Les espècies evolucionen, canvien amb el pas del temps i així ho va constatar i argumentar Charles Darwin. El que té entre les mans és una obra que intenta integrar dues grans visions de l?evolució que sovint es presenten enfrontades. D?una banda, la visió que emfatitza la contingència, els accidents congelats i la irreversibilitat, i determina una ciència eminentment històrica. De l?altra, la visió més racio¬nal, basada en la comprensió dels processos d?auto¬organització semblants als d?altres sistemes físics allunyats de l?equilibri termodinàmic, i que determina una ciència estructuralista. El resultat és una visió més rica i plural del fenomen evolutiu, en la qual es posen en evidència els paradigmes clàssics. Una revisió acurada de la visió més ortodoxa de l?evolució a la recerca d?explicacions teòriques que van més enllà dels límits de la biologia.

Advances in molecular biology, remote sensing, systems biology, bioinformatics, non-linear science, the physics of complex systems and other fields have rendered a great amount of data that remain to be integrated into models and theories that are capable of accounting for the complexity of ecological systems and the evolutionary dynamics of life. It is thus necessary to provide a solid basis to discuss and reflect on these and other challenges both at the local and global scales. This volume aims to delineate an integrative and interdisciplinary view that suggests new avenues in research and teaching, critically discusses the scope of the diverse methods in the study of complex systems, and points at key open questions. Finally, this book will provide students and specialists with a collection of high quality open access essays that will contribute to integrate Ecology, Evolution and Complexity in the context of basic research and in the field of Sustainability Sciences.

Over this last decade, the concept of Social Metabolism has gained prestige as a theoretical instrument for the required analysis, to such an extent that there are now dozens of researchers, hundreds of articles and several books that have adopted and use this concept. However, there is a great deal of variety in terms of definitions and interpretations, as well as different methodologies around this concept, which prevents the consolidation of a unified field of new knowledge. The fundamental aim of the book is to conduct a review of the past and present usage of the concept of social metabolism, its origins and history, as well as the main currents or schools that exist around this concept. At the same time, the reviews and discussions included are used by the authors as starting points to draw conclusions and propose a theory of socio-ecological transformations. The theoretical and methodological innovations of this book include a distinction of two types of metabolic processes: tangible and intangible; the analysis of the social metabolism at different scales (in space and time) and a theory of socio-ecological change overcoming the merely “systemic” or “cybernetic” nature of conventional approaches, giving special protagonism to collective action.

Within the process of daily relations with people, with nature, and with society, our own causes of sorrow are revealed. 'In relationship the important thing to bear in mind is not the other but oneself, ' states Krishnamurti, 'It is within oneself that harmony in relationship can be found, not in another, nor in environment.' (p. 160) This is not cause for isolation but the beginning of a process of self-revelation which creates the foundation for true relationship.

For one or two semester courses in Introductory Biology targeting non- and mixed majors. The goal of this text is to provide an engaging and easy to use book with an innovative and interactive media program. It achieves a unique balance in emphasizing concepts without sacrificing scientific accuracy. The new MediaTutor, found at the end of each chapter, integrates the text and media by providing a brief description of the CD or WEB activity and the time requirement for completion. In creating the book and the media package, the authors and Prentice Hall reached out to the biology community - involving educators from around the country to help address the diverse needs of todays students. How do you engage your students and help make biology relevant to them? *NEW - Chapter-opening Case Studies and chapter-ending Case Studies Revisited - Includes Did Dinosaurs Die from Lack of Sunlight? from the chapter on Photosynthesis and Teaching an Old Grain New Tricks from the chapter on Biotechnology. Provides an innovative framework for students to learn and make connections between biological concepts and processes. *Earth Watch/Health Watch essays - Covers biodiversity, ozone depletion/pre

Pensar la docencia desde la complejidad educativa. Esta obra reúne una serie de capítulos en los que se abordan temáticas relacionadas con la educación superior desde una mirada académica, destacándose como premisas el pensamiento complejo, las TIC, así como el trabajo estratégico que desempeña el docente como facilitador de procesos de enseñanza y aprendizaje a nivel universitario. Para ello, se toma como contexto la llamada «sociedad de la información y el conocimiento», en donde se ha definido una nueva ordenanza global que deviene en marco de referencia para entender los procesos de transformación que se les requieren a las universidades, en términos de políticas educativas, para la innovación de su currículo, los modelos educativos, como la transformación de las prácticas pedagógicas de sus académicos. Lo obra integra una serie de textos en donde se analiza el fenómeno educativo, con énfasis en el papel que jueganlos docentes en la configuración de ambientes educativos que contribuyan al aprendizaje de sus estudiantes, para lo cual se proponen tres capítulos: «Perspectivas en la educación y el pensamiento complejo», «Comunicación, diversidad y mediación educativa» y «Sujetos de la educación y ámbitos emergentes para la enseñanza». Cada uno de los cuales se compone de textos que, en lo particular, abordan temáticas que permiten ampliar el horizonte desde el cual pueden se comprendidas problemáticas que caracterizan a la educación contemporánea en el nivel superior.