Seawater intrusion (SI) is an ecological problem caused by the encroachment and infiltration of salt water (typically brackish water or seawater) into freshwater surface and groundwater supplies in coastal areas. This intrusion can transform landscapes, reduce agricultural viability, and contaminate freshwater reserves. It is a growing issue in numerous coastal regions worldwide, including China’s Yangtze…
An invasive species is any nonnative organism that significantly alters or disrupts the ecosystems it colonizes. While some species migrate naturally, human activities such as global commerce and the pet trade have become the primary means by which invasive plants, animals, microbes, and other organisms are transported to new habitats. Most introduced species fail to…
Over the past 50 years, the natural world has undergone unprecedented change, leading to devastating consequences. Today, nearly one million species face extinction, threatening essential ecosystem services such as disease regulation and pollination. The primary drivers of biodiversity loss include land and sea use changes, overexploitation of organisms, climate change, pollution, and the introduction of…
Biodiversity, the variety of life across genes, species, and ecosystems, is crucial for ecosystem stability and human well-being. Unfortunately, biodiversity is depleting at an alarming rate due to various natural and human-induced factors.Biodiversity loss refers to the decline in biological diversity within species, ecosystems, geographic regions, or the entire Earth. Biodiversity encompasses genetic variation, species…
Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on Earth, including all species of plants, animals, fungi, and microorganisms, as well as the ecosystems they form. It is essential for maintaining ecological balance, sustaining life-supporting systems, and providing resources necessary for human survival. Conservation, on the other hand, refers to the efforts made to protect, restore,…
Systematics: The term “systematics” is derived from the word “systema,” meaning the systematic arrangement of organisms. It considers the evolutionary relationships among organisms. Plant systematics, in particular, deals with the interrelations between plants and their evolutionary descent. Systematics studies biological diversity and organizes this information into a classification system. Organisms are classified based on similarities,…
Taxonomy, the science of classifying organisms, has evolved over centuries from simple groupings based on observable traits to complex systems incorporating evolutionary relationships and molecular data. The history of taxonomy can be divided into distinct phases, each marked by significant contributions from naturalists and scientists. 1. Early Classification Systems (Pre-Linnaean Period) a. Ancient Taxonomy (Aristotle…
I. Taxonomy in Animal Science Taxonomy in animal science is the systematic classification and naming of animals based on their evolutionary relationships, genetic characteristics, and morphology. It plays a crucial role in understanding animal biodiversity, improving livestock breeds, and managing wildlife conservation efforts. A. Importance in Animal Science 1.Livestock Improvement – Helps in classifying and…
Sytematics is commonly defined as the study of biological diversity and the relationships among organisms. Taxonomy, that component of systematics specifically focusing on the theory and practice of classification, is not clearly separable and both are frequently used interchangeably by biologists. This chapter will first briefly review the importance of systematics to the pest management…
Taxonomy, in a broad sense the science of classification, but more strictly the classification of living and extinct organisms i.e., biological classification. The term is derived from the Greek taxis (arrangement) and nomos (law). Taxonomy is, therefore, the methodology and principles of systematic botany and zoology and sets up arrangements of the kinds of plants and animals in hierarchies of superior and subordinate groups. Among biologists the Linnaean system of binomial nomenclature, created by Swedish naturalist Carolus Linnaeus in the 1750s,…
Amino acids are either produced by fermentation or chemical synthesis. The products produced by chemical synthesis are produced as racemic mixtures, the D- and L- form of the amino acids. Today in commercial practice all amino acids except sulphur-containing amino acids (methionine) sources are produced by fermentation. This is due to the fact that fermentation…
The Earth can be divided into distinct regions based on the presence or absence of various organisms. These regions are known as realms. Over time, different scientists have proposed various classifications of these realms. In 1857, P. L. Sclater categorized the Earth’s geographical areas into six regions based on bird distribution. Later, in 1876, Alfred…
Barriers and dispersal are fundamental concepts in zoogeography, the study of the geographical distribution of animals. They influence how species spread, adapt, and evolve in different regions. Barriers in Zoogeography: Barriers restrict or prevent the movement of species, influencing their distribution. They can be classified into: a. Physical (Geographic) Barriers: Oceans & Seas: Prevent land…
Animal distribution refers to how animal species are spread across different geographical regions. The distribution of animals is influenced by factors such as climate, habitat availability, competition, predation, geological changes, and evolutionary history.Animal distribution can be classified into several types based on their geographical spread and limitations. Cosmopolitan Distribution: Species with a cosmopolitan distribution are…
Zoogeography is the branch of biogeography that studies the geographical distribution of animal species across different regions of the world. It helps in understanding how animals are distributed, their evolutionary history, and the factors influencing their dispersal. 1. Descriptive Zoogeography Descriptive zoogeography is a branch of zoogeography that focuses on systematically documenting and describing the…
