|aThe natural history of flowers /|cMichael Fogden & Patricia Fogden.
250
|a1st ed.
260
|aCollege Station :|bTexas A&M University Press,|cc2018.
300
|a220 p. :|bcol. ill. ;|c27 cm.
490
1
|aGideon Lincecum Nature and Environment Series
504
|aIncludes bibliographical references and index.
505
0
|aFlowers and humans -- The evolution of flowering plants -- Flowers -- Pollination syndromes -- Pollinator behavior -- Mimicry and deceit in flowers -- Flower predators, nectar thieves, and flower defenses -- Antipollinators -- The flower's final act: seed production and dispersal -- Seed dispersal syndromes -- Fruit spoilers and seed predators -- The seasonality of flowering and fruiting -- Pollination, seed dispersal, and coevolution -- Selected neotropical plant families, genera, and species -- Glossary.
520
|aFlowers have played an important role in human culture for thousands of years, symbolizing love, sorrow, and renewal. They provide bursts of color to homes and gardens and convey messages to friends, family, and significant others. Yet we often overlook their real purpose--why do flowers exist and why are they certain colors, shapes, and smells? In nature, flowers are key to healthy ecosystems and play a functional role, increasing a plant's chances for survival. Flowers have evolved to attract specific pollinators and to take advantage of climate variables and animal migration to disperse seeds, ensuring that the species will survive. These fine-tuned methods have evolved over a long period of time, and the importance of pollination and seed dispersal to a healthy environment cannot be overstated. As climate change places pressure on animals and plants, it is also challenging these methods flowers have developed for survival. The Fogdens describe flowers' functions and structures, pollination and seed dispersal methods, and close the book with descriptions of their favorite tropical flowers. The information is illustrated with intimate photographs of flowers and pollinators.
Flowers have played an important role in human culture and survival for thousands of years. The final products of flowers—fruits and seeds—are vitally important as food. Flowers provide bursts of color to homes and gardens and they symbolize love, sorrow, and renewal. Yet we often overlook their real purpose. Why do flowers exist and why do they have certain colors, shapes, and smells? What function does a flower have in the life and survival of the plants themselves? In nature, flowers play an essential role in improving a plant’s chances of survival. Some flowers are pollinated by wind or water but most are designed to attract and reward pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, birds, and bats, to carry their pollen from flower to flower. After being pollinated, flowers produce fruits and again take advantage of wind, water, and animals to disperse their seeds, ensuring a new generation of their species. Pollination and seed dispersal are fine-tuned systems, and their importance in sustaining a healthy environment cannot be overstated. And, as ongoing climate and other environmental changes apply new pressures, flowers must continue to adapt in order to survive. In this beautifully illustrated book with over 200 stunning photographs, Michael Fogden and Patricia Fogden draw from existing research and their extensive field experiences all over the world to present a detailed but accessible introduction to the natural history of flowers. They discuss a representative sample of flowering and fruiting strategies, illustrating interactions between plants and their pollinators and dispersers, and conclude with descriptions of their favorite tropical flowers.
Flowers have played an important role in human culture and survival for thousands of years. The final products of flowers—fruits and seeds—are vitally important as food. Flowers provide bursts of color to homes and gardens and they symbolize love, sorrow, and renewal. Yet we often overlook their real purpose. Why do flowers exist and why do they have certain colors, shapes, and smells? What function does a flower have in the life and survival of the plants themselves? In nature, flowers play an essential role in improving a plant’s chances of survival. Some flowers are pollinated by wind or water but most are designed to attract and reward pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, birds, and bats, to carry their pollen from flower to flower. After being pollinated, flowers produce fruits and again take advantage of wind, water, and animals to disperse their seeds, ensuring a new generation of their species. Pollination and seed dispersal are fine-tuned systems, and their importance in sustaining a healthy environment cannot be overstated. And, as ongoing climate and other environmental changes apply new pressures, flowers must continue to adapt in order to survive. In this beautifully illustrated book with over 200 stunning photographs, Michael Fogden and Patricia Fogden draw from existing research and their extensive field experiences all over the world to present a detailed but accessible introduction to the natural history of flowers. They discuss a representative sample of flowering and fruiting strategies, illustrating interactions between plants and their pollinators and dispersers, and conclude with descriptions of their favorite tropical flowers. MICHAEL FOGDEN and PATRICIA FOGDEN are freelance writers and acclaimed nature photographers whose work has appeared in books and magazines worldwide. They are the authors of Hummingbirds of Costa Rica and Hummingbirds: A Life-Sized Guide to Every Species. The Fogdens have conducted research and lived all around the world, including Costa Rica, Uganda, and Australia. They currently live in the UK.