Genes in Ecology: (33 Symposium of the British Ecological Society)

Logically, genetics and ecology should be complementary disciplines - at least at the population biology level. In reality this is not the case, and the emphasis of genetical and ecological textbooks and courses are often so different that the disciplines in which they are taught can appear to be dealing with different concepts. This book in the BES symposium series aims to dismantle specialist approach and to unify the two disciplines where possible and appropriate. This volume is divided into four sections. Section One discusses the influences of population genetics on our view of ecology. Part Two reviews the use of molecular methods in the investigation of adaptation and ecological processes. The third section discusses the integration of ecological principles with genetics, and the last section includes a brief description of molecular and genetical techniques appropriate and helpful in the work of ecologists.

Table of Contents:
Part 1 Genes in ecology: genes and ecology in history ; stochastic processes in populations - the horse behind the art?; population dynamics, natural selection and chaos; life-history evolution; these hierarchial views of life; phylogenies and metapopulations; the coevolution of plant/insect and host/parasite relationships. Part 2 Molecules in ecology: adaptation in bacteria - unanswered ecological and evolutionary questions about well-studied molecules; enzymes and adaptation; molecular variation and ecological processes; ecological genetics of parasitism; genes and ecology - two alternative for genetics?; density and frequency dependence - a genetical view; functional biology of adaptation; life-history and mechanical constraints in genes, cells and water-fleas; conservation biology; the ecology and genetics of endangered species; genes in the real world. Part 3 Techniques and protocols: use of PCR techniques - in Drosophila population biology; polymerase chain reaction; the detection of organisms at family, genus and species level, using the polymerase chain reaction to amplify specific target gene sequences; selection of DNA sequences for use as probes; RAPDS - Random Amplified Polymorphic DNAs; DNA fingerprinting; DNA fingerprinting using multilocus and single locus probes; fingerprinting fungi; analysis of genetic variation in populations; Southern blotting and restriction - fragment length (RFLP) analysis; the use of repetitive DNA probes in teh analysis of natural populations of insects and parasites; C-banding and the characterization of heterochromatic regions; silver staining; use of a cellulose acetate system for allozyme electrophoresis; a device for producing multiple deep-frozen samples for allozyme electrophoresis; index.