DOCSLIB.ORG

BIOLOGY INTERNATIONAL the News Magazine of the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS) CONTENTS (No 34,1997)

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
BIOLOGY INTERNATIONAL the News Magazine of the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS) CONTENTS (No 34,1997) BIOLOGY INTERNATIONAL The News Magazine of the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS) CONTENTS (No 34,1997) EDITORIAL IUBS Back to the Family Looking at the Future FEATURE ARTICLES Recommendations for Biodiversity, Monitoring and Indlcators: Methods from a Perspective of Tropical Ecosystems By B. Dias (Report of a Workshop convened by the Brazilian Government) Biotechnology Innovations in Industrial Econorny By A. K. Sharma NEWS HlGHLlGHTS IMBC '97, Marine Biotechnology and the Stazione Zoologica 'Anton Dohrn' Aquatic Microbial Ecology DlVERSïïAS Executive Committee Meeting (up-date) (ICAL '97) Ancient Lakes: Their Biologlcal and Cultural Dlversitles The 8th Congress of World Federation of Culture Collections (WFCC-8) ICSU 25th General Assembly "Staternent of Principles for Use of Animals in Research and Educatlon" Technology Transfer in Blologlcal Control: From Research to Practice TSBF 8th Annual Board Meeting 1996 Junk DNA: The Role and the Evolution of NonlCoding Sequence PUBLICATIONS REVIEW CALENDAR OF MEETINGS INTERNATIONAL The News Magazine of the International Union of Biological Sciences Editor Talal YOUNES, IUBS Secretariat, 51 Boulevard de Montmorency, 75016 Paris, France. Editorial Board Francesca dl CASTRI, CNRSICEFE, Route de Mende, B.P. 5051, 34033 Montpellier Cedex, France Paolo FASELLA, Directorate for Science, Research and Development (DG XII), Commission of European Comrnunity, 200 rue de la Loi, 1049 Brussels, Belgium. W. David L. RIDE, Geology Department, Australian National University, G.P.O. Box 4, Canberra ACT, Australia. Derek F. ROBERTS, Department of Human Genetics, the University, 19 Claremount Place, Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4AA, U.K. Janos SALANKI, Balaton Limnological Research Institute, Hungarian Acaderny of Sciences, 8237 Tihany, Hungary. Vladimir E. SOKOLOV, Director, lnstitute for Problems of Ecology and Evolution, 33 Leninsky Prospekt, Moscow, Russia Otto T. SOLBRIG, Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University Herbaria, 22 Divinity Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138, U.S.A. Two regular and two special issues of Biology International will be published in 1997. Free copies are offered to Ordinary and Scientific Members of the Union. The annual subscription rate for individuals is 40 US Dollars. Signed articles express the opinion of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Editor of Biology International. Prospective authors should send an outline of the proposed article to the Editor, with a letter explaining why the subject rnight be of interest to readers. (C) 1997 International Union of BiologicaE Sciences ISSN 02532869 Biology International No34 (January 1997) Editorial IUBS Back to the Family Looking at the Future Recently, the IUBS family has been busy discussing a draft of a Mission Statement and a Questionnaire designed dong the lines approved by the Executive Committee Meeting held in Budapest in August 1996. The draft statement and questionnaire was prepared with the aim of facilitating the IUBS Review and Assessment recommended by the General Assembly, 1994 in Paris. These documents addressed the IUBS role in the development of collaborative research agendas and programmes, supporting capacity building and providing interdisciplinary biological services. Also, in order to achieve these tasks, a number of working principles have been put forward related to setting priorities, using the appropriate media, and proceeding through progressive development and partnership. The series of questions were designed to help identify and evaluate the needs and pnorities of the IUBS family, while simultaneously assist in the development of the IUBS strategies. More than any other union, the IUBS is most concerned with the diversity of life forms, systems and processes, and this is reflected in the great diversity of its structure, membership, programmes and activities. One of the challenges facing IUBS will continue to be the identification of a common denorninator of this great diversity of its members and partners. The most diverse part of the IUBS family concerns its international scientific membership. Eighty scientific members reflect the great taxonomie diversity of plants, animals and microorganisms, and the different levels of biological organisation from genes to cells up to species and to ecosystems, as well as the various interfaces between biology and development, such as education, agriculture, and health. Affiliated organisations also present other types of diversity related to their aims and size. With such names as Committees, Commissions, Associations, Societies, Unions, and Federations, the IUBS Members can be very large, bringing together a few thousands of participants at their periodic congresses every three to six years. They, also, can be very small with a few dozens of members, their main function king to organize ad hoc symposia, andor to publish scientific journals in their respective sub-disciplines. On the other hand, IUBS Ordinary Members are also diverse despite their common national feature. Two main categories of Ordinary Members are part of the IUBS: (a) those members having direct responsibility in mnning scientific research programmes in their countries and consists of Academies of Sciences or National Research Centres; and (b) science academies and scientific societies and councils of a honorary nature, which have the main task to provide scientific advice and counsel to their govemments. Biology International No34 (January 1997) More often, the IUBS is faced with the challenges of bringing together its diverse family, to addressing frontier scientific issues and building bridges between science and development. The IUBS success stories, dating back to the International Biologicai Programme (IBP) in 1964-1976, which was initiated by IUBS and implemented by ICSU thanks to the leadership of C. Waddington, G. Montalenti and 0. Frankel. More recently the IUBS programmes 'Decade of the Tropics' (1983-93) and 'DIVERSITAS' (1991- ) to mention but a few, have been achieved thanks to the contribution of a large number of the IUBS "farnily" members. Despite the great diversity of this "family", there is always "un air de famille" i.e. a certain resemblance, harmony and homogeneity among the family members, which reflects the reality of the individual scientists the IUBS was fortunate to attract. For example, the very ambitious and successful IBP could have never been developed without the dedication of the Waddingtons, Montalentis and Frankels of the family; the 'Decade of the Tropics' and 'DIVERSITAS' owe a lot to Otto Solbrig and Francesco di Castri. In this issue of Biology International, the recommendations related to the "Monitoring, Inventorying and Indicators of Biodiversity" submitted by the Brazilian Government to the Conference of the Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), provide an excellent example of how the countries can use the DIVERSITAS conceptuai framework to develop their own Biodiversity programmes, and design their contributions to the Convention on Biologicai Diversity. We should keep in mind that behind each IUBS programme and acronym, there are always the names and faces of individual scientists. It is thanks to their excellence, dedication and generosity that a wide range of IUBS scientific endeavours can be brought to fruition in such different domains as biodiversity, bio-complexity bio- indicators, biosystematics, bionomenclature, biological education, reproductive biology, and medicinal and aromatic plants. When one refers to the IUBS family, it is more about a family of scientists with their own human qualities devoted to promoting an idea and an ideal, than of a collection of labels, acronyms and names of organisations belonging to the IUBS. The success of the 26th IUBS General Assembly, next November in Taipei, will be judged not only by the quality of its organisation and the nature and extent of its scientific programmes or the recommendations it will make for the future, but more importantly it will be judged by the quality of the individual scientists that will join the Union ! Taial Younès Executive Director, IUBS Biobgy International No34 (January 1997) Assessment, Monitoring and lndicators Methods from a Perspective of Tropical Ecosystems lnt roduct ion The Brazilian Govemment convened a Workshop on "Biodiversity Conservation in Tropical Ecosystems: Conceptual Issues and Review of Methodologies for Assessment and Monitoring", held on 24-27 July, 1996 on the campus of the Federal University in Rio de Janeiro. Organized within the framework of follow-up activities to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the workshop was sponsored by the Brazilian Ministry of Environment, Water Resources and the Amazon Region-MMA, Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development-CNPq, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro-UFRJ, and the International Union of Biological Sciences-WB S. The conceptual framework that supports the enforcement of biodiversity conservation policies plays an important role in directing actions in each country. However, the deficient communication between the scientific community and policy makers, and the interna1 scientific disputes between social and biological groups results, normally, in fragmented positions that do not contribute to the integration of environment and development in national planning. To minimize such a constraint, a promotion of cross- sectoral action is envisaged that will contemplate the status evaluation
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Complexity, Information and Biological Organisation
    Interdisciplinary Description of Complex Systems 3(2), 59-71, 2005 COMPLEXITY, INFORMATION AND BIOLOGICAL ORGANISATION Attila Grandpierre Konkoly Observatory of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences Budapest, Hungary Conference paper Received: 15 September, 2005. Accepted: 15 October, 2005. SUMMARY Regarding the widespread confusion about the concept and nature of complexity, information and biological organization, we look for some coordinated conceptual considerations corresponding to quantitative measures suitable to grasp the main characteristics of biological complexity. Quantitative measures of algorithmic complexity of supercomputers like Blue Gene/L are compared with the complexity of the brain. We show that both the computer and the brain have a more fundamental, dynamic complexity measure corresponding to the number of operations per second. Recent insights suggest that the origin of complexity may go back to simplicity at a deeper level, corresponding to algorithmic complexity. We point out that for physical systems Ashby’s Law, Kahre’s Law and causal closure of the physical exclude the generation of information, and since genetic information corresponds to instructions, we are faced with a controversy telling that the algorithmic complexity of physics is 3 much lower than the instructions’ complexity of the human DNA: Ialgorithmic(physics) ~ 10 bit << 9 Iinstructions(DNA) ~ 10 bit. Analyzing the genetic complexity we obtain that actually the genetic information corresponds to a deeper than algorithmic level of complexity, putting an even greater emphasis to the information paradox. We show that the resolution of the fundamental information paradox may lie either in the chemical evolution of inheritance in abiogenesis, or in the existence of an autonomous biological principle allowing the production of information beyond physics.
    [Show full text]
  • Computing Genomic Science: Bioinformatics and Standardisation in Proteomics
    Computing Genomic Science: Bioinformatics and Standardisation in Proteomics by Jamie Lewis Cardiff University This thesis is submitted to the University of Wales in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR IN PHILOSOPHY UMI Number: U585242 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. Dissertation Publishing UMI U585242 Published by ProQuest LLC 2013. Copyright in the Dissertation held by the Author. Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. ProQuest LLC 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106-1346 Declaration This work has not previously been accepted in substance for any degree and is not concurrently submitted in candidature for any degree. Signed:.. (candidate) Date:....................................................... STATEMENT 1 This thesis is being submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of PhD. Signed ...................... (candidate) Date:....... ................................................ STATEMENT 2 This thesis is the result of my own independent work/investigation, except where otherwise stated. Other sources are acknowledged by explicit references. A bibliography is appended. Signed.. A . Q w y l (candidate) Date:....... ................................................ STATEMENT 3 I hereby give my consent for my thesis, if accepted, to be available for photocopying and for the inter-library loan, and for the title and summary to be made available to outside organisations.
    [Show full text]
  • Collection of Working Definitions 2012
    APPENDIX I COLLECTION OF WORKING DEFINITIONS 2012 1 CONTENTS 1. Introduction 2. Aims 3. Glossary 4. Identification of Missing Definitions 5. Conclusion 6. References 2 1. INTRODUCTION Over the past half decade, a variety of approaches have been proposed to incorporate mechanistic information into toxicity predictions. These initiatives have resulted in an assortment of terms coming into common use. Moreover, the increased usage of 21st Century toxicity testing, with a focus on advanced biological methods, has brought forward further terms. The resulting diverse set of terms and definitions has led to confusion among scientists and organisations. As a result, one of the conclusions and recommendations from the OECD Workshop on Using Mechanistic Information in Forming Chemical Categories was the development of a standardised set of terminology [1]. It was recognised that such a glossary would assist in the understanding of the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) concept as well as its recording, completion of the template and ultimate acceptance. Moreover, the use of a common ontology will also help to apply AOP concepts in developing (Q)SARs and chemical categories to advance the use of predictive techniques in assessments. 2. AIMS The purpose of this document is to collect definitions relevant to the AOP and general toxicity pathway concepts. To do this, the literature has been searched to find multiple definitions of terms relevant to AOPs. The ultimate goal would be to provide a harmonised set of definitions. It is appreciated, however, that such definitions may not be agreed in a formal sense, but would provide an illustration of the various terms.
    [Show full text]
  • Organisational Closure in Biological Organisms Matteo Mossio, Alvaro Moreno
    Organisational closure in biological organisms Matteo Mossio, Alvaro Moreno To cite this version: Matteo Mossio, Alvaro Moreno. Organisational closure in biological organisms. History and philoso- phy of Life Sciences, 2010, 32 (2-3), pp.269-288. halshs-00792436 HAL Id: halshs-00792436 https://halshs.archives-ouvertes.fr/halshs-00792436 Submitted on 19 Sep 2018 HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est archive for the deposit and dissemination of sci- destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents entific research documents, whether they are pub- scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, lished or not. The documents may come from émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de teaching and research institutions in France or recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires abroad, or from public or private research centers. publics ou privés. Organisational closure in biological organisms Matteo Mossio & Alvaro Moreno Department of Logic and Philosophy of Science University of the Basque Country Avenida de Tolosa 70, 20080, San Sebastian, Spain Tel: +34-943018249 /Fax: +34-943015470 E.mail: [email protected] The central aim of this paper consists in arguing that biological organisms realize a specific kind of causal regime that we call “organisational closure”, i.e. a distinct level of causation, operating in addition to physical laws, generated by the action of material structures acting as constraints. We argue that organisational closure constitutes a fundamental property of biological systems since even its minimal instances are likely to possess at least some of the typical features of biological organisation, as exhibited by more complex organisms.
    [Show full text]
  • Redalyc.REFLECTIONS on the ORIGIN of LIFE MORE THAN AN
    Mètode Science Studies Journal ISSN: 2174-3487 [email protected] Universitat de València España Ruiz-Mirazo, Kepa; Moreno, Álvaro REFLECTIONS ON THE ORIGIN OF LIFE MORE THAN AN ‘EVOLUTIONARY’ PROBLEM Mètode Science Studies Journal, núm. 6, 2016, pp. 151-159 Universitat de València Valencia, España Available in: http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=511754471022 How to cite Complete issue Scientific Information System More information about this article Network of Scientific Journals from Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal Journal's homepage in redalyc.org Non-profit academic project, developed under the open access initiative MONOGRAPH MÈTODE Science Studies Journal, 6 (2016): 151–159. University of Valencia. DOI: 10.7203/metode.6.4997 ISSN: 2174-3487. Article received: 19/03/2015, accepted: 30/06/2015. REFLECTIONS ON THE ORIGIN OF LIFE MORE THAN AN ‘EVOLUTIONARY’ PROBLEM KEPA RUIZ-MIRAZO AND ÁLVARO MORENO This paper argues that the question of the origin of life cannot be explained by appealing exclusively to Darwinian evolutionary mechanisms, as many experts tend to assume, but requires a profound change in perspective. Accordingly, we highlight the fact that, in order to operate as a diversification force (and indirectly, a force for a potential increase in complexity), natural selection requires a number of conditions to be met in order for it to be possible: specifically, self-sustained and self-(re-)productive chemical organisation within a sufficiently large phenotypic space (that is, a wide range of functions). Therefore, we suggest an extension of the «self-organising» paradigm towards a «self-(re-)productive» one as an alternative to the main proposals regarding the origin of life, based on molecular populations (typically RNA) subject to Darwinian evolution.
    [Show full text]
  • Incremental Identification of Qualitative Models of Biological
    Journal of Machine Learning Research 9 (2008) 1475-1533 Submitted 5/06; Revised 10/07; Published 7/08 Incremental Identification of Qualitative Models of Biological Systems using Inductive Logic Programming Ashwin Srinivasan∗ [email protected] IBM India Research Laboratory 4-C, Institutional Area, Vasant Kunj Phase II New Delhi 110 070, India Ross D. King [email protected] Department of Computer Science University of Wales, Aberystwyth Ceredigion, Wales, UK Editor: Stefan Wrobel Abstract The use of computational models is increasingly expected to play an important role in predict- ing the behaviour of biological systems. Models are being sought at different scales of biological organisation namely: sub-cellular, cellular, tissue, organ, organism and ecosystem; with a view of identifying how different components are connected together, how they are controlled and how they behave when functioning as a system. Except for very simple biological processes, system iden- tification from first principles can be extremely difficult. This has brought into focus automated techniques for constructing models using data of system behaviour. Such techniques face three principal issues: (1) The model representation language must be rich enough to capture system be- haviour; (2) The system identification technique must be powerful enough to identify substantially complex models; and (3) There may not be sufficient data to obtain both the model’s structure and precise estimates of all of its parameters. In this paper, we address these issues in the following ways: (1) Models are represented in an expressive subset of first-order logic. Specifically, they are expressed as logic programs; (2) System identification is done using techniques developed in Inductive Logic Programming (ILP).
    [Show full text]
  • Biological Organisation As Closure of Constraints$
    Biological organisation as closure of constraintsI Maël Montévil1,2,∗, Matteo Mossio1,∗ IHPST - UMR 8590 13, rue du Four 75006 Paris Abstract We propose a conceptual and formal characterisation of biological organisation as a closure of constraints. We first establish a distinction between two causal regimes at work in biological systems: processes, which refer to the whole set of changes occurring in non-equilibrium open thermodynamic conditions; and constraints, those entities which, while acting upon the processes, exhibit some form of conservation (symmetry) at the relevant time scales. We then argue that, in biological systems, constraints realise closure, i.e. mutual dependence such that they both depend on and contribute to maintaining each other. With this characterisation in hand, we discuss how organisational closure can provide an operational tool for marking the boundaries between interacting biological systems. We conclude by focusing on the original conception of the relationship between stability and variation which emerges from this framework. Keywords: biological organisation, closure, constraints, symmetries, time scales 1. Introduction In Theoretical Biology, an enduring tradition has placed heavy emphasis on the idea that biological systems realise what could be referred to as “self-determination”. That is, in very general terms, the capacity of a system’s constitutive organisation to contribute to the determination and maintenance of its own conditions of existence through the effects of its activity (see also Mossio & Bich (2014), for more details). Usually (Weber & Varela, 2002), the origin of this tradition is traced back to the characterisation of biological systems as “self-organising”, as Kant proposed in his Critique of Judgement (Kant, 1790).
    [Show full text]
  • Synthetic Glossary
    Synthetic Glossary by Elena Giglio Entries or abbreviations Field, quality or measure Definition or short explanation Adaptive system Physics System able to modify itself and to define its proper domain of environmental pertaining perturbation, specifying the admissibility of the different environmental constraints Alliance Phytosociology Taxonomic level superior to association Allometry Forestry The quantitative relation between the size of a part and the whole in a series of related organisms differing in size Association Phytosociology Vegetational— or plant: a plant community presenting a defined floristic composition in relation to specific climatic and edaphic conditions. It represents a vegetation type having a taxonomic name with the Latin suffix—etum Attractor Mathematics A geometrical object towards which the trajectory of a dynamic system converges in the course of time Biological spectrum Ecology The whole of the hierarchic levels of life organisation on Earth. Approached by four different points of view, completely and unified by landscape bionomics Biomass, plant Ecology pB. The dry weight or the volume above ground of the individuals of a plant species population in a given area Bionomics Bionomics Synonymous of “biological-integrated ecology.” The study of the biological- environmental laws of Nature as a complex system of hyper-complex systems BTC Bionomics [Mcal/m2/year] Biological territorial capacity of vegetation. The flux of energy that a system dissipates to maintain its equilibrium state and its organisational level. Proportional to the state of metastability of the system BTC Classes Bionomics (I to IX) Nine standard ranges of BTC values, corresponding to different sets of vegetation formations, available to indicate the landscape structure and functions CBSt Bionomics Concise bionomic state of vegetation.
    [Show full text]
  • The Great Ideas of Biology
    n COLLEGELECTURES Thegreatideasofbiology SirPaulNurse ABSTRACT–Fourofthegreatideasofbiologyare matter.Biology’satomisthecell,whichisnotonly discussed:thecellasthebasicstructuralandfunc- thebasicstructuralunitofalllivingorganismsbutis tionalunitoflife,thegeneasthemechanismof alsothebasicfunctionalunitoflife.Thecelltheory heredity,evolutionbynaturalselection,andlifeas canbesummarisedasfollows:alllifeiscomposed chemistry.Afifthideaisexploredwherebybio- ofcells,andthecellisthesimplestunitexhibiting logicalorganisationisexplainedintermsoflogical thecharacteristicsoflife.Giventheimportanceof andinformationalprocessesandstructures. thisideaforunderstandingbiology,itisperhapssur- prisingthatithasnotcaughtthepublicimagination TheHarveian KEYWORDS:biochemistry,cell,evolution, morethanithas.Thismightbebecausetheideawas Orationisgiven fermentation,gene,history,hybridisation, annuallyatthe alongtimeindevelopment,takingnearly200years RoyalCollegeof information,organisation tobecomeproperlyformulated,andalsobecause Physiciansof thetheoryultimatelyrequiredtheeffortsofmany Londonunderan WilliamHarveywasnotonlyaneminentphysician, scientistsratherthanafewdominatingpersonalities, indentureof butalsoadistinguishedbiologist.Hewasoneofthe somaylackhumaninterest.Thehistoryofthisidea WilliamHarveyin firstexperimentalscientists,workingsomeyears isexcellentlyreviewedinHarris.1 1656.Thisarticle beforeGalileowhoisthescientistusuallycredited Thestoryofthecellbeginsin1665withRobert isbasedonthe withthisdistinction.SowithHarvey’sexampleas Hooke(1635–1703),experimentalisttothenewly
    [Show full text]
  • Biological Organisation Unit Guide 2007/8
    Biosciences Degree Programme Biological Organisation Unit Guide 2007/8 SMK-1-301 Teaching team: Alan Beeby (E227 – [email protected] – Unit leader) Anne-Maria Brennan (E2286 – [email protected]) This unit guide is designed to help you structure your learning by providing an indicative structure and content for the unit. It is a guide and not a definitive statement of what you will be taught. We will try to follow this published schedule as far as possible, but there may be some variation as the unit develops and as we try to match the pace and content of our teaching to student needs. Introduction This unit introduces you to current thinking on how biological systems are organised. It seeks to introduce the ways by which living systems are being investigated today. You will find this quite different from traditional approaches to teaching biology. A system consists of a number of elements which interact with each other and which persist together - cells, organisms, and populations are all systems. We are all familiar with the systems within a body - the circulatory system or the digestive system, for example - but systems work at all levels, from the subcellular to the ecosystem. A cell is a system comprising the nucleus, ribosomes, mitochondria and so on; a population is a system composed of individuals which together reproduce to increase their numbers. Communities comprise species that interact with each other within ecosystems. Most important are the interactions which keep a system together and organised. So, in this unit we will describe how the complex systems of an adult organism develop from a simple zygote.
    [Show full text]
  • Levels of Biological Organisation (Hierarchy of Increasing Complexity) Biosphere Ecosystem Community Population Organism
    Levels of Biological Organisation (hierarchy of increasing complexity) Biosphere Ecosystem Community Population Organism Organ system Tissue Cell Subcellular component Molecules in biological systems (incl. genes) Levels of Biological Integration Ecosystem Organism Cell The only true levels of integration in biology. True level: total environment of all levels below and a structural & functional component of next level above. Prediction at one level requires knowledge and consideration of next true level above. Forest Genetics: Pattern & Complexity Interacting set of ―species‖: if one forces a periodic or chaotic pattern by its own density dynamics, then all members of the set must develop responses to the interactive biotic environment. Forest–level pattern an emergent effect of independent, lower level elements; each population and species doing its own thing. Or pattern emerges as a consequence of strong functional interactions among the elements. Species assemblages not random associations – are selected, have +/- interactions supporting their existence Genes in individuals not random operators that happen to produce whole trees; they are assembled because they function together. Genes: Selfish or Environmentally Aware? All function derives from genes; higher levels of biological organisation ―mere outgrowths that carry gene effects‖? Gene effects emergent properties of molecular processes; also partly determined by developmental, population & ecosystem processes. No genotype without an environment ~ genotype defines environment.
    [Show full text]
  • The Concept of Levels of Organization in the Biological Sciences
    The Concept of Levels of Organization in the Biological Sciences PhD Thesis Submitted August 2014 Revised June 2015 Daniel Stephen Brooks Department of Philosophy Bielefeld University Reviewers: Martin Carrier, Maria Kronfeldner Dedicated in friendship to Jan and Magga “He who has suffer'd you to impose on him knows you.” Table of Contents Table of Contents........................................................................................................................1 Chapter One: The Intuitive Appeal and Ubiquity of 'Levels of Organization'............................5 1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................5 1.2 Analyzing 'Levels of Organization' in Biological Science..........................................7 1.2.1 Level Claims.....................................................................................................10 1.2.2 Wimsatt’s Characterization of Levels ..............................................................14 1.3 Initial Distinctions.....................................................................................................16 1.3.1 Erroneous Concepts of Levels...........................................................................18 1.4 Depictions of Levels in Biological Textbooks...........................................................20 1.4.1 The Character of 'Levels' in Biological Science................................................24 1.4.2 The Significance of 'Levels' in Biological Science...........................................30
    [Show full text]