Animal Biology

This book documents a major environmental crisis: rapidly declining amphibian populations and the developmental problems that are increasingly prevalent within many amphibian species. Horror stories on this topic have been featured in the scientific and popular press over the past fifteen years, invariably asking what amphibian declines are telling us about the state of the environment. Are declines harbingers of devastated ecosystems or simply weird reflections of a peculiar amphibian world? This compendium — presenting new data, reviews of current literature, and comprehensive species accounts — reinforces what scientists have begun to suspect: that amphibians are a lens through which the state of the environment can be viewed more clearly. And, that the view is alarming and presages serious concerns for all life, including that of our own species. The first part of this work consists of more than fifty essays covering topics from the causes of amphibian population declines to conservation, surveys and monitoring, and education. The second part consists of species accounts describing the life history and natural history of every known amphibian species in the United States.

The Baja California peninsula is home to many forms of life found nowhere else on earth. This, combined with the peninsula's rugged and inaccessible terrain, has made the area one of the last true biological frontiers of North America. This book is a guide to the amphibians and reptiles of a fascinating and remote region. The culmination of a quarter century of fieldwork on the Baja peninsula and an exploration of more than one hundred of its islands in the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Cortés, this book gives information on the identification, distribution, natural history, and taxonomy of each species of amphibian and reptile found there. Preliminary accounts of the life history of many of the salamanders, frogs, toads, turtles, lizards, and snakes are reported here for the first time, and several species that were almost unknown to science are illustrated. The book also contains new data on species distribution and on the effect of the isolated landscape of the peninsula and its islands on the evolutionary process.

The Salton Sea, California's largest inland lake, supports a spectacular bird population that is among the most concentrated and most diverse in the world. Sadly, this crucial stopover along the Pacific Flyway for migratory and wintering shorebirds, landbirds, and waterfowl is dangerously close to collapse from several environmental threats. This book describes the birds of Salton Sea, more than 450 species and subspecies in all. Synthesizing data from many sources, including observations from their long-term work in the area, the authors' species accounts discuss each bird's abundance, seasonal status, movement patterns, biogeographic affinities, habitat associations, and more. The book also includes general information on the region's history and biogeography.

Spiders are fascinating animals that exhibit remarkably varied and complex behavior. Contrary to popular belief, they are mostly harmless, and many are beneficial to humans. Spiders occur in all terrestrial habitats and are an ecologically important group of small predators. They are a crucial component of every food web, collectively consuming millions of insect prey every day. Their webs are well suited to capturing prey, yet are also among the most beautiful of natural objects. This book provides curious naturalists with the tools to locate, identify, study, and appreciate spiders. North America has a rich fauna of spiders, including more than 3,700 species. Many of these spiders are small and inconspicuous; some are large and colorful. This book provides a comprehensive guide to all 68 families of spiders in North America and provides illustrations for 469 commonly encountered species. Identification hints and a brief description of the distribution and habits of each species are provided. There is a concise, illustrated introduction to the features of spider anatomy that are important for understanding spider relationships.

This study focuses on the Atlantic Forest tree rats of the genus Phyllomys (Rodentia: Echimyidae), one of the most poorly understood mammal genera inhabiting the coastal rain forests Brazil, the most threatened lowland tropical forest in the world. The author summarizes their distribution, ecology, and evolution using a combination of morphological and molecular analyses; describes two new species; and provides the first systematic revision of the genus, which was originally described in 1839.

This book details the evolutionary history of the desert woodrat complex (lepida group, genus Neotoma) of western North America. The analyses include standard multivariate morphometrics of museum specimens coupled with mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences and microsatellite loci. The work also traces the spatial and temporal diversification of this group of desert-dwelling rodents, revising species boundaries and delineating subspecies considered valid.

The much-loved giant panda, a secretive denizen of the dense bamboo forests of western China, has become an icon worldwide of progress in conservation and research. This book, written by an international team of scientists and conservationists including Chinese researchers whose work has not previously been available in English, tells the story of how the giant panda returned from the brink of extinction. It presents current panda research and places the species in its biological, ecological, and political contexts. More than a progress report on a highly endangered species, the book details the combination of scientific understanding, local commitment, and government involvement that has been brought into play and asks what more needs to be done to ensure the panda's survival. It is divided into four parts—Evolutionary History of the Giant Panda, Studies of Giant Panda Biology, Pandas and Their Habitats, and Giant Panda Conservation. The book combines the latest findings from the field and the laboratory together with panel and workshop summaries from a recent international conference. Taken together, the chapters highlight how international cooperation has led to better management in the wild and in captivity. The book also shows how concepts such as buffer zones, links between forest fragments, multiple-use areas, and cooperation with local people who have a stake in the resources have been key to the panda's survival.

For more than 10,000 years, Native Americans from Alaska to southern California relied on aquatic animals such as seals, sea lions, and sea otters for food and raw materials. Archaeological research on the interactions between people and these marine mammals has made great advances recently and provides a unique lens for understanding the human and ecological past. Archaeological research is also emerging as a crucial source of information on contemporary environmental issues as we improve our understanding of the ancient abundance, ecology, and natural history of these species. This interdisciplinary volume brings together archaeologists, biologists, and other scientists to consider how archaeology can inform the conservation and management of pinnipeds and other marine mammals along the Pacific Coast.

This book offers an account of the latest research on the evolution, behavioral ecology, and conservation of the highly visible and increasingly endangered Iguana, much loved by professional herpetologists and hobbyists alike. It begins with an introduction by noted iguana biologist Dr. Gordon Burghardt that examines the state of iguana research—past, present, and future—with an emphasis on social behavior. Three major sections follow, each opening with a synthesis, which survey the current status and likely future direction of investigations in the pertinent area. The first section focuses on different aspects of the taxonomic and morphological diversity of iguanas and includes a complete checklist of species. In the second section, chapters address the behavior and ecology of iguanas and provide evidence that both may be far more complex than previously appreciated. The third and final section, highlighting the threats facing iguana populations today, describes the broad array of innovative conservation strategies that will be needed to help ensure their survival.

The purpose of this book is to encourage and facilitate focused research, and provide a forum for scholarly exchange about the status of Mayfly and Stonefly science. Professor John Brittain, whose research is focused on freshwater entomology, especially egg development and life-cycle strategies of Ephemeroptera and Plecoptera, presents a chapter reflecting on the quality of mayflies as good indicators of global warming and the quality of streams and lakes. Professor Emeritus Andrew Sheldon, whose interests have encompassed community and population ecology of aquatic animals over a span of more than 40 years, especially insects and fishes, explores topics of scale and hierarchy and the ecology of Plecoptera, discussing how studies emphasizing scale and perspective reveal the importance of stoneflies to ecosystems. Other topics cover a broad base of disciplines including morphology, physiology, phylogeny, taxonomy, ecology, and conservation. The chapters have been compiled into three sections: Ecology, Zoogeography, and Systematics.