Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution

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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.

Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America: Volume 1, Terrestrial Carnivores, Ungulates, and Ungulate Like Mammals

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Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780521355193
Total Pages : 712 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (551 download)

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Book Synopsis Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America: Volume 1, Terrestrial Carnivores, Ungulates, and Ungulate Like Mammals by : Christine M. Janis

Download or read book Evolution of Tertiary Mammals of North America: Volume 1, Terrestrial Carnivores, Ungulates, and Ungulate Like Mammals written by Christine M. Janis and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1998-05-28 with total page 712 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is designed as a source and reference for people interested in the history and fossil record of North American tertiary mammals. Each chapter covers a different family or order, and includes information on anatomical features, systematics, the distribution of the genera and species at different fossil localities, and a discussion of their paleobiology. Many of these groups have never been covered in this fashion before.

Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution

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Author :
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.

Evolution of South American Mammalian Predators During the Cenozoic: Paleobiogeographic and Paleoenvironmental Contingencies

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Author :
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 3319037013
Total Pages : 206 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (19 download)

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Book Synopsis Evolution of South American Mammalian Predators During the Cenozoic: Paleobiogeographic and Paleoenvironmental Contingencies by : Francisco J. Prevosti

Download or read book Evolution of South American Mammalian Predators During the Cenozoic: Paleobiogeographic and Paleoenvironmental Contingencies written by Francisco J. Prevosti and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-01-02 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book summarizes the evolution of carnivorous mammals in the Cenozoic of South America. It presents paleontological information on the two main mammalian carnivorous groups in South America; Metatheria and Eutheria. The topics include the origin, systematics, phylogeny, paleoecology and evolution of the Sparassodonta and Carnivora. The book is based on a wide variety of published sources from the last few decades.

Terrestrial Ecosystems Through Time

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Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 0226041557
Total Pages : 588 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (26 download)

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Book Synopsis Terrestrial Ecosystems Through Time by : Anna K. Behrensmeyer

Download or read book Terrestrial Ecosystems Through Time written by Anna K. Behrensmeyer and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 1992-08-15 with total page 588 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Breathtaking in scope, this is the first survey of the entire ecological history of life on land—from the earliest traces of terrestrial organisms over 400 million years ago to the beginning of human agriculture. By providing myriad insights into the unique ecological information contained in the fossil record, it establishes a new and ambitious basis for the study of evolutionary paleoecology of land ecosystems. A joint undertaking of the Evolution of Terrestrial Ecosystems Consortium at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, and twenty-six additional researchers, this book begins with four chapters that lay out the theoretical background and methodology of the science of evolutionary paleoecology. Included are a comprehensive review of the taphonomy and paleoenvironmental settings of fossil deposits as well as guidelines for developing ecological characterizations of extinct organisms and the communities in which they lived. The remaining three chapters treat the history of terrestrial ecosystems through geological time, emphasizing how ecological interactions have changed, the rate and tempo of ecosystem change, the role of exogenous "forcing factors" in generating ecological change, and the effect of ecological factors on the evolution of biological diversity. The six principal authors of this volume are all associated with the Evolution of Terrestrial Ecosystems program at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.

Ecological Morphology

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Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 9780226869940
Total Pages : 384 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (699 download)

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Book Synopsis Ecological Morphology by : Peter C. Wainwright

Download or read book Ecological Morphology written by Peter C. Wainwright and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 1994-08-15 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ecological morphology examines the relation between an animal's anatomy and physiology—its form and function—and how the animal has evolved in and can inhabit a particular environment. Within the past few years, research in this relatively new area has exploded. Ecological Morphology is a synthesis of major concepts and a demonstration of the ways in which this integrative approach can yield rich and surprising results. Through this interdisciplinary study, scientists have been able to understand, for instance, how bat wing design affects habitat use and bat diet; how the size of a predator affects its ability to capture and eat certain prey; and how certain mosquitoes have evolved physiologically and morphologically to tolerate salt-water habitats. Ecological Morphology also covers the history of the field, the role of the comparative method in studying adaptation, and the use of data from modern organisms for understanding the ecology of fossil communities. This book provides an overview of the achievements and potential of ecological morphology for all biologists and students interested in the way animal design, ecology, and evolution interact.

The Biology and Conservation of Wild Canids

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Publisher : OUP Oxford
ISBN 13 : 0191523356
Total Pages : 464 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (915 download)

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Book Synopsis The Biology and Conservation of Wild Canids by : David W. Macdonald

Download or read book The Biology and Conservation of Wild Canids written by David W. Macdonald and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2004-06-24 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: No group of wild mammals so universally captures the emotions of people world-wide than do wild canids. That emotion can be enchantment and fascination, but it can also be loathing, because the opportunism that is the hallmark of the dog family also leads them into conflict with humans. In the developed world at least, the fascination with wild canids doubtless stems from people's captivation with domestic dogs - everybody feels they are an expert on canids! While most people may be familiar with only the better known members of the dog family, such as the grey wolf and the red fox, there are in fact 36 species of wolves, dogs, jackals and foxes. They attract hugely disproportionate interest from academics, conservationists, veterinarians, wildlife managers and the general public. This book brings together in single volume an astonishing synthesis of research done in the last twenty years and is the first truly compendious synthesis on wild canids. Beginning with a complete account of all 36 canid species, there follow six review chapters that emphasise topics most relevant to canid conservation science, including evolution and systematics, behavioural ecology, population genetics, diseases, conflict/control of troublesome species, and conservation tools. Fifteen detailed case studies then delve deeply into the very best species investigations currently available written by all the leading figures in the field. Much of the material is previously unpublished and will make fascinating reading far beyond the confines of canid specialists. These chapters portray the unique attributes of wild canids, their fascinating (and conflictive) relationship with man, and suggestions for future research and conservation measures for the Canidae. While most canid species are widespread and thrive in human dominated landscapes, several are in severe jeopardy; habitat loss, illegal hunting, persecution by farmers and disease all imperil dwindling populations. A final chapter analyses the requirements of, and approaches to, practical conservation, with lessons that go far beyond the dog family. It concentrates particular attention on priorities for the protection of the most threatened canid species, including the red wolf, African wild dog, Ethiopian wolf, Island fox and Darwin's fox. The wild canids provide examples that will thrill the evolutionary biologists and theoretician, enthral the natural historian and challenge the conservationist and wildlife manager. Anybody interested in evolutionary and behavioural biology, in mammals, in the environment, or in conservation will find much that is new and enriching in this book.

Primate Anti-Predator Strategies

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Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 0387348107
Total Pages : 409 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (873 download)

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Book Synopsis Primate Anti-Predator Strategies by : Sharon Gursky-Doyen

Download or read book Primate Anti-Predator Strategies written by Sharon Gursky-Doyen and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-05-31 with total page 409 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume details the different ways that nocturnal primates avoid predators. It is a first of its kind within primatology, and is therefore the only work giving a broad overview of predation – nocturnal primate predation theory in particular – in the field Additionally, the book incorporates several chapters on the theoretical advances that researchers studying nocturnal primates need to make.

Biogeochemistry and the Environment

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Author :
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 3031470176
Total Pages : 440 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (314 download)

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Book Synopsis Biogeochemistry and the Environment by : Michael O'Neal Campbell

Download or read book Biogeochemistry and the Environment written by Michael O'Neal Campbell and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2023-12-14 with total page 440 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biogeochemistry may be defined as the science that combines biological and chemical perspectives for the examination of the Earth’s surface, including the relations between the biosphere, lithosphere, atmosphere, and hydrosphere. Biogeochemistry is a comparatively recently developed science, that incorporates scientific knowledge and findings, research methodologies, and models linking the biological, chemical, and earth sciences. Therefore, while it is a definitive science with a strong theoretical core, it is also dynamically and broadly interlinked with other sciences. This book examines the complex science of biogeochemistry from a novel perspective, examining its comparatively recent development, while also emphasizing its interlinked relationship with the earth sciences (including the complementary science of geochemistry), the geographical sciences (biogeography, oceanography, geomatics, earth systems science), the biological sciences (ecology, wildlife studies, biological aspects of environmental sciences) and the chemical sciences (including environmental chemistry and pollution). The book covers cutting-edge topics on the science of biogeochemistry, examining its development, structure, interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and transdisciplinary relations, and the future of the current complex knowledge systems, especially in the context of technological, developments, and the computer and data fields.

Man the Hunted

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Publisher : Routledge
ISBN 13 : 0429978715
Total Pages : 318 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (299 download)

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Book Synopsis Man the Hunted by : Donna Hart

Download or read book Man the Hunted written by Donna Hart and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2018-04-17 with total page 318 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Man the Hunted argues that primates, including the earliest members of the human family, have evolved as the prey of any number of predators, including wild cats and dogs, hyenas, snakes, crocodiles, and even birds. The authors' studies of predators on monkeys and apes are supplemented here with the observations of naturalists in the field and revealing interpretations of the fossil record. Eyewitness accounts of the 'man the hunted' drama being played out even now give vivid evidence of its prehistoric significance. This provocative view of human evolution suggests that countless adaptations that have allowed our species to survive (from larger brains to speech), stem from a considerably more vulnerable position on the food chain than we might like to imagine. The myth of early humans as fearless hunters dominating the earth obscures our origins as just one of many species that had to be cautious, depend on other group members, communicate danger, and come to terms with being merely one cog in the complex cycle of life.

Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution

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Author :
Publisher :
ISBN 13 :
Total Pages : 668 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (91 download)

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Book Synopsis Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution by :

Download or read book Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution written by and published by . This book was released on 1989 with total page 668 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Wild Cats of the World

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Publisher : University of Chicago Press
ISBN 13 : 022651823X
Total Pages : 495 pages
Book Rating : 4.2/5 (265 download)

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Book Synopsis Wild Cats of the World by : Mel Sunquist

Download or read book Wild Cats of the World written by Mel Sunquist and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2017-05-15 with total page 495 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Did you know that European royalty once used cheetahs to hunt deer, or that caracals can capture birds by leaping six and a half feet straight up into the air from a standing start? Have you ever wondered whether domestic cats really do land on their feet when they fall, or how Canada lynx can stalk their prey in the winter without falling through the deep snow? Wild Cats of the World is a treasure trove of answers to questions like these, and many others, for anyone who's interested in learning more about the world's felids, including the ones with whom we share our homes. Mel and Fiona Sunquist have spent more than a decade gathering information about cats from every available source, many of them quite difficult to find, including scientific papers, descriptions of hunts, archeological findings, observations by naturalists and travelers, reports from government agencies, and newsletters from a wide variety of organizations. Weaving information from these sources together with their own experiences observing wild cats around the world, the Sunquists have created the most comprehensive reference on felids available. Each of their accounts of the 36 species of cat contains a description of the cat, including human interactions with it, as well as detailed data on its distribution, ecology and behavior, status in the wild, and efforts to conserve it. Numerous photographs, including more than 40 in full color, illustrate these accounts. Ranging from the two-pound black-footed cat to the five-hundred-pound tiger, and from the African serval with its satellite-dish ears to the web-footed fishing cat of Asia, Wild Cats of the World will fascinate and educate felid fans of any stripe (or spot).

Evaluating the Taxonomic Status of the Mexican Gray Wolf and the Red Wolf

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Publisher : National Academies Press
ISBN 13 : 0309488273
Total Pages : 105 pages
Book Rating : 4.3/5 (94 download)

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Book Synopsis Evaluating the Taxonomic Status of the Mexican Gray Wolf and the Red Wolf by : National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Download or read book Evaluating the Taxonomic Status of the Mexican Gray Wolf and the Red Wolf written by National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine and published by National Academies Press. This book was released on 2019-05-01 with total page 105 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Scientists strive to develop clear rules for naming and grouping living organisms. But taxonomy, the scientific study of biological classification and evolution, is often highly debated. Members of a species, the fundamental unit of taxonomy and evolution, share a common evolutionary history and a common evolutionary path to the future. Yet, it can be difficult to determine whether the evolutionary history or future of a population is sufficiently distinct to designate it as a unique species. A species is not a fixed entity â€" the relationship among the members of the same species is only a snapshot of a moment in time. Different populations of the same species can be in different stages in the process of species formation or dissolution. In some cases hybridization and introgression can create enormous challenges in interpreting data on genetic distinctions between groups. Hybridization is far more common in the evolutionary history of many species than previously recognized. As a result, the precise taxonomic status of an organism may be highly debated. This is the current case with the Mexican gray wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) and the red wolf (Canis rufus), and this report assesses the taxonomic status for each.

Early Miocene Paleobiology in Patagonia

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Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 052119461X
Total Pages : 381 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (211 download)

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Book Synopsis Early Miocene Paleobiology in Patagonia by : Sergio F. Vizcaíno

Download or read book Early Miocene Paleobiology in Patagonia written by Sergio F. Vizcaíno and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2012-10-11 with total page 381 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Coastal exposures of the Santa Cruz Formation in southern Patagonia have been a fertile ground for recovery of Early Miocene vertebrates for more than 100 years. This volume presents a comprehensive compilation of important mammalian groups which continue to thrive today. It includes the most recent fossil finds as well as important new interpretations based on ten years of fieldwork by the authors. A key focus is placed on the paleoclimate and paleoenvironment during the time of deposition in the Middle Miocene Climatic Optimum (MMCO) between twenty and fifteen million years ago. The authors present the first reconstruction of what climatic conditions were like and present important new evidence of the geochronological age, habits and community structures of fossil bird and mammal species. Academic researchers and graduate students in paleontology, paleobiology, paleoecology, stratigraphy, climatology and geochronology will find this a valuable source of information about this fascinating geological formation.

Vultures

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Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1482223627
Total Pages : 372 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (822 download)

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Book Synopsis Vultures by : Michael O'Neal Campbell

Download or read book Vultures written by Michael O'Neal Campbell and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2015-06-26 with total page 372 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book reexamines current knowledge on the evolution, ecology, and conservation biology of both New World vultures (Cathartidae) and Old World vultures (Accipitridae) and seeks answers to past and present regional extinctions, colorizations, and conservation questions. Extinct species of both families are examined, as is the disputed evidence fo

Geology and Paleontology of the Miocene Sinap Formation, Turkey

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Author :
Publisher : Columbia University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780231113588
Total Pages : 432 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (135 download)

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Book Synopsis Geology and Paleontology of the Miocene Sinap Formation, Turkey by : Mikael Fortelius

Download or read book Geology and Paleontology of the Miocene Sinap Formation, Turkey written by Mikael Fortelius and published by Columbia University Press. This book was released on 2003 with total page 432 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Sinap Formation in central Turkey near the city of Ankara preserves a rich record of mammalian evolution from about 15 to 5 million years ago and is one of the few sites in this region that also has fossil apes. It is unique among other fossil localities from Europe to Western Asia in that it has a thick stratigraphic section and preserves a long record of geological time. The authors have been able to piece together a detailed record of faunal change and, by adding paleomagnetic and radiometric dating techniques, have produced a chronostratigraphy for the Formation. Because of the dual importance of the rich record of the fossils, and the dating of the sediments, the editors have been able to attract some of the leading authorities on Eurasian Neogene paleontology and geology to contribute to this reference work. The results from the Sinap Formation will be the template against which other sites from Europe to Asia are compared.

The Fruit, the Tree, and the Serpent

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Publisher : Harvard University Press
ISBN 13 : 0674054040
Total Pages : 222 pages
Book Rating : 4.6/5 (74 download)

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Book Synopsis The Fruit, the Tree, and the Serpent by : Lynne A. Isbell

Download or read book The Fruit, the Tree, and the Serpent written by Lynne A. Isbell and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 2009-08-30 with total page 222 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the temptation of Eve to the venomous murder of the mighty Thor, the serpent appears throughout time and cultures as a figure of mischief and misery. The worldwide prominence of snakes in religion, myth, and folklore underscores our deep connection to the serpent—but why, when so few of us have firsthand experience? The surprising answer, this book suggests, lies in the singular impact of snakes on primate evolution. Predation pressure from snakes, Lynne Isbell tells us, is ultimately responsible for the superior vision and large brains of primates—and for a critical aspect of human evolution. Drawing on extensive research, Isbell further speculates how snakes could have influenced the development of a distinctively human behavior: our ability to point for the purpose of directing attention. A social activity (no one points when alone) dependent on fast and accurate localization, pointing would have reduced deadly snake bites among our hominin ancestors. It might have also figured in later human behavior: snakes, this book eloquently argues, may well have given bipedal hominins, already equipped with a non-human primate communication system, the evolutionary nudge to point to communicate for social good, a critical step toward the evolution of language, and all that followed.