Plant Sciences: Macmillan Science Library, 4 Volume set (The Macmilian Science Library) - Hardcover

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 002865434X ISBN 13: 9780028654348

Publisher: Macmillan Reference USA, 2000

Synopsis

For students, plants are the introduction to life sciences. This encyclopedia introduces the fundamentals -- such as cells, transportation and photosynthesis, and also examines related fields, such as agribusiness, conservation and ethnobotany. The set is fully illustrated and offers marginal definitions, timelines and sidebars throughout.

About this title

From Booklist

Lovely to look at and delightful to read, this work is the latest of Macmillan's four-color science sets and the inaugural title in a new series, the Macmillan Science Library. Tied to the curriculum and intended for middle-school grades and up, it provides information that will be useful at several levels of readership.

The 280 entries are written by contributors from academic and research institutions, industry, and nonprofit organizations throughout North America. Almost every entry is illustrated, and there are numerous photos, tables, boxes, and sidebars. Unfamiliar terms are highlighted within the text and defined in the margin of each page. Most entries are followed by a list of related articles and a short reading list for those seeking more information. The reading lists cite journal articles and Web sites as well as books. Front and back matter in each volume include a geologic timescale, a list of contributors, a comprehensive table of contents, a topic outline that groups entries thematically, and an extensive glossary. Each volume has its own index, and volume 4 contains a cumulative index covering the entire set.

Topics are timely and wide-ranging, including, for example, entries for specific plants and plant types (Coffee, Gymnosperms), processes (Germination, Symbiosis), environments (Deserts, Tundra), careers (Food scientist, Landscape architect), and practices (Genetic engineering, Green revolution). In addition, there are biographical sketches for persons such as Luther Burbank, George Washington Carver, and Johannes Warming. Entry length ranges from three paragraphs for Chestnut blight and Native food crops to more than seven pages for Biodiversity and Pathogens. The index is extensive, indicating page numbers of article headings in bold type and pages numbers of illustrations in italics.

There is really little else with which to compare this set; it seems badly needed. Although the price tag may be a little steep for school library collections, Plant Sciences is highly recommended for schools, public library reference collections and even undergraduate-level college and university collections. RBB
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

From School Library Journal

Gr 10-Up Encyclopedic, in-depth treatment of plant-related topics from acid rain to wood products. While this set includes complex information (for example, how ATP synthase catalyzes ATP), it also offers basic facts on biomes, leaves, cells, individual scientists, related careers, and other subjects. The writing is clear and well organized, and depending on the topic, it's concise or very detailed. Highlighted words are defined in the wide margins and each entry provides see-also references and a brief bibliography. Most pages generally include a table, chart, photo, map, or labeled diagram that helps clarify even the most difficult topics. Volumes one to three conclude with individual indexes; volume four has a cumulative index. The set also contains a Geologic Timescale, a 16-page glossary, and a topic outline. A solid addition to school or public libraries. Christine A. Moesch, Buffalo & Erie County Public Library, NY

Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Edition details

• Publisher: Macmillan Reference USA
• Publication date: 2000
• ISBN 10: 002865434X
• ISBN 13: 9780028654348
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 957
• Editor: Robinson Richard