Download or read book Exploring Ecological Correlates Associated with Dorsal Colour Variation in Garter Snakes written by Leigh Anne Isaac and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Colours influence numerous aspects of an animal's ecology and the adaptive significance of colour variation has been intensively studied in diverse taxonomic groups. This study was motivated by the question: Why do garter snakes vary in colour? To answer this question, I focused on Western Terrestrial Garter Snakes, Thamnophis elegans, which exhibit geographic variation in colouration (dark morph vs. light morph), and two different species of garter snake that occur in the same geographic region but vary in colour--light T. elegans and the Common Garter Snake, T. sirtalis. My work provides an objective quantification and analysis of snake colour and evaluates the influence of colour variation on ecological processes such as thermoregulation, crypsis, and antipredator behaviour. I compared body temperatures (Tbs) with available thermal opportunities, both in wild snakes and in a field experiment, to determine how snakes with contrasting colours differ in thermoregulation and temperature-dependent behaviours. Gravid females of the light and dark colour morphs of T.elegans exhibited comparable thermoregulatory behaviour at high temperatures; however, dark T.elegans maintained elevated Tbs when available temperatures dropped. In the field, dark-coloured snakes were more likely to be moving when first detected when Tbs were high, but this trend was reversed in light T. elegans. I quantified crypsis of snakes, in terms of colour and brightness, by measuring the spectral reflectance of snakes and the surrounding habitat. These data were visually modeled from the perspective of potential snake predators and human researchers. Overall, snakes selected basking sites that maximized crypsis and both colour morphs of T. elegans were equally cryptic. There was evidence suggesting that T. sirtalis was more cryptic than light T. elegans to snake predators. I collected a series of behavioural measurements for snakes pre- and post-capture. Light T.elegans were more likely to be moving when originally detected in the field than dark snakes. Distance to cover and injuries were important factors in explaining the antipredator behaviour of snakes in the field. Snakes became generally faster with increasing Tbs, but differences attributable to colour morph were not straightforward. A higher proportion of T. elegans of both colour morphs exhibited some type of movement when exposed to a simulated predatory attack. Thamnophis sirtalis, on the other hand, hung limp and motionless in the air. The less cryptic lightT. elegans had a higher probability of having an injury than T. sirtalis but injury patterns between the equally cryptic light and dark T. elegans differed by sex. The relationships between colour and these various traits were complex, but, taken together, they highlighted how thermal ecology, crypsis, and anti-predator behaviours were related to a snake's visual appearance. These results therefore provide an ecological underpinning for future genetic studies to identify potential candidate genes that may be responsible for the control of colour pattern in garter snakes.
Download or read book Variations and Genetic Relationships of the Garter snakes written by Alexander Grant Ruthven and published by . This book was released on 1908 with total page 216 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper is an attempt to do classification on the garter-snake group to help define differences between natural groups and clarify the systematic arrangements.
Download or read book The Garter Snakes written by Douglas Athon Rossman and published by University of Oklahoma Press. This book was released on 1996 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Garter Snakes: Evolution and Ecology is the first comprehensive review of the genus Thamnophis in nearly ninety years. The book includes color plates of all species (many never previously figured in color); extensive discussion of ecology, behavior, and captive care; and a modern key to all species - as well as species-by-species summaries of the systematics and natural history of the thirty different garter snakes now recognized. Of particular interest are the descriptions of lesser-known species in Mexico. Because interest in reptiles has grown dramatically in recent years, this comprehensive guide is designed to appeal to as wide an audience as possible - to both the professional herpetologist interested in the biology of Thamnophis and the hobbyist who wants to know more about these diverse and widespread snakes, both in the home aquarium and in the wild. This up-to-date, appealing book, written by the world's leading authorities, will be extremely useful not only to herpetologists but also to conservationists, ecologists, pet owners, and other readers generally interested in natural history.
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 Snakes written by Stephen J. Mullin and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2011-08-15 with total page 383 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Destruction of habitat due to urban sprawl, pollution, and deforestation has caused population declines or even extinction of many of the world's approximately 2,600 snake species. Furthermore, misconceptions about snakes have made them among the most persecuted of all animals, despite the fact that less than a quarter of all species are venomous and most species are beneficial because they control rodent pests. It has become increasingly urgent, therefore, to develop viable conservation strategies for snakes and to investigate their importance as monitors of ecosystem health and indicators of habitat sustainability. In the first book on snakes written with a focus on conservation, editors Stephen J. Mullin and Richard A. Seigel bring together leading herpetologists to review and synthesize the ecology, conservation, and management of snakes worldwide. These experts report on advances in current research and summarize the primary literature, presenting the most important concepts and techniques in snake ecology and conservation. The common thread of conservation unites the twelve chapters, each of which addresses a major subdiscipline within snake ecology. Applied topics such as methods and modeling and strategies such as captive rearing and translocation are also covered. Each chapter provides an essential framework and indicates specific directions for future research, making this a critical reference for anyone interested in vertebrate conservation generally or for anyone implementing conservation and management policies concerning snake populations. Contributors: Omar Attum, Indiana University Southeast; Steven J. Beaupre, University of Arkansas; Xavier Bonnet, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique; Frank T. Burbrink, College of Staten Island-The City University of New York; Gordon M. Burghardt, University of Tennessee; Todd A. Castoe, University of Colorado; David Chiszar, University of Colorado; Michael E. Dorcas, Davidson College; Lara E. Douglas, University of Arkansas; Christopher L. Jenkins, Project Orianne, Ltd.; Glenn Johnson, State University of New York at Potsdam; Michael Hutchins, The Wildlife Society; Richard B. King, Northern Illinois University; Bruce A. Kingsbury, Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne; Thomas Madsen, University of Wollongong; Stephen J. Mullin, Eastern Illinois University; James B. Murphy, National Zoological Park; Charles R. Peterson, Idaho State University; Kent A. Prior, Parks Canada; Richard A. Seigel, Towson University; Richard Shine, University of Sydney; Kevin T. Shoemaker, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York; Patrick J. Weatherhead, University of Illinois; John D. Willson, University of Georgia
Download or read book Evolutionary Quantitative Genetics written by Stevan J. Arnold and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2023-06-06 with total page 497 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Evolutionary quantitative genetics (EQG) provides a formal theoretical foundation for quantitatively linking natural selection and genetic variation to the rate and expanse of adaptive evolution. It has become the dominant conceptual framework for interpreting the evolution of quantitative traits in terms of elementary forces (mutation, inheritance, selection, and drift). Despite this success, the relevance of EQG to many biological scenarios remains relatively unappreciated, with numerous fields yet to fully embrace its approach. Part of the reason for this lag is that conceptual advances in EQG have not yet been fully synthesized and made accessible to a wider academic audience. A comprehensive, accessible overview is therefore now timely, and Evolutionary Quantitative Genetics provides this much-needed synthesis. The central argument of the book is that an adaptive landscape concept can be used to understand both evolutionary process within lineages and the pattern of adaptive radiations. In particular, it provides a convincing argument that models with a moving adaptive peak carry us further than any other conceptual approach yet devised. Although additive theory holds center stage, the book mentions and references departures from additivity including non-Gaussian distributions of allelic effects, dominance, epistasis, maternal effects and phenotypic plasticity. This accessible, advanced textbook is aimed principally at students (from senior undergraduate to postgraduate) as well as practising scientists in the fields of evolutionary biology, ecology, physiology, functional morphology, developmental biology, comparative biology, paleontology, and beyond who are interested in how adaptive radiations are produced by evolutionary and ecological processes.
Download or read book The Conservation Biology of Tortoises written by IUCN/SSC Tortoise and Freshwater Turtle Specialist Group and published by IUCN. This book was released on 1989 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Evolution Ecology and Conservation of Lorises and Pottos written by K. A. I. Nekaris and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-03-19 with total page 515 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first book to present the latest discoveries on the behaviour, ecology and evolutionary biology of lorises and pottos.
Download or read book The Biology of Chameleons written by Krystal A. Tolley and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2013-11-16 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: They change color depending on their mood. They possess uniquely adapted hands and feet distinct from other tetrapods. They feature independently movable eyes. This comprehensive volume delves into these fascinating details and thorough research about one of the most charismatic families of reptilesÑChameleonidae. Written for professional herpetologists, scholars, researchers, and students, this book takes readers on a voyage across time to discover everything that is known about chameleon biology: anatomy, physiology, adaptations, ecology, behavior, biogeography, phylogeny, classification, and conservation. A description of the natural history of chameleons is given, along with the fossil record and typical characteristics of each genus. The state of chameleons in the modern world is also depicted, complete with new information on the most serious threats to these remarkable reptiles.
Download or read book Genetics of Speciation written by David L. Jameson and published by . This book was released on 1977 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The nature of populations, races, subspecies, and species. Genetic basis of isolation. Origin of isolation - theoretical. Origin of isolation - experimental. The nature of the speciation process.
Download or read book Dissertation Abstracts International written by and published by . This book was released on 1981 with total page 660 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia written by Harold Cogger and published by CSIRO PUBLISHING. This book was released on 2018-10-01 with total page 1093 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia is a complete guide to Australia’s rich and varied herpetofauna, including frogs, crocodiles, turtles, tortoises, lizards and snakes. For each of the 1218 species there is a description of its appearance, distribution and habits. These descriptions are also accompanied by distribution maps and, in many cases, one of the book's more than 1000 colour photographs of living animals. The book also includes 130 simple-to-use dichotomous keys, accompanied by hundreds of explanatory drawings, that in most cases allow a specimen in hand to be identified. In addition, it has a comprehensive list of scientific references for those wishing to conduct more in-depth research, an extensive glossary, and basic guides to the collection, preservation and captive care of specimens. This classic work was originally published in 1975. The updated seventh edition contains a new Appendix that discusses recent changes and lists over 80 new or resurrected species and genera that have been added to the Australian frog and reptile fauna since the 2014 edition.
Download or read book The Venomous Reptiles of Latin America written by Jonathan A. Campbell and published by . This book was released on 1989 with total page 452 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
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 Feeding in Vertebrates written by Vincent Bels and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-04-23 with total page 865 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides students and researchers with reviews of biological questions related to the evolution of feeding by vertebrates in aquatic and terrestrial environments. Based on recent technical developments and novel conceptual approaches, the book covers functional questions on trophic behavior in nearly all vertebrate groups including jawless fishes. The book describes mechanisms and theories for understanding the relationships between feeding structure and feeding behavior. Finally, the book demonstrates the importance of adopting an integrative approach to the trophic system in order to understand evolutionary mechanisms across the biodiversity of vertebrates.
Download or read book Crop ecology cultivation and uses of cactus pear written by Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and published by Food & Agriculture Org.. This book was released on 2018-06-05 with total page 244 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Cactus plants are precious natural resources that provide nutritious food for people and livestock, especially in dryland areas. Originally published in 1995, this extensively revised edition provides fresh insights into the cactus plant’s genetic resources, physiological traits, soil preferences and vulnerability to pests. It provides invaluable guidance on managing the resource to support food security and offers tips on how to exploit the plant’s culinary qualities.
Download or read book Cephalopod Cognition written by Anne-Sophie Darmaillacq and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2014-07-10 with total page 267 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Focusing on comparative cognition in cephalopods, this book illuminates the wide range of mental function in this often overlooked group.
