Download or read book Behaviour and Evolution written by Peter James Bramwell Slater and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1994-09-15 with total page 364 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Some of the most exciting recent advances in animal behaviour have occurred at the interface between that subject and the study of evolution. This book, written by experts in this area, illustrates how the profound changes in our understanding of evolution have influenced behavioural research. Its chapters span both studies of how behaviour itself has evolved, dealing with topics such as comparative studies, the genetics of behaviour, speciation and the evolution of sociality and of intelligence, and also the adaptiveness which this evolution has brought about, with treatment of mating and fighting strategies, and theories of kinship and altruism.Behaviour and Evolution will be invaluable to senior undergraduate and graduate students of biology and psychology, especially those studying animal behaviour, behavioural ecology, sociobiology, evolution, ecology and environmental biology.

Download or read book Avoiding Attack written by Graeme D. Ruxton and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 2004-10-21 with total page 262 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book discusses the evolution of the mechanisms by which prey avoid attack by their potential predators and questions how such defences are maintained through natural selection. Topics covered include camouflage, warning signals and mimicry.

Download or read book Insect Defenses written by David L. Evans and published by SUNY Press. This book was released on 1990-01-01 with total page 502 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work takes a fresh, modern approach to investigate and explain the predator and prey relationships of insects and spiders, the major terrestrial fauna on earth. Devoted to broad and in-depth analysis of arthropod defenses against predators, the book's approach is both experimentally and theoretically based with major emphasis on evolution, predator strategies and tactics, and prey defensive adaptations and behaviors. The authors explain such topics as cryptic and aposematic coloration, the conflict between sexual and survival needs, web spider prey choice and evolution of prey counter defenses, predator-prey interactions and the origins of intelligence, bird predatory tactics, and caterpillar defense strategies. Also examined is the use of timing for fitness and survival, evolutionary gamesmanship in the predatory bat-moth relationship, colony defense by aper wasps, startle as a defense by moths, aggregation as a defense, chemicals as defenses, plant chemicals as defenses, and venoms as defenses. The authors illustrate each topic with numerous specific well-documented examples presented in a clear, readable style.

Download or read book Antipredator Defenses in Birds and Mammals written by Timothy M. Caro and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2005-09 with total page 609 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Tim Caro explores the many & varied ways in which prey species have evolved defensive characteristics and behaviour to confuse, outperform or outwit their predators, from the camoflaged coat of the giraffe to the extraordinary way in which South American sealions ward off the attacks of killer whales.

Download or read book The Colours of Animals written by Sir Edward Bagnall Poulton and published by . This book was released on 1890 with total page 394 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Biodiversity and Evolution written by Philippe Grandcolas and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2018-04-17 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biodiversity and Evolution includes chapters devoted to the evolution and biodiversity of organisms at the molecular level, based on the study of natural collections from the Museum of Natural History. The book starts with an epistemological and historical introduction and ends with a critical overview of the Anthropocene epoch. - Explores the study of natural collections of the Museum of Natural History - Examines evolution and biodiversity at the molecular level - Features an introduction focusing on epistemology and history - Provides a critical overview

Download or read book Defence in Animals written by Malcolm Edmunds and published by Longman Publishing Group. This book was released on 1974 with total page 396 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Primary defence. Anachoresis. Crypsis. Aposematism. Batesian mimicry. Secondary defence. Withdrawal to a prepared retreat. Flight. Deimatic behaviour. Thanatosis. Deflection of an attack. Retaliation (aggressive defence). Defensive groups and associations. Single species groups of animals. The evolution of predator-prey systems. Predators superior to the best defence.

Download or read book Escaping From Predators written by William E. Cooper, Jr and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2015-05-28 with total page 459 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When a predator attacks, prey are faced with a series of 'if', 'when' and 'how' escape decisions – these critical questions are the foci of this book. Cooper and Blumstein bring together a balance of theory and empirical research to summarise over fifty years of scattered research and benchmark current thinking in the rapidly expanding literature on the behavioural ecology of escaping. The book consolidates current and new behaviour models with taxonomically divided empirical chapters that demonstrate the application of escape theory to different groups. The chapters integrate behaviour with physiology, genetics and evolution to lead the reader through the complex decisions faced by prey during a predator attack, examining how these decisions interact with life history and individual variation. The chapter on best practice field methodology and the ideas for future research presented throughout, ensure this volume is practical as well as informative.

Download or read book Animal Camouflage written by Martin Stevens and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2011-07-07 with total page 387 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In the last decade, research on the previously dormant field of camouflage has advanced rapidly, with numerous studies challenging traditional concepts, investigating previously untested theories and incorporating a greater appreciation of the visual and cognitive systems of the observer. Using studies of both real animals and artificial systems, this book synthesises the current state of play in camouflage research and understanding. It introduces the different types of camouflage and how they work, including background matching, disruptive coloration and obliterative shading. It also demonstrates the methodologies used to study them and discusses how camouflage relates to other subjects, particularly with regard to what it can tell us about visual perception. The mixture of primary research and reviews shows students and researchers where the field currently stands and where exciting and important problems remain to be solved, illustrating how the study of camouflage is likely to progress in the future.

Download or read book The GLIM System written by Brian Francis and published by Oxford University Press, USA. This book was released on 1993 with total page 848 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In statistics, fitting linear models to data is a general theme. This manual describes how GLIM 4--the popular software package--may be used for statistical analysis, including data manipulation and display, model fitting, and prediction. The manual has been divided into three distinct guides. The User Guide introduces and illustrates all the facilities in GLIM 4. Each chapter describes the directives relevant to a particular type of activity involved in the statistical modelling of data. The Modelling Guide presents a broad array of examples which comprise an effective introduction for new users. The Reference Guide contains a formal description of the syntax and semantics of the GLIM 4 language, of the data structures it handles, and of the directives provided, constituting a reference manual for the experienced user. This book is sure to be useful to research statisticians wherever GLIM is used.

Download or read book Aposematic Variation and the Evolution of Warning Coloration in Mammals written by Caitlin Fay and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 42 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Abstract: Aposematic prey animals use conspicuous, high contrast color patterns to warn potential predators that they possess a defense mechanism. Avian predators show an innate phobia of bold, contrasting color patterns, and can readily learn to avoid a prey item displaying bold warning coloration. Signal uniformity is important to promote predator learning and memory retention; however, there is documented variation in the aposematic pattern of many species, including the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis). Most of the literature on aposematism refers to studies using avian predators and insect prey - we know relatively little about how mammalian predators learn about and interact with aposematic prey, despite the recognized influence of predation on the evolution of aposematism in mammals. This study examined the behavior of coyote (Canis latrans) subjects during interactions with baited black-and-white models that were able to spray a dilute skunk oil solution. Coyotes are the most common mammalian predator of striped skunks. To test their ability to generalize, after being sprayed coyotes were introduced to a variant model design based on natural documented variation in striped skunk pelage. The results demonstrate that coyotes show innate wariness of a black-and-white striped model, and most can effectively learn to avoid the model after being sprayed. Variants with proportionately more white incited more avoidance behaviors than darker patterns, although they did not allow for greater signaling power than the diagnostic black-and-white striped pattern.

Download or read book Natural Enemies written by Michael J. Crawley and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2009-07-30 with total page 592 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is about disease and death. It is an ecologist's view of Darwin's vivid evocation of Nature, red in tooth and claw. An international team of authors examines broad patterns in the population biology of natural enemies, and addresses general questions about the role of natural enemies in the population dynamics and evolution of their prey. For instance, how do large natural enemies like wolves differ from small natural enemies like bacterial diseases in their effects on prey abundance? Is it better to chase after prey, or sit and wait for it to come to you? How should prey behave in order to minimize the risk of being eaten? The answers are all in this fascinating senior undergraduate/postgraduate text.

Download or read book Cephalopod Behaviour written by Roger T. Hanlon and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2018-03-22 with total page 383 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fully updated overview of the causation, function, development and evolution of cephalopod behaviour, richly illustrated in full colour.

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.

Download or read book Avoiding Attack written by Graeme D. Ruxton and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2019-01-31 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Avoiding Attack discusses the diversity of mechanisms by which prey avoid predator attacks and explores how such defensive mechanisms have evolved through natural selection. It considers how potential prey avoid detection, how they make themselves unprofitable to attack, how they communicate this status, and how other species have exploited these signals. Using carefully selected examples of camouflage, mimicry, and warning signals drawn from a wide range of species and ecosystems, the authors summarise the latest research into these fascinating adaptations, developing mathematical models where appropriate and making recommendations for future study. This second edition has been extensively rewritten, particularly in the application of modern genetic research techniques which have transformed our recent understanding of adaptations in evolutionary genomics and phylogenetics. The book also employs a more integrated and systematic approach, ensuring that each chapter has a broader focus on the evolutionary and ecological consequences of anti-predator adaptation. The field has grown and developed considerably over the last decade with an explosion of new research literature, making this new edition timely.

Download or read book Plant Environment Interactions written by František Baluška and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2009-03-03 with total page 312 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Our image of plants is changing dramatically away from passive entities merely subject to environmental forces and organisms that are designed solely for the accumulation of photosynthate. Plants are revealing themselves to be dynamic and highly sensitive organisms that actively and competitively forage for limited resources, both above and below ground, organisms that accurately gauge their circumstances, use sophisticated cost-benefit analysis, and take clear actions to mitigate and control diverse environmental threats. Moreover, plants are also capable of complex recognition of self and non-self and are territorial in behavior. They are as sophisticated in behavior as animals but their potential has been masked because it operates on time scales many orders of magnitude less than those of animals. Plants are sessile organisms. As such, the only alternative to a rapidly changing environment is rapid adaptation. This book will focus on all these new and exciting aspects of plant biology.

Download or read book Advances in the Study of Behavior written by and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2022-04-27 with total page 196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Advances in the Study of Behavior, Volume 54 highlights new advances in the field, with this new volume presenting interesting chapters on Mobbing in animals: a thorough review and proposed future directions, Learned components of courtship: a focus on gestures, choreographies and construction abilities, Sexual selection in the true bugs, and Brain-behavior relationships of cognition in vertebrates: lessons from amphibians, Pre-Copulatory and Copulatory Courtship in Male-Dimorphic Arthropods. Provides the authority and expertise of leading contributors from an international board of authors Presents the latest release in "Comprehensive Analytical Chemistry" series Updated release includes the latest information on ICP-MS and trace element analysis as tools for better understanding medical conditions