Integrative Zoology is proud to honor Darwin's legacy by supporting the study of biological and zoological sciences

Abstract

The year 2009 marked the bicentenary of Charles Darwin’s birth, and for the last 12 months zoologists have been reminded of the enormous contribution that Darwin made to our understanding of the natural world. We have celebrated his contribution in workshops and symposia, often in association with other professional bodies like the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS), but more importantly for this journal, we have celebrated Darwin’s work through publication of how his work has impacted upon present day science. Darwin would have been delighted with the understanding that has arisen through our discoveries in molecular biology. He would have been overjoyed with knowledge of the nature of DNA, but I suspect he would have been surprised, perhaps even alarmed at the impact that humans have had on the environment and the effect that this has had on the biosphere. We are well aware that environments change, and the geological record is testament to this, but it is the rapidity with which this change is occurring that is of concern. We have lost many taxa already, and sadly we will lose many more – perhaps even before they are described. The biological science community has taken this plight on board, and our concerns have been recognized through the naming of 2010 as the International Year of Biodiversity (the IUBS has gone a step further in naming the period 2010-1012 as the Triennium for Biodiversity). How we communicate our concerns, not just to the scientific community, but beyond, will be a measure of us as bioscientists – i.e. as guardians of the Earth’s biosphere. Integrative Zoology provides a vehicle for us to demonstrate our concerns , for only through adopt ion of multidisciplinary approaches can we anticipate mitigation of the enormous damage we have caused in the environment. An integrative approach is not just a desire, it is an imperative. We can be confident that the journal Integrative Zoology will be an important vehicle for change, and we are delighted to be able to report that it has been indexed in the ISI Web of Science – recognition that we have reached a high level of credibility in science communication. This issue of Integrative Zoology focuses upon the biological consequences of climate change. We hope that readers will find papers that will inspire, challenge and provide insight into how we may better manage our natural world.