The Diversity of Living Organisms

The Diversity of Living Organisms PDF Author: R. S. K. Barnes
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1444313371
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 361

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Book Description
Such is the pressure on teaching time in schools and universities that students are taught less and less of the diversity that is life on this planet. Most students, and indeed most professional biologists that these students become, know far more of cell function than of biodiversity. This text is a profusely illustrated, quick-reference guide to all types of living organisms, from the single-celled prokaryotes and eurkaryotes to the multicellular fungi, plants and animals. All surviving phyla and their component classes are characterised and described, as are their lifestyles, ecology, relationships, and within-group diversity (with orders displayed in list form). Overall, the book's aim is to provide biologists and others with a clear, concise picture of the nature of all groups of organisms with which they may be unfamiliar.

The Diversity of Living Organisms

The Diversity of Living Organisms PDF Author: R. S. K. Barnes
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
ISBN: 1444313371
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 361

Get Book Here

Book Description
Such is the pressure on teaching time in schools and universities that students are taught less and less of the diversity that is life on this planet. Most students, and indeed most professional biologists that these students become, know far more of cell function than of biodiversity. This text is a profusely illustrated, quick-reference guide to all types of living organisms, from the single-celled prokaryotes and eurkaryotes to the multicellular fungi, plants and animals. All surviving phyla and their component classes are characterised and described, as are their lifestyles, ecology, relationships, and within-group diversity (with orders displayed in list form). Overall, the book's aim is to provide biologists and others with a clear, concise picture of the nature of all groups of organisms with which they may be unfamiliar.

Opportunities in Biology

Opportunities in Biology PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies
ISBN: 0309039274
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 471

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Book Description
Biology has entered an era in which interdisciplinary cooperation is at an all-time high, practical applications follow basic discoveries more quickly than ever before, and new technologiesâ€"recombinant DNA, scanning tunneling microscopes, and moreâ€"are revolutionizing the way science is conducted. The potential for scientific breakthroughs with significant implications for society has never been greater. Opportunities in Biology reports on the state of the new biology, taking a detailed look at the disciplines of biology; examining the advances made in medicine, agriculture, and other fields; and pointing out promising research opportunities. Authored by an expert panel representing a variety of viewpoints, this volume also offers recommendations on how to meet the infrastructure needsâ€"for funding, effective information systems, and other supportâ€"of future biology research. Exploring what has been accomplished and what is on the horizon, Opportunities in Biology is an indispensable resource for students, teachers, and researchers in all subdisciplines of biology as well as for research administrators and those in funding agencies.

Concepts of Biology

Concepts of Biology PDF Author: Samantha Fowler
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781739015503
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
Black & white print. Concepts of Biology is designed for the typical introductory biology course for nonmajors, covering standard scope and sequence requirements. The text includes interesting applications and conveys the major themes of biology, with content that is meaningful and easy to understand. The book is designed to demonstrate biology concepts and to promote scientific literacy.

Diversity of the Microbial World

Diversity of the Microbial World PDF Author: Angélica Cibrián-Jaramillo
Publisher: Frontiers Media SA
ISBN: 2889636658
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 86

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Book Description
Microbes, or microorganisms, are tiny living beings that cannot be seen by the naked eye. These little guys are one of the oldest living things on Earth, and are extremely diverse in how they live and what they can do. They, for example, can live in many places, from the freezing iciness of glaciers, to the insides of other organisms, like termites or humans. Since they are virtually everywhere, microorganisms are essential for the biological processes that allow plants and animals to breath, eat and thrive. But how were they able to endure, adapt and flourish constantly over millions of years? The secrets of their success are still within them, coded into their genomes, waiting for us to understand them. Now, genomes, bacterial or otherwise, are the repositories of life. These repositories store almost every bit of information that allows living beings to live in discrete units called genes. Genes are strung together like the sentences in a book, interacting with each other to create meaning, saving the story of that particular book—or that particular living organism’s genome—so it can be copied, modified, corrected or enhanced, and then passed on to new generations. After many, many years of studying these “books,” we have learned to read and understand them, thanks to the technological innovations of the last decade. Nowadays, it is possible to get the full genomic sequence of practically any organism, and compare it with thousands of genomes from other organisms, letting us peek at the secrets that make each organism who it is. With the current technical abilities, the challenge now is not to obtain the information but to interpret all those chunks of the story. Finding ways to untangle the riddles of genomic information is the work of Genomics, the science that allows us to obtain, analyze and prioritize information among the many stories that we sequence everyday. To do this, Genomics draws from many sciences, like mathematics and computing sciences, making it a truly interdisciplinary endeavor. Right now , genomics are one of the most important areas of biology, and many, if not most, of current biological studies use at least a little bit of genomics. For example, genomics can be used to identify a microbe and give it a name, to learn about what types of things it can do or places it can live, and to figure out the mechanisms that enable it to survive under particular conditions. Here, we will dwell on some of the basic questions about microbial adaptation, biodiversity, and their relationships with other living beings using a genomic approach. We will also focus on the environment, trying to understand how such tiny little creatures are capable of solving their daily problems, and how they can alter the places in which they live. Learning about these mechanisms will not only provide us with knowledge about life in general but will also help us to understand these organisms as a fundamental component of our ecosystem, including their harmful and beneficial effects in all aspects of our daily life, which can be translated into useful applications in almost any imaginable way.

Evolution's Wedge

Evolution's Wedge PDF Author: David Pfennig
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 0520954041
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 319

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Book Description
Evolutionary biology has long sought to explain how new traits and new species arise. Darwin maintained that competition is key to understanding this biodiversity and held that selection acting to minimize competition causes competitors to become increasingly different, thereby promoting new traits and new species. Despite Darwin’s emphasis, competition’s role in diversification remains controversial and largely underappreciated. In their synthetic and provocative book, evolutionary ecologists David and Karin Pfennig explore competition's role in generating and maintaining biodiversity. The authors discuss how selection can lessen resource competition or costly reproductive interactions by promoting trait evolution through a process known as character displacement. They further describe character displacement’s underlying genetic and developmental mechanisms. The authors then consider character displacement’s myriad downstream effects, ranging from shaping ecological communities to promoting new traits and new species and even fueling large-scale evolutionary trends. Drawing on numerous studies from natural populations, and written for a broad audience, Evolution’s Wedge seeks to inspire future research into character displacement’s many implications for ecology and evolution.

Principles of Biology

Principles of Biology PDF Author: Lisa Bartee
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781636350417
Category :
Languages : en
Pages :

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Book Description
The Principles of Biology sequence (BI 211, 212 and 213) introduces biology as a scientific discipline for students planning to major in biology and other science disciplines. Laboratories and classroom activities introduce techniques used to study biological processes and provide opportunities for students to develop their ability to conduct research.

Conserving Biodiversity

Conserving Biodiversity PDF Author: National Research Council
Publisher: National Academies Press
ISBN: 0309046831
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 138

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Book Description
The loss of the earth's biological diversity is widely recognized as a critical environmental problem. That loss is most severe in developing countries, where the conditions of human existence are most difficult. Conserving Biodiversity presents an agenda for research that can provide information to formulate policy and design conservation programs in the Third World. The book includes discussions of research needs in the biological sciences as well as economics and anthropology, areas of critical importance to conservation and sustainable development. Although specifically directed toward development agencies, non-governmental organizations, and decisionmakers in developing nations, this volume should be of interest to all who are involved in the conservation of biological diversity.

Conservation Biology in Sub-Saharan Africa

Conservation Biology in Sub-Saharan Africa PDF Author: Richard Primack
Publisher: Open Book Publishers
ISBN: 1783747536
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 712

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Book Description
Conservation Biology in Sub-Saharan Africa comprehensively explores the challenges and potential solutions to key conservation issues in Sub-Saharan Africa. Easy to read, this lucid and accessible textbook includes fifteen chapters that cover a full range of conservation topics, including threats to biodiversity, environmental laws, and protected areas management, as well as related topics such as sustainability, poverty, and human-wildlife conflict. This rich resource also includes a background discussion of what conservation biology is, a wide range of theoretical approaches to the subject, and concrete examples of conservation practice in specific African contexts. Strategies are outlined to protect biodiversity whilst promoting economic development in the region. Boxes covering specific themes written by scientists who live and work throughout the region are included in each chapter, together with recommended readings and suggested discussion topics. Each chapter also includes an extensive bibliography. Conservation Biology in Sub-Saharan Africa provides the most up-to-date study in the field. It is an essential resource, available on-line without charge, for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as a handy guide for professionals working to stop the rapid loss of biodiversity in Sub-Saharan Africa and elsewhere.

Lizards

Lizards PDF Author: Eric R. Pianka
Publisher: Univ of California Press
ISBN: 9780520234017
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 366

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Book Description
This book provides an overview of the diversity of lizards and their major adaptive features. The authors discuss the latest research findings and provide new hypotheses about lizard diversity.

Plant Functional Diversity

Plant Functional Diversity PDF Author: Eric Garnier
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0198757379
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 255

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Book Description
Biological diversity, the variety of living organisms on Earth, is traditionally viewed as the diversity of taxa, and species in particular. However, other facets of diversity also need to be considered for a comprehensive understanding of evolutionary and ecological processes. This novel book demonstrates the advantages of adopting a functional approach to diversity in order to improve our understanding of the functioning of ecological systems and theircomponents. The focus is on plants, which are major components of these systems, and for which the functional approach has led to major scientific advances over the last 20 years. PlantFunctional Diversity presents the rationale for a trait-based approach to functional diversity in the context of comparative plant ecology and agroecology. It demonstrates how this approach can be used to address a number of highly debated questions in plant ecology pertaining to plant responses to their environment, controls on plant community structure, ecosystem properties, and the services these deliver to human societies. This research level text will be of particular relevance and use tograduate students and professional researchers in plant ecology, agricultural sciences and conservation biology.