Oak Seed Dispersal

Oak Seed Dispersal PDF Author: Michael A. Steele
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
ISBN: 1421439018
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 480

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Book Description
The definitive examination of oak forest evolutionary ecology. Seed dispersal is a critical stage in the life cycle of most flowering plants. The process can have far-reaching effects on a species' biology, especially numerous aspects of its ecology and evolution. This is particularly the case for the oaks, in which the dispersal of the acorn is tied to numerous tree characteristics, as well as the behavior and ecology of the animals that feed on and move these seeds to their final destination. Forest structure, composition, and genetics often follow directly from the dispersal process—while also influencing it in turn. In Oak Seed Dispersal, Michael A. Steele draws on three decades of field research across the globe (e.g., the United States, Mexico, Central America, Europe, and China) to describe the interactions between oaks and their seed consumers. Rodents, birds, and insects, he writes, collectively influence the survival, movement, and germination of acorns, as well as the establishment of seedlings, often indicating a coevolutionary bond between oaks and their seed consumers. This bond can only be understood by unraveling the complex interactions that occur in the context of factors such as partial seed consumption due to acorn chemistry, scatterhoarding, predation of the seed consumers by other organisms, and the limiting effects of masting on insect, rodent, and jay damage. Offering new insights on how animal-mediated dispersal drives ecological and evolutionary processes in forest ecosystems, Oak Seed Dispersal also includes an overview of threatened oak forests across the globe and explains how a lack of acorn dispersal contributes to many important conservation challenges. Highly illustrated, the book includes photographs of key dispersal organisms and tactics, as well as a foreword by Stephen B. Vander Wall, a leading authority on food hoarding and animal-mediated seed dispersal, and beautiful artwork by Tad C. Theimer, also an accomplished ecologist.

Oak Seed Dispersal

Oak Seed Dispersal PDF Author: Michael A. Steele
Publisher: Johns Hopkins University Press
ISBN: 1421439018
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 480

Get Book Here

Book Description
The definitive examination of oak forest evolutionary ecology. Seed dispersal is a critical stage in the life cycle of most flowering plants. The process can have far-reaching effects on a species' biology, especially numerous aspects of its ecology and evolution. This is particularly the case for the oaks, in which the dispersal of the acorn is tied to numerous tree characteristics, as well as the behavior and ecology of the animals that feed on and move these seeds to their final destination. Forest structure, composition, and genetics often follow directly from the dispersal process—while also influencing it in turn. In Oak Seed Dispersal, Michael A. Steele draws on three decades of field research across the globe (e.g., the United States, Mexico, Central America, Europe, and China) to describe the interactions between oaks and their seed consumers. Rodents, birds, and insects, he writes, collectively influence the survival, movement, and germination of acorns, as well as the establishment of seedlings, often indicating a coevolutionary bond between oaks and their seed consumers. This bond can only be understood by unraveling the complex interactions that occur in the context of factors such as partial seed consumption due to acorn chemistry, scatterhoarding, predation of the seed consumers by other organisms, and the limiting effects of masting on insect, rodent, and jay damage. Offering new insights on how animal-mediated dispersal drives ecological and evolutionary processes in forest ecosystems, Oak Seed Dispersal also includes an overview of threatened oak forests across the globe and explains how a lack of acorn dispersal contributes to many important conservation challenges. Highly illustrated, the book includes photographs of key dispersal organisms and tactics, as well as a foreword by Stephen B. Vander Wall, a leading authority on food hoarding and animal-mediated seed dispersal, and beautiful artwork by Tad C. Theimer, also an accomplished ecologist.

In Defense of Plants

In Defense of Plants PDF Author: Matt Candeias
Publisher: Mango Media Inc.
ISBN: 1642504548
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 206

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Book Description
The Study of Plants in a Whole New Light “Matt Candeias succeeds in evoking the wonder of plants with wit and wisdom.” ―James T. Costa, PhD, executive director, Highlands Biological Station and author of Darwin's Backyard #1 New Release in Nature & Ecology, Plants, Botany, Horticulture, Trees, Biological Sciences, and Nature Writing & Essays In his debut book, internationally-recognized blogger and podcaster Matt Candeias celebrates the nature of plants and the extraordinary world of plant organisms. A botanist’s defense. Since his early days of plant restoration, this amateur plant scientist has been enchanted with flora and the greater environmental ecology of the planet. Now, he looks at the study of plants through the lens of his ever-growing houseplant collection. Using gardening, houseplants, and examples of plants around you, In Defense of Plants changes your relationship with the world from the comfort of your windowsill. The ruthless, horny, and wonderful nature of plants. Understand how plants evolve and live on Earth with a never-before-seen look into their daily drama. Inside, Candeias explores the incredible ways plants live, fight, have sex, and conquer new territory. Whether a blossoming botanist or a professional plant scientist, In Defense of Plants is for anyone who sees plants as more than just static backdrops to more charismatic life forms. In this easily accessible introduction to the incredible world of plants, you’ll find: • Fantastic botanical histories and plant symbolism • Passionate stories of flora diversity and scientific names of plant organisms • Personal tales of plantsman discovery through the study of plants If you enjoyed books like The Botany of Desire, What a Plant Knows, or The Soul of an Octopus, then you’ll love In Defense of Plants.

Seed Dispersal

Seed Dispersal PDF Author: Andrew J. Dennis
Publisher: CABI
ISBN: 1845931661
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 704

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Book Description
Fresh concepts in the study of seed dispersal are spurring a host of exciting new questions, new answers to old questions, new methods and approaches, and a reinvigoration of the field.Seed Dispersal: Theory and its Application in a Changing World presents both recent advances and reviews of current knowledge demonstrating the vigour and vibrancy of the field. It provides new perspectives and directions at a time when efforts to meet growing environmental challenges threatening natural systems are of utmost importance.

The Nature of Oaks

The Nature of Oaks PDF Author: Douglas W. Tallamy
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN: 1643260448
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 201

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Book Description
“With our hearts and minds focused on the stewardship of the only planet we have, the best way to engage in a hopeful future is to plant oaks! Let this book be your inspiration and guide.” —The American Gardener With Bringing Nature Home, Doug Tallamy changed the conversation about gardening in America. His second book, the New York Times bestseller Nature’s Best Hope, urged homeowners to take conservation into their own hands. Now, he turns his advocacy to one of the most important species of the plant kingdom—the mighty oak tree. Oaks sustain a complex and fascinating web of wildlife. The Nature of Oaks reveals what is going on in oak trees month by month, highlighting the seasonal cycles of life, death, and renewal. From woodpeckers who collect and store hundreds of acorns for sustenance to the beauty of jewel caterpillars, Tallamy illuminates and celebrates the wonders that occur right in our own backyards. He also shares practical advice about how to plant and care for an oak, along with information about the best oak species for your area. The Nature of Oaks will inspire you to treasure these trees and to act to nurture and protect them.

Seed Dispersal

Seed Dispersal PDF Author: David R. Murray
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0323139884
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 337

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Book Description
Seed Dispersal focuses on the mechanics and processes involved in seed dispersal, including its implications in ecology, animal behavior, plant and animal biogeography, speciation, and evolution. The selection first elaborates on the aerial motion of seeds, fruits, spores, and pollen and seed dispersal by water. Discussions focus on seed dispersal by rain, river, and flood, effective seed dispersal by ocean currents compared to other vectors, aerodynamic forces and their effects, and launching and release mechanisms. The text then takes a look at seed dispersal syndromes in Australian Acacia, including inference of dispersal syndromes, seed dispersal syndromes, ecological consequences of seed dispersal, and evolutionary derivation of dispersal syndromes. The publication ponders on seed dispersal by fruit-eating birds and mammals, rodents as seed consumers and dispersers, and seed dispersal in relation to fire. Topics include fire as a dispersal vector, long distance dispersal, granivorous rodents and the fates of seeds, determinants of the fate path, population ecology of seed dispersal, and foraging for fruits. The selection is a valuable reference for researchers interested in the factors involved in seed dispersal.

The Triumph of Seeds

The Triumph of Seeds PDF Author: Thor Hanson
Publisher: Basic Books
ISBN: 0465048722
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 321

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Book Description
As seen on PBS's American Spring LIVE, the award-winning author of Buzz and Feathers presents a natural and human history of seeds, the marvels of the plant kingdom. "The genius of Hanson's fascinating, inspiring, and entertaining book stems from the fact that it is not about how all kinds of things grow from seeds; it is about the seeds themselves." -- Mark Kurlansky, New York Times Book Review We live in a world of seeds. From our morning toast to the cotton in our clothes, they are quite literally the stuff and staff of life: supporting diets, economies, and civilizations around the globe. Just as the search for nutmeg and pepper drove the Age of Discovery, coffee beans fueled the Enlightenment and cottonseed sparked the Industrial Revolution. Seeds are fundamental objects of beauty, evolutionary wonders, and simple fascinations. Yet, despite their importance, seeds are often seen as commonplace, their extraordinary natural and human histories overlooked. Thanks to this stunning new book, they can be overlooked no more. This is a book of knowledge, adventure, and wonder, spun by an award-winning writer with both the charm of a fireside story-teller and the hard-won expertise of a field biologist. A fascinating scientific adventure, it is essential reading for anyone who loves to see a plant grow.

Oak Forest Ecosystems

Oak Forest Ecosystems PDF Author: William J. McShea
Publisher: JHU Press
ISBN: 0801877989
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 613

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Book Description
Oak Forest Ecosystems focuses on the relationship between an oak forest's acorn yield and species of wildlife that depend on it. It begins by treating factors such as oak distribution, forest fires, tree diseases and pests, dynamics of acorn production, and acorn dispersal by birds and mammals. Special consideration is given to the phenomenon of masting—whereby oaks in a given area will produce huge crops of acorns at irregular intervals—a key component for wildlife researchers and managers in understanding patterns of scarcity and abundance in the creatures that feed on this crop. Relationships between oaks and animals such as mice, squirrels, turkeys, deer, and bear are discussed, as are the differences between eastern, southern Appalachian, southwestern, and California oak forests. Contributors: Marc D. Abrams, Pennsylvania State University • Patrick H. Brose, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service • John P. Buonaccorsi, University of Massachusetts • Daniel Dey, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service • Joseph S. Elkinton, University of Massachusetts • George A. Feldhamer, Southern Illinois University • Peter F. Folliott, University of Arizona • Lee E. Frelich, University of Minnesota • Cathryn H. Greenberg, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service • William M. Healy, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service • Roy L. Kirkpatrick, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University • Johannes M. H. Knops, University of Nebraska • Walter D. Koenig, University of California • Nelson W. Lafon, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries • Andrew M. Liebhold, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service • William J. McShea, National Zoological Park Conservation and Research Center • William H. McWilliams, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service • Gary W. Norman, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries • Steven W. Oak, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service • Renee A. O'Brien, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service • Richard S. Ostfeld, Institute of Ecosystem Studies • Bernard R. Parresol, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service • Peter J. Perkins, University of New Hampshire • Gordon C. Reese, Colorado State University • Peter B. Reich, University of Minnesota • Peter D. Smallwood, University of Richmond • Christopher C. Smith, Kansas State University • Richard B. Standiford, University of California–Berkeley • Martin A. Stapanian, Ohio Cooperative Wildlife Unit • Michael A. Steele, Wilkes University • David Steffen, Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries • David H. Van Lear, Clemson University • Michael R. Vaughan, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University • Karen L. Waddell, U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service

The Woody Plant Seed Manual

The Woody Plant Seed Manual PDF Author: United States. Forest Service
Publisher: Forest Service
ISBN:
Category : Gardening
Languages : en
Pages : 1240

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Book Description


Regenerating Rangeland Oaks in California

Regenerating Rangeland Oaks in California PDF Author: Douglas D. McCreary
Publisher: UCANR Publications
ISBN: 9781601073815
Category : Blue oak
Languages : en
Pages : 76

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Book Description


Cork Oak Woodlands on the Edge

Cork Oak Woodlands on the Edge PDF Author: James Aronson
Publisher: Island Press
ISBN: 161091130X
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 352

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Book Description
Cork oak has historically been an important species in the western Mediterranean—ecologically as a canopy or “framework” tree in natural woodlands, and culturally as an economically valuable resource that underpins local economies. Both the natural woodlands and the derived cultural systems are experiencing rapid change, and whether or not they are resilient enough to adapt to that change is an open question. Cork Oak Woodlands on the Edge provides a synthesis of the most up-to-date, scientific, and practical information on the management of cork oak woodlands and the cultural systems that depend on cork oak. In addition, Cork Oak Woodlands on the Edge offers ten site profiles written by local experts that present an in-depth vision of cork oak woodlands across a range of biophysical, historical, and cultural contexts, with sixteen pages of full-color photos that illustrate the tree, agro-silvopastoral systems, products, resident biodiversity, and more. Cork Oak Woodlands on the Edge is an important book for anyone interested in the future of cork oak woodlands, or in the management of cultural landscapes and their associated land-use systems. In a changing world full of risks and surprises, it represents an excellent example of a multidisciplinary and holistic approach to studying, managing, and restoring an ecosystem, and will serve as a guide for other studies of this kind.