Primate Males


Book Description

Explores male number variation between and within primate species and its effects on male-female relationships.




Baboon Mothers and Infants


Book Description

For years Jeanne Altmann has set methodological standards for primate field-workers. In Baboon Mothers and Infants she applies her uniquely sophisticated techniques to the mother-infant relationship, its demography and ecology within the natural setting.




Sex and Friendship in Baboons


Book Description

Those who have been privileged to watch baboons long enough to know them as individuals and who have learned to interpret some of their more subtle interactions will attest that the rapid flow of baboon behavior can at times be overwhelming. In fact, some of the most sophisticated and influential observation methods for sampling vertebrate social behavior grew out of baboon studies, invented by scientists who were trying to cope with the intricacies of baboon behavior. Barbara Smuts' eloquent study of baboons reveals a new depth to their behavior and extends the theories needed to account for it.While adhering to the most scrupulous methodological strictures, the author maintains an open research strategy--respecting her subjects by approaching them with the open mind of an ethnographer and immersing herself in the complexities of baboon social life before formulating her research design, allowing her to detect and document a new level of subtlety in their behavior. At the Gilgil site, described in this book, she could stroll and sit within a few feet of her subjects. By maintaining such proximity she was able to watch and listen to intimate exchanges within the troop; she was able, in other words, to shift the baboons well along the continuum from ""subject"" to ""informant."" By doing so she has illuminated new networks of special relationships in baboons. This empirical contribution accompanies theoretical insights that not only help to explain many of the inconsistencies of previous studies but also provide the foundation for a whole new dimension in the study of primate behavior: analysis oft he dynamics of long-term, intimate relationships and their evolutionary significance.At every stage of research human observers have underestimated the baboon. These intelligent, curious, emotional, and long-lived creatures are capable of employing stratagems and forming relationships that are not easily detected by traditional research methods. In the process




The Evolution of Cooperation


Book Description

A famed political scientist's classic argument for a more cooperative world We assume that, in a world ruled by natural selection, selfishness pays. So why cooperate? In The Evolution of Cooperation, political scientist Robert Axelrod seeks to answer this question. In 1980, he organized the famed Computer Prisoners Dilemma Tournament, which sought to find the optimal strategy for survival in a particular game. Over and over, the simplest strategy, a cooperative program called Tit for Tat, shut out the competition. In other words, cooperation, not unfettered competition, turns out to be our best chance for survival. A vital book for leaders and decision makers, The Evolution of Cooperation reveals how cooperative principles help us think better about everything from military strategy, to political elections, to family dynamics.




Red Deer


Book Description

Red Deer: Behavior and Ecology of Two Sexes is the most extensive study yet available of reproduction in wild vertebrate. The authors synthesize data collected over ten years on a population of individually recognizable red deer, usually regarded as conspecific with the American elk. Their results reveal the extent of sex differences in behavior, reproduction, and ecology and make a substantial contribution to our understanding of sexual selection.




Mammalian Sexuality


Book Description

The first detailed account of post-copulatory sexual selection and the evolution of reproduction in mammals.




The Evolution of Senescence in the Tree of Life


Book Description

The existing theories on the evolution of senescence assume that senescence is inevitable in all organisms. However, recent studies have shown that this is not necessarily true. A better understanding of senescence and its underlying mechanisms could have far-reaching consequences for conservation and eco-evolutionary research. This book is the first to offer interdisciplinary perspectives on the evolution of senescence in many species, setting the stage for further developments. It brings together new insights from a wide range of scientific fields and cutting-edge research done on a multitude of different animals (including humans), plants and microbes, giving the reader a complete overview of recent developments and of the controversies currently surrounding the topic. Written by specialists from a variety of disciplines, this book is a valuable source of information for students and researchers interested in ageing and life history traits and populations.




The Laboratory Nonhuman Primate


Book Description

Key features Contains 28 updated tables designed as quick, easy-to-use references for New and Old World species Provides over 100 photographs and illustrations, most now in color, depicting aspects of nonhuman primate biology, behavior, management practices, diseases, and technical procedures Gives a concise overview of regulatory considerations for the use of nonhuman primates in biomedical research Expands the Veterinary Care chapter to include new sections on nutritional support, behavioral conditions, dental care, and updated information on anesthetic and analgesic drugs Presents step-by-step descriptions of common and advanced sampling techniques Includes extensive resource lists for vendors of animals, feed, sanitation supplies, caging, anesthetic equipment, and veterinary and research supplies Extensively updated to include current literature, The Laboratory Nonhuman Primate, Second Edition, continues to serve as a quick reference source for technicians, caretakers, veterinarians, researchers, and students working with primates in biomedical research. It provides details on basic husbandry and covers biologic characteristics, regulatory compliance, common diseases, and anesthetic management. The text gives easy-to-follow descriptions of basic technical procedures including restraint, intubation, tuberculin skin testing, and collection of blood and urine samples. It also reviews advanced sampling procedures including collection of bone marrow, cerebrospinal fluid, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, and rectal mucosal biopsy. The Laboratory Nonhuman Primate presents information in a clear, concise format to allow readers to incorporate concepts and techniques into the standard operating procedures of a facility.




Animal Social Networks


Book Description

The scientific study of networks - computer, social, and biological - has received an enormous amount of interest in recent years. However, the network approach has been applied to the field of animal behaviour relatively late compared to many other biological disciplines. Understanding social network structure is of great importance for biologists since the structural characteristics of any network will affect its constituent members and influence a range of diverse behaviours. These include finding and choosing a sexual partner, developing and maintaining cooperative relationships, and engaging in foraging and anti-predator behavior. This novel text provides an overview of the insights that network analysis has provided into major biological processes, and how it has enhanced our understanding of the social organisation of several important taxonomic groups. It brings together researchers from a wide range of disciplines with the aim of providing both an overview of the power of the network approach for understanding patterns and process in animal populations, as well as outlining how current methodological constraints and challenges can be overcome. Animal Social Networks is principally aimed at graduate level students and researchers in the fields of ecology, zoology, animal behaviour, and evolutionary biology but will also be of interest to social scientists.




Recent Books