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Record Nr. |
UNINA9910154347103321 |
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Autore |
Fry Carolyn (Science writer) |
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Titolo |
Seeds : a natural history / / Carolyn Fry |
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Pubbl/distr/stampa |
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Chicago, [Illinois] : , : The University of Chicago Press, , 2016 |
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©2016 |
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ISBN |
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Descrizione fisica |
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1 online resource (193 pages) |
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Disciplina |
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Soggetti |
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Seeds |
Botany |
Natural history |
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Lingua di pubblicazione |
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Formato |
Materiale a stampa |
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Livello bibliografico |
Monografia |
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Nota di bibliografia |
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Includes bibliographical references and index. |
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Nota di contenuto |
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Frontmatter -- CONTENTS -- Seed Banks Around the World -- Introduction -- CHAPTER 1. The Importance of Seeds to Humanity -- CHAPTER 2. How Plants Evolved on Planet Earth -- CHAPTER 3. How Seed Plants Reproduce -- CHAPTER 4. Dispersal Takes Seeds to New Pastures -- CHAPTER 5. Germination Brings Plants Back to Life -- CHAPTER 6. Using Seeds to Ensure Humanity’s Survival -- Glossary -- Further Reading -- Picture Credits -- Index -- Acknowledgments |
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Sommario/riassunto |
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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 |
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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. |
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