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biostratigraphy
bioluminescence (also luminescence; sometimes wrongly called phosphorescence)
the production of light by living organisms. In the oceans bioluminescence
is often caused by Dinoflagellata such as Noctiluca. The organisms produce a
light flash that lasts about 1110 s, and the flashes are produced after mechanical, chemical, or other stimulation. Luminescent bacteria often grow on
spoiled fish; these bacteria are not pathogenic. Some fish possess special
organs in which luminescent bacteria grow. The bacteria belong mainly to
the genus Photobacterium. The ability to emit light occurs in many other
organisms such as fireflies and fungi. The light is due to an enzyme-catalyzed biochemical reaction. The light-emitting enzyme system of the firefly
luciferine-Iuciferase, is used in the quantification of AlP (adenosine triphosphate). ATP is the energy source of the light production.
biomass the amount of living material present at a certain moment in a certain
area (or within a certain space), expressed in weight units, usually per unit
of area or volume, thus g m- 2 or g m-3• Weight can be given as wet (or live)
weight, dry weight (after drying to constant weight) or ash-free dry weight
(after subtraction of inorganic remains after ashing). Ash-free dry weight
roughly equals weight of organic matter. Carbon weight is ca. 40 % of ashfree dry weight. Conversion factors between wet and dry weight or between dry
and ash-free dry weight are highly variable from species to species and even
within species (depending, for instance, on the season). Biomass values are
mostly high in coastal areas, particularly on and in the bottom (~benthos)
and low in the oceans.
biometry literally "the measurement of life". From the Greek bios (life) and
metron (measure). More generally, biometry is the application of statistical
methods to the solution of biological problems. It is also referred to as biological statistics or simply biostatistics. Adolphe Quetelet (1796-1874), a
Belgian astronomer and mathematician, may have been the first biometrist,
applying statistical methods to problems of biology and medicine. He introduced the concept of the "average man" and developed the notion of statistical variation and distribution. Francis Galton (1822-1911), sometimes called
the father of biometry, applied statistical methodology to the analysis of
biological variation and studied regression and correlation in biological
measurements. The largest contribution to biometry has been made by
Ronald A. Fisher (1890-1962).
biosphere surface layer of the planet Earth and the atmosphere containing
living organisms, a layer a few kilometers thick.
biostratigraphy stratigraphy based on the fossil content of rocks. Biostratigraphical
units are called "zones", and are based either on fossil ranges (taxon range
zones) or on associations (assemblage zones); ~biohorizon and ~stratigraphic
biostratigraphy
bioluminescence (also luminescence; sometimes wrongly called phosphorescence)
the production of light by living organisms. In the oceans bioluminescence
is often caused by Dinoflagellata such as Noctiluca. The organisms produce a
light flash that lasts about 1110 s, and the flashes are produced after mechanical, chemical, or other stimulation. Luminescent bacteria often grow on
spoiled fish; these bacteria are not pathogenic. Some fish possess special
organs in which luminescent bacteria grow. The bacteria belong mainly to
the genus Photobacterium. The ability to emit light occurs in many other
organisms such as fireflies and fungi. The light is due to an enzyme-catalyzed biochemical reaction. The light-emitting enzyme system of the firefly
luciferine-Iuciferase, is used in the quantification of AlP (adenosine triphosphate). ATP is the energy source of the light production.
biomass the amount of living material present at a certain moment in a certain
area (or within a certain space), expressed in weight units, usually per unit
of area or volume, thus g m- 2 or g m-3• Weight can be given as wet (or live)
weight, dry weight (after drying to constant weight) or ash-free dry weight
(after subtraction of inorganic remains after ashing). Ash-free dry weight
roughly equals weight of organic matter. Carbon weight is ca. 40 % of ashfree dry weight. Conversion factors between wet and dry weight or between dry
and ash-free dry weight are highly variable from species to species and even
within species (depending, for instance, on the season). Biomass values are
mostly high in coastal areas, particularly on and in the bottom (~benthos)
and low in the oceans.
biometry literally "the measurement of life". From the Greek bios (life) and
metron (measure). More generally, biometry is the application of statistical
methods to the solution of biological problems. It is also referred to as biological statistics or simply biostatistics. Adolphe Quetelet (1796-1874), a
Belgian astronomer and mathematician, may have been the first biometrist,
applying statistical methods to problems of biology and medicine. He introduced the concept of the "average man" and developed the notion of statistical variation and distribution. Francis Galton (1822-1911), sometimes called
the father of biometry, applied statistical methodology to the analysis of
biological variation and studied regression and correlation in biological
measurements. The largest contribution to biometry has been made by
Ronald A. Fisher (1890-1962).
biosphere surface layer of the planet Earth and the atmosphere containing
living organisms, a layer a few kilometers thick.
biostratigraphy stratigraphy based on the fossil content of rocks. Biostratigraphical
units are called "zones", and are based either on fossil ranges (taxon range
zones) or on associations (assemblage zones); ~biohorizon and ~stratigraphic