Biological Systems, Biodiversity, and Stability of Plant Communities

This book discusses theoretical approaches to the taxonomy of biological systems and theory and mathematical approaches to the problem of plant diversity, cultivation, and the environment. Particular attention is given to theoretical and practical problems of soil and the environmental sustainability of phytocoenosis, with the goal to enhance the productivity of agricultural crops: cereals, legumes, vegetables, and fruit.

Providing valuable information on the distribution of chemical elements in the soil–plant system and on the migration of chemical elements in the food chain, this book looks at the composition of the soil and the distribution of elements in the soil–plant system that are manifested as adaptations of plant organism to environmental conditions. With chapters written by acknowledged scientists in the field of genetics, plant selection, ecology, and agro-economy, the book attempts, in many cases, to find consensus between the need to address ways to decrease the excess load on the environment and the need to provide adequately for the human population in agro-developed countries.

This book also presents precision farming techniques, including the introduction of differentiated agrochemicals and considering variability of soil fertility and crop conditions. An important element for the conservation and adaptation of plant organism to environmental conditions is the use of physiologically active compounds.

Larissa I. Weisfeld is a senior researcher at the Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia; a member of the All-Russia Vavilov Society of Geneticists and Breeders; the author of about 300 publications in scientific journals, patents and conference proceedings; and the co-author of three new cultivars of winter wheat. Her main field of interest concerns basic problems of chemical mutagenesis, mutational selection, and the mechanism of action of para-amonobensoic acid. She has worked as a scientific editor in the publishing house Nauka (Moscow) and in the journals Genetics and Ontogenesis.

Anatoly Iv. Opalko, PhD, is Head of the Physiology, Genetics, Plant Breeding and Biotechnology Division at the National Dendrological Park "Sofiyivka" of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Uman, Cherkassy District, Ukraine, and Professor at Uman National University of Horticulture, Uman, Ukraine, as well as Head of the Cherkassy Regional Branch of Vavilov Society of Geneticists and Breeders of Ukraine. He is also a prolific author, researcher, and lecturer. He received several awards for his work, including the badge of honor "Excellence in Agricultural Education". He is member of many professional organizations and on the editorial boards of the Ukrainian Biological and Agricultural Science journals.

Nina A. Bome, DSc in Agriculture, is Professor and Head of the Department of Botany, Biotechnology and Landscape Architecture at the Institute of Biology at the Tyumen State University, Tyumen, Russia. She is the author of the monographs, articles, school-books, patents, and she is a lecturer. The is the Director and Founder of the Scientific School for Young Specialists. She is the author of about 300 publications. She participates in long-term Russian and international programs. Her main field of interest concerns basic problems of adaptive potential of cultivated crops, mutagenesis, possibility of conservation, enhancing biodiversity of plants, methods of evaluation of plants’ resistance to the phytopatogens and other unfavorable environmental factors, and genetic resources of cultivated plants in the extreme conditions of the Western Siberia.

Sarra A. Bekuzarova, DSc in Agriculture, is Head of the Laboratory of Plant Breeding and Feed Crops of the North Caucasus Institute of mountain and submontane agriculture of the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, Russia; Professor at the Gorsky State University of Agriculture, Vladikavkaz, Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, Russia, as well as Professor at Kosta Khetagurov North-Ossetia State University, Vladikavkaz, Republic of North Ossetia-Alania, Russia. She is also a prolific author, researcher, and lecturer. She is a corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences. She is a member of the International Academy of Authors of the Scientific Discoveries and Inventions, the International Academy of Sciences of Ecology, Safety of Man and Nature, the All-Russian Academy of Non-traditional and Rare Plants, and the International Academy of Agrarian Education. She is a member of the editorial boards of several scientific journals.