Subject: CALL FOR VOTES: SYMBIOSIS-RESEARCH/bionet.biology.symbiosis

From: BIOSCI Administrator <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 1 May 95 19:30:22 PDT

Voting is now open on the following proposal to create the mailing
list & newsgroup

SYMBIOSIS-RESEARCH/bionet.biology.symbiosis

The charter was not modified as a result of the discussion.

*** NOTE *** We are often running several votes for other newsgroups,
so please be certain to follow the voting directions *carefully*!  If
you just send in a message saying "YES" or "NO" it will not be counted
if it is not clear which proposal you are responding to.

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Proposal to establish SYMBIOSIS-RESEARCH/bionet.biology.symbiosis

Proposed USENET name: bionet.biology.symbiosis

Proposed mailing list name: SYMBIOSIS-RESEARCH

Proposed mailing addresses: [email-masked]
			    [email-masked]

Discussion leader: 

		James F. White, Jr.
		Department of Biology
		Auburn University at Montgomery
		Montgomery, AL 36117

		Tel: 334-244-3739
		FAX: 334-244-3826
		Email: [email-masked]

Purpose of this group:

Symbiotic associations are common in nature.  Many types of organisms 
form symbiotic associations to increase fitness and survival of one or 
both partners in the association.  In some symbiotic associations 
improved nutritional capabilities are the basis of the associations.  For 
example, in the marine environment photosynthetic dinoflagellates become 
endosymbiotic (zooxanthellae) of corals and other heterotrophs.  This 
symbiosis accounts for the high productivity of the coral reef habitat.  
Similarly, heterotrophic marine Foraminifera often contain green algae 
and diatoms,  sea squirts often contain photosynthetic cyanobacteria, 
and marine tubellarians often contain chloroplasts taken from diatoms.  
Many land plants associate with microbes (e.g., mycorrhizae and 
rhizobia) in the soil that enable them to derive nutrients more 
efficiently.  Other symbiotic associations enhance the defensive 
capabilities of one or both partners.  Examples here include the fungal 
endophytes of grasses, pines, and other plants, where endophytes 
produce chemicals that protect leaves from herbivory.  Another example 
is Acacia plants that associate with ants which attack herbivores 
that attempt to consume leaves.  Symbiotic associations often function 
to increase the enzymatic capabilities of the symbiotic partners.  
Through symbiosis with cellulose-degrading microbes, ruminants and 
termites gain access to cellulases.  Similarly, through association 
with mosquito larvae, pitcher plants gain access to enzymes necessary 
to degrade the bodies of insects which they entrap.  It is generally 
accepted that endosymbiotic events among primitive cells contributed to 
the evolution of eukaryotes.  The 'endosymbiotic hypothesis' for the 
origin of chloroplasts and mitochondria is an important concept for 
understanding evolution of living things on earth.

The proposed newsgroup will enable symbiologists to communicate more 
effectively across barriers of subdisciplines of biology and geographical 
distance.  It will enable us to evolve a common vocabulary for describing 
symbiotic associations.  The absence of a clearly defined and widely 
accepted vocabulary presently plagues research in symbiosis.  This 
newsgroup will enable symbiologists to organize meetings, symposia, 
seminars, etc....  Research in symbiosis will be facilitated by enabling 
researchers to consult a broad cross-section of symbiosis researchers 
about problems or ideas.

Subscriptions are welcome from all persons interested in symbiosis 
research.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Voting is now open on the proposal for
SYMBIOSIS-RESEARCH/bionet.biology.symbiosis and will run through 24:00
hrs Pacific Time on 30 May 1995.  Please send your vote to either of
the following addresses:

Address                               Location        Network
-------                               --------        -------
[email-masked]               U.K.            JANET
[email-masked]                   U.S.A.          Internet/BITNET

PLEASE BE SURE TO FOLLOW THE FORMAT BELOW - WE OFTEN RUN MORE THAN ONE
VOTE AT A TIME SO A SIMPLE "YES" OR "NO" MESSAGE WITHOUT THE NEWSGROUP
NAME MAY BE AMBIGUOUS.  Your vote should contain a single line:

YES on SYMBIOSIS

if you favor allowing the creation of this newsgroup or

NO on SYMBIOSIS

if you think that this proposal will adversely affect the
BIOSCI/bionet system.  While not intended to be an exhaustive list of
possible concerns (more specific concerns may have been raised during
the discussion period on BIOFORUM/bionet.general and interested
readers are referred to these), some general reasons for voting NO
might be if you are concerned about newsgroup proliferation and/or
believe that the proposed group will not be utilized, or if you think
that the proposed newsgroup would substantially duplicate or overlap
with the function of existing newsgroups.  If you are simply not
interested in participating in the newsgroup above, please don't cast
a NO vote, but instead just don't vote at all.

The newsgroup proposal must receive at least 80 YES votes to pass and
the number of YES votes must be greater than the number of NO votes by
at least 40.  Discussion of the newsgroup proposal is now closed and
we strongly discourage posting any messages in other forums about the
fact that a CALL FOR VOTES has been issued.

				Sincerely,

				Dave Kristofferson
				BIOSCI/bionet Manager

				[email-masked]