Frontiers in Polar Biology in the Genomic Era (2003) / Chapter Skim
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1. Introduction
1. Introduction
Pages 15-24
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From page 15... ...
The definitions of these and other specialized terms will be introduced at first use and are summarized in Box 1-1. The major goal of this report is to suggest how these new genomic technologies can foster increased understanding of polar biology by allowing novel types of studies that heretofore were not possible to conduct in polar settings.
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From page 16... ...
16 INS ~ FO[~R BlO[OGy ~ ~ GENERIC Egg CEOLOCIC AND CLIMATIC TRENDS THAT INELOENCED EVOLOTION IN THE POLAR REGIONS Me distinct geologic and climatic histories of He Arctic and Antarctic have created To unique polar ecosystems that share some atb~utes ~h11e differing greatly in others. The Antarctic is a glaciated continent
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From page 17... ...
INTRODUCTION 17 surrounded by a cold, often ice-covered ocean, while the Arctic is a cold, ice-dominated ocean surrounded by large, continental landmasses. The geologic and climatic histories that led to these different environments set the stage for the evolution of their respective biotas and disparate ecosystems (Figure 1-1~.
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From page 19... ...
, and declining atmospheric carbon dioxide levels combined to trigger profound Antarctic cooling and the onset of rapid glaciation (DeConto and Pollard, 2003~. The East Antarctic continent was likely glaciated for the first time about 34 million years ago (Zachos et al., 2001)
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From page 20... ...
, blocking direct circulation between the Pacific and Arctic Oceans. Continental motions across the Atlantic Ocean shifted Eurasia and North America apart, contributing to improved communication between the Arctic Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean, while squeezing the Bering Straits and restricting Arctic Ocean communication with the Pacific.
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From page 21... ...
· Glaciers, icebergs, and sea ice profoundly influence the biogeographic distribution of organisms in both regions and provide novel ecological niches for colonization. · Thermal conditions in both polar regions have served as an effective barrier to colonization by temperate species, although global warming is reducing this barrier.
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From page 22... ...
Climate modeling and direct experimental measurement indicate that environmental change, including warming, will be most extreme in the polar regions. New genetic and genomic technologies, such as transcriptional profiling using microarrays
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From page 23... ...
, comparison of adaptations in ecotypically equivalent boreal and austral taxa will provide important insights into convergent and divergent evolutionary adaptation. Other major environmental variables that have influenced evolution in polar regions include the extreme variability of annual light cycles and the dry conditions of the Antarctic continent.
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From page 24... ...
Proteases that function at temperatures near 0°C are already important for food processing and for cold-water detergent formulations. One can envision that enzymes from polar organisms will have numerous commercial applications where maintenance of low temperature is required.
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