Life Strategies of Succulents in Deserts : With Special Reference to the Namib Desert

Deserts provide a seemingly hostile environment in which plants can, nevertheless, survive & grow. The book considers the ecological problems posed by the desert environment, & the varied physiological & ecological strategies adopted by desert succulents to overcome these problems. Much previously unpublished data on the physiological ecology of the succulent flora of southern Africa is presented -- the results of more than ten years' work by the authors, both in the field & the laboratory. This new information forms the basis for a better understanding of the water relations & carbon balance of succulents during short & long term drought & leads the authors to a new definition of succulence as a tool for the temporary storage of water, essential for the conservation of physiological performance during times of drought. The authors conclude by providing a basic scheme in which the significant functional aspects of succulent life strategies are given, revealing the main trends in the biology of these fascinating plants.Willert, Dieter J. is the author of 'Life Strategies of Succulents in Deserts : With Special Reference to the Namib Desert', published 1992 under ISBN 9780521244688 and ISBN 0521244684.