Provasoli, L. and A. Carlucci. 1974. Chapter 27: Vitamins and growth regulators.

Algal Physiology and Biochemistry. W.D.P. Stewart) Botanical Monographs, Vol. 10.

U. California Press. Unusually complete in its coverage of the odd organic actors in aquatic systems. It is too long to read for detail, but read it for scope (for heaven's sake do not take notes on this - its greatest value is the shear number of actors). Folks are happy to assume that water is "water". Some will admit that weird human inputs mess up the water, few realize that dear old mother nature does a job on the water with no help from us. However, if the ingredients are natural, they probably do not really harm the current inhabitants of the system. Do they all help? Think of the expression, "Robbing Peter to pay Paul". Why are the natural oddities less likely to introduce harm than the anthropomorphically introduced ones?

Provasoli, L. 1960. Micronutrients and heterotrophy as possible factors in bloom production in natural waters. TRANS. SEM. AL. AND METRO. WASTES. Read it carefully, it is filled with gems. Put some time into this one. It is not as long as the Provasoli and Carlucci chapter. The dates are quite different, yet the stories told are really just two pieces of a continuum of understanding developed by Provasoli through decades of work.

Rouhl, M. 1997.Escorting metal ions. C&EN 75(45):34-35.Every organic molecule worth its weight can turn out to be a chelator in the broad sense.

Gilbert, J. 1981. Developmental polymorphism in the Rotifer Asplanchna siebaldi, American Scientist. Remarkable what forgetting to take your daily vitamin pill can do to you. Make sure you recognize the effects of vitamin E on this zooplankter. Also, be sure you understand the trigger for each of the morphs it presents. This is a far more common phenomenon than you might expect.

Keating, K. 1985. The influence of vitamin B12 deficiency on the reproduction of Daphnia pulex Leydig (Cladocera). J. CRUSTACEAN BIOLOGY 5:130-136. There is a balance between satisfying curiosity and adding to misery. I really just want you to look at the diagrams, especially the one which compares the different effects (rate and amount of reproduction) of three "concentrations" of B12. Note how sensitive the animal is to the presence of this single vitamin. When the difference between 1 ppb and 1.5 ppb can be easily recognized (think of just how little there is to a ppb). the effects on a natural community of the addition of even a genuinely small amount of sewage contamination cannot be casually ignored. (Do you know how B12 and sewage are related? Sewage is an excellent source of B12!) Toxicity is not the only problem. Too much of a good thing, or even some of a good thing, might quite dramatically change the dominant form in an ecosystem. (What's an ecosystem? - You sure?)

Beall, P. 1981. The water of life. The Sciences 21:6-9, 29. Not only is the cell membrane an extremely complicated entity, but if much of the theoretical discussion is correct (p. 9 and 29), the cytoplasm is just as complex--(osmosis is NOT a part of the story). The "membrane" theory and the "association-induction" hypothesis are in no real sense mutually exclusive. The author is trying to sell the one--not especially to undermine the other. The controversy for researchers in the field relates to acceptance or rejection of the association-induction hypothesis; i.e., to a greater role for the organization and function of the cytoplasm (probably the last neglected part of a cell now that we recognize the enormous complexity of the membrane).

Hochachka, P. and G. Somero. 1984. Chapt. 10. Water-solute adaptations: The evolution and regulation of biological solutions. Biochemical Adaptation. Princeton University Press. Read 304-311. (The rest of the chapter is really also worth the effort--actually, the whole book is worth the effort if you have access to a tranquilizer.) This is a tougher version of the discussion of the significance of what's inside a cell. It is unlikely to contribute to a quiz.

Rawls, R. 1998. Periodic table's size and shape have changed since 1923. b>C&ENJan. 197-198. Just when you think you know it all-----

Hutchinson, G. Evelyn. 1970. The biosphere. Scientific American 223(3):44-53. How did life begin? Why were heterotrophs the only plausible first organisms? Why were autotrophs "out of the question?"

Why is aerobic metabolism preferable to anaerobic metabolism?

Marx, J. 1987. Oxygen free radicals linked to many diseases. Science 235:529-531.

Why is oxygen (which you thought we needed), so destructive? How does evolution fit in here? Take a look at the fairly simple diagram I gave you which suggests that oxygen, U.V., aquatic, then terrestrial, life make a good story. Reconsider the Hutchinson paper, above. There are even more diseases that include free radical damage.

Lewis, R. 1994. Better understanding of cell's life eases culturing. The Scientist (on line). Vol. 8 (22). Culture a fish. What does it need? Now make that fish a measurement tool in a bioassay. Does it need the same things? In which case are its needs critical? Culture a plant vs. an animal, which will be more difficult to satisfy? Think about the culture media lists from last week. This paper emphasizes cell or tissue culture. There are similarities and differences between cell and whole organism culture. Consider a few. Business needs, contamination, drugs, implants, unknowns - culturing something can be an interesting game.

Kreeger, K. 1994. Smallpox extermination proposal stirs scientists. The Scientist (on line). Vol. 8 (22). This is attached to the paper above. Take a look at it. It is an argument that deals with your survival. It is rather rare, but feelings today are really RADICALLY different from those in 1994. The notion that a horror could be banished from the planet had a sort of ramantic appeal.

Newsweek. March 28, 1996. pp. 47-52.