Methods in Comparative Plant Ecology, 1993
A laboratory manual

Methods in Comparative Plant Ecology: A laboratory manual is a sister book to the widely acclaimed Comparative Plant Ecology by Grime, Hodgson and Hunt. It contains details on some 90 critical concise diagnostic techniques by over 40 expert contributors. In one volume it provides an authoritative bench-top guide to diagnostic techniques in experimental plant ecology.

1 Introduction.- 1.1 The need for comparative laboratory studies.- 1.2 How to use the manual.- 1.3 Abbreviations.- 2 General procedures and methodologies.- 2.1 Seed collecting, cleaning and long-term storage.- 2.2 Seed viability and germination.- 2.3 The ISP aerial environment: lighting, day length, temperature and humidity.- 2.4 ISP germination and rooting environments; sand, compost and solution culture.- 2.5 Harvesting, recording weight, area and length.- 2.6 Photographic recording.- 2.7 The ISP standard regime.- 3 Methods of comparative study.- Anatomy.- 3.1 Aerenchyma, intercellular gas space and aeration.- 3.2 Functional plant anatomy.- DNA.- 3.3 Chromosome number.- 3.4 Nuclear DNA amount.- Environmental impacts.- 3.5 Anoxia tolerance in germinating seeds, rhizomes, stolons and tubers.- 3.6 Response to defoliation.- 3.7 Desiccation tolerance.- 3.8 Drought tolerance.- 3.9 Effect of high temperatures on protein synthesis.- 3.10 Herbicide selectivity.- 3.11 Plant responses to low temperatures.- 3.12 Ozone sensitivity.- 3.13 Sulphur dioxide pollution.- 3.14 Sunfleck utilization.- 3.15 Ultra-violet (UV-B) radiation.- Growth.- 3.16 Adventitious rooting of cuttings.- 3.17 Carbon budget.- 3.18 Day length responses.- 3.19 Establishment in a vertical light gradient.- 3.20 Foraging for light.- 3.21 Foraging for mineral nutrients.- 3.22 Fresh weight/dry weight and related ratios.- 3.23 Constant temperature and shade.- 3.24 Fluctuating temperature and drought.- 3.25 Mean relative growth rate.- 3.26 Response to carbon dioxide enrichment.- 3.27 Variation in RGR underlying carbon economy.- Leaves.- 3.28 Decomposition.- 3.29 Defence chemistry.- 3.30 Longevity.- 3.31 Palatability.- 3.32 Tearability.- Metabolism.- 3.33 Calculation of specific activities of enzymes.- 3.34 Carbon isotope discrimination and water use efficiency.- 3.35 Nitrate reductase activity.- 3.36 Acid phosphatases.- 3.37 Photosynthesis and chlorophyll fluorescence: simultaneous measurements.- 3.38 Photosynthesis and respiration: use of O2electrodes.- 3.39 Respiration: the alternative pathway.- 3.40 Respiration: cytochrome c oxidase activity.- 3.41 Storage carbohydrates.- 3.42 Stress indicators: chlorophylls and carotenoids.- 3.43 Stress indicators: electrolyte leakage.- 3.44 Stress indicators: lipid peroxidation.- Mineral nutrients.- 3.45 Chemical analysis.- 3.46 Uptake and yield.- Roots.- 3.47 Architectural analyses.- 3.48 Mycorrhizal infection: assessment and quantification.- 3.49 Penetration and response to drought.- Seeds.- 3.50 Buoyancy in air.- 3.51 Defence chemistry (cyanide).- 3.52 Defence chemistry (phenols).- 3.53 Dormancy breaking.- 3.54 Germination at alternating temperatures.- 3.55 Germination at a range of constant temperatures.- 3.56 Germination and the high irradiance reaction.- 3.57 Germination and soil water potential.- 3.58 Mineral nutrient content.- 3.59 Morphology and colour.- 3.60 Organic reserves.- 3.61 Persistence in soil.- 3.62 Size.- Shoots.- 3.63 Architecture and vigour.- Toxicity.- 3.64 Aluminium.- 3.65 Cadmium sensitivity and constitutive resistance.- 3.66 Iron.- 3.67 Sulphide.- 3.68 Variability in seed storage proteins.- 4 Quantitative synthesis.- 5 Epilogue: the future development of comparative methodologies.- The problem.- The search for an answer.- Species index.