The classic model of sex allocation for outcrossing species -- 3.3 Plant size and sex allocation -- 3.4 Joint evolution of reproductive effort and sex allocation in perennial plants -- 3.5 Discussion and conclusion -- References -- 4 Pollen and ovule fates and reproductive performance by flowering plants -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Pollen fates and ovule fates -- 4.3 Limits on seed production -- 4.4 Examples of the roles of pollen and ovule fates in floral and mating-system evolution -- 4.5 Concluding discussion -- References -- Part 2 Ecological context of floral function and its evolution.
Note:
Description based on publisher supplied metadata and other sources
Additional Edition:
9780198570851
Additional Edition:
Erscheint auch als Druck-Ausgabe 9780198570851
Language:
English
URL:
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