Life Strategies of Succulents in Deserts

Desertsprovideaseeminglyhostileenvironmentinwhichplantscan,nevertheless,surviveandgrow.Thisbook,originallypublishedin1992,considerstheecologicalstrategiesadoptedbydesertsucculentstoovercometheseproblems.MuchfreshdataonthephysiologicalecologyofsucculentplantsofsouthernAfricaispresented-theresultsofmorethantenyears'workbytheauthors,bothinthefieldandthelaboratory.Thisinformationformsthebasisforabetterunderstandingofthewaterrelationsandcarbonbalanceofsucculentsduringshort-andlong-termdroughtandleadstheauthorstoadefinitionofsucculenceasatoolforthetemporarystorageofwater,essentialfortheconservationofphysiologicalperformanceduringtimesofdrought.Theauthorsconcludebyprovidingabasicschemeinwhichthesignificantfunctionalaspectsofsucculentlifestrategiesaregiven,revealingthemaintrendsinthebiologyofthesefascinatingplants.