Synopses & Reviews
The average kilometer of tropical rainforest is teeming with life; it contains thousands of species of plants and animals. As The Ornaments of Life reveals, many of the most colorful and eye-catching rainforest inhabitantsandmdash;toucans, monkeys, leaf-nosed bats, and hummingbirds to name a fewandmdash;are an important component of the infrastructure that supports life in the forest. These fruit-and-nectar eating birds and mammals pollinate the flowers and disperse the seeds of hundreds of tropical plants, and unlike temperate communities, much of this greenery relies exclusively on animals for reproduction.and#160; and#160; and#160; and#160; and#160; and#160; Synthesizing recent research by ecologists and evolutionary biologists, Theodore H. Fleming and W. John Kress demonstrate the tremendous functional and evolutionary importance of these tropical pollinators and frugivores. They shed light on how these mutually symbiotic relationships evolved and lay out the current conservation status of these essential species. In order to illustrate the striking beauty of these andldquo;ornamentsandrdquo; of the rainforest, the authors have included a series of breathtaking color plates and full-color graphs and diagrams.and#160;and#160;
Review
"This lovely paperback presents a comprehensive and absorbing survey of coevolution and conservation in the tropics. It covers such interesting subjects as mutualism in pollination and frugivory, the phylogeny and biogeography of mutualism, and macroevolutionary consequences of pollen and seed dispersal. Printed on heavy glossy paper, filled with many full-colour photographs, diagrams, tables and data graphs, this meticulously researched book also includes two appendices, 74 pages of references, and separate indices listing subjects and species. This scholarly work can be used as a university-level textbook, as a reference, or as a guide for self-study."
Review
"The most extensive synthesis of tropical plant-animal interactions ever published."
Review
and#8220;The title of this splendid, important book is taken from a paper published in 1977 that suggested animals such as birds and mammals are of little fundamental importance in plant dynamics in the tropics, and thus are mere and#8216;ornamentsand#8217; rather than integral to community function. Fleming and Kress seek to dispel that notion, and they do so with great skill and fine detail. . . . This book, well supported by tables, figures, and photographs, is an important contribution to tropical biology and deserves a wide readership. Highly recommended.and#8221;
Review
andldquo;Theodore H. Fleming and W. John Kress here bring together current knowledge of the ecology and evolution of vertebrate-plant mutualisms, from biogeography and energetics through species proliferation and conservation. Theyandrsquo;ve analyzed the reciprocal andlsquo;fine-tuningandrsquo; between bird-pollinated flowers and nectarivorous birds, or fruits and seed dispersers, on a worldwide scale and in the context of molecular-clock dated phylogenies, resulting in an unrivaled synthesis.andrdquo;and#160;
Review
and#8220;Tropical forests around the world are the scene in which each day, and every night, hundreds of species of plants, birds, and mammals interact positively with each other. As part of foraging, animals assist in pollination and seed dispersal. Such interactions, which involve many of the most spectacular animals of the tropics, true ornaments of life, represent a significant part of the functioning of the terrestrial ecosystems that harbor the highest biodiversity on the planet. . . . Never before has been the titanic task of compiling the extant knowledge on such tropical vertebrate-plant mutualistic interactions so well crafted and exceptionally timely as in this volume.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;A milestone contribution to our understanding animal-plant coevolution and coevolutionary phenomena in general. . . . Fleming and Kressand#8217;s book is worth recommending to a broad circle of readers who are interested in evolution and ecology as well as in tropical birds, bats and primates. The book is a rich trove of knowledge for everybody and a great source of inspiration for evolutionary ecologists with a penchant for theorizing.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;The distinguished duo of Batman (Fleming) and Heliconiaand#173;-man (Kress) apply their combined 70 years of research on plant-animal interactions to argue that these species are so much more than visually appealing ornaments in tropical ecosystems.and#160; . . . Such interactions may seem like a quaint subset of ecology, but the authors make a convincing argument that these mutualisms form a vital part of the ecology of tropical ecosystems and have been an important driver of the evolutionary diversification of plants and vertebrates throughout the tropics. . . . The Ornaments of Life is required reading for anyone interested in acquiring advanced understanding of tropical ecology, pollination biology, fruit/seed dispersal, hummingbirds, other nectar feeders, bats, and primates, and evolution of mutualisms. The novel insights and thoroughness of analysis that the authors bring to the topic are guaranteed to force readers to think about and study these interactions in new and diverse ways.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;Biotic interactions are biodiversityand#8217;s wireframe, and Fleming and Kress carefully dissect their structure and coevolution. . . . The Ornaments of Life offers a magisterial perspective of the ecological intricacies and genetic consequences of these mutualisms and their outcomes.and#8221;
Review
and#8220;In this impressive tome, Fleming and Kress provide us with an absorbing overview of the ecology and evolution of pollen and seed dispersal mutualisms in the tropics, delving into their ecology and development through evolutionary time. . . . An expertly written, comprehensive introduction.and#8221;
Synopsis
Natural history has always been the foundation of conservation biology. For centuries, botanists collected specimens in the field to understand plant diversity; now that many habitats are threatened, botanists have turned their focus to conservation, and, increasingly, they look to the collections of museums, herbaria, and botanical gardens for insight on developing informed management programs.
Plant Conservation explores the value of these collections in light of contemporary biodiversity studies.
Plant Conservation opens with a broad view of plant biodiversity and then considers evolutionary and taxonomic threats and consequences of habitat alteration; specific threats to plant diversity, such as invasive species and global climate change; consequences of plant population decline at the ecological, evolutionary, and taxonomic levels; and, finally, management strategies that protect plant biodiversity from further decline. With a unique perspective on biodiversity and scientific collections, Plant Conservation ultimately emphasizes the role museums and botanical gardens will play in future conservation.
About the Author
Theodore H. Fleming is professor emeritus of biology at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, Florida. and#160;W. John Kress is curator and research botanist as well as director of the Consortium for Understanding and Sustaining a Biodiverse Planet at the Smithsonian Institution.and#160;
Table of Contents
Foreword by Daniel H. Janzen
Preface
Part I. Plant Diversity: Past and Present
Chapter 1. Evolution of Land Plant Diversity: Major Innovations and Lineages through Time
William A. DiMichele and Richard M. Bateman
Chapter 2. Diversity and Distribution of Plants
2.1 Terrestrial Plant Diversity
Jens Mutke, Gerold Kier, Gary A. Krupnick, and Wilhelm Barthlott
2.2 Marine Plant Diversity
Walter H. Adey
Chapter 3. Plant Extinctions
3.1 A Paleontological Perspective on Plant Extinctions
Scott Wing
3.2 Current Plant Extinctions: Chiaroscuro in Shades of Green
Bruce A. Stein and Warren L. Wagner
Part II. Plant Diversity: Habitats and Taxonomic Groups
Chapter 4. Case Studies in Select Tropical and Subtropical Habitats
4.1 The Ecuadorian Andes
John L. Clark
4.2 The Ramal de Guaramacal in the Venezuelan Andes
Laurence J. Dorr, Basil Stergios, and S. Miguel Niand#241;o
4.3 The Guiana Shield
Vicki A. Funk and Paul E. Berry
4.4 Pacific Oceanic Islands
Warren L. Wagner, Denise Mix, and Jonathan Price
4.5 The Gaoligong Mountains of Southwest China and Northeast Myanmar
Ai-Zhong Liu and W. John Kress
Chapter 5. Case Studies among Select Taxonomic Groups
5.1 Dinoflagellates: Phylum Dinoflagellata
Maria A. Faust
5.2 Lichens: Phylum Ascomycota
Rebecca Yahr and Paula T. DePriest
5.3 Mosses: Phylum Bryophyta
Harold E. Robinson
5.4 Grasses: Family Poaceae
Paul M. Peterson
5.5 Day Flowers: Family Commelinaceae
Robert B. Faden
5.6 Acanthus: Family Acanthaceae
Dieter C. Wasshausen
5.7 Daisies and Sunflowers: Family Asteraceae
Vicki A. Funk and Harold E. Robinson
5.8 African Violets: Family Gesneriaceae
Laurence E. Skog
5.9 Litchis and Rambutans: Family Sapindaceae
Pedro Acevedo-Rodrand#237;guez
Part III. Contemporary Causes of Plant Extinction
Chapter 6. Habitat Fragmentation and Degradation
6.1 Forest Fragments and Tropical Plant Reproduction in Amazonian Brazil
Emilio M. Bruna and W. John Kress
6.2 Habitat Alteration in the Caribbean: Natural and Human-Induced
W. John Kress and Carol Horvitz
6.3 Habitat Loss: The Extreme Case of Madagascar
Dieter C. Wasshausen and Werner Rauh
6.4 Degradation of Algae in Coral Reefs
Walter H. Adey
6.5 Alteration of Kelp Communities in the Northwestern North Atlantic
Walter H. Adey and James N. Norris
Chapter 7. Invasive Species
Jessica Poulin, Ann Sakai, Stephen Weller, and Warren L. Wagner
Chapter 8. Global Climate Change: The Spring Temperate Flora
Paul M. Peterson, Stanwyn G. Shetler, Mones S. Abu-Asab, and Sylvia S. Orli
Chapter 9. Genetic Consequences of Reduced Diversity: Heterozygosity Loss, Inbreeding Depression, and Effective Population Size
Paul M. Peterson and Carrie L. McCracken
Part IV. The Conservation of Plant Diversity: Assessment, Management Strategies, and Action
Chapter 10. Mapping Biological Diversity
10.1 Herbarium Collections, Floras, and Checklists
W. John Kress and Vicki A. Funk
10.2 Hot Spots and Ecoregions
Gary A. Krupnick
10.3 Phylogenetic Considerations
M. Alejandra Jaramillo and Vicki A. Funk
Chapter 11. Assessing Conservation Status
11.1 Genetic Assessment Methods for Plant Conservation Biology
Elizabeth A. Zimmer
11.2 Species Assessment: The IUCN Red List
Gary A. Krupnick
11.3 Community Assessment: Rapid Assessment Teams
William S. Alverson
Chapter 12. Management Strategies
12.1 Ex situ Conservation of Plants
Stephen Blackmore
12.2 A Proposed Sustainable Coral-Reef Management Model
Mark M. Littler and Diane S. Littler
12.3 Application of a Seagrass Management Model
Mark M. Littler and Diane S. Littler
Chapter 13. Laws and Treaties: Is the Convention on Biological Diversity Protecting Plant Diversity?
Kerry ten Kate and W. John Kress
Chapter 14. Grassroots Conservation
Stanwyn G. Shetler
Conclusion: Documenting and Conserving Plant Diversity in the Future
W. John Kress and Gary A. Krupnick
List of Contributors
Index