ankle clonus, foot clonus a series of abnormal reflex movements of the foot, induced by sudden dorsiflexion, causing alternate contraction and relaxation of the triceps surae muscle. wrist clonus spasmodic movement of the hand, induced by forcibly extending the hand at the wrist.oe clonus abnormal rhythmic contraction of the great toe, induced by sudden passive extension of its first phalanx. wrist clonus spasmodic contraction of the hand muscles, induced by forcibly extending the hand at the wrist.
It is not only the diversity of natural mountain species that is of value to humankind, both intrinsically and as a source of wild foods such as mushrooms, game and birds, and many other non-timber forest products. Mountains are also important as centres of crop diversity.The maintenance and expansion of mountain populations in many parts of the world have been made possible by the introduction of potatoes and maize from Latin America. The original precursors of wheat came from the mountains of the Near East.UTTING MOUNTAINS ON THE AGENDA. The global importance of mountains has only recently been widely recognized. While scientists have been active in mountain regions for over two centuries, each typically focused on his or her own specialization in one or more mountain valleys or ranges.
Because mountain habitats can change quickly as elevations increase, they are often home to a greater diversity of plants and animals than nearby lowlands. On some mountains, especially at medium elevations in warmer latitudes, many species are endemic, meaning that they are found nowhere else in the world.ecuring mountain ecosystems within parks and other protected areas can help to preserve their valuable plants and animals for future generations. Protected areas have proved key to the preservation of some species, such as the mountain gorillas of the Virunga Mountains in the Democratic Republic of Congo.