"This book examines how the growing knowledge of the huge range of animal- and plant- bacterial interactions, whether in shared ecosystems or intimate symbioses, is fundamentally altering our understanding of biology. The establishment and maintenance of these interactions and their contributions to the health and survival of all partners relies on continuous cell-to-cell communication between them. This dialogue may be concerned with all aspects of the biology of both partners. The book includes chapters devoted to exploring, explaining and exposing these dialogues across a broad spectrum of plant and animal eukaryotes to a broad field of biologists"--
A groundbreaking new perspective on collective behavior across biological systems Collective behavior is everywhere in nature, from gene transcription and cancer cells to ant colonies and human societies. It operates without central control, using local interactions among participants to allow groups to adjust to changing conditions. The Ecology of Collective Behavior brings together ideas from evolutionary biology, network science, and dynamical systems to present an ecological approach to understanding how the interactions of individuals generate collective outcomes. Deborah Gordon argues that the starting point for explaining how collective behavior works in any natural system is to consider how it changes in relation to the changing world around it. She shows how feedback use—the means by which networks of interactions operate—and the organization of interaction networks evolve to reflect the stability and demands of the environment. Ant colonies function collectively, and the enormous diversity of species in different habitats provides opportunities to look for general ecological patterns. Through an in-depth comparison of ant species, Gordon identifies broad trends in how the diversity of collective behavior in many other collective systems reflects the dynamics of the environment. Shedding light on how individual actions give rise to group behavior, The Ecology of Collective Behavior explains the evolution of collective behavior through innovation in participant interactions, offering new insights into how collective responses function in changing conditions.
Many complex traits define the human condition, including encephalization and bipedalism. The specific molecular signals and cellular processes producing these traits are the result of dramatic evolutionary change. At the same time, conservation of many of these developmental programs underlie both structure and function. Novel methodologies and techniques allow analysis of the collective behavior of cells, cell shapes, tissues, and organs. This volume demonstrates the essential role of cellular mechanisms in the evolutionary increase in the size and complexity of the primate brain. In addition, and concordant with encephalization, this book documents changes in the muscles and bones associated with the appearance of bipedalism. Genetic changes are the basis of these evolutionary changes, but transformation of genetic information into phenotypic outcomes occurs at the level of the cell, and this is the focus of the book. The goal is to encourage others to adopt evolutionary cell biology as a novel and necessary approach to the genotype-phenotype map of the diversification of primates, human variation, and human evolution. The contributors to this book utilize advances in genetic analysis, visualization of cells and tissues, and the merging of evolutionary developmental biology with evolutionary cell biology to address questions central to understanding the human and primate evolution. Key Features Explores mechanisms underlying trait distribution, dispersal, variation, and evolution through the direct testing of hypotheses especially with respect to patterns of encephalization, certain sensory modalities, and growth and life history specializations. Documents the advantages for anthropologists to work at the level of cells focusing on how genes provide instructions for cells to make structure and how environmental influences affect the behavior of cells. Illustrates the role cell biology plays with respect to encephalization, neocortical expansion, variation in facial morphology, locomotion, and dexterity. Describes novel methodologies and techniques allowing analysis of how the collective behavior of cells shapes tissues and organs. Related Titles Ripamonti, U., ed. Induction of Bone Formation in Primates: The Transforming Growth Factor-beta 3 (ISBN 978-0-3673-7740-3). Gordon, M. S., et al., eds. Animal Locomotion: Physical Principles and Adaptations (ISBN 978-0-3676-5795-6) Bianchi, L. Developmental Neurobiology (ISBN 978-0-8153-4482-7)
The evolution of animal diversity is strongly affected by the origin of novel cell and tissue types and their interactions with each other. Understanding the evolution of cell types will shed light on the evolution of novel structures, and in turn highlight how animals diversified. Several cell types may also have been lost as animals simplified – for example did sponges have nerves and lose them? This book reveals the interplay between gains and losses and provides readers with a better grasp of the evolutionary history of cell types. In addition, the book illustrates how new cell types allow a better understanding permitting the discrimination between convergence and homology.
Although it is the defining organ of the Chordata, the notochord and its cells are one of the least understood vertebrate organs. This may be because large parts of the notochord are often replaced with cartilaginous or bony vertebral bodies. The presence of cartilage in the notochord raises questions about the evolutionary relationships between notochord cells and cartilage cells. This book integrates classical analytical studies with recent palaeontological, experimental, and molecular studies in both developmental and evolutionary contexts. For example, although the early signaling function of the notochord is conserved across the vertebrates, many will be surprised to find that the role of the notochord in vertebral body development in tetrapods is not the blueprint for all vertebrates. Recent studies on zebrafish and medaka embryos have uncovered the molecular mechanisms of a somite-independent notochord-driven segmentation process that establishes vertebral centra and intervertebral spaces. As this process is not restricted to teleosts, the authors have written a general discussion about the role of the notochord in vertebral formation. Modularity and segmentation of the vertebral column are related topics. Further overarching themes are the structure, function and fate of the notochord in adult vertebrates and notochord–cartilage relationships. Key Features The first book devoted to notochord development, function and evolution Includes and integrates information on the notochord from studies going back 169 years Integrates developmental, molecular, functional, experimental and palaeontological studies Documents the fate of the notochord across the vertebrates Extensively illustrated with classical and new images Related Titles Bard, J. Evolution: The Origins and Mechanisms of Diversity (ISNB 978-0-3673-5701-6) Leys, S. and Hejnol. A. Origin and Evolution of Metazoan Cell Types (ISBN 978-1-1380-3269-9)
Vertebrates possess lineage-specific characteristics. These include paired anterior sense organs and a robust, modular head skeleton built of cellular cartilage and bone. All of these structures are derived, at least partly, from an embryonic tissue unique vertebrates - the neural crest. The evolutionary history of the neural crest, and neural crest cells, has been difficult to reconstruct. This volume will use a comparative approach to survey the development of the neural crest in vertebrates, and neural crest-like cells, across the metazoa. This information will be used to reveal neural crest evolution and identify the genomic, genetic, and gene-regulatory changes that drove them. Key selling features: Summarizes the data regarding neural crest cells and nerural crest derivatives Uses a broad-based comparative approach Suggests hypothesis that the origin of neural crest cells involved the novel co-activation of ancient metazoan gene programs in neural border cells Illustrates how the emergences of neural crest made possible the diversification of vertebrate heads
This updated and expanded second edition reviews numerous aspects of the marine microbiome and its possible industrial applications. The marine microbiome is the total of microorganisms and viruses in the ocean and seas and in any connected environment, including the seafloor and marine animals and plants. In the first part of the book, diversity, origin and evolution of the marine microorganisms and viruses are discussed. The microbes presented originate from all three domains of life: Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukarya. The second part sheds some light on the different communities: it describes marine habitats and how their inhabitants control biogeochemical cycles. The third part finally examines the microbial ocean as a global system and evaluates methods of utilizing marine microbial resources. Adopting a translational approach, the book connects academic research with industrial applications, making it a fascinating read and valuable resource for microbiologists from both domains.
Evolutionary Developmental Biology, Volume 141 focuses on recent research in evolutionary developmental biology, the science studying how changes in development cause the variations that natural selection operate on. Several new hypotheses and models are presented in this volume, and these concern how homology may be properly delineated, how neural crest and placode cells emerged and how they formed the skull and jaw, and how plasticity and developmental symbiosis enable normal development to be regulated by environmental factors. - New models for homology - New hypotheses for the generation of chordates - New models for the roles of plasticity and symbionts in normal development
This comprehensive volume gathers foremost experts on the coral reefs of Cuba who represent a spectrum of disciplines, including biology, conservation ecology, economics and geology. The volume is organized along general themes including the Cuban Reef biota, reefs occurring in the Mesophotic and Eutrophic zones, ecology, conservation, management and the economic importance of the coral reefs of Cuba. The combination of case studies, new and previously published research, historical overview and examples of the ways in which research has contributed to the management and conservation of Cuban coastal resources provides a unique reference for graduate students and professionals holding a wide range of interests and expertise related to coral reef systems.
