Download or read book Vertebrate Ecophysiology written by Don Bradshaw and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2003-04-24 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ecophysiology attempts to clarify the role and importance of physiological processes, such as digestion and respiration, in the ecological relations of species in their natural habitats. The basic principles and methods that are central to any ecophysiological study are outlined and discussed, including animal capture, blood collection, and the measurement of plasma components and hormone levels. Attention is paid to animal welfare and ethical considerations, and the question of stress and how to identify its presence in animals in their natural environment is approached through a series of case studies. Examples are given from a wide range of vertebrates living in deserts, cold climates and oceans, and recent findings on the physiological adaptations of Antarctic birds and mammals are a highlight of the book. This textbook will provide an introduction to the study of ecophysiology for advanced undergraduates and postgraduate students, as well as researchers in ecology, biodiversity and conservation.
Download or read book The Physiological Ecology of Vertebrates written by Brian Keith McNab and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2002 with total page 618 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Though physiological ecology has been a discipline since the 1950s, McNab redresses a perceived absence of a theoretical framework with a comparative, inductive approach to studying vertebrate evolution and ecology. He discusses the patterns and limits of adaptation to the environment, acclimation to temperature variation and material exchange with the environment, and the energetics of locomotion and growth. The final section treats the significance of energetics for population ecology and distribution. Includes a taxonomic as well as subject index. Suitable for advanced students and researchers in the biological and ecological sciences. The Gainesville, FL-based author is referred to by the foreword writer as a keen naturalist, but his credentials are not stated. Annotation copyrighted by Book News Inc., Portland, OR.
Download or read book Fish Ecophysiology written by J.C. Rankin and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 440 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Among the fishes. a remarkably wide range of biological adaptations to diverse habitats has evolved. As well as living in the conventional habitats of lakes. ponds, rivers, rock pools and the open sea, fish have solved the problems of life in deserts. in the deep sea. in the cold antarctic. and in warm waters of high alkalinity or of low oxygen. Along with these adaptations, we find the most impressive specialisations of morphology, physiology and behaviour. For example we can marvel at the high-speed swimming of the marlins. sailfish and warm-blooded tunas, air-breathing in catfish and lungfish. parental care in the mouth-brooding cichlids and viviparity in many sharks and toothcarps. Moreover, fish are of considerable importance to the survival of the human species in the form of nutritious. delicious and diverse food. Rational exploi management of our global stocks of fishes must rely upon a detailed tation and and precise insight of their biology. The Chapman [.,. Hall Fish and Fisheries series aims to present timely volumes reviewing important aspects of fish biology. Most volumes will be of interest to research workers in biology. zoology. ecology and physiology but an additional aim is for the books to be accessible to a wide spectrum of non-specialist readers ranging from undergraduates and postgraduates to those with an interest in industrial and commercial aspects of IIsh and t1sheries.
Download or read book Ecophysiology of Amphibians Inhabiting Xeric Environments written by Michael Warburg and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 194 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A description of the structural and functional adaptations of the key organs such as skin, kidneys, bladder, lungs and ovaries, with special emphasis placed on physiological adaptations: water, electrolyte, nitrogen, and thermal balance and their endocrine control. One whole chapter devoted to ecological aspects covers such exciting topics as development and metamorphosis, larval competition for food resources, and reproductive strategies.
Download or read book Physiological Adaptations in Vertebrates written by Alan Hargens and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 1991-10-31 with total page 458 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume originates from a symposium held in Copenhagen in June 1989 to commemorate Kjell Johansen, who died March 4, 1987. The volume begins with a nonscientific but fascinating glimpse at Kjell, followed by an overview of the kinds of physiology that interested him, i.e. adaptational, environme
Download or read book Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Mammals written by Philip C. Withers and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2016-10-27 with total page 560 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mammals are the so-called "pinnacle" group of vertebrates, successfully colonising virtually all terrestrial environments as well as the air (bats) and sea (especially pinnipeds and cetaceans). How mammals function and survive in these diverse environments has long fascinated mammologists, comparative physiologists and ecologists. Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Mammals explores the physiological mechanisms and evolutionary necessities that have made the spectacular adaptation of mammals possible. It summarises our current knowledge of the complex and sophisticated physiological approaches that mammals have for survival in a wide variety of ecological and environmental contexts: terrestrial, aerial, and aquatic. The authors have a strong comparative and quantitative focus in their broad approach to exploring mammal ecophysiology. As with other books in the Ecological and Environmental Physiology Series, the emphasis is on the unique physiological characteristics of mammals, their adaptations to extreme environments, and current experimental techniques and future research directions are also considered. This accessible text is suitable for graduate level students and researchers in the fields of mammalian comparative physiology and physiological ecology, including specialist courses in mammal ecology. It will also be of value and use to the many professional mammologists requiring a concise overview of the topic.
Download or read book Physiological Ecology written by William H. Karasov and published by Princeton University Press. This book was released on 2007-08-05 with total page 758 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Unlocking the puzzle of how animals behave and how they interact with their environments is impossible without understanding the physiological processes that determine their use of food resources. But long overdue is a user-friendly introduction to the subject that systematically bridges the gap between physiology and ecology. Ecologists--for whom such knowledge can help clarify the consequences of global climate change, the biodiversity crisis, and pollution--often find themselves wading through an unwieldy, technically top-heavy literature. Here, William Karasov and Carlos Martínez del Rio present the first accessible and authoritative one-volume overview of the physiological and biochemical principles that shape how animals procure energy and nutrients and free themselves of toxins--and how this relates to broader ecological phenomena. After introducing primary concepts, the authors review the chemical ecology of food, and then discuss how animals digest and process food. Their broad view includes symbioses and extends even to ecosystem phenomena such as ecological stochiometry and toxicant biomagnification. They introduce key methods and illustrate principles with wide-ranging vertebrate and invertebrate examples. Uniquely, they also link the physiological mechanisms of resource use with ecological phenomena such as how and why animals choose what they eat and how they participate in the exchange of energy and materials in their biological communities. Thoroughly up-to-date and pointing the way to future research, Physiological Ecology is an essential new source for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students-and an ideal synthesis for professionals. The most accessible introduction to the physiological and biochemical principles that shape how animals use resources Unique in linking the physiological mechanisms of resource use with ecological phenomena An essential resource for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students An ideal overview for researchers
Download or read book Respiratory Physiology of Vertebrates written by Göran E. Nilsson and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2010-01-28 with total page 351 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: How do vertebrates get the oxygen they need, or even manage without it for shorter or longer periods of time? How do they sense oxygen, how do they take it up from water or air, and how do they transport it to their tissues? Respiratory system adaptations allow numerous vertebrates to thrive in extreme environments where oxygen availability is limited or where there is no oxygen at all. Written for students and researchers in comparative physiology, this authoritative summary of vertebrate respiratory physiology begins by exploring the fundamentals of oxygen sensing, uptake and transport in a textbook style. Subsequently, the reader is shown important examples of extreme respiratory performance, like diving and high altitude survival in mammals and birds, air breathing in fish, and those few vertebrates that can survive without any oxygen at all for several months, showing how evolution has solved the problem of life without oxygen.
Download or read book Comparative Physiology of Vertebrate Respiration written by George Morgan Hughes and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 1963 with total page 172 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is a concise study of the structure and function of vertebrate respiratory systems. It describes not only the individual organ systems, but also the relationship of these systems to each other and to the animal's environment. For example, the author emphasizes that a proper understanding of respiration involves a consideration of the external environment as a source of oxygen as well as the biochemistry of the cell; and, from the evolutionary point of view, that physiological changes in the respiratory and circulatory systems are dominated by the origin of the land habit. The author's approach to the subject exemplifies that trend to the amalgamation of Zoology and Physiology, which has become increasingly marked at universities and schools in recent years. This synthesis requires, broadly, a knowledge of classical comparative anatomy, ecology, evolution, physiology and biochemistry; an enormous task, but nevertheless one in which the zoologist holds a central position. This book indicates the nature of such an eclectic approach, with the animal, in its environment and its evolution, as its focal point. Covering a rapidly changing field of research the author refers to many recent views and indicates where these differ from those commonly accepted.
Download or read book Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Fishes written by F. Brian Eddy and published by OUP Oxford. This book was released on 2012-05-03 with total page 264 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Fishes have evolved to colonise almost every type of aquatic habitat and today they are a hugely diverse group of over 25,000 species. The evolution of this great diversity of species has resulted in a myriad of solutions to the demands posed by the aquatic environment. Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Fishes presents a current and comprehensive overview of fish physiology to demonstrate how living fishes function in their environment. As with other books in the Series, the emphasis is on the unique physiological characteristics of the fish, but with applications to questions of broad relevance in physiological ecology. A preliminary chapter introduces the aquatic environment and gives a general description of fish biology, evolution, and taxonomy. Subsequent sections discuss the particular problems of living in water, life in extreme environments, techniques for studying fish ecophysiology, and future research directions.
Download or read book Ecophysiology of Desert Arthropods and Reptiles written by John L. Cloudsley-Thompson and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ecophysiology of Desert Arthropods and Reptiles starts with a new classification of the world's deserts, based upon the type of precipitation and the effect on their faunas of arthropods and reptiles. This is followed by an account of microclimates and the avoidance of environmental extremes. Whereas thermoregulation is primarily behavioural, responses to water shortage are largely physiological. Seasonal activity and phenology are described, adaptations for burrowing, the avoidance of enemies, and defence, are also outlined. A comparative account of interspecific relationships, feeding specializations, and species diversity in the two taxa is described. The purpose of the book is to provide a new and up-to-date analysis that will stimulate further research along these lines.
Download or read book Ecophysiology of Desert Vertebrates written by Pulak K. Ghosh and published by . This book was released on 1988 with total page 492 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Comparative Physiology of the Vertebrate Kidney written by William H. Dantzler and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-07-05 with total page 299 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This second edition offers a comprehensive overview of the physiological functions of vertebrate kidneys from a comparative viewpoint, with particular emphasis on nonmammalian vertebrates. The topics covered include renal structure; glomerular ultrafiltration; tubular transport of inorganic ions, organic substances, and fluid; and urine dilution and concentration. Mammalian renal function is only considered for purposes of comparison with nonmammalian renal function and as a frame of reference for some of the discussions. The major findings on nonmammalian renal function and the important unanswered questions raised by those findings are described in detail. As such, the book provides comprehensive information on comparative renal function for biological scientists and advanced students of biology with some knowledge of physiology and a desire to know more about renal function in vertebrates, and for mammalian renal physiologists who wish to obtain a broader view of renal function.
Download or read book Comparative Physiology of the Vertebrate Digestive System written by C. Edward Stevens and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2004-11-25 with total page 424 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book discusses the structural and functional characteristics of the digestive system and how these vary among vertebrates.
Download or read book On the Ecology of Australia s Arid Zone written by Hans Lambers and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-08-21 with total page 388 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book will appeal to an international audience as well as be irresistible to local readers. Anyone working or with an interest in Australia’s arid zone should need ready access to this book. There is no equivalent publication out there at the moment, and this book has many authoritative chapters, richly illustrated with colourful material. The challenge of this book was to assemble current knowledge on particular topics and concepts, and principles relating to them. It is also forward-looking by identifying where there are gaps or inadequacies in knowledge, and where future research needs to be directed. Lead authors were encouraged to take such an approach; they had the opportunity to involve any author they considered appropriate. The final product shouldbe a fabulous resource, also for university courses, especially at MSc level.
Download or read book Environmental Physiology of the Amphibians written by Martin E. Feder and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 1992-10-15 with total page 660 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Through its emphasis on recent research, its many summary tables, and its bibliography of more than 4,000 entries, this first modern, synthetic treatment of comparative amphibian environmental physiology emerges as the definitive reference for the field. Forty internationally respected experts review the primary data, examine current research trends, and identify productive avenues for future research.
Download or read book Vertebrate Flight written by Ulla M. Norberg and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: It has been great fun to write this book, even though it has taken longer than planned, and occasionally been exasperating. The most difficult problem was deciding what to exclude among so many interesting things, because the available material usually exceeded the space. Because a book like this covers so many aspects, each component must be limited. This book is intended for graduate and undergraduate students as well as professional scientists who want to work with animal flight or to gain some insight into flight mechanics, aerodynamics, energetics, physiology, morpho logy, ecology and evolution. My aim has not been to give the whole mathe matical explanation of flight, but to provide an outline and summary of the main theories for the understanding of how aerofoils respond to an airflow. I also hope to give the reader some insight into how flight morphology and the various wing shapes have evolved and are adapted to different ecological niches and habitats.
