Great Smoky Mountains: A Vistor's Companion (National Parks Visitor's Companions)

Book Description

The ecosystems within Great Smoky Mountain National Park--from old growth forests to balds--support a wide variety of birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, mammals, and plants. This new addition to the "Visitor's Companion" series describes and illustrates in full color dozens of these plant and animal species. It also explores the park's geology, climate, and history--at once a traveler's guide, field guide, and natural history of one of America's most popular national parks.

Customer Reviews:

Weak illustrations cast doubt on book.......2003-07-07

I'm a biologist who has spent a fair amount of time in western NC. I know something of wildlife and the Smokies, and I buy books like this to learn more. I also judge the usefulness of guidebooks by how closely they fit with what already know. I only recently bought the Visitor's Companion, and it looked quite worthwhile. However, as I was doing an initial skimming of the volume, I noticed the illustrations were not at fine as I first thought. Many of the animals looked a little chunky, and the trees were a bit squat and artificial. The Box Turtle's plastron just didn't look right. But when I reached the deer. . . I know deer, and no whitetail has a rack like the one pictured on p. 198. It looked like a touch of mule deer, elk and possibly some Asian species all fused together. What it reminds me of is an illustration from a 16th century beastiary or on a heraldic emblem -- drawn with heavy artistic license. I guess I expected the photo-realistic quality of a Peterson guide rather than a drawn-from-memory sketch. Had I noticed this earlier, the book would have hit the shelf instead of the counter. As it is, I am looking over the drawings of salamanders and songbirds with a more critical eye, and will be more likely to doublecheck the facts in the text.

Book Description

Mycorrhiza - symbiotic associations between plant roots and fungi - play a major role in many fundamental plant functions such as mineral nutrition or stress resistance. As the link between plants and the soil, mycorrhiza are now of great interest for developing new strategies in sustainable agriculture. Since they allow a decreased use of fertilizer and pesticides, negative impacts on the environment can be minimized. With contributions from renowned international scientists, this manual offers a great variety of practical protocols for analyzing mycorrhiza, including the latest molecular, biochemical, genetical, and physiological techniques.

Customer Reviews:

all chaptes.......1999-02-14

in .pdf fil

The Ecology of Mycorrhizae (Cambridge Studies in Ecology)

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The Ecology of Mycorrhizae (Cambridge Studies in Ecology)
Michael F. Allen
Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0521335531

Book Description

A great many terrestrial plants live in close association with fungi. The features of this association known as mycorrhiza, are those of a mutualistic symbiosis. Almost all plants form mycorrhizae whereby the fungus provides soil resources to the plant in exchange for energy manufactured by the plant. The symbiosis means greater productivity under stress for the plant and a steady energy supply for the fungus. This book addresses the diverse and complex ways in which mycorrhizae affect the mechanisms for plant survival as individuals and populations, for community structure, and for ecosystem functioning. It integrates information on organisms interacting with mycorrhizae from bacteria to mammals. The author takes a unique evolutionary/ecological approach to describe how and under what conditions mycorrhizae influence basic ecological processes. The applications of mycorrhizal symbioses range from managing natural and agricultural lands to biotechnological processes that enhance agricultural productivity and sustainability.

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Mycorrhizas: Anatomy and Cell Biology
R. L. Petersen , H. B. Massicotte , and L. H. Melville
Manufacturer: CABI
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0851999018

Book Description

Symbiotic relations between roots and fungi (mycorrhizas) are the most prevalent symbiotic systems on earth. For example, mycorrhizas increase nutrient uptake from the soil, assist in the biocontrol of pathogenic fungi and nematodes, and have a positive effect on the establishment of plant communities. Mycorrhizal associations can be found in all ecosystems and in important forest and crop species. This book provides a summary of all the mycorrhizal categories from a morphological and anatomical perspective. It is beautifully illustrated with color illustrations, photographs, and scanning electron micrographs.

In Vitro Culture of Mycorrhizas (Soil Biology)

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In Vitro Culture of Mycorrhizas (Soil Biology)

Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 3540240276

Book Description

The technique of in vitro cultivation of root organs has been developed over the past few decades and opens up new ways of studying plant-fungi associations. It is a technical breakthrough, especially for the investigation of the ubiquitous arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, since these obligate symbionts rely on plant tissue.

This is the first book describing this unique in vitro cultivation, which has markedly improved our general understanding of symbiosis. Presented by an international group of authors, including pioneers of this technique, it should encourage researchers to apply the method in further new studies on mycorrhizal fungi and plant-fungi interactions.

Various biological aspects such as the physiology, biochemistry, biodiversity, and life cycles of fungi as well as the effects of symbiosis on plant growth and development are described, including large-scale fungus production for biotechnological use. Detailed protocols allow the immediate application of the method to culture mycorrhizal fungi in vitro.

Mycology in Sustainable Development: Expanding Concepts, Vanishing Borders

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An Optional Addition to the Mycological Library

Mycology in Sustainable Development: Expanding Concepts, Vanishing Borders

Manufacturer: Parkway Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

This book contains the proceedings of The Mycology in Sustainable Development Workshop in 14 chapters organized by subject. Four chapters discuss the management of the Pine mushroom "matsutake" (Tricholoma magnivelare) as a model for the emergence and management of non-timber forest products. The value of sustainably harvesting "matsutake" could exceed the value of logging trees in some parts of North America. Three chapters provide an overview of the monitoring and inventory of fungal biological diversity, in order to determine methods for successful sustainable development in each North American country. In the section entitled Environmentally Friendly Technologies, authors discuss the use of mycorrhizae in land restoration, fungi as biological control agents of weeds, and endophytes as instruments of ecological management. Finally, several authors consider the potential for cultivation of novel fungal products and the use of fungi in pharmaceutical bioprospecting.

The Mycology in Sustainable Development Workshop brought together Canadian, Mexican, and U.S. scientists involved in establishing the biological bases for integrating fungi into sustainable plans and practices. The workshop facilitated the exchange of ideas and experiences, analysis of current practices, and the charting of future goals for successfully utilizing and integrating fungi in sustainable development. This book reflects these developments.

Differences between the perspectives of the three North American countries are highlighted, but a regional viewpoint is also included that encompasses common economic and environmental concerns of these convergent economies. Authors discuss how current and proposed legislation, as well as public perception, affect the ability of each Region to include fungi, a grossly underused resource, in sustainable land management. Issues of economic reciprocity and property rights are addressed in many of the chapters. In addition to providing a unique approach to this timely subject, several of these chapters are comprehensive, up-to-date reviews of a specific subject area.

This book will be of interest and use to a broad audience ranging from biologists and other scientists to administrators and policy-makers.

Customer Reviews:

An Optional Addition to the Mycological Library.......2001-11-07

Given that virtually all of the papers in this book juxtapose mycorrhizal fungi with Pacific Rim forests, the title of this book should really be `Mycorrhizae in Sustainable Agro-Forestry'. The majority of the chapters focus on the mycorrhizae and forestry, and the book as a whole attempts to make a strong case for greater research, development, and support for applied mycorrhizal research. Chapela and Palm introduce the papers by intelligently and eloquently stating the need for and practical use of sustainable development while at the same time providing background on the individual papers.

That said, the first three chapters provide a detailed history of wildcrafting of Matsutake mushrooms in British Columbia, the US Pacific Northwest, and Mexico, and elaborate upon the attempts of government and conservationists to regulate the harvest of this non-timber forest product so as to promote resource conservation and sustainable use of the regional forests. Several chapters further elaborate various aspects related to mycorrhizal fungi- from their plant associations and recent attempts to inventory plant-fungal associations to the utilization of mycorrhizae in land reclamation and biocontrol of weedy trees and grasses.

The last two chapters are quite possibly the most interesting part of the book and briefly present two attempts toward developing new markets for fungal products. In these chapters, we learn of successful attempts by Central American farmers to organincally cultivate mushrooms, principally Pleurotus species, using various types of agricultural waste. We also learn of attempts in many lesser developed nations to exploit their fungal bioresources and the efforts underway to make certain that developing nations and indigenous peoples reap their fair share of the proceeds from bioprospecting. The final chapter also argues that bioprospecting is a viable means of conservation and sustainable development.

While the book is interesting, the text could be taken more seriously had the editors only acknowledged the fundamental challenges of sustainable myco-resource utilization, fungal inventory monitoring, and development of fungal-based biological control agents. In their defense, more than a few of the contributors do point out the inherent challenges associated with management of sustainable development and fungal inventory research. Nonetheless the reader gets very few successes and a lot of dubious triumphs from the field of mycorrhizal ecology. In addition, the researchers conveniently neglect to state two very important points about the Matsutake myco-industry. Since Japan is the major market for Matsutake, this fledgling myco-industry would face ruin if this market collapsed. Furthermore, the opening of new Matsutake reservoirs in Russia, Central and South America continuously expands the supply-side while the demand-side has remained relatively constant. This in turn has had the obvious effect of lowering supply-side prices worldwide. As a result, although wildcrafting of Matsutakes and other botanicals is an important source of income in impoverished forest communities, it can not be looked upon as a key driver of sustainable development in these rural regions.

Although Chapela and Palm's Mycology in Sustainable Development starts off brilliantly, it quickly devolves into yet another thinly veiled plea for more funding for the contributors' pet research projects. The book's premise that the fungal kingdom has much to offer the worthwhile cause of sustainable development is quickly overpowered by paper after paper highlighting some dubious applications involving mycorrhizal fungi. Given the `global' title of the book, I was rather dismayed at the limited number of regions and countries represented and the overwhelming emphasis on the mycorrhizae. Granted, the mycorrhizae are a neglected area of research and do have much to offer the worthy cause of sustainable development. However, it would have been nice to see other classes of fungi and examples of sustainable development using the fungi in other regions of the world, particularly Africa and Asia, given an equivalent amount of exposure. Moreover, I was extremely dismayed at the paucity of information on edible mushrooms other than expensive exotics like Matsutake, given their often critical role in the health and nutrition of many of the world's communities and their extraordinary potential for global environmental improvement.

Book Description

In nature, the roots of most plants are colonized by symbiotic fungi to form mycorrhiza, which play a critical role in the capture of nutrients from the soil, and therefore in plant nutrition. Thirteen years have passed since the publication of the First Edition of Mycorrhizal Symbiosis, the book that has been generally acclaimed as the most definitive work on this fascinating topic. The Second Edition co-authored by Professor Sally Smith and Professor David Read has been completely rewritten to cover the significant advances in our understanding of this field.

Key Features
* Separate accounts of major mycorrhizal types, highlighting structure, development, physiology and ecology
* Integrative treatment, covering nutrient transport, roles of mycorrhizas in ecology, applications in man-made environments, and interactions with pollutants
* In depth treatment of evolutionary and developmental aspects, plus closer examination of external mycelium, and transport processes
* Appreciation of diversity of form and function within major mycorrhizal types, and its importance in ecosystems

Customer Reviews:

The standard reference for mycorrhizal research.......2002-06-29

This book is a standard reference in the field of mycorrhizal research. Since the field is growing rapidly, it is somewhat dated, but still excellent, especially for a life scientist trying to learn about the different types of mycorrhizae. This is a technical book, and parts of it require some knowledge of plant physiology, molecular biology, ecology, or, of course, mycology. Still, it is the book I send people to when they need a reference, and my copy is getting ragged with use.

Advances in Plant Pathology, Volume 9: Mycorrhiza Synthesis

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Advances in Plant Pathology, Volume 9: Mycorrhiza Synthesis
I. C. Tommerup
Manufacturer: Academic Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

This volume focuses on issues of plant pathology and sustainability, such as short term economic plans versus long term economic visions in farming and forestry. The book also deals with the complex biological interactions governing success in minimizing pest or pathogen damage by biological or chemical strategies, benefits and costs to the producer, consequences for the environment of management options, and the challenge of defining useful farm or forest indicatorsof sustainable practices.

Arbuscular Mycorrhizae: Interactions in Plants, Rhizospere, and Soils

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Arbuscular Mycorrhizae: Interactions in Plants, Rhizospere, and Soils

Manufacturer: Science Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1578082064

Arbuscular Mycorrhizas: Physiology and Function

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micorrhizia fungi

Arbuscular Mycorrhizas: Physiology and Function
Yoram, Ed. Kapulnik
Manufacturer: Kluwer Academic Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0792364449

Book Description

This book provides a structured compilation of reviews of what is known about arbuscular mycorrhizal symbiosis. Topics were selected to cover major steps in the life cycle of AM fungi (germination, signaling/recognition prior to colonization, and host regulation of colonization). Aspects of the physiological interaction within the root for which there has been exciting recent progress (regulation of host defenses, bidirectional transport of nutrients, modification of gene expression, and carbon metabolism) are then discussed. The focus then widens to effects of the mycorrhiza upon the whole plant (nutrition, water relations, reproduction, and resistance to disease), and expands further to essential aspects of the role of AM fungi in soil ecology (soil aggregation, and interactions with other soil microbes). Leaders in the field present critical reviews and point toward areas for future research. Therefore, this volume should be helpful for both researchers in the field and those interested in a thorough knowledge of this important symbiosis.

Customer Reviews:

micorrhizia fungi.......2001-01-03

links betven trees living near water and anaerobic fungi

Basic Research & Applications of Mycorrhizae (Microbiology Series) (Microbiology Series)

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Basic Research & Applications of Mycorrhizae (Microbiology Series) (Microbiology Series)
Gopi K. Podila
Manufacturer: Anshan Ltd
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 1904798489

Product Description

Mycorrhizae are a type of fungus formed by the relationship between plant roots and soil, and there is a widespread agreement among botanists and soil scientists that mycorrhizae are beneficial to the health and growth of soil and plants. Research into mycorrhizae has grown enormously in recent years. It is now known that these fungi have numerous properties and functions they promote plant growth, maintain plant and soil health, provide protection against root diseases, they assist production using reduced fertilizer and pesticides, they effect soil structure, nutrient acquisition, root length and root structure. Mycorrhizae have many useful modern practical applications the re-vegetation of landscapes, golf courses, contaminated soils, the prevention and retardation of leaf dehydration, the maintenance of soil and plant biodiversity to name but a few. The editors of this book have produced a valuable collection of specialised contemporary information describing state of the art and modern protocols in mycorrhizal research, compiled and presented in one authoritative volume. It will be a valued reference work for botanists, microbiologists, agricultural and soil scientists.

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