Download or read book Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Phocids written by Daniel P. Costa and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-03-17 with total page 651 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Phocid (or earless or true) seals are ecologically diverse, occupying habitats from the tropics to the poles in marine and freshwater and feeding on anything from tiny zooplankton to other marine mammals. There are 18 species of phocid seals, the smallest species (ringed seal) is more than 20 times smaller than the largest (southern elephant seal), with marked sexual dimorphism present in some species. This book examines the behavior, ecology, and physiology that allow phocid seals to inhabit such a wide range of habitats. The book is composed of 16 chapters written by 37 authors from 8 countries. The book first describes the general patterns of phocid behavior, followed by descriptions of what is known about well-studied species. We have taken a holistic approach, focusing not only on the behaviors themselves but also on the factors that constrain the expression of behavior and the proximate mechanisms driving behavior. In many cases, the chapters represent collaborations between well-established researchers and early-mid career individuals who bring new perspectives to help carry the field of phocid behavioral ecology well into the future.
Download or read book Phocid Phylogeny and Dispersal written by Christian de Muizon and published by . This book was released on 1982 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Timetrees Incorporating Fossils and Molecules 2nd edition written by Michel Laurin and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2022-09-15 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Calibrating phylogenies to time is central to addressing many questions in evolutionary biology and macroevolution. The fossil record once provided our only source for establishing a timeline for evolution. However, the incompleteness of the fossil record and the non-uniformity of fossil recovery rate make it challenging to obtain precise estimates of divergence times from fossil evidence alone. Molecular dating, which combines evidence from the geological and molecular records, enables us to generate a much more complete and precise timeline of events. The molecular clock can be time-calibrated using temporal evidence from fossils and used to estimate divergence times based on the assumption that the rate of sequence evolution will be approximately constant over time and among lineages. Methodological challenges to applying this concept in practice have been to relax the assumption of constant evolutionary rates and to model the uncertainty associated with paleontological and geological calibrations. To this end, available statistical methods have become increasingly complex in order to capture key features of empirical data. These are typically applied using Bayesian inference, which provides a powerful framework for incorporating multiple sources of uncertainty. Although overall more effort has been expended in developing models of molecular sequence evolution, critical advances have also included approaches to modeling taxonomic diversification and fossilization. In particular, recent advances in birth-death process models have allowed for continuous sampling along lineages, enabling more information from the fossil record to be incorporated into dating analyses in a statistically coherent way. In addition, available dating methods can now be applied to scenarios in which no molecular data may be available, allowing for novel insights into the evolution of entirely extinct clades. Other recent innovations enable us to date divergence times among taxa that have no fossil record, including the use of gene duplication events or biogeographic evidence. Furthermore, time-calibrated trees are necessary for obtaining phylogenetic estimates of taxonomic diversification and extinction rates, which can now be jointly inferred along with lineage divergence times. These approaches offer an exciting opportunity to understand the evolution of life in deep time, although key challenges remain, especially with regards to modeling the processes of genome evolution, taxonomic diversification and fossil recovery. In this Research Topic, we focus on recent advances in methodology, outstanding challenges, and the application of molecular and paleontological dating methods to empirical case studies across the Tree of Life.
Download or read book Marine Mammal Biology written by A. Rus Hoelzel and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2009-04-01 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a general introduction to the biology of marine mammals, and an overview of the adaptations that have permitted mammals to succeed in the marine environment. Each chapter, written by experts in their field, will provide an up-to-date review and present the major discoveries and innovations in the field. Important technical advances such as satellite telemetry and time-depth-recorders will be described in boxes.
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.
Download or read book Tropical Pinnipeds written by Juan J. Alava and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2017-07-12 with total page 285 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pinnipeds are a fascinating group of marine mammals that play a crucial role as apex predators and sentinels of the functioning and health of marine ecosystems. They are found in the most extreme environments from the Polar regions to the tropics. Pinnipeds are comprised of about 34 species, and of those at least 25% live permanently in tropical zones. This book reviews and updates current research on the biology, marine ecology, bio-monitoring, and conservation of tropical pinniped populations, including their behavior, anthropogenic stressors, and health. It also looks at challenges to be faced for the conservation of tropical pinnipeds, many of which are threatened species.
Download or read book Marine Mammals written by Annalisa Berta and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2005-12-14 with total page 575 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Berta and Sumich have succeeded yet again in creating superior marine reading! This book is a succinct yet comprehensive text devoted to the systematics, evolution, morphology, ecology, physiology, and behavior of marine mammals. The first edition, considered the leading text in the field, is required reading for all marine biologists concerned with marine mammals. Revisions include updates of citations, expansion of nearly every chapter and full color photographs. This title continues the tradition by fully expanding and updating nearly all chapters. - Comprehensive, up-to-date coverage of the biology of all marine mammals - Provides a phylogenetic framework that integrates phylogeny with behavior and ecology - Features chapter summaries, further readings, an appendix, glossary and an extensive bibliography - Exciting new color photographs and additional distribution maps
Download or read book Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals written by Bernd Würsig and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2017-11-27 with total page 1195 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, Third Edition covers the ecology, behavior, conservation, evolution, form and function of whales, dolphins, seals, sea lions, manatees, dugongs, otters and polar bears. This edition provides new content on anthropogenic concerns, latest information on emerging threats such as ocean noise, and impacts of climate change. With authors and editors who are world experts, this new edition is a critical resource for all who are interested in marine mammals, especially upper level undergraduate and graduate students, researchers, and managers, and is a top reference for those in related fields, from oceanographers to environmental scientists. - Significant content and topic updates, as well as the addition of new topics in such areas as anthropogenic disturbance - Visual maps of the oceans and seas mentioned in contributions, helping to place the geographical features described in the text with clear, consistent species illustrations - Written to help users learn new information or brush up on a topic quickly, with the references at the end of each entry to help guide readers into more specialist literature
Download or read book Recent Mammals of Alaska written by Joseph A. Cook and published by University of Alaska Press. This book was released on 2010-03-15 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: From the polar bear and the gray wolf to the walrus and river otter, there are 115 species of mammals in Alaska that have never been fully catalogued until now. Biologists Joseph A. Cook and Stephen O. MacDonald have compiled here the first comprehensive guide to all of Alaska’s mammals, big and small, endearing and ferocious. Through extensive fieldwork and research the authors have produced a unique and authoritative reference. Detailed entries for each species include distribution and taxonomic information, status, habitat, and fossil history. Appendices include quick reference listings of mammal distribution by region, specimen locations, conservation status, and the incidence of Pleistocene mammals. The guide is generously illustrated with line drawings by Alaskan artist W. D. Berry and includes several maps indicating populations and locations of species. Mammals of Alaska will be an accessible, easy to use source for scholars and hobbyists alike.
Download or read book Elephant Seals written by Burney J. Le Beouf and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2023-11-10 with total page 434 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The largest of all seals, elephant seals rank among the most impressive of marine mammals. They are renowned for their spectacular recovery from near-extinction at the end of the nineteenth century when seal hunters nearly eliminated the entire northern species. No other vertebrate has come so close to extinction and made such a complete recovery. The physiological extremes that elephant seals can tolerate are also remarkable: females fast for a month while lactating, and the largest breeding males fast for over one hundred days during the breeding seasons, at which times both sexes lose forty percent of their body weight. Elephant seals dive constantly during their long foraging migrations, spending more time under water than most whales and diving deeper and longer than any other marine mammal. This first book-length discussion of elephant seals brings together worldwide expertise from scientists who describe and debate recent research, including the history and status of various populations, their life-history tactics, and other findings obtained with the help of modern microcomputer diving instruments attached to free-ranging seals. Essential for all marine mammalogists for its information and its methodological innovations, Elephant Seals will also illuminate current debates about species extinctions and possible means of preventing them. This title is part of UC Press's Voices Revived program, which commemorates University of California Press’s mission to seek out and cultivate the brightest minds and give them voice, reach, and impact. Drawing on a backlist dating to 1893, Voices Revived makes high-quality, peer-reviewed scholarship accessible once again using print-on-demand technology. This title was originally published in 1994.
Download or read book Coevolution of Parasitic Arthropods and Mammals written by Ke Chung Kim and published by Wiley-Interscience. This book was released on 1985-12-31 with total page 822 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Compiles and interprets information on the diversity, distribution, and adaptations of parasitic arthropods that provides the basis for studies on the evolution of biological relationships between parasites and hosts. Focuses on obligate, permanent parasites of the Insecta and Acari--including Anoplura, Mallophaga, Siphonaptera and miscellaneous parasitic insects, mites, and ticks. Coevolutionary theories are reviewed and new models are presented for the evolution of parasitic arthropods and mammals.
Download or read book Mammalogy written by Terry Vaughan and published by Jones & Bartlett Learning. This book was released on 2011-04-21 with total page 770 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Newly revised and extensively updated, the fifth edition of Mammalogy explains and clarifies the subject of mammalian biology as a unified whole, taking care to discuss the latest and most fascinating discoveries in the field. In recent years we witnessed significant changes in the taxonomy of mammals. The authors kept pace with such changes and revised each chapter to reflect the most current data and statistics available. New pedagogical elements, including chapter outlines, lists of key morphological characteristics, and further reading sections, help readers grasp the most important concepts and explore additional content on their own." --Book Jacket.
Download or read book Mammal Phylogeny Placentals written by Frederick S. Szalay and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 344 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Ecology and Population Biology of the Northern Elephant Seal Mirounga Angustirostris Gill 1866 on the Southern California Channel Islands written by Brent Scott Stewart and published by . This book was released on 1989 with total page 230 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Endangered Animals written by Brian Miller and published by Bloomsbury Publishing USA. This book was released on 2000-09-30 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Explore the multiple issues that surround species declines and conservation efforts through the only reference source to examine the conflicting conservation issues of 49 endangered species. While the causes of endangerment are relatively easy to understand, the ultimate or underlying factors are often far more complex and difficult to address. An introduction to these issues and how to resolve them is provided in this unique collection of case studies of animal species that have been pushed to the brink of extinction. Each case study provides the following information: - Common name - Scientific name - Order - Family - Status - Threats - Habitat - Distribution - Natural history - Conflicting Issues - Future and Prognosis. Conservationists are increasingly recognizing that the ultimate causes of extinction are primarily socio-economic and political, yet biological approaches to recovery continue to dominate. More inclusive, interdisciplinary conservation programs are explored here to offer better prospects for managing problems and conflicts. In addition to the case studies, trends and common themes are explored to provide a comprehensive, interdisciplinary approach to conservation. Students and teachers can explore a wide variety of endangered species programs and the conflicting issues common to recovery efforts, which will enable them to evaluate conservation practice and to draw their own conclusions for improvement.
Download or read book The Atlantic Walrus written by Xénia Keighley and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2021-06-17 with total page 359 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Atlantic Walrus: Multidisciplinary insights into human-animal interactions addresses the key dimensions of long-term human walrus interactions across the Atlantic Arctic and subarctic regions, over the past millennia. This book brings together research from across the social and natural sciences to explore walrus biology, human culture, environmental conditions and their reciprocal effects. Together, 13 chapters of this book reconstruct the early evolution of walruses, walrus biology, the cultural significance and ecological impact of prehistoric and indigenous hunting practices, as well as the effects of commercial hunting and international trade. This book also examines historic and ongoing management strategies and, the importance of new research methodologies in revealing hitherto unknown details of the past, and concludes by discussing the future for Atlantic walruses in the face of climate change and increased human activities in the Arctic. This volume is an ideal resource for those who are seeking to understand an iconic Arctic species and its long and complex relationship with humans. This includes individuals and researchers with a personal or professional connection to walruses or the Arctic, as well as marine biologists, zoologists, conservationists, paleontologists, archaeologists, anthropologists, historians, indigenous communities, natural resource managers and government agencies. - Provides succinct overviews of the biology of the Atlantic Walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) as well as human cultures within the North Atlantic Arctic and the surrounding region by consolidating research which until now has been scattered across fields and academic publications - Editorial team of inter-disciplinary researchers ensuring the breadth, depth and integration of material covered throughout the volume - Thirteen chapters, each authored by leading international researchers and experts on the Atlantic Walrus - Considers the inter-relatedness and complexity of species biology, ecological change, human culture, and anthropogenic pressures onto the Atlantic Walrus, all while remaining accessible to readers from different disciplines or a more generalist audience - Draws upon the latest methods in marine mammal and archaeological research - Assesses historical management of the species, while also considering current and future conservation efforts in light of human activities and climate change - Text supported by striking and insightful new maps and scientific illustrations, ideal for teaching and outreach
Download or read book Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology written by and published by . This book was released on 2001 with total page 988 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
