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Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Zoology & animal sciences > Vertebrates > Mammals > General
The editors utilize their 50 years of combined experience in
professional engagement with the behaviour and ecology of wild
felids to draw together a unique network of the world's most
respected and knowledgeable experts. For the first time, this
inter-disciplinary research programme is brought together within a
single volume.
'Predators are the best wildlife managers, ' writes George Schaller. They weed out the sick and old and keep herds healthy and alert. Yet the large predators of the world have been and are still being exterminated because they are thought to harm wildlife. Schaller's award-winning work, based on three years of study in the Serengeti National Park, describes the impact of the lion and other predators on the vast herds of wildebeest, zebra, and gazelle for which the area is famous.
Otters are highly charismatic and popular animals of very
considerable concern to conservationists worldwide. Written by the
pre-eminent authority in the field, this book builds on the
reputation of the author's landmark monograph of the European
otter, Wild Otters (OUP, 1995). Furthermore, its broader scope to
include all species of otter in North America as well as Europe and
elsewhere leads to a deeper synthesis that greatly expands the
book's overall relevance and potential readership.
Every three years a major international conference on bats draws the leading workers in the field to a carefully orchestrated presentation of the research and advances and current state of understanding of bat biology. Bats are the second most populous group of mammalia species, after rodents, and they are probably the most intensively studied group of mammals. Virtually all mammologists and a large proportion of organismic biologists are interested in bats. The earlier two edited books deriving from previous bat research conferences, as well as this one, have been rigorously edited by Tom Kunz and others, with all chapters subjected to peer review. The resulting volumes, published first by Academic Press and most recently by Smithsonian, have sold widely as the definitive synthetic treatments of current scientific understanding of bats.
This book provides a comprehensive review of the evolution of traits associated with predation and predator defense for bats and all of their prey, both invertebrates (e.g. insects) and vertebrates (e.g. frogs), in the context of co-evolution. It reviews current knowledge of how echolocation and passive hearing are used by bats to hunt prey in complete darkness. Also it highlights how prey have evolved counter measures to bat echolocation to avoid detection and capture. This includes the whole range of prey responses from being active at times when bats are inactive to the use of acoustic signals of their own to interfere with the echolocation system of bats.
Seeking common principles of social evolution in different taxonomic groups, the contributors to this volume discuss eighteen groups of birds and mammals for which long-term field studies have been carried out. They examine how social organization is shaped by the interaction between proximate ecological pressures and culture"--the social traditions already in place and shaped by local and phylogenetic history. Originally published in 1987. 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.
The contributors to this volume have accomplished a breakthrough in our ability to collect data on ocean-dwelling mammals. In the first large-scale comparison of fur seals, they have employed quantitative methods and a special instrument called a Time-Depth-Recorder to study the strategies used by females in six species of cared seals to rear and wean their young in different environments. Originally published in 1986. 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.
Professors Furley and Wilkie have provided a newly edited Greek text and a complete English translation with commentary of four of Galen's physiological treatises on respiration and the arteries. Their text is the first to make use of Arabic translations of An in arteriis and De usu pulsuum based on a Greek text that is earlier and better than the surviving tines. These translations have enabled them to make substantial improvements in the earlier editions of the treatises. Introducing the text are essays by Professors Furley and Wilkie on the history of theories of respiration and bloodflow in classical antiquity, the influence of Galen's work on Harvey, and Galen's experimentation and argument. Originally published in 1984. 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.
Publishers Weekly Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2019
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.
To understand how the cerebral cortex functions requires knowledge of single cells in this region and of their organization into cortical networks. Looking beyond the classical "wiring diagram" description of the organization of cortical cells into circuits, this innovative work focuses on dynamic aspects of cerebral cortical physiology, both at the single-neuron and network levels. Recent years have seen a remarkable expansion of knowledge about the basic cellular physiology and molecular biology of cortical neurons - their membrane properties, their synaptic characteristics, their functional connectivity, their development, and the mechanisms of their response to injury. This authoritative volume includes contributions by many of the renowned neurobiologists and neurologists directly responsible for these advances. It is divided into four main sections, each of which is prefaced with an overview by a leading expert in the field. The sections cover cortical neurons and synapses, the cortical network, the developing cortical neuron, and the vulnerable cortical neuron. This final section focuses on the cortical neuron in relation to the mechanisms of epilepsy. Together, the chapters provide a balanced, up-to-date, multidisciplinary perspective on the normal and pathological function of the cells of the cerebral cortex, identifying the controversies and critical issues facing modern researchers in this exciting field.
This book presents a descriptive, comprehensive catalogue of viral and cellular cis-acting elements and the latest expression vectors for obtaining optimum expression of foreign genes introduced into mammalian cells. Included is a selection of optimized, state-of-the-art protocols for transferring genes into mammalian cells and subsequently assaying for transfer and expression of the genes of interest. This unique volume describes in detail essential techniques for propagating cells and cell lines, DNA transfer techniques, drug selection and gene amplification techniques, expression cloning, subtractive hybridization and retrovirus-mediated gene transfer techniques. Also featured are highly sensitive assays for gene transfer and expression, including detection of DNA and RNA by both isotopic and non-isotopic detection methods as well as the most sensitive non-isotopic Western techniques for the detection of proteins.
Cats have been popular household pets for thousands of years, and
their numbers only continue to rise. Today there are three cats for
every dog on the planet, and yet cats remain more mysterious, even
to their most adoring owners. Unlike dogs, cats evolved as solitary
hunters, and, while many have learned to live alongside humans and
even feel affection for us, they still don't quite "get us" the way
dogs do, and perhaps they never will. But cats have rich emotional
lives that we need to respect and understand if they are to thrive
in our company.
This well-written and carefully organized textbook describes the performance of the mammalian cardiovascular system and the physiological mechanisms that maintain normal function. The viewpoint ranges from the molecular and cellular level to the integrated function of the entire human organism. The author reviews historical developments in the field, and offers a detailed survey of hemodynamic variables and methods for measuring cardiovascular function.
This volume brings together more than a decade of information collected in the field and lab on the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber), a northeast African mammal unique for its physical characteristics and eusociality. Nearly blind and virtually hairless, naked mole-rats inhabit large subterranean colonies in which only one female and her one to three mates conceive offspring, while the young from previous litters maintain and defend the group as do workers in colonies of the social insects. In this first major treatise on naked mole-rats an international group of researchers covers such topics as the evolution of eusociality, phylogeny and systematics of the rodent family Bathyergidae, population and behavioral ecology and genetics of naked mole-rats in the field, vocal and nonvocal behaviors, social organization and divisions of labor within colonies, and climatic, social, and physiological factors affecting growth, reproduction, and reproductive suppression. In addition to the editors, the contributors are D. H. Abbott, M. W. Allard, N. C. Bennett, R. A. Brett, S. H. Braude, B. Crespi, S. V. Edwards, C. G. Faulkes, L. M. George, R. L. Honeycutt, E. A. Lacey, C. E. Liddell, E. McDaid, K. Nelson, K. M. Noonan, J. O'Riain, J. W. Pepper, H. K. Reeve, and D. A. Schlitter. Originally published in 1991. 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.
This volume brings together more than a decade of information collected in the field and lab on the naked mole-rat (Heterocephalus glaber), a northeast African mammal unique for its physical characteristics and eusociality. Nearly blind and virtually hairless, naked mole-rats inhabit large subterranean colonies in which only one female and her one to three mates conceive offspring, while the young from previous litters maintain and defend the group as do workers in colonies of the social insects. In this first major treatise on naked mole-rats an international group of researchers covers such topics as the evolution of eusociality, phylogeny and systematics of the rodent family Bathyergidae, population and behavioral ecology and genetics of naked mole-rats in the field, vocal and nonvocal behaviors, social organization and divisions of labor within colonies, and climatic, social, and physiological factors affecting growth, reproduction, and reproductive suppression. In addition to the editors, the contributors are D. H. Abbott, M. W. Allard, N. C. Bennett, R. A. Brett, S. H. Braude, B. Crespi, S. V. Edwards, C. G. Faulkes, L. M. George, R. L. Honeycutt, E. A. Lacey, C. E. Liddell, E. McDaid, K. Nelson, K. M. Noonan, J. O'Riain, J. W. Pepper, H. K. Reeve, and D. A. Schlitter. Originally published in 1991. 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.
This is the only field guide to provide comprehensive coverage of the mammals of Central America and Southeast Mexico. This edition features 21 new species accounts, including nine for bats. Four new full-color maps show parks and protected areas, biomes, elevations, and habitat loss. From Funnel-eared Bats and Spider Monkeys to Climbing Rats and Pocket Mice, Anteaters and Sloths to Sperm Whales and Ocean Dolphins, the guide fully describes every known regional species. Over 150 range maps have been updated along with present conservation status and habitat information. The new book features descriptions and measurements, where and when each species might be found, what type of nests or dens it uses, feeding habits, and reproductive cycles. Highlights include the 49 (previously 48) vibrant full-color animal illustrations, most painted directly from live subjects. Tracks and feet appear on facing-pages. A glossary and updated bibliography round out the usefulness of this indispensable guide.
There is little doubt that the vertebrate brain is the most complex structure we know. As with any complex structure, there is the immediate question about its origins. How could such a complex design develop from the simplest multicellular animals? This problem has pervaded the study of evolutionary biology since its beginnings. Although Darwin (1859, 1871) proposed an impecable mechanism (natural selection) for the gradual transformation of species including human origins, even he sometimes expressed certain doubts about the origin of highly complex structures. This issue has been highly debated both within science and outside it. The authors follow an approach that has been termed "developmental evolutionary genetics," which seeks to establish a correspondence between embryological processes and the phylogenetic history of an organism. Modern understanding of these hypotheses acknowledges that in fact, early embryos are readily distinguishable among them, and that human embryos are human embryos during all development; they do not pass from a jellyfish stage to a fish stage and so on (Garstang 1922; Gould 1977; Richardson et al. 1997). However, it is also recognized that embryos pass through successive stages in which they acquire the characters proper to each of the nested phylogenetic categories to which they belong. Thus, there is a general concordance between embryonic stages and the phylogenetic history.
This volume is the first scholarly book on the antelope that dominate the savanna ecosystems of eastern and southern Africa. It presents a synthesis of research conducted over a span of fifty years, mainly on the wildebeests in the Ngorongoro and Serengeti ecosystems, where eighty percent of the world's total wildebeest population lives. Wildebeest and other grazing mammals drive the ecology and evolution of the savanna ecosystem. Estes describes this process as well as detailing the wildebeest's life history, focusing on its social organization and unique reproductive system, which are adapted to the animal's epic annual migrations. He also examines conservation issues that affect wildebeest, including range-wide population declines.
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 evolution of high-crowned teeth, hypsodonty, is a defining characteristic of many terrestrial herbivores. To date, the most prominent focus in the study of the teeth of grazing herbivores has been co-evolution with grasses and grasslands. This book develops the idea further and looks at the myriad ways that soil can enter the diet. Madden then expands this analysis to examine the earth surface processes that mobilize sediment in the environment. The text delivers a global perspective on tooth wear and soil erosion, with examples from the islands of New Zealand to the South American Andes, highlighting how similar geological processes worldwide result in convergent evolution. The final chapter includes a review of elodonty in the fossil record and its environmental consequences. Offering new insights into geomorphology and adaptive and evolutionary morphology, this text will be of value to any researcher interested in the evolution of tooth size and shape.
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