On the Origins and Dynamics of Biodiversity: the Role of Chance

On the Origins and Dynamics of Biodiversity: the Role of Chance PDF

Author: Alain Pavé

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2010-07-03

Total Pages: 187

ISBN-13: 1441962441

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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.

Biodiversity Dynamics

Biodiversity Dynamics PDF

Author: Michael L. McKinney

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 1998

Total Pages: 564

ISBN-13: 9780231104142

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How will patterns of human interaction with the earth's ecosystem impact biodiversity loss over the long term - not in the next ten or even fifty years, but on the vast temporal scale dealt with by earth scientists? The contributors to Biodiversity Dynamics bring together the cutting-edge findings of a number of different fields that have traditionally had little crossover: data from population biology, community ecology, comparative biology, and paleontology are all presented. Where paleontologists and ecologists have long had divergent perspectives, Biodiversity Dynamics seeks a middle ground, finding ways for both scientific communities to work together to comprehend the great biodiversity of the earth and how to preserve it for future generations.

Modeling of Living Systems

Modeling of Living Systems PDF

Author: Alain Pavé

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2012-12-27

Total Pages: 501

ISBN-13: 1118569695

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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.

Conserving Biodiversity

Conserving Biodiversity PDF

Author: National Research Council

Publisher: National Academies Press

Published: 1992-02-01

Total Pages: 138

ISBN-13: 0309046831

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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.

Spatial Ecology

Spatial Ecology PDF

Author: David Tilman

Publisher: Princeton University Press

Published: 2018-06-05

Total Pages: 368

ISBN-13: 069118836X

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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.

Origins of Biodiversity

Origins of Biodiversity PDF

Author: Lindell Bromham

Publisher:

Published: 2019-04-18

Total Pages: 451

ISBN-13: 0199608717

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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.

Coviability of Social and Ecological Systems: Reconnecting Mankind to the Biosphere in an Era of Global Change

Coviability of Social and Ecological Systems: Reconnecting Mankind to the Biosphere in an Era of Global Change PDF

Author: Olivier Barrière

Publisher: Springer

Published: 2019-03-12

Total Pages: 728

ISBN-13: 3319784978

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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.

Biodiversity Dynamics

Biodiversity Dynamics PDF

Author: Michael L. McKinney

Publisher: Columbia University Press

Published: 2001-04-12

Total Pages: 556

ISBN-13: 9780231505802

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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.

Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation

Biodiversity Dynamics and Conservation PDF

Author: C. Lévêque

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 1997-05-13

Total Pages: 474

ISBN-13: 9780521570336

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This is a comprehensive book on the biodiversity of one of the most diverse ecosystems known - tropical freshwater.