Guide to Reference and Information Sources in Plant Biology (Reference Sources in Science and Technology Series)

Virtually all of the food we eat comes from plants, either directly from such staples as grains, fruits and vegetables, or indirectly through livestock that rely on plants for fodder. Plants also provide us with oxygen, fibers, fuel, and medicine. In short, our dependence on them is great indeed. This third edition of a classic bibliography retains the best features of its predecessor, published ten years ago, with greatly expanded coverage of Web sites. Its nearly 1,000 annotated entries focus on core materials for botanists and plant biologists. Organized by topic rather than format, it covers such enduring yet timely topics as: Plant Evolution and Paleobotany; Ethnobotany; Ecology; Anatomy, Morphology, and Development; Genetics, Molecular Biology, and Biotechnology; Plant Physiology and Phytochemistry; and Systematics and Identification. In addition, introductory chapters discuss the study of plants, characteristics of plant biology literature, and the history of the field and the people in it. This is the perfect deskside companion for both neophyte and seasoned botanists and their information purveyors.

This reference contains nearly 1,000 annotated entries describing various information sources on plant biology. Organized by topic, the volume focuses on materials for plant biologists and excludes agriculture and gardening resources. The emphasis is on authoritative Web sites and recent books and journals currently in print, although some important classic resources commonly available in libraries are also included. This is the third edition of a volume previously titled Guide to Information Sources in the Botanical Sciences. Schmidt is Biology Librarian at the U. of Illinois at Urbana- Champaign. Annotation © 2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

DIANE SCHMIDT is Biology Librarian and Associate Professor of Library Administration at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She is a member of the Special Library Association and was awarded the SLA Biomedical and Life Science Division's Distinguished Member Award in 2004. She is also the author of more than ten articles and author or co-author of several bibliographic guides, including Using the Biological Literature: A Practical Guide, Guide to Reference and Information Sources in the Zoological Sciences, and A Guide to Field Guides: Identifying.

MELODY M. ALLISON is Assistant Biology Librarian and Assistant Professor of Library Administration at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. She has been active in the Medical Library Association Nursing and Allied Health Resources Section Task Force to Map the Literature of Nursing, and is the NAHRS Chair-Elect and Program Chair.

KATHLEEN A. CLARK is Biotechnology Librarian at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, where she is also Associate Professor of Library Administration.

PAMELA F. JACOBS is Associate University Librarian for Collection Resources at Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario. She is an active member of the Canadian and Ontario Library Associations and is co-author of Using the Biological Literature: A Practical Guide.

MARIA A. PORTA is Assistant Acquisitions Librarian and Associate Professor of Library Administration at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, and former Assistant Agriculture Librarian. She is the author of over ten articles and book chapters.