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Foster's Rule
Foster's rule, also known as the island rule or the island effect, is an ecogeographical rule in evolutionary biology stating that members of a species get smaller or bigger depending on the resources available in the environment. For example, it is known that pygmy mammoths evolved from normal mammoths on small islands. Similar evolutionary paths have been observed in elephants, hippopotamuses, boas, sloths, deer (such as Key deer) and humans. It is part of the more general phenomenon of island syndrome which describes the differences in morphology, ecology, physiology and behaviour of insular species compared to their continental counterparts. The rule was first formulated by Leigh Van Valen in 1973 based on the study by mammalogist J. Bristol Foster in 1964. In it, Foster compared 116 island species to their mainland varieties. Foster proposed that certain island creatures evolved larger body size ( insular gigantism) while others became smaller (insular dwarfism). Fo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Garganornis Ballmanni (reconstruction By Stefano Maugeri)
''Garganornis'' (meaning "Gargano bird") is an extinct genus of enormous flightless anatidae, anatid waterfowl from the Late Miocene of Gargano, Italy. The genus contains one species, ''G. ballmanni'', named by Meijer in 2014. Its island gigantism, enormous size is thought to have been an adaptation to living in exposed, open areas with no terrestrial predators, and as a deterrent to the indigenous aerial predators like the eagle ''Garganoaetus'' and the giant Barn-owl, barn owl ''Tyto gigantea''. Description The tibiotarsus of ''Garganornis'' is approximately 30% larger than that of the living mute swan in circumference. Based on comparisons with the latter, it has been estimated that ''Garganornis'' had a weight in the range of , larger than any living anatidae, anatid. This suggests that it was likely flightless. The preserved carpometacarpus, carpometacarpi from the wings had quite a short and robust shaft, much shorter than any of the living large-bodied anseriformes, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Physiology
Physiology (; ) is the science, scientific study of function (biology), functions and mechanism (biology), mechanisms in a life, living system. As a branches of science, subdiscipline of biology, physiology focuses on how organisms, organ systems, individual organ (biology), organs, cell (biology), cells, and biomolecules carry out chemistry, chemical and physics, physical functions in a living system. According to the classes of organisms, the field can be divided into clinical physiology, medical physiology, Zoology#Physiology, animal physiology, plant physiology, cell physiology, and comparative physiology. Central to physiological functioning are biophysics, biophysical and biochemical processes, homeostasis, homeostatic control mechanisms, and cell signaling, communication between cells. ''Physiological state'' is the condition of normal function. In contrast, ''pathology, pathological state'' refers to abnormality (behavior), abnormal conditions, including human diseases. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ecology Terminology
Ecology () is the natural science of the relationships among living organisms and their environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community, ecosystem, and biosphere levels. Ecology overlaps with the closely related sciences of biogeography, evolutionary biology, genetics, ethology, and natural history. Ecology is a branch of biology, and is the study of abundance, biomass, and distribution of organisms in the context of the environment. It encompasses life processes, interactions, and adaptations; movement of materials and energy through living communities; successional development of ecosystems; cooperation, competition, and predation within and between species; and patterns of biodiversity and its effect on ecosystem processes. Ecology has practical applications in fields such as conservation biology, wetland management, natural resource management, and human ecology. The word ''ecology'' () was coined in 1866 by the German scientist Ern ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Insular Ecology
Island ecology is the study of island organisms and their interactions with each other and the environment. Islands account for nearly 1/6 of earth’s total land area,Paulay, G. 1994. Biodiversity on Oceanic Islands: Its Origin and Extinction. ''American Zoology'' 34: 134-144. yet the ecology of island ecosystems is vastly different from that of mainland communities. Their isolation and high availability of empty Ecological niche, niches lead to increased speciation. As a result, island ecosystems comprise 30% of the world’s biodiversity hotspots, 50% of marine tropical diversity, and some of the most unusual and rare species.Gerlach, Justin. 2008Island biodiversity - issues and opportunities. World Conservation Congress Many species still remain unknown. The diversity of species on islands is highly impacted by human activities such as deforestation and introduction of the exotic species. In response, ecologists and managers are directing attention towards Conservation bio ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Even-toed Ungulate
Artiodactyls are placental mammals belonging to the order Artiodactyla ( , ). Typically, they are ungulates which bear weight equally on two (an even number) of their five toes (the third and fourth, often in the form of a hoof). The other three toes are either present, absent, vestigial, or pointing posteriorly. By contrast, most perissodactyls bear weight on an odd number of the five toes. Another difference between the two orders is that many artiodactyls (except for Suina) digest plant cellulose in one or more stomach chambers rather than in their intestine (as perissodactyls do). Molecular biology, along with new fossil discoveries, has found that cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) fall within this taxonomic branch, being most closely related to hippopotamuses. Some modern taxonomists thus apply the name Cetartiodactyla () to this group, while others opt to include cetaceans within the existing name of Artiodactyla. Some researchers use "even-toed ungulates" to e ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ecology (journal)
''Ecology'' is a scientific journal that publishes research and synthesizes papers in the field of ecology. It was founded in 1920 as the continuation of ''Plant World'', and is published by the Ecological Society of America. According to the ''Journal Citation Reports,'' it is currently ranked 15th out of 136 journals in the Ecology Ecology () is the natural science of the relationships among living organisms and their Natural environment, environment. Ecology considers organisms at the individual, population, community (ecology), community, ecosystem, and biosphere lev ... category. References External links * Ecology journals English-language journals Academic journals established in 1920 {{ecology-journal-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Ted J
Ted may refer to: Names A shortened form of the following: * Edmund * Edward * Thaddeus * Theodore (given name) Art, entertainment, and media Fictional characters * Ted, a character in the post-apocalyptic short story ''I Have No Mouth, and I Must Scream'' * Ted, a living teddy bear in the films '' Ted'' and ''Ted 2'', and the television series '' Ted'' * Ted, a homeless war veteran in the comic book series '' Kingsman: The Red Diamond'' * Ted Bartelo, a character in the American sitcom television series ''Kate & Allie'' * Ted Bufman, a character in the 1971 American comedy-drama '' B.S. I Love You'' * Ted, the Generic Guy, in comic strip'' Dilbert'' * Ted and Ralph sketches from the UK TV series ''The Fast Show'' * Ted "Theodore" Logan, a character in the Bill & Ted film series * Ted Buckland, from the U.S. TV series ''Scrubs'' * Ted Bufman, a character in the 1971 American comedy-drama movie '' B.S. I Love You'' * Father Ted Crilly, from the Irish TV sitcom ''Father Ted ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Edward O
Edward is an English male name. It is derived from the Anglo-Saxon name ''Ēadweard'', composed of the elements '' ēad'' "wealth, fortunate; prosperous" and '' weard'' "guardian, protector”. History The name Edward was very popular in Anglo-Saxon England, but the rule of the Norman and Plantagenet dynasties had effectively ended its use amongst the upper classes. The popularity of the name was revived when Henry III named his firstborn son, the future Edward I, as part of his efforts to promote a cult around Edward the Confessor, for whom Henry had a deep admiration. Variant forms The name has been adopted in the Iberian peninsula since the 15th century, due to Edward, King of Portugal, whose mother was English. The Spanish/Portuguese forms of the name are Eduardo and Duarte. Other variant forms include French Édouard, Italian Edoardo and Odoardo, German, Dutch, Czech and Romanian Eduard and Scandinavian Edvard. Short forms include Ed, Eddy, Eddie, Ted, Teddy an ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Robert MacArthur
Robert Helmer MacArthur (April 7, 1930 – November 1, 1972) was a Canadian-born American ecologist who made a major impact on many areas of community and population ecology. He is considered to be one of the founders of ecology. Early life and education MacArthur was born in Toronto, Ontario, to John Wood MacArthur and Olive Turner in 1930. He later moved to Marlboro, Vermont, as his father moved from the University of Toronto to Marlboro College. MacArthur received his Bachelor's degree in mathematics from Marlboro College, followed by a Master's degree in mathematics from Brown University in 1953. A student of G. Evelyn Hutchinson, MacArthur earned his Ph.D. from Yale University in 1957; his thesis was on the division of ecological niches among five warbler species in the conifer forests of Maine and Vermont. From 1957 to 1958, MacArthur worked as a postdoc with David Lack. Career MacArthur was a professor at the University of Pennsylvania, 1958–65, and professor o ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Theory Of Island Biogeography
''The Theory of Island Biogeography'' is a 1967 book by the ecologist Robert MacArthur and the biologist Edward O. Wilson. It is widely regarded as a seminal work in island biogeography and ecology. The Princeton University Press reprinted the book in 2001 as a part of the "Princeton Landmarks in Biology" series. The book popularized the theory that insular biota maintain a dynamic equilibrium between immigration and extinction rates. The book also popularized the concepts and terminology of r/K selection theory. Background ''The Theory of Island Biogeography'' has its roots in Wilson's work on the ants of Melanesia. MacArthur synthesized Wilson's ideas about competition, colonization and equilibrium into a simple graphical representation of immigration and extinction curves, from which one can determine the equilibrial species number on an island. MacArthur and Wilson's ideas were first presented in a paper published in 1963, and were further developed into a book. Summary ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Insular Dwarfism
Insular dwarfism, a form of phyletic dwarfism, is the process and condition of large animals evolving or having a reduced body size when their population's range is limited to a small environment, primarily islands. This natural process is distinct from the intentional creation of dwarf breeds, called dwarfing. This process has occurred many times throughout evolutionary history, with examples including various species of Dwarf elephant, dwarf elephants that evolved during the Pleistocene epoch, as well as more ancient examples, such as the dinosaurs ''Europasaurus'' and ''Magyarosaurus''. This process, and other "island genetics" artifacts, can occur not only on islands, but also in other situations where an ecosystem is isolated from external resources and breeding. This can include caves, desert oases, isolated valleys and isolated mountains ("sky islands"). Insular dwarfism is one aspect of the more general Foster's rule, "island effect" or "Foster's rule", which posits that w ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Insular Gigantism
Island gigantism, or insular gigantism, is a biological phenomenon in which the size of an animal species isolated on an island increases dramatically in comparison to its mainland relatives. Island gigantism is one aspect of the more general Foster's rule, "island effect" or "Foster's rule", which posits that when mainland animals colonize islands, small species tend to evolve larger bodies, and large species tend to evolve smaller bodies (insular dwarfism). This is itself one aspect of the more general phenomenon of island syndrome which describes the differences in Morphology (biology), morphology, ecology, physiology and ethology, behaviour of insular (island) species compared to their continental counterparts. Following the arrival of humans and associated introduced predators (dogs, cats, rats, pigs), many giant as well as other island endemics have become Extinction, extinct (e.g. the dodo and Rodrigues solitaire, giant flightless pigeons related to the Nicobar pigeon). A sim ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
