Very Short Introductions: Brilliant, Sharp, Inspiring From frogs,
toads, newts, and salamanders, to the lesser-known caecilians,
there are over 8,000 species of amphibians alive today.
Characterised by their moist, naked skin and the tadpole phase of
their lives, they are uniquely adapted to occupy the interphase
habitat between freshwater and land. This Very Short Introduction
explores amphibians' evolution, adaptations, and biology, from the
first emergence of tetrapods onto land 370 million years ago, to
how their permeable skin enables them to thrive in their habitat
today. T. S. Kemp describes how different amphibians go about their
lives, looking in particular at their complex courtship behaviour
and their extraordinary means of providing care for their eggs and
larvae. Finally, he considers amphibians' relationship to humans,
and the ways in which they have been exploited as food, folk
medicine, and pets, as well as used in many areas of scientific
research. Today amphibians face a serious threat, with almost half
of species judged to be at risk of extinction. As the causes
include habitat destruction, pollution, and disease, mostly
resulting from human activity, T. S. Kemp shows that the
conservation of amphibians is very much in our hands. ABOUT THE
SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University
Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area.
These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new
subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis,
perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and
challenging topics highly readable.
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