Biodiversity of Lianas

This book Biodiversity of lianas under the series Sustainable development and Biodiversity is unique as it covers a wide array of topics in this subject covering all continents and will constitute a valuable reference material for students, researchers and forest managers who are concerned with biodiversity, forest ecology and sustainable development of forest resources. It contains peer-reviewed chapters from leading academicians and researchers around the world in the field of Plant Ecology, Taxonomy and related areas of Biodiversity Science but, centered on Lianology and includes original research articles, case studies and reviews (regional and global) in biodiversity, ecology and phytogeography and conservation of lianas from temperate, sub-tropical and tropical forests. The interest in lianas has increased over the last two decades. The ultimate goal of this book is to provide an insight into the patterns of liana diversity, distribution, the role of lianas in structuring forest community, and functional ecology (carbon uptake, ecosystem services, dynamics and invasion), biotechnological tool for conservation of lianas and finally summarizes the significance and the need for conservation of lianas in the changing global environmental scenario.

Numerous case-studies on biodiversity and Ecology of lianas from wide range of global forest types help the readers to understand biodiversity status and provided with colour photos of forest sites and important species Two chapters on forest biomass carbon stock will help understanding global carbon issue and the role of trees and lianas in the process Two chapters relate to ecosystem services and plant traits help understanding the potential values of liana diversity and sustainable use of forest resources

Klappentext

The scope of biodiversity science is vast. The conservation of the rich biological wealth of our planet earth, sustainable use of biodiversity resources and their wiser management become crucial and challenging. On-going global changes exert their effect on biodiversity, bio-resources and their use patterns for sustainable development as to conserve them for generations to come.

The lianas or the woody climbers form one of the fascinating groups of forest plant diversity, yet remain relatively under-researched, as compared to trees. They occur in temperate, sub-tropical and tropical forests, but particularly diverse in tropical environments, and their density is exceedingly high in dry tropics. Lianas have both positive and negative contribution in forest ecology, particularly the liana load on trees reduce tree growth and enhance tree mortality. Lianas also play important positive roles in forest functioning, contribute substantially to forest aboveground biomass and render several ecosystem services (rewarding leaf, flower and fruit resources ) to various faunal communities, and provide several goods of economic importance utilized by humans (from ropes, fruits to medicine). That being the importance of lianas in forest ecosystem, it calls for greater attention in sustainable resource use and wiser management of biodiversity and conservation for ecosystem well-being and human welfare. This book covers chapters on original articles and reviews from regional to global level contributions from various parts of the world - from North America, South America, Africa, Europe, China, South & Southeast Asia and Australia. Many chapters address liana diversity in the context of geographical, climate and various other environmental attributes and discussed key issues on biodiversity conservation, sustainable use of bioresources and future direction of research useful for policy making and bio-resources management in years to come, realizing humandimensions in forest ecosystem.

Inhalt

Forward. - Preface. - 1. General Introduction. - 2. Patterns of liana abundance and distribution in temperate forests. - 3. Geographical, taxonomical and ecological aspects of lianas in subtropical forests of Argentina. - 4. Liana effects on carbon storage and uptake in mature and secondary tropical forests. - 5. Diversity and distribution of climbing plants in Eurasia and North Africa. - 6. Liana assemblages in tropical forests of Africa and South East Asia: diversity, abundance and management. - 7. Diversity of lianas in Eastern Himalayas and North-Eastern India. - 8. Biodiversity of lianas and their functional traits in tropical forests of peninsular India. - 9. The contribution of lianas to forest ecology, diversity, and dynamics. - 10. Liana diversity and their ecosystem services in tropical dry evergreen forest on the Coromandel Coast of India. - 11. A review of biotechnological approaches to conservation and sustainable utilization of medicinal lianas in India. - 12. Biological invasion of vines, their impacts and management. - 13. Liana diversity and the future of tropical forests. - Index