Restoration Biology: A Population Biology Perspective

A major goal of population biologists involved in restoration work is to restore populations to a level that will allow them to persist over the long term within a dynamic landscape and include the ability to undergo adaptive evolutionary change. We discuss five research areas of particular importance to restoration biology that offer potentially unique opportunities to couple basic research with the practical needs of restorationists. The five research areas are: (1) the influence of numbers of individuals and genetic variation in the initial population on population colonization, establishment, growth, and evolutionary potential; (2) the role of local adaptation and life history traits in the success of restored populations; (3) the influence of the spatial arrangement of landscape elements on metapopulation dynamics and population processes such as migration; (4) the effects of genetic drift, gene flow, and selection on population persistence within an often accelerated, successional time frame; and (5) the influence of interspecific interactions on population dynamics and community development. We also provide a sample of practical problems faced by practitioners, each of which encompasses one or more of the research areas discussed, and that may be solved by addressing fundamental research questions.     

History of American Marine Biology and Marine Biology Institutions Introduction: Origins of American Marine Biology

SYNOPSIS.In the 1840s and 1850s professional naturalists dredgedshallow sea-water on the eastern coast of the United Statesto obtain marine specimens for teaching and research. In 1871Spencer F. Baird, first U.S. Commissioner of Fish and Fisheries,organized amarine biological laboratory at Woods Hole, Massachusetts,for basic biological research as well as for practical fisherybiology. In 1873 Louis Agassiz established his summer marinestation for teachers on Penikese Island, which stimulated others,especially some of his former students, to do likewise alongthe eastern coast in subsequent years, culminating in the renownedMarine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole (1888). On the Pacificcoast the pioneer marine laboratories were the Hopkins MarineLaboratory (1892) and the prestigious Scripps Institute of Oceanographyin California (1903), and the Puget Sound Biological Station,later known as the Friday Harbor Laboratories, in Washington(1903). Today, over 50 marine laboratories are in operationin the 21 contiguous coastal states for education and researchin marine biology     

Biology of babesia

Recent advances in the knowledge of the biology of the protozoan family Babesiidae is reviewed with special emphasis on those species which cause economically important diseases in cattle. The life cycle of Babesia of cattle is illustrated taking into account these recent advances. Areas of controversy in the life cycles still exist particularly over the presence or absence of a sexual cycle within the tick vector and of exoerythrocytic schizonts in the mammalian host. In the mammalian host, the major parasite division cycle occurs in erythrocytes and it is these stages which induce the pathogenic effects. The recent progress in the understanding of the biology of Babesia parasites may allow important developments in the control of babesiosis.     

Biology of FasL

FasL (CD95L) is a well-known and well-characterized death-inducing ligand. Spontaneous mutations in FasL and its cognate receptor Fas (CD95) have helped understand the role of these molecules in the disease. Once thought to be mainly involved in the homeostasis of immune system, the territory of FasL regulation has been expanded to angiogenesis and tumor progression. Here, we review what is currently known about the role of FasL in many areas of biology.     

Biology of Amaranths

Amaranthus, a cosmopolitan genus including endangered species, restricted endemics and widespread weeds, is often difficult to characterize taxonomically and thus has generally been considered by systematists as a “difficult” genus. Species in this genus have high genetic variability, with diversity in growth form, plant height, number of inflorescences, seed colour, protein content, seed yield, resistance to pests and diseases, and adaptation to soil type, pH, climate, rainfall and day-length. The combination of various anatomical characteristics of Amaranthus, such as Kranz anatomy, well developed root system, stomatal conductance, and maintenance of leaf area, results in increased efficiency of using CO₂ under a wide range of temperatures, and higher light intensity and moisture stress environments which enables this plant to adapt under diverse geographic and environmental conditions. Buried seeds of Amaranthus constitute an important part of the soil seed bank and position, distribution and dormancy type of these seeds in the soil play an important role in their germination and subsequent emergence, which is further influenced by factors like temperature, soil moisture, and light availability. The current review highlights the positive as well as negative role of the various species of genus Amaranthus. Many species of the genus are medicinally important and bear antiallergic, anticancer, antihypertensive and antioxidant properties, thus being used in the treatment of several aliments. Amaranthus being a rich source of fatty acids, proteins, micronutrients, vitamins and squalene, are used as cereals, dye plants, forages, medicinal plants, ornamentals, and as vegetables. However some of the Amaranthus species are noxious weeds which are known to compete with many economic crops in different parts of the world and cause great yield losses. Thus, further research is warranted to strike a balance between the beneficial and harmful species of this Pseudocereal. Moreover, understanding the weedy behaviour of these plants would provide valuable information for improving our mechanistic models of crop-weed competition and weed population dynamics.