This book with 12 chapters is divided into three parts, viz., genomics, genetic engineering, and commercialization. Part I (Chapters 1 to 5) is focused on describing genomic methods, their application to the characterization of woody perennials, and the results derived from these analyses. Chapter...

Fully integrated systems (e.g. butterfly biology systems) have a set of distinctive characteristics. Among these are self-regulation from feedbacks and regulator components, which lead to some form of homeostasis (equilibrium steady state) of the system. There are also typically lags in the system, ...

This chapter describes the composition and historical development of urban forests, how urban development shapes tree density and diversity and how herbivores and herbivory respond to these changes in urban vegetation. The pattern of the increased prevalence of exotic plants in cities, the novel...

Stem systems are variously affected by pest insects. The great majority are biting, internal pests, gaining protection as well as nutrition from the plant they attack. This chapter contains examples of different species of biting and sucking pests of woody stems and soft and cereal stems.

Early classical biocontrol successes in Barbados, some in combination with natural control, were the control of: sugarcane borers, sugarcane mealybugs and West Indian cane fly in sugarcane; cottony cushion scale and citrus blackfly in citrus; coconut whitefly in palm; fall armyworm in vegetables...

Halophytic vegetation is very complex and diverse, and the main factors for its development are salinity and moisture. Investigations into different types of halophytic vegetation have been compiled in vegetation databases as scientific tools for classification analyses and interpretation of...

This chapter defines the term statistics, which is generally subdivided into two distinct fields: descriptive statistics and statistical inference. The chapter also discusses data, the building blocks of statistics; and introduces data collection procedures and measurement scales applied in forest...

This chapter introduces the basic theories of probability that are required to appreciate and understand many of the concepts of statistical inference as applied in research in forestry.

The main objectives of this chapter are to show how outcomes of random experiments can be described in real (numerical) terms and how probabilities can be assigned to these real numbers. Numerical descriptions of outcomes and their respective probabilities form what are known as probability...

Trees have a positive impact on human health and well-being through multiple services including carbon sequestration, timber production, places for recreation, shade to protect from heat and air purification. However, an estimated 15 billion trees are cut down each year (based on 2000-2015 trends), ...