IN MEMORY OF EMIL G. RACOVITZA (1868–1947) – HIS IDEAS REVERBERATE IN OUR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH

The ideas of E. G. Racovitza which led to the development of biospelaeology (biospeology, is the term used by Racovitza and adopted here) are reviewed. We emphasize the important research programme named Biospeologica which allowed to implement practical investigations on the subterranean animals due to enthusiastic cooperative work of many scientists. It leads to the exploration of many caves and other hypogean habitats. It is stressed out that the aim of Racovitza’s efforts was to stimulate scientists to contribute with their research to the development of an encyclopedic view of the “Natural History of the Subterranean Domain”. Examples from our own research reflect such ideas. We adopted Racovitza’s views on the phylogenetic systematics, on the way to identify the relict aspect displayed by many subterranean animal groups. Also it is pointed out the importance of Racovitza’s ideas for reconstruction of the dynamic dispersion of homogeneous phylogenetic animal lineages in time and space. Such ideas help us to develop biogeographic scenarios which are important for understanding earth’s history. It is confirmed this way that the ambitious programme of Racovitza, became during the time a real research tradition that merits being pursued by young naturalists interested in solving exciting problems related to the origin and evolution of the subterranean domain and its ecosystems

Contribution à l’étude des Spelaeonethini (Isopoda, Oniscidea, Trichoniscidae)

Following a brief review of the classification of the family Trichoniscidae Sars, 1899, problems related to the definition of the tribe Spelaeonethini Schmőlzer, 1965 are emphasised. Obvious conflicts between the diagnosis of several genera of the tribe Spelaeonethini are pointed ou

THE SPECIES CONCEPT, THEMATIC SUBJECT IN NATURAL SCIENCES – THE SCIENTIFIC APPROACHES OF EMIL G. RACOVITZA AND NICOLAE BOTNARIUC

Species concepts represent one of the “hot” topics of the current evolutionary biology. The Romanian natural scientists EMIL G. RACOVITZA and NICOLAE BOTNARIUC defined animal species in different ways: EMIL G. RACOVITZA supported a Genealogic species concept, expressed as “a colony of isolated consanguines”. The RACOVITZA’s concept considers species as homogenous lineages of organisms which evolve during their history. Description of such entities requires the recognition of primitive and derived states of the morphologic traits. Hence EMIL G. RACOVITZA’s ideas preceded the principles of phylogenetic systematics of WILLY HENNIG and his followers. Geographic isolation is viewed by RACOVITZA as one of the main drivers of the speciation process. NICOLAE BOTNARIUC developed an innovative Systems-species concept where quasiindependent organisms through their relationships within populations build a supraindividual system. The integrative properties of the population offer the necessary traits allowing the identification of species. Evolution is the emergent property of species (represented by populations) within the context of ecosystems and within the interpopulation relationships of a biocoenosis (the next level of the organizational hierarchy of the living matter). NICOLAE BOTNARIUC applied his concept to interbreeding and agamous populations. In this latter case the exchange of genetic information is realised through the self-reproducing individuals changing, under selection pressure, the clonal genetic structure of the population. The systems-species concept of BOTNARIUC applies to populations living within a wide spectrum of ecological conditions and existing during various time-frames; it offers a different perspective as compared to the narrow ecological species-concept of VAN VALEN. Recent research offers additional confirmation of the views of the two Romanian biologists. It is argued that the species-concepts discussed should be used within a pluralistic cultural framework of the evolutionary systems biology. Finally, it is emphasized that the ideas of EMIL G. RACOVITZA and NICOLAE BOTNARIUC should represent stimulating arguments for new innovative research projects

TRAIAN ORGHIDAN (1917 – 1985)

Traian Orghidan aurait eu 100 ans cette année. Malheureusement il nous a quitté prématurément à l’âge de 68 ans. Ce naturaliste d’une exceptionnelle valeur laisse des souvenirs particulièrement marquants pour ses amis et collaborateurs. Voici quelques réflexions, sur la personnalité de ce naturaliste et sur sa contribution scientifique, qui nous reviennent en mémoire après avoir eu le privilège de le connaître directement et de travailler dans les laboratoires qu’il a dirigés avec enthousiasme et beaucoup de tact. Nous retracerons ici deux volets de sa personnalité scientifique: le chercheur passionné pour la connaissance de la nature et l’organisateur dynamique de l’Institut de Spéologie qui après 1956 a permis une renaissance des recherches spéologiques en Roumanie. Ses qualités ont marqué aussi notre façon de voir la nature, surtout celle du monde souterrain, un milieu caléidoscopique fascinant