Download or read book On the Origins and Dynamics of Biodiversity written by Alain Pav and published by . This book was released on 2010-07-05 with total page 198 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book On the Origins and Dynamics of Biodiversity the Role of Chance written by Alain Pavé and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-07-03 with total page 187 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chance is necessary for living systems – from the cell to organisms, populations, communities and ecosystems. It is at the heart of their evolution and diversity. Long considered contingent on other factors, chance both produces random events in the environment, and is the product of endogenous mechanisms - molecular as well as cellular, demographic and ecological. This is how living things have been able to diversify themselves and survive on the planet. Chance is not something to which Life has been subjected; it is quite simply necessary for Life. The endogenous mechanisms that bring it about are at once the products and the engines of evolution, and they also produce biodiversity. These internal mechanisms – veritable “biological roulettes” - are analogous to the mechanical devices that bring about “physical chance”. They can be modeled by analogous mathematical equations. This open the way of a global modeling of biodiversity dynamics, but we need also to gather quantitative data in both the laboratory setting as well as in the field. By examining biodiversity at all scales and all levels, this book seeks to evaluate the breadth of our knowledge on this topical subject, to propose an integrated look at living things, to assess the role of chance in its dynamics, in the evolutionary processes and also to imagine practical consequences on the management of living systems.
Download or read book Modeling of Living Systems written by Alain Pavé and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2012-12-27 with total page 501 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Modeling is now one of the most efficient methodologies in life sciences. From practice to theory, this book develops this approach illustrated by many examples; general concepts and the current state of the art are also presented and discussed. An historical and general introduction informs the reader how mathematics and formal tools are used to solve biological problems at all levels of the organization of life. The core of this book explains how this is done, based on practical examples coming, for the most part, from the author’s personal experience. In most cases, data are included so that the reader can follow the reasoning process and even reproduce calculus. The final chapter is devoted to essential concepts and current developments. The main mathematical tools are presented in an appendix to the book and are written in an adapted language readable by scientists, professionals or students, with a basic knowledge of mathematics.
Download or read book The Logic of Chance written by Eugene V. Koonin and published by FT Press. This book was released on 2011-06-23 with total page 530 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Logic of Chance offers a reappraisal and a new synthesis of theories, concepts, and hypotheses on the key aspects of the evolution of life on earth in light of comparative genomics and systems biology. The author presents many specific examples from systems and comparative genomic analysis to begin to build a new, much more detailed, complex, and realistic picture of evolution. The book examines a broad range of topics in evolutionary biology including the inadequacy of natural selection and adaptation as the only or even the main mode of evolution; the key role of horizontal gene transfer in evolution and the consequent overhaul of the Tree of Life concept; the central, underappreciated evolutionary importance of viruses; the origin of eukaryotes as a result of endosymbiosis; the concomitant origin of cells and viruses on the primordial earth; universal dependences between genomic and molecular-phenomic variables; and the evolving landscape of constraints that shape the evolution of genomes and molecular phenomes. "Koonin's account of viral and pre-eukaryotic evolution is undoubtedly up-to-date. His "mega views" of evolution (given what was said above) and his cosmological musings, on the other hand, are interesting reading." Summing Up: Recommended Reprinted with permission from CHOICE, copyright by the American Library Association.
Download or read book Coviability of Social and Ecological Systems Reconnecting Mankind to the Biosphere in an Era of Global Change written by Olivier Barrière and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-03-12 with total page 728 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book considers the principle of ‘sustainable development’ which is currently facing a growing environmental crisis. A new mode of thinking and positioning the ecological imperative is the major input of this volume. The prism of co-viability is not the economics of political agencies that carry the ideology of the dominant/conventional economic schools, but rather an opening of innovation perspectives through science. This volume, through its four parts, more than 40 chapters and a hundred authors, gives birth to a paradigm which crystallizes within a concept that will support in overcoming the ecological emergency deadlock.
Download or read book Biodiversity Dynamics written by Michael L. McKinney and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2001-04-12 with total page 556 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How will patterns of human interaction with the earth's eco-system impact on biodiversity loss over the long term--not in the next ten or even fifty years, but on the vast temporal scale be dealt with by earth scientists? This volume brings together data from population biology, community ecology, comparative biology, and paleontology to answer this question.
Download or read book Origins of Biodiversity written by Lindell Bromham and published by . This book was released on 2019-04-18 with total page 451 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a unique introduction to the fields of macroevolution and macroecology, taking an enquiry-led approach to exploring the evolution and distribution of biodiversity across time, space and lineages.The only introduction to macroevolution and macroecology to adopt an innovative enquiry-led, case study-based framework to encourage active learning and critical thinking, this book:Extends the study of evolutionary biology and ecology beyond the topics covered in typical undergraduate textsExplores the nature of scientific investigation by emphasising hypothesis testing and highlighting the range of analytical tools available to contemporary researchersEncourages active student-driven learning by using open questions and current debates to promote critical thinking, identify interesting and important problems, and demonstrate how to frame testable research hypothesesCombines these three skills--an understanding of macroevolutionary and macroecological principles and patterns, a grasp of hypothesis testing, and the ability to identify important questions--to allow students to look at the world with new eyes, and develop an understanding of why the biological world is as it is.
Download or read book Conserving Biodiversity written by National Research Council and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 1992-02-01 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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.
Download or read book Spatial Ecology written by David Tilman and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2018-06-05 with total page 368 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Spatial Ecology addresses the fundamental effects of space on the dynamics of individual species and on the structure, dynamics, diversity, and stability of multispecies communities. Although the ecological world is unavoidably spatial, there have been few attempts to determine how explicit considerations of space may alter the predictions of ecological models, or what insights it may give into the causes of broad-scale ecological patterns. As this book demonstrates, the spatial structure of a habitat can fundamentally alter both the qualitative and quantitative dynamics and outcomes of ecological processes. Spatial Ecology highlights the importance of space to five topical areas: stability, patterns of diversity, invasions, coexistence, and pattern generation. It illustrates both the diversity of approaches used to study spatial ecology and the underlying similarities of these approaches. Over twenty contributors address issues ranging from the persistence of endangered species, to the maintenance of biodiversity, to the dynamics of hosts and their parasitoids, to disease dynamics, multispecies competition, population genetics, and fundamental processes relevant to all these cases. There have been many recent advances in our understanding of the influence of spatially explicit processes on individual species and on multispecies communities. This book synthesizes these advances, shows the limitations of traditional, non-spatial approaches, and offers a variety of new approaches to spatial ecology that should stimulate ecological research.
Download or read book Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation written by C. Lévêque and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1997-05-13 with total page 474 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a comprehensive book on the biodiversity of one of the most diverse ecosystems known - tropical freshwater.
Download or read book Biodiversity written by Christian Lévêque and published by John Wiley and Sons. This book was released on 2007-12-10 with total page 298 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The title provides an overview of the current knowledge about the diversity of the living world and the various problems associated with its conservation and sustainable use. Covering both the fundamentals of the subject, along with the latest research, Biodiversity presents key conservation issues within a framework of global case studies. Starting with a summary of the concept of biodiversity, the text then explores such subjects as species richness, ecological systems, the consequences of human activities, diversity and human health, genetic resources, biotechnology and conservation. Comprehensive introduction to key issues surrounding the study of biodiversity. Extensive bibliography and references to numerous relevant websites. Introduces current research in the field within a framework of useful case studies.
Download or read book Biodiversity Structure and Function Volume I written by Wilhelm Barthlott and published by EOLSS Publications. This book was released on 2009-08-19 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biodiversity: Structure and Function is a component of Encyclopedia of Environmental and Ecological Sciences, Engineering and Technology Resources in the global Encyclopedia of Life Support Systems (EOLSS), which is an integrated compendium of twenty one Encyclopedias. The Theme on Biodiversity: Structure and Function discusses matters of great relevance to our world such as: Characterization of Biodiversity; Biodiversity and Ecosystem Functioning; Spatial and Temporal Dimensions of Biodiversity Dynamics; Evolutionary and Genetic Aspects of Biodiversity; Biodiversity Monitoring, Assessment, Data Management, and Indicators; The Value of Biodiversity; Halting Biodiversity Loss: Fundamentals and Latest Trends of Conservation Science and Action; Application of Ecological Knowledge to Habitat Restoration. These two volumes are aimed at the following five major target audiences: University and College students Educators, Professional practitioners, Research personnel and Policy analysts, managers, and decision makers and NGOs.
Download or read book The Riddled Chain written by Jeffrey Kevin McKee and published by Rutgers University Press. This book was released on 2000 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Had any link in the evolutionary chain of events been slightly different, then our species would not be as it is today . . . or our ancestors may not have survived at all."--BOOK JACKET.
Download or read book Biodiversity Chance and Tradeoffs in the Assembly of Ecosystems written by David Tilman and published by . This book was released on 2008-09-01 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Role of Rivers in the Origins Evolution Adaptation and Distribution of Biodiversity written by Luciano N. Naka and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2022-10-13 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Reducing pandemics risks at source written by World Bank and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 2022-05-27 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Emerging infectious diseases (EIDs) are infections associated with new or significantly-expanded geographic scope or spread of zoonotic, vector-borne, and drug-resistant pathogens. The majority of EIDs have animal origins, and of those, the most recent EIDs are tied to wildlife. They are also increasing in frequency, with recurring outbreaks causing epidemics and pandemics exacting tremendous health and economic costs on individuals, nations, and the global economy. Strategies to reduce EID risks and better prevent future events from happening, need to comprehensively include wildlife - and the multiple interactions between wildlife, domestic animals, and humans - in a holistic way. ‘One Health’ addresses this, with the goal of achieving optimal health outcomes while recognizing the interconnections between people, animals, plants, and their shared environments. In this report, we explore the root causes of pathogen spillover and disease emergence from wildlife to humans in East and South Asia, we review existing strengths and gaps of One Health systems, and provide recommendations to improve their performance by better including wildlife considerations. We describe human practices that increase exposure to pathogens, and specific, tangible actions to reduce risks along the chain, prioritizing the wildlife trade, food systems, and the environment. The report argues that investing in prevention of wildlife-originated human EIDs at source is extremely cost-effective, and is thus to be viewed as a public good, with benefits within and across national boundaries. The cost of inaction, by contrast, is very high.
Download or read book Encyclopedia of Biodiversity written by and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2013-02-05 with total page 5485 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The 7-volume Encyclopedia of Biodiversity, Second Edition maintains the reputation of the highly regarded original, presenting the most current information available in this globally crucial area of research and study. It brings together the dimensions of biodiversity and examines both the services it provides and the measures to protect it. Major themes of the work include the evolution of biodiversity, systems for classifying and defining biodiversity, ecological patterns and theories of biodiversity, and an assessment of contemporary patterns and trends in biodiversity. The science of biodiversity has become the science of our future. It is an interdisciplinary field spanning areas of both physical and life sciences. Our awareness of the loss of biodiversity has brought a long overdue appreciation of the magnitude of this loss and a determination to develop the tools to protect our future. Second edition includes over 100 new articles and 226 updated articles covering this multidisciplinary field— from evolution to habits to economics, in 7 volumes The editors of this edition are all well respected, instantly recognizable academics operating at the top of their respective fields in biodiversity research; readers can be assured that they are reading material that has been meticulously checked and reviewed by experts Approximately 1,800 figures and 350 tables complement the text, and more than 3,000 glossary entries explain key terms
