Download or read book Physiological and Morphological Adaptation and Evolution written by William A. Stini and published by Walter de Gruyter. This book was released on 2011-06-15 with total page 541 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Adaptation and Natural Selection written by George Christopher Williams and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2018-10-30 with total page 335 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biological evolution is a fact—but the many conflicting theories of evolution remain controversial even today. When Adaptation and Natural Selection was first published in 1966, it struck a powerful blow against those who argued for the concept of group selection—the idea that evolution acts to select entire species rather than individuals. Williams’s famous work in favor of simple Darwinism over group selection has become a classic of science literature, valued for its thorough and convincing argument and its relevance to many fields outside of biology. Now with a new foreword by Richard Dawkins, Adaptation and Natural Selection is an essential text for understanding the nature of scientific debate.
Download or read book The Ecology of Browsing and Grazing II written by Iain J. Gordon and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2019-11-12 with total page 454 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Domestic and wild large mammalian herbivores occur on every continent except Antarctica. Through their browsing and grazing, they affect the structure and distribution not only of vegetation, but also of associated fauna. Consequently, the interactions between management practices and herbivore populations influence the biodiversity, structure and dynamics of ecosystems across vast expanses around the globe: signs of human activity that will be detectable for epochs to come. As a follow-up work to The Ecology of Browsing and Grazing, published in 2008, this new volume presents cutting-edge research on the behaviour, distribution, movement, and direct and indirect impacts of domestic and wild herbivores on terrestrial ecosystems. The respective chapters highlight strategic and applied research on cross-cutting issues in palaeontology and ecology, and provide concrete recommendations on the management of large herbivores to integrate production and conservation in terrestrial systems. Given its scope, the book will appeal to students, researchers and anyone interested in understanding these fascinating wild animals and how they shape the natural world.
Download or read book Physiological and Morphological Adaptation and Evolution written by and published by . This book was released on 1979 with total page 525 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
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 375 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.
Download or read book Ecology and Biogeography of High Altitude Insects written by M.S. Mani and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-03-14 with total page 539 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In my book Introduction to High Altitude Entomology, published in 1962, I summa rized the results of eight years' studies, mainly on the Himalaya. I have since then had the opportunity of studying the collections of high altitude insects from the Alps, Carpathians, Caucasus, Urals, Alai-Pamirs, Tien Shan, Altai and other im portant mountains of the world in different museums and institutions in Europe. Through the courtesy and generosity of the Academy of Sciences of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, I was also able to personally collect insects and make valuable field observations on the Caucasus, the Alai-Pamirs, Ala-Tau and the Tien Shan mountains. Through comparative studies I have tried to synthesize the fundamental principles of high altitude entomology. I have described here the distinctive characters of the high altitude environment, the ecological specializations of the high altitude insects, their ecological inter relations and the outstanding peculiarities of their biogeography. I have also pre sented here an outline of the high altitude entomology of the principal mountains of the world, with brief accounts of their orogeny, geology and vegetation. This book differs from all other contributions in the field in its comparative ecological approach and in the fact that the main emphasis is throughout on the evolution of the high altitude ecosystem as an integral part of the orogeny. High mountains are, in all parts of the world, important and independent centres of origin and differ entiation of distinctive and highly specialized ecosystems and faunas.
Download or read book Avian Migration written by Peter Berthold and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-03-09 with total page 601 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: P. Berthold and E. Gwinnd Bird migration is an intriguing aspect of the living world - so much so that it has been investigated for as long, and as thoroughly, as almost any other natural phenomenon. Aristotle, who can count as the founder of scientific ornithology, paid very close attention to the migrations of the birds he ob served, but it was not until the reign of Friedrich II, in the first half of the 13th century, that reliable data began to be obtained. From then on, the data base grew rapidly. Systematic studies of bird migration were introduced when the Vogelwarte Rossitten was founded, as the first ornithological biological observation station in the world (see first chapter "In Memory of Vogelwarte Rossitten"). This area later received enormous impetus when ex perimental research on the subject was begun: the large-scale bird-ringing experiment initiated in Rossitten in 1903 by Johannes Thienemann (who was inspired by the pioneering studies of C. C. M. Mortensen), the experiments on photoperiodicity carried out by William Rowan in the 1920s in Canada and retention and release experiments performed by Thienemann in the 1930s in Rossitten, the first experimental study on the orientation of migratory birds. After the Second World War, migration research, while continuing in the previous areas, also expanded into new directions such as radar ornithology, ecophysiology and hormonal control mechanisms, studies of evolution, ge netics, telemetry and others.
Download or read book Mechanisms of Adaptation written by J.R. Spkatch and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2014-04-24 with total page 615 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Bacteria: Volume VII: Mechanisms of Adaptation explores the mechanisms of bacterial adaptations and covers topics ranging from bacterial spores, cysts, and stalks to nitrogen fixation, bacterial chemotaxis, bacteriophage growth, and the structure and biosynthesis of bacterial cell walls. The roles of appendages and surface layers in adaptation of bacteria to their environment are also considered, along with cell division in Escherichia coli. This volume is comprised of nine chapters and begins with a discussion on the structure, properties, formation, and regulation of spores, cysts, and stalks in actinomycetes, blue-green bacteria, myxobacteria, Bacillus, Azotobacter, and Caulobacter. The reader is then introduced to the biochemistry, regulation, genetics, and evolution of nitrogen fixing in organisms; the receptors involved in bacterial chemotaxis and the nature of the sensing mechanism; the outer membrane of gram-negative bacteria; and bacterial functions involved in nutrient detection and acquisition. The roles played by organelles and surface layers in the adaptation of bacteria to their environment are also examined. The final chapter deals with the regulation of, and coordination between, the multitude of events involved in cell division in Escherichia coli. This monograph will be a useful resource for microbiologists, bacteriologists, biochemists, and biologists.
Download or read book The Princeton Guide to Evolution written by David A. Baum and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2017-03-21 with total page 886 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The essential one-volume reference to evolution The Princeton Guide to Evolution is a comprehensive, concise, and authoritative reference to the major subjects and key concepts in evolutionary biology, from genes to mass extinctions. Edited by a distinguished team of evolutionary biologists, with contributions from leading researchers, the guide contains some 100 clear, accurate, and up-to-date articles on the most important topics in seven major areas: phylogenetics and the history of life; selection and adaptation; evolutionary processes; genes, genomes, and phenotypes; speciation and macroevolution; evolution of behavior, society, and humans; and evolution and modern society. Complete with more than 100 illustrations (including eight pages in color), glossaries of key terms, suggestions for further reading on each topic, and an index, this is an essential volume for undergraduate and graduate students, scientists in related fields, and anyone else with a serious interest in evolution. Explains key topics in some 100 concise and authoritative articles written by a team of leading evolutionary biologists Contains more than 100 illustrations, including eight pages in color Each article includes an outline, glossary, bibliography, and cross-references Covers phylogenetics and the history of life; selection and adaptation; evolutionary processes; genes, genomes, and phenotypes; speciation and macroevolution; evolution of behavior, society, and humans; and evolution and modern society
Download or read book New Directions in Ecological Physiology written by Martin E. Feder and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1987 with total page 380 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This 1988 book outlines conceptual approaches to the study of physiological adaptation in animals.
Download or read book Opportunities in Biology written by National Research Council and published by National Academies. This book was released on 1989-01-01 with total page 471 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biology has entered an era in which interdisciplinary cooperation is at an all-time high, practical applications follow basic discoveries more quickly than ever before, and new technologiesâ€"recombinant DNA, scanning tunneling microscopes, and moreâ€"are revolutionizing the way science is conducted. The potential for scientific breakthroughs with significant implications for society has never been greater. Opportunities in Biology reports on the state of the new biology, taking a detailed look at the disciplines of biology; examining the advances made in medicine, agriculture, and other fields; and pointing out promising research opportunities. Authored by an expert panel representing a variety of viewpoints, this volume also offers recommendations on how to meet the infrastructure needsâ€"for funding, effective information systems, and other supportâ€"of future biology research. Exploring what has been accomplished and what is on the horizon, Opportunities in Biology is an indispensable resource for students, teachers, and researchers in all subdisciplines of biology as well as for research administrators and those in funding agencies.
Download or read book In the Light of Evolution written by National Academy of Sciences and published by . This book was released on 2007 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Arthur M. Sackler Colloquia of the National Academy of Sciences address scientific topics of broad and current interest, cutting across the boundaries of traditional disciplines. Each year, four or five such colloquia are scheduled, typically two days in length and international in scope. Colloquia are organized by a member of the Academy, often with the assistance of an organizing committee, and feature presentations by leading scientists in the field and discussions with a hundred or more researchers with an interest in the topic. Colloquia presentations are recorded and posted on the National Academy of Sciences Sackler colloquia website and published on CD-ROM. These Colloquia are made possible by a generous gift from Mrs. Jill Sackler, in memory of her husband, Arthur M. Sackler.
Download or read book Conceptual Breakthroughs in Evolutionary Ecology written by Laurence Mueller and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2019-11-19 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Although biologists recognize evolutionary ecology by name, many only have a limited understanding of its conceptual roots and historical development. Conceptual Breakthroughs in Evolutionary Ecology fills that knowledge gap in a thought-provoking and readable format. Written by a world-renowned evolutionary ecologist, this book embodies a unique blend of expertise in combining theory and experiment, population genetics and ecology. Following an easily-accessible structure, this book encapsulates and chronologizes the history behind evolutionary ecology. It also focuses on the integration of age-structure and density-dependent selection into an understanding of life-history evolution. - Covers over 60 seminal breakthroughs and paradigm shifts in the field of evolutionary biology and ecology - Modular format permits ready access to each described subject - Historical overview of a field whose concepts are central to all of biology and relevant to a broad audience of biologists, science historians, and philosophers of science
Download or read book The Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection Or The Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life written by Charles Darwin and published by . This book was released on 1896 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Primate Origins Adaptations and Evolution written by Matthew J. Ravosa and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-01-05 with total page 846 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book provides a novel focus on adaptive explanations for cranial and postcranial features and functional complexes, socioecological systems, life history patterns, etc. in early primates. It further offers a detailed rendering of the phylogenetic affinities of such basal taxa to later primate clades as well as to other early/recent mammalian orders. In addition to the strictly paleontological or systemic questions regarding Primate Origins, the editors concentrate on the adaptive significance of primate characteristics. Thus, the book provides the broadest possible perspective on early primate phylogeny and the adaptive uniqueness of the Order Primates.
Download or read book Microbiology of Waterborne Diseases written by and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2013-11-08 with total page 719 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The second edition of Microbiology of Waterborne Diseases describes the diseases associated with water, their causative agents and the ways in which they gain access to water systems. The book is divided into sections covering bacteria, protozoa, and viruses. Other sections detail methods for detecting and identifying waterborne microorganisms, and the ways in which they are removed from water, including chlorine, ozone, and ultraviolet disinfection. The second edition of this handbook has been updated with information on biofilms and antimicrobial resistance. The impact of global warming and climate change phenomena on waterborne illnesses are also discussed. This book serves as an indispensable reference for public health microbiologists, water utility scientists, research water pollution microbiologists environmental health officers, consultants in communicable disease control and microbial water pollution students. Focuses on the microorganisms of most significance to public health, including E. coli, cryptosporidium, and enterovirus Highlights the basic microbiology, clinical features, survival in the environment, and gives a risk assessment for each pathogen Contains new material on antimicrobial resistance and biofilms Covers drinking water and both marine and freshwater recreational bathing waters
Download or read book Extremophile Fishes written by Rüdiger Riesch and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-01-24 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book summarizes the key adaptations enabling extremophile fishes to survive under harsh environmental conditions. It reviews the most recent research on acidic, Antarctic, cave, desert, hypersaline, hypoxic, temporary, and fast-flowing habitats, as well as naturally and anthropogenically toxic waters, while pointing out generalities that are evident across different study systems. Knowledge of the different adaptations that allow fish to cope with stressful environmental conditions furthers our understanding of basic physiological, ecological, and evolutionary principles. In several cases, evidence is provided for how the adaptation to extreme environments promotes the emergence of new species. Furthermore, a link is made to conservation biology, and how human activities have exacerbated existing extreme environments and created new ones. The book concludes with a discussion of major open questions in our understanding of the ecology and evolution of life in extreme environments.
