Grasslands, in particular managed pastures and rangelands, are widespread, covering approximately 40% (52 million km?) of the Earth's land surface. They are dominated by members of the Poaceae - the fourth largest plant family with over 7,500 species, and also the most widespread. Grasslands constitute a major biome on all continents except Antarctica and also represent the most important food crop on Earth with corn, wheat, maize, rice and millet accounting for the majority of our agricultural output.Grasses and Grassland Ecology provides an ecologically orientated introduction to this influential group of plants, summarizing the most recent scientific research in ecology and agriculture in the context of the older, classic literature. Ten chapters cover the morphology, anatomy, physiology and systematics of grasses, their population, community and ecosystem ecology, their global distribution, and the effects of disturbance and grassland management.This comprehensive and accessible textbook is suitable for graduate level students as well as professional researchers in the fields of plant ecology, rangeland science, crop science, and agriculture.
Author(s): David J. Gibson
Year: 2009
Language: English
Pages: 323
0198529198......Page 1
Contents......Page 8
Preface......Page 6
1.1 Grasslands: a tautological problem of definition......Page 10
1.2 Extent of the world’s grasslands......Page 11
1.3 Grassland loss......Page 13
1.4 Grassland goods and services......Page 21
1.5 Early grassland ecologists......Page 27
2.1 Characteristics of the Poaceae......Page 30
2.2 Traditional vs modern views of grass classification......Page 31
2.3 Subfamily characteristics......Page 33
2.4 Fossil history and evolution......Page 38
3.1 Developmental morphology—the phytomer......Page 44
3.3 Culms......Page 45
3.4 Leaves......Page 52
3.5 Roots......Page 55
3.6 Inflorescence and the spikelet......Page 58
3.7 The grass seed and seedling development......Page 60
3.8 Anatomy......Page 63
4.1 C[sub(3)] and C[sub(4)] photosynthesis......Page 67
4.2 Forage quality......Page 77
4.3 Secondary compounds: anti-herbivore defences and allelochemicals......Page 82
4.4 Silicon......Page 87
4.5 Physiological integration of clonal grasses and mechanisms of ramet regulation......Page 88
5.1 Reproduction and population dynamics......Page 90
5.2 Fungal relationships......Page 103
5.3 Genecology......Page 111
6.1 Vegetation–environment relationships......Page 119
6.2 Succession......Page 122
6.3 Species interactions......Page 124
6.4 Models of grassland community structure......Page 130
6.5 Summary: an issue of scale......Page 137
7.1 Energy and productivity......Page 138
7.2 Nutrient cycling......Page 150
7.3 Decomposition......Page 158
7.4 Grassland soils......Page 162
8.1 Ways of describing vegetation......Page 169
8.2 General description of world grasslands......Page 171
8.3 Examples of regional grassland classifications......Page 188
9 Disturbance......Page 193
9.1 The concept of disturbance......Page 194
9.2 Fire......Page 196
9.3 Herbivory......Page 203
9.4 Drought......Page 216
10.1 Management techniques and goals......Page 220
10.2 Range assessment......Page 230
10.3 Restoration......Page 244
References......Page 252
A......Page 298
C......Page 299
F......Page 300
M......Page 301
P......Page 302
S......Page 303
Z......Page 304
M......Page 306
V......Page 307
C......Page 308
F......Page 309
K......Page 310
P......Page 311
S......Page 312
W......Page 313
Z......Page 314
