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Books in Agricultural and biological sciences

The Agricultural and Biological Sciences collection advances science-based knowledge for the improvement of animal and plant life and for secure food systems that produce nutritious, novel, sustainable foods with minimal environmental impact. Food Science titles include not only those products from agriculture but all other aspects from food production to nutrition, health and safety, chemistry to security, policy, law and regulation. Biological Sciences address animal behaviour and biodiversity, organismal and evolutionary biology, entomology, marine biology and aquaculture, plant science and forestry.

BooksJournals

    • Isozymes

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Clement Markert
      • English
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 3 2 3 1 4 2 1 0 6
      Isozymes, I: Molecular Structure contains manuscripts presented at the Third International Conference on isozymes convened in April 1974 at Yale University. Separating 52 manuscripts into chapters, this book discusses the biology and biochemistry of isozymes. It also elucidates the multiple forms of mammalian DNA-dependent DNA polymerases, as well as RNA polymerases of maize, fungi, and Escherichia coli. Significant topics on some specific isozymes are given separately in other chapters.

    • Variable plants and herbivores in natural and managed systems

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Robert Denno
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 1 2 4 1 2 3 7 2 4
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 3 2 3 1 4 2 8 7 8
      Variable Plants and Herbivores in Natural and Managed Systems examines individual, population, species, and community responses of herbivores to plant variation, with emphasis on insects, fungi, bacteria, and viruses. It is divided into five parts encompassing 18 chapters that discuss variability as a mechanism of defense used by plants against their parasites and the effects of variability on herbivores at several different levels of complexity. After a brief discussion on plant-herbivore interactions, the first part of this book considers sources of within-plant variation and effects on the distribution and abundance of herbivores. Part II examines interplant variation, the co-evolutionary problems it poses for herbivores, and the ecological and evolutionary responses of these animals. It discusses the effects of host-plant variability on the fitness of sedentary herbivorous insects. Part III discusses the role of host variability in the evolution of feeding specialization, genetic differentiation, and race formation. The importance of host variation to the organization of herbivore communities and the manipulation of host-plant variability for the management of herbivore pest populations are presented in the remaining parts. This book will be helpful to agriculturists, silviculturists, biologists, and researchers who wish to expand their knowledge in dynamics of plant-herbivore relationships.

    • Differential Equations and Applications in Ecology, Epidemics, and Population Problems

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Stavros Busenberg
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 1 2 4 3 1 5 4 0 2
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 3 2 3 1 5 3 4 2 3
      Differential Equations and Applications in Ecology, Epidemics, and Population Problems is composed of papers and abstracts presented at the 1981 research conference on Differential Equations and Applications to Ecology, Epidemics, and Population Problems held at Harvey Mudd College. The reported researches consist of mathematics that is either a direct outgrowth from questions in population biology and biomathematics, or applicable to such questions. The content of this volume are collected in four groups. The first group addresses aspects of population dynamics that involve the interaction between spatial and temporal effects. The second group covers other questions in population dynamics and some other areas of biomathematics. The third group deals with topics in differential and functional differential equations that are continuing to find important applications in mathematical biology. The last group comprises of work on various aspects of differential equations and dynamical systems, not essentially motivated by biological applications. This book is valuable to students and researchers in theoretical biology and biomathematics, as well as to those interested in modern applications of differential equations.

    • Genetic Expression in the Cell Cycle

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • G.M. Padilla
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 1 2 4 1 4 5 7 3 3
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 3 2 3 1 4 8 9 2 4
      Genetic Expression in the Cell Cycle provides an understanding of the molecular mechanisms that govern the expression of genetic information during the cell cycle. The initial five chapters describe the intimate relationships between the supramolecular complexes that form the basic structure of chromatin. Emphasis is placed on the dynamics of cycle-dependent changes in the structural organization of some of these components. Subsequent chapters demonstrate that small nuclear RNAs (SnRNA) are actively involved in gene regulation in eukaryotic cells; discuss the relationship between cell cycle regulation in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and transcription of ribosomal RNA genes; and describe the use of conditional lethal mutants to study the regulation of the cell cycle of eukaryotic cells. The remaining chapters discuss the concepts and methodologies employed to isolate and study specific cell cycle mutants of S. cerevisiae; the antiproliferative effect of interferon on cultured human fibroblasts; and the role of cell membrane and related subcellular elements in the control of proliferation, differentiation, and cell cycle kinetics.

    • Transport And Diffusion Across Cell Membranes

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Wilfred Stein
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 1 2 4 1 2 4 0 5 9
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 3 2 3 1 4 3 2 0 2
      Transport and Diffusion across Cell Membranes is a comprehensive treatment of the transport and diffusion of molecules and ions across cell membranes. This book shows that the same kinetic equations (with appropriate modification) can describe all the specialized membrane transport systems: the pores, the carriers, and the two classes of pumps. The kinetic formalism is developed step by step and the features that make a system effective in carrying out its biological role are highlighted. This book is organized into six chapters and begins with an introduction to the structure and dynamics of cell membranes, followed by a discussion on how the membrane acts as a barrier to the transmembrane diffusion of molecules and ions. The following chapters focus on the role of the membrane's protein components in facilitating transmembrane diffusion of specific molecules and ions, measurements of diffusion through pores and the kinetics of diffusion, and the structure of such pores and their biological regulation. This book methodically introduces the reader to the carriers of cell membranes, the kinetics of facilitated diffusion, and cotransport systems. The primary active transport systems are considered, emphasizing the pumping of an ion (sodium, potassium, calcium, or proton) against its electrochemical gradient during the coupled progress of a chemical reaction while a conformational change of the pump enzyme takes place. This book is of interest to advanced undergraduate students, as well as to graduate students and researchers in biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, and biophysics.

    • Herbivorous Insects

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Sami Ahmad
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 1 2 4 3 3 5 1 2 7
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 3 2 3 1 5 8 2 4 4
      Herbivorous Insects: Host-Seeking Behavior and Mechanisms addresses mechanisms of searching behavior leading ultimately to host location of herbivorous insects. It is divided into four sections, wherein the first two sections deal with neurophysiology and the diversity of behavioral induction cues. The third section covers the searching mechanisms as affected by insects' breadth of diet. The last part examines the evolutionary analysis of the behavioral and physiological adaptations in insect/host plant relations. This book starts with an introduction to the chemical sensory system as it relates to host selection in general. This is followed by considerable discussions on host-seeking behavior and allied patterns in behavior. This text also includes the study of oviposition behavior in butterflies belonging to Papilionidae. The third section presents host selection and colonization by three insects within the saprophage-predator continuum, namely, Hylurgopinus rufipes, Scolytus multistriatus, and Pissodes strobi. The behaviors by which certain oligophagous insects locate and select food plants are also considered. The concluding part addresses the unifying theme and the diversity of responses of phytophagous insects to plants. The book provides direction toward developing a unifying theme and improving the ability to unravel the complexities of insect/plant interactions. Behaviorists, ecologists, entomologists, evolutionary biologists, and physiologists will find this book invaluable.

    • The Physiological Ecology of Tunas

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Gary Sharp
      • English
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 3 2 3 1 4 7 5 7 6
      The Physiological Ecology of Tunas documents the proceedings of the Tuna Physiology Workshop held at the National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Center at La JoDa, California, January 10-15, 1977. The contributions made by researchers at the workshop are organized into seven chapters. The first chapter includes studies on the morphological diversity and muscle-tissue-specif... enzymatic attributes of scombrids. Papers in the second chapter deal with the integrated aspects of tuna behavior and capabilities that result from their complex cardiovascular system. The third chapter contains studies on skipjack tuna white muscle and the locomotor muscles of Scomber and Katsuwonus. The fourth chapter focuses on the thermal biology of tunas while the fifth chapter examines the hydromechanics of tuna propulsion. The sixth chapter provides information on energetic costs of tunas, and observations on physiological demands and correlates. It culminates with a conceptual model for the complex life cycle of the extant "ultimate tuna," the Atlantic bluefin tuna. The seventh chapter discusses applications of tuna physiology studies.

    • Plant Cell Organelles

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • J Pridham
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 1 2 4 3 3 5 0 1 1
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 3 2 3 1 5 8 1 3 8
      Plant Cell Organelles contains the proceedings of the Phytochemical Group Symposium held in London on April 10-12, 1967. Contributors explore most of the ideas concerning the structure, biochemistry, and function of the nuclei, chloroplasts, mitochondria, vacuoles, and other organelles of plant cells. This book is organized into 13 chapters and begins with an overview of the enzymology of plant cell organelles and the localization of enzymes using cytochemical techniques. The text then discusses the structure of the nuclear envelope, chromosomes, and nucleolus, along with chromosome sequestration and replication. The next chapters focus on the structure and function of the mitochondria of higher plant cells, biogenesis in yeast, carbon pathways, and energy transfer function. The book also considers the chloroplast, the endoplasmic reticulum, the Golgi bodies, and the microtubules. The final chapters discuss protein synthesis in cell organelles; polysomes in plant tissues; and lysosomes and spherosomes in plant cells. This book is a valuable source of information for postgraduate workers, although much of the material could be used in undergraduate courses.

    • Social Insects V1

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Henry Hermani
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 1 2 4 3 1 1 8 1 7
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 3 2 3 1 4 9 7 9 2
      Social Insects, Volume I is a part of a four-volume discourse and collection of research on insect sociobiology. This volume covers the “modern theory” with certain concepts of insect sociality, particularly through genetic, behavioral, and evolutionary pathways. This book consists of eight chapters, which mostly deal with the sociality of insects and other aspects. The first chapter provides an introduction to the subject of insect sociality. Topics in this chapter include definition of sociality, types of social insects, and insect sociobiology. The next chapter focuses on the origin and evolution of insect sociality and discusses the theories of origin of sociality. The following chapters discuss the aspects of social insects in terms of antiquity and territoriality. Caste differentiation and division of labor is also emphasized, as well as the genetics of sociality. The last two chapters deal with the larvae of the social hymenoptera and the social and evolutionary significance of social insect symbionts. This volume is a good reference for students and teachers in the study of entomology, zoology, and biology.

    • The Genetics Of Altruism

      • 1st Edition
      • December 2, 2012
      • Scott Boorman + 1 more
      • English
      • Paperback
        9 7 8 0 1 2 4 1 4 5 6 6 5
      • eBook
        9 7 8 0 3 2 3 1 4 8 8 5 6
      The Genetics of Altruism covers the primary findings on social evolution, social trait, and altruism from a population genetics standpoint to establish a system of genetic boxes. It presents an evolutionary question with two faces: Why are there so many social species? Why, in all the diversity of the animal kingdom, are the social species so few? To address the evolutionary question, this book focuses on recognition of the fact that on an evolutionary time, scale genetics must underlie all changes in the capacity for social structure and other aspects of organic evolution. It presents comparative analyses framed in mathematical terms; mathematical concepts as a means of getting outside human, perhaps more generally primate and carnivore; frames of reference; and alternative network combinatorics as a natural basis for comparing social structures that are phylogenetically remote. It also discusses the comparative biology of social behavior on a purely descriptive basis through the social and evolutionary structures emergent. The book concludes by discussing major evolutionary pathways, various kinds of preadaptedness for sociality, and the use of cascade principle to suggest ways in which human evolution may have been a special case. This book is a valuable resource for biologists, social scientists, researchers, students, and all those who want to broaden their knowledge in the field of social behavior and altruism.

Related subjects

Agricultural science

Animal science

Aquatic science

Entomology

Food science and technology

Forest science

Mathematical biosciences

Plant science

Soil science

Veterinary science