PLANT PHYSIOLOGY AND ECOLOGY

By RICHARD JOHNSON

CONTENTS CHAPTER THE INTERDISCIPLINARY NATURE OF SOIL ABSTRACT 1 INTRODUCTION 2 SOILS AND BIODIVERSITY 3 INTERDISCIPLINARY ASPECTS OF TRADITIONAL SOIL TOPICS REFERENCES CHAPTER SOIL PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPERTIES AND FLORISTIC COMPOSITION OF TWO ECOSYSTEMS DIFFERING IN PLANT DIVERSITY: FALLOWS AND MEADOWS 2 METHODS 3 RESULTS 4 CONCLUSIONS 5 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS EFFECTS OF AMAZONIAN DARK EARTHS ON GROWTH AND LEAF NUTRIENT BALANCE OF TROPICAL TREE SEEDLINGS 3 DISCUSSION 4 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS PLANT GROWTH AS AFFECTED BY CONCOMITANT MOVEMENT OF ARSENIC AND SULPHUR IN SALINE SOILS 2 MATERIALS AND METHODS 3 RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 4 CONCLUSION THE SIGNIFICANCE OF MAGNESIUM FOR CROP QUALITY 1 THE TERM ‘QUALITY’ AND QUALITY TRAITS 2 FUNCTIONS OF MG IN PLANT METABOLISM 3 MG EFFECTS ON CROP QUALITY THE ROLE OF EXOGENOUS HUMIC AND FULVIC ACIDS IN IODINE BIOFORTIFICATION IN SPINACH (SPINACIA OLERACEA L ) 4 DISCUSSION MAGNESIUM DEFICIENCY DECREASES BIOMASS WATER-USE EFFICIENCY AND INCREASES LEAF WATER-USE EFFICIENCY AND OXIDATIVE STRESS IN BARLEY PLANTS 5 CONCLUSION STRATEGIC TIMING OF NITROGEN FERTILIZATION TO INCREASE ROOT BIOMASS AND NITROGEN-USE EFFICIENCY OF LOLIUM PERENNE L 5 CONCLUSIONS 6 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS WARMING ALTERS COMPETITION FOR ORGANIC AND INORGANIC NITROGEN BETWEEN CO-EXISTING GRASSLAND PLANT SPECIES SELENIUM-RICH DISSOLVED ORGANIC MATTER DETERMINES SELENIUM UPTAKE IN WHEAT GROWN ON LOW-SELENIUM ARABLE LAND SOILS 2 RESULTS 3 CONCLUSIONS 5 COMPLIANCE WITH ETHICAL STANDARDS RAPID PLANT REHYDRATION INITIATES PERMANENT AND ADVERSE CHANGES IN THE PHOTOSYNTHETIC APPARATUS OF TRITICALE EFFECTS OF POULTRY MANURE AND NPK FERTILIZER ON INFESTATION OF MUSK PUMPKIN (CUCURBITA MAXIMA) BY INSECT PESTS COPPER UPTAKE, ACCUMULATION AND PHYSIOLOGICAL CHANGES IN ADULT GRAPEVINES IN RESPONSE TO EXCESS COPPER IN SOIL 2 MATERIAL AND METHODS ASSAYING THE POTENTIAL AUTOTOXINS AND MICROBIAL COMMUNITY ASSOCIATED WITH REHMANNIAGLUTINOSA REPLANT PROBLEMS BASED ON ITS ‘AUTOTOXIC CIRCLE’ 4 RESULTS BACTERIAL POPULATIONS IN JUVENILE MAIZE RHIZOSPHERES ORIGINATE FROM BOTH SEED AND SOIL 3 SOURCES OF SOIL