Flowers: How They Changed the World

by William C. Burger

The world would be a pretty drab place without flowers. Their bright cheery colors help make our natural environment a more delightful place to be. But flowers in all their beautiful variations didn't evolve just for the viewing pleasure of the later-developing human race. What are flowers really for? As botanist and popular science writer William Burger makes clear in this enchanting book, the quick and simple answer sex. Burger emphasizes the essential role that flowers play in life's evolutionary scheme. Their bright colors and alluring shapes represent a strategy for attracting insects and inducing animals to help with pollination. This constant intermingling is nature's way of perpetuating the species and encouraging variety, so as to protect against disease and unpredictable environments. Flowers are the supreme example of nature's reproductive exuberance, ensuring the persistence of life against an onslaught of destructive forces.More significantly, Burger points out, flowers are the fundamental energy resource for most of the biosphere. Since they energize themselves by capturing the energy of sunlight, they provide a vital link in the chain of life, especially for animals and humans, which depend on other organisms to nourish and energize them. Without the existence of flowering plants, human survival would be in jeopardy. Finally, Burger goes on to show the paramount importance of a few species of plants that have served not only as the basis of agriculture, but, in doing so, have enabled human civilization to thrive. Even today, in our complex technological world, it is the flowering plants that provide us with nearly all the vegetable energy that sustains us. Written with clarity, wit, and engaging enthusiasm for the marvels of our fragile ecosystem, Flowers will make you stop and smell the roses, with a new appreciation of their crucial role in the web of life.

Genres: Science, Nature, Nonfiction

316 pages, Hardcover

First published May 2, 2006

Reviews

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are some pretty big claims in this relatively small book - essentially that flowers (technically angiosperms more generally) and their constant efforts to reproduce and succeed have created the world as we know it, from historic changes in climate to our ability to rotate our shoulders. It's a pretty interesting read - although it does have a few technical sections, those are balanced out by moments when I felt like I was on Spaceship Earth in Epcot listening to a sweeping description designed to inspire. I thought it was structured well, looking at particular components of flowers and what they are before moving into their friends and foes and then finally looking at the impacts they've had on so many different species and the world itself. It's pretty incredible to think about how reliant we are on flowering plants in general, even just in terms of food that we eat. Now let's just hope that humans as a species don't undo the millennia of work the flowers have accomplished!

"flower"

[Franz · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great little book. I learned, or re-learned, a number of things about plants that I either never knew or had forgotten. I took out two of the books listed in the reference section ... I will have fun with plants in the upcoming year.

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

Surprisingly easy to read, with only a few very technical sections.

[Last Ranger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart of the Garden!

If I didn't know better I would think this enchanting little book was written specifically for me. It has all of the elements I look for in a science book. One; the author, Botanist, William C Burger is a working scientist. Two; the basic subject matter is Botany but beyond that it's about Evolutionary Biology, the relationship between plants and animals, Ecology and how the flowering plants have influenced the environment and the future wellbeing of all life, including humans. In a kind of Botany 101 Dr. Burger gives you the basics of angiosperm (flowering plants) biology. Starting with a break down of flower anatomy you will learn the names of its various parts and what their functions are. Far from being a dry dissertation on plant reproduction this information is presented in a clear, entertaining manner. I found Dr. Burger's writing to be friendly and informative, like a classroom lecture given by your favorite professor. The evolution of flowering plants got it's start about 130 million years ago and Burger traces that history and current theories as to how it came about. Fossils of early angiosperms are very rare and hard to identify but many specialist are studying what we do have so new ideas could come at any time. Symbiotic relationships with other organisms are covered in some detail. Insects, fungi, birds and some mammals all contribute to the success of flowering plants. But not all relationships are helpful, some are down right harmful or even lethal. How do plants defend themselves from these invaders? They can enlist the aid of friends, like ants, or add chemical toxins to their arsenal or grow sharpe thorns to deter hungry mouths. This fascinating little book covers so much ground it's difficult to summarize in a short review. Different readers may focus on different parts of the book. How flowering plants shaped the biodiversity of the world by creating many small niches that were exploited by new species of insects, birds and mammals was a stand-out for me. Certain parts of the book may lead you to other authors who cover the same issues. Dinosaurs are mentioned briefly and you may want to consult Robert Bakker's book The Dinosaur Heresies for more information on how these huge reptiles may have played a role in the development of flowers. The section on agriculture covers some of the same issues as Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steele. That section also has an interesting story on how ancient Peruvian potato farmers in the Andes used the Pleiades to help them decide when to plant their crops. The author also gives an alternate viewpoint to some concepts put forward by Stephen Gould in Wonderful Life. All in all this is the best kind of science book, one that covers many issues and giving the reader a different way of looking at the natural world. It wasn't just animal life that benefited from the proliferation of flowering plants over the last 130 million years. Strange as it may seem, the non-flowering plants were able to hitch a ride on that bandwagon. Conifers, ferns, mosses and primitive plants like liverwort increased in diversity, if not numbers, as they invaded open niches everywhere. In his closing chapter and in the epilogue Dr. Burger summarizes both the book and the current state of planet Earth. In some ways his feelings are dark and foreboding in other ways light and optimistic. Our human societies face a multitude of threats, some of which we are creating ourselves. Uncontrolled consumption of natural resources, a population that is spiraling ever upward with no end in sight and the thoughtless pollution of our atmosphere and ocean. Not to mention human-caused extinctions on an unprecedented scale. The future is ours to squander or to enjoy. The time of choosing which course to set is close at hand and, according to the author, the sooner the better.

Last Ranger

[Kenzie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Burger does a great job explaining basic flower structures, how they differ between species, and how they influence interactions between pollinators and predators. His language is simple, and he uses a small amount of diagrams and photographs to help you visualize his explanations. I had trouble finding a general book on flowers, and this really hit the mark.

My only complaint was that the last part of the book dealt less specifically with flowers as the topic broadened to climate change. Still, it was interesting to get a botanist's perspective on one of the big challenges of our civilization.

As a city dweller, this filled a major gap in my knowledge, and I highly recommend it.