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Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Zoology & animal sciences > Animal behaviour
Offers knowledge on how to resolve human-wildlife conflicts through wildlife damage management. Provides examples of how human-wildlife conflicts can be alleviated by using an integrated approach Discusses management options including employing lethal methods; distributing supplemental food; changing the behavior of either humans or wildlife; and excluding or repelling wildlife. Backed by numerous case studies, informative side bars and full color illustrations. Uses brand new case studies to illustrate the benefits of an integrated approach to wildlife management for resolving wildlife problems.
An understanding of animal behaviour and welfare is an important requirement of a wide range of programmes of study including biology, zoology, animal welfare, animal behaviour, psychology and zoo biology. This book is intended as a study and revision guide for students following programmes of study in which animal behaviour and welfare are an important component. It contains 600 multiple-choice questions (and answers) set at three levels - foundation, intermediate and advanced - and grouped into 10 major topic areas: 1. Foundations and history of animal behaviour and welfare 2. Basic concepts and mechanisms in behaviour 3. Biological basis of behaviour 4. Learning, memory and training 5. Territoriality, navigation and migration 6 Animal cognition and communication 7. Behavioural ecology and social behaviour 8. Measuring, recording and analysing animal behaviour and welfare 9. Animal exploitation and welfare 10 Animal rights, ethics and law The book has been produced in a convenient format so that it can be used at any time in any place. It allows the reader to learn and revise the meaning of terms used in the study of animal behaviour and welfare, methods of recording behaviour and assessing welfare, the physiology of behaviour, learning, memory, cognition, behavioural ecology, animal rights and much more. Many of the questions require students to use their knowledge to interpret information provided in the form of graphs, data or photographs.
It is usual to consider the effects parents have on children; this title, originally published in 1977, reverses the focus and reveals a subject every bit as important and interesting. The authors, both professional psychologists, present their findings under three major headings - "History", "Theories and Research Approaches" and "Concepts and Findings" - that discuss the social, psychological, and biological influences children exert on parents. Bell and Harper oppose the "intellectual apartheid" that prevents behavioural scientists from investigating "the continuity of interaction processes from other animals to man" and include substantial research findings in mammalian biology to show more precisely the reciprocal relations between parents and their offspring. Their "bidirectional approach" to the study of child-rearing is meant to offset empirical prejudices that had so far dominated child-care sciences at the time.
Dramatic changes in the environment, including habitat degradation and climate change, have focused attention on how individuals and populations respond to a shifting biotic and abiotic landscape. A critical step toward meeting this goal is a clear understanding of the capacity of individuals to defend themselves against threats. Changes in water quality and temperature have direct and indirect effects on fishes. Defensive responses can occur at many levels, from cellular to behavioral actions. The authors in this volume have attempted to provide a general view of the current state of knowledge of fish defenses with respect to pathogens, parasites, and predators, and to point out gaps where further study is needed.
The greatest complexity of the immune response is shown by vertebrates which are endowed with innate and acquired immunity. Immunological studies performed mostly in mammals have been the reference for studies in other vertebrates. The study of immunological fish defenses has advanced considerably in recent decades. This has been due to the key status of fish in terms of the evolution of acquired immunity and due to the rapid expansion of aquaculture over this period, wherein disease control is of prime concern. Most of the chapters not only review the current advances on fish immune defenses, but also show perspective for future research. The book will be of interest to scientists involved in fish immunology, fisheries and aquaculture as well as for students of fish biology.
Human language, cognition, and culture are unique; they are unparalleled in the animal kingdom. The claim that we can learn what makes us human by studying other animal species provokes vigorous reactions and many deny that comparative research can shed any light on the origins and character of human distinctive capacities. However, Learning from Animals? presents empirical research and an analysis of comparative approaches for an understanding of human uniqueness, arguing that we cannot know what capacities are uniquely human until we learn what other species can do. This interdisciplinary volume explores the prospects and problems of comparative approaches for understanding modern humans abilities by presenting: (1) the latest findings and theoretical approaches in primatology, comparative psychology, linguistics, and philosophy; (2) methodological reflections on the prospects and challenges of understanding human capacities through comparative research strategies; and (3) discussions of conceptual and ethical issues. This is the first book to address the issues raised by comparative research from such a diverse perspective. It will therefore be of great interest to students, researchers, and professionals in comparative psychology, linguistics, primatology, biology, and philosophy.
Fishes are by far the most species-rich vertebrate taxon, and it is also the vertebrate group with the most strikingly diverse repertoire of behaviours and behavioural adaptations. As such, they provide us with many opportunities to explore the fascinating complexities of animal behaviour. Central questions addressed in this book include: How do sensory input, hormones, genetics and experience interact to shape individual behaviour? What should a fish do to be in the right place at the right time and how should it behave to be an efficient predator yet not become the subject of predation itself? How to find a mate or to find the best mate? Should all fish do the same, or is the optimal behaviour dependent on individual characteristics? How does reproductive behaviour affect what fish look like, in terms of colour, body form or body size? And how do fish cope with their complex social and biological environment, including parasites, competitors and collaborators? This new book provides an exciting overview of the many new insights offered by recent research on fish behaviour. The chapters are written by prominent international scientists and are aimed not only at fish biology students and researchers but anyone interested in the interplay between behaviour, ecology and evolution.
This book describes a novel and unique approach to the treatment of human diseases based on the study of natural animal models. A natural animal model is defined as an animal group or species that possesses a set of biochemical/physiological characteristics which are natural and adaptive for that animal, but are quite abnormal for humans. For example, how is it that birds can tolerate blood glucose concentrations which in humans are associated with diabetes. The natural animal model is living proof that a biological answer to this question is available. By studying natural animal models, we can gain valuable insights into the treatment of various human clinical disorders. Covering a wide range of disorders, this book describes in detail how medical scientists can take advantage of all the "research" that nature has already performed over billions of years in biological problem solving through extensive animal design testing and selection.
The laws of animal behavior have been revised and revealed through research performed by zoologists, physiologists and experimental psychologists. Each has contributed much. Their main meeting ground has been the study of mammals, especially rats. This classic book is unique in bringing together the principal conclusions of these researchers in a compact, well illustrated, and lucid form. The author himself made important original contributions to wild rat behavior; his account of "white rat psychology" and of relevant work on other species is equally authoritative. Experience as a teacher enabled him to write an unusually logical and comprehensive text, suitable for students of zoology, psychology and medicine. This book belongs to no particular school of biology or psychology. Rather it admits the work of all schools and strict adherence to none. The principal topics covered include: movement in the living space; feeding behavior; social and reproductive behavior; the analysis of "instinct"; the analysis of learned behavior; "motivation" and "drive"; the brain and behavior. The book includes a full, carefully selected bibliography, current up to the time of original publication of the original edition.
Those who have been privileged to watch baboons long enough to know them as individuals and who have learned to interpret some of their more subtle interactions will attest that the rapid flow of baboon behavior can at times be overwhelming. In fact, some of the most sophisticated and influential observation methods for sampling vertebrate social behavior grew out of baboon studies, invented by scientists who were trying to cope with the intricacies of baboon behavior. Barbara Smuts' eloquent study of baboons reveals a new depth to their behavior and extends the theories needed to account for it. While adhering to the most scrupulous methodological strictures, the author maintains an open research strategy--respecting her subjects by approaching them with the open mind of an ethnographer and immersing herself in the complexities of baboon social life before formulating her research design, allowing her to detect and document a new level of subtlety in their behavior. At the Gilgil site, described in this book, she could stroll and sit within a few feet of her subjects. By maintaining such proximity she was able to watch and listen to intimate exchanges within the troop; she was able, in other words, to shift the baboons well along the continuum from "subject" to "informant." By doing so she has illuminated new networks of special relationships in baboons. This empirical contribution accompanies theoretical insights that not only help to explain many of the inconsistencies of previous studies but also provide the foundation for a whole new dimension in the study of primate behavior: analysis oft he dynamics of long-term, intimate relationships and their evolutionary significance. At every stage of research human observers have underestimated the baboon. These intelligent, curious, emotional, and long-lived creatures are capable of employing stratagems and forming relationships that are not easily detected by traditional research methods. In the process of unraveling their complex social relationships, Smuts has revealed that these masters of strategy and aggressive competition are equally capable of patience, tenderness, and concern. "Barbara B. Smuts" is professor of psychology and anthropology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She is also the author of Primate Societies.
Humans, being visually oriented, are well versed in camouflage and
how animals hide from predators that use vision to locate prey.
However, many predators do not hunt by sight; they hunt by scent.
This raises the question: do survival mechanisms and behaviors
exist which allow animals to hide from these olfactory predators?
If so, what are they, and how do they work?
This concise but thorough study of courtship behavior in fish, birds, and arthropods is the first rigorous examination of the evolutionary origins and mechanisms of courtship and its contribution to biological success. Demonstrating the fruitfulness of an empirically based, inductive approach to understanding courtship, the book also explains clearly how principles of modern evolutionary theory can be successfully employed in studying behavior. The author describes many observations and experiments that have not previously appeared outside specialized journals and brings an abundance of simple yet accurate examples of animal behavior to bear on explanations of ethological concepts and evolutionary theory. No attempt is made to skim over the gaps of knowledge apparent in the study of behavior evolution; rather, the author discusses the limitations and difficulties of different approaches, critically reviews the deductions that can be and have been made from them, and tries to present enough evidence on controversial points for the reader himself to judge the validity of specific arguments. Indicating how ethological method, firmly based on biological principles, can intensively investigate and illuminate a single area of animal behavior, the book will be valuable to students and professionals in zoology, animal behavior, and experimental psychology. "Margaret Bastock" studied zoology at Oxford from 1946 to 1949 and became a zoology tutor at and, later, a Fellow of St. Anne's College, Oxford. She worked for her Ph.D. under Professor N. Tinbergen and through him became acquainted with the work of the chief ethologists in Europe and the United States. Her original work has concentrated on the inheritance and organization of behavior in insects, and her principal interests include all aspects of animal behavior, genetics, and evolution.
In this book, Hans Kummer, one of the world's leading primate ethologists, examines the patterns of social interaction among primates. He examines this social behavior from the fundamentally biological viewpoint of evolutionary adaptation as part of the survival mechanisms for the species. Recognizing that all activity is constituted in part of genetic programming and in part of adaptive behavior, he explores the borderline area between the genetic and the "cultural." By use of astute observation and clever experimentation he shows that many aspects of social behavior are inherited, and differentially inherited among various primate groups. These data also show, however, that the individuals and troops learn much in primate social life and that these forms are responsive to particular ecological situations. Drawing heavily on knowledge gleaned from his own well-known studies of the Hamadryas baboon, Dr. Kummer introduces the reader to the daily life of a particular primate society. From this sample case, he proceeds to a more general characterization of primate societies, using as examples the great apes and monkeys of Africa, Asia, and South America and particularly the widely studied terrestrial monkey species. The particularities of primate communication, social structure, and economy are described and special attention is devoted to the primate counterparts of kinship and age groups-behavioral differences based on age and sex, and mating and grouping systems. This is followed by a chapter dealing with the ecological functions of the major parameters of primate social life, such as group size and the coordination of activities within it-dominance, leadership systems, and spatial arrangements. The second part of the book is concerned with the origins of behavioral traits of primates, discussed from phylogenetic, ecological, and cultural points of view, again using data-based examples. Dr. Kummer explains why some traits have not evolved that would have been adaptive, and traces the rise of several secondary functions in their place. The final section of- the book confronts man with his fellow primates, emphasizing the probable limits imposed upon human culture by the existing phylogenetic heritage. Hans Kummer earned his Ph.D. in zoology from the University of Zurich. His research projects include study of the spatial and fami1y organization of primate groups at the Delta Regional Primate Research Center at Covington, La., and three years of field study of the social behavior of baboons in Ethiopia. Dr. Kummer has contributed articles to many journals and symposia. Since 1969, he has been Assistant Professor of Zoology at the University of Zurich.
Fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) are among the most destructive agricultural pests in the world, eating their way through acres and acres of citrus and other fruits at an alarming rate and forcing food and agriculture agencies to spend millions of dollars in control and management measures. But until now, the study of fruit flies has been traditionally biased towards applied aspects (e.g., management, monitoring, and mass rearing)-understandable, given the tremendous economic impact of this species. This work is the first that comprehensively addresses the study of the phylogeny and the evolution of fruit fly behavior. An international group of highly renowned scientists review the current state of knowledge and include considerable new findings on various aspects of fruit fly behavior, phylogeny and related subjects. In the past, the topics of phylogeny and evolution of behavior were barely addressed, and when so, often superficially. Fruit Flies (Tephritidae): Phylogeny and Evolution of Behavior is a definitive treatment, covering all behaviors in a broad range of tephritids.
Phonological Architecture bridges linguistic theory and the
biological sciences, presenting a comprehensive view of phonology
from a biological perspective. Its back-to-basics approach breaks
phonology into primitive operations and representations and
investigates their possible origins in cognitive abilities found
throughout the animal kingdom.
This book explores afresh the long-standing interest, and emphasis on, the special' capacities of primates. Some of the recent discoveries of the higher cognitive abilities of other mammals and also birds challenge the concept that primates are special and even the view that the cognitive ability of apes is more advanced than that of nonprimate mammals and birds. It is therefore timely to ask whether primates are, in fact, special and to do so from a broad range of perspectives. Divided into five sections this book deals with topics about higher cognition and how it is manifested in different species, and also considers aspects of brain structure that might be associated with complex behavior.
Originally published in 1972, Homo Sapiens examines how humans emerged from among the millions of other species and achieved our unique position within the animal kingdom. The book examines what direction future evolution will take and what may be regarded as the 'meaning' of human existence. It stipulates that these are the questions for which no real basis of discussion existed before the 20th century, and at the time of publication, some were still without a definite answer. The book sets out analyse these questions and the continuing debate that has arisen from their study. This is an account of the uniqueness of man in the animal kingdom, how this uniqueness arose during evolution, and what traces of it can be detected in animals other than man. The book describes the mental and physical evolution of man, from his earliest ancestors to the present day. He also gives an account of man's cultural development seeking to establish that there is an underlying principal of cultural evolution, a principle that has been denied by many historians. Later chapters deal with the future and with possible forecasts of mankind's further physical, intellectual and cultural evolution.
This special issue illustrates benefits to animals from positive
reinforcement training (PRT) and--depending on the setting--to
scientists, animal care staff, veterinarians, and in the case of
the zoo, the visiting public. One important theme throughout is
that training is a joint venture between human and nonhuman primate
and can lead to a closer, richer relationship between the two. In
summary, the editors hope this issue encourages further and wider
application of PRT to primate management, care, and use, as well as
aid those working with animals in applying PRT safely and
effectively.
What are the benefits of owning a dog on health and well-being? Why does a problem dog behave as it does and how can owners deal with unwanted behaviour? How do dogs communicate with humans and each other? The Psychology of Dog Ownership explores the nature of our unique relationship with dogs and its effect on our mental and physical welfare. The book uses psychological learning theory to examine dog behaviour and highlights the importance of determining between typical dog behaviour and behaviour disorders that need treatment. Focusing on how dog owners can communicate effectively with their pets, and always with the dogsbest interests in mind, The Psychology of Dog Ownership enhances our understanding of the modern human-canine bond and shows how important and enjoyable this relationship can be.
This title offers an approach to the subject area by fully integrating the field of animal behaviour and biomechanics. It demonstrates how the study of biomechanics is useful in understanding, evaluating and making predictions about animal behaviour. The book examines how the mechanical limits of movement constrain and determine animal behaviour, for example swimming strategy of aquatic vertebrates, walking energetics in invertebrates, light mechanics and migration performance in birds.
Play is a paradox. Why would the young of so many species--the very
animals at greatest risk for injury and predation--devote so much
time and energy to an activity that by definition has no immediate
purpose? This question has long puzzled students of animal
behavior, and has been the focus of considerable empirical
investigation and debate.
This book provides an introduction to population dynamics, exploring rules that govern change in any dynamic system and applying these general principles to populations of living organisms. Principles of Population Dynamics and their Application is aimed at applied ecologists, resource managers. and pest managers. It is also aimed at undergraduate students taking courses in forestry, fisheries, widlife and pest management.
The diversity of social behavior among birds and primates is surpassed only by members of the Hymenopteran insects, including bees, ants, and the genus Polistes, or paper-wasps. This volume combines incisive reviews and new, unpublished data in studies of paper-wasps, a large and varied group whose life patterns are often studied by biologists interested in social evolution. While this research is significant to the natural history of paper-wasps, it also applies to topics of general interest such as the evolution of cooperation, social parasitism, kin recognition, and the division of labor.
Spatial cognition is a broad field of enquiry, emerging from a wide range of disciplines and incorporating a wide variety of paradigms that have been employed with human and animal subjects. This volume is part of a two- volume handbook reviewing the major paradigms used in each of the contributors' research areas.; This volume considers the issues of neurophysiological aspects of spatial cognition, the assessment of cognitive spatial deficits arising from neural damage in humans and animals, and the observation of spatial behaviours in animals in their natural habitats.; This handbook should be of interest to new and old students alike. The student new to spatial research can be brought up-to- speed with a particular range of techniques, made aware of the background and pitfalls of particular approaches, and directed toward useful sources. For seasoned researchers, the handbook provides a rapid scan of the available tools that they might wish to consider as alternatives when wishing to answer a particular "spatial" research problem.
Originally published in 1975, this volume deals with animals and human infants. The chapters reflect a mixture of issues and problems ranging from the significance of sucking responses in the newborn, the development of memory, effects of rearing conditions in monkeys, and brain damage in animals, to processes underlying abnormal development of language. While it appears the issues are diverse, there is actually a common theme. One question is posed: How and why does normal development fail to occur in some human infants? The chapters show that there are many causes of aberrations: physical or psychological trauma, disease, inheritance, and drugs. Although one may be primary, "multiple causation" would still appear to be a sound principle in developmental pathology. |
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