Business - Social Responsibility - and Corruption Strategic Management

Question: Depict about the Business, Social Responsibility, And Corruption for Strategic Management. Answer: Presentation The vital administration will in general facilitate the exercises in different useful zones of the business to achieve the drawn out authoritative goals. In the comparative example, Branco and Delgado (2012) referenced that the vital administration is the on-going procedure to plan the systems that acquaint the benefits with the association and makes the concordance between the earth and association. It has been surveyed that the contemporary market has given more extensive chances to the internet business firms. Thinking about the vital focal points in the new outer condition, internet business would upgrade the limit of improving the business condition. Bremer (2008) verified that the web offers a certifiable exertion and opportunities to the retailers based administrators to build the item perceivability through the delicate promoting approach. Amazon.com the greatest retail goliath in the web based business industry has been fused on May 28, 1996. The brand offers a more extensive scope of items and administrations through the individual entries and mediators. Along these lines, the present investigation would assess on the corporate goal of Amazon, recognizing its outside and inward vital capacities and would likewise underline on its serious examination. Corporate destinations As per Carroll and Shabana (2009), Amazon Inc. is the American online retailer the chiefly sells the item over its web based business commercial center and gives wide scopes of items and administrations through its auxiliaries. The brand figured out how to out boat its product offering in 11 nations. Crowther and Reis (2011) surmised that the firm follows the statement of purpose of controlling the power behind the authority choice. The particular business qualities had encouraged the administration to withstand the income of $61.09 billion out of 2014 and net benefit of $39 million in the comparable year. With regards to the present subject, Chan et al. (2009) referenced that Amazon essentially trusts in conveying the suitable administrations to the end clients. It has been derived that Amazon had been considered as the select brand that gives quicker and 1 day conveyance choices to the end clients. Supporting the last affirmation, Crane et al. (2009) expressed that none of the subs titute brands offer the comparable support offices to the clients. In spite of the fact that Amazon Inc, charges cash from the clients for its quicker conveyance alternatives, yet, the clients are exceptionally happy with the quicker conveyance choices,. In this way, according to the present years insights, the working income of the Amazon had expanded by 47%, which is around $11.9 billion. Subsequently, the according to the measurements of the earlier year, the net deals of the brand had improved by 20%, in this way, the administration had anticipated that before the finish of the fourth quartile Amazon can expand its deals up to 22%, which is close about $35.7 billion. Outside examination Macroeconomic examination Political The political angles like copyright issues, surprising administrative changes, purchaser observations and the accessibility of the well aptitude designers makes a negative effect on the authoritative activities. In the particular substance, Eizmendi (2008) indicated that the European Union is far stricter than the US exchanging rules, in this manner, it had been a costly and provoking exertion for the specialists to upgrade the e-business in the European market. The severe guidelines had improved the trouble level of Amazon to circulate its computerized substance to the European area. Besides, Gupta (2010) told that the other eco-political sources like transportation charges and the exchange obstructions forced by the various locales has influenced the productivity edge of the association. Monetary In the circuit of the current deduction, Fontaine (2013) confirmed that the monetary factor the controlled imports, longer installment cycles and money fluctuating trade rates had antagonistically influenced the income edge of the Amazon. Mallin (2012) expressed that the brand had the arrangement of internationalizing its business, hence, so as to beat the monetary shortage, the administration of Amazon had made the business joint efforts with the household organizations. The particular methodology had profited the venture to make the global installment for the companys benefit. Thinking about the earlier articulation, Hawrysz and Foltys (2015) attested that the above methodology had influenced the valuing strategy of the specific undertaking, since; the administration can't send the item allowed to its worldwide clients. Assessing the last remark, Macdonald and Macdonald (2010) signified that Amazon essentially gets high rates of benefits from the global clients, consequently, induc tion can be drawn that more that the American clients, the clients in different markets like Europe, India and China lean towards the internet business idea. Henceforth forward, Amazon has a gigantic business on the global business, which would encourage the administration to build its image security. Social In the assessment of Michaelson (2010), discernment can be drawn that the quantities of claims against Amazon may impact the negative open observations with respect to its administration quality to improve the business volume. In the comparable subject, Polatoã„å ¸lu (2013) passed on the remark that Amazon had confronted the significant issue when the administration had been blamed for rehearsing the untrustworthy activity like disregarding the concurrence with the providers. This has essentially upgraded the issue inside the client in regards to buying the item through the online exchange choice. Against the last explanation, Sandberg and Holmlund (2015) referenced that the particular issue had been the essential blocks looked by any of the retails. Be that as it may, Amazon had just improved the clients observations by actualizing the strategy, privacy procedures and presenting the open intuitive mediums. Besides, Sagar et al. (2007) attested that the language obstructions and the social convictions had contrarily by influenced the fiscal summary of Amazon. Advances According to the investigates directed by the past researchers, derivation can be drawn that the innovative powers like trend setting innovation and talented designers skill influences the financial edge of the brand. In the announcement of Salehi et al. (2012), discernment can be attracted that because of the client traffic and bigger exchange volumes the brand should be touchy towards its specialized disappointments. As indicated by Rossouw (2011), Amazon significantly experience the specialized issues, because of which the most recent year in any event 40% of the global clients neglected to enroll the individual subtleties in the Amazon entries and request the chose things from the site. In spite of the errors, the brand had figured out how to encounter a high edge of deals. Legitimate As indicated by Przychodzeã… „ and Przychodzeã… „ (2014), the internet exchanging business inside the UK, go under the web based business guideline impact. The UK government had forced the Electronics Commerce Directive Regulations in the year 2000. The particular methodology had been acquainted by the brand with blend the online business manages all through. The specific guideline had kept Amazon from wide spreading its business into different channels. Russell (2014) confirmed that China had passed legitimate guideline in 2004, where causes the online advertisers to direct the security of the electronic exchanges. The specific standards had encouraged Amazon to make its own site by focusing on the Chinese market. Ecological It has been surmised that Amazon essentially depends on the delicate promoting strategy, accordingly, its operational activities scarcely unfriendly the biological equalization. Sandberg and Holmlund (2015) referenced that it significantly show the items in its own entries and the mediators, accordingly, the constrained measure of natural emptying happens with its product advancement programs, where top of the line vitality utilizations are required for the product arrangement. Serious investigation Danger of new participants In most of the ventures inside which Amazon works brings about lower section hindrances. Aside from the unobtrusive capital necessities, the internet business industry doesn't interest for a particular grants or aptitudes while entering into the market. In this manner, the passage boundaries in the right division are extensively lesser. Assessing the above attestation, Rossouw (2011) referenced that the brands working in delicate showcasing industry would be compromised by the new contenders because of constrained foundation endeavors. Notwithstanding, Eizmendi (2008) meant that Amazons technique of offering free transportation on the value scope of $25 can't be imitated by different opponents. In this manner, the brand had just evolved supportable systems against the up and coming errors as the recuperation instruments. Purchaser power As per Rossouw (2011), Amazons plan of action includes the particular gatherings of purchasers that have the moderate force. The biggest client bases of Amazon are the conventional end possibilities of Amazon motorize. Sandberg and Holmlund (2015) indicated that serving the end clients of the car office, Amazon gives an extreme rivalry to both the physical ventures. Be that as it may, buying the comparative item section from Amazon wipes out the dealing intensity of the buyers, which a clients gets from other surrendered shops and locales. Provider power As per Eizmendi (2008), Amazon has kept up a solid associations with its providers, in this manner, it could be derived that the providers are generally eagered to disseminate the product offerings of Amazon to various retailers. Then again, Sagar et al. (2007) discovered that the coordinations branch of Amazon is very solid, because of which the brand empowers to send the item to the last

The Progression of American Music in the 20th Century essays

The Progression of American Music in the twentieth Century expositions It is Americas music conceived out of a million American arrangements: among having and not having; among cheerful and dismal, nation and city; among high contrast and people; between the Old Africa and the Old Europe which could just have occurred in an altogether new world. (Ward 2) Jazz was really the music of America. It is a blend of the melodic underlying foundations of the considerable number of individuals in America around then. It obtains European old style topics, utilizing amicable tunes and particular scales, which permits it to be one of the main improvisational fine arts permitting the craftsman to actually make up music on the spot. Numerous authors, both European and American, brought parts of jazz into their show music. Debussy, Ravel, Stravinsky, Hindemith, and Milhaud at once or another imitated the rhythms of jazz, its run of the mill harmonies, or its improvisational habits of playing the trumpet, saxophone, or percussion. (Hanning 542) Through all that it combi nes the cadenced percussion and foundations of African music, joining numerous gospel subjects and confounded drum designs, even regularly getting Latin styles. Before jazz, jazz music, which utilized muddled harmony structures with confounding rhythms and beats, was extremely well known. Jazz utilized these speculations and blended them in with amazing metal sounds found in Dixieland music, which grew from the south, regularly utilizing gospel psalms and spirituals in a peppy style; Dixieland was well known since the Civil War. One of the artists who had the probably the greatest effect in jazz, if not the greatest, was a New Orleans trumpeter named Louis Armstrong. With his straightforward, energetic songs and the creation of the Bebop Scale, Armstrong is without a doubt the organizer of genuine jazz. (Ward 43) Armstrong was well known for his bebop trumpet sound and strikingly gravely voice, ideal for a scat solo, which is simply drivel sung in various key... <!

IT is Highest-Grossing Horror Film of All Time Critical Linking, September 25

IT is Highest-Grossing Horror Film of All Time Critical Linking, September 25 Sponsored by Wednesday Books “It,” the blockbuster adaptation of  Stephen King’s novel about a child-eating clown, has pushed past “The Exorcist” to become the highest-grossing horror film on a domestic basis. The crown comes with some caveats. “The Exorcist” is still the top-grossing horror film on an international basis, having netted $441.3 million globally to “It’s” $404.3 million. The horror classic also made its money in 1973, so this record doesn’t take inflation into account. The Stephen King machine rolls on. The former president and bestselling author James Patterson have selected Showtime to adapt their upcoming thriller,  The President Is Missing. The novel, set to be published in 2018, tells  the story of a sitting U.S. president’s mysterious disappearance with the level of detail that only someone who has held the highest office can know. And so does the Clinton machine! The Good Journal  is a quarterly literary journal showcasing the very best work by writers and illustrators of colour. It follows on from the success of the bestselling, award-winning collection of essays,  The Good Immigrant, presenting the most exciting new writers alongside more established names. The journal will launch in Spring 2018 and feature essays, short stories, poems, extracts of novels and illustrations. Rad Kickstarter for you to back. Sign up to Today In Books to receive  daily news and miscellany from the world of books. Thank you for signing up! Keep an eye on your inbox.

Essay on How Stubbornness Leads to Disaster in Sophocles...

Parents are there to protect and raise their children. It is their choice on how to do it. Many can be very nice and almost not strict enough, but others can seem stubborn and mean. Unlike strict parents, people who are truly stubborn can be much, much worse. Their inability to be wrong or not get what they want can destroy relationships and lives. This happened in Sophocles Antigone, she was doing what she felt to be right and her uncle, Creon the king of Thebes, had her killed because he did not agree with her point of view. Stubbornness can lead to bad judgments and horrible repercussions. Stubbornness is like a parasite that takes over a persons mind and body, and makes them sad, depressed, and angry. In the play almost every†¦show more content†¦Antigones sister reminds her she has no power in the law and if she is to be caught burying Polynieces she will be put to death. Being bull headed she does anyway. She was so stubborn that not even her only sister could stop her . After their argument Antigone even asks her sister if she wants to come with because Antigone thinks burying Polynieces is a respectable thing to do, she can not take a hint. And when she goes to defend herself in front of Creon she is so stubborn that she wants everyone to know that she has committed this crime for the gods and does not even defend herself but says she is guilty. This makes Creon even more mad because she knew exactly what she was doing. Not only were Creon and Antigone stubborn, other characters were also stubborn. For example Ismene, who wants to die with Antigone. She does not give up, but keeps saying, I did it†¦ I am her partner. I share the blame (29). Creon does not let her die with Antigone because he believes she is innocent and does not want to kill an innocent woman, ironically his stubborn choices kill many people close to him. Haimon also tries to sway Creon’s decision multiple times in the play and he does not give up until Antigone has already died. Over all almost every character in the play, Antigone, was stubborn, and all this led to disaster. In the end because of all of this foolishness Antigone, Haimon, and Euridice, Creons wife, die. This leaves Creon with no oneShow MoreRelatedOedipus and Chorus Leader8958 Words   |  36 PagesAntigone By Sophocles; translated by Ian Johnston Dramatis Personae (Fill in relationship information for each character listed.) ANTIGONE: ________________________ ISMENE: ______________________________ CREON: ____________________________ EURYDICE: ___________________________ HAEMON: __________________________ TEIRESIAS: ___________________________ Polynieces: __________________________ Eteocles: ______________________________ Oedipus: Father of Antigone, Ismene, Polynices

Do A Work Of Fine Art - 1157 Words

Think of a work of fine art. What came to mind? Was it a painting by Van Gogh, or Andy Warhol’s Campbell’s Soup Cans, a current pop song, or a symphony by Beethoven, a piece of literature authored by Emily Brontà «, or one by the Kardashians? Due to its objectivity, art is all encompassing: It can be anything created, written, performed, or photographed within which someone finds beauty. Conversely, fine art is exclusive and elite as evidenced by its’ name and the distinction between itself and art as a whole. Whether visible to all or not, there is a definitive line between pop culture and pop art versus works considered to be fine art. The Cambridge Dictionary defines pop culture as â€Å"music, TV, cinema, books, etc. that are popular and enjoyed by ordinary people, rather than experts or very educated people† (â€Å"Pop Culture†). Although it is unfair to assume that all pop culture connoisseurs are not â€Å"experts or very educated people,â €  the definition does reveal a harsh line between pop culture and fine art (â€Å"Pop Culture†). Art that incorporates pop culture is, by design, consumed by the masses. This is due to the viewer’s ability to connect with the subject matter either emotionally or from of familiarity. Fine art, however, is a niche of art that not everyone can relate to, understand, or even grow an interest in. Despite some artists and their works of fine art being widely known, the allure of their pieces are less than those which contain elements of popShow MoreRelatedFine Arts Programs Should Be Kept in Schools Essay861 Words   |  4 PagesFine arts gives students a chance to pour their hearts into something beautiful; a chance to be a part of something that is bigger than just themselves. Some schools are facing financial troubles with the current economy, and one of the first programs they consider cutting is fine arts. The removal of fine arts programs would be absolutely devas tating to countless members of the community. Many students would lose their favorite class, in some cases the one class that helps them get through the dayRead MoreBecoming a Computeri Illustrator 1014 Words   |  4 PagesIt’s sometimes- okay, almost always - hard for a person to answer the question â€Å"What do you want to be when you grow up?† Being asked this simple-sounding question so often by our friends, we begin to wonder and worry to the point where we’re terrified to even think about it anymore. Of course, as long as we’re working hard to achieve our goals, there’s nothing to fear. The key to staying calm while making such a decision that will decide our future is to break down the process of choosing into aRead MoreGovernment Funding of The Fine Arts1172 Words   |  5 Pagesstill faithful to classic works of literature and performance, the arts have proved themselves durable to the test of time. Long have these creations provided undying testament to mankind’s achievement and a window into the past. Perhaps no other category of art lends itself more to a view of history than the fine arts, or high arts, tradition with its well preserved pieces guarded and carefully designed to withstand the battery of time. Works belonging to the fine arts tradition were historicallyRead MoreEssay about Looking Deeper into the Creative Career of an Illustrator1128 Words   |  5 PagesIt is sometimes- okay, almost always - hard for a person to answer the question â€Å"What do you want to be when you grow up?† Being asked this simple-sounding question so often by friends, students begin to wonder and worry to the point where they are terrified to even think about it anymore; of course, as long as they are working hard to achieve their goals, there is nothing to fear. The key to staying calm while making such a decision that will decide their entire future is to break down the processRead MoreImplementing Co re Tested Programs For Schools1396 Words   |  6 Pagesclasses, which prevents students from achieving their full potential in the affected classes. Instructional time is important, especially in the fine arts. In order to have an arts program with the tangible results and benefits previously explained, elementary students require to have at least 50 hours of instructional time in order to give them a solid base in art disciplines (Good, 374). The schools who would prefer to focus their resources on the Core tested programs will see improvement in the CoreRead MoreThe Importance Of A Musician And A Fine Artist849 Words   |  4 Pagescareers that the Focus 2 Assessment claims would be a satisfactory fit for me include a musician and a fine artist. For both of these occupations, I would be more than willing to deliberate about taking up either of them in the future, taking into consideration that I am currently a performing musician. I also have plentiful experience in the visual arts as well, so I could imagine being a fine artist as well. Both jobs include doing things I enjoy to a great extent. A musician is an individualRead MoreEssay on Fine Arts Education Issues1541 Words   |  7 PagesFine Arts Education Issues According to the National Art Education Association’s goals for schools, â€Å"all elementary schools shall require students to complete a sequential program of art instruction that integrates the study of art production, aesthetics, art criticism, and art history,† (Clark, 1987). Elementary schools are having difficulty because they are cutting back on the fine arts programming and many non-specialist classroom teachers are expected to integrate the fine arts into theirRead MoreFine Art And Commercial Art1456 Words   |  6 PagesFine Art and Commercial Art With rapid economic growth and improving technologies, many artists are increasingly become interested in commercial art. This trend is mainly influence by the fact that the financial gains in commercial art are much greater than in fine art. 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Cutting fine arts saves money that could be used on academically stimulating programs and bettering Core subject areas. An Arizona newspaper reported that a school district was able to save one and a half million dollars when they completely cut their fine arts program (Faller). Fine arts takes up a large portion of schools’ budgets, and schools who cut it in its entirety would be able to save that money and

Mouth Cavity of Pig Free Essays

Mouth Cavity Mouth: Opening into the oral cavity. Where food enters the body. Chewing and salivary enzymes in the mouth are the beginning of the digestive process (breaking down the food). We will write a custom essay sample on Mouth Cavity of Pig or any similar topic only for you Order Now Teeth: Used to break food down by (chewing) into smaller particles. Tongue: is used to manoeuvre food that is being chewed. Pharynx: tube-like structure that connects oral and nasal cavities to the larynx; provides passageway for respiratory and digestive tracts. Located in the back of the oral cavity. Esophageal opening: The entrance to the esophagus (food tube) can also be found in the nasopharynx. Esophagus- A muscular tube. The passage of food (via peristalsis) from the pharynx to the stomach. The esophagus is located dorsal to the trachea Nasopharynx opening: Passageway between the oralpharynx (throat) and the nasopharynx (nasal cavity) Nasopharynx: The nasopharynx is located above the part of the pharynx that food enters. Located just above the throat where food enters, the nasopharynx is connected to the middle ear, and it’s purpose is to equalize ear pressure. And to allow air passage? Hard palate: hard bony structure that makes up the roof of the mouth. This separates the oral cavity from the nasal cavity. Soft palate: The movable fold, at the rear of the hard palate that closes off the nasal cavity from the oral cavity during swallowing or sucking. Epiglottis : a cone-shaped structure at the back of the mouth. fleshy flap the covers the glottis (which leads to the trachea) to prevent food and liquid from entering the trachea during swallowing. Glottis: The opening between the vocal cords at the upper part of the larynx. How to cite Mouth Cavity of Pig, Papers

Lichen an Example by

Lichen by Expert Lilliana | 06 Dec 2016 A lichen is an association between a fungus (mycobiont) and a photosynthetic symbiotic (photobiont) that results in a stable thallus, or body, of specific structure. The photobiont is either an alga or a cyanobacterium. A remarkable feature of a lichen is the transformation that the symbionts, in particular the fungus, undergo during the association. A new entity, the thallus, is formed, and unique chemical compounds are synthesized. The physiological behaviour of the symbionts also changes in symbiosis. There are about 15,000 species of lichens, an indication that this type of symbiosis has been highly successful and has involved many species of fungi. Surprisingly, only about 30 different types of algae and cyanobacteria have been reported as photobionts. Need essay sample on "Lichen" topic? We will write a custom essay sample specifically for you Proceed A lichen thallus usually consists of layers such as an upper and lower cortex, algal layer, and medulla. The layers differ in thickness and are better developed in some species than in others. Fungal hyphae make up most of a thallus; the photobiont cells are only a small percentage (about 7%) of the total volume. There are three main types of thalli: crustose, foliose, and fruticose. A crustose thallus lacks a lower cortex and is generally considered to be the most primitive type. Thalli of Lepraria species do not have layers but consist only of powdery granules. There are more species of crustose lichens than other types, and most of them belong to the genera Lecanora and Lecidea. Many crustose lichens stick tightly to the substratum and appear to be painted on it. Some species grow inside rock crevices and bark and still manage to produce separate layers. Squamules are typical of many species of Cladonia. Squamules are a specialized type of crustose thallus and are attached at only one end to the substratum. A foliose thallus has an upper and lower cortex, an algal layer, and medulla and is usually loosely attached to the substrate by hairlike structures called rhizines. The thallus has many different sizes and shapes and is often pided into lobes. Common foliose genera include Anaptychia, Cetraria, Parmelia, Physcia, and Xanthoria. Some foliose lichens, such as Umbilicaria (rock tripe), have thalli that are attached to the substrate by only one central point. Fruticose thalli are upright or hanging, round or flat and often highly branched. Thalli of Usnea are hairlike and can reach a length of 5 m, whereas those of Evernia are shorter and strap-shaped. The layers of a fruticose thallus may surround a central thick cord, as in Usnea, or a hollow space as in some Cladonia species. Lichens grow practically everywhere - on and within rocks, on soil and tree bark, on almost any inanimate object. They grow in deserts and in tropical rainforests, where they occur on living leaves of plants and ferns. They have been found on the shells of tortoises in the Galapagos Islands and on large weevils in New Guinea. In the dry valleys of Antarctica, endolithic lichens, such as Buellia and Lecidea, grow inside sandstone crevices. Dermatocarpon fluviatile and Hydrothyria venosa grow in freshwater streams, and species of Verrucaria are common in the intertidal zones of rocky, ocean shores. Verrucaria serpuloides is a permanently submerged marine lichen that grows on stones and rocks 4-10 meters below mean low tide off the coast of the Antarctic Peninsula. Douglas Larson has estimated that about 8% of the earth's terrestrial surface is dominated by lichens. Lichens abound in areas with high annual humidity, such as the fog belt zones of Chile and Baja California. Extensive lichen populations also grow in the cool, northern forests of the world, where hundreds of miles of forest floor are covered with thick carpets of reindeer lichens (Cladonia). Lichens with organized thalli do not grow well in areas that are continuously wet, such as tropical rainforests. Only poorly organized species of Lepraria and leaf-inhabiting lichens are found in these regions. Lecanora conizaeoides and Lecanora dispersa colonize trees and gravestones in industrial cities and towns, but most lichens cannot tolerate the polluted atmosphere and persistent dryness of urban areas. Lichens are dispersed by thallus fragments and vegetative diaspores such as isidia and soredia. Each diaspore consists of a few algal cells and fungal hyphae. Soredia are powdery granules that originate inside the thallus, as localized overgrowths of algae and hyphae, and break through the upper cortex. Isidia are cylindrical extensions of the thallus. About 39% of all foliose and fruticose species of lichens produce isidia. Diaspores are dispersed by water, wind, insects, and birds. Lichen fungi produce the same type of reproductive structures as other ascomycetes. Only some aspects of the sexual process have been seen in lichens, such as the fusion of microconidia to the tips of trichogynes. Dispersal of photobionts occurs by means of motile (zoospores) and nonmotile (autospores) spores. The basic unit of a lichen thallus is one algal cell with enveloping hyphae. Fungal hyphae adhere to the surface of an algal cell by means of a mucilage produced by both symbionts. As the fungus envelops the algal cells, it forms two types of specialized cells, appressoria and haustoria. These structures are common features of pathogenic fungi. The appressorium fastens the mycobiont tightly to the photobiont and gives rise to hyphae that grow into the algal cell and form haustoria. Hyphae penetrate the algal cell by enzymatic and physical means; that is, they partially dissolve their way through the algal wall and also push their way through. The plasma membrane of the algal cell always remains intact, no matter how deeply the hyphae grow inside the cell. The lichens are a unique example of symbiosis. Most of the studies that have dealt with the physiological interactions between lichen symbionts have focused on the passage of nutrients from the photobiont to the mycobiont. In a lichen thallus the photobiont excretes more than 90% of the carbon that it fixes photosynthetically as a polyol or a sugar such as glucose. The polyol excreted by green symbionts is ribitol, erythritol, or sorbitol; bluegreen photobionts excrete glucose. The fungus may control the rate of polyol excretion by the photobiont. Carbon dioxide stimulates photosynthesis of the photobiont, while NH 3 increases its respiration and carbohydrate release. When the lichen fungus is actively growing, it can increase the flow of nutrients from the photobiont cells by producing more urease. Lichen acids and certain proteins act as a feedback control because they inactivate urease. Polyols and glucose released by the photobionts are absorbed by the mycobiont and converted to mannitol, which is a fungal storage product. Such a conversion creates a sink to which algal nutrients continue to flow. The fungus uses some of the mannitol for growth and development, but the rest is used to help it withstand the extreme conditions of its habitat. Lichens contain unique secondary compounds, which are commonly called lichen acids. These compounds were thought to be products of the symbiosis, but studies of isolated mycobionts growing in culture with high concentrations of sucrose have revealed that the fungus alone produces these compounds. In lichens secondary metabolism appears to be connected to desiccation and aerial growth of the mycobiont. Secondary compounds of lichens may have important ecological roles. Many have antibiotic activity and may prevent the microbial decay of lichen thalli, which may live for hundreds and even thousands of years. Lichen substances are also chemical weathering compounds that have a role in soil formation because of their chelating properties. Lichens - unique life forms that actually are two separate organisms, a fungus and an alga, living in symbiosis - are especially susceptible to air pollution. According to James P. Bennett, a research ecologist with the National Biological Service, Small plantlike organisms, lichens once were found in every corner of the world. Now, at least a dozen areas in North America - from Los Angeles to tracts of rural Pennsylvania - are classified as lichen deserts. Many northern and alpine animals - including moose, elk, muskox, and a number of ground-feeding birds - turn to lichens when the winters are long and other types of food are scarce. For these animals, lichens are "famine foods." In addition, birds and squirrels incorporate lichens in the latticework of their nests to insulate, cushion, and conceal their eggs and young. Humans, too, have benefited from lichens and their products for thousands of years. Lichen extracts were used for dyes in ancient Greece and Rome, as recorded by Pliny and Dioscoridis. Many of the methods for extracting and preparing lichen dyes were perfected in Europe during the Middle Ages. In the twentieth century, biologists found orcein to be a useful agent for staining chromosomes, enhancing their visibility under a microscope. A closely related dye, litmus, has been widely used to test the pH (acidity or alkalinity) of solutions. The extracts from some lichen species, including oakmoss (Evernia prunastri) and tree moss (Pseudevernia furfuracea), are used by the cosmetics industry for fixative agents in perfumes. In addition, usnic acid - obtained from species belonging to several genera (such as Usnea, Cetraria, Cladonia, and Parmelia) - promises to be useful in antibiotic salves, herbicides, and deodorants. Today we can find lichens in a wide range of sizes, shapes, and colours. Lichens occur in every type of habitat, promote soil development, reveal air quality, and serve as sources of food, dyes, and medicines. How will lichens be used in the future? Perhaps they will lead us to new nutritional products, important tests for environmental health, or valuable pharmaceutical. Time will tell. In the meantime, let us begin to appreciate this group of organisms that already had contributed so much but are acknowledged so little. Works Cited Air Pollution Is Decimating Lichens. USA Today 124 June 1996. Hylander, Clarence J. The World of Plant Life. The Macmillan Company, 1969. Macy, Joanna. Deep Ecology and the Council of All Beings. Re-vision 16, 1993. Paracer, Surindar and Ahmajian Vernon. Symbiosis: An Introduction to Biological Association. Oxford University Press, 2000. 113. Smith, Dwight G. Partners for life. World and I. 18 April 2003.