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Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Zoology & animal sciences > Animal behaviour
Birds migrating across the Himalayan region fly over the highest peaks in the world, facing immense physiological and climatic challenges. The authors show the different strategies used by birds to cope with these challenges. Many wetland avian species are seen in the high-altitude lakes of the Himalayas and the adjoining Tibetan Plateau, such as Bar-Headed Geese. Ringing programmes have generated information about origins and destinations, and this book is the first to present information on the bird's exact migratory paths. Capitalising on knowledge generated through satellite telemetry, the authors describe the migratory routes of a multitude of birds flying over or skirting the Himalayas. The myriad of threats to migratory birds and the wetland system in the Central Asian Flyway are discussed, with ways to mitigate them. This volume will inform and persuade policy-makers and conservation practitioners to take appropriate measures for the long-term survival of this unique migration.
This book constitutes the proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Simulation of Adaptive Behavior, SAB 2016, held in Aberystwyth, UK, in August 2016. The 31 papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 45 submissions. They cover the main areas in animat research, including the animat approach and methodology, perception and motor control, learning and adaptation, evolution, and collective and social behavior.
Insect Symbiosis is a collection of chapters written by world authorities on the microbes that can be called symbionts that are associated with insects and mites. Whether bacteria, fungi or spiroplasmids, and whether endosymbionts or casual gut symbionts, the authors describe some of the latest work in a field that has grown rapidly since the development of the newer molecular methods, which allowed for the identification of even minute samples of microbes without the need for culturing.
In The Triumph of Sociobiology, John Alcock reviews the controversy that has surrounded evolutionary studies of human social behavior following the 1975 publication of E.O. Wilson's classic, Sociobiology, The New Synthesis. Denounced vehemently as an "ideology" that has justified social evils and inequalities, sociobiology has survived the assault. Twenty-five years after the field was named by Wilson, the approach he championed has successfully demonstrated its value in the study of animal behavior, including the behavior of our own species. Yet, misconceptions remain--to our disadvantage. In this straight-forward, objective approach to the sociobiology debate, noted animal behaviorist John Alcock illuminates how sociobiologists study behavior in all species. He confronts the chief scientific and ideological objections head on, with a compelling analysis of case histories that involve such topics as sexual jealousy, beauty, gender difference, parent-offspring relations, and rape. In so doing, he shows that sociobiology provides the most satisfactory scientific analysis of social behavior available today. Alcock challenges the notion that sociobiology depends on genetic determinism while showing the shortcoming of competing approaches that rely on cultural or environmental determinism. He also presents the practical applications of sociobiology and the progress sociobiological research has made in the search for a more complete understanding of human activities. His reminder that "natural" behavior is not "moral" behavior should quiet opponents fearing misapplication of evolutionary theory to our species. The key misconceptions about this evolutionary field are dissected one by one as the author shows why sociobiologists have had so much success in explaining the puzzling and fascinating social behavior of nonhuman animals and humans alike.
How does behaviour affect biological invasions? Can it explain why some animals are such successful invaders? With contributions from experts in the field, and covering a broad range of animals, this book examines the role of behaviour in biological invasions from the point of view of both invaders and native species. The chapters cover theoretical aspects, particularly relevant behaviours and well-documented case studies, showing that behaviour is critical to the success, and ecological and socio-economic impact, of invasive species. Its insights suggest methods to prevent and mitigate those impacts, and offer unique opportunities to understand the adaptive role of behaviour. Offering a comprehensive overview of current understanding on the subject, the book is intended for biological invasion researchers and behavioural ecologists, as well as ecologists and evolutionary biologists interested in how organisms deal with anthropogenic environmental changes such as climate change and habitat loss.
Originally published in 1915, this book was written by the renowned British geneticist Reginald Crundall Punnett (1875-1967). Intended to appeal to a broad range of readers, the text presents a concise discussion of mimicry in butterflies and the role of mimicry in the evolutionary process. Illustrative figures and notes are included. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in butterflies, the development of evolutionary theory and the history of science.
'One of history's most impressive field studies; an instant animal classic' TIME Jane Goodall's classic account of primate research provides an impressively detailed and absorbing account of the early years of her field study of, and adventures with, chimpanzees in Tanzania, Africa. It is a landmark for everyone to enjoy.
Originally published in 1942, this book is an introduction to the study of bird psychology. Armstrong covers a wide variety of subjects relating to 'ceremonials' and other rituals conducted by various species of birds, including social hierarchy, courtship, song and arena displays. The text is illustrated with a variety of photographs illustrating some of the practices described. This book will be valuable to anyone with an interest in the conduct and communication of birds.
This book offers a comprehensive overview of fundamental concepts of animal behavior as they relate to insects. Considerably updated and expanded, this new edition includes 26 case studies, as well as 45 new color plates and 173 figures (over 40% of them new) with detailed legends that add richness to the well-written, accessible text.
Urban Evolutionary Biology fills an important knowledge gap on wild organismal evolution in the urban environment, whilst offering a novel exploration of the fast-growing new field of evolutionary research. The growing rate of urbanization and the maturation of urban study systems worldwide means interest in the urban environment as an agent of evolutionary change is rapidly increasing. We are presently witnessing the emergence of a new field of research in evolutionary biology. Despite its rapid global expansion, the urban environment has until now been a largely neglected study site among evolutionary biologists. With its conspicuously altered ecological dynamics, it stands in stark contrast to the natural environments traditionally used as cornerstones for evolutionary ecology research. Urbanization can offer a great range of new opportunities to test for rapid evolutionary processes as a consequence of human activity, both because of replicate contexts for hypothesis testing, but also because cities are characterized by an array of easily quantifiable environmental axes of variation and thus testable agents of selection. Thanks to a wide possible breadth of inference (in terms of taxa) that may be studied, and a great variety of analytical methods, urban evolution has the potential to stand at a fascinating multi-disciplinary crossroad, enriching the field of evolutionary biology with emergent yet incredibly potent new research themes where the urban habitat is key. Urban Evolutionary Biology is an advanced textbook suitable for graduate level students as well as professional researchers studying the genetics, evolutionary biology, and ecology of urban environments. It is also highly relevant to urban ecologists and urban wildlife practitioners.
This book constitutes the proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Simulation of Adaptive Behavior, SAB 2014, held in Castellon, Spain, in July 2014. The 32 papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected for inclusion in the proceedings. They cover the main areas in animat research, including the animat approach and methodology, perception and motor control, navigation and internal world models, learning and adaptation, evolution and collective and social behavior.
Originally published in 1929, this book contains the text of three lectures by George Coghill on the subject of the anatomical basis for typical behavioural development in animals. Coghill takes salamanders as his particular case study to connect the growth of the nervous system in an organism with its observable behaviour. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in animal behaviour and the physiological basis for behaviour.
Originally published in 1951 as part of the Cambridge Library of Modern Science, this book discusses the life cycles of various parasitic animals, as distinct from parasitic bacteria and plants. Key biological points are illustrated with references to parasitic animals that attack either humans or domestic animals for the purposes of clarity, and the effect of the host-parasite relationship on both parties is also examined. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of science and parasitology.
This concise instructional guide condenses the most important aspects of large animal handling. It provides a portable, durable, beside-the-animal means of learning, as well as a convenient way to refresh on how to strive for safety and efficacy in animal handling techniques. It is ideal for use during veterinary placements in all settings from farm to laboratory, to riding school. The text covers: * Handler safety * Animal safety * Sanitation * Approach and capture * Routine handling and release procedures * Handling for medical procedures * Use and supply sources of restraint equipment. A Companion Website provides additional self-assessment questions and answers to aid learning Important reading for undergraduate veterinary students on EMS rotations, as well as practicing veterinarians, technicians and assistants, the book covers species encountered in farm, equine and laboratory settings.
This second volume in the Natural History of the Crustacea series examines how crustaceans-the different body shapes and adaptations of which are described in volume 1-make a living in the wide range of environments they inhabit, and how they exploit food sources. The contributions in the volume give synthetic overviews of particular lifestyles and feeding mechanisms, and offer a fresh look at crustacean life styles through the technological tools that have been applied to recent crustacean research. These include SEM (scanning electron microscope) techniques, micro-optics, and long-term video recordings that have been used for a variety of behavioral studies. The audience will include not only crustacean biologists but evolutionary ecologists who want to understand the diversification of particular life styles, ecologists who follow the succession of communities, biogeochemists who estimate the role of crustaceans in geochemical fluxes, and biologists with a general interest in crustaceans.
Thailand is home to over 350 species of reptiles, consisting of many kinds of turtles and tortoises, lizards, snakes and crocodiless. With its extensive network of protected areas, Thailand is one of the richest and most ecologically diverse countries in the world. However, many of these species are being threatened more than ever before, including habitat loss caused by agricultural expansion and intensification, and from wildlife trade. For herpetologists and naturalists, understanding the reptiles of Thailand is now more important than ever before. With A Field Guide to the Reptiles of Thailand, Tanya Chan-ard, John Parr, and Jarujin Nabhitabhata present the definitive resource for identifying and understanding all known species of reptile in the region. It is the only updated and complete guide to the country's reptilian life in existence. The book contains an account of every species, complete with nomenclature, colour illustrations, and range maps of known locations. The accounts include discussion of behaviour, morphological measurements, and habitat, as well as the most current information on each species' conservation status. The authors explain the current system of classifying the threat level of endangerment, making the presented information and terminology understandable and useful. The introduction to the book discusses the history of herpetology in Thailand, as well as its climate, physiography, and zoogeography. A section on how to use the guide most effectively has also been included to make the book accessible to a wide range of both scientists and nature enthusiasts. A Field Guide to the Reptiles of Thailand is the definitive and most comprehensive resource for herpetologists, naturalists, and conservationists working in Thailand.
Thailand is home to over 350 species of reptiles, consisting of many kinds of turtles and tortoises, lizards, snakes and crocodiless. With its extensive network of protected areas, Thailand is one of the richest and most ecologically diverse countries in the world. However, many of these species are being threatened more than ever before, including habitat loss caused by agricultural expansion and intensification, and from wildlife trade. For herpetologists and naturalists, understanding the reptiles of Thailand is now more important than ever before. With A Field Guide to the Reptiles of Thailand, Tanya Chan-ard, John Parr, and Jarujin Nabhitabhata present the definitive resource for identifying and understanding all known species of reptile in the region. It is the only updated and complete guide to the country's reptilian life in existence. The book contains an account of every species, complete with nomenclature, colour illustrations, and range maps of known locations. The accounts include discussion of behaviour, morphological measurements, and habitat, as well as the most current information on each species' conservation status. The authors explain the current system of classifying the threat level of endangerment, making the presented information and terminology understandable and useful. The introduction to the book discusses the history of herpetology in Thailand, as well as its climate, physiography, and zoogeography. A section on how to use the guide most effectively has also been included to make the book accessible to a wide range of both scientists and nature enthusiasts. A Field Guide to the Reptiles of Thailand is the definitive and most comprehensive resource for herpetologists, naturalists, and conservationists working in Thailand.
The second volume of Behavioral Genetics of the Mouse provides a comprehensive overview of the major genetically modified mouse lines used to model human neurobehavioral disorders; from disorders of perception, of autonomous and motor functions to social and cognitive syndromes, drug abuse and dependence as well as neurodegenerative pathologies. Mouse models obtained with different types of genetic manipulations (i.e. transgenic, knockout/in mice) are described in their pathological phenotypes, with a special emphasis on behavioral abnormalities. The major results obtained with many of the existing models are discussed in depth highlighting their strengths and limitations. A lasting reference, the thorough reviews offer an easy entrance into the extensive literature in this field, and will prove invaluable to students and specialists alike.
Crustacean Nervous Systems and their Control of Behavior is the third volume of the series The Natural History of the Crustacea. This volume is on the functional organization of crustacean nervous systems, and how those nervous systems produce behavior. It complements other volumes on related topics of feeding biology, reproductive biology, endocrine systems, and behavioral ecology. There is a rich history of the study of the neurobiology of crustaceans, going back over 150 years. This has included studies on how their nervous systems allow them to perform behaviors that are adapted to their particular environments, as well as studying them as model organisms to understand basic biomedical principles about neural function, such as sensory transduction and processing, synaptic transmission and integration, neuromodulation, and learning and memory. The volume has three sections that build progressively on each other. The first section is on the basic organizational features of the crustacean nervous system and the principles upon which it is built. The second section is on sensory ecology - the organization of each sensory system and how it is used in intra- and interspecific interactions, within an ecological context. The third section uses case studies of how crustacean nervous systems are organized to perform complex behaviors and interactions, such as walking, escape, social interactions, and memory and learning. Taken together, the 20 chapters synthesize our modern understanding of the neural control of behavior in crustaceans, based on the most recent technologies in physiological recording, molecular biology, and computational science. This volume will be useful to students and researchers as a concise summary of current knowledge of crustacean neuroscience.
Cephalopods are generally regarded as the most intelligent group among the invertebrates. Despite their popularity, relatively little is known about the range and function of their cognitive abilities. This book fills that gap, accentuating the varied and fascinating aspects of cognition across the group. Starting with the brain, learning and memory, Part I looks at early learning, memory acquisition and cognitive development in modern cephalopods. An analysis of the chambered nautilus, a living fossil, is included, providing insight into the evolution of behavioural complexity. Part II surveys environmental responses, especially within the active and learning-dependent coleoids. The ever-intriguing camouflage abilities of octopus and cuttlefish are highlighted, alongside bioluminescence, navigation and other aspects of visual and cognitive competence. Covering the range of cognitive function, this text underscores the importance of the cephalopods within the field of comparative cognition generally. It will be highly valuable for researchers, graduates and senior undergraduate students.
Originally published in 1943, this book presents a concise guide to the art of managing livestock aimed at younger readers. Information regarding various breeds is kept to a minimum so as to give as much space as possible to the general principles applicable to many types of animal. Photographic figures are also included. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in British agriculture, animal husbandry and the history of farming.
Modern molecular technology in the so-called life sciences (biology as weil as medicine) allows today to approach and manipulate living beings in ways and to an extent wh ich not too long aga seemed Utopian. The empirical progress promises further and even more radical developments in the future, and it is at least often claimed that this kind of research will have tremendeous etfects on and for all of humanity, for example in the areas of food production, transplantation medicine (including stem cell research and xenotransplantation), (therapeutic) genetic manipulation and (cell-line) cloning (of cell lines or tissues), and of biodiversity conservation-strategies. At least in Western, industrialized countries the development of modern sciences led to a steady increase of human health, well-being and quality of life. However, with the move to make the human body itself an object of scientific research interests, the respective scientific descriptions resulted in changes in the image that human beings have of themselves. Scientific progress has led to a startling loss of traditional human self-understanding. This development is in contrast to an under standing according to which the question what it means to be "human" is treated in the realm of philosophy. And indeed, a closer look reveals that - without denying the value of scientitic progress - science cannot replace the philosophical approach to anthropological questions."
This volume initiates a series devoted to theory and research in behavioral pedi atrics. Focusing attention on the limited scientific contributions to understanding the development of behavior will, we hope, stimulate further research in this vitally important area of human knowledge. The ability of an individual to achieve his or her full potential as an adult is to a significant degree determined by critical variables in this development within a given society. Study of this aspect of human biology, therefore, may have far-reaching effects on the evolving human species. An awareness of the complexity of the behavioral patterns in infancy is of relatively recent origin and is an obvious essential starting point for this series of publications. The need to discriminate between objective observations and theo retical constructs and to design scientifically valid experiments is vital to progress in understanding early infant behavior. It is easy to misinterpret apparent responses to interventions, especially in infants at biological risk. Preterm infants and their caretakers are particularly challenging as subjects but very difficult to assess scientifically. The interactions between mother and newborn and father and newborn hold promise of substantial additional insights into the development of behavior. Thus, this volume provides interesting perspectives into the relationship of the evolving immature neurological system to complex behavior patterns in newborn infants which raise many new questions and exciting opportunities to extend our very limited knowledge about the newborn infant's psychosocial, emo tional, and cognitive development. RICHARD E. BEHRMAN, M. D."
First published in 1923 as the second edition of a 1922 original, this book provides a brief account of the methods used in animal psychology and the aims of the discipline. Smith questions the point of evolutionary organization at which complex mental phenomena can be identified in animals and examines a variety of psychological abilities in animals, including form identification and the homing instinct. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in animal psychology and the history of the science.
The last decade has witnessed remarkable discoveries and advances in our understanding of the tool using behaviour of animals. Wild populations of capuchin monkeys have been observed to crack open nuts with stone tools, similar to the skills of chimpanzees and humans. Corvids have been observed to use and make tools that rival in complexity the behaviours exhibited by the great apes. Excavations of the nut cracking sites of chimpanzees have been dated to around 4-5 thousand years ago. Tool Use in Animals collates these and many more contributions by leading scholars in psychology, biology and anthropology, along with supplementary online materials, into a comprehensive assessment of the cognitive abilities and environmental forces shaping these behaviours in taxa as distantly related as primates and corvids. |
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