The following sections of this BookRags Literature Study Guide is offprint from Gale's For Students Series: Presenting Analysis, Context, and Criticism on Commonly Studied Works: Introduction, Author Biography, Plot Summary, Characters, Themes, Style, Historical Context, Critical Overview, Criticism and Critical Essays, Media Adaptations, Topics for Further Study, Compare & Contrast, What Do I Read Next?, For Further Study, and Sources.
(c)1998-2002; (c)2002 by Gale. Gale is an imprint of The Gale Group, Inc., a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Gale and Design and Thomson Learning are trademarks used herein under license.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Encyclopedia of Popular Fiction: "Social Concerns", "Thematic Overview", "Techniques", "Literary Precedents", "Key Questions", "Related Titles", "Adaptations", "Related Web Sites". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
The following sections, if they exist, are offprint from Beacham's Guide to Literature for Young Adults: "About the Author", "Overview", "Setting", "Literary Qualities", "Social Sensitivity", "Topics for Discussion", "Ideas for Reports and Papers". (c)1994-2005, by Walton Beacham.
All other sections in this Literature Study Guide are owned and copyrighted by BookRags, Inc.
Phytotoxicity refers to the damage to plants caused by exposure to some toxic stressor. Phytotoxicity can be evidenced by acute injury such as obviously damaged, necrotic tissues. Chronic phytotoxicity does not present such obvious symtoms and may result in such "hidden injuries" as a decrease in productivity or a change in growth form. Plants can be poisoned by naturally occurring toxins, such as nickel in serpentine-influenced soils. Humans also release phytotoxic chemicals into the environment. Such emissions occur when, for example, gaseous and/or metal pollutants around smelters damage vegetation. Deliberate use of phytotoxic chemicals includes the use of herbicides in agriculture or forestry to decrease the abundance of unwanted plants or weeds.