Understanding Body Shapes of Animals - Shapes as mechanical constructions and Systems moving on minimal energy level (Hardcover, 1st ed. 2022)

This book discusses how and why animals evolved into particular shapes. The book identifies the physical laws which decide over the evolutionary (selective) value of body shape and morphological characters. Comparing the mechanical necessities with morphological details, the author attempts to understand how evolution works, and which sorts of limitations are set by selection. The book explains morphological traits in more biomechanical detail without getting lost in physics, or in methods. Most emphasis is placed on the proximate question, namely the identification of the mechanical stresses which must be sustained by the respective body parts, when they move the body or its parts against resistance. In the first part of the book the focus is on 'primitive' animals and later on the emphasis shifts to highly specialized mammals. Readers will learn more about living and fossil animals. A section of the book is dedicated to human evolution but not to produce another evolutionary tree, nor to refine a former one, but to contribute to answering the question: "WHY early humans have developed their particular body shape".

General

Imprint:	Springer Nature Switzerland AG
Country of origin:	Switzerland
Release date:	June 2022
First published:	2022
Authors:	Holger Preuschoft
Dimensions:	235 x 155mm (L x W)
Format:	Hardcover
Pages:	581
Edition:	1st ed. 2022
ISBN-13:	978-3-03-027667-6
Categories:	Books > Science & Mathematics > Physics > Classical mechanics > General Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Life sciences: general issues > Evolution Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Zoology & animal sciences > Animal physiology Books > Earth & environment > Earth sciences > Palaeontology > General Promotions
LSN:	3-03-027667-8
Barcode:	9783030276676

Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate? Let us know about it.

Does this product have an incorrect or missing image? Send us a new image.

Is this product missing categories? Add more categories.

Review This Product

No reviews yet - be the first to create one!