This book brings together international experts to examine interactions between the biology of wildlife and the divergent goals of people involved in hunting, fishing, gathering, and culling wildlife. Reviews of theory show how sustainable exploitation is tied to the study of population dynamics, with direct links to reproductive rates, life histories, behavior, and ecology. As such theory is rarely put into practice to achieve sustainable use and effective conservation, Conservation of Exploited Species explores the many reasons for this failure and considers remedies to tackle them.

Population genomics is revolutionizing wildlife biology, conservation, and management by providing key and novel insights into genetic, population and landscape-level processes in wildlife, with unprecedented power and accuracy. This pioneering book presents the advances and potential of population genomics in wildlife, outlining key population genomics concepts and questions in wildlife biology, population genomics approaches that are specifically applicable to wildlife, and application of population genomics in wildlife population and evolutionary biology, ecology, adaptation and conservation and management. It is important for students, researchers, and wildlife professionals to understand the growing set of population genomics tools that can address issues from delineation of wildlife populations to assessing their capacity to adapt to environmental change. This book brings together leading experts in wildlife population genomics to discuss the key areas of the field, as well as challenges, opportunities and future prospects of wildlife population genomics.

Parasitology is an immensely important aspect of biological science. This manual presents fifty easy-to-follow laboratory exercises for student practical (lab) classes. All the exercises are tried and tested by the authors and are used in a wide variety of university undergraduate teaching departments. They range from relatively simple observational exercises, using local materials and requiring little in the way of equipment, to more technically demanding experiments in physiology and molecular parasitology. Each exercise includes a list of necessary equipment, consumables and sources of parasite material, instructions for staff and students, including aspects of safety, expected results, and some analysis provided by questions. In addition, the text also includes ideas for further exploration and information on similar exercises, as well as lists of selected further reading. This book should be an essential purchase for all teachers of parasitology at the university undergraduate level and for students taking laboratory practical classes in the subject.

This book brings together a wide range of sampling methods for investigating different arthropod groups. Each chapter is organized to describe and evaluate the main sampling methods (field methods, materials and supplies, sampling protocols, effort needed, and limitations); in addition, some chapters describe the specimen preparation and conservation, species identification, data collection and management (treatment, statistical analysis, interpretation), and ecological/conservation implications of arthropod communities. The book aims to be a reference for zoologists, entomologists, arachnologists, ecologists, students, researchers, and for those interested in arthropod science and biodiversity. We hope the book will contribute to advance knowledge on field assessments and conservation strategies. Arthropods represent the most speciose group of organisms on Earth, with a remarkable number of species and interactions still to be described. These invertebrates are recognized for playing key ecological roles in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. Because of the increasing and relentless threats arthropods are facing lately due to a multitude of human induced drivers, this book represents an important contribution to assess their biodiversity and role in ecosystem functioning and generation of ecosystem services worldwide.

The study of animal development has deep historical roots in codifying the field of evolutionary biology. In the 1940s, evolutionary theory became engulfed by microevolutionary genetic analysis and development became focused on mechanisms, forsaking the evolutionary implications of ontogeny. Recently, ontogeny has resurfaced as a significant component of evolutionary change, population, and community dynamics. Ontogeny, Functional Ecology and Evolution of Bats is a unique reference work by bat biologists who emphasize the importance of understanding ontogeny in the analysis of evolution and ecology. In addition, the developmental underpinnings of specialized morphology, physiology, and behavior are elucidated, and the strong influence of ecology on the ontological niche of juvenile bats is illustrated. This book is an essential reference for bat biologists, and all those working in the fields of ecology, developmental biology, evolution, behavior, and systematics.

Ladybird beetles are typical predators that feed on a wide range of insect prey, and have been used extensively in the biocontrol of insect pests. This volume explores basic ladybird biology, in particular, their close association with prey and its effect on their rate of development and body size. The author uses optimal foraging theory, field observations, and laboratory experiments to illustrate how ladybird larvae maximize their rate of energy intake, and ladybird adults their fitness. The interdependence of these life history parameters is then used to develop a simple predator-prey model that, combined with an analysis of the literature, highlights the specific attributes of potentially successful biocontrol agents for all those interested in predator-prey dynamics.

Seaweeds (macroalgae) represent the most striking living components in the Antarctic's near-shore ecosystems, especially across the West Antarctic Peninsula and adjacent islands. Due to their abundance, their central roles as primary producers and foundation organisms, and as sources of diverse metabolically active products, seaweed assemblages are fundamental to biogeochemical cycles in Antarctic coastal systems. In recent years, the imminence of climate change and the direct impacts of human beings, which are affecting vast regions of the Antarctic, have highlighted the importance of seaweed processes in connection with biodiversity, adaptation and interactions in the benthic network. Various research groups have been actively involved in the investigation of these topics. Many of these research efforts have a long tradition, while some "newcomers" have also recently contributed important new approaches to the study of these organisms, benefiting polar science as a whole. This book provides an overview of recent advances and insights gleaned over the past several years. Focusing on a timely topic and extremely valuable resource, it assesses the challenges and outlines future directions in the study of Antarctic seaweeds.

It has long been claimed that addressing biodiversity loss and other environmental problems demands a better understanding of the social dimensions of conservation; nevertheless, the active participation of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in conservation initiatives is still a challenging and somehow controversial issue. In this context, this book hopes to give voice to other perspectives related to biodiversity conservation beyond the "fortress conservation" model and emphasize one of the pillars of democracy - popular participation. It covers a wide range of environments and issues of special significance to the topic, such as the expansion of culturally constructed niches, protected areas and food security, community-based management, participatory agroforestry, productive restoration and biocultural conservation. The contents also explore the limitations and shortcomings of participatory practices in protected areas, the relationship between the global crisis of democracy and the decline of biocultural diversity, as well as present current discussions on policy frameworks and governance systems for effective participatory biodiversity conservation. In sum, this book provides a comprehensive and realistic perspective on the social dimensions of conservation based on a series of interrelated themes in participatory biodiversity conservation. The connections between biocultural conservation and the current political and economic environment are highlighted through the chapters and the book closes with a debate on ways to reconcile human welfare, environmental justice and biodiversity conservation.

Although the behavior and ecology of primates has been more thoroughly studied than that of any other group of mammals, there have been very few attempts to compare the communities of living primates found in different parts of the world. In Primate Communities, an international group of experts compares the composition, behavior, and ecology of primate communities in Africa, Asia, Madagascar, and South America. They examine the factors underlying the similarities and differences among these communities, including their phylogenetic history, climate, rainfall, soil type, forest composition, competition with other vertebrates, and human activities. As it brings together information about primate communities from around the world for the very first time, it will quickly become an important source book for researchers in anthropology, ecology, and conservation, and a readable and informative text for undergraduate and graduate students studying primate ecology, primate conservation, or primate behavior.

In a world where habitats are constantly changing and the impact of anthropization on the environment is increasingly intense, interactions between human and wildlife are becoming more and more complex. Some species pose problems for human activities while many others need to be helped in order to continue to exist. This book follows the first volume called 'Problematic Wildlife', edited by F.M. Angelici and published by Springer in 2016, which has had considerable success with readers and critics. The volume includes 21 chapters divided into 7 parts devoted specific topics which are approached in a multidisciplinary way. There are both review chapters and specific cases, always bearing in mind the interest for an international audience. The book is useful both for scientists, wildlife specialists, conservationists, zoologists, ecologists, university students, nature managers, and for those who live in contact with wildlife and its problems, such as farmers, shepherds, hunters, urban planners, and staff of parks and nature reserves. Its ultimate goal is to offer scientific and pragmatic approaches to manage each categories of problematic species.

This book presents current meta-ecosystem models and their derivation from classical ecosystem and metapopulation theories. Specifically, it reviews recent modelling efforts that have emphasized the role of nonlinear dynamics on spatial and food web networks, and which have cast their implications within the context of spatial synchrony and ecological stoichiometry. It suggests that these recent advances naturally lead to a generalization of meta-ecosystem theories to spatial fluxes of matter that have both a trophic and non-trophic impact on species. Ecosystem dynamics refers to the cycling of matter and energy across ecological compartments through processes such as consumption and recycling. Spatial dynamics established its ecological roots with metapopulation theories and focuses on scaling up local ecological processes through the limited movement of individuals and matter. Over the last 15 years, theories integrating ecosystem and spatial dynamics have quickly coalesced into meta-ecosystem theories, the focus of this book. The book will be of interest to graduate students and researchers who wish to learn more about the synthesis of ecosystem and spatial dynamics, which form the foundation of the theory of meta-ecosystems.

By providing multiple economic goods and ecosystem services, Latin American forests play a key role in the environmental, social and economic welfare of the region's countries. From the tropical forests of Central America to the Mediterranean and temperate vegetation of the southern cone, these forests face a myriad of phytosanitary problems that negatively impact on both conservation efforts and forest industry. This book brings together the perspectives of several Latin American researchers on pest and disease management. Each chapter provides modern views of the status and management alternatives to problems as serious as the impact of introduced exotic insects and diseases on Pinus and Eucalyptus plantations throughout the continent, and the emergence of novel insect outbreaks in tropical and temperate native forests associated with global warming. It is a valuable guide for researchers and practitioners working on forest health in Latin America and around the world.

This book describes the sampling and statistical methods used most often by behavioral ecologists and field biologists. Written by a biologist and two statisticians, it provides a rigorous discussion together with worked examples of statistical concepts and methods that are generally not covered in introductory courses, and which are consequently poorly understood and applied by field biologists. The first section reviews important issues such as defining the statistical population and the sampling plan when using nonrandom methods for sample selection, bias, interpretation of statistical tests, confidence intervals, and multiple comparisons. After a detailed discussion of sampling methods and multiple regression, subsequent chapters discuss specialized problems such as pseudoreplication, and their solutions. This volume will quickly become the favorite statistical handbook for all field biologists.

Many mammals, such as otters, live in close association with rivers and streams, feeding in them, or using them as a place of safety or means of escape from predators. The distinct adaptations that riparian mammals have evolved in order to live in these environments also handicap them for living elsewhere. These animals are therefore threatened by alterations to their environment. In recent years, our rivers have become highly polluted, and have been subject to bankside modifications for agriculture and forestry, enhanced or decreased water flow, and recreation. As a result, they have become less and less suitable for these highly specialized animals. This book looks at the habitat utilization, adaptation, feeding ecology, and conservation status of a range of riparian mammals. It gives insights into the problems facing these fascinating animals, and how they might be overcome.

This book focuses on the use of molecular tools to study small populations of rare and endangered mammals, and presents case studies that apply an evolutionary framework to address innovative questions in the emerging field of mammalian conservation genomics using a highly diverse set of novel molecular tools. Novel and more precise molecular technologies now allow experts in the field of mammology to interpret data in a more contextual and empirical fashion and to better describe the evolutionary and ecological processes that are responsible for the patterns they observe. The book also demonstrates how recent advances in genetic/genomic technologies have been applied to assess the impact of environmental/anthropogenic changes on the health of small populations of mammals. It examines a range of issues in the field of mammalian conservation genomics, such as the role that the genetic diversity of the immune system plays in disease protection and local adaptation; the use of noninvasive techniques and genomic banks as a resource for monitoring and restoring populations; the structuring of population by physical barriers; and genetic diversity. Further, by integrating research from a variety of areas - including population genetics, molecular ecology, systematics, and evolutionary and conservation biology - it enables readers to gain a deeper understanding of the conservation biology of mammals that are at increasing risk of extinction at local, regional and global scales. As such, it offers a unique resource for a broad readership interested in the conservation biology of mammals and conservation management strategies to better preserve biodiversity.

The story of invasive species in New Zealand is unlike any other in the world. By the mid-thirteenth century, the main islands of the country were the last large landmasses on Earth to remain uninhabited by humans, or any other land mammals. New Zealand's endemic fauna evolved in isolation until first Polynesians, and then Europeans, arrived with a host of companion animals such as rats and cats in tow. Well-equipped with teeth and claws, these small furry mammals, along with the later arrival of stoats and ferrets, have devastated the fragile populations of unique birds, lizards and insects. Carolyn M. King brings together the necessary historical analysis and recent ecological research to understand this long, slow tragedy. As a comprehensive historical perspective on the fate of an iconic endemic fauna, this book offers much-needed insight into one of New Zealand's longest-running national crises.

At first glance, studying behavior is easy, but as every budding ethologist quickly realizes, there are a host of complex practical, methodological and analytical problems to solve before designing and conducting the study. How do you choose which species or which behavior to study? What equipment will you need to observe and record behavior successfully? How do you record data in the dark, in the wet, or without missing part of the action? How do you analyze and interpret the data to yield meaningful information? This new expanded edition of the Handbook of Ethological Methods provides a complete step-by-step introduction to ethological methods from topic choice and behavioral description to data collection and statistical analysis. This book is a must for both beginning students and experienced researchers studying animal behavior in the field or laboratory.

The indiscriminate use of chemical substances in industrial processes and anthropogenic activities, have resulted in the release of these compounds into aquatic ecosystems through municipal, hospital and industrial discharges, producing various undesired effects on the environment and on species of ecological interest. These compounds, such as metals, pesticides, emerging pollutants and other substances are persistent and susceptible to biotic and/or abiotic transformations, yielding metabolites that can be more toxic than the original compounds. In this book, researchers from diverse environmental science disciplines share their experiences in countries such as Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico, and critically examine the problem of contaminants in aquatic ecosystems in Latin America, as well as the risks presented by their presence.

This is the Second Edition of a well-received book that reflects a fresh, integrated coverage of the concepts and scientific measurement of stress and welfare of animals including humans. This book explains the basic biological principles of coping with many forms of adversity. The major part of this work is devoted to explaining scientifically usable concepts in stress and welfare. A wide range of welfare indicators are highlighted in detail with examples being drawn from man and other species. The necessity for combining information from disciplines is emphasized with a one-health, one-welfare approach. This information forms the basis for a synthesis of new ideas. Among the issues covered are: - How brain and body systems regulate using feelings, physiological responses, behaviour and responses to pathology - Limits to adaptation - Assessing positive and negative welfare during both short-term and long-term situations - Ethical problems and suggested solutions A proper assessment of animal welfare is essential to take informed decisions about what is morally acceptable in terms of practice and in the development of a more effective legislation. This work encapsulates a very wide body of literature on scientific aspects of animal welfare and will thus prove a valuable asset for animal welfare scientists, psychologists, students and teachers of all forms of biology, behaviour, medicine, veterinary medicine and animal usage.

This book brings together the latest information on tropical ungulates in different Latin American countries. These animals are not only important from the point of view of their role in different ecosystems, but also have cultural value for people. The book also discusses topics such as habitat transformation and hunting as these species are an important source of food in many places. Addressing ungulate natural communities in diverse ecosystems and countries, the book provides information on specific aspects of each of the most representative species, and highlights topics to help readers better understand these species and develop effective management and conservation strategies. The information presented also reveals the need for more knowledge and will hopefully provide the incentive for continued studies on this important group of animals. This publication serves as a reference for academic research on ungulate ecology, behavior and dynamics, as well as the basis for conservation strategies.

An essential introduction to microbiome science, a new cutting-edge discipline that is transforming the life sciences This book provides an accessible and authoritative guide to the fundamental principles of microbiome science, an exciting and fast-emerging new discipline that is reshaping many aspects of the life sciences. Resident microbes in healthy animals--including humans-can dictate many traits of the animal host. This animal microbiome is a second immune system conferring protection against pathogens; it can structure host metabolism in animals as diverse as reef corals and hibernating mammals; and it may influence animal behavior, from social recognition to emotional states. These microbial partners can also drive ecologically important traits, from thermal tolerance to diet, and have contributed to animal diversification over long evolutionary timescales. Drawing on concepts and data across a broad range of disciplines and systems, Angela Douglas provides a conceptual framework for understanding these animal-microbe interactions while shedding critical light on the scientific challenges that lie ahead. Douglas explains why microbiome science demands creative and interdisciplinary thinking-the capacity to combine microbiology with animal physiology, ecological theory with immunology, and evolutionary perspectives with metabolic science. An essential introduction to a cutting-edge field that is revolutionizing the life sciences, this book explains why microbiome science presents a more complete picture of the biology of humans and other animals, and how it can deliver novel therapies for many medical conditions and new strategies for pest control.

Covid-19, monkeypox, bird flu, SARS, HIV, AIDS, Ebola; we are living in the Age of Pandemics – one that we have created. As the climate crisis reaches a fever pitch and ecological destruction continues unabated, we are just beginning to reckon with the effects of environmental collapse on our global health. Fevered Planet exposes how the way we farm, what we eat, the places we travel to and the scientific experiments we conduct create the perfect conditions for deadly new diseases to emerge and spread faster and further than ever. Drawing on the latest scientific research and decades of reporting from more than 100 countries, former Guardian environment editor John Vidal takes us into deep, disappearing forests in Gabon and the Congo, valleys scorched by wildfire near Lake Tahoe and our densest, polluted cities to show how closely human, animal and plant diseases are now intertwined with planetary destruction. From fossil fuel use raising the global temperature to increased logging polluting our landscapes, Fevered Planet exposes the perils of reckless environmental destruction – not just to our planet but to ourselves. As Vidal expertly argues, unless we transform our relationship with the rest of the natural world, the pandemics we are facing today will just be the tip of the iceberg.

The vegetation addressed in this book is, biologically, one of the most diverse on Earth, with many characteristic taxa offering refuge and food sources for many resident and migratory animals. Yet the forests of Las Yungas remain poorly known from a floristic and vegetation point of view. This book seeks to fill that gap by studying the distribution of forest along an altitudinal but also a bioclimatic gradient. The richness in species demonstrates that these forests are substantially more diverse than other subtropical mountain woodlands. 103 diagnostic (characteristic or indicator) species were selected, of which 29 are dominant, 67 are exclusive, selective, preferential or differential, and 7 are stenoic. In addition, 13 communities were identified and characterized. These forests can be attributed to the Bolivian-Tucuman biogeographical province (South-Andean Region, Neotropical Sub-Kingdom). They are seasonal, semi-deciduous or evergreen micro- and mesowoodlands growing on foothills, hillsides, ravines, gorges and the edges of mountain ranges (terrestrial communities), as well as river terraces and beaches (riparian communities). Thanks to the range of new findings, the content presented here will benefit experts in related fields such as geographers, ecologists and botanists, but also teachers, nature guides, those involved in the management of forest or conservation areas, and policymakers.

Fungal pathogens pose an on-going and serious threat for poikilotherms and homeotherms, and can cause a broad spectrum of diseases ranging from innocuous to life-threatening. In addition, long-term exposure to some mycotoxigenic moulds can lead to mycotoxicoses in human and animals. Given the expanding population of immune compromised hosts, the list of fungal opportunists grows longer every year. Moreover, antifungal resistance, drug-related toxicity and our limited arsenal of antifungals have exacerbated the situation. To address these problems, strategies such as the identification of novel targets, use of the structure-activity relationship in rational drug design, development of new formulations, modification of existing antifungals to combat resistance, and bioavailability enhancement are called for. For the reader's convenience, this book has been divided into three sections. The first six chapters of Section I provide a timely review of mycoses, from endemic to cosmopolitan and from generalized to specific, while both chapters of Section II focus on risks associated with mycotoxins. In closing, the two chapters of Section III describe potential antifungal leads and drug candidates based on phytochemicals and coumarin scaffold.

By combining the analysis of biotic and abiotic components of terrestrial ecosystems, this book synthesizes material on arid and semiarid landscapes, which was previously scattered among various books and journal articles. It focuses on water-limited ecosystems, which are highly sensitive to fluctuations in hydrologic conditions and, in turn, play an important role in affecting the regional water cycle. Intended as a tool for scientists working in the area of the earth and environmental sciences, this book presents the basic principles of eco-hydrology as well as a broad spectrum of topics and advances in this research field. Written by authors with diverse areas of expertise who work in arid areas around the world, the contributions describe the various interactions between the biological and physical dynamics in dryland ecosystems, ranging from basic processes in the soil-vegetation-climate system, to landscape-scale hydrologic and geomorphic processes, ecohydrologic controls on soil nutrient dynamics, and multiscale analyses of disturbances and patterns