Plant Functional Types: Their relevance to Ecosystem Properties and Global Change

By: Smith, T MContributor(s): F.I.Woodward | H.H.ShugartMaterial type: TextTextSeries: International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme book series, 1Publication details: Cambridge ; New York : Cambridge University Press, 1997Edition: 1st EditionDescription: xiv, 369 pages : illustrations (some color) ; 26 cmISBN: 0521566436; 9780521566438 ; 0521482313 ; 9780521482318Subject(s): International Geosphere-Biosphere Program "Global Changes | " International Geosphere-Biosphere Program "Global Changes" | Plant ecophysiologyDDC classification: 581.5
Contents:
What are functional types and how should we seek them? / H. Gitay and I.R. Noble -- Plant and ecosystem functional types / H.H. Shugart -- Plant functional types / F.I. Woodward and C.K. Kelly -- Can we use plant functional types to describe and predict responses to environmental change? / R.J. Hobbs -- Functional types in non-equilibrium ecosystems / B.H. Walker -- Categorizing plant species into functional types / M. Westoby and M. Leishman -- Functional types : testing the concept in Northern England / J.P. Grime [and others] -- Plant functional types and ecosystem change in arctic tundras / G.R. Shaver [and others] -- Functional types for predicting changes in biodiversity / W.J. Bond -- Defining functional types for models of desertification / J.F. Reynolds, R.A. Virginia, and W.H. Schlesinger -- Plant functional types in temperate semi-arid regions / O.E. Sala, W.K. Lauenroth, and R.A. Golluscio -- Interactions between demographic and ecosystem processes in a semi-arid and an arid grassland / W.K. Lauenroth [and others] -- Plant functional types in African savannas and grasslands / R.J. Scholes [and others] -- Using plant functional types in a global vegetation model / W. Cramer -- Use of plant functional type classifications to model global land cover and simulate the interactions between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere / R. Leemans -- Examining the consequences of classifying species into functional types / T.M. Smith -- Ecosystem function of biodiversity / H.A. Mooney -- Defining plant functional types / F.I. Woodward, T.M. Smith, and H.H. Shugart.
Summary: When predicting the effects of changing climate and carbon dioxide on plants at the global scale there is a major stumbling block: we have very little information, in many cases none, about how plants will respond in the future. In order to circumvent this problem, and until more information on species accumulates, we reduce the diversity of species to a diversity of functions and structures. The structures may be trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses. The functions may be types of photosynthetic process, the capacity to minimize water loss, and varying the timing of growth. This book brings together a first-rate team of authors to describe approaches and methods for defining these functional types in ways that maximize our potential to predict accurately the responses of real vegetation with real species diversity.
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Index Included

What are functional types and how should we seek them? / H. Gitay and I.R. Noble --
Plant and ecosystem functional types / H.H. Shugart --
Plant functional types / F.I. Woodward and C.K. Kelly --
Can we use plant functional types to describe and predict responses to environmental change? / R.J. Hobbs --
Functional types in non-equilibrium ecosystems / B.H. Walker --
Categorizing plant species into functional types / M. Westoby and M. Leishman --
Functional types : testing the concept in Northern England / J.P. Grime [and others] --
Plant functional types and ecosystem change in arctic tundras / G.R. Shaver [and others] --
Functional types for predicting changes in biodiversity / W.J. Bond --
Defining functional types for models of desertification / J.F. Reynolds, R.A. Virginia, and W.H. Schlesinger --
Plant functional types in temperate semi-arid regions / O.E. Sala, W.K. Lauenroth, and R.A. Golluscio --
Interactions between demographic and ecosystem processes in a semi-arid and an arid grassland / W.K. Lauenroth [and others] --
Plant functional types in African savannas and grasslands / R.J. Scholes [and others] --
Using plant functional types in a global vegetation model / W. Cramer --
Use of plant functional type classifications to model global land cover and simulate the interactions between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere / R. Leemans --
Examining the consequences of classifying species into functional types / T.M. Smith --
Ecosystem function of biodiversity / H.A. Mooney --
Defining plant functional types / F.I. Woodward, T.M. Smith, and H.H. Shugart.

When predicting the effects of changing climate and carbon dioxide on plants at the global scale there is a major stumbling block: we have very little information, in many cases none, about how plants will respond in the future. In order to circumvent this problem, and until more information on species accumulates, we reduce the diversity of species to a diversity of functions and structures. The structures may be trees, shrubs, herbs and grasses. The functions may be types of photosynthetic process, the capacity to minimize water loss, and varying the timing of growth. This book brings together a first-rate team of authors to describe approaches and methods for defining these functional types in ways that maximize our potential to predict accurately the responses of real vegetation with real species diversity.

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