Book Description

Aquatic plants play a critically important role in maintaining ecosystem health. They are natural biological filters in freshwater and estuarine wetlands; they contribute to the reproductive success of many organisms, some of which are harvested for food; they assist in flood control; and they are prominent elements in the aesthetics and recreational use of freshwater and estuarine habitats. Despite this globally recognized importance, wetlands have faced and continue to face threats from the encroachment of human activities. The Biology of Aquatic and Wetland Plants is a thorough and up-to-date textbook devoted to these plants and their interactions with the environment. The focus is on botanical diversity from the perspective of evolutionary relationships, emphasizing the role of evolution in shaping adaptations to the aquatic environment. By incorporating recent findings on the phylogeny of green plants, with special emphasis on the angiosperms, the text is broadly useful for courses in plant biology, physiology, and ecology. Additionally, a chapter on population biology and evolutionary ecology complements the evolutionary backdrop of hydrophyte biology by examining the details of speciation and applications of modern genetic approaches to aquatic plant conservation. Key Features • Synthesizes recent and seminal literature on aquatic and wetland plants • Emphasizes evolutionary history as a factor influencing adaptations to the wetland environment • Provides a global perspective on plant diversity and threats facing wetland ecosystems • Highlights research needs in the field of aquatic and wetland plant biology • Includes 280 figures, with more than 300 color photographs, and 41 tables to provide ease of access to important concepts and information