Marine Mammal Biology: An Evolutionary Approach

This volume brings together some of the best known and respected experts in the field of marine mammal biology to provide a cohesive and accessible text. A very broad scope of topics and examples are classified as marine mammals; the whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans), seals, sea lions, fur seals and walruses (pinnipeds), manatees and dugongs (sirenians), and the sea otter and polar bear (carnivores). Topics covered include diversity, distribution and evolutionary patterns, anatomical and physiological adaptations, vocal and social behaviour, problem solving and memory, feeding ecology and energetics, life history and reproductive strategies, patterns of movement and population genetics, and conservation and management. Chapters are fully cross–referenced and illustrated, and the citations are numerous and current. All chapters are united by the theme of evolutionary context, addressing the question of how these diverse mammalian species have adapted to life in the oceans. The intended audience includes students of marine biology, ecology and evolution, as well as professionals with an interest in marine mammals, evolutionary pattern and process, zoology and ecology.

Spis treści:
Contributors.
Preface.
1. Diversity and Zoogeography.
A R Martin (British Antarctic Survey) and R R Reeves (ICUN/SSC CETACEAN – Quebec).
.
2. The Evolution of Marine Mammals.
J. Heyning (Natural History Museum of Los Angeles) and G M Lento (Auckland University).
.
3. Anatomy and Physiology: the Challenge of Aquatic Living.
T. M Williams (University of California, Santa Cruz) and G A J Worthy (Texas A&M University).
.
4. Neural Morphology.
I Glezer (City University of New York).
.
5. Sensory Systems.
G Dehnhardt (Universitat Bonn).
.
6. Vocal Anatomy, Acoustic Communication and Echolocation.
P L Tyack (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute) and E H Miller (Memorial University of Newfoundland ).
.
7. Patterns of Movement.
P Stevick (University of St Andrews), B J McConnell (University of St Andrews) and P Hammond (University of St Andrews).
.
8. Feeding Ecology.
W D Bowen (Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Dartmouth), A J Read (Duke University) and J A Estes (University of California, Santa Cruz).
.
9. Energetics: Consequences for Fitness.
I L Boyd (British Antarctic Survey).
.
10. Life History and Reproductive Strategies.
D J Boness (Smithsonian Institution), P J Clapham (National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) and S L Mesnick.
.
11. Population Genetic Structure.
A R Hoelzel (University of Durham), S D Goldsworthy and R C Fleischer.
.
12. Ecology of Group Living and Social Behaviour.
R C Connor (University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth).
.
13. Problem Solving and Memory.
R J Schusterman and D Kastak.
.
14. Conservation and Management.
R R Reeves (ICUN/SSC CETACEAN – Quebec) and P Reijnders (Institute for Forestry and Nature Research, Wageningen).
Index

Nota biograficzna:

Rus Hoelzel is a molecular ecologist who has studies marine mammal populations for over 20 years, including work in the field with various species in North America, South America, Europe, Africa and the South Atlantic. Currently at the University of Durham, he has also worked at Cambridge University, Imperial College and the US National Cancer Institute. He has edited four other books and is editor–in–chief of the journal Conservation Genetics. His research interests include conservation and population genetics, evolution, behavioural ecology and feeding ecology. His work with marine mammals has included studies on vocal behaviour, feeding ecology, reproductive strategy, population genetic structure and the impact of population bottlenecks on genetic diversity.

Okładka tylna:
This volume brings together some of the best known and r espected experts in the field of marine mammal biology to provide a cohesive and accessible text. A very broad scope of topics and examples are classified as marine mammals; the whales, dolphins and porpoises (cetaceans), seals, sea lions, fur seals and walruses (pinnipeds), manatees and dugongs (sirenians), and the sea otter and polar bear (carnivores). Topics covered include diversity, distribution and evolutionary patterns, anatomical and physiological adaptations, vocal and social behaviour, problem solving and memory, feeding ecology and energetics, life history and reproductive strategies, patterns of movement and population genetics, and conservation and management. Chapters are fully cross–referenced and illustrated, and the citations are numerous and current. All chapters are united by the theme of evolutionary context, addressing the question of how these diverse mammalian species have adapted to life in the oceans. The intended audience includes students of marine biology, ecology and evolution, as well as professionals with an interest in marine mammals, evolutionary pattern and process, zoology and ecology.