Desert environments are among the harshest on earth. Nevertheless many organisms live there. The book describes the adaptations of plants to the extreme conditions in North American deserts.

Inhalt
Prologue.- 1 North American Deserts: Environments and Vegetation.- 1.1 The Deserts of North America.- 1.2 Abiotic Features of North American Deserts.- 1.3 North American Desert Vegetation.- 1.4 Structure and Function of North American Desert Ecosystems.- 2 Plant Processes and Responses to Stress.- 2.1 Photosynthesis in Desert Plants.- 2.2 Desert Plant Water Relations.- 2.3 Desert Plant Growth.- 2.4 Reproduction in Desert Plants.- 2.5 Defense of Desert Plants.- 3 Evergreen Shrubs.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 Case Study: Artemisia tridentata.- 3.3 Case Study: Larrea tridentata.- 3.4 Summary: Adaptations and Environmental Constraints.- 4 Drought-Deciduous Shrubs.- 4.1 Introduction.- 4.2 Case Study: Encelia farinosa.- 4.3 Stem Photosynthetic Shrubs and Trees.- 4.4 Summary: Adaptations and Environmental Constraints.- 5 CAM Succulents.- 5.1 Introduction.- 5.2 Case Study: Carnegiea gigantea.- 5.3 Case Study: Agave deserti.- 5.4 Summary: Adaptations and Environmental Constraints.- 6 Perennial Grasses.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 Architecture of Perennial Grasses.- 6.3 Hypotheses to Account for Selection for Bunchgrass Architecture.- 6.4 Case Study: Leymus cinereus.- 6.5 Summary: Adaptations and Environmental Constraints.- 7 Phreatophytes.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Case Study: Prosopis glandulosa.- 7.3 Summary: Adaptations and Environmental Constraints.- 8 Desert Annuals.- 8.1 General Distribution of Desert Annuals.- 8.2 Phenological Controls over Growth of Desert Annuals.- 8.3 Plant Carbon and Water Balance of Desert Annuals.- 8.4 Case Study: Machaeranthera gracilis.- 8.5 Case Study: Solar Trackers.- 8.6 Summary: Adaptations and Environmental Constraints.- 9 Poikilohydric Plants.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Case Study: Selaginella lepidophylla.- 9.3 Summary: Adaptations and Environmental Constraints.- 10 Exotic Plants.- 10.1 Introduction.- 10.2 Case Study: Bromus tectorum.- 10.3 Case Study: Tamarix ramosissima.- 10.4 Summary: Adaptations and Environmental Constraints.- Epilogue.- Desert Adaptation: A Growth Form Perspective.- Global Climate Change: Potential Responses of Desert Ecosystems.- Concluding Remarks.- Acknowledgements.- References.- Species Index.