Biology and Evolution of the Mexican Cavefish features contributions by leading researchers in a comprehensive, unique work that examines a number of distinct areas of biology-evolution, development, ecology, and behavior-using the Mexican cavefish as a powerful model system to further understanding of basic biological processes such as eye degeneration, hearing, craniofacial development, sleep, and metabolic function. These fish are currently being used to better understand a number of issues related to human health, including age-related blindness, sleep, obesity, mood-related disorders, and aging. The recent sequencing of the cavefish genome broadens the interest of this system to groups working with diverse biological systems, and has helped researchers identify genes that regulate sleep, eye degeneration, and metabolic function. Mexican cavefish are particularly powerful for the study of biological processes because these fish evolved independently in twenty-nine caves in the Sierra de el Abra Region of Northeast Mexico. These fish have dramatic adaptations to the cave environment, and this can be used to identify genes involved in disease-related traits. This scholarly text will be of interest to researchers and students throughout diverse areas of biology and ecology. It includes photographs of animals and behavior in laboratory and natural settings that will also increase interest and accessibility to non-experts.

Lizards of the World is ultimate book on these fascinating creatures, featuring the all the different types of lizard worldwide. As survivors from the time of the dinosaurs, lizards are scaly, cold-blooded, living fossils - relics from a prehistoric world that remain alive and well in ours. Lizards exert a morbid fascination, in many mythologies they are dark creatures, symbolizing death and misfortune. From chameleons and skinks to geckos and iguanas, Lizards of the World brings these creatures firmly into the light, to reveal their extraordinary diversity Found in almost every type of terrain globally, there are almost 6,500 species of lizard, including lizards with frills, horns or wings, those that drop their tails, and others that squirt blood from their eyes. Here, the lizard family and subfamily profiles, organized phylogenetically, are illustrated with stunning photography. Each profile includes a population distribution map, a table of essential information and a fascinating commentary revealing notable characteristics, fresh scientific understanding and the diversity of species. Written by world-renowned herpetologist Mark O'Shea, Lizards of the World is a magnificent showcase of the natural history and beauty of these remarkable reptiles.

Epizootic Ulcerative Fish Disease Syndrome covers both the background and current information on the EUS disease relevant to fisheries and aquaculture delivered in a systematic and succinct way. The book is an essential resource for the aquaculture and fisheries researcher interested in finding solutions to the spread of the disease across the globe and students in relevant programs, including an in-depth description and analysis of the disease, as well as the structure and composition of the virus, while offering prevention and control methodologies. Clinical veterinarians, aquaculture disease practitioners, farmers, and those who are interested in aquatic virology will find this book to be a useful guide on the topic.

Winner of the Richard Jefferies Society and White Horse Book Shop Literary Prize 'splendid' -Guardian 'visionary' -New Statesman Britain has all the space it needs for an epic return of its wildlife. Only six percent of our country is built upon. Contrary to popular myth, large areas of our countryside are not productively farmed but remain deserts of opportunity for both wildlife and jobs. It is time to turn things around. Praised as 'visionary' by conservationists and landowners alike, Rebirding sets out a compelling manifesto for restoring Britain's wildlife, rewilding its species and restoring rural jobs - to the benefit of all.

This comprehensive volume on the blood-gas barrier (BGB) among vertebrates covers its structure and composition along with aspects of evolution, bioengineering, and morphometry. The book also discusses the embryological development of the BGB, including chronology of events and molecular control in vertebrates; modulation of the barrier function, including cyclic stretch-induced increases in alveolar epithelial permeability; mechanisms of lung vascular/epithelial permeability; transport mechanisms of the BGB, including sodium transport channels; factors affecting trans-barrier traffic of fluids, such as chronic elevation of pulmonary microvascular pressure; stress failure; regulation and repair in acute lung injury; chronic lung disease; and lung transportation. Ten authoritative chapters approach the blood-gas barrier holistically, from basic structure and development to pathology and treatment. Properties of the BGB are discussed in the earlier chapters, followed by prenatal and post-natal development and mechanisms of the healthy BGB. The latter half of the book delves into the pathology of the BGB, analyzing common afflictions and exploring options for treatment, including its alterations during lung transplantation. Intuitively structured and comprehensive, The Vertebrate Blood-Gas Barrier in Health and Disease is ideal for researchers and clinicians interested in pneumology and angiology.

This is the perfect chance to immerse yourself in the uplifting sounds of a perfect country morning, from the comfort of your own home. At dawn, in our countryside, there is a pronounced peak in bird singing activity. This is especially noticeable for about an hour after the first light in temperate zone woodlands during spring and early summer. At this time, male birds defend their territories and attract females with their songs. The recordings on this CD are a selection of British woodland recordings, taken from the extensive collection of the wildlife section of the British Library sound archive.

Amateurs and professionals studying birds at the end of the nineteenth century were a contentious, passionate group with goals that intersected, collided and occasionally merged in their writings and organizations. Driven by a desire to advance science, as well as by ego, pride, honor, insecurity, religion and other clashing sensibilities, they struggled to absorb the implications of evolution after Darwin. In the process, they dramatically reshaped the study of birds. Daniel Lewis here explores the professionalization of ornithology through one of its key figures: Robert Ridgway, the Smithsonian Institution's first curator of birds and one of North America's most important natural scientists. Exploring a world in which the uses of language, classification and accountability between amateurs and professionals played essential roles, Lewis offers a vivid introduction to Ridgway and shows how his work fundamentally influenced the direction of American and international ornithology. He explores the inner workings of the Smithsonian and the role of collectors working in the field and reveals previously unknown details of the ornithological journal The Auk and the untold story of the color dictionaries for which Ridgway is known.

This detailed volume focuses on best practices and conditions for maintaining the most commonly used salamander species in the laboratory. Salamanders in Regeneration Research: Methods and Protocols guides readers through experimental manipulations in vivo and in vitro, respectively. With methods on targeting a wide variety of structures, ranging from the limb to the heart and to the brain, and methods for studying genetically modified organisms and tools for mining in the genomic databases. Written in the highly successful Methods in Molecular Biology series format, chapters include introduction to their respective topics, lists of the necessary materials and reagents, step-by-step, readily reproducible laboratory protocols, and tips on troubleshooting and avoiding known pitfalls. Authoritative and up-to-date, Salamanders in Regeneration Research: Methods and Protocols provides a comprehensive collection of methods chapters.

From the Preface
The major change in the format of the fifth edition is the presentation of the book in two volumes, necessitated by the rapidly increasing knowledge of metabolism, interactions, and requirements of trace elements. The guiding principle was to present the minimum of results that would serve as a logical foundation for the description of the present state of knowledge.

This book addresses how skeletons can inform us about behavior by describing skeletal lesions in the Gombe chimpanzees, relating them to known life histories whenever possible, and analyzing demographic patterns in the sample. This is of particular interest to both primatologists and skeletal analysts who have benefited from published data on a smaller, earlier skeletal sample from Gombe. The Gombe skeletal collection is the largest collection of wild chimpanzees with known life histories in existence, and this work significantly expands the skeletal sample from this long-term research site (49 chimpanzees). The book explores topics of general interest to skeletal analysts such as demographic patterns, which injuries leave signs on the skeleton, and rates of healing, and discusses both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the patterning of lesions. The book presents the data in a narrative style similar to that employed in Dr. Goodall's seminal work The Chimpanzees of Gombe. Readers already familiar with the Gombe chimpanzees are likely to appreciate summaries of life events correlated to observable skeletal features. The book is especially relevant at this time to remind primate conservationists of the importance of the isolated chimpanzee population at Gombe National Park as well as the availability of the skeletons for study, both within the park itself as well as at the University of Minnesota.

Amphibian species around the world are unusually vulnerable to a variety of threats, by no means all of which are properly understood. Volume 11 in this major series is published in parts devoted to the causes of amphibian decline and to conservation measures in regions of the world. This volume, Part 4 in the series, is concerned with Southern Europe (Italy, Malta, Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Albania, Greece, Romania, Hungary, Bulgaria, Turkey, and Cyprus). Each chapter has been written by experts from each country, describing the ecological background and the conservation status of affected species, with an emphasis on native species. As well as infectious diseases and parasites, threats take the form of introduced and invasive species, pollution, destruction and alteration of habitat, and climatic change. These are discussed as they affect each species. All these countries have monitoring schemes and conservation programs, whose origins and activities are described. Recommendations for action are also made. Edited by leading scholars in the field, Volume 11, when complete, will provide a definitive survey of the amphibian predicament and a stimulus to further research with the objective of arresting the global decline of an entire class of animal.

The field of marine mammal science has made enormous strides in the last ten years of the 20th century, as well as attracting a large amount of interest, due no doubt to the public appeal of whales, dolphins, and seals, which are never out of media attention. The purpose of this book is to review key topics through chapters on the major disciplines from invited authorities around the world. Subjects covered include evolution and genetics, life histories, ecology, physiology, behaviour, medicine (diseases, parasitology), survey methodology, and all the main conservation issues (pollution, fisheries interactions, and sound disturbance). The book has an ecological and conservation emphasis since these are subject areas calling for the most attention in the modern world, but other areas such as evolution, physiology, and medicine are also given in-depth treatment. The book is written at the level of the undergraduate or above, although its style should appeal to anyone with a serious interest in marine mammal science.

This fourth volume in the series covers such topics as endogenous fuels, electric organs, histidine-related dipeptides, and origins of luciferins. The book will be invaluable to fisheries scientists, aquaculturists, and animal biochemists, physiologists and endocrinologists; it will provide researchers and students with a pertinent information source from theoretical and experimental angles.

This book introduces the theory and practice of Chinese freshwater fish culture to the world. Fish resources, reproduction, feeding and nutrition, genetics and breeding, fry and fingerling nursing, integrated fish farming, fish culture in lakes, reservoirs, pens and cages, luxury species culture, as well as disease control are described. A representative collection of the Chinese literature is cited, most of it exposed to the world for the first time. This volume will be invaluable to all aquaculturists and animal/fisheries scientists.

Woolly monkeys are large, attractive and widespread primates found throughout many parts of the Amazon basin. It is only in the last twenty-five years or so that long-term studies of woollies in their forest habitat have been successful; they have not generally been successfully kept in captivity. But now, especially because of their size, these creatures are pressed on all sides by bush meat hunters and forest fragmentation. Their future is becoming critically precarious and the editors feel that it is time to showcase these animals with a full book.

The editors draw together a number of recent woolly monkey studies from three Amazonian countries, including five taxa of woolly monkeys, four of which have recently been reclassified without using new biological criteria as species rather than subspecies (Groves, 2001, 2005; Rylands & Mittermeier, 2009). This volume provides a diversity of studies by well-known researchers and advanced students on a wide range of subjects using newly generated data, including a criticism of the recent taxonomic changes. The varied information contained within "The Woolly Monkey: Behavior, Ecology, Systematics and Captive Research "will help readers understand these handsome animals and will, we hope, energize them to contribute to their conservation.

From the Preface
The major change in the format of the fifth edition is the presentation of the book in two volumes, necessitated by the rapidly increasing knowledge of metabolism, interactions, and requirements of trace elements ... The guiding principle was to present the minimum of results that would serve as a logical foundation for the description of the present state of knowledge.
Recent results of research were accommodated by devoting new chapters to the subjects "Methodology of Trace Element Research" and "Quality Assurance for Trace Element Analysis" and by expanding the discussion of lithium and aluminum in separate, new chapters. The first two subjects are of outstanding importance as determinants of future progress. The concern for the quality of analytical data motivated the authors of the individual chapters to review critically and, where necessary, revise analytical data presented in the previous editions. The rapid progress of trace analytical methodology since the mid-1970s has changed what had been accepted as normal for the concentrations of many trace elements in tissues and foods. The new data reflect the present state of the art in trace element analysis, but they may be subject to future revision.

As Crocodile strolls along wistfully, admiring beautiful creatures, she has one question: "Why, oh why, am I a crocodile?" Just as she's at her lowest, she encounters a blind monkey who introduces her to some newfound friends. Will Monkey be able to change Crocodile's view on the world and will she learn to love herself? A fun, rhyming children's book exploring emotional issues, such as low self-esteem and negative self-image. This lovely bedtime story, for toddlers, young children (and grown-ups!), is the perfect tool for discussing these all-important, ever-increasing feelings in a child-friendly way. The vibrant illustrations, with quirky extra details, will keep kids totally engaged and they will love joining in with the repetitive element of the book. Why, oh why, am I a crocodile? is the perfect addition to any child's bookshelf.

Animal models and tests have become increasingly important for biomedical research, enabling a better understanding of pathogenic pathways involved in various human disorders. Over the last decades, zebrafish (Danio rerio) have become a very popular model organism in biomedical research. Recently, this fish has entered the waters of neuroscience and biological psychiatry, quickly becoming an indispensable model species in this field. With a high genetic homology to humans (~75% based on coding regions), it is not surprising that humans and fish are very similar physiologically (and behaviorally). Therefore, it should not come as a surprise that zebrafish can be an excellent model of human neuropsychiatric disorders. While some classical psychiatrists may not too easily be persuaded by this generalization, the current book "The rights and wrongs of zebrafish: principles of behavioral phenotyping and CNS disease modeling" explains, in a domain-by-domain manner, how exactly zebrafish models can be used to target a wide range of human brain disorders and aberrant phenotypes. The contributors to this book are leading international scholars whose work spearheads innovative zebrafish neuroscience research around the world. Written by top experts in the field, this book makes for a useful, balanced and up-to-date reading that outlines the use of zebrafish to study the pathological mechanisms underlying neuropsychiatric disorders.

This volume presents the latest research on herbivores, aquatic and terrestrial mammals and insects. The Second Edition, written almost entirely by new authors, effectively complements the initial work. It includes advances in molecular biology and microbiology, ecology, and evolutionary theory that have been achieved since the first edition was published in 1979. The book also incorporates relatively new methodologies in the area of molecular biology, like protein purification and gene cloning. Volume II, Ecological and Evolutionary Processes, also opens up entirely new subjects: The discussions of interactions have expanded to include phenomena at higher trophic levels, such as predation and microbial processing and other environmental influences.
Both this and Volume I, The Chemical Participants, will be of interest to chemists, biochemists, plant and insect ecologists, evolutionary biologists, physiologists, entomologists, and agroecologists interested in both crop and animal science.
Key Features
* Presents coevolution of herbivores and host plants
* Examines resource availability and its effects on secondary metabolism and herbivores
Studies physiology and biochemistry of adaptation to hosts
* Includes tri-trophic interactions involving predators and microbes

This book brings together scientific evidence and experience relevant to the practical conservation of bats. The authors worked with an international group of bat experts and conservationists to develop a global list of interventions that could benefit bats. For each intervention, the book summarises studies captured by the Conservation Evidence project, where that intervention has been tested and its effects on bats quantified. The result is a thorough guide to what is known, or not known, about the effectiveness of bat conservation actions throughout the world. Bat Conservation is the fifth in a series of Synopses that will cover different species groups and habitats, gradually building into a comprehensive summary of evidence on the effects of conservation interventions for all biodiversity throughout the world. By making evidence accessible in this way, we hope to enable a change in the practice of conservation, so it can become more evidence-based. We also aim to highlight where there are gaps in knowledge. Evidence from all around the world is included. If there appears to be a bias towards evidence from northern European or North American temperate environments, this reflects a current bias in the published research that is available to us. Conservation interventions are grouped primarily according to the relevant direct threats, as defined in the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN)'s Unified Classification of Direct Threats (www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes).

"Fish Physiology: Organic Chemical Toxicology of Fishes" discusses the different types of organic chemical contaminants and their respective toxic effects in fish. The book also covers the detection of dissolved organic compounds and methods to assess organic toxicity. Substances addressed in this book include organometallics, hydrocarbons, endocrine disrupting compounds (EDCs), insecticides, herbicides, and pharmaceuticals.

Fish are exposed to an ever-increasing array of organic chemicals that find their way into rivers and oceans. Some of these compounds are no longer being produced but nonetheless persist within the environment (persistent organic pollutants, or POPs). The exposure of fish to toxic organic compounds has potential impact on human, fish, and ecosystem health. Yet the regulations that govern environmental water quality vary worldwide, and compliance is never complete. This book provides a crucial resource on these issues for researchers in zoology, fish physiology, and related fields; applied researchers in environmental monitoring, conservation biology, and toxicology; and university-level students and instructors in these areas.
Organized by type of toxic organic chemicalsIncludes metals, POPs, EDCs, herbicides, insecticides, and pharmaceuticalsMeasures toxicity in a variety of ways aside from lethalityProbes the toxic effects of compound mixtures as well as single pollutants