With one volume each year, this series keeps scientists and advanced students informed of the latest developments and results in all areas of the plant sciences. The present volume includes reviews on genetics, cell biology, and vegetation science.

A comprehensive review of all modern methods for plant root research, both in the field and in the laboratory. It covers the effects of environmental interactions with root growth and function, focussing in particular on the assessment of root distribution and dynamics. It also describes and discusses the processing of root observations, analysis and modelling of root growth and architecture, root-image analysis, computer-assisted tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Furthermore, a survey of the application of isotope techniques in root physiology is given.

Used by humans since ancient times, evergreen oak forests still cover extensive mountain areas of the Mediterranean Basin. These broadleaved evergreen forests occupy a transitional zone between the cool-temperate deciduous forest biome and the drier Mediterranean pine forests and shrublands. Slow growing and casting a deep shade, the sclerophyllous holm oak (Quercus ilex) absolutely dominates the closed canopy of many Mediterranean evergreen oak forests. This is a synthesis of 20 years of research on the structure, function, and dynamics of holm oak forests in two intensively studied experimental areas in Spain. By combining observational measurements at the leaf, tree, plot, and catchment scales with field experiments and modelling, the authors explore how these forests cope with strong water limitation and repeated disturbances.