Connecting Biology and Mathematics: First Prepare the Teachers

Developing the connection between biology and mathematics is one of the most important ways to shift the paradigms of both established science disciplines. However, adding some mathematic content to biology or biology content to mathematics is not enough but must be accompanied by development of suitable pedagogical models. I propose a model of pedagogical mathematical biological content knowledge as a feasible starting point for connecting biology and mathematics in schools and universities. The process of connecting these disciplines should start as early as possible in the educational process, in order to produce prepared minds that will be able to combine both disciplines at graduate and postgraduate levels of study. Because teachers are a crucial factor in introducing innovations in education, the first step toward such a goal should be the education of prospective and practicing elementary and secondary school teachers

Harnessing the biodiversity value of Central and Eastern European farmland

A large proportion of European biodiversity today depends on habitat provided by low-intensity farming practices, yet this resource is declining as European agriculture intensifies. Within the European Union, particularly the central and eastern new member states have retained relatively large areas of species-rich farmland, but despite increased investment in nature conservation here in recent years, farmland biodiversity trends appear to be worsening. Although the high biodiversity value of Central and Eastern European farmland has long been reported, the amount of research in the international literature focused on farmland biodiversity in this region remains comparatively tiny, and measures within the EU Common Agricultural Policy are relatively poorly adapted to support it. In this opinion study, we argue that, 10years after the accession of the first eastern EU new member states, the continued under-representation of the low-intensity farmland in Central and Eastern Europe in the international literature and EU policy is impeding the development of sound, evidence-based conservation interventions. The biodiversity benefits for Europe of existing low-intensity farmland, particularly in the central and eastern states, should be harnessed before they are lost. Instead of waiting for species-rich farmland to further decline, targeted research and monitoring to create locally appropriate conservation strategies for these habitats is needed now.Peer reviewe

Grassland ecology in changing climate and land use

This brief overview decribes some structural and functional (including carbon cycling) aspects of grassland ecosystems, in particular with regard to the effects of global climate change and changes in land use. Afterward the papers briefly introduce the papers devoted to the above mentioned topics, which were selected for this special volume. As we can see, authors studied different kinds of management (including abandonment) and different parameters of climate change (CO2 , temperature, rainfall, etc.). They consider predominately vegetation parameters, including the various plant traits, carbon cycling, soil respiration and different ecophysiological traits in simulated climate change. Dealing with different impacts of climate and/or land-use changes on multi-species systems, that grassland communities certainly are, is exceeding merely experimental synthesized-community or single-species approach on one side and classical vegetation studies on the other. The complex responses of natural communities, including those under FACE systems, are not easy to interpret and understand. The importance of non-linear dynamics during climate changes is emphasized by Bartha et al. (2008). In these selected papers, grasslands appear to be a very dynamic and plastic ecosystem. Grasslands are highlighted from a new, much more topical point of view. Linking ecophysiology and vegetation science, which is characteristic for our selection of papers, is a promising tool to deal with problems on the ecosystem level in general, not only addressing the global climate change and land-use issues

Contribution to the knowledge of the coastal vegetation of the SIC IT9110005 “Zone Umide della Capitanata” (Apulia, Italy)

An overview of the coastal vegetation of Site of Community Importance “Zone Umide della Capitanata” (Puglia Region) is here presented. Original relevés were performed in different locations of the site. On the basis of the in-field observations (142 original relevés) and of literature data, 44 plant communities have been defined, belonging to the following classes: Lemnetea minoris, Ruppietea maritimae, Potametea pectinati, Phragmito-Magnocaricetea, Cakiletea maritimae, Ammophiletea, Helichryso-Crucianelletea maritimae, Juncetea maritimi, Sarcocornietea fruticosae, Saginetea maritimae, Thero-Suaedetea, Tuberarietea guattatae, Nerio-Tamaricetea. For each vegetation unit, the distribution area at local and regional level and the relation to habitat types of the 92/43 EEC Directive are provided