Actions & Programmes

Accomplished Programmes

Accomphlished Programmes

1- International Biological Programme - IBP (1964-1974)

2- Decade of the Tropics - DOT (1983-1994)

A Decade of the Tropics. By O. T. Solbrig and F.B. Golley, Biology International, Special Issue N° 2 (1983).

Soil Biological Processes and Tropical Soil Fertility: A Proposal for a Collaborative Programme of Research. Edited by M.J. Swift, Biology International, Special Issue N° 5 (1984).

The Significance of Species Diversity in Tropical Forest Ecosystems. Edited by G. Maury-Lechon, M. Hadley, and T. Younès, Biology International, Special Issue N° 6 (1984).

Comparative Studies on Tropical Mountain Ecosystems: A Proposal for A Collaborative Programme of Research. Edited by M. Monasterio, G. Sarmiento, and O. Solbrig, Biology International, Special Issue N° 8 (1984).

Tropical Soil Biolgy and Fertility: Planning for Research. Edited by M.J. Swift, Biology International, Special Issue N° 9 (1985).

Responses of Savannas to Stress and Disturbance. Edited by P. Frsot, E. Medina, J-C Menaut, O. Solbrig, M. Swift, and B. Walker, Biology International, Special Issue N° 10 (1986).

Comparative Studies on Tropical Mountain Ecosystems: Planning for Research. Edited by M. Monasterio, G. Sarmiento, and O. T. Solbrig, Biology International, Special Issue N° 12 (1987).

Tropical Soil Biolgy and Fertility (TSBF): Inter-Regional Research Planning Workshop. Edited by M.J. Swift, Biology International, Special Issue N° 13 (1987).

Processus Biologiques et Fertilité des Sols Tropicaux (TSBF). Edited by M.J. Swift and P. Lavelle, Biology International, Special Issue N° 14 (1987)- in French.

Tropical Soil Biolgy and Fertility (TSBF) Programme: Report of teh 4th TSBF Inter-Regional Workshop. Edited by J.S.I. Ingram and M.J. Swift, Biology International, Special Issue N° 20 (1989).

Other Decade of the Tropics related issues:

Geosphere-Biosphere Observatories: Their Definition and Design for Studying Global Change. Edited by M.I. Dyer, F. di Castri and A.J. Hansen, Biology International, Special Issue N° 16 (1988).

A New Look at Ecotones: Emerging International Projects on Landscape Boundaries. Edited by F. di Castri, A.J. Hansen, and M.M. Holand, Biology International, Special Issue N° 17 (1988).

Rain Forest Regeneration and Management: Report of a Workshop. Edited by M. Hadley, Biology International, Special Issue N° 18 (1988).

Diversity of Tropical Species Diversity: Questions that Elude Answers. Edited by Ariel Lugo, Biology International, Special Issue N° 19 (1989).

Reproductive Ecology of Tropical Forest PLants: Research Insights and Management Implications. By K.S. Bawa, P.S. Ashton, R.B. Primack, J. Terborgh, S. Moh. Nor, F.S.P. Ng and M. Hadley, Biology International, Special Issue N° 21 (1989).

Savanna Modelling for Global Change. Eidted by O.T. Solbrig, Biology International, Special Issue N° 24 (1991).

Soil Fertility and Global Change. Eited by M .J. Swift, Biology International, Special Issue N° 25 (1991).

Research Procedure and Experimental Design for Savanna Ecology and Management. Edited by B.H. Walker & J.-C. Menaut. 1988. IUBS Methodology Series. (€ 25)

Manual of Methods for Mountain Transect Studies. Edited by T. van der Hammen, D. Mueller-Dombois, M.A. Little. IUBS Methodology Series. ISBN°9290460733. 1989. (€ 25)

Tropical Soil Biology and Fertility: A Handbook of Methods. Edited by J.M. Anderson & J.S.I. Ingram. ISBN° 0851986358. 1989. (*to be ordered from CAB International, Wallingford, Oxon OX10 8DE, U.K. Fax ++44 (0)1491-833508)

Handbook of Methods for the Measurement of Work Performance, Physical Fitness and Energy Expenditure in Tropical Populations. Edited by K.J. Collins. IUBS Methodology Series. ISBN°92904607510 (X). 1990. (€ 30)

Rain Forest Regeneration and Management. (1991) Edited by A. Gomez Pompa, T.C. Whitmore, and M. Hadley, Vol 6 in UNESCO/MAB Series, published by The Parthenon Publishing Group.

Savanna Ecology and Management: Australian Perspectives and Intercontinental Comparisons. Edited by Patricia Werner. Published in 1991 by Blackwell Scientific Publications, 221 pp.

The World's Savannas: Economic Driving Forces, Ecological Constraints and Policy Options for sustainable Land Use. (1993) Edited by M.D. Young and O.T. Solbrig, Vol 12 in UNESCO/MAB Series, published by The Parthenon Publishing Group.

3- Bioindicators (1983-1994)

The aim of this programme was to build an international research network on biological monitoring of the state of the environment, in particular the use of plants, animals and microorganisms to monitor aquatic, terrestrial and air pollution.

4- Biocomplexity and Theoretical Biology (1988-1991

These joint activities investigate the foundations of theoretical biology as an approach to studing the complexity of biological systems. Two publications were published as follows:

Biology and Complexity: some Physical Facets, Edited by G. Careri and G. Nicolis, Biology International, Special Issue N° 15 (1987).

Perspectives on Biological Complexity
Edited by O.T. Solbrig & G. Nicolis. ISBN°9290460763. 1991. (€ 35)

5- Reproductive Biology and Aquaculture - RBA (1988-2000)

The object of RBA was to provide the biologica knowledge base for a sustainable aquaculture. The programme focused on modern applications of molecular and cell biology, genetics and developmental biology towards addresssing issues of aquaculture around the world. RBA also explored the environmental impacts and problems associated with these technologies.

Reproductive Biology in Aquaculture: A Proposal for an International Collaborative Programme of Research. Edited by P.G.W.J. van Oordt, Biology International Special Issue N° 26 (1991).

Biotechnology of Aquatic Animals. Edited by T. Okada and Y. Nagahama, Biology International Special Issue N° 28 (1993).

Proceedings of the International Symposium on Reproductive Biology in Aquaculture, 22-27 April, 1991, Taipei, Taiwan. Published by the Institute of Zoology, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan.

6- Systematics Agenda 2000 - International

With particular emphasis on building a biosystematics infrastructure and human resources in species-rich countries, the activities of Systematics Agenda International concentrate on inventorying the world's species, and organising all forms of systematics information into an efficiently retrievable form. Three sub-programmes were developed: (1) Sytematics Inventory- Discovering and Describing the World's Species, (2) Phylogeny and Classification, and (3) Management of Ssytematic Knowledge Bases.

Following the publication of the volume "Assembling the Tree of Life" in 2004 (Edited by Joel Cracraft and Michael J. Donoghue, and published by Oxford University Press), and the establishment of GBIF, the Scientific Steering Committee is developing a proposal for IUBS further activities in this domain.

7- Bionomenclature (1974-2004)

An inter-union committee was established to promote the harmonisation of botanical, zoological and microbiological codes of nomenclature.

Three publications were issued by the Committee as follows:

Towards a Harmonized Bionomenclature for Life on Earth, Edited by D.L. Hawksworth, John McNeill, P. H.A. Sneath, R. Piers Trehane, and Ph. K. Tubbs, Biology International, Special Issue N° 30 (1994).

The New Bionomenclature: The BioCode Debate, Edited by D. Hawksworth, Biology International, Special Issue N° 34, (1997), and

A Draft Glossary of Terms Used in Bionomenclature, compiled and Edited by D.L. Hawksworth, with the assistance of W.G. Chaloner, O. Krauss, J. McNeill, M.A. Mayo, D.H. Nicolson, P.H.A. Sneath, R.P. Trehane, P.K. Tubbs. 1994. 74 pp. (€ 35).