Botany: An Introduction to Plant Biology - Mauseth, James D. 2017

Preface

The preparation of this Sixth Edition of Botany had two objectives: first, to emphasize the interactions between plants and other organisms, and second, to make plant biology more accessible and relevant to students and other readers.

The emphasis on plant interactions with the biosphere began several editions ago, as the reality of global climate change became clear. Previous editions explored the role of plants in the removal of greenhouse gases and also the loss of many forests by human activities. While thinking about the interrelationships of plants and people, I suspected that students would be interested in the ways in which plants interact with all other organisms. I believe it is more realistic and engaging to examine plant biology as one aspect of the set of all the interactions of organisms and Earth. To take a reductionist view of plant biology as just the anatomy, metabolism, and evolution of isolated plants is to miss out on many of the richest aspects of plant biology.

Consequently, in this Sixth Edition, a new Chapter 26: Community Ecology has been added to introduce students more fully to interactions between plants and their surroundings. Also, several existing chapters have had new material added to emphasize these interactions; for example, there is a new discussion about ways in which plants detect attacks by fungi in Chapter 14: Development and Morphogenesis.

Making plant biology more accessible to students and everyone else was the reason I originally began writing this book 30 years ago. It has also been a primary concern in every new edition. Some reviewers and professors have felt that previous editions of Botany were too difficult for their students, and, to address their concerns, I have added a new Chapter 2: Overview of Plant Life. This is structured to provide a broad introduction to topics such as plant structure, metabolism, genetics, diversity, evolution, and ecology. An entire chapter was dedicated to this so that fundamental principles could be presented with just enough depth and breadth that any student or reader would obtain enough of an overview to feel ready to tackle any other part of the text. Many students will already be so familiar with plants that certain portions of Overview will be unnecessary, but they might benefit from other parts. For some students, all of Overview may be a valuable aid. Either way, it is meant to welcome everyone into the world of plant biology. I want all people to feel included in this book; I do not want any part to be a barrier to anyone.

Several other elements make this Sixth Edition more accessible. First, a Pronunciation Guide has been added for those words that have made many of us feel uncertain: people will feel more comfortable with xylem, allele, or Rosaceae if they are confident they are pronouncing these words correctly. Also, every chapter now opens with two new elements, a list of Learning Objectives and a few Did You Know? facts. The first is designed to allow students to see the important topics immediately, the second is designed to attract their interest. All chapters now end with a new section entitled At the Next Level, which presents more advanced topics that some students might want to explore on their own.

A new Chapter 24: Ethnobotany: Plants and People has been added to both emphasize interactions between plants and other organisms (us humans) and to make the book more relevant to each reader’s life. Among the typical topics such as food and fibers, Box 24-3 Plants and People: Natural Drugs, Endangered Species, and Women’s Rights discusses modern ethnobotanical problems that result from our increasing knowledge of plants and the cures they may provide. This new chapter does not replace the numerous Plants and People boxes that have been developed in previous editions; those are all still present here.

One of the aims of this book is to encourage students to think about the intersection between the scientific world and themselves, including their religious beliefs. This has been an important part of Botany from the very first edition with the sections The Scientific Method and Areas Where the Scientific Method is Inappropriate. In this Sixth Edition, Box 2-4 Botany and Beyond: Noah’s Flood and Population Biology points out that studies of the Bible led directly to the establishment of two critically important scientific disciplines: population biology and demography. Box 17-1 Botany and Beyond: Species Are Populations, Not Types discusses how our modern concept of species has changed from our original concept that had been based on Genesis. The relationships between science and religion are touched on only occasionally, but I do not want students to think there is a complete gulf between their biology classes and their religious lives. Perhaps some instructors will use these sections of Botany to lecture more expansively on science and religion.

My ultimate goal is to teach about life in general. Every topic mentioned in this book should help the reader to more fully understand human biology, indeed to understand all of biology. No organism exists isolated from all others; instead we all share one biology that encompasses all organisms. We are all in this together.

THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

The sixth edition of Botany: An Introduction to Plant Biology was designed with the student in mind and is packed full of features and elements to help engage, elaborate, and enhance the learning experience.

New to This Edition

Classic Features

TEACHING TOOLS

A variety of Teaching Tools assist instructors with preparing for and teaching their courses. These resources are available via digital download and multiple other formats.

LAB MANUAL

Lab Manual ISBN-13: 978-1-284-11184-2

Main Text + Lab Manual Bundle ISBN-13: 978-1-284-11819-3

Lab Manual Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Introduction to Botany and Microscopy

Chapter 2 Plant Cells

Chapter 3 Cell Division

Chapter 4 Plant Tissues and Herbaceous Stems

Chapter 5 Leaves

Chapter 6 Roots

Chapter 7 Secondary Meristems and Woody Growth

Chapter 8 Photosynthesis

Chapter 9 Cellular Respiration and Fermentation

Chapter 10 Water Pollution

Chapter 11 Mineral Nutrition

Chapter 12 Tissue Culture

Chapter 13 Genetics, Inheritance, and Natural Selection

Chapter 14 Classification and Systematics

Chapter 15 Algae

Chapter 16 Nonvascular Plants

Chapter 17 Seedless Vascular Plants

Chapter 18 Gymnosperms

Chapter 19 Angiosperms I: Flowers

Chapter 20 Angiosperms II: Fruits

Chapter 21 Community Interactions

Chapter 22 Ethnobotany

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This and previous editions have benefited from the generous, conscientious thoughts of many reviewers. They provided numerous suggestions for improving clarity of presentation, or identified illustrative examples that would improve the student’s understanding and interest. It has been a pleasure to work with them. I thank them all:

Reviewers of the Sixth Edition

Fernando Agudelo-Silva, PhD, College of Marin

Robert G. Ewy, PhD, SUNY Potsdam

Joyce Phillips Hardy, PhD, Chadron State College

Stephanie G. Harvey, PhD, Georgia Southwestern State University

Kevin B. Jones, Charleston Southern University

Rebecca S. Lamb, PhD, Ohio State University

Jeffrey J. Law, MS, PhD, Daemen College

Elizabeth A. Machunis-Masuoka, MA, PhD, Midwestern State University

Kamal A. Malik, MSc, PhD, University of Mount Olive

Brian R. Maricle, PhD, Fort Hays State University

Ross A. McCauley, PhD, Fort Lewis College

Eric C. Morgan, PhD, Farmingdale State College

Jennifer Ann Oberle, PhD, Rutgers University, Camden

T. Page Owen, Jr., PhD, Connecticut College

Susan Rolfsmeier, PhD, Chadron State College

Christina Russin, PhD, Northwestern University

Marshall D. Sundberg, PhD, Emporia State University

Philip Villani, PhD, Butler University

Mark B. Watson, PhD, University of Charleston

Reviewers of Previous Editions

Vernon Ahmadjian, Clark University

Bonnie Amos, Angelo State University

John Beebe, Calvin College

Curtis Clark, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Billy G. Cumbie, University of Missouri, Columbia

Jerry Davis, University of Wisconsin, La Crosse

Cynthia J. Denbow, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

Nicole Donofrio, University of Delaware

John Dubois, Middle Tennessee State University

Donald S. Emmeluth, Fulton-Montgomery Community College

Nisse Goldberg, Jacksonville University

Howard Grimes, Washington State University

Stephanie G. Harvey, Georgia Southwestern State University

James Haynes, State University College at Buffalo

James C. Hull, Towson University

Shelley Jansky, University of Wisconsin, Stevens Point

Roger M. Knutson, Luther College

John C. Krenetsky, Metropolitan State College of Denver

Rebecca McBride-DiLiddo, Suffolk University

Lillian Miller, Florida Community College at Jacksonville, South Campus

Louis V. Mingrone, Bloomsburg University

Rory O’Neil, University of Houston, Downtown

John Olsen, Rhodes College

Jerry Pickering, Indiana University of Pennsylvania

Mary Ann Polasek, Cardinal Stritch College

Barbara Rafaill, Georgetown College

Michael Renfroe, James Madison University

Michael D. Rourke, Bakersfield College

Sangha Saha, Harold Washington College

James L. Seago, Jr., State University of New York at Oswego

Bruce B. Smith, York College of Pennsylvania

Garland Upchurch, Southwest Texas State University

Jack Waber, West Chester University

James W. Wallace, Western Carolina University

Katherine Warpeha, University of Illinois at Chicago

Peter Webster, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

Paula S. Williamson, Southwest Texas State University

Ernest Wilson, Virginia State University

Mark Wilson, Oregon State University

Stephen Wuerz, Highland Community College

We also wish to thank Dr. Erika Latty of Unity College for her work to prepare the Test Bank and other Assessments that accompany this book, Professor Alexandria Gilmore of Vernon College for her contributions as a subject matter expert and consultant for developing the animations, and Dr. Thomas Smith of Ave Maria University for his assistance with preparation and revision of the Instructor’s Manual.

Just like the initial production of a textbook, the preparation of a new edition is not by any means the sole effort of the author. I am fortunate to have benefited from the many contributions of numerous talented individuals through the various editions. The current editorial staff at Jones & Bartlett Learning is one of the best and most skillful. I especially thank Matt Kane, Audrey Schwinn, Alex Schab, Troy Liston, Kristin Parker, and Jamey O’Quinn for their intelligent, creative solutions to many problems that had to be solved in preparing the Sixth Edition. This edition benefits particularly from Matt’s vision to expand the treatment of environmental issues and ethnobotany, Audrey’s artistic skills in designing the overall book and chapter elements, and Alex’s ability to manage the thousands of details that arise in the actual production of each and every page. I also thank my husband Tommy Navarre for his never-ending (33 years so far) support, encouragement, and confidence.

James D. Mauseth, PhD

Austin, Texas

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jim Mauseth was born in eastern Washington state and spent his childhood on his family’s irrigated farm, tending wheat, potatoes, corn, and other crops. Adjacent to the farm was an undisturbed sagebrush desert with a sparse but rich variety of wildflowers. He studied botany at the University of Washington in Seattle, and hiked in the cool, rainy Cascade Mountains, the Olympic Rainforest, and on Mount Rainier. The rocky coast of Puget Sound, with its abundant algae and invertebrates, was also a favorite place.

In 1975, he obtained his PhD and became a professor at the University of Texas and has lived in Austin ever since. The vegetation around Austin includes pine woodland, oak-juniper forest, mesquite scrubland, and open grassland. Representatives of all major groups of plants are present within an hour or two, and the streams contain Chara, an alga closely related to true plants. The swamps of Louisiana and the desert of Big Bend National Park are nearby.

Jim’s research at UT centers on the anatomy and evolution of plants that have highly unusual bodies, such as cacti and parasitic plants. Many of these occur in Latin America, and Jim has travelled extensively in South America to study plants. He believes that one of the best ways to observe plants is from the seat of a bicycle, and he has cycled through many parts of the United States (coast-to-coast once), across Alaska, and through much of Europe.

As a professor, he has taught both Introductory Botany as well as Plant Anatomy every year since 1975. Many students, both graduates and undergrads, have assisted in his research. He knows from this long experience that students today are just as talented, capable, and interested as students half a century ago.

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