Books on the topic 'Continental flora'

The chili pepper is a spice and medicinal remedy used since ancient times by the American peoples who were the first to undertake the domestication of 5 species belonging to the genus Capsicum (Solanaceae): Capsicum (Solanaceae): Capsicum annuum, C. baccatum, C. chinense, C. frutescens e C. pubescens. After the sixteenth century the chili pepper became similarly popular in other continents and today the five species number many reference pod-types and over 3,000 varieties. The book describes their uses in the different spheres of cuisine (aromatic, spicy and colourful), medicine (antioxidant and digestive for internal use, rubefacient and anti-rheumatic for external use) and ornamentation (cut branches, floral compositions, border plants, splashes of colour).

Beginning in the Far East over 2000 years ago the discussion in this chapter charts the movement of species found in contemporary urban environments around the globe. A city is dependent on trade for the resources required by the inhabitants to live and work. Some items of trade are plants and animals, and over time, many species have been introduced intentionally, and many others unintentionally (perhaps as a result of hitching a lift in or on items being traded between countries and continents) to become part of the urban flora and fauna. All the time that such global dispersal has been occurring, some floral and faunal species originally present in an urban area have become locally extinct. These processes of invasion and extinction are controlled by filters and process, and there are certain traits, the possession of which is seemingly beneficial to organisms in urban environments.

Australia’s complex, beautiful and diverse flora is showcased in stunning botanic gardens across the continent. Through exquisite colour photographs taken at the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG), Fanny Karouta-Manasse celebrates the minute and intriguing details of these plants. Discovering Australian Flora explains how plants are displayed in the ANBG according to themes and provides clear and simple geographical, historical and botanical information. It also describes the unique features of Australian flora, including their reliance on fire and ability to survive in poor soil, and looks in detail at the two dominant genera in the Australian landscape – Eucalyptus and Acacia. This fresh and intimate view of some of Australia’s native flora will serve not only as a companion to visitors to the ANBG but will also allow others to explore the wonders of Australia’s botanical treasures. This book will appeal to both local and overseas readers wishing to become more familiar with Australian native flora. The striking photographs will appeal to anyone with an appreciation and passion for nature's beauty.

Australia's complex, beautiful and diverse flora is showcased in stunning botanic gardens across the continent. Through exquisite colour photographs taken at the Australian National Botanic Gardens (ANBG) or during field trips with the National Seed Bank, Fanny Karouta-Manasse celebrates the minute and intriguing details of these plants. This second edition of Discovering Australian Flora explains how plants are displayed in the ANBG according to themes and provides clear and simple geographical, historical and botanical information, including descriptions of plant characteristics. It also describes the unique features of Australian flora, such as their reliance on fire and ability to survive in poor soil, and looks in detail at the two dominant genera in the Australian landscape – Eucalyptus and Acacia. Extensively updated with new photographs and a new chapter on conservation, this beautiful book offers detailed insight into Australia's native flora. It will appeal not only to visitors to the ANBG but to anyone with an appreciation and passion for nature's beauty and the wonders of Australia's botanical treasures.

Australian Palms offers an updated and thorough systematic and taxonomic treatment of the Australian palm flora, covering 60 species in 21 genera. Of these, 54 species occur in continental Australia and six species on the off-shore territories of Lord Howe Island, Norfolk Island and Christmas Island. Incorporating recent advances in biogeographic and phylogenetic research, Australian Palms provides a comprehensive introduction to the palm family Arecaceae, with reviews of botanical history, biogeography, phylogeny, ecology and conservation. Thorough descriptions of genera and species include notes on ecology and typification, and keys and distribution maps assist with field recognition. Colour photographs of habit, leaf, flowers, fruit and unique diagnostic characters also feature for each species. This work is the culmination of over 20 years of research into Australian palms, including extensive field-work and examination of herbarium specimens in Australia, South-East Asia, Europe and the USA.

The Amazon is a land of superlatives. The complex ecosystem covers an area about the size of the continental U.S. The Amazon River discharges 57 million gallons of water per second--in two hours, this would be enough to supply all of New York City’s 7.5 million residents with water for a year. Its flora and fauna are abundant. Approximately one of every four flowering plant species on earth resides in the Amazon. A single Amazonian river may contain more fish species than all the rivers in Europe combined. It is home to the world's largest anteater, armadillo, freshwater turtle, and spider, as well as the largest rodent (which weighs over 200 lbs.), catfish (250 lbs.), and alligator (more than half a ton). The rainforest, which contains approximately 390 billion trees, plays a vital role in stabilizing the global climate by absorbing massive amounts of carbon dioxide--or releasing it into the atmosphere if the trees are destroyed. Severe droughts in both Brazil and Southeast Asia have been linked to Amazonian deforestation, as have changing rainfall patterns in the U.S., Europe, and China. The Amazon also serves as home to millions of people. Approximately seventy tribes of isolated and uncontacted people are concentrated in the western Amazon, completely dependent on the land and river. These isolated groups have been described as the most marginalized peoples in the western hemisphere, with no voice in the decisions made about their futures and the fate of their forests. In this addition to the What Everyone Needs to Know® series, ecologist and conservation expert, Mark J. Plotkin, who has spent 40 years studying Amazonia, its peoples, flora, and fauna. The Amazon offers an engaging overview of this irreplaceable ecosystem and the challenges it faces.

The bioregion of Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea possesses a unique natural heritage stretching back over 50 million years since the break-up of the great southern continent of Gondwanaland. The South Australian Museum focuses on enhancing a general knowledge of this extraordinary legacy by encouraging photography of the region’s nature and wilderness, and promoting an annual competition to find the Nature Photographer of the Year. Australasian Nature Photography: ANZANG Eighth Collection presents the finest photographs submitted to the competition. Each photograph is accompanied by technical information as well as anecdotes about how the picture was taken, which will stimulate yet further interest in the flora and fauna and their conservation in the region.

The bioregion of Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea possesses a unique natural heritage stretching back over 50 million years since the break-up of the great southern continent of Gondwanaland. The South Australian Museum focuses on enhancing a general knowledge of this extraordinary legacy by encouraging photography of the region’s nature and wilderness, and promoting an annual competition to find the Nature Photographer of the Year. Australasian Nature Photography: ANZANG Ninth Collection presents the finest photographs submitted to the competition. Each photograph is accompanied by technical information as well as anecdotes about how the picture was taken, which will stimulate yet further interest in the flora and fauna and their conservation in the region.

Australia is the custodian of a diverse range of continental and oceanic islands. From Heard and Macquarie in the sub-Antarctic, to temperate Lord Howe and Norfolk, to the tropical Cocos (Keeling) Islands and the islands of the Great Barrier Reef, Australia’s islands contain some of the nation’s most iconic fauna, flora and ecosystems. They are a refuge for over 35% of Australia’s threatened species and for many others declining on mainland Australia. They also have significant cultural value, especially for Indigenous communities, and economic value as centres for tourism. Australian Island Arks presents a compelling case for restoring and managing islands to conserve our natural heritage. With contributions from island practitioners, researchers and policy-makers, it reviews current island management practices and discusses the need and options for future conservation work. Chapters focus on the management of invasive species, threatened species recovery, conservation planning, Indigenous cultural values and partnerships, tourism enterprises, visitor management, and policy and legislature. Case studies show how island restoration and conservation approaches are working in Australia and what the emerging themes are for the future. Australian Island Arks will help island communities, managers, visitors and decision-makers to understand the current status of Australia’s islands, their management challenges, and the opportunities that exist to make best use of these iconic landscapes.

The bioregion of Australia, New Zealand, Antarctica and New Guinea possesses a unique natural heritage stretching back over 80 million years since the break-up of the great southern continent of Gondwana. The South Australian Museum and Australian Geographic focus on enhancing a general knowledge of this extraordinary legacy by encouraging photography of the region’s nature and wilderness, and promoting an annual competition to find the Australian Geographic ANZANG Nature Photographer of the Year. Australasian Nature Photography: ANZANG Tenth Collection presents the finest photographs submitted to the 2013 Australian Geographic ANZANG Nature Photographer of the Year competition. Each photograph is accompanied by technical information as well as anecdotes about how the picture was taken, which will stimulate yet further interest in the flora and fauna and their conservation in the region.

O termo Bioma refere-se a uma área do espaço geográfico representada por um tipo uniforme de ambiente, dentro do qual é possível identificar características similares de macroclima, fitofisionomia, solo e altitude (WALTER, 1986). Dentro dessas áreas espécies surgiram e se desenvolveram em resposta à essas características do ambiente. Tal processo permite que por exemplo, dentro dessas áreas os vegetais apresentem aspectos, formas e processos fisiológicos característicos (CRAWLEY, 1989). Dessa maneira, a manutenção desses biomas, com suas características ambientais únicas, é de fundamental importância para a manutenção da biodiversidade e dos serviços ecossistêmicos que ali ocorrem (regulação climática, ciclo de matéria, segurança alimentar, entre outros) (PBMC/BPBES, 2018; JOLY et al., 2019). O Brasil é formado por seis grandes biomas: Amazônia, Caatinga, Cerrado, Mata Atlântica, Pampas e Pantanal (IBGE, 2019). Dentro desses ambientes são encontrados uma grande diversidade de fauna e flora e características únicas de relevo e clima. Essa variedade de biomas está relacionada a grande extensão territorial do Brasil e a sua posição geográfica. Todas essas características fazem do Brasil o maior detentor de biota continental do mundo, sendo estimado um valor entre 15% e 20% das aproximadamente 1,5 milhões de espécies descritas no planeta. Só de plantas vasculares os números mais recentes citados são de 56108 espécies, com 12400 (22%) endêmicas. Esses dados representam aproximadamente 22% do total mundial (LEWINSOHN; PRADO, 2002; SHEPHERD, 2002; HUBBELL, 2008; GIAM et al., 2010). Dentro desse contexto, os biomas Cerrado e Pantanal se integram por meio dos rios que nascem nos planaltos do Cerrado. Esses rios contribuem na formação do Pantanal, nas planícies inundáveis da bacia do Paraguai (BRASIL, 2007). No Domínio Cerrado, a dinâmica ambiental é proveniente de uma marcada sazonalidade climática com duas estações bem definidas, o período seco e o período chuvoso (ASSAD, 1994; SILVA, 2011). Essa sazonalidade climática modifica constantemente as propriedades do solo, da flora e da paisagem e a reestruturação de muitas comunidades (AMARAL et al., 2013; MALHEIROS, 2016). No Pantanal as áreas conhecidas como planícies de inundação se caracterizam pela presença de hábitats que variam de aquáticos a terrestres, de acordo com o grau de comunicação com o rio principal (PAZ; TUCCI, 2010). Os ciclos de secas e cheias são um importante fenômeno hídrico para a região, criando um sistema complexo e dinâmico (JUNK; DA SILVA, 1999; RESENDE, 2008). O Cerrado é uma das 25 áreas do mundo consideradas críticas para a conservação, devido à riqueza biológica e à alta pressão antrópica a que vem sendo submetido (MYERS et al., 2000). O Pantanal, por sua vez, é reconhecido mundialmente pela abundância de sua fauna (MITTERMEIER et al., 1990; HARRIS et al., 2005) e é considerado Reserva da Biosfera e Patrimônio Natural da Humanidade pela Unesco (BRASIL, 2018). O conhecimento dos aspectos que envolvem a fauna, a flora e as características dessas paisagens são de extrema importância para a sua conservação e preservação. As áreas de transição entre esses dois biomas, chamadas áreas de ecótono, se fazem presentes no estado do Mato Grosso do Sul. Nessa região, os biomas Cerrado e Pantanal possuem correlações quanto aos aspectos geomorfológicos e fitogeográficos (RODRIGUES et al., 2017). Na região o encontro entre o Planalto de Maracaju-Campo Grande e a Planície Pantaneira é uma área comum de elementos bióticos e abióticos entre o planalto e a planície (FILHO et al., 2009). A transição entre dois ecossistemas implica a existência de uma área com valores intermediários para diversos parâmetros ambientais (NEIFF, 2003). Por um lado, a área de transição pode gerar um aumento na biodiversidade, dado o fato dessas áreas apresentarem representantes de fauna e flora dos dois ecossistemas (VELOSO et al., 1991). Contudo, essas áreas de transição podem também representarem barreira ou área de isolamento com ecossistemas vizinhos (MALANSON, 1997). Desta forma, uma análise voltada para as áreas de ecótono entre esses dois biomas faz-se necessária, uma vez que a preservação de um depende da preservação do outro. Sobretudo para o entendimento de que essas paisagens de ecótono podem ser responsáveis pelo isolamento e amortecimento das alterações dentro dos biomas Cerrado e Pantanal. Este E-book traz estudos desenvolvidos na área de ecótono Cerrado Pantanal no município de Aquidauana (MS) e entorno. O município está localizado a 130 Km a oeste da capital Campo Grande. Aquidauana por se tratar de um município com influência dos biomas Cerrado e Pantanal, abriga uma grande biodiversidade, sendo citada pelo Ministério do Meio Ambiente (BRASIL, 2002) como área prioritária para conservação da biodiversidade. Na mesma via, o município se destaca por sua vocação turística e agropecuária, o que demanda atenção, devido ao processo de intensa ocupação e exploração antrópica dos recursos naturais. Dessa maneira, o conhecimento de suas características ambientais e dos processos ecológicos desempenhados por sua fauna e flora contribuem para sua preservação e manutenção.

Climatic warming at the beginning of the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO) resulted in major increases in plant diversity and habitat complexity reflective of temporally unique, moist, paratropical conditions from about 53–50 Ma in the Western Interior of North America. In the early part of the EECO, mammalian faunal diversity increased at both local and continental scales in conjunction with a major increase in tropicality resulting from mean annual temperatures reaching 23 ̊C and mean annual precipitation approaching 150 cm/yr. A strong episode of taxonomic origination (high number of first appearances) in the latest Wasatchian and earliest Bridgerian Land Mammal Ages apparently was in response to these greatly diversified floral and habitat associations along with increasing temperature and precipitation. This is in contrast to a similar increase in first appearances at the beginning of the Wasatchian (Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum, or PETM) that can be traced instead to climate-induced transcontinental immigration. In the later part of the EECO, from Br-1b–Br-3, climatic deterioration resulted in a major loss of faunal diversity at both continental and local levels, apparently mirroring climatic deterioration. Relative abundance shifted from diverse, evenly distributed communities to much less diverse, skewed distributions dominated by the condylarth Hyopsodus. Evolutionary innovation through the 53–50 Ma interval included a modest overall increase in body size and increased efficiency in carnivory and folivory as reflected by within-lineage patterns of evolution. Rather than being “optimum,” the EECO engendered the greatest episode of mammalian faunal turnover of the first 15 million years of the Cenozoic era, with both first and last appearances at their highest levels. Both the PETM and EECO faunas were climatically shaped.

Los “Talares” son bosques que se encuentran en ciertas zonas del centro-este de Argentina, en particular en el norte y este de la provincia de Buenos Aires y representan una de las pocas masas boscosas de esta zona del país. Tienen una gran diversidad de fauna asociada a distintos ambientes los cuales se componen de flora arbórea y herbácea. A lo largo de la costa bonaerense (y en menor medida sumergidos más hacia la región continental) se los puede observar dispuestos en cordones de ancho variable y composición mixta. Estos bosques han sufrido paulatinas disminuciones causadas principalmente por tala de madera y extracción de material calcáreo, encontrándose de forma fragmentaria en la actualidad. El área de distribución de los “Talares” se restringe en la actualidad prácticamente al dominio privado, lo que hace aún más vulnerable su estudio y conservación. Además, varias zonas dentro de los ‘Talares’ son críticas para la conservación de distintas especies animales y plantas. En este sentido, nuestro trabajo en la concientización y educación de las nuevas generaciones de pobladores locales son claves para el futuro del medio ambiente. Desde nuestro equipo de trabajo, consideramos que la generación de espacios de encuentro entre los distintos actores de la sociedad promueve la confluencia de distintas experiencias y el despertar de un sentido crítico por parte de las comunidades locales, muchas veces alejadas de los grandes centros científico-educativos como las universidades. Asimismo, las escuelas deben involucrarse en las discusiones actuales sobre esta temática y participar en las distintas actividades que abordan estos problemas (talleres de concientización, cursos de formación, ferias de ciencia, etc.). Este material didáctico lo desarrollamos basándonos fundamentalmente en estos últimos párrafos. Consideramos que será de gran utilidad como herramienta de trabajo para los distintos niveles de educación primaria de escuelas de la provincia donde se encuentren “Talares”. Proponemos entonces un material sencillo y práctico para el uso de los docentes en el aula y brindamos un marco teórico elemental para contextualizar el tema adecuadamente para alumnos de nivel primario.

Over the last few decades our understanding of what Australia was like during the Mesozoic Era has changed radically. A rush of new fossil discoveries, together with cutting-edge analytical techniques, has created a much more detailed picture of ancient life and environments from the great southern continent. Giant dinosaurs, bizarre sea monsters and some of the earliest ancestors of Australia’s unique modern animals and plants all occur in rocks of Mesozoic age. Ancient geographical positioning of Australia close to the southern polar circle and mounting geological evidence for near freezing temperatures also make it one of the most unusual and globally significant sources of fossils from the age of dinosaurs. This book provides the first comprehensive overview of current research on Australian Mesozoic faunas and floras, with a balanced coverage of the many technical papers, conference abstracts and unpublished material housed in current collections. It is a primary reference for researchers in the fields of palaeontology, geology and biology, senior undergraduate and postgraduate students, secondary level teachers, as well as fossil collectors and anyone interested in natural history. Dinosaurs in Australia is fully illustrated in colour with original artworks and 12 reconstructions of key animals. It has a foreword by Tim Flannery and is the ideal book for anybody seeking to know more about Australia’s amazing age of dinosaurs.