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.
Global Coastal Changeprovides a comprehensive overview of the environmental factors changing the marine systems of the world including atmospheric changes, sea level rise, alterations in freshwater and sediment use and transport, toxins, overfishing, alien species, and eutrophication. Includes case studies providing real-world examples, detailed reviews of the evidence of changes and possible solutions. Brings together a wealth of important information about our changing marine environments. An invaluable reference for upper level undergraduates, graduates, and professionals interested in marine environmental science.
Essential Animal Behavior provides a comprehensive introduction to all areas of the subject: from the genetic and neurobiological control of behavior to the learning, development, and function of behavior in an evolutionary context. Social behaviour is also covered throughout the text. Written in a concise and engaging style, this new book: includes examples from both marine and terrestrial environments around the world places current research alongside classic examples, and puts the study of animal behavior in an applied context, emphasizing the implications for animal welfare and animal conservation. Carefully designed to meet the needs of students coming to the subject for the first time, the book includes the following features: key concept boxes Focus on boxes chapter summaries guided reading to aid revision and further study case studies and boxed examples that reinforce essential points, and questions for discussion. This book is essential reading for degree-level students following modular programs in biology, zoology, marine biology, and psychology. An Instructor manual CD-ROM for this title is available. Please contact our Higher Education team at [email protected] for more information.
This up-to-date and comprehensive reference presents the fundamentals of environmental planning, incorporating theory, practice and case studies. The book includes balanced coverage and real world examples to illustrate the concepts. Political, ethical, and societal considerations are all addressed. Presents the fundamentals of environmental planning and methodological material for analysis. Real world examples are provided to illustrate concepts. Political, ethical and societal considerations are addressed. Coverage is balanced between theoretical and practical.
This new edition of an established textbook provides a comprehensive and stimulating introduction to rivers, lakes and wetlands, and was written as the basis for a complete course on freshwater ecology. Designed for undergraduate and early postgraduate students who wish to gain an overall view of this vast subject area, this accessible guide to freshwater ecosystems and man's activities will also be invaluable to anyone interested in the integrated management of freshwaters. The author maintains the tradition of clarity and conciseness set by previous editions, and the text is extensively illustrated with photographs and diagrams. Examples are drawn from the author's experience in many parts of the world, and the author continues to stress the human influence. The scientific content of the text has been fully revised and updated, making use of the wealth of data available since publication of the last edition. Professor Brian Moss is a lecturer in Applied Ecology at the University of Liverpool, and has written three previous editions of this well-established textbook.
Margaret Cargill's background as a linguist and research communications educator and Patrick O'Connor's experience as both research scientist and educator synergize to improve both the science and art of scientific writing. If the authors' goal is to give scientists the tools to write and publish compelling, well documented, clear narratives that convey their work honestly and in proper context, they have succeeded admirably. Veterinary Pathology, July 2009 «[The book is] clearly written, has a logical step-by-step structure, is easy to read and contains a lot of sensible advice about how to get scientific work published in international journals. The book is a most useful addition to the literature covering scientific writing.» Aquaculture International, April 2009 Writing Scientific Research Articles: Strategy and Steps guides authors in how to write, as well as what to write, to improve their chances of having their articles accepted for publication in international, peer reviewed journals. The book is designed for scientists who use English as a first or an additional language; for research students and those who teach them paper writing skills; and for early-career researchers wanting to hone their skills as authors and mentors. It provides clear processes for selecting target journals and writing each section of a manuscript, starting with the results. The stepwise learning process uses practical exercises to develop writing and data presentation skills through analysis of well-written example papers. Strategies are presented for responding to referee comments, as well as ideas for developing discipline-specific English language skills for manuscript writing. The book is designed for use by individuals or in a class setting. Visit the companion site at www.writeresearch.com.au for more information.
Historically, tropical ecology has been a science often content with descriptive and demographic approaches, which is understandable given the difficulty of studying these ecosystems and the need for basic demographic information. Nonetheless, over the last several years, tropical ecologists have begun to test more sophisticated ecological theory and are now beginning to address a broad array of questions that are of particular importance to tropical systems, and ecology in general. Why are there are so many species in tropical forests and what mechanisms are responsible for the maintenance of that vast species diversity? What factors control species coexistence? Are there common patterns of species abundance and distribution across broad geographic scales? What is the role of trophic interactions in these complex ecosystems? How can these fragile ecosystems be conserved? Containing contributions from some of the world’s leading tropical ecologists, Tropical Forest Community Ecology provides a summary of the key issues in the discipline of tropical ecology: Includes contributions from some of the world’s leading tropical ecologists Covers patterns of species distribution, the maintenance of species diversity, the community ecology of tropical animals, forest regeneration and conservation of tropical ecosystems
“We highly recommend it—not just for statistically terrified biology students and faculty, but also for those who are occasionally anxious or uncertain. In addition to being a good starting point to learn statistics, it is a useful place to return to refresh your memory.” –The Quarterly Review of Biology, March 2009 «During the entire course of my Ph.D. I've been (embarrasingly) looking for a way to teach myself the fundamentals of statistical analysis. At this point in my education, I've come to realize that often times, simply knowing the basics is enough for you to properly apply even the most complex analytical methods. ‘Statistics for Terrified Biologists’ has been just such a book – it was more than worth the $40 I spent on it, and while my 'book clubs' aren't meant to be reviews, I highly recommend the book to anyone who's in a similar predicament to my own.» –Carlo Artieri's Blog Book Club The typical biology student is “hardwired” to be wary of any tasks involving the application of mathematics and statistical analyses, but the plain fact is much of biology requires interpretation of experimental data through the use of statistical methods. This unique textbook aims to demystify statistical formulae for the average biology student. Written in a lively and engaging style, Statistics for Terrified Biologists draws on the author’s 30 years of lecturing experience. One of the foremost entomologists of his generation, van Emden has an extensive track record for successfully teaching statistical methods to even the most guarded of biology students. For the first time basic methods are presented using straightforward, jargon-free language. Students are taught to use simple formulae accurately to interpret what is being measured with each test and statistic, while at the same time learning to recognize overall patterns and guiding principles. Complemented by simple illustrations and useful case studies, this is an ideal statistics resource tool for undergraduate biology and environmental science students who lack confidence in their mathematical abilities.
Marine systems vary in their sensitivities to perturbation. Perturbation may be insidious – such as increasing eutrophication of coastal areas – or it may be dramatic – such as a response to an oil spillage or some other accident. Climate change may occur incrementally or it may be abrupt, and ecosystem resilience is likely to be a complex function of the interactions of those assemblages or species mediating key biogeochemical processes. Biogeochemistry of Marine Systems considers issues of marine system resilience, focusing on a range of marine systems that exemplify major global province types but are also interesting and topical in their own right, on account of their sensitivity to natural or anthropogenic change or their importance as ecological service providers. Authors concentrate on advances of the last decade.
Insect Sampling in Forest Ecosystems highlights the problems faced by entomologists working in forest ecosystems. Insects play a major part in all aspects of ecology Brings together the methodology needed to investigate insects through the various strata of the forest canopy Covers techniques associated with various specialised groups of forest insects Each chapter is backed up by a sound approach to experimental design and data analysis Essential reading for advanced students and researchers as well as teachers