Evolution of the Arborescent Gymnosperms: Volume 1, Northern Hemisphere Focus: Pattern, Process and Diversity - Hardcover

Page, Christopher N.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1009262955 ISBN 13: 9781009262958

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2025

Synopsis

The arborescent gymnosperms are the most prevalent trees in one-third of the world's forests, and have dominated the Earth's forest ecosystems through much of evolutionary time. They encompass over 70 living genera and nearly 700 species of evergreen conifers and related trees, and include the largest and longest-lived organisms on this planet. This two-volume treatise provides detailed descriptions of each genus based on first-hand surveys of their structure, adaption, ecology, function and development. It also incorporates evidence from molecular studies, palaeobotany and environmental data to provide a holistic understanding of their overall evolution and diversity. Covering the world's temperate and tropical forests, Volume 1 principally focuses on Northern Hemisphere genera while Volume 2 covers those with a predominantly Southern Hemisphere range. Together, the set provides a comprehensive, global reference for researchers in palaeobotany, plant science, geobiology, evolutionary biology, ecology and plant genetics, as well as arboriculturists and conservation managers.

About this title

About the Author

Christopher N. Page (1942–2022) held a first class bachelor's degree in geology and a PhD in cytogenetics. Following positions at the University of Queensland and University of Oxford, he joined the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh as a specialist tree scientist. This provided him with a base for half a century of global study of conifers and ferns, including more than 10 cumulative years spent in the field on every continent except Antarctica. After leaving Edinburgh, he joined the University of Exeter in his retirement, where he continued to study ancient plant groups by integrating multi-sourced plant data with phylogenetic arrays. The author of 8 books and 150 journal papers, Dr Page was best known for bridging fields as diverse as geology, palaeobotany, evolutionary biology, biodiversity, genetics and modern molecular studies in order to develop environmental–evolutionary interpretations and applications. He was awarded two scientific Gold Medals – fittingly one for plant biology from the Indian Pteridological Society and one for geology from the Royal Geological Society of Cornwall. This treatise on gymnosperms, the manuscript for which was completed shortly before his death, is the culmination of 54 years of research, teaching and field study.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2025
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1009262955
• ISBN 13: 9781009262958
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 730