Biological Approaches and Evolutionary Trends in Plants

This book, which is essential reading for anyone wishing to gain an insight into the forefront of research in evolution, genetics or population biology of plants, presents papers given at the fourth International Symposium of Plant Biosystematics, held in Kyoto in 1989. Twenty-two of the world's leading plant biologists met to present new and significant findings in plant evolutionary biology and plant biosystematics, resulting from research at various levels of biological organization, from molecule to cell, individual, population, species and community. Sessions covered topics including 'Biology and Evolution of Weeds and Weed-crop complexes' and 'Molecular Approaches in Plant Biosystematics.' The session on 'Population Biology and Life History Evolution of Plants' reflect the new wave of research in plant population biology and evolutionary ecology since the 1970s and its great impact on biology and biosystematics. Through such studies, the mechanisms of evolutionary changes in various significant life history parameters of plant species in relation to changes in environmental regimes are gradually being understood.