Marcello Pennacchio

Lara Jefferson

Kayri Havens-Young

Ecology of Plant-Derived Smoke is the continuation of the research and discussion presented in Uses & Abuses of Plant-Derived Smoke, published in 2010. Both books are the first of their kind in what is now an ever-expanding and exciting field of research. This volume focuses on the use of plant-derived smoke as a tool, used for promoting seed germination and growth. Our ancestors may have used smoke in this capacity for centuries. Only recently has the scientific community delved into understanding the ecology of smoke as a seed dormancy-breaking mechanism in fire-prone environments. Most research to date has focused on the fire-prone Mediterranean environments of the western U.S.A., Western Australia and South Africa. These environments are among the richest floristic regions in the world, and require ecological understanding in order to be managed properly. This includes knowledge of that role that smoke plays in these ecosystems. Ecology of Plant Derived Smoke presents accounts of 1355 species of plants, from 120 families, whose seed have been tested for their response to aerosol smoke, smoke water, and plant-derived smoke. Each account includes a short summary of research findings, along with any other relevant information. Ecology of Plant-Derived Smoke is a comprehensive resource for ecologists seeking to understand the properties of smoke as they relate to ecosystems.

Its Use in Seed Germination

Ecology of Plant-Derived Smoke

Kayri Havens

Plants provide the food, shelter, medicines, and biomass that underlie sustainable life. One of the earliest and often overlooked uses of plants is the production of smoke, dating to the time of early hominid species. Plant-derived smoke has had an enormous socio-economic impact throughout human history, being burned for medicinal and recreational purposes, magico-religious ceremonies, pest control, food preservation, and flavoring, perfumes, and incense. This illustrated global compendium documents and describes approximately 2,000 global uses for over 1,400 plant species. The Uses and Abuses of Plant-Derived Smoke is accessibly written and provides a wealth of information on human uses for smoke. Divided into nine main categories of use, the compendium lists plant-derived smoke's medicinal, historical, ceremonial, ritual and recreational uses. Plant use in the production of incense and to preserve and flavor foods and beverages is also included. Each entry includes full binomial names and family, an identification of the person who named the plant, as well as numerous references to other scholarly texts. Of particular interest will be plants such as Tobacco (Nicotiana tabaccum), Boswellia spp (frankincense), and Datura stramonium (smoked as a treatment for asthma all over the world), all of which are described in great detail.

Marcello Pennacchio

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