Biodiversity:
its main components, and challenges for knowledge
Pedro Jordano
Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Seville, ES
The concept of biodiversity goes well beyond the
simple lists of species and species number we frequently refer to. It also
encompasses components such genetic (within-species) diversity, species
interactions, and the myriad associated ecological functions and services.
Ongoing research on biodiversity aims to quantify these different components
but still confronts difficult challenges. Among them, the most important is the
fast-paced loss of species and ecological functions due to human-related
disturbances such as deforestation and habitat loss, hunting, pollution, and
other global change drivers. In this talk I address these challenges and the
main expected advances in the study of biodiversity in ways that can be
translated to the general public and school levels.Pedro Jordano
Estación Biológica de Doñana, CSIC, Seville, ES
Evolution in
school: the strategy of teaching the actuality of a theory
Juli Peretó
University of Valencia, Valencia, ES
Juli Peretó
University of Valencia, Valencia, ES
For many years the University of València has organized specific activities
for high-school teachers. Since 2006 a permanent program of mini-symposia
addressing evolutionary topics, from the origin of life to the evolution of
consciousness, and showing a wide range of methodological approaches, from
ecology to biochemistry, has been established. Regularly, more than 200
teachers attend these meetings and discuss topics with experts looking for a
better understanding, updated scientific background and new ways to teach
evolution at the different school levels. Spreading the idea that evolutionary
biology must percolate all teaching activities is a major goal of this program.
This strategic thinking is based on the notion of presenting the theory of
evolution not only as a beautiful idea but also as a useful and beneficial
scientific endeavor. Charles Darwin found deep inspiration for his natural
selection theory from artificial selection, i.e. the domestication of plants
and animals. Today there are many examples of applied evolutionary biology
showing the usefulness of the theory, especially in the
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario