An Introduction to Biological Rhythms

An Introduction to Biological Rhythms provides an introduction to the subject of biological rhythms. The opening chapters present an overview of biological rhythms, their properties, and clock control, followed by a survey of rhythms in plants and animals. The subsequent chapters cover tidal rhythms and human rhythms; sun-compass, star-compass, and moon compass orientation of animals; the clock control of plant and animal photoperiodism; evidence for external timing of biological clocks; and models and mechanisms for endogenous timekeeping. The book also includes biographical sketches of Dr. Frank A. Brown, Jr., Morrison Professor of Biology at Northwestern University; and Dr. Leland N. Edmunds, Jr., Professor and Head of the Division of Biological Sciences at the Stony Brook campus of the State University of New York.
This book is meant for the inquiring student seeking an introduction to the subject and for busy biologists in other fields who want to get a ""feel"" for the subject. It can also serve as a basic textbook for the existing biorhythms courses and act as a seed for the inauguration of new courses.

Preface

Biographical Sketch of Frank A. Brown, Jr.

Biographical Sketch of Leland N. Edmunds, Jr.

1 Introduction to Biological Rhythms, Their Properties, and Clock Control

Tidal, Daily, and Annual Rhythms

Rudimentary Terminology

Properties of Clock-Controlled Rhythms

The Coupling Unit

Master or Multiple Clocks

Summary and Conclusions

Selected Readings

2 A Survey of Rhythms in Plants and Animals

Plants

Animals

Summary and Conclusions

Selected Readings

3 Tidal (Bimodal Lunar-Day) Rhythms

A Survey of Tidal Rhythms

Determination of Phase

Summary and Conclusions

Selected Readings

4 Human Rhythms

Rhythms in Alcohol Metabolism

Rhythms in Pain Tolerance

Man as an Experimental Subject

Sleep-Wakefulness Rhythms

Temperature and Performance Rhythms

Rhythmic Moods

Cell Division Rhythms

Heart-Rate Rhythms

Rhythms in Renal Processes

Rhythms in Birth and Death Rates

Rhythmic Sensitivity to Allergens and Drugs

The Effect of a 10 Hz Electric Field on Human Rhythms

Longitudinal Travel and Biological Rhythms

Shift Work

Monthly Rhythms

Summary and Conclusion

Selected Readings

5 Clock Compensated Animal Orientation

Sun-Compass Orientation

Star-Compass Orientation

Moon-Compass Orientation

Summary and Conclusions

Selected Readings

6 The Clock Control of Plant and Animal Photoperiodism

Plants

Animals

Summary and Conclusions

Selected Readings

7 Evidence for External Timing of Biological Clocks

Comparison of the Internal and External Hypotheses

Rhythms in the Fiddler Crab Translocation Experiment with Oysters

Statistical Analysis of Time Series

On the Absence of Constant Conditions

Responsiveness to Very Weak Magnetic Fields

Responsiveness to Very Weak Electric Fields

Responsiveness to Background Radiation

Geoelectromagnetic Fields and "Clocks"

Lability of the Rhythmic Cycles

Phase Maps and Phase Dissociation

Solar-Day and Lunar-Day Rhythms

Autophasing

Geophysically Dependent Rhythms

Precision of Solar-Day Cycles

Propensity for Lunar Periodisms

Annual Rhythms

External Timing as a Scientific Hypothesis

General Conclusions

Summary

Selected Readings

8 Models and Mechanisms for Endogenous Timekeeping

Introduction

Formal Models for an Autonomous Clock

Cellular and Biochemical Clock Mechanisms

The Intrinsic versus Extrinsic Timing Problem

Summary and Conclusions

Selected Readings

Glossary

Index