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Preface
It is very often observed that taxonomic researches are not attracting reasonable funding to carry forward the Linnaean legacy; therefore there is a constant declining trend in taxonomic research as well as taxonomists the world over. Considering the increasing demand for more trained taxonomists to resolve the issues of biodiversity inventorying, conservation, monitoring and sustainable management of bio-resources, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow has taken the initiative to publish a manual on “ Plant Taxonomy and Biosystematics (Classical and Modern Methods)” for young students and faculties, who have active interest in pursuing plant systematics as their academic as well as research pursuits.
The basic aim of this manual is to provide useful resource materials for training young students and faculties working in the area of plant systematics. The manual provides updated information on basic as well as applied aspects of plant systematics on various groups of plants like Algae, Lichens, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms.
Chapter 1 to 3 describe the various approaches and methods to study microbial and fungal diversity, which is basically a very useful precursor to the students and young researchers. Chapter 4 and 5 deal with the multi-dimensional approaches in Lichen systematics. The book progresses upwards through the plethora of information on the diversity and systematics of Algae, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms (Chapter 6-10).
Chapter 11 to 15 cover methodological details on plant identification, approaches and methods of writing Flora, revision, monograph and development of herbarium. This information is very important for the students and young faculties who intend to pursue their researches in plant taxonomy. Chapter 14 and 15 particularly provide all the relevant information on the International Code of Plant nomenclature including cultivated plants. These chapters per se are very significant for the amateur as well as serious readers of plant taxonomy.
Plant taxonomy and biosystematics is a dynamic subject, as it derives information from various other disciplines like palynology, seed morphology, pharmacognosy, molecular biology, etc. We have, therefore, broaden the scope of this book by including the chapters on palynology, seed morphology, molecular systematics, biostatistics, ecological and remote sensing methods for diversity analyses, and pharmacognostical tools for identification of herbal drugs (Chapter 16-22). The knowledge and information on these applied aspects of biology in relation to taxonomy will certainly infuse the interest in readers.
Chapter 23 and 24 describe the various methods of characterization and evaluation of ornamental and medicinal plants. The last chapter (25) of the book provides the information about CSIR-NBRI Botanic Garden and its various repositories, which could be of great interest to the readers from the perspectives of ornamental plants.
We trust that this manual will be immensely useful to Taxonomists, Foresters, Conservationists, Herbalists, Agriculturists, Floriculturists, Naturalists, Environmental Biologists and policy makers.
We express our gratitude to Dr. C.S. Nautiyal, Director, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow for encouragement and unrelenting support. We are also thankful to all the authors of this manual for contributing the articles and responding timely to our request. We sincerely, acknowledge the friendly co-operation and assistance of our colleagues especially Mr. Baleshwar, Dr. Bhaskar Datt and Dr. L.B. Chaudhary, at various stages of preparation of the manuscript.
Preface
It is very often observed that taxonomic researches are not attracting reasonable funding to carry forward the Linnaean legacy; therefore there is a constant declining trend in taxonomic research as well as taxonomists the world over. Considering the increasing demand for more trained taxonomists to resolve the issues of biodiversity inventorying, conservation, monitoring and sustainable management of bio-resources, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow has taken the initiative to publish a manual on “ Plant Taxonomy and Biosystematics (Classical and Modern Methods)” for young students and faculties, who have active interest in pursuing plant systematics as their academic as well as research pursuits.
The basic aim of this manual is to provide useful resource materials for training young students and faculties working in the area of plant systematics. The manual provides updated information on basic as well as applied aspects of plant systematics on various groups of plants like Algae, Lichens, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes, Gymnosperms and Angiosperms.
Chapter 1 to 3 describe the various approaches and methods to study microbial and fungal diversity, which is basically a very useful precursor to the students and young researchers. Chapter 4 and 5 deal with the multi-dimensional approaches in Lichen systematics. The book progresses upwards through the plethora of information on the diversity and systematics of Algae, Bryophytes, Pteridophytes and Gymnosperms (Chapter 6-10).
Chapter 11 to 15 cover methodological details on plant identification, approaches and methods of writing Flora, revision, monograph and development of herbarium. This information is very important for the students and young faculties who intend to pursue their researches in plant taxonomy. Chapter 14 and 15 particularly provide all the relevant information on the International Code of Plant nomenclature including cultivated plants. These chapters per se are very significant for the amateur as well as serious readers of plant taxonomy.
Plant taxonomy and biosystematics is a dynamic subject, as it derives information from various other disciplines like palynology, seed morphology, pharmacognosy, molecular biology, etc. We have, therefore, broaden the scope of this book by including the chapters on palynology, seed morphology, molecular systematics, biostatistics, ecological and remote sensing methods for diversity analyses, and pharmacognostical tools for identification of herbal drugs (Chapter 16-22). The knowledge and information on these applied aspects of biology in relation to taxonomy will certainly infuse the interest in readers.
Chapter 23 and 24 describe the various methods of characterization and evaluation of ornamental and medicinal plants. The last chapter (25) of the book provides the information about CSIR-NBRI Botanic Garden and its various repositories, which could be of great interest to the readers from the perspectives of ornamental plants.
We trust that this manual will be immensely useful to Taxonomists, Foresters, Conservationists, Herbalists, Agriculturists, Floriculturists, Naturalists, Environmental Biologists and policy makers.
We express our gratitude to Dr. C.S. Nautiyal, Director, CSIR-National Botanical Research Institute, Lucknow for encouragement and unrelenting support. We are also thankful to all the authors of this manual for contributing the articles and responding timely to our request. We sincerely, acknowledge the friendly co-operation and assistance of our colleagues especially Mr. Baleshwar, Dr. Bhaskar Datt and Dr. L.B. Chaudhary, at various stages of preparation of the manuscript.