Sturkie's Avian Physiology


Book Description

Sturkie's Avian Physiology is the classic comprehensive single volume on the physiology of domestic as well as wild birds. The Sixth Edition is thoroughly revised and updated, and features several new chapters with entirely new content on such topics as migration, genomics and epigenetics. Chapters throughout have been greatly expanded due to the many recent advances in the field. The text also covers the physiology of flight, reproduction in both male and female birds, and the immunophysiology of birds. The Sixth Edition, like the earlier editions, is a must for anyone interested in comparative physiology, poultry science, veterinary medicine, and related fields. This volume establishes the standard for those who need the latest and best information on the physiology of birds. - Includes new chapters on endocrine disruptors, magnetoreception, genomics, proteomics, mitochondria, control of food intake, molting, stress, the avian endocrine system, bone, the metabolic demands of migration, behavior and control of body temperature - Features extensively revised chapters on the cardiovascular system, pancreatic hormones, respiration, pineal gland, pituitary gland, thyroid, adrenal gland, muscle, gastro-intestinal physiology, incubation, circadian rhythms, annual cycles, flight, the avian immune system, embryo physiology and control of calcium - Stands out as the only comprehensive, single volume devoted to bird physiology - Offers a full consideration of both blood and avian metabolism on the companion website (http://booksite.elsevier.com/ 9780124071605). Tables feature hematological and serum biochemical parameters together with circulating concentrations of glucose in more than 200 different species of wild birds




Biology and Comparative Physiology of Birds


Book Description

Biology and Comparative Physiology of Birds, Volume II focuses on the physiology, sexual characteristics, sensory organs, nervous system, and reproduction of birds. The selection first offers information on the central nervous system and sensory organ of birds, as well as cerebralization and related problems, brain, spinal cord, skin, taste, and olfaction. The book then ponders on equilibration, vision, and hearing of birds. Topics include regulation of somatic musculature, sensory structures and their nerves, retina, color vision, and structure of the ear. The publication examines endocrine glands, thymus, and pineal body and sex and secondary sexual characters, including genetic sex and sex differentiation, adrenal and parathyroid glands, and pituitary or hypophysis. The text also takes a look at energy metabolism, thermoregulation, body temperature, reproduction, breeding seasons and migration, and flight of birds. The selection is a vital source of information for readers interested in the physiology of birds.




Avian Biology


Book Description







Comparative Physiology of Fasting, Starvation, and Food Limitation


Book Description

All animals face the possibility of food limitation and ultimately starvation-induced mortality. This book summarizes state of the art of starvation biology from the ecological causes of food limitation to the physiological and evolutionary consequences of prolonged fasting. It is written for an audience with an understanding of general principles in animal physiology, yet offers a level of analysis and interpretation that will engage seasoned scientists. Each chapter is written by active researchers in the field of comparative physiology and draws on the primary literature of starvation both in nature and the laboratory. The chapters are organized among broad taxonomic categories, such as protists, arthropods, fishes, reptiles, birds, and flying, aquatic, and terrestrial mammals including humans; particularly well-studied animal models, e.g. endotherms are further organized by experimental approaches, such as analyses of blood metabolites, stable isotopes, thermobiology, and modeling of body composition.










The Biology of the Avian Respiratory System


Book Description

The central focus of this book is the avian respiratory system. The authors explain why the respiratory system of modern birds is built the way it is and works the way that it does. Birds have been and continue to attract particular interest to biologists. The more birds are studied, the more it is appreciated that the existence of human-kind on earth very much depends directly and indirectly on the existence of birds. Regarding the avian respiratory system, published works are scattered in biological journals of fields like physiology, behavior, anatomy/morphology and ecology while others appear in as far afield as paleontology and geology. The contributors to this book are world-renowned experts in their various fields of study. Special attention is given to the evolution, the structure, the function and the development of the lung-air sac system. Readers will not only discover the origin of birds but will also learn how the respiratory system of theropod dinosaurs worked and may have transformed into the avian one. In addition, the work explores such aspects as swallowing mechanism in birds, the adaptations that have evolved for flight at extreme altitude and gas exchange in eggs. It is a highly informative and carefully presented work that provides cutting edge scientific insights for readers with an interest in the respiratory biology and the evolution of birds.




Comparative Animal Physiology


Book Description

This truly comparative text takes a fundamental, biophysical approach toward animal physiology. Students majoring in zoology, biology, or premedicine will study animals ranging from simple invertebrates and protozoans to complex multicellular invertebrates and vertebrates. Emphasis on evolution shows the progressive changes, modifications, and developments of physiological systems from simple to complex animals. Comparisons show the similarities and differences in how animals function, but stress fundamentally similar adaptations in very different animals.