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Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Zoology & animal sciences > General
The humble and industrious dung beetle is a marvellous beast: the 6 000 species identified so far are intricately entwined with human history and scientific endeavour.
These night-soil collectors of the planet have been worshipped as gods, worn as jewellery, and painted by artists. More practically, they saved Hawaii from ecological blight, and rescued Australia from plagues of flies. They fertilise soil, cleanse pastures, steer by the stars, and have a unique relationship with the African elephant (along with many other ungulates). Above all, they are the ideal subject for biological study in an evolving world.
In this sweeping history of more than 3 000 years, beginning with Ancient Egypt, scientist Marcus Byrne and writer, Helen Lunn capture the diversity of dung beetles and their unique behaviour patterns. Dung beetles’ fortunes have followed the shifts from a world dominated by a religion that symbolically incorporated them into some of its key concepts of rebirth, to a world in which science has largely separated itself from religion and alchemy.
With over 6 000 species found throughout the world, these unassuming but remarkable creatures are fundamental to some of humanity’s most cherished beliefs and have been ever present in religion, art, literature, science and the environment. They are at the centre of current gene research, play an important role in keeping our planet healthy, and some nocturnal dung beetles have been found to navigate by the starry skies. Outlining the development of science from the point of view of the humble dung beetle is what makes this charming story of immense interest to general readers and entomologists alike. This entertaining outline of the development of science from the the beetle’s perspective will enchant general readers and entomologists alike.
Dairy science includes the study of milk and milk-derived food
products, examining the biological, chemical, physical, and
microbiological aspects of milk itself, as well as the
technological (processing) aspects of the transformation of milk
into its various consumer products, including beverages, fermented
products, concentrated and dried products, butter and ice cream.
This encyclopedia includes information on the possible impact of
genetic modification of dairy animals, safety concerns of raw milk
and raw milk products, peptides in milk, dairy-based allergies,
packaging and shelf-life and other topics of importance and
interest to those in dairy research and industry. The Encyclopedia
of Dairy Sciences, Five Volume Set is the only work available that
covers in detail the entirety of dairy science, from husbandry of
dairy animals, milk production, through the processing of milk into
a myriad of dairy products and ingredients, to the effect of dairy
foods on human health. The third edition of Encyclopedia of Dairy
Sciences will retain the split that characterized the earlier
editions - one-third primary production, two-thirds dairy food.
Unlike earlier editions, in which articles were arranged in
alphabetical order by topic, this edition will be optimally
organized into 9 coherent sections. This new edition contains 500
articles, the vast majority of which has been significantly revised
or is completely new. Only 40 chapters have been retained from the
earlier edition as they cover basic science areas still relevant
and important today. All articles have been reviewed by specialists
in their area.
The Inductive Brain in Development and Evolution provides readers
with a substantial biological education on animal nervous systems
and their role in the development, adaptation, homeostasis, and
evolution of species. The book begins by delving into the embryonic
development of the brain and then discusses epigenetic information
and neural activity post-birth. It then analyzes the inductive
brain's neural and brain control of such factors like myogenesis,
bone development, sensory organs, metamorphosis in vertebrates and
invertebrates, and wing development in insects. The book closes
with an examination of phenotypic evolution in neural control,
mechanisms, and drivers of animal brains. The Inductive Brain in
Development and Evolution will offer evolutionary biologists,
specifically those researching development, adaptation, and
evolution of animals, a comprehensive text that covers a variety of
valuable topics.
Neuroendocrine Regulation of Animal Vocalization: Mechanisms and
Anthropogenic Factors in Animal Communication examines the
underpinning neuroendocrine (NE) mechanisms that drive animal
communication across taxa. Written by international subject
experts, the book focuses on the importance of animal communication
in survival and reproduction at an individual and species level,
and the impact that increased production and accumulation of
endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can have on these regulatory
processes. This book discusses sound production, perception,
processing, and response across a range of animals. This includes
insects, fish, bats, birds, nonhuman primates, infant humans, and
many others. Some chapters analyze how neuroactive substances,
endocrine control, and chemical pollution affect the physiology of
the animal's perceptive and sound-producing organs, as well as
their auditory and vocal receptors and pathways. Other chapters
address the recent approaches governments have taken to protect
against the endocrine disruption of animal (vocal) behaviors. The
book is a valuable resource for researchers and advanced students
seeking first-rate material on neuroendocrinological effects on
animal behavior and communication.
Retaining the introductory flavor of the now classic First Edition,
this revision includes all the latest techniques in the field. New
information on methods of radio tag harnessing, new sections on
satellite tracking techniques and new types of data analysis are
all included. Still the only comprehensive, up-to-date,
introduction to this fundamental technique for wildlife and
behavioral biologists.
* A unique guide to the subject
* Full coverage of the very latest techniques in both terrestrial
and satellite tracking
* Detailed, practical guidance in how to fit tags, track animals,
source and evaluate equipments and techniques and analyse resulting
data
From world renowned photographer Michio Hoshino, and with half a million copies sold in Japan, this enduringly popular collection recounts Hoshino's experiences with the wildlife and offers his reflections of our place within it. First published in 1994, and reprinted 57 times (with half a million copies sold), The Travelling Tree by world renowned photographer Michio Hoshino is a literary classic of nature writing. In this enduringly popular collection, naturalist, mystic and adventurer Michio Hoshino recounts his experiences with the wildlife and reflects on and our place within it. Michio Hoshino's life was changed after coming across a book containing an aerial photograph of the tiny Inupuiak (Eskimo) village, Shishmaref, in a used bookstore in Tokyo. The teenager was immediately enchanted by this tiny cluster of dwellings on the Arctic Sea. What sort of people lived in such a desolate place, seemingly at the ends of the Earth? The photograph intrigued him so much that he decided to write a letter asking if he could visit the village. Not knowing to whom he should address the letter, he made it out to simply, "Mayor, Shishmaref." To his surprise, he received a response from an Inupiak family willing to host him and spent the next summer, at the age of 19, immersed in their way of life. After this introduction to Alaska, Hoshino was smitten with America's northernmost state and dedicated the remainder of his life to photographing and writing about it. The Travelling Tree is a collection of his writing published at the peak of his artistic prowess, only two years before his career was tragically cut short at the age of 43 by a fatal bear attack while on a shoot in the Kamchatka Peninsula. The Travelling Tree has gained increasing popularity in the more than 20 years since Hoshino's untimely death. His work has been featured in numerous Japanese television specials and documentaries and an exhibition of his photography has travelled to cities and communities across Japan
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