Author: Alex Keene
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128023651
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 419
Book Description
Biology and Evolution of the Mexican Cavefish features contributions by leading researchers in a comprehensive, unique work that examines a number of distinct areas of biology—evolution, development, ecology, and behavior—using the Mexican cavefish as a powerful model system to further understanding of basic biological processes such as eye degeneration, hearing, craniofacial development, sleep, and metabolic function. These fish are currently being used to better understand a number of issues related to human health, including age-related blindness, sleep, obesity, mood-related disorders, and aging. The recent sequencing of the cavefish genome broadens the interest of this system to groups working with diverse biological systems, and has helped researchers identify genes that regulate sleep, eye degeneration, and metabolic function. Mexican cavefish are particularly powerful for the study of biological processes because these fish evolved independently in twenty-nine caves in the Sierra de el Abra Region of Northeast Mexico. These fish have dramatic adaptations to the cave environment, and this can be used to identify genes involved in disease-related traits. This scholarly text will be of interest to researchers and students throughout diverse areas of biology and ecology. It includes photographs of animals and behavior in laboratory and natural settings that will also increase interest and accessibility to non-experts. - Includes a mixture of images and illustrations such as the geographical distribution of cave pools and the developmental biology of the nervous system - Features a companion site with geographical maps - Fills a notable gap in the literature on a topic of broad interest to the scientific community - Presents the recent sequencing of the cavefish genome as a groundbreaking development for researchers working with diverse biological systems
Biology and Evolution of the Mexican Cavefish
Author: Alex Keene
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128023651
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 419
Book Description
Biology and Evolution of the Mexican Cavefish features contributions by leading researchers in a comprehensive, unique work that examines a number of distinct areas of biology—evolution, development, ecology, and behavior—using the Mexican cavefish as a powerful model system to further understanding of basic biological processes such as eye degeneration, hearing, craniofacial development, sleep, and metabolic function. These fish are currently being used to better understand a number of issues related to human health, including age-related blindness, sleep, obesity, mood-related disorders, and aging. The recent sequencing of the cavefish genome broadens the interest of this system to groups working with diverse biological systems, and has helped researchers identify genes that regulate sleep, eye degeneration, and metabolic function. Mexican cavefish are particularly powerful for the study of biological processes because these fish evolved independently in twenty-nine caves in the Sierra de el Abra Region of Northeast Mexico. These fish have dramatic adaptations to the cave environment, and this can be used to identify genes involved in disease-related traits. This scholarly text will be of interest to researchers and students throughout diverse areas of biology and ecology. It includes photographs of animals and behavior in laboratory and natural settings that will also increase interest and accessibility to non-experts. - Includes a mixture of images and illustrations such as the geographical distribution of cave pools and the developmental biology of the nervous system - Features a companion site with geographical maps - Fills a notable gap in the literature on a topic of broad interest to the scientific community - Presents the recent sequencing of the cavefish genome as a groundbreaking development for researchers working with diverse biological systems
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128023651
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 419
Book Description
Biology and Evolution of the Mexican Cavefish features contributions by leading researchers in a comprehensive, unique work that examines a number of distinct areas of biology—evolution, development, ecology, and behavior—using the Mexican cavefish as a powerful model system to further understanding of basic biological processes such as eye degeneration, hearing, craniofacial development, sleep, and metabolic function. These fish are currently being used to better understand a number of issues related to human health, including age-related blindness, sleep, obesity, mood-related disorders, and aging. The recent sequencing of the cavefish genome broadens the interest of this system to groups working with diverse biological systems, and has helped researchers identify genes that regulate sleep, eye degeneration, and metabolic function. Mexican cavefish are particularly powerful for the study of biological processes because these fish evolved independently in twenty-nine caves in the Sierra de el Abra Region of Northeast Mexico. These fish have dramatic adaptations to the cave environment, and this can be used to identify genes involved in disease-related traits. This scholarly text will be of interest to researchers and students throughout diverse areas of biology and ecology. It includes photographs of animals and behavior in laboratory and natural settings that will also increase interest and accessibility to non-experts. - Includes a mixture of images and illustrations such as the geographical distribution of cave pools and the developmental biology of the nervous system - Features a companion site with geographical maps - Fills a notable gap in the literature on a topic of broad interest to the scientific community - Presents the recent sequencing of the cavefish genome as a groundbreaking development for researchers working with diverse biological systems
Biology of Subterranean Fishes
Author: Eleonora Trajano
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1439840482
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 496
Book Description
In most habitats, adaptations are the single most obvious aspects of an organism's phenotype. However, the most obvious feature of many subterranean animals are losses, not adaptations. Even Darwin saw subterranean animals as degenerates: examples of eyelessness and loss of structure in general. For him, the explanation was a straightforward Lamarc
Publisher: CRC Press
ISBN: 1439840482
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 496
Book Description
In most habitats, adaptations are the single most obvious aspects of an organism's phenotype. However, the most obvious feature of many subterranean animals are losses, not adaptations. Even Darwin saw subterranean animals as degenerates: examples of eyelessness and loss of structure in general. For him, the explanation was a straightforward Lamarc
Evolution in the Dark
Author: Horst Wilkens
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3662545128
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 223
Book Description
This book provides fascinating insights into the development and genetics of evolutionary processes on the basis of animals living in the dark, such as the Astyanax cave fish. Biologically functionless traits show high variability, which results from neutral deleterious mutations no longer being eliminated by natural selection, which normally acts to preserve functional capability. These negative mutations accumulate until the traits they are responsible for become rudimentary or even lost. The random genetic basis of regressive evolution is in accordance with Nei’s Neutral Theory of Molecular Evolution, which applies to the molecular level. Such processes are particularly conspicuous in species living in constant darkness, where, for example in Astyanax, all traits depending on the exposure to light, like eyes, pigmentation, visually triggered aggressive behaviour, negative phototaxis, and several peripheral outcomes of circadian rhythmicity, are useless and diminish. In compensation constructive traits like taste, olfaction or the lateral line senses are improved by selection and do not show variability. Regressive and constructive traits inherit independently, proving that the rudimentation process is not driven by pleiotropic linkage between them. All these traits are subject to mosaic evolution and exhibit unproportional epistatic gene effects, which play an important role in evolutionary adaptation and improvement. Offering valuable evolutionary insights and supplemented by a wealth of illustrations, this book will appeal to evolutionary and developmental biologists alike.
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3662545128
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 223
Book Description
This book provides fascinating insights into the development and genetics of evolutionary processes on the basis of animals living in the dark, such as the Astyanax cave fish. Biologically functionless traits show high variability, which results from neutral deleterious mutations no longer being eliminated by natural selection, which normally acts to preserve functional capability. These negative mutations accumulate until the traits they are responsible for become rudimentary or even lost. The random genetic basis of regressive evolution is in accordance with Nei’s Neutral Theory of Molecular Evolution, which applies to the molecular level. Such processes are particularly conspicuous in species living in constant darkness, where, for example in Astyanax, all traits depending on the exposure to light, like eyes, pigmentation, visually triggered aggressive behaviour, negative phototaxis, and several peripheral outcomes of circadian rhythmicity, are useless and diminish. In compensation constructive traits like taste, olfaction or the lateral line senses are improved by selection and do not show variability. Regressive and constructive traits inherit independently, proving that the rudimentation process is not driven by pleiotropic linkage between them. All these traits are subject to mosaic evolution and exhibit unproportional epistatic gene effects, which play an important role in evolutionary adaptation and improvement. Offering valuable evolutionary insights and supplemented by a wealth of illustrations, this book will appeal to evolutionary and developmental biologists alike.
Origin and Evolution of Biodiversity
Author: Pierre Pontarotti
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319959549
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 358
Book Description
The book includes 19 selected contributions presented at the 21st Evolutionary Biology Meeting, which took place in Marseille in September 2017. The chapters are grouped into the following five categories: · Genome/Phenotype Evolution · Self/Nonself Evolution · Origin of Biodiversity · Origin of Life · Concepts The annual Evolutionary Biology Meetings in Marseille serve to gather leading evolutionary biologists and other scientists using evolutionary biology concepts, e.g. for medical research. The aim of these meetings is to promote the exchange of ideas to encourage interdisciplinary collaborations. Offering an up-to-date overview of recent findings in the field of evolutionary biology, this book is in invaluable source of information for scientists, teachers and advanced students.
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319959549
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 358
Book Description
The book includes 19 selected contributions presented at the 21st Evolutionary Biology Meeting, which took place in Marseille in September 2017. The chapters are grouped into the following five categories: · Genome/Phenotype Evolution · Self/Nonself Evolution · Origin of Biodiversity · Origin of Life · Concepts The annual Evolutionary Biology Meetings in Marseille serve to gather leading evolutionary biologists and other scientists using evolutionary biology concepts, e.g. for medical research. The aim of these meetings is to promote the exchange of ideas to encourage interdisciplinary collaborations. Offering an up-to-date overview of recent findings in the field of evolutionary biology, this book is in invaluable source of information for scientists, teachers and advanced students.
Cave Biology
Author: Aldemaro Romero Díaz
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521828465
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 318
Book Description
A critical examination of current knowledge and ideas on cave biology, with emphasis on evolution, ecology, and conservation.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 0521828465
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 318
Book Description
A critical examination of current knowledge and ideas on cave biology, with emphasis on evolution, ecology, and conservation.
In Search of the Causes of Evolution
Author: Peter R. Grant
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691146950
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 410
Book Description
Evolutionary biology has witnessed breathtaking advances in recent years. Some of its most exciting insights have come from the crossover of disciplines as varied as paleontology, molecular biology, ecology, and genetics. This book brings together many of today's pioneers in evolutionary biology to describe the latest advances and explain why a cross-disciplinary and integrated approach to research questions is so essential. Contributors discuss the origins of biological diversity, mechanisms of evolutionary change at the molecular and developmental levels, morphology and behavior, and the ecology of adaptive radiations and speciation. They highlight the mutual dependence of organisms and their environments, and reveal the different strategies today's researchers are using in the field and laboratory to explore this interdependence. Peter and Rosemary Grant--renowned for their influential work on Darwin's finches in the Galápagos--provide concise introductions to each section and identify the key questions future research needs to address. In addition to the editors, the contributors are Myra Awodey, Christopher N. Balakrishnan, Rowan D. H. Barrett, May R. Berenbaum, Paul M. Brakefield, Philip J. Currie, Scott V. Edwards, Douglas J. Emlen, Joshua B. Gross, Hopi E. Hoekstra, Richard Hudson, David Jablonski, David T. Johnston, Mathieu Joron, David Kingsley, Andrew H. Knoll, Mimi A. R. Koehl, June Y. Lee, Jonathan B. Losos, Isabel Santos Magalhaes, Albert B. Phillimore, Trevor Price, Dolph Schluter, Ole Seehausen, Clifford J. Tabin, John N. Thompson, and David B. Wake.
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691146950
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 410
Book Description
Evolutionary biology has witnessed breathtaking advances in recent years. Some of its most exciting insights have come from the crossover of disciplines as varied as paleontology, molecular biology, ecology, and genetics. This book brings together many of today's pioneers in evolutionary biology to describe the latest advances and explain why a cross-disciplinary and integrated approach to research questions is so essential. Contributors discuss the origins of biological diversity, mechanisms of evolutionary change at the molecular and developmental levels, morphology and behavior, and the ecology of adaptive radiations and speciation. They highlight the mutual dependence of organisms and their environments, and reveal the different strategies today's researchers are using in the field and laboratory to explore this interdependence. Peter and Rosemary Grant--renowned for their influential work on Darwin's finches in the Galápagos--provide concise introductions to each section and identify the key questions future research needs to address. In addition to the editors, the contributors are Myra Awodey, Christopher N. Balakrishnan, Rowan D. H. Barrett, May R. Berenbaum, Paul M. Brakefield, Philip J. Currie, Scott V. Edwards, Douglas J. Emlen, Joshua B. Gross, Hopi E. Hoekstra, Richard Hudson, David Jablonski, David T. Johnston, Mathieu Joron, David Kingsley, Andrew H. Knoll, Mimi A. R. Koehl, June Y. Lee, Jonathan B. Losos, Isabel Santos Magalhaes, Albert B. Phillimore, Trevor Price, Dolph Schluter, Ole Seehausen, Clifford J. Tabin, John N. Thompson, and David B. Wake.
Laboratory Fish in Biomedical Research
Author: Livia D'Angelo
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128212454
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 476
Book Description
Fish, and particularly zebrafish, have become the fastest-growing segment of the research population. They offer several advantages, in terms of biology and technologies to apply, and thus are employed in numerous research fields. Laboratory Fish in Biomedical Research: Biology, Husbandry and Research Applications for Zebrafish, Medaka, Killifish, Swordtail Fish, Cavefish, Stickleback, Goldfish and Danionella Translucida addresses the relevant and increasing need to collect cutting-edge knowledge on husbandry, maintenance, welfare and experimental protocols of the most common freshwater species under standard laboratory conditions. - Provides husbandry and management protocols, devices and water systems - Shows strength and weakness of breeding - Explores potential scientific applications and experimental protocols. with regards to the most used freshwater fish used for scientific purposes
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128212454
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 476
Book Description
Fish, and particularly zebrafish, have become the fastest-growing segment of the research population. They offer several advantages, in terms of biology and technologies to apply, and thus are employed in numerous research fields. Laboratory Fish in Biomedical Research: Biology, Husbandry and Research Applications for Zebrafish, Medaka, Killifish, Swordtail Fish, Cavefish, Stickleback, Goldfish and Danionella Translucida addresses the relevant and increasing need to collect cutting-edge knowledge on husbandry, maintenance, welfare and experimental protocols of the most common freshwater species under standard laboratory conditions. - Provides husbandry and management protocols, devices and water systems - Shows strength and weakness of breeding - Explores potential scientific applications and experimental protocols. with regards to the most used freshwater fish used for scientific purposes
The Mechanosensory Lateral Line
Author: Sheryl Coombs
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 146123560X
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 712
Book Description
This volume represents the published proceedings of an international conference on the Neurobiology and Evolution of the Mechanosensory Lateral Line System held August 31 to September 4, 1987, at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research at the University of Bielefeld, West Germany. The goal of this confer ence was to bring together researchers from all over the world to share informa tion about a major aquatic sensory system, the evolution and function of which have largely remained an enigma since the 18th century. The "lateral line" or "lateralis" system has been used as an umbrella term to describe what originally (without the aid of modern anatomical techniques) looked like a series of pits, grooves, and lines on the head and trunk of fishes and some amphibians. For at least the past 30 years, however, it has been recognized that the lateralis system comprises not one, but at least two functional classes of receptors: mechanoreceptors and electroreceptors. The relative ease with which the appropriate stimulus could be defined and measured for the electroreceptive class has resulted in an explosion of information on this submodality during the past 20 years. As a result, there is little ambiguity about the overall function of the electrosensory system, now generally regarded as an independent system in its own right. A similarly clear definition for the function of the mechanosensory lateralis system has not been as forthcoming.
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 146123560X
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 712
Book Description
This volume represents the published proceedings of an international conference on the Neurobiology and Evolution of the Mechanosensory Lateral Line System held August 31 to September 4, 1987, at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research at the University of Bielefeld, West Germany. The goal of this confer ence was to bring together researchers from all over the world to share informa tion about a major aquatic sensory system, the evolution and function of which have largely remained an enigma since the 18th century. The "lateral line" or "lateralis" system has been used as an umbrella term to describe what originally (without the aid of modern anatomical techniques) looked like a series of pits, grooves, and lines on the head and trunk of fishes and some amphibians. For at least the past 30 years, however, it has been recognized that the lateralis system comprises not one, but at least two functional classes of receptors: mechanoreceptors and electroreceptors. The relative ease with which the appropriate stimulus could be defined and measured for the electroreceptive class has resulted in an explosion of information on this submodality during the past 20 years. As a result, there is little ambiguity about the overall function of the electrosensory system, now generally regarded as an independent system in its own right. A similarly clear definition for the function of the mechanosensory lateralis system has not been as forthcoming.
The Ancestor's Tale
Author: Richard Dawkins
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9780618619160
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 696
Book Description
A renowned biologist provides a sweeping chronicle of more than four billion years of life on Earth, shedding new light on evolutionary theory and history, sexual selection, speciation, extinction, and genetics.
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
ISBN: 9780618619160
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 696
Book Description
A renowned biologist provides a sweeping chronicle of more than four billion years of life on Earth, shedding new light on evolutionary theory and history, sexual selection, speciation, extinction, and genetics.
The Biology of Caves and Other Subterranean Habitats
Author: David C. Culver
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192552767
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 330
Book Description
The second edition of this widely cited textbook continues to provide a concise but comprehensive introduction to cave and subterranean biology, describing this fascinating habitat and its biodiversity. It covers a range of biological processes including ecosystem function, evolution and adaptation, community ecology, biogeography, and conservation. The authors draw on a global range of examples and case studies from both caves and non-cave subterranean habitats. One of the barriers to the study of subterranean biology has been the extraordinarily large number of specialized terms used by researchers; the authors explain these terms clearly and minimize the number that they use. This new edition retains the same 10 chapter structure of the original, but the content has been thoroughly revised and updated throughout to reflect the huge increase in publications concerning subterranean biology over the last decade.
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0192552767
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 330
Book Description
The second edition of this widely cited textbook continues to provide a concise but comprehensive introduction to cave and subterranean biology, describing this fascinating habitat and its biodiversity. It covers a range of biological processes including ecosystem function, evolution and adaptation, community ecology, biogeography, and conservation. The authors draw on a global range of examples and case studies from both caves and non-cave subterranean habitats. One of the barriers to the study of subterranean biology has been the extraordinarily large number of specialized terms used by researchers; the authors explain these terms clearly and minimize the number that they use. This new edition retains the same 10 chapter structure of the original, but the content has been thoroughly revised and updated throughout to reflect the huge increase in publications concerning subterranean biology over the last decade.