Seit der Konvention der Vereinten Nationen im Jahre 1992 zum Schutz der biologischen Vielfalt – dem sog. Rio-Abkommen – ist „Biodiversität“ weltweit zu einem Begriff für ein hohes Gut der Menschheit geworden, das es zu bewahren gilt. Inzwischen ist klar geworden, dass (fast) alles, was in einem Ökosystem abläuft, von seinen Organismen bewerkstelligt wird, und dass die Vielfalt dieser Organismengemeinschaften die Leistungen und die Stabilität der Landund Meeresökosysteme bedingt. Viele dies...

This completely updated and revised second edition provides a unique and up-to-date treatment of all aspects of plant ecology, making it an ideal textbook and reference work for students, researchers and practitioners.More than 500 high-quality images and drawings, mostly in colour, aid readers’ understanding of various key topics, while the clear structure and straightforward style make it user friendly and particularly useful for students. Written by leading experts, it offers au...

Desiccation tolerance was essential when plants first began to conquer land, roughly 400 million years ago. While most desiccation-tolerant plants belong to basal phylogenetic taxa, this capacity has also evolved among some vascular plant species.In this volume renowned experts treat plant desiccation tolerance at the organismic as well as at the cellular level. The diversity of ecophysiological adaptations and acclimations of cyanobacteria, eukaryotic algae, mosses, and lichens is...

An interdisciplinary research unit consisting of 30 teams in the natural, economic and social sciences analyzed biodiversity and ecosystem services of a mountain rainforest ecosystem in the hotspot of the tropical Andes, with special reference to past, current and future environmental changes. The group assessed ecosystem services using data from ecological field and scenario-driven model experiments, and with the help of comparative field surveys of the natural forest and its anthropogeni...