The reproductive organs and mating biology of angiosperms exhibit greater variety than those of any other group of organisms. Flowers and inflorescences are also the most diverse structures produced by angiosperms, and floral traits provide some of the most compelling examples of evolution by natural selection. Given that flowering plants include roughly 250,000 species, their reproductive diversity will not be explained easily by continued accumulation of case studies of individual species. Instead a more strategic approach is now required, which seeks to identify general principles concerning the role of ecological function in the evolution of reproductive diversity.
The Ecology and Evolution of Flowers uses this approach to expose new insights into the functional basis of floral diversity, and presents the very latest theoretical and empirical research on floral evolution. Floral biology is a dynamic and growing area and this book, written by the leading internationally recognized researchers in this field, reviews current progress in understanding the evolution and function of flowers. Chapters contain both new research findings and synthesis. Major sections in turn examine functional aspects of floral traits and sexual systems, the ecological influences on reproductive adaptation, and the role of floral biology in angiosperm diversification. Overall, this integrated treatment illustrates the role of floral function and evolution in the generation of angiosperm biodiversity.
This advanced textbook is suitable for graduate level students taking courses in plant ecology, evolution, systematics, biodiversity and conservation. It will also be of interest and use to a broader audience of plant scientists seeking an authoritative overview of recent advances in floral biology.
Preface 1: Spencer CH Barrett and Lawrence D Harder: David G. Lloyd and the evolution of floral biology: from natural history to strategic analysis Part 1 Strategic perspectives on floral biology 2: Martin T Morgan: Selection on reproductive characters: conceptual foundations and their extension to pollinator interactions 3: Da-Yong Zhang: Evolutionarily stable reproductive investment and sex allocation in plants 4: Lawrence D Harder and Matthew B Routley: Pollen and ovule fates and reproductive performance by flowering plants Part 2 Ecological context of floral function and its evolution 5: James E Cresswell: Models of pollinator-mediated gene dispersal in plants 6: Monica A Geber and David A Moeller: Pollinator responses to plant communities and implications for reproductive character evolution 7: Sharon Y Strauss and Justen B Whittall: Non-pollinator agents of selection on floral traits 8: Gaku Kudo: Flowering phenologies of animal-pollinated plants: reproductive strategies and agents of selection 9: Marcelo A Aizen and Diego P Vázquez: Flower performance in human-altered habitats Part 3 Mating strategies and sexual systems 10: Christopher G Eckert, Karen E Samis and Sara Dart: Reproductive assurance and the evolution of uniparental reproduction in flowering plants 11: Tia-Lynn Ashman: The evolution of separate sexes: a focus on the ecological context 12: John R Pannell: Effects of colonization and metapopulation dynamics on the evolution of plant sexual systems 13: Spencer CH Barrett and Kathryn A Hodgins: Floral design and the evolution of asymmetrical mating systems Part 4 Floral diversification 14: Jeffrey K Conner: Ecological genetics of floral evolution 15: Carlos M Herrera, María C Castellanos and Mónica Medrano: Geographical context of floral evolution: towards an improved research programme in floral diversification 16: Steven D Johnson: Pollinator-driven speciation in plants 17: Kathleen M Kay, Claudia Voelckel, Ji Y Yang, Kristina H Hufford, Debora D Kaska and Scott A Hodges: Floral Characters and Species Diversification 18: Diane R Campbell and George Aldridge: Floral Biology of Hybrid Zones Glossary
Lawrence Harder is Professor at the Department of Biological Sciences, University of Calgary. Spencer Barrett is Professor and Canada Research Chair at the Department of Botany, University of Toronto.
Reviews for Ecology and Evolution of Flowers
'An excellent buy for GBP37.50.' Bulletin of the British Ecological Society, 2007: 38:2 The most in-depth compilation to date on the forces thought to shape the evolution of the structure of angiosperm reproductive organs and mating systems. Beryl B. Simpson, Science, 22 June 2007 Vol 316
