Gunter Klein

Farewell to the Internal Clock

A contribution in the field of chronobiology

• Gebundenes Buch

Produktbeschreibung

"This book is not a contribution to the numerous superstitious beliefs relating to the moon. Rather, the following will demonstrate and above all prove by means of experiments which can be reproduced at any time that the moon does in fact influence certain biological rhythms, evoking them and determining their timing."

So begins Gunter Klein's exploration of the notion of internal clocks. With the fresh perspective of a curious and insightful non-scientist, Mr. Klein examines the question of what force, time or tide, actually provides more influence over cellular biomechanics. Readers may agree or disagree with his hypothesis, but Mr. Klein's provocative outlook is sure to engage the mind and encourage discussion.

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Nearly everything making up what we call the "environment" of a plant has an infuence on the way it grows. Sunlight, te- perature, moisture contents of soil and atmosphere and vib- tions are all obvious examples of environmental components, and transient variations in their amount or intensity lead the plant to manifest more or less immediate responses. Small changes in carbon dioxide level in the atmosphere can even have effects, but these take a longer time to be registered - at least those that are visible, albeit at the microscopic level. Plants meet the challenges of the environment by means of acclimation. In this respect, plants are notable for the pl- ticity of their development. However, where morphological or physiological plasticity is no longer an option, the responses would be by means of adaptations as a result of genetic - lection or genetic "assimilation" (Waddington 1957). Thus, a feature that was once a facultative transient response to an environmental perturbation becomes a constitutive charac- ristic of plant structure or function. It is in this way that the environment continually molds the way in which plants de- lop, and also defnes the areas upon planet Earth where they will thrive.

Produktdetails

• Verlag: Springer / Springer New York / Springer, Berlin
• Artikelnr. des Verlages: 10936276, 978-0-387-40315-1
• 2007
• Seitenzahl: 144
• Erscheinungstermin: 27. September 2007
• Englisch
• Abmessung: 209mm x 132mm x 13mm
• Gewicht: 280g
• ISBN-13: 9780387403151
• ISBN-10: 0387403159
• Artikelnr.: 13727657

Autorenporträt

Peter Becker, Usingern, Germany

Inhaltsangabe

In the beginning was the leaf.- Chronobiology today.- The Moon and chronobiology.- Location and mode of operation of the "internal clock".- The mistake concerning the "internal clock" of the bean.- Does the "lunar clock" also tick for animals and human beings?.