Biology and Environmental Sciences: Books - Biology

Concise Encyclopaedia of Bioinformatics and Computational Biology, 2nd Edition is a fully revised and updated version of this acclaimed resource. The book provides definitions and often explanations of over 1000 words, phrases and concepts relating to this fast-moving and exciting field, offering a convenient, one-stop summary of the core knowledge in the area. This second edition is an invaluable resource for students, researchers and academics.

This sumptuous large-format book was first produced in 2009 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Charles Darwin Foundation on Galapagos. The book comprises a series of invited essays under the editorship of world-renowned photographer and long-term Galapagos resident, Tui de Roy, who has also provided most of the photographs. The authoritative essays cover the entire spectrum of Galapagos wildlife including the marine environment, unique vegetation such as sunflower trees as well as wildlife including giant tortoises, marine iguanas, sea lions, and the Galapagos finches that inspired Darwin's theory of evolution. This new edition has significant updates to a number of chapters including brand new photography and information about scientific developments elsewhere, and a new jacket.

Understanding, identifying and influencing the biological systems are the primary objectives of chemical biology. From this perspective, metal complexes have always been of great assistance to chemical biologists, for example, in structural identification and purification of essential biomolecules, for visualizing cellular organelles or to inhibit specific enzymes. This inorganic side of chemical biology, which continues to receive considerable attention, is referred to as inorganic chemical biology. Inorganic Chemical Biology: Principles, Techniques and Applications provides a comprehensive overview of the current and emerging role of metal complexes in chemical biology. Throughout all of the chapters there is a strong emphasis on fundamental theoretical chemistry and experiments that have been carried out in living cells or organisms. Outlooks for the future applications of metal complexes in chemical biology are also discussed. Topics covered include: - Metal complexes as tools for structural biology - IMAC, AAS, XRF and MS as detection techniques for metals in chemical biology - Cell and organism imaging and probing DNA using metal and metal carbonyl complexes - Detection of metal ions, anions and small molecules using metal complexes - Photo-release of metal ions in living cells - Metal complexes as enzyme inhibitors and catalysts in living cells Written by a team of international experts, Inorganic Chemical Biology: Principles, Techniques and Applications is a must-have for bioinorganic, bioorganometallic and medicinal chemists as well as chemical biologists working in both academia and industry.

Kant s theory of biology has emerged as an important field of study within Kant scholarship. The volume Kant s Theory of Biology contains 15 essays by leading international Kant scholars and philosophers of biology. Topics discussed include 17th- and 18th-century biological theories, the development of Kant s views on biology, the teleology of nature in the Critique of the Power of Judgment and new perspectives on Kant s contributions to biology."

Edward O. Wilson has distilled sixty years of teaching into a book for students, young and old. Reflecting on his coming-of-age in the South as a Boy Scout and a lover of ants and butterflies, Wilson threads these twenty-one letters, each richly illustrated, with autobiographical anecdotes that illuminate his career--both his successes and his failures--and his motivations for becoming a biologist. At a time in human history when our survival is more than ever linked to our understanding of science, Wilson insists that success in the sciences does not depend on mathematical skill, but rather a passion for finding a problem and solving it. From the collapse of stars to the exploration of rain forests and the oceans' depths, Wilson instills a love of the innate creativity of science and a respect for the human being's modest place in the planet's ecosystem in his readers.

Demonstrates how advances in plant chemical biology can translate to field applications With contributions from a team of leading researchers and pioneers in the field, this book explains how chemical biology is used as a tool to enhance our understanding of plant biology. Readers are introduced to a variety of chemical biology studies that have provided novel insights into plant physiology and plant cellular processes. Moreover, they will discover that chemical biology not only leads to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of plant biology, but also the development of practical applications. For example, the authors discuss small molecules that can be used to identify targets of herbicides and develop new herbicides and plant growth regulators. The book begins with a historical perspective on plant chemical biology. Next, the authors introduce the chemical biology toolbox needed to perform successful studies, with chapters covering: Sources of small molecules Identification of new chemical tools by high-throughput screening (HTS) Use of chemical biology to study plant physiology Use of chemical biology to study plant cellular processes Target identification Translation of plant chemical biology from the lab to the field Based on the latest findings and extensively referenced, the book explores available compound collections, principles of assay design, and the use of new research tools for the development of new applications. Plant Chemical Biology is recommended for students and professionals in all facets of plant biology, including molecular biology, physiology, biochemistry, agriculture, horticulture, and agronomy. All readers will discover new approaches that can lead to the development of a healthier and more plentiful global food supply.