Understanding animal andrology is fundamental to optimising genetic breeding traits in domestic and wild animals. This book provides extensive coverage of male reproductive biology, discussing the essentials of sperm production, harvest and preservation before covering the applications to a range of animals including cattle, horses, pigs, small ruminants, camelids, cats and dogs, poultry and exotic species. It also examines the laboratory procedures that provide the basis of general fertility research.

Evolutionary maternal effects occur whenever a mother's phenotypic traits directly affect her offspring's phenotype, independent of the offspring's genotype. Some of the phenotypic traits that result in maternal effects have a genetic basis, whereas others are environmentally determined. For example, the size of a litter produced by a mammalian mother - a trait with a strong genetic basis - can affect the growth rate of her offspring, while a mother's dominance rank - an environmentally determined trait - can affect the dominance rank of her offspring. The first volume published on the subject in more than a decade, "Maternal Effects in Mammals" reflects advances in genomic, ecological, and behavioral research, as well as new understandings of the evolutionary interplay between mothers and their offspring. Dario Maestripieri and Jill M. Mateo bring together a learned group of contributors to synthesize the vast literature on a range of species, highlight evolutionary processes that were previously overlooked, and propose new avenues of research. "Maternal Effects in Mammals" will serve as the most comprehensive compendium on and stimulus for interdisciplinary treatments of mammalian maternal effects.

The habitats of most species have been fragmented by human actions, isolating small populations that consequently develop genetic problems. Millions of small, isolated, fragmented populations are likely suffering from inbreeding depression and loss of genetic diversity, greatly increasing their risk of extinction. Crossing between populations is required to reverse these effects, but managers rarely do so. A key reason for such inaction is that managers are often advised to manage populations in isolation whenever molecular genetic methods indicate genetic differences among them. Following this advice will often doom small populations to extinction when the habitat fragmentation and genetic differences were caused by human activities. A paradigm shift is required whereby evidence of genetic differentiation among populations is a trigger to ask whether any populations are suffering genetic problems, and if so, whether they can be rescued by augmenting gene flow. Consequently, there is now an urgent need for an authoritative practical guide to facilitate this paradigm shift in genetic management of fragmented populations.

This book describes the discovery of molecules from unexploited extreme marine environments, and presents new approaches in marine genomics. It combines the current state of knowledge in marine genomics and advanced natural products' chemistry to pursue the sustainable production of novel secondary metabolites (lead compounds), as well as pharmacologically active peptides/proteins, with antimicrobial, neuroprotective, anti-osteoporotic, anti-protozoan/anti-plasmodial, anti-ageing and immune-modulating effects. Further, it employs molecular-biology-based approaches and advanced chemical techniques to obtain and to select candidate compounds for pre-clinical and clinical studies.

Interest in the way in which symbiotic bacteria can manipulate reproduction in their invertebrate hosts has risen rapidly in recent years. Discoveries have ranged from bacteria that can determine the likelihood of their fruitfly hosts finding a partner to mate with to bacteria infecting woodlice that can cause sex changes in offspring. This unique book is the first comprehensive and systematic review of the 'reproductive parasites'. Written by leading experts in the field, it explores not only the intriguing theoretical questions raised by the relationships between symbiotic bacteria and their hosts, but also discusses a number of exciting practical applications, such as potential for controlling the reproduction of disease transmitting insects. Chapters on sex reversal, sex-ratio distortion, and evolution are also included. This timely and up-to-date volume will be important reading for researchers and students in the fields of entomology, evolution, ecology, genetics, and microbiology.

What is animal welfare? Why has it proved so difficult to find a definition that everyone can agree on? This concise and accessible guide is for anyone who is interested in animals and who has wondered how we can assess their welfare scientifically. It defines animal welfare as 'health and animals having what they want', a definition that can be easily understood by scientists and non-scientists alike, expresses in simple words what underlies many existing definitions, and shows what evidence we need to collect to improve animal welfare in practice. Above all, it puts the animal's own point of view at the heart of an assessment of its welfare. But, can we really understand what animals want? A consistent theme running through the book is that not only is it possible to establish what animals want, but that this information is vital in helping us to make sense of the long and often confusing list of welfare measures that are now in use such as 'stress' and 'feel good hormones', expressive sounds and gestures, natural behaviour, cognitive bias, and stereotypies. Defining welfare as 'health and what animals want' allows us to distinguish between measures that are simply what an animal does when it is alert, aroused, or active and those measures that genuinely allow us to distinguish between situations the animals themselves see as positive or negative. Sentience (conscious feelings of pleasure, pain, and suffering) is for many people the essence of what is meant by welfare, but studying consciousness is notoriously difficult, particularly in non-human species. These difficulties are discussed in the context of our current - and as yet incomplete - knowledge of human and animal consciousness. Finally, the book highlights some key ideas in the relationship between animal welfare science and animal ethics and shows how closely the well-being of humans is linked to that of other animals. The Science of Animal Welfare is an ideal companion for undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in animal behaviour and welfare, as well as for professional researchers, practitioners and animal welfare consultants. At the same time, it is easily understandable to non-scientists and anyone without prior knowledge but with an interest in animals and the rapidly evolving science of animal welfare.

Essential Ornithology provides the reader with a concise but comprehensive introduction to the biology of birds, one of the most widely studied taxonomic groups. The book begins by considering the dinosaur origins of birds and their subsequent evolution. Development, anatomy, and physiology are then discussed followed by chapters devoted to avian reproduction, migration, ecology, and conservation. Sections dealing with aspects of bird/human relationships and bird conservation give the book an applied context. This new edition has been thoroughly updated, providing new information from rapidly-developing fields including the avian fossil record, urban and agricultural ecology, responses to climate change, invasive species biology, technologies to track movement, avian disease, and the role of citizen scientists. There is also a greater focus on North American ornithology. Drawing extensively upon the wider scientific literature, this engaging text places the results of classical studies of avian biology alongside the most recent scientific breakthroughs. Useful case studies are presented in a concise and engaging style with the student reader foremost in mind. Key points are highlighted and suggestions for guided reading and key references are included throughout. Essential Ornithology is a companion textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in avian science, as well as a useful reference for professional researchers and consultants. Amateur ornithologists will also find this book offers a scientifically rigorous and accessible overview for a more general readership.

"Oocyte Physiology and Development in Domestic Animals" reviews the most recent advances in the research of physiological and biochemical mechanisms underlying oocyte growth and development, providing readers with the fundamental understanding of these key processes and summarizing this important field of research. The book covers multiple molecular and physiological mechanisms including initiation of oocyte growth during folliculogenesis and in vitro follicle culture to support oocyte competence, that are critical to health and quality. Physiological process ranging from gene expression to metabolism will be covered with an eye toward using these factors to uncover biomarkers that will further advance the field. In addition, the text looks at the effects of in vitro maturation environments on oocyte quality and developmental outcome.

Since the publication of the first Atlas of Mammalian Chromosomes in 1967 the continuous compilation of mammalian karyotypes has become a useful instrument in cytologic and taxonomic studies. Technical advances in preparing mitotic cells from nonmammalian vertebrates have since allowed a better comparison of taxa in fishes, amphibia, reptiles, and birds. In these fields the literature is also widely scat tered; and it has become difficult to survey such information, published as well as unpublished, by nonspecialists. These were among the reasons for the new endeavor of compiling a chromosome atlas for nonmammalian vertebrates. An annual publication is planned with presentation of between 10 and 15 karyotypes from each class. In this second volume, 52 species are presented. For convenience in future colation, the numbering system employs class abbreviations, viz., P-Pisces, Am-Amphibia, R-Reptilia, and Av-Aves. Within each class, the numbers are necessarily consecutive. In general the karyotypes are laid out following the format employed in An Atlas of Mammalian Chromosomes. Whenever possible both sexes are represented, even though sexual chromosomal dimorphism is not (currently) evident. When the sex chromosomes are known, they are so indicated by conventional nomenclature (XX/XY or ZW /ZZ). In the karyotypes of birds the so-called microchromosomes are grouped together at the end without an attempt at complete enumeration, which is presently impossible. They are usually considered as acrocentrics, but a few are distinctly biarmed."

The habitats of most species have been fragmented by human actions, isolating small populations that consequently develop genetic problems. Millions of small, isolated, fragmented populations are likely suffering from inbreeding depression and loss of genetic diversity, greatly increasing their risk of extinction. Crossing between populations is required to reverse these effects, but managers rarely do so. A key reason for such inaction is that managers are often advised to manage populations in isolation whenever molecular genetic methods indicate genetic differences among them. Following this advice will often doom small populations to extinction when the habitat fragmentation and genetic differences were caused by human activities. A paradigm shift is required whereby evidence of genetic differentiation among populations is a trigger to ask whether any populations are suffering genetic problems, and if so, whether they can be rescued by augmenting gene flow. Consequently, there is now an urgent need for an authoritative practical guide to facilitate this paradigm shift in genetic management of fragmented populations.

The function of scientific research is promoting the understanding of the world around us. In theory, anyway, the more we learn, the more potential we have of making our lives better. Thus, we have seen research in electronics provide us with computers, research in chemistry provide us with all manner of synthetics, and research in agriculture provide us with more food. Periodically, scientific research uncovers something that makes some of us uncomfortable. The discovery of the link between smoking and lung cancer and heart disease was not received well by the tobacco industry, and the link between global climate change and fossil fuel use has not been well received by the petroleum industry, to cite just two examples. Usually the response of those whose world has been disrupted by science is denial, often followed by attack on or ridicule of the science that has challenged them. In the long term, however, science usually turns out to be correct.

When Charles Darwin first proposed Sexual Selection Theory, he suggested two mechanisms: competition among males and choice by females. Although their importance is long established and extremely well understood, their mirror images have remained largely underappreciated; males also choose, and females also compete. The combination of male mate choice (MMC) and female competition (FC) may be one of the most overlooked yet important and intriguing phenomena in modern sexual selection theory. This novel text reviews our current understanding of MMC and FC, highlighting the important connections between them. It places both concepts in the context of related fields such as female choice, mating systems, and sexual selection theory more broadly. A truly holistic approach is provided which takes all the relevant elements into consideration, especially the relative roles of MMC and FC, female ornamentation, their evolutionary consequences, and their genetic basis. Considering male mate choice and female competition in this way as effectively two sides of the same coin creates a powerful paradigm for a more complete understanding of sexual selection. Male Choice, Female Competition, and Female Ornaments in Sexual Selection will be suitable for both graduate students and researchers interested in sexual selection from an evolutionary, psychological, and anthropological perspective. It will also appeal to a broader audience of behavioural ecologists and evolutionary psychologists.

What is animal welfare? Why has it proved so difficult to find a definition that everyone can agree on? This concise and accessible guide is for anyone who is interested in animals and who has wondered how we can assess their welfare scientifically. It defines animal welfare as 'health and animals having what they want', a definition that can be easily understood by scientists and non-scientists alike, expresses in simple words what underlies many existing definitions, and shows what evidence we need to collect to improve animal welfare in practice. Above all, it puts the animal's own point of view at the heart of an assessment of its welfare. But, can we really understand what animals want? A consistent theme running through the book is that not only is it possible to establish what animals want, but that this information is vital in helping us to make sense of the long and often confusing list of welfare measures that are now in use such as 'stress' and 'feel good hormones', expressive sounds and gestures, natural behaviour, cognitive bias, and stereotypies. Defining welfare as 'health and what animals want' allows us to distinguish between measures that are simply what an animal does when it is alert, aroused, or active and those measures that genuinely allow us to distinguish between situations the animals themselves see as positive or negative. Sentience (conscious feelings of pleasure, pain, and suffering) is for many people the essence of what is meant by welfare, but studying consciousness is notoriously difficult, particularly in non-human species. These difficulties are discussed in the context of our current - and as yet incomplete - knowledge of human and animal consciousness. Finally, the book highlights some key ideas in the relationship between animal welfare science and animal ethics and shows how closely the well-being of humans is linked to that of other animals. The Science of Animal Welfare is an ideal companion for undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in animal behaviour and welfare, as well as for professional researchers, practitioners and animal welfare consultants. At the same time, it is easily understandable to non-scientists and anyone without prior knowledge but with an interest in animals and the rapidly evolving science of animal welfare.

Essential Ornithology provides the reader with a concise but comprehensive introduction to the biology of birds, one of the most widely studied taxonomic groups. The book begins by considering the dinosaur origins of birds and their subsequent evolution. Development, anatomy, and physiology are then discussed followed by chapters devoted to avian reproduction, migration, ecology, and conservation. Sections dealing with aspects of bird/human relationships and bird conservation give the book an applied context. This new edition has been thoroughly updated, providing new information from rapidly-developing fields including the avian fossil record, urban and agricultural ecology, responses to climate change, invasive species biology, technologies to track movement, avian disease, and the role of citizen scientists. There is also a greater focus on North American ornithology. Drawing extensively upon the wider scientific literature, this engaging text places the results of classical studies of avian biology alongside the most recent scientific breakthroughs. Useful case studies are presented in a concise and engaging style with the student reader foremost in mind. Key points are highlighted and suggestions for guided reading and key references are included throughout. Essential Ornithology is a companion textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in avian science, as well as a useful reference for professional researchers and consultants. Amateur ornithologists will also find this book offers a scientifically rigorous and accessible overview for a more general readership.

One of the greatest unmet challenges in conservation biology is the genetic management of fragmented populations of threatened animal and plant species. More than a million small, isolated, population fragments of threatened species are likely suffering inbreeding depression and loss of evolutionary potential, resulting in elevated extinction risks. Although these effects can often be reversed by re-establishing gene flow between population fragments, managers very rarely do this. On the contrary, genetic methods are used mainly to document genetic differentiation among populations, with most studies concluding that genetically differentiated populations should be managed separately, thereby isolating them yet further and dooming many to eventual extinction! Many small population fragments are going extinct principally for genetic reasons. Although the rapidly advancing field of molecular genetics is continually providing new tools to measure the extent of population fragmentation and its genetic consequences, adequate guidance on how to use these data for effective conservation is still lacking. This accessible, authoritative text is aimed at senior undergraduate and graduate students interested in conservation biology, conservation genetics, and wildlife management. It will also be of particular relevance to conservation practitioners and natural resource managers, as well as a broader academic audience of conservation biologists and evolutionary ecologists.

The Fourth Edition of Knobil & Neill will continue to serve as a reference aid for research, to provide the historical context to current research, and most importantly as an aid for graduate teaching on a broad range of topics in human and comparative reproduction. In the decade since the publication of the last edition, the study of reproductive physiology has undergone monumental changes. Chief among these advances are in the areas of stem cell development, signaling pathways, the role of inflammation in the regulatory processes in the various tissues, and the integration of new animal models which have led to a greater understanding of human disease. This new edition will seek to synthesize all of this new information at the molecular, cellular, and organismal levels of organization and present modern physiology a more understandable and comparative context.
*The leading comprehensive work on the physiology of reproduction
*Edited and authored by the world's leading scientists in the field
*Is a synthesis of the molecular, cellular, and organismic levels of organization
*Bibliogrpahics of chapters are extensive and cover all the relevant literature

Any events that challenge the survival of living organisms may be classified as stressors. These stressors could include, for example, lack of food, increased population pressure, predatory pressure, climatic events or in the case of humans, loss of a loved one, lack of financial security or uncertainty in the future. Although most physiological systems are affected by stress, those systems that regulate reproductive physiology and behaviour are the most sensitive. All multicellular organisms show a stress related effect on reproduction, although the more complex organisms, such as mammals, have the most complex effects.

The objective of this book is to provide a comparative analysis of the mechanisms by which stress regulates reproduction exploring the evolution of stress perceiving systems from the simplest organisms to humans. Taking an integrated approach, utilising a genes-to-environment overview, the book examines the stressors that occur at all levels of organisation. These theories are used to examine and explain human and animal reproductive behaviour and physiology under stressful conditions providing a well-written, concise introduction to this important subject.

Nests, Eggs, and Incubation brings together a global team of leading authorities to provide a comprehensive overview of the fascinating and diverse field of avian reproduction. Starting with a new assessment of the evolution of avian reproductive biology in light of recent research, the book goes on to cover four broad areas: the nest, the egg, incubation, and the study of avian reproduction. New research on nest structures, egg traits, and life history is incorporated, whilst contemporary methodologies such as self-contained temperature probes and citizen science are also discussed. Applied chapters describe how biological knowledge can be applied to challenges such as urbanisation and climate change. The book concludes by suggesting priorities for future research. This book builds upon the foundations laid down by Charles Deeming's 2002 work Avian Incubation (available for readers of this book to access online for free), much of which remains relevant today. Read in conjunction with this previous volume, it provides an up-to-date and thorough review of egg biology, nest function, and incubation behaviour, which will be an essential resource for students of avian biology, as well as both professional and amateur ornithologists working in the field of avian reproduction.

Nests, Eggs, and Incubation brings together a global team of leading authorities to provide a comprehensive overview of the fascinating and diverse field of avian reproduction. Starting with a new assessment of the evolution of avian reproductive biology in light of recent research, the book goes on to cover four broad areas: the nest, the egg, incubation, and the study of avian reproduction. New research on nest structures, egg traits, and life history is incorporated, whilst contemporary methodologies such as self-contained temperature probes and citizen science are also discussed. Applied chapters describe how biological knowledge can be applied to challenges such as urbanisation and climate change. The book concludes by suggesting priorities for future research. This book builds upon the foundations laid down by Charles Deeming's 2002 work Avian Incubation (available for readers of this book to access online for free), much of which remains relevant today. Read in conjunction with this previous volume, it provides an up-to-date and thorough review of egg biology, nest function, and incubation behaviour, which will be an essential resource for students of avian biology, as well as both professional and amateur ornithologists working in the field of avian reproduction.

A growing body of evidence has begun to reveal flaws in the traditional assumption of female passivity and lack of discrimination after copulation has begun. William Eberhard has compiled an impressive array of research on the ability of females to shape the outcome of mating. He describes studies of many different cryptic mechanisms by which a female can accept a male for copulation but nevertheless reject him as a father. Evidence from various fields indicates that such selectivity by females may be the norm rather than the exception. Because most post-copulatory competition between males for paternity is played out within the bodies of females, female behavior, morphology, and physiology probably often influence male success in these contests. Eberhard draws examples from a diversity of organisms, ranging from ctenophores to scorpions, nematodes to frogs, and crickets to humans.

Cryptic female choice establishes a new bridge between sexual selection theory and reproductive physiology, in particular the physiological effects of male seminal products on female reproductive processes, such as sperm transport, oviposition, and remating. Eberhard interweaves his review of previous studies with speculation on the consequences of this theoretical development, and indicates promising new directions for future research.

This series of volumes represents a comprehensive and integrated treatment of reproduction in vertebrates from fishes of all sorts through mammals. It is designed to provide a readable, coordinated description of reproductive basics in each group of vertebrates as well as an introduction to the latest trends in reproductive research and our understanding of reproductive events. Whereas each chapter and each volume is intended to stand alone as a review of that topic or vertebrate group, respectively, the volumes are prepared so as to provide a thorough topical treatment across the vertebrates. Terminology has been standardized across the volumes to reduce confusion where multiple names exist in the literature, and a comprehensive glossary of these terms and their alternative names is provided.
*A complete, essential and up to date reference for research scientists working on vertebrate hormones and reproduction - and on animlals as models in human reproductive research.
*Covers the endocrinology, neuroendocrinology, physiology, behaviour and anatomy of vertebrate reproduction.
*Structured coverage of the major themes for all five vertebrate groups allows a consistent treatment for all.
*Special chapters elaborate on features specific to individual vertebrate groups and to comparative aspects, similarities and differences between them.

"Physiological Adaptations for Breeding in Birds" is the most current and comprehensive account of research on avian reproduction. It develops two unique themes: the consideration of female avian reproductive physiology and ecology, and an emphasis on individual variation in life-history traits. Tony Williams investigates the physiological, metabolic, energetic, and hormonal mechanisms that underpin individual variation in the key female-specific reproductive traits and the trade-offs between these traits that determine variation in fitness.

The core of the book deals with the avian reproductive cycle, from seasonal gonadal development, through egg laying and incubation, to chick rearing. Reproduction is considered in the context of the annual cycle and through an individual's entire life history. The book focuses on timing of breeding, clutch size, egg size and egg quality, and parental care. It also provides a primer on female reproductive physiology and considers trade-offs and carryover effects between reproduction and other life-history stages. In each chapter, Williams describes individual variation in the trait of interest and the evolutionary context for trait variation. He argues that there is only a rudimentary, and in some cases nonexistent, understanding of the physiological mechanisms that underpin individual variation in the major reproductive life-history traits, and that research efforts should refocus on these key unresolved problems by incorporating detailed physiological studies into existing long-term population studies, generating a new synthesis of physiology, ecology, and evolutionary biology.

This book adopts an experimental approach to understanding the mechanisms of evolution and the nature of evolutionary processes, with examples drawn from microbial, plant and animal systems. It incorporates insights from remarkable recent advances in theoretical modelling, and the fields of molecular genetics and environmental genomics. Adaptation is caused by selection continually winnowing the genetic variation created by mutation. In the last decade, our knowledge of how selection operates on populations in the field and in the laboratory has increased enormously, and the principal aim of this book is to provide an up-to-date account of selection as the principal agent of evolution. In the classical Fisherian model, weak selection acting on many genes of small effect over long periods of time is responsible for driving slow and gradual change. However, it is now clear that adaptation in laboratory populations often involves strong selection acting on a few genes of large effect, while in the wild selection is often strong and highly variable in space and time. Indeed these results are changing our perception of how evolutionary change takes place. This book summarizes our current understanding of the causes and consequences of selection, with an emphasis on quantitative and experimental studies. It includes the latest research into experimental evolution, natural selection in the wild, artificial selection, selfish genetic elements, selection in social contexts, sexual selection, and speciation.

This book represents the first analysis of the evolutionary significance of sperm phenotypes and derived sperm traits and the possible selection pressures responsible for sperm-egg coevolution.
An understanding of sperm evolution is fast developing and promises to shed light on many topics from basic reproductive biology to the evolutionary process itself as well as the sperm proteome, the sperm genome and the quantitative genetics of sperm. The Editors have identified 15 topics of current interest and biological significance to cover all aspects of this bizarre, fascinating and important subject. It comprises the most comprehensive and up to date review of the evolution of sperm, and pointers for future research, written by experts in both sperm biology and evolutionary biology. The combination of evolution and sperm is a potent mix and this is the definitive account.
* The first review survey of this emerging field
* Written by experts from a broad array of disciplines from the physiological and biomedical to the ecological and evolutionary
* Sheds light on the intricacies of reproduction and the coevolution of sperm, egg and reproductive behaviour

As the study of cooperative breeding systems expands, a number of key species form the examples that underpin our general understanding. The ostrich is increasingly becoming such a textbook species, on the basis of the results obtained in Brian Bertram's study of vigilance and egg discrimination in this extraordinary bird. Here Bertram presents new data on the ostrich communal nesting system, in which several females lay in one female's nest, with only one female and the male doing all the work. The Ostrich Communal Nesting System unravels the basis of the cooperation observed, and explains how a system involving apparent altruism is maintained by natural selection. It is now possible as never before to explain and quantify the effects of the different choices these birds make and to integrate ecological and morphological factors such as predation and size. Based on three seasons of study in Tsavo West National Park in Kenya, this book depended on recognizing individual birds, detecting and monitoring well-concealed nests, determining motherhood of eggs from their surface appearance, and time-lapse photography of nests. Key findings were that females could switch rapidly between reproductive strategies, that a nesting female could recognize her own eggs and when necessary discriminate against those of other females, and that the whiteness of ostrich eggs is an adaptation that protects them against overheating but at the cost of greater vulnerability to predation. Originally published in 1992. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.