Seed Development, Dormancy, and Germination (Annual Plant Reviews)

Book Description

The formation, dispersal and germination of seeds are crucial stages in the life cycles of gymnosperm and angiosperm plants. The unique properties of seeds, particularly their tolerance to desiccation, their mobility, and their ability to schedule their germination to coincide with times when environmental conditions are favorable to their survival as seedlings, have no doubt contributed significantly to the success of seed-bearing plants. Humans are also dependent upon seeds, which constitute the majority of the worldrsquo;s staple foods (e.g., cereals and legumes). Seeds are an excellent system for studying fundamental developmental processes in plant biology, as they develop from a single fertilized zygote into an embryo and endosperm, in association with the surrounding maternal tissues. As genetic and molecular approaches have become increasingly powerful tools for biological research, seeds have become an attractive system in which to study a wide array of metabolic processes and regulatory systems. Seed Development, Dormancy and Germination provides a comprehensive overview of seed biology from the point of view of the developmental and regulatory processes that are involved in the transition from a developing seed through dormancy and into germination and seedling growth. It examines the complexity of the environmental, physiological, molecular and genetic interactions that occur through the life cycle of seeds, along with the concepts and approaches used to analyze seed dormancy and germination behavior. It also identifies the current challenges and remaining questions for future research. The book is directed at plant developmental biologists, geneticists, plant breeders, seed biologists and graduate students.

Dispersal Biology of Desert Plants (Adaptations of Desert Organisms)

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Dispersal Biology of Desert Plants (Adaptations of Desert Organisms)
Karen van Rheede van Oudtshoorn , and Margaretha W. van Rooyen
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Science | Subjects | Books

Deserts | Ecosystems | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 3540648860

Book Description

Dispersal processes have important effects on plant distribution and abundance. Although adaptations to long range dispersal (telechory) are by no means rare in desert plants, many desert plant species do not possess any features to promote dispersal (atelechory), while others have structures that hamper dispersal (antitelechory). The high frequency with which atelechorous and antitelechorous mechanisms are present in plants inhabiting arid areas indicates the importance of these adaptations. Among the benefits derived from these adaptations are the spreading of germination over time, the provision of suitable conditions for germination and subsequent seedling establishment, and the maintenance of a reservoir of available seeds (seed bank). This book describes the ways and means - anatomical, morphological and ecological - by which dispersal in desert plants has evolved to ensure the survival of these species in their harsh and unpredictable environment.

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Review: biology of the cycads

The Biology of the Cycads
Knut J. Norstog , and Trevor J. Nicholls
Manufacturer: Comstock Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 080143033X

Book Description

Thoroughly referenced and generously illustrated, this book discusses all aspects of cycadology. A small group of ancient palmlike seed plants noted for their beautiful foliage and often brightly colored cones and seeds, cycads are believed to have been among the first seed-bearing plants. Seed bearing was the basis for their worldwide dominance from about 300 million years ago to about 70 million years ago, when today's familiar flowering plants gained ascendancy. In recent years, interest in cycads has increased, partly as a result of the need for a more complete identification of the range of toxic and carcinogenic substances these plants produce and partly because of the recognition that some compounds from cycads may prove valuable in biomedical research. Many cycads have recently been identified as endangered species, including some that seem to have survived virtually unchanged since the Mesozoic era. Cycads have a specific importance, now at risk of being lost forever, for the information they offer on the origins and evolution of seed plants. Knut J. Norstog and Trevor J. Nicholls discuss cycad anatomy, reproduction, physiology, and growth. They also focus on population biology and the fossil cycadophytes, as well as genera and species from both the Old World and the New World. The Biology of the Cycads is illustrated with numerous maps, diagrams, and drawings, as well as more than 350 photographs, in black and white and in color.

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Review: biology of the cycads.......2000-05-05

The Biology of The Cycads represents a compendium of data on all aspects of cycad biology, summarising very concisely a vast repertoire of widely scattered and very diverse research information. Despite this extensive coverage, the book is clearly written and well organised into readily digestible sections. Topics covered include morphology, anatomy, reproductive processes (especially pollination and insect associations - a special interest of Norstog's), population dynamics, toxicity, cytology, cytogenetics, cycad fossils and species descriptions of cycads grouped into Old World and New World taxa.

Book Description

Revised and expanded throughout, this latest edition of the bestselling Seeds Handbook: Biology, Production, Processing, and Storage includes valuable information on all areas of seed biology, production, and processing. The author, one of the most respected and prolific scientists in the field, identifies current developments in seed testing and certification, storage, transportation, and distribution. Tracking the evolution and advancement of seed industries and technologies, he fully covers the development and supply of high-quality seeds for every key agronomic and horticulture crop. Contains methods to enhance the genetic and physiological characteristics of more than 80 major and minor crops With an abundance of current research and additional figures and illustrations, this edition of the Seeds Handbook offers chapters on modern biotechnological issues such as the production of synthetic seeds, loss-reduction biotechnologies, and new strategies in the seed production industry. It provides in-depth information on burgeoning areas of seed science including tissue culture and cellular totipotency, induction and regeneration protocols, development and maturation, hormone requirements, drying and storage of somatic embryos, protective encapsulation, and crop applications. With an eye to the future, it looks at challenges in the provision and enhancement of seeds for crop plants, practical methods of seed production and micropropagation, genetically modified seeds, and world food security.

Fruit and Seed Production: Aspects of Development, Environmental Physiology and Ecology (Society for Experimental Biology Seminar Series)

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Fruit and Seed Production: Aspects of Development, Environmental Physiology and Ecology (Society for Experimental Biology Seminar Series)

Manufacturer: Cambridge University Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 0521373506

Book Description

The topic of fruit and seed production is given a broad and comprehensive treatment, with chapters covering the onset of flowering through to the development and growth of fruits and seeds, and finally to ecological and evolutionary aspects of fruiting.

Biology of Seed Plants: A Laboratory Manual

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Biology of Seed Plants: A Laboratory Manual
Dennis N. Homan
Manufacturer: Kendall Hunt Pub Co
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Introductory Plant Biology

ASIN: 0787268097

Molecular Biology of Seed Storage Proteins and Lectins

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Molecular Biology of Seed Storage Proteins and Lectins
Leland M. Shannon
Manufacturer: American Society of Plant Physiologists
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Eve's Seed: Biology, the Sexes, and the Course of History

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A Good Start
What a great insight!
Trite tripe
Men are from women, not Mars
Avoid At All Costs!!

Eve's Seed: Biology, the Sexes, and the Course of History
Robert S. McElvaine
Manufacturer: McGraw-Hill
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | World | History | Subjects | Books

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Adam, Eve, and the Serpent: Sex and Politics in Early Christianity

ASIN: 0071400281

Book Description

"Eve's Seed is a bestseller waiting to be discovered: a package of sex, science, and species' vanity nicely wrapped in sparkling prose."--Joyce Appleby, Los Angeles Times

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In this provocative reinterpretation of the human experience, noted historian Robert S. McElvaine bridges the gap between evolutionary biology and history to create a new approach he terms "biohistory". Here for the first time he presents a startlingly fresh thesis: misperceptions about sexual difference and procreative power have, along with misleading sexual metaphors, been the major forces in history. In a bold departure from the methods of conventional history, McElvaine draws on a wide range of sources, from biology, anthropology, archaeology, mythology, religion, and popular culture, to show how the interplay between our evolutionary heritage and changing environments has shaped the course of history, from hunter-gatherers to the contemporary world. Doubly controversial for its method and its contention that "prehistoric" developments devalued men, subordinated women and continue to misshape our lives, Eve's Seed is sure to engender debate.

Customer Reviews:

A Good Start.......2006-08-08

Being aware myself that men talk about their seed when it would be more accurate to talk about their pollen I was intrigued to come across such an extensive theory based on this very mistaken metaphor.
This book is a great read and certainly we need to understand human nature and include it in our understanding of our history and ourselves today. McElvaine makes a good first stab at this and I will not repeat his argument again but point out a few important errors.

The faults with the book concern the biology, both the factual errors and the lack of real exploration. The descriptions of the mating behavior of primates are not fully correct, especially regarding gorillas - the silverback has a very small penis and testicles and little interest in sex except when a female is ovulating which means at intervals of three to four years, hardly comparable to humans. McElvaine also says that animals rarely kill members of their own species but Dian Fossey stated that 25% of gorilla mortality was due to the male gorilla - he kills both other males and infants if he ousts a resident male.

The biggest error is that apes are, in fact, not matrilineal. In chimpanzees and bonobos the males remain for life in their natal group and the females leave at puberty. This is most likely the case for hominids and humans ie human females have hardly ever been matilineal and had the benefit of this base for kin or female-female bonding.

McElvaine makes a big case for human 'mounting' behavior which may be valid but amongst other primate species there is no universal evidence for it correlating directly with dominance and submission. Sometimes the dominant individual is mounted, sometimes females mount their female 'friends', sometimes a presentation is a way to give an olfactory signal by a dominant. Also, presentations that are submissive are very different from the upright, assertive, four-square stance of a female soliciting a copulation.

These errors do not greatly undermine any of the arguments but do show that when we are going to use biology in an argument we need to know more than just a little biology. The fact that human males have nearly always spent their whole life with kin when females have had to join a new group to breed is an enormously important factor in the repression of human females and the dominance of men and masculine values - including men fighting over possession of such females. Looking at primate behavior tends to show that the roots of some of our behavior were very deep and strong well before agriculture came along.

Also, even if we do think more about the male/female spectrum of human nature there may well be a number of males at the masculine end of the spectrum who are not striving to be anything other than they naturally are - ie are extreme males who simply have little or no capacity for feminine values. If these are the dangerous males then the best we can do is to stop allowing them and their virtual 100% masculinity to be the role models for the more average male - or even the average human.

McElvaine's points about the false metaphors we use, male-biased language and attitudes, misogyny, a male creator, the belittling of feminine values and behaviors and the impossible way men try to be 'notawoman' are certainly strong and in many ways obvious when pointed out. And it is surely foolish to think that such a lop-sided species can hope for anything other than toppling over in the mightiest of Falls.

McElvaine offers a few ideas about how we might be able to overcome our maladaptive proclivities but it is an enormous task both to recognize our human errors and for men to ever overcome their maladaptive inheritance and genuinely not feel so much contempt for the feminine in human nature. It is hard to imagine the necessary changes coming any time soon.

A highly recommended read and hopefully it will open up essential further explorations in this area.

What a great insight!.......2005-10-12

This book has been especially useful for a university paper I was working on. It passed some time since that but the concepts I read are still fresh in my memory, since it were concepts I've been suspicious for a long time. One might think that the author forced a note in affirming the male dominance is caused by the male "impotence", but if you take an impartial look you'll find he is right. Don't get me wrong: I have no problems in beeing a man, but I'm honest enough to recognize that the western world is based on a patriarchal figure, on a concept of a man that needs constantly to prove to himself and to others that he is no woman, that he is not a sissy or a gay - wich is even worse -, but, on the contrary, that he is a real macho, a sex machine that can "score" as many women as he wants since they are so inferior that they get completely overwhelmed by his mere presence. It's sad but it's the reality.
Fortunately, things are changing. In Spain we had notice of the first girl (she's 16) that joined a senior male soccer team as an advancee. In Germany, Angela Merkel is the first woman to be nominated chancelor. In the great majority of western countries, the armed forces do accept equally male and female recruits.
It reminds me the movie of 007 "Goldeneye", when the Admiral said to M (a woman) that she didn't had the "balls" to stand in face of the situation, to wich she replied that she had the advantage of not having to be thinking with them all the time...
It would be nice if in the future our leaders will think less with the "balls" and more with the brains...

Trite tripe.......2004-06-04

This is a sad effort and sadder still that these ideas were published. The fact that any publisher believes that readers of social history would be interested in such a twisted analysis of the nature of man/woman and the development of societies is indeed sad. McElvaine is a longtime self promoting boor stuck in a jerkwater academic environment with way too much time for idle pondering. His imagination worked overdrive to produce this piece of fantasy. I guess if any of us had enough time on our hands we too could construct elaborate theories on the 'nature of things' and put enough of a self-loathing feminist slant on it to attract a fringe readership. That's what happened here. Don't waste your time. A disturbing aspect to this is that he's teaching the next generation of leaders.

Men are from women, not Mars.......2003-03-31

This is the book I've been looking for. It explains the world we're living in right now. And where we've been. This book really gets to the root of the basic problem: men arn't able to be men because we're afraid of our femininity. So we're half-men, and we're so [angry] at being half-men that we take it out on women. We blame them for it. That's it in a nutshell. And it all started thousands of years ago, with the agricultural revolution, when we lost our place in society. We were out of a job. And we've been playing catch-up ever since. And still are today: it's still going on. NOTE: I'm writing this on the 10th day of the insane war we're waging on Iraq. After reading this book, you'll understand why these insecure, infantile itiots mask their impotence by waging war. We are at this moment witnessing the catastrophic consequences of the hyper-masculinity that he talks about. As long as we define man as "not-a-woman," we're [stuck.]

Avoid At All Costs!!.......2002-11-07

Let me hopefully save you from having to plow through several hundred pages of bunk. Even though McElvaine takes issue with a few feminists along the way, this is basically a feminist work: McElvaine finds male malfeasance and female disadvantage in all places and times down through history.

Demonstrating how a little knowledge can be a dangerous things, he starts out by wading ankle deep into the currently trendy and sales-worthy waters of evolutionary psychology in attempting to write a history rooted in our evolved nature, but he never even distinghuishes in Darwin's theory between *natural* selection and *sexual* selection; indeed, the latter term is not to be found anywhere in the book. McElvaine's knowledge of things evolutionary wouldn't get him a passing grade in an easy 101 class. He has an entire chapter on sex differences, where he bends over backwards to minimize these and downplay their significance -- then he bases his whole crazy story throughout the rest of the book on rather Victorian stereotypes about the sexes, particularly the shortcomings of males; i.e., men are uncivilized aggressive beasts, whereas women are gentle nurturing angels. In short, masculine/male = bad, feminine/female = good. You know the drill. It's called sexism...I could easily go on -- there's that much which can be made fun of here -- but will end by asking a salient question not posed by the book: if human nature is unchanged over historic times, why even bother with the Rorschach test of the dim uncertain past and pre-history when attempting to get at what that nature is? Why not just observe current behavior?

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Seeds, Stems, And Stamens: The
Susan E. Goodman
Manufacturer: Millbrook Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Library Binding

Botany | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
Nonfiction | Flowers & Plants | Nature | Science, Nature & How It Works | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
General | Ages 9-12 | Children's Books | Subjects | Books
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Claws, Coats, And Camouflage

Animal Defenses: How Animals Protect Themselves (Animal Behavior)

ASIN: 0761318747

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From Seed to Sunflower (How Living Things Grow)
Anita Ganeri
Manufacturer: Heinemann
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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From Seed to Plant (Rookie Read-About Science)

How a Seed Grows (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science 1)

From Seed to Sunflower (Lifecycles)

Oh Say Can You Seed?: All About Flowering Plants (Cat in the Hat's Lrning Libry)

The Reason for a Flower (World of Nature)

ASIN: 140347866X

Book Description

Discover how a seed grows into a sunflower. This title explains plant growth in a clear and organized manner. Readers will love watching the transformations take place.

Product Description

The most important spiritual writings of Christian history are available on this Classics CD by the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) at Calvin College. It contains 118 Christian classics, including three versions of the Bible, several commentaries, Bible dictionaries, readings, spiritual guides, sermons, poems and journals -- all in a convenient, searchable form. Books are available in HTML and PDF formats. The easy-to-use CCEL Desktop software powering the CD enables users to browse and print books and install additional books from the Web. The top-of-class search engine can search for words or phrases in books, in authors works or in the whole library. In addition, it can search for dictionary definitions of words and commentary or references to scripture passages. The interface is a Web browser. The CD is compatible with Windows 2000+, Macintosh 10.3+, and most Linux versions.

The Way of Saint James: Pyrenees-Santiago-Finisterre (Cicerone International Walking)

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The Way of Saint James: Pyrenees-Santiago-Finisterre (Cicerone International Walking)
Alison Raju
Manufacturer: Cicerone Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Walking | Hiking & Camping | Outdoors & Nature | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1852843721

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Janes Cowan's St. Francis

Francis: A Saint's Way
James Cowan
Manufacturer: Liguori Publications
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

Religious | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Inspirational | Spirituality | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books

Customer Reviews:

Janes Cowan's St. Francis.......2001-11-05

The book is chock full of information, theology and philosophy.
I especially enjoyed the footnotes which are placed with the text rather than being at the bak of the book.

Customer Reviews:

Terse, excellent guide from Le Puy to St. Jean.......2007-03-22

We've been using this guide for the last 3 years, finally reaching the Pyrenees in Sept. 2006. The route follows the French National Trail GR65. The author has put a lot of information in this little (4.5in by 6.75in) book. There is an entry for each town or point of interest along the GR65. For example, the entry for Cahors is: "5.5km Cahors 122m (350/390)" followed by detailed town information. The 5.5 is distance from last point, 122m is elevation, 350 is km from Le Puy, 390 is distance to St. Jean. There is no English language competition for this guide, except for a much briefer booklet by the same author done for the Confraternity of St. James. Originally the author published a guide to the entire pilgrimage route from Le Puy to Camino de Santiago. I much prefer having separate more current guides.

To squeeze in the max amount of information and still save weight, the author uses some abbreviations which take some getting used to, similar to text messaging. KSO continue straight on, L left, R right, etc. There are 22 small maps just showing routes and towns. It has several useful appendices including a glossary of French hiking terms.

This book should be used in combination with the French language topo guides for the GR65 and the current annually updated French language accomodation guide to the GR65 - Miam Miam Dodo. Both of these can be used without knowledge of French.

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Francis a Saints Way
James Cowman
Manufacturer: LIGUORI PUBLICATIONS*
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000Q1LEPI

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Tales of the Saints' Way
Beryl James
Manufacturer: Truran
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Social Sciences | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

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The way of Saint James
Alvaro Cunqueiro
Manufacturer: Faro de Vigo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

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The Way Of Saint James V3
Georgiana Goddard King
Manufacturer: Kessinger Publishing, LLC
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Religion & Spirituality | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1432683349

Book Description

In Three Volumes. This scarce antiquarian book is included in our special Legacy Reprint Series. In the interest of creating a more extensive selection of rare historical book reprints, we have chosen to reproduce this title even though it may possibly have occasional imperfections such as missing and blurred pages, missing text, poor pictures, markings, dark backgrounds and other reproduction issues beyond our control. Because this work is culturally important, we have made it available as a part of our commitment to protecting, preserving and promoting the world's literature.

The way of Saint James: Or, The pilgrims' road to Santiago

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The way of Saint James: Or, The pilgrims' road to Santiago
T. A Layton
Manufacturer: Allen & Unwin
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

General | Europe | Travel | Subjects | Books

The Way of Saint James 3 Volumes Complete Set (Hispanic Notes & Monographs

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The Way of Saint James 3 Volumes Complete Set (Hispanic Notes & Monographs
Georgianna Goddard King
Manufacturer: G. P. Putnam's
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000NZVPQK

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