Seeds: A Natural History

Description

From the magnificence of a towering redwood to the simple elegance of a tiny dandelion, seed-bearing plants abound on planet Earth. The sheer diversity of plants thriving today is largely thanks to the evolution of the seed, as this made plants resilient to environmental changes by enabling them to await optimum conditions for growth before springing to life. In a time of declining biodiversity, studying seeds is now helping scientists preserve this plant diversity for future generations. With Seeds , Carolyn Fry offers a celebration of these vital but unassuming packages of life. She begins with a sweeping tour through human history, designed to help us understand why we should appreciate and respect these floral parcels. Wheat, corn, and rice, she reminds us, supply the foundations of meals eaten by people around the world. Countless medicines, oils, clothing materials, and building supplies are available only because of the versatility and variety of seed-bearing plants. Fry then provides a comprehensive history of the evolution of seeds, explaining the myriad ways that they have adapted, survived, and thrived across the globe. Delving deeper into the science of seeds, she reveals the fascinating processes of dormancy, reproduction, germination, and dispersal, and showcases the estimable work conservationists are doing today to gather and bank seeds in order to prevent species from going extinct. Enriched by a stunning array of full-color images, Seeds offers a comprehensive exploration of some of the most enduring and essential players in the natural world. Contents Seed Banks Around the World Introduction Chapter 1: The Importance of Seeds to Humanity Separating Humans from the Monkeys From Hunter-Gatherers to Farmers How Crop Wild Relatives Have Helped Us Breed Resilient Varieties Human Uses of Seeds Down the Ages The Father of Seed Science The Seed Bank that Survived a Siege Plants and Seeds from The World's Arid Lands Seed Profile: Grass Pea Chapter 2: How Plants Evolved on Planet Earth Tiny Algae Give Rise to the First Plants Spore-Bearing Plants Give Rise to the First Seeds Flowering Plants Quickly Gain Ground The Rise of Annuals Underpins Human Success How Plants Evoloved from Algae to Angiosperms Evolution of Land Plants Culminates with the Dramatic Rise of Angiosperms Plants and Seeds from the World's Rainforests Australia's Plantbank Helps to Grow "Difficult" Rainforest Seeds Seed Profile: Wollemi Pine Chapter 3: How Seed Plants Reproduce Double Fertilization Brings Flowering Plants Great Success How Gymnosperms and Angiosperms Reproduce Pollination is a Must for Successful Fertilization Plants and their Pollinators Saving China's Diverse Flora Plants and Seeds from Antarctica and the Arctic Seed Profile: Yew Chapter 4: Dispersal Takes Seeds to New Pastures The Diverse Ways in which Plants Spread their Seeds Animals Disperse Seeds Far and Wide Floating Down Rivers and Across the High Seas Hitching a Ride with the Wind Dispersal by Gravity and Ballistic Propulsion How Seeds are Dispersed Around the World The Seed Bank Keeping New York City Green Plants and Seeds from the World's Islands Seed Profile: Mongongo Chapter 5: Germination Brings Plants Back to Life The Tricks Plants Use to Survive The Test of Time Preserved for Posterity Inside a Seed Inspiring Seed Banking Around the World Plants and Seeds from the World's Costal Zones Seed Profile: Wood Anemone Chapter 6: Using Seeds to Ensure Humanity's Survival Saving Cultivated and Wild Seeds Healthy Ecosystems are Key to Biodiversity Restoring Biodiversity to Chalk Downlands The Shifting State of the World's Flora Keeping Hunger at Bay in the Tropics Foods of the Future Plants and Seeds from the World's Alpine Habitats Seed Profile: Arabica Coffee Glossary Further Reading Picture Credits Index Acknowledgments