Botanica Pacifica. A journal of plant science and conservation Advertised in Issue 2013. 2(1)
BOOK Probatova, N.S., V.Yu. Barkalov & E.G. Rudyka. 2007. Caryology of the flora of Sakhalin and the Kurile Islands. Chromosome numbers, taxononomic and phytogeographical comments. Dalnauka, Vladivostok, 359 p. (In Russian, with English abstract, introduction, general information, conclusion).
This book is the first of a series devoted to studies on chromosome numbers in the flora in subregions of the Russian Far East (RFE). It is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alexandra P. Sokolovskaya, the world-famous Russian caryo-geographer, who initiated the chromosome studies on the flora of the RFE by her first expedition to Sakhalin in 1957. The book represents a full bank of chromosome number data for 536 vascular plant species studied on Sakhalin, Moneron and (or) on the Kurile Islands, obtained during the caryological studies of the island flora since 1960. In the book 356 species for Sakhalin (23.4 % of the total amount of vascular species of Sakhalin), 257 species for the Kuriles (18.4 % of the total vascular flora), and 48 species from Moneron Isl. are included. The chromosome number data are accompanied with information on the ecology and phytogeography, as well as species distribution on the islands. For many species, caryotaxonomic and caryo-geographical comments are given. Chromosome numbers counted are considered in the context of the world literature data. For 184 species, chromosome numbers were obtained on plants from the protected natural areas. Among the leading families of the flora studied, the greatest amount of species (98) are grasses (representatives of the Family Poaceae); among them, the prevalence of polyploids (72 %) is revealed, which might be joined with the active processes of hybridization for which an important role in evolution is emphasized. On the contrary, in the next large family, Asteraceae, the prevalence of diploids is pronounced. Chromosome numbers from the majority of species are constant, and only a few species are characterized by the intraspecific polymorphism testifying about the speciation processes. This is also proven by more or less expressed isolation of the island populations in some groups and by the occurrence of natural hybrids. Ill.11. Tabl. 1. Ref. 403. Appendix 2.
The book is available from the authors:
Nina S. Probatova, Institute of Biology and Soil Science FEB RAS, Vladivostok, 690022, Russia. e-mail: probatovaibss.dvo.ru
ibss.dvo.ru