Biological Habits Research Articles

Courage and Morals

Courage and Morals Warren S. Poland Perhaps once in a generation, as if from nowhere, an individual appears and performs an act of such daring courage as to make the whole world catch its breath. The young Chinese man who stood alone before a tank in Tiananmen Square demonstrated courage so stunning as to become a universal icon of the valor possible in the human soul. We onlookers could only gasp, proud to be members of a species capable of such moral majesty. Recently, we have once more been dazed with awe upon learning of the remarkable courage of Wesley Autrey, the fifty-year-old Harlem construction worker who leaped into the path of an oncoming subway train to save the life of a stranger. He was explicit that for him it had nothing to do with being a hero. "It was," he said, "just being there and helping the next person. That's all I did." Such courage has also arisen within psychoanalytic ranks, exemplified by Muriel Gardiner, the model for Lillian Hellman's Julia, who risked her life in the anti-Nazi underground in Austria, and by Edith Jacobson, who even while imprisoned by the Nazis refused to reveal the identities of patients. In today's world at war, we hear anew the tales of very young soldiers who risk their lives to protect their comrades. From where comes that capacity for such valor? Any act of manifest behavior has multiple forces behind it—forces combined from all aspects of the mind, its experiences, and its meanings. Yet what is the source of these special qualities of inner strength? [End Page 253] The Courage of Everyday Life To speak of courage is to refer to more than the mere quotidian overcoming of fear. Still, without diluting the uniqueness of truly courageous acts, there is value in looking at the lesser levels of transcending fear out of which great valor may grow. What is dramatically courageous not seldom arises from a fortitude called into play by what Camus (1942) calls the biological habit of living, the courage of everyday life. Our language reveals the bodily substrate of words for both courage and fear. Courage, the very word having "heart" as its basis, is also called "having guts," carrying on despite being "scared shitless." Anita Bell (1961; 1965) makes clear the testicular developmental roots behind "having balls" and its opposite, being "hung up." Budding courage is demanded for normal growth. Biology leads a child to learn to walk, yet persistence in the serial falling down and getting up again that becomes walking demands proto-courage of the individual even if it is inscribed in the species. Most children need courage to put their faces under water when first learning to swim. Despite the power of sexual imperatives in adolescence, courage is required to open oneself to another. And growing old is part of growing up. Fortitude is essential to keep self-respect and dignity in the face of loss of power, friends, and life itself as one ages. Biologically driven though it be, growth to each new stage of life requires movement into a dangerous new territory, each step exacting its own ration of courage. As there is an existential guilt that comes from not fulfilling one's potential, so an existential courage is needed to do so. Life brings tragedies as well as growth, and the response to loss reveals wide individual variation. Such courage was expressed perhaps most eloquently in a letter I recall that Anne Morrow Lindbergh sent to her mother after her infant baby had been kidnapped and killed. "I am trying," she wrote, "to protect my vulnerability." At times it takes courage to submit to reality unbroken by bitterness. Courage is also essential to creativity, the daring to venture where others have never gone, into the unknown. Before [End Page 254] Abraham was tested with the sacrifice of Isaac, he faced a more basic test when told simply, "Go forth," commanded to leave his father's house without any indication in what direction, to what strange people and what unknown languages he should go. The same willingness to step into the dark that is crucial...

Breeding of an elite Laminaria variety 90-1 through inter-specific gametophyte crossing

Laminaria longissima and Zaohoucheng No.1 (a commercial variety selected from Laminaria japonica) differ to a certain extent in their morphological characteristics and biological habits. It was assumed that varieties bred through their hybridization should exhibit high yield potential and tolerate relatively high seawater temperatures. Female gametophyte clones isolated from L. longissima were crossed with male clones isolated from Zaohoucheng No.1. Laminaria variety 90-1 was obtained after gametophyte crossing, continuous self-crossing and selection. This variety was genetically homozygous; the indices of variation of blade length, width and thickness of the final two selection cycles were 7–8%; i.e., not different significantly. Variety 90-1 grew faster, lost less tissue and had higher yield potential than two widely used commercial varieties of L. japonica (all commercial varieties currently used in China originate from this latter species). The blade of variety 90-1 increased 3.71 cm day−1 on average during the whole period of cultivation, almost two-fold that of two controls, and growth was maintained even when seawater temperature was higher than 18°C–3°C higher than the temperature tolerated by other Laminaria varieties. Variety 90-1 increased yield by more than 70% over two controls and also synthesized desirable amounts of iodine, mannitol and algin. In blade length, variety 90-1 was more similar to L. longissima than to L. japonica, but more similar to L. japonica in blade width and thickness. Since the adoption of variety 90-1 in 1999, its culturing area has increased each year to reach its current area of 7,000 ha, i.e., almost one-third of the total cultivation acreage of Laminaria in China. Breeding of variety 90-1 has demonstrated that it is feasible to develop elite Laminaria varieties by crossing gametophytes from different Laminaria species in combination with successive self-crossing and selection.

Hypocrella panamensis sp. nov. ( Clavicipitaceae, Hypocreales): a new species infecting scale insects on Piper carrilloanum in Panama

A new species, Hypocrella panamensis, is described from collections and cultures obtained on Barro Colorado Island, Panama. In order to aid in placement of this fungus, phylogenetic analyses were conducted using LSU (rDNA) sequences. Hypocrella panamensis is characterized by possessing pulvinate stromata with a Lecanicillium-like anamorphic state and superficial perithecia. Hypocrella panamensis consistently grouped in a clade containing Hypocrella nectrioides, H. phyllogena, and H. africana (100 % PP). Most species of Hypocrella possess Aschersonia or Hirsutella anamorphs. Hypocrella panamensis is unique in the genus Hypocrella in possession of a Lecanicillium-like anamorphic state. In its biological habit Hypocrella panamensis is similar to other species in Hypocrella in that it infects and degrades the scale insect, then grows superficially on nutrients that emerge to the plant surface through the stylet wound.

Niche of insect borers within Pinus massoniana infected by pine wood nematode

In November 2003 and June 2004, the insect borers and their spatial distribution within Pinus massoniana were investigated in Zhoushan City, in East China’s Zhejiang Province, where pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) are typically found. The niche width, proportional similarity of niche and the niche overlap of dominant species of dying trees were computed. Results show that five insect species infect and damage Pinus massoniana, which had been infected by pine wood nematodes, among which four are wood boring beetles and one termite. Species within host trees vary from winter to summer and all the species have their own niche width, proportional similarity of niche and the niche overlap. They can achieve competitive equilibrium and coexistence according to their biological characteristics and life habits.

In Retrospect the Assumption of Sustainability for Atlantic Fisheries has Proved an Illusion

Fishery landings data series from 1970 to 2002 for the Northeast (FAO Area 27) and Northwest Atlantic (Area 21) with 73 and 42 species or species groups respectively, were mapped onto single charts as a diagnostic of the overall state of fisheries in these two regions, and could be appreciated simultaneously for the entire exploited suite of species as a series of contiguous bar charts. Charts were compared with that for a similar data set of 42 species or species groups from the Mediterranean and Black Seas (FAO Area 37). A “traffic light convention” partitioned the range of landings by species over the period into four equal intervals; coloured respectively red, yellow, green and blue between zero and the highest annual landing of the species. This allowed a model-free display of changes in the timing of species’ landings at the overall ecosystem level, as represented by the important commercial resources in the three areas. The year T 50 by which 50% of species landings had been harvested over the period, was considered a comparable measure of the response of individual species to exploitation. For a significant proportion of groundfish and pelagic fishes, the time to reach T 50 occurred early in the Atlantic time series. The hypothesis was tested that this measure of the depletion schedule is related to some aspect of species biology, as judged by data from the FISHBASE database. Except for commercial invertebrates where landings peaked late in the Northwest Atlantic time series, no significant regression was found between T 50 values per species and any biological characteristic of the species of finfish tested, suggesting that scheduling may reflect overcapacity and targeting by fisheries and/or regime changes. A decline in peak landings proceeded sequentially over time for the large proportion of all finfish species in the North Atlantic following a broadly similar trajectory. Possible exceptions were deeper water species where fisheries began later, suggesting that “fishing down the bathymetry” has occurred. A more synchronous “pulse” of high landings occurred in the Mediterranean and Black Seas in the mid-late 1980s, which was postulated as due to an increase in system productivity. Although regime changes and quota management cannot be excluded as partly responsible for the persistent low landings late in many time series, the main conclusion is that for all three areas, the effects of fishing overshadow those resulting from differing biological characteristics, habit, or species interactions. Although quota control may in part be responsible for low landings of some species late in the time series, the fishery management regimes that applied during 1970–2002 cannot be considered sustainable. This was confirmed by comparative analysis fitting a variety of models to the raw landing data. Of the mathematical models considered, the Hubbert curve, first used to predict the trajectory of extraction of non-renewable petroleum resources globally over time, best fitted the largest proportion of species time series. This seems to confirm that a hypothesis of harvest sustainability cannot be supported by the landing data.

Modeling of thermal pollution in coastal area and its economical and environmental assessment

The Persian Gulf is one of the aquatic ecosystems which has recently faced with different pollutions. Cooling water discharges due to various industries such as power plants can cause important disorders on present ecosystem balance because of its high temperature. Obviously, due to thermal pollution, a great number of aquatic creatures face with a new situation that they can not tolerate. Thermal pollution leads to their migration, creates a potential for new coming species which in turn can thoroughly change the marine ecosystem feature. The other impacts of this phenomenon are: disorders in reproduction, nourishment and other biological habits. In this research, thermal pollution due to Bandar Abbas Thermal Power Plant (BATP) development plan was modeled using MIKE21 software. In order to avoid a decrease on the power plant efficiency in development plan, the distance between inlet and outlet was determined by comparing the results of different scenarios and economical aspects. After determining the distance between inlet and outlet, the water temperature in the coastal area was compared with standards of Iranian Department of the Environment (DOE). The model results represent that the water temperature, in Bandar Abbas coastal area, exceeds than the permissible limit (3 o C) in a distance equal to 200 m. far from the discharging location, and in order to reduce its harmful impacts, some suggestions are made to reduce the associated thermal pollution.

Comparative physical mapping of rice BAC clones linked to resistance genes Glh, Bph-3 and xa-5 in Oryza sativa L. and O. granulata Nees et Arn. ex Watt.

Oryza granulata Nees et Arn. ex Watt, is one of the three wild relatives of rice, which are the most valuable for study and utilization in China. In this study, the homology and physical locations of three rice resistance genes, Glh, Bph- 3 and xa- 5 are comparatively analyzed between O. sativa and O. granulata by Southern blotting and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). The results of Southern blotting indicate that there exist homologous sequences of the tested RFLP markers in O. granulata. By using three bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones scanned by the tested RFLP as probes, FISH signals are detected on both mitotic and pachytene chromosomes in O. sativa and O. granulata. Dual-color FISH demonstrates that two of the three BAC clones (14E16 and 38J9) are located on the short arm of the same chromosome pair in O. granulata. Additionally, colinearity is shown for the two clones between O. sativa and O. granulata. Another BAC clone 44B4 is located on the end of the short arm of other chromosome pair in these two species. Although the phylogenetic relationship between O. sativa and O. granulata is the most distinct in Oryza and these two species have evidently different biological features and ecological habits, the relative lengths and arm ratios of the detected chromosomes and the relative positions of the tested clone signals on chromosomes in O. granulata are quite similar to those in O. sativa.

Preliminary Study on the Level of Evolutionary Differentiation between Domestic Quails and Wild Japanese Quails

This paper makes an analysis of the ecological behaviours of 3 categories of quails, namely wild Japanese quails from the Weishan Lake Area, medium-sized domestic quails and pint-sized domestic quails. The study indicates as follows: (1) There is difference in morphological and biological habits between domestic quails and wild Japanese ones. (2) The cross-breeding between the wild and domestic quails is a cross from exclusion to affinity. (3) The behaviours of quails such as pursuit,paw and mating are selective. (4) The wild Japanese quails and domestic ones can succeed in mating and in reproducing fertilized eggs but with a low rate. (5) Evolutionary differentiation has been formed in varying degrees between the domestic quails and their wild ancestors in morphological and ecological characteristics. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2003. Vol 16, No. 2 : 266-268)

Análisis de la distribución de Geotrupidae en áreas del oeste español: provincia de Cáceres

SUMMARY The Geotrupidae guild of the Caceres province are studied and the spacial and seasonal data of the species are given. Also some feed and biological habits of some of these species are given. Also some feed and biological habits of some of these species are adduced. Palabras clave: Geotrupidae: distribucion; area mediterranea.

Status, Values and Challenges in Chiropterans Conservation

Chiropterans (Bats) comprise 1,001 species in total and are distributed worldwide. These have high ecological and economical value. Nepal comes under the highlighted subregion in the South Asia owing to the abundance of bats over here. Yet, very few detailed analyses have been done, and the exact status including biological habits are still not properly documented. This has made already vulnerable population more vulnerable with a continuous threat that some valuable species might get lost even before realizing. This paper provides insight to the status of bats in Nepal, the challenges present in their conservation and the ways ahead.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/init.v4i0.5542The Initiation Vol.4 2011 103-110

Residual Femininity: Women in Chinese Communist Fiction

In Chinese Communist literature, men and women are primarily seen in their likeness as workers rather than in their sexual and emotional unlikeness as human beings. Women, as much as men, are praised for their socialist zeal and heroic capacity for work and condemned for being socialist sluggards indifferent to production. But despite its repudiation of “human interest” as a symptom of capitalist or revisionist decadence, even this supremely practical literature cannot begin to exist without some superficial attention to personal problems, and these problems, inevitably, attest to the persistence of biological instincts and immemorial habits of human civilisation. Until the techniques, Communist or otherwise, for dehumanisation are perfected, men and women will remain subject to irrational passions, and if circumstances permit, they will fall in love, get married, bring up children, and in other devious ways contrive for pleasure and happiness. In tracing the lot of Chinese women under Communism, I will therefore take for granted that the primary purpose of their earthly existence is to contribute to and assist in production and examine rather their residual personal problems in the context of the overriding importance of socialist construction. The results of niy investigation, if my women characters, drawn invariably from short stories, are at all typical, will show, not surprisingly, the pathetic adjustment of their feminine instincts and interests to the jealous demands of Party and state. The exceptions that I will take notice of—sympathetic victims and challengers of the impersonal Communist bureaucracy—are all heroines of revisionist fiction that has been subject to vehement attack by the press.

A New Hylobius Weevil Associated With Jack Pine Stand Deterioration (Coleoptera: Curculionidae)

During ecological investigations of the pine root collar weevil, Hylobius radicis Buchanan, in central Wisconsin sand plains, a weevil of similar appearance, but of different habits, was encountered. This weevil was identified tentatively as H. radicis with the available keys (Buchanan, 1934 and Finnegan, 1961), and in general fits the original morphological description of that species. However, differences in biological habits and morphology suggested that an undescribed species was involved (Millers, 1960 and Millers and Benjamin, 1961), and the taxonomic separation and description of the new species follows:

Three Hyphomycetes That Capture Nematodes in Adhesive Networks

(1944). Three Hyphomycetes That Capture Nematodes in Adhesive Networks. Mycologia: Vol. 36, No. 2, pp. 138-171.

On Yugoslavian (Balkan) ticks [Ixodoidea

The state of Yugoslavia provides both an abundant and important source for zoological studies owing to its varied geographical, climatic and ethnographic conditions. To the student of ticks especially there is hardly a country in Europe which offers as large a field for study as Yugoslavia. Therefore I trust a short description of the Yugoslavian ticks and their biological habits, so far as known, will be of some interest.

A New Species of Stylopage Preying on Nematodes

In Zopf's (11) account of the capture of nematodes by Arthrobotrys oligospora Fres. and Monosporidium repens Zopf were de? scribed, apparently for the first time, instances of a biological habit comparable in part to the carnivorous habit of insectivorous flowering plants. More recently (1, 2, 3) nearly a score of additional fungi occurring in soil, in leaf mold, and in solid decaying materials generally, have been found to capture and consume nematodes in large numbers; evidently, indeed, subsisting in nature entirely through such predacious activity. By far most of these fungi are closely related to those dealt with by Zopf, being referable to a group of interrelated genera including Arthrobotrys, Trichothecium, Cephalothecium, Dactylaria, Dactylella and Monacrosporium (4). The relatively few nematode-capturing forms alien to this hyphomycetous series are conidial phycomycetes belonging to the Zoopagaceae, a family whose known members are mostly destructive to terricolous amoebae, some operating in parasitic, others in predacious relationships (5, 6). Of the few species preying on nematodes, only one, Stylopage hadra Drechsl., has hitherto been described in detail (7) ; so that the description offered herein, of a second species of like biological habit, may be of interest even in the absence of pronounced departures in morphology. The fungus in question was obtained in quantity from several samples of soil collected by F. L. Wellman in celery fields near Sanford, Florida, January 1935. Pinches of the soil were placed on old maizemeal-agar plate cultures liberally infested with nema? todes representing species of Rhabditis, Cephalobus and Acrobeles. After a period varying usually from 1 to 3 weeks, vegetative my? celium was found present here and there in fairly extensive tracts. In general character this mycelium resembled that of Stylopage