The habitat sampling and analysis paradigm has limited value in animal conservation: A prequel

In this essay, I make the case that our studies of wildlife and habitat are largely decoupled from any meaningful relationship to the distribution of the study species. The field that we broadly classify as wildlife–habitat relationships is characterized by an increasing number of studies that gather additional data on phenomena that are already well studied. I offer that unless we make changes to the fundamental aspect of study design, our studies will fail to advance conservation of species. The current habitat sampling and analysis paradigm involves identification of a convenient study area, drawing samples from the usual list of parameters, conducting a series of statistical analyses, comparing findings to other studies, and justifying publication by extrapolating findings to some unspecified larger area. Recommendations for management are usually vague and are seldom tested for efficacy. Most of our habitat studies have little relevance to the target species with regard to viability. Attempts to translate the “best scientific information” into a set of management guidelines for a species produce one size fits all documents. I describe how we usually compromise our studies well before data collection by failing to establish a cogent framework for sampling from an ecologically meaningful unit of a population, but rather sample based on funding priorities and convenience. Specifying the sampling universe for a species sets the stage for properly establishing the sampling frame. Although we always have a target population, that target is often the result of personal, political, or administrative interest, but has little to do with biological reality. I review various intraspecies levels that could be a focus for study, including subspecies and especially ecotypes. Although making assumptions about our study species and habitat parameters is a necessary step, carrying forward untested assumptions from previous studies and failing to test new ones substantially negates the application of research results to meaningful management actions. I include recommendations for enhancing studies of wildlife and habitat with the intent of altering the current norm of wildlife–habitat studies. © 2012 The Wildlife Society.     

美国生化学会会刊ASBMB today对转变《生命的化学》办刊思路的启示

本文针对中国生物化学与分子生物学会会刊——《生命的化学》面临的困境,并在分析美国生化学会(ASBMB)会刊ASBMB today的内容特点、栏目设置、经费来源等方面情况的基础上,提出了《生命的化学》的改革思路:读者定位——应继续坚持为广大会员服务的本色;内容定位——保留部分学术文章的同时,适当增加人文因素;市场定位——通过争取学会的支持及申请基金、吸引广告、创办网刊等途径解决随改版而来的办刊经费不足问题。     

Comment on Baylor: A Note About Dreams of Scientific Problem Solving

Creative problem-solving dreams virtually always occur only after the dreamer has done extensive work on the issue awake. Most typically, a person is stuck at one particular step of a multiple phase process and the dream solves that step. The dream of Dmitri Mendeleev about The Periodic Table of the Elements is no exception. All accounts of this event agree that he'd worked for years on the Table, produced other drafts, but that he attributed the version he was most satisfied with to a dream. It is less clear whether Kedrov is correct in his reconstruction that it was the reversal of columns vs. rows which the dream provided. Accounts of dreams from contemporary scientists and inventors are a richer source for the detail required to generalize about the role of dreams in problem solving.     

Not just in the past: Racist and sexist biases still permeate biology,anthropology, medicine,and education

In the past decades, it has been increasingly recognized that some areas of science, such as anthropology, have been plagued by racist, Western-centric, and/or sexist biases. Unfortunately, an acculturation process to racism and sexism has been occurring for generations leading to systemic inequities that will take a long time to disappear. Here, we highlight the existence of current examples of racism, Western-centrism and sexism within: (1) the most popular anatomical atlases used in biological, anthropological and medical education; (2) prominent natural history museums and World Heritage Sites; (3) biological and anthropological scientific research publications; and (4) popular culture and influential children's books and educational materials concerning human biology and evolution.     

以贵州梵净山国家级自然保护区为模式产地的维管植物物种模式标本研究

在对有关模式标本资料广泛查询的基础上，统计出以梵净山国家级自然保护区为模式产地的维管植物91种(含种下单位)，隶属于47科73属。除1种无采集人信息外，其余90种由31人或团队采集，这些标本保存于国内外21个研究机构。以该地为模式产地的物种中，19种以梵净山命名。原学名中有17个被归并，其中12个学名在种级水平发生了变化，5个学名在种下水平发生了变化。以该地为模式产地的物种中受威胁的共15种，包括极危(CR) 1种，濒危(EN) 6种，易危(VU) 8种。     

医学生科研创新能力培养“3+X”模式的探索与实践

针对长期以来培养医学生的科研创新能力主要依靠零散的课外科研活动、受众面窄、没有系统性课程教学及其相关制度保障、致使对医学生科研创新能力培养明显乏力低效这一共性瓶颈教学问题,自2002年起,汕头大学医学院生物化学与分子生物学教学团队,在“科教相辅相佐”、“以学生为中心”、“以问题为导向”等先进教育理念指导下,倚重汕头大学医学院“医者之心”系列课程与书院育人文化之特色,发挥汕头大学的生物学、基础医学和临床医学一级学科均拥有本/硕/博/博后完整人才培养体系之优势,联合其他相关专业教学团队,在建立充分体现医学生科研创新能力培养内涵,覆盖医学本科5年全过程的核心课程体系的基础之上,历经20载的不懈努力,补充修善,成功构建了“3+X”模式,着力培养医学生的科研创新能力。所谓“3”意指对医学生的“全人培养”、“全程培养”和“全方位培养”。所谓“X”意指针对“3+X”模式运行效能的若干个验证性维度,主要包括组织医学生参加各种形式的全国大学生创新实验研究大赛、国际大学生学术研讨会,由医学本科生作为第一作者撰写发表学术论文等。培养医学生科研创新能力的成效十分显著,为有效解决上述共性瓶颈教学问题提供了一个有重要借鉴价值的范例。     

Joseph Dalton Hooker's Ideals for a Professional Man of Science

During the 1840s and the 1850s botanist Joseph Hooker developeddistinct notions about the proper characteristics of aprofessional man of science. While he never articulated theseideas publicly as a coherent agenda, he did share his opinionsopenly in letters to family and colleagues; this privatecommunication gives essential insight into his and his X-Clubcolleagues' public activities. The core aspiration of Hooker'sprofessionalization was to consolidate men of science into adutiful and centralized community dedicated to nationalwell-being. The nation in turn owed the scientific community forits ministration. When the government bestowed funds and statuson men of science it was rewarding science – not purchasing it. His proposed reforms were piecemeal, immediate, and above allpractical. He harbored no taste for vast millenariantransformation, and rested his conception of scientificprofessionalism upon a respectable High Victorian foundation ofpatronage and pillars of duty, reciprocity, intimacy, andinequality. The process of professionalization he envisioned wasas much shrewd compromise between existing interests as avindication of principle. His power and prestige from themid-1850s onward gave him considerable ability to carry out hisreform program, although his general success did occasion someundesired consequences for the status of natural-historypursuits. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.