Plants and Society

by Levetin, Estelle; McMahon, Karen

• ISBN13: 9780072528428
• ISBN10: 0072528427
• Edition: 4th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2005-01-10
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Science/Engineering/Math

Summary

This introductory, one-semester text takes a multidisciplinary approach to studying the relationship between plants and people. The authors strive to stimulate interest in plant science and encourage students to further their studies in botany. Also, by exposing students to society's historical connection to plants, Levetin and McMahon hope to instill a greater appreciation for the botanical world. Plants and Society covers basic principles of botany with strong emphasis on the economic aspects and social implications of plants and fungi.

Table of Contents

Preface	xiv
List of Boxed Readings	xviii
Plants in Our Lives	2	(18)
Plants and Human Society	3	(2)
The Flowering Plants	3	(1)
The Non-Flowering Plants	4	(1)
The Algae	5	(1)
The Fungi	5	(1)
Plant Sciences	5	(1)
Fundamental Properties of Life	5	(2)
A Closer Look 1.1---Biological Mimics	7	(2)
Chemistry of Life	9	(6)
Atoms	9	(1)
Molecules and Bonding	9	(2)
Molecules of Life	11	(4)
A Closer Look: 1.2--Perfumes to Poisons: Plants as Chemical Factories	15	(5)
The Plant Cell	20	(12)
Early Studies of Cells	21	(1)
The Cell Wall	22	(1)
The Protoplast	23	(2)
Membranes	23	(1)
Organelles	24	(1)
A Closer Look 2.1---Osmosis and Diffusion: How Things Move Into and Out of Cells	25	(1)
A Closer Look 2.2---Origin of Chloroplasts and Mitochondria	26	(1)
The Nucleus	27	(1)
Cell Division	27	(5)
The Cell Cycle	28	(1)
Prophase	28	(1)
Metaphase	28	(1)
Anaphase	28	(1)
Telophase	29	(1)
Cytokinesis	29	(3)
The Plant Body	32	(18)
Plant Tissues	33	(3)
Meristems	33	(1)
Dermal Tissue	33	(1)
Ground Tissue	33	(2)
Vascular Tissue	35	(1)
Plant Organs	36	(2)
Stems	36	(2)
Roots	38	(1)
A Closer Look 3.1---Studying Ancient Tree Rings	38	(5)
Leaves	41	(2)
A Closer Look 3.2---Plants that Trap Animals	43	(2)
Vegetables: Edible Plant Organs	45	(1)
Carrots	45	(1)
A Closer Look 3.3---Supermarket Botany	46	(4)
Lettuce	47	(1)
Radishes	47	(1)
Asparagus	47	(3)
Plant Physiology	50	(23)
Plant Transport Systems	51	(3)
Transpiration	51	(1)
Absorption of Water from the Soil	52	(1)
Water Movement in Plants	53	(1)
Translocation of Sugar	53	(1)
A Closer Look 4.1---Mineral Nutrition and the Green Clean	54	(1)
Metabolism	55	(2)
Energy	55	(1)
Redox Reactions	56	(1)
Phosphorylation	56	(1)
A Closer Look 4.2---Sugar and Slavery	57	(3)
Enzymes	59	(1)
Photosynthesis	60	(5)
Energy from the Sun	60	(1)
Light-Absorbing Pigments	60	(2)
Overview	62	(1)
The Light Reactions	62	(2)
The Calvin Cycle	64	(1)
Variation to Carbon Fixation	65	(1)
Cellular Respiration	65	(8)
Glycolysis	66	(1)
The Krebs Cycle	66	(3)
Electron Transport System	69	(1)
Aerobic vs. Anaerobic Respiration	70	(3)
Plant Life Cycle: Flowers	73	(16)
The Flower	74	(2)
Floral Organs	74	(1)
Modified Flowers	75	(1)
A Closer Look 5.1---Mad About Tulips	76	(2)
Meiosis	78	(4)
Stages of Meiosis	79	(1)
Meiosis in Flowering Plants	80	(2)
A Closer Look 5.2---Pollen Is More Than Something To Sneeze At	82	(2)
Male Gametophyte Development	82	(1)
Female Gametophyte Development	83	(1)
Pollination and Fertilization	84	(1)
Animal Pollination	84	(1)
A Closer Look 5.3---Alluring Scents	84	(5)
Wind Pollination	86	(1)
Double Fertilization	87	(2)
Plant Life Cycle: Fruits and Seeds	89	(15)
Fruit Types	90	(1)
Simple Fleshy Fruits	90	(1)
Dry Dehiscent Fruits	90	(1)
Dry Indehiscent Fruits	90	(1)
Aggregate and Multiple Fruits	90	(1)
Seed Structure and Germination	90	(3)
Dicot Seeds	91	(1)
Monocot Seeds	91	(2)
Seed Germination and Development	93	(1)
Representative Edible Fruits	93	(3)
Tomatoes	93	(2)
Apples	95	(1)
A Closer Look 6.1---The Influence of Hormones on Plant Reproductive Cycles	96	(8)
Oranges and Grapefruits	99	(1)
Chestnuts	100	(1)
Exotic Fruits	101	(3)
Genetics	104	(19)
Mendelian Genetics	105	(4)
Gregor Mendel and the Garden Pea	105	(1)
Monohybrid Cross	106	(2)
Dihybrid Cross	108	(1)
Beyond Mendelian Genetics	109	(1)
Incomplete Dominance	109	(1)
Multiple Alleles	109	(1)
Polygenic Inheritance	109	(1)
A Closer Look 7.1---Solving Genetics Problems	110	(3)
Linkage	112	(1)
Molecular Genetics	113	(1)
DNA---The Genetic Material	113	(1)
A Closer Look 7.2---Try These Genes on for Size	114	(9)
Genes Control Proteins	116	(1)
Transcription and the Genetic Code	117	(2)
Translation	119	(1)
Mutations	119	(1)
Recombinant DNA	120	(3)
Plant Systematics and Evolution	123	(16)
Early History of Classification	124	(2)
Carolus Linnaeus	124	(2)
How Plants Are Named	126	(2)
Common Names	126	(1)
Scientific Names	126	(2)
A Closer Look 8.1---The Language of Flowers	128	(2)
Taxonomic Hierarchy	130	(3)
Higher Taxa	130	(2)
What Is a Species?	132	(1)
The Influence of Darwin's Theory of Evolution	133	(1)
Voyage of the HMS Beagle	133	(1)
A Closer Look 8.2---Saving Species Through Systematics	134	(2)
Natural Selection	134	(2)
PhyloCode	136	(3)
Diversity of Plant Life	139	(19)
The Six-Kingdom System	140	(1)
Survey of the Plant Kingdom	141	(1)
A Closer Look 9.1---Alternation of Generations	142	(9)
Mosses, Liverworts, and Hornworts	144	(2)
Fern-Allies and Ferns	146	(3)
Gymnosperms	149	(2)
A Closer Look 9.2---Amber: A Glimpse into the Past	151	(7)
Angiosperms	154	(4)
Human Nutrition	158	(23)
Macronutrients	159	(1)
Sugars and Complex Carbohydrates	159	(1)
A Closer Look 10.1---Feast or Famine	160	(7)
Fiber in the Diet	162	(1)
Proteins and Essential Amino Acids	163	(1)
Fats and Cholesterol	164	(3)
Micronutrients	167	(7)
Vitamins	167	(5)
Minerals	172	(2)
Dietary Guidelines	174	(4)
Balancing Nutritional Requirements	174	(1)
A Healthier Food Pyramid	175	(1)
Meatless Alternatives	176	(2)
A Closer Look 10.2---Eat Broccoli for Cancer Prevention	178	(3)
Origins of Agriculture	181	(10)
Foraging Societies and Their Diets	182	(1)
Early Foragers	182	(1)
A Closer Look 11.1---Forensic Botany	183	(2)
Modern Foragers	184	(1)
Agriculture: Revolution or Evolution?	185	(1)
Early Sites of Agriculture	185	(2)
The Near East	185	(1)
The Far East	186	(1)
The New World	186	(1)
Characteristics of Domesticated Plants	187	(1)
Centers of Plant Domestication	188	(3)
The Grasses	191	(20)
Characteristics of the Grass Family	192	(2)
Vegetative Characteristics	192	(1)
The Flower	193	(1)
The Grain	193	(1)
Wheat: The Staff of Life	194	(2)
Origin and Evolution of Wheat	194	(1)
Modern Cultivars	195	(1)
Nutrition	195	(1)
A Closer Look 12.1---The Rise of Bread	196	(1)
Corn: Indian Maize	197	(3)
An Unusual Cereal	197	(1)
Types of Corn	197	(2)
Hybrid Corn	199	(1)
A Closer Look 12.2---Barbara McClintock and Jumping Genes in Corn	200	(3)
Ancestry of Corn	201	(1)
Value of Corn	202	(1)
Rice: Food for Billions	203	(2)
A Plant for Flooded Fields	203	(2)
Varieties	205	(1)
Other Important Grains	205	(2)
Rye and Triticale	205	(2)
Oats	207	(1)
Barley	207	(1)
Sorghum and Millets	207	(1)
Other Grasses	207	(4)
Forage Grasses	207	(1)
Lawn Grasses	208	(3)
Legumes	211	(14)
Characteristics of the Legume Family	212	(1)
Important Legume Food Crops	212	(2)
Beans and Peas	213	(1)
Peanuts	213	(1)
A Closer Look 13.1---The Nitrogen Cycle	214	(4)
Soybeans	216	(2)
Other Legumes of Interest	218	(1)
A Closer Look 13.2---Harvesting Oil	219	(6)
A Supertree for Forestry	221	(1)
Forage Crops	221	(1)
Beans of the Future	222	(3)
Starchy Staples	225	(16)
Storage Organs	226	(1)
Modified Stems	226	(1)
A Closer Look 14.1---Banana Republics: The Story of the Starchy Fruit	227	(1)
Storage Roots	228	(1)
White Potato	228	(4)
South American Origins	228	(1)
The Irish Famine	229	(1)
Continental Europe	230	(1)
The Potato in the United States	230	(1)
Solanum tuberosum	230	(1)
Pathogens and Pests	231	(1)
Modern Cultivars	232	(1)
Sweet Potato	232	(1)
Origin and Spread	232	(1)
Cultivation	233	(1)
Cassava	233	(2)
Origin and Spread	233	(1)
Botany and Cultivation	234	(1)
Processing	234	(1)
Other Underground Crops	235	(1)
Yams	235	(1)
A Closer Look 14.2---Starch: In Our Collars and in Our Colas	236	(5)
Taro	237	(1)
Jerusalem Artichoke	238	(3)
Feeding a Hungry World	241	(27)
Breeding for Crop Improvement	242	(1)
The Green Revolution	243	(5)
High-Yield Varieties	243	(2)
Disease-Resistant Varieties	245	(1)
History of the Green Revolution	245	(1)
Problems with the Green Revolution: What Went Wrong?	246	(1)
Solutions?	247	(1)
Genetic Diversity	248	(3)
Monoculture	248	(1)
Sustainable Agriculture	248	(1)
Germplasm	249	(1)
Seed Banks	249	(2)
Alternative Crops: The Search for New Foods	251	(2)
Quinoa	251	(1)
Amaranth	251	(1)
Tarwi	252	(1)
Tamarillo and Naranjilla	252	(1)
Oca	253	(1)
Biotechnology	253	(1)
Cell and Tissue Culture	253	(1)
A Closer Look 15.1---Mutiny on the HMS Bounty: The Story of Breadfruit	254	(14)
Genetic Engineering and Transgenic Plants	255	(1)
Herbicide Resistance	256	(1)
Against the Grain	257	(1)
Insect Resistance	258	(1)
Bt Corn and Controversy	259	(1)
The Promise of ``Golden Rice''	260	(1)
Other Genetically Engineered Foods	260	(1)
Disease Resistance	261	(1)
Farming Pharmaceuticals	261	(1)
Nonfood Crops	261	(1)
Regulatory Issues	262	(1)
Environmental and Safety Considerations	262	(6)
Stimulating Beverages	268	(16)
Physiological Effects of Caffeine	269	(1)
Coffee	270	(4)
An Arabian Drink	270	(1)
Plantations	271	(2)
From Bean to Brew	273	(1)
Varieties	273	(1)
Decaffeination	273	(1)
Variations on a Bean	274	(1)
Tea	274	(1)
Oriental Origins	274	(1)
Cultivation and Processing	274	(1)
A Closer Look 16.1---Tea Time: Ceremonies and Customs Around the World	275	(2)
The Flavor and Health Effects of Tea	276	(1)
History	276	(1)
Chocolate	277	(1)
Food of the Gods	277	(1)
Quakers and Cocoa	277	(1)
A Closer Look 16.2---Candy Bars: For the Love of Chocolate	278	(3)
Cultivation and Processing	279	(1)
The High Price of Chocolate	280	(1)
Coca-Cola: An ``All-American'' Drink	281	(1)
Other Caffeine Beverages	281	(3)
Herbs and Spices	284	(19)
Essential Oils	285	(1)
History of Spices	285	(1)
Ancient Trade	285	(1)
A Closer Look 17.1---Aromatherapy: The Healing Power of Scents	286	(3)
Marco Polo	287	(1)
Age of Exploration	287	(1)
Imperialism	287	(1)
New World Discoveries	288	(1)
Spices	289	(6)
Cinnamon: The Fragrant Bark	289	(1)
Black and White Pepper	289	(1)
Cloves	289	(1)
Nutmeg and Mace	290	(1)
Ginger and Turmeric	291	(1)
Saffron	292	(1)
Hot Chilies and Other Capsicum Peppers	293	(1)
Vanilla	294	(1)
Allspice	295	(1)
Herbs	295	(5)
The Aromatic Mint	295	(1)
The Parsley Family	295	(2)
The Mustard Family	297	(2)
The Lily Family: Pungent Alliums	299	(1)
A Closer Look 17.2---Herbs to Dye For	300	(3)
Materials: Cloth, Paper, and Wood	303	(27)
Fibers	304	(1)
Types of Fiber	304	(1)
A Closer Look 18.1---A Tisket, a Tasket There Are Many Types of Baskets	305	(9)
King Cotton	307	(3)
Linen: An Ancient Fabric	310	(1)
Other Bast Fibers	311	(1)
Miscellaneous Fibers	312	(1)
Rayon: ``Artificial Silk''	313	(1)
Bark Cloth	314	(1)
Wood and Wood Products	314	(2)
A Closer Look 18.2---Good Vibrations	316	(7)
Hardwoods and Softwoods	318	(1)
Lumber, Veneer, and Plywood	319	(2)
Fuel	321	(1)
Other Products from Trees	321	(1)
Wood Pulp	322	(1)
Paper	323	(2)
Early Writing Surfaces	323	(1)
The Art of Papermaking	324	(1)
Alternatives to Wood Pulp	324	(1)
Bamboo	325	(5)
Medicinal Plants	330	(20)
History of Plants in Medicine	331	(3)
Early Greeks and Romans	331	(1)
Age of Herbals	331	(2)
Modern Prescription Drugs	333	(1)
Herbal Medicine Today	333	(1)
A Closer Look 19.1---Native American Medicine	334	(2)
Active Principles in Plants	336	(1)
Alkaloids	336	(1)
Glycosides	336	(1)
Medicinal Plants	336	(14)
Foxglove and the Control of Heart Disease	337	(1)
Aspirin: From Willow Bark to Bayer	338	(2)
Malaria and the Fever Bark Tree	340	(2)
Snakeroot, Schizophrenia, and Hypertension	342	(1)
The Burn Plant	342	(1)
Ephedrine	343	(1)
Cancer Therapy	344	(1)
Herbal Remedies: Promise and Problems	345	(5)
Psychoactive Plants	350	(19)
Psychoactive Drugs	351	(1)
The Opium Poppy	352	(2)
An Ancient Curse	352	(1)
The Opium Wars	353	(1)
Opium Alkaloids	353	(1)
Heroin	353	(1)
Withdrawal	354	(1)
Marijuana	354	(4)
Early History in China and India	355	(1)
Spread to the West	356	(1)
THC and Its Psychoactive Effects	356	(1)
Medical Uses	357	(1)
A Closer Look 20.1---The Tropane Alkaloids and Witchcraft	358	(1)
Cocaine	359	(3)
South American Origins	359	(1)
Freud, Holmes, and Coca-Cola	360	(1)
Coke and Crack	360	(1)
Medical Uses	361	(1)
A Deadly Drug	361	(1)
Tobacco	362	(2)
A New World Habit	362	(1)
Cultivation Practices	362	(1)
Health Risks	362	(2)
Peyote	364	(2)
Mescal Buttons	365	(1)
Native American Church	365	(1)
Kava: The Drug of Choice in the Pacific	366	(1)
Preparation of the Beverage	366	(1)
Active Components in Kava	366	(1)
Lesser Known Psychoactive Plants	366	(3)
Poisonous and Allergy Plants	369	(21)
Notable Poisonous Plants	370	(3)
Poisonous Plants in the Wild	370	(2)
Poisonous Plants in the Backyard	372	(1)
A Closer Look 21.1---Allelopathy: Chemical Warfare in Plants	373	(3)
Poisonous Plants in the Home	375	(1)
Plants Poisonous to Livestock	375	(1)
Plants That Cause Mechanical Injury	376	(1)
Insecticides from Plants	376	(2)
Allergy Plants	378	(12)
Allergy and the Immune System	379	(1)
Respiratory Allergies	380	(1)
Hay Fever Plants	381	(2)
Allergy Control	383	(1)
Contact Dermatitis	384	(1)
Food Allergies	384	(2)
Latex Allergy	386	(4)
The Algae	390	(18)
Characteristics of the Algae	391	(1)
Classification of the Algae	391	(7)
Cyanobacteria	391	(1)
Dinoflagellates	392	(1)
Diatoms	393	(1)
Euglenoids	394	(1)
Green Algae	395	(1)
Red Algae	395	(2)
Brown Algae	397	(1)
Algae in Our Diet	398	(2)
Seaweeds	399	(1)
Other Economic Uses of Algae	400	(1)
Toxic and Harmful Algae	400	(1)
Toxic Cyanobacteria	400	(1)
A Closer Look 22.1---Drugs from the Sea	401	(3)
Red Tides	402	(1)
Pfiesteria	402	(1)
Other Toxic Algae	402	(2)
A Closer Look 22.2---Killer Alga: Story of a Deadly Invader	404	(4)
Fungi in the Natural Environment	408	(26)
Characteristics of Fungi	409	(1)
Classification of Fungi	410	(11)
Kingdom Protista	411	(2)
Kingdom Fungi	413	(8)
Role of Fungi in the Environment	421	(1)
Decomposers---Nature's Recyclers	421	(1)
Mycorrhizae: Root-Fungus Partnership	421	(1)
A Closer Look 23.1---Lichens Algal-Fungal Partnership	422	(1)
Plant Diseases with Major Impact on Humans	423	(1)
A Closer Look 23.2---Dry Rot and Other Wood Decay Fungi	424	(10)
Late Blight of Potato	425	(2)
Rusts---Threat to the World's Breadbasket	427	(1)
Corn Smut---Blight or Delight	428	(1)
Dutch Elm Disease---Destruction in the Urban Landscape	429	(2)
Sudden Oak Death---Destruction in the Forest	431	(3)
Beverages and Foods from Fungi	434	(20)
Making Wine	435	(3)
The Wine Grape	436	(1)
Harvest	437	(1)
Red or White	437	(1)
Fermentation	437	(1)
A Closer Look 24.1---Disaster in the French Vineyards	438	(4)
Clarification	440	(1)
Aging and Bottling	440	(1)
``Drinking Stars''	440	(1)
Fortified and Dessert Wines	441	(1)
The Brewing of Beer	442	(2)
Barley Malt	442	(1)
Mash, Hops, and Wort	442	(1)
Fermentation and Lagering	442	(2)
Sake, A Rice ``Beer''	444	(1)
Distillation	444	(2)
The Still	444	(1)
Distilled Spirits	445	(1)
The Whiskey Rebellion	445	(1)
A Victorian Drink Revisited	446	(2)
Absinthe	446	(1)
The Green Hour	446	(1)
Active Principles	447	(1)
Absinthism	447	(1)
A Closer Look 24.2---Alcohol and Health	448	(2)
Fungi as Food	450	(4)
Edible Mushrooms	450	(1)
Fermented Foods	451	(1)
Quorn Mycoprotein	452	(2)
Fungi That Affect Human Health	454	(18)
Antibiotics and Other Wonder Drugs	455	(1)
Fleming's Discovery of Penicillin	455	(1)
A Closer Look 25.1---The New Wonder Drugs	456	(2)
Manufacture of Penicillin	457	(1)
Other Antibiotics and Antifungals	458	(1)
Fungal Poisons and Toxins	458	(7)
Mycotoxins	458	(2)
Ergot of Rye and Ergotism	460	(2)
The Destroying Angel and Toadstools	462	(1)
Soma and Hallucinogenic Fungi	463	(2)
Human Pathogens and Allergies	465	(7)
Dermatophytes	465	(1)
Systemic Mycoses	466	(1)
Allergies	467	(1)
Indoor Fungi and Toxic Molds	468	(4)
Plant Ecology	472	(24)
The Ecosystem	473	(5)
Ecological Niche	473	(1)
Food Chains and Food Webs	474	(1)
Energy Flow and Ecological Pyramids	475	(2)
Biological Magnification	477	(1)
Biogeochemical Cycling	478	(1)
The Carbon Cycle	478	(1)
Source or Sink	478	(4)
The Greenhouse Effect	479	(2)
Species Shift	481	(1)
Global Warming Pact	482	(1)
Ecological Succession	482	(1)
The Green World: Biomes	483	(7)
Deserts	483	(2)
Crops from the Desert	485	(2)
Chaparral	487	(1)
Grasslands	487	(1)
Forests	488	(2)
A Closer Look 26.1---Buying Time for the Rain Forest	490	(6)
Harvesting Trees	492	(4)
Appendix A Metric System	496	(1)
Appendix B Classification of Plants	497	(1)
Glossary	498	(11)
Credits	509	(2)
Index	511