Carnivore Behavior Ecology And Evolution

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Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution

Author : John L. Gittleman
Publisher : Cornell University Press
ISBN 13 : 1501745816
Total Pages : 639 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (17 download)

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Book Synopsis Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution by : John L. Gittleman

Download or read book Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution written by John L. Gittleman and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2019-05-15 with total page 639 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The mammalian order Carnivora is characterized by an incredible range of morphological, ecological, and behavioral variation. Carnivores can be as small as the 100-gram least weasel or as large as the 800-kilogram polar bear. Their reproductive rate can vary from one offspring every five years, as with some black bears, to three litters a year, as with the dwarf mongoose. Group sizes can be traced along a wide continuum, from the solitary ermine to the monogamous golden jackal to the large extended packs of as many as 80 spotted hyenas. Until recently the general habits of most wild carnivore species were inadequately understood. In the last decade, however, improved technologies, including the use of radiotelemetry and night-vision scopes, have led to many important discoveries. This book is at once a critical summary and an evaluation of current research on carnivores. A worthy successor to R.F. Ewer's monumental volume, The Carnivores (Cornell University Press), it is the work of 30 leading carnivore biologists, who here assemble comparative data on the basic anatomical, behavioral, ecological, physiological, reproductive, and evolutionary characteristics of this group. After a general introduction to the Carnivora, the volume is divided in three parts, each of which begins with a brief introduction outlining its main themes. Part I, Behavior, covers acoustic and olfactory communication, behavioral development, behavioral ecology of canids and hyaenids, modes of solitary living, and group living. In Part II, Ecology, topics include feeding ecology of the giant panda and Asiatic black bear, adatpations for aquatic living, ecological constraints on predation in felids, consequences of small size in mustelids, rate of basal metabolism and food habits, and reproductive output. Part III, Evolution, deals with the morphological approaches to phylogeny, and the fossil record. An appendix presents a complete classification of the Carnivora, including topics of continuing controversy. Highlighting recent developments in the study of the Carnivora and areas for further research, this broad synthesis will be of great value of students and researchers in animal behavior, behavioral ecology, wildlife ecology, mammalogy, paleontology, systematics, and evolution theory. It will also encourage realistic conservation programs to manage rapidly diminishing populations and will elucidate particular features of the carnivores for nonspecialist readers.

Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution

Author : John L. Gittleman
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1475747160
Total Pages : 632 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (757 download)

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Book Synopsis Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution by : John L. Gittleman

Download or read book Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution written by John L. Gittleman and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-03-09 with total page 632 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Carnivores have always fascinated us, even though they make up only 10% of all mammalian genera and only about 2% of all mammalian biomass. In Greek mythology most of the gods adorned their robes and helmets with depictions of carnivores, and the great hero Hercules' most famous feat was killing the "invulnerable" lion with his bare hands. Part· of our fascination with carnivores stems from fright and intrigue, and sometimes even hatred because of our direct competition with them. Cases of "man-eating" lions, bears, and wolves, as well as carnivores' reputation as killers of livestock and game, provoke communities and governrpents to adopt sweeping policies to exterminate them. Even President Theodore Roosevelt, proclaimer of a new wildlife protectionism, described the wolf as "the beast of waste and desolation. " The sheer presence and power of carnivores is daunt ing: they can move quickly yet silently through forests, attaining rapid bursts of speed when necessary; their massive muscles are aligned to deliver powerful attacks, their large canines and strong jaws rip open carcasses, and their scis sor-like carnassials slice meat. Partly because of our fear of these attributes, trophy hunting of carnivores has been, and to a certain extent still is, a sign of bravery and skill. Among some Alaskan Inuit, for example, a man is not eligible for marriage until he has killed a succession of animals of increasing size and dangerousness, culminating with the most menacing, the polar bear.

Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution

Author : John L. Gittleman
Publisher : Comstock Publishing
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 664 pages
Book Rating : 4.F/5 ( download)

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Book Synopsis Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution by : John L. Gittleman

Download or read book Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution written by John L. Gittleman and published by Comstock Publishing. This book was released on 1989 with total page 664 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Volume 2

Carnivore Conservation

Author : John L. Gittleman
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780521665377
Total Pages : 696 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (653 download)

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Book Synopsis Carnivore Conservation by : John L. Gittleman

Download or read book Carnivore Conservation written by John L. Gittleman and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2001-06-28 with total page 696 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book presents a critical review and summary of the problems, solutions and future directions for carnivore conservation.

Wolves

Author : L. David Mech
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 9780226516981
Total Pages : 472 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (169 download)

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Book Synopsis Wolves by : L. David Mech

Download or read book Wolves written by L. David Mech and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2010-10-01 with total page 472 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Wolves are some of the world's most charismatic and controversial animals, capturing the imaginations of their friends and foes alike. Highly intelligent and adaptable, they hunt and play together in close-knit packs, sometimes roaming over hundreds of square miles in search of food. Once teetering on the brink of extinction across much of the United States and Europe, wolves have made a tremendous comeback in recent years, thanks to legal protection, changing human attitudes, and efforts to reintroduce them to suitable habitats in North America. As wolf populations have rebounded, scientific studies of them have also flourished. But there hasn't been a systematic, comprehensive overview of wolf biology since 1970. In Wolves, many of the world's leading wolf experts provide state-of-the-art coverage of just about everything you could want to know about these fascinating creatures. Individual chapters cover wolf social ecology, behavior, communication, feeding habits and hunting techniques, population dynamics, physiology and pathology, molecular genetics, evolution and taxonomy, interactions with nonhuman animals such as bears and coyotes, reintroduction, interactions with humans, and conservation and recovery efforts. The book discusses both gray and red wolves in detail and includes information about wolves around the world, from the United States and Canada to Italy, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Israel, India, and Mongolia. Wolves is also extensively illustrated with black and white photos, line drawings, maps, and fifty color plates. Unrivalled in scope and comprehensiveness, Wolves will become the definitive resource on these extraordinary animals for scientists and amateurs alike. “An excellent compilation of current knowledge, with contributions from all the main players in wolf research. . . . It is designed for a wide readership, and certainly the language and style will appeal to both scientists and lucophiles alike. . . . This is an excellent summary of current knowledge and will remain the standard reference work for a long time to come.”—Stephen Harris, New Scientist “This is the place to find almost any fact you want about wolves.”—Stephen Mills, BBC Wildlife Magazine

Carnivoran Evolution

Author : Anjali Goswami
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780521735865
Total Pages : 506 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (358 download)

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Book Synopsis Carnivoran Evolution by : Anjali Goswami

Download or read book Carnivoran Evolution written by Anjali Goswami and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2010-07-29 with total page 506 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Members of the mammalian clade Carnivora have invaded nearly every continent and ocean, evolving into bamboo-eating pandas, clam-eating walruses and of course, flesh-eating sabre-toothed cats. With this ecological, morphological and taxonomic diversity and a fossil record spanning over sixty million years, Carnivora has proven to be a model clade for addressing questions of broad evolutionary significance. This volume brings together top international scientists with contributions that focus on current advances in our understanding of carnivoran relationships, ecomorphology and macroevolutionary patterns. Topics range from the palaeoecology of the earliest fossil carnivorans to the influences of competition and constraint on diversity and biogeographic distributions. Several studies address ecomorphological convergences among carnivorans and other mammals with morphometric and Finite Element analyses, while others consider how new molecular and palaeontological data have changed our understanding of carnivoran phylogeny. Combined, these studies also illustrate the diverse suite of approaches and questions in evolutionary biology and palaeontology.

Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution

Author : John L. Gittleman
Publisher : Cornell University Press
ISBN 13 : 1501745824
Total Pages : 659 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (17 download)

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Book Synopsis Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution by : John L. Gittleman

Small Carnivores

Author : Emmanuel Do Linh San
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1118943260
Total Pages : 592 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (189 download)

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Book Synopsis Small Carnivores by : Emmanuel Do Linh San

Download or read book Small Carnivores written by Emmanuel Do Linh San and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2022-07-13 with total page 592 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Small Carnivores: Evolution, Ecology, Behaviour, and Conservation This book focuses on the 232 species of the mammalian Order Carnivora with an average body mass 21.5 kg. Small carnivores inhabit virtually all of the Earth's ecosystems, adopting terrestrial, semi-fossorial, (semi-)arboreal or (semi-)aquatic lifestyles. They occupy multiple trophic levels and therefore play important roles in the regulation of ecosystems, such as natural pest control, seed dispersal and nutrient cycling. In areas where humans have extirpated large carnivores, small carnivores may become the dominant predators, which may increase their abundance ("mesopredator release") to the point that they can sometimes destabilize communities, drive local extirpations and reduce overall biodiversity. On the other hand, one third of the world's small carnivores are threatened or near threatened with extinction. This results from regionally burgeoning human populations' industrial and agricultural activities, causing habitat reduction, destruction, fragmentation and pollution. Overexploitation, persecution and the impacts of introduced predators, competitors, and pathogens have also negatively affected many small carnivore species. Although small carnivores have been intensively studied over the past decades, bibliometric studies showed that they have not received the same attention given to large carnivores. Furthermore, there is huge disparity in how research efforts on small carnivores have been distributed, with some species intensively studied and others superficially or not at all. This book aims at filling a gap in the scientific literature by elucidating the important roles of, and documenting the latest knowledge on, the world's small carnivores. p"This is a book that has been needed for decades. It is the first compendium of recent research on a group of mammals which has received almost no attention before the early 1970s. This book covers a wide range of subdisciplines and techniques and should be considered a solid baseline for further research on this little-known group of highly interesting mammals. As our knowledge regarding how ecosystems function increases, then the valuable role of small carnivores and the necessity for their conservation should be regarded as of paramount importance. The topics covered in this book should therefore be of great interest not only to academics and wildlife researchers, but also to the interested layman."

Cheetahs of the Serengeti Plains

Author : Timothy M. Caro
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 9780226094342
Total Pages : 508 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (943 download)

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Book Synopsis Cheetahs of the Serengeti Plains by : Timothy M. Caro

Download or read book Cheetahs of the Serengeti Plains written by Timothy M. Caro and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 1994-08-15 with total page 508 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cheetahs of the Serengeti Plains is the most comprehensive account of carnivore social behavior to date. Synthesizing more than a decade of research in the wild, this book offers a detailed account of the behavior and ecology of cheetahs. Compared with other large cats, and other mammals, cheetahs have an unusual breeding system; whereas lions live in prides and tigers are solitary, some cheetahs live in groups while others live by themselves. Tim Caro explores group and solitary living among cheetahs and discovers that the causes of social behavior vary dramatically, even within a single species. Why do cheetah cubs stay with their mother for a full year after weaning? Why do adolescents remain in groups? Why do adult males live in permanent associations with each other? Why do adult females live alone? Through observations on the costs and benefits of group living, Caro offers new insight into the complex behavior of this extraordinary species. For example, contrary to common belief about cooperative hunting in large carnivores, he shows that neither adolescents nor adult males benefit from hunting in groups. With many surprising findings, and through comparisons with other cat species, Caro enriches our understanding of the evolution of social behavior and offers new perspectives on conservation efforts to save this charismatic and endangered carnivore.

The Call of Carnivores

Author : Prof. Hans Kruuk
Publisher : Pelagic Publishing Ltd
ISBN 13 : 1784271829
Total Pages : 361 pages
Book Rating : 4.7/5 (842 download)

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Book Synopsis The Call of Carnivores by : Prof. Hans Kruuk

Download or read book The Call of Carnivores written by Prof. Hans Kruuk and published by Pelagic Publishing Ltd. This book was released on 2019-03-11 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Carnivores include some of the most impressive, dangerous and mysterious animals in the world. Hans Kruuk has spent his life studying them against magnificent backdrops, from the Serengeti savannahs and Kalahari deserts to the Scottish Highlands, from the Galápagos Islands to the Far East. In each location he has used meticulous observation of animal behaviour to understand the ecology and natural history of wild carnivore populations, and ultimately to promote their conservation. This book describes the methods, challenges and rewards of the science of behavioural ecology. However, it essentially concerns the personal, rather than the scientific, side of that work, and above all the field experiences involved. With photographs and line drawings, it brings to life African safaris, the hyena in his bath, flights with vultures, dives with otters, attacks by a badger in Scotland and by feral dogs in Galápagos, gull-eating hedgehogs in Britain and the role of animals in African witchcraft. The author communicates his lifelong fascination with wildlife through these unique experiences and the insights they afforded him. Professor Kruuk is a leading authority on animal behaviour and the author of classic studies of hyaenas, otters and badgers, as well as a biography of his Oxford mentor Niko Tinbergen.

Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Sea Otters and Polar Bears

Author : Randall W. Davis
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 9783030667986
Total Pages : 0 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (679 download)

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Book Synopsis Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Sea Otters and Polar Bears by : Randall W. Davis

Download or read book Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Sea Otters and Polar Bears written by Randall W. Davis and published by Springer. This book was released on 2022-07-05 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Sea otters and polar bears are carnivorous marine mammals that still resemble their terrestrial ancestors. Compared with Cetacea (whales and dolphins), Sirenia (dugongs and manatees), and Pinnipedia (seals, sea lions, and walrus), they are less adapted for an aquatic life and the most recently evolved among marine mammals. Sea otters are amphibious but seldom come ashore, and polar bears primarily occur on sea ice or along the shore. When at sea, both species spend most of their time swimming at the surface or making short, shallow dives when foraging or pursuing prey. Indeed, polar bears rarely pursue seals in water. Nevertheless, polar bears are powerful swimmers and will stalk seals from the water. As with many other large carnivores, they are solitary hunters. Although sea otters are gregarious and form aggregations at sea called rafts, they are primarily asocial. Except during mating, the principal interaction among sea otters occurs between a female and offspring during the six-month dependency period. In large carnivores (e.g., wolves and lions) that feed on ungulates, sociality and cooperation are favored because of the need to capture large prey and defend carcasses. Polar bears, which are the largest terrestrial carnivore, are solitary hunters of seals and are neither gregarious nor social. Males and females briefly associate during courtship and mating. During this time, males aggressively compete for females. At other times, males generally avoid each other except for aggregations of males that form while summering on land, and females with cubs avoid males, which are known for infanticide. As with sea otters, the interaction of polar bears outside of mating occurs between a female and her offspring during the 2-3 year dependency period. This interaction is critically important when altricial cubs are born in the winter den. This book provides new insight into the ethology and behavioral ecology of sea otters and polar bears. Each chapter reviews the discoveries of previous studies and integrates recent research using new techniques and technology. The authors also address historic and current anthropogenic challenges for their survival as climate change alters entire marine ecosystems.

Field Guide to Carnivores of the World, 2nd edition

Author : Luke Hunter
Publisher : Bloomsbury Publishing
ISBN 13 : 1472982673
Total Pages : 256 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (729 download)

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Book Synopsis Field Guide to Carnivores of the World, 2nd edition by : Luke Hunter

Download or read book Field Guide to Carnivores of the World, 2nd edition written by Luke Hunter and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2020-03-06 with total page 256 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ranging from the largest terrestrial carnivore, the Polar Bear, to the tiny Least Weasel that can squeeze through a wedding ring, the true carnivores include some of the world's most charismatic, admired, feared and spectacular creatures. This new edition of Luke Hunter's comprehensive guide profiles all of the world's terrestrial carnivore species. Thoroughly updated throughout and covering recently described species, a detailed account describes each species' key identification characteristics, distribution and habitat, behaviour, feeding ecology, social patterns, life history statistics, conservation and the latest on classification. The new edition also includes accurate distribution maps for each species. Colour plates by top wildlife artist Priscilla Barrett depict each species, with subspecies, colour variations and behavioural vignettes for many. There are also detailed line drawings of more than 230 skulls and 110 footprints.

Conservation Behavior

Author : Oded Berger-Tal
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 1316558606
Total Pages : 405 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (165 download)

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Book Synopsis Conservation Behavior by : Oded Berger-Tal

Download or read book Conservation Behavior written by Oded Berger-Tal and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2016-05-03 with total page 405 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Conservation behavior assists the investigation of species endangerment associated with managing animals impacted by anthropogenic activities. It employs a theoretical framework that examines the mechanisms, development, function, and phylogeny of behavior variation in order to develop practical tools for preventing biodiversity loss and extinction. Developed from a symposium held at the International Congress on Conservation Biology in 2011, this is the first book to offer an in-depth, logical framework that identifies three vital areas for understanding conservation behavior: anthropogenic threats to wildlife, conservation and management protocols, and indicators of anthropogenic threats. Bridging the gap between behavioral ecology and conservation biology, this volume ascertains key links between the fields, explores the theoretical foundations of these linkages, and connects them to practical wildlife management tools and concise applicable advice. Adopting a clear and structured approach throughout, this book is a vital resource for graduate students, academic researchers, and wildlife managers.

Desert Puma

Author : Kenneth A. Logan
Publisher : Island Press
ISBN 13 : 1610910583
Total Pages : 498 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (19 download)

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Book Synopsis Desert Puma by : Kenneth A. Logan

Download or read book Desert Puma written by Kenneth A. Logan and published by Island Press. This book was released on 2001-08-01 with total page 498 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Scientists and conservationists are beginning to understand the importance of top carnivores to the health and integrity of fully functioning ecosystems. As burgeoning human populations continue to impinge on natural landscapes, the need for understanding carnivore populations and how we affect them is becoming increasingly acute.Desert Puma represents one of the most detailed assessments ever produced of the biology and ecology of a top carnivore. The husband-and-wife team of Kenneth Logan and Linda Sweanor set forth extensive data gathered from their ten-year field study of pumas in the Chihuahua Desert of New Mexico, also drawing on other reliable scientific data gathered throughout the puma's geographic range. Chapters examine: the evolutionary and modern history of pumas, their taxonomy, and physical description a detailed description and history of the study area in the Chihuahua Desert field techniques that were used in the research puma population dynamics and life history strategies the implications of puma behavior and social organization the relationships of pumas and their preyThe authors provide important new information about both the biology of pumas and their evolutionary ecology -- not only what pumas do, but why they do it. Logan and Sweanor explain how an understanding of puma evolutionary ecology can, and must, inform long-term conservation strategies. They end the book with their ideas regarding strategies for puma management and conservation, along with a consideration of the future of pumas and humans. Desert Puma makes a significant and original contribution to the science not only of pumas in desert ecosystems but of the role of top predators in all environments. It is an essential contribution to the bookshelf of any wildlife biologist or conservationist involved in large-scale land management or wildlife management.

Cougar

Author : Maurice Hornocker
Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 0226353478
Total Pages : 331 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (263 download)

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Book Synopsis Cougar by : Maurice Hornocker

Download or read book Cougar written by Maurice Hornocker and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2009-12-15 with total page 331 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The cougar is one of the most beautiful, enigmatic, and majestic animals in the Americas. Eliciting reverence for its grace and independent nature, it also triggers fear when it comes into contact with people, pets, and livestock or competes for hunters’ game. Mystery, myth, and misunderstanding surround this remarkable creature. The cougar’s range once extended from northern Canada to the tip of South America, and from the Pacific to the Atlantic, making it the most widespread animal in the western hemisphere. But overhunting and loss of habitat vastly reduced cougar numbers by the early twentieth century across much of its historical range, and today the cougar faces numerous threats as burgeoning human development encroaches on its remaining habitat. When Maurice Hornocker began the first long-term study of cougars in the Idaho wilderness in 1964, little was known about this large cat. Its secretive nature and rarity in the landscape made it difficult to study. But his groundbreaking research yielded major insights and was the prelude to further research on this controversial species. The capstone to Hornocker’s long career studying big cats, Cougar is a powerful and practical resource for scientists, conservationists, and anyone with an interest in large carnivores. He and conservationist Sharon Negri bring together the diverse perspectives of twenty-two distinguished scientists to provide the fullest account of the cougar’s ecology, behavior, and genetics, its role as a top predator, and its conservation needs. This compilation of recent findings, stunning photographs, and firsthand accounts of field research unravels the mysteries of this magnificent animal and emphasizes its importance in healthy ecosystem processes and in our lives.

Carnivore Conservation

Author : John L. Gittleman
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780521662321
Total Pages : 690 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (623 download)

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Book Synopsis Carnivore Conservation by : John L. Gittleman

Download or read book Carnivore Conservation written by John L. Gittleman and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2001-06-28 with total page 690 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Because carnivores are at the top of the food chain, it is often argued that protecting them will afford adequate protection to other taxa as well. In the past ten years, theoretical and empirical studies on carnivores have developed very quickly. This volume reviews and summarizes the current state of the field, describes limitations and opportunities for carnivore conservation, and offers a conceptual framework for future research and applied management. It will be of interest to students and researchers of conservation biology, mammalogy, animal behavior, ecology, and evolution.

Animal Behaviour

Author : C. J. Barnard
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1461597811
Total Pages : 340 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (615 download)

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Book Synopsis Animal Behaviour by : C. J. Barnard

Download or read book Animal Behaviour written by C. J. Barnard and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The study of animal behaviour, particularly from evolutionary and ecological viewpoints, has been one of the major growing points in biology over the last 10 to 15 years. The degree of quantitative rigour in theoretical, observational and experimental approaches to behaviour has increased dramatically. As more of the rapidly growing research literature be comes a basic requirement for students reading animal behaviour at undergraduate level, there is a need for a readily comprehensible text, covering all major aspects of behaviour study, to accom pany their courses. This book, based on my first, second and third year under graduate lectures at the University of No ttingham , is designed to meet that requirement. The book begins with a discussion of the physiological and anatomical bases of behaviour: the relationship between nervous system structure and function and behaviour; hormonal effects on behaviour; biological c1ocks; perceptual mechanisms; and stimulus filtering. This leads to a consideration in Chapter 2 of how the animal integrates internal and external stimuli in making decisions about its behaviour and the way natural selection has shaped decision-making processes and the organisation of motivation. The first two chapters therefore deal with the instigation or causation of behaviour within the animal. Chapters 3 and 4 deal with developmental aspects of behaviour. Chapter 3 discusses behaviour genetics, inc1uding the relationship between specific genes and behaviour, the heritability of behaviour patterns, the site of gene action in the body and the evolutionary consequences of a genetic basis to behaviour.