Biology, life sciences Books
Princeton University Press Raptors of Mexico and Central America
Book SynopsisThe essential field guide to the raptors of Mexico and Central America Raptors are among the most challenging birds to identify in the field due to their bewildering variability of plumage, flight silhouettes, and behavior. Raptors of Mexico and Central America is the first illustrated guide to the region's 69 species of raptors, including vagrantTrade Review"Bird identification books are utilitarian. No matter the skill with paint brush or camera or keyboard, they are utilities. Raptors of Mexico and Central America is that and more. From Princeton University Press, this book gives you all of the utility plus over 200 pages of life histories and in many cases stunning photographs."--Jim Williams, Minneapolis Star Tribune's Wingnut blogTable of ContentsList of Plates 7 Foreword 8 Acknowledgments 10 INTRODUCTION 11 How to Use This Guide 16 Raptor Glossary 17 PLATES 24 SPECIES ACCOUNTS 88 NEW WORLD VULTURES: Cathartiformes Black Vulture 88 Turkey Vulture 91 Lesser Yellow-headed Vulture 94 California Condor 97 King Vulture 99 OSPREY: Pandioninae Osprey 102 FAMILY: Accipitridae Gray-headed Kite 106 Hook-billed Kite 109 Swallow-tailed Kite 112 Pearl Kite 115 White-tailed Kite 117 Snail Kite 121 Slender-billed Kite 126 Double-toothed Kite 128 Mississippi Kite 130 Plumbeous Kite 133 Bald Eagle 135 Black-collared Hawk 138 Northern Harrier 140 Long-winged Harrier 144 Gray-bellied Hawk 146 Tiny Hawk 148 Sharp-shinned Hawk 150 White-breasted Hawk 154 Cooper's Hawk 156 Bicolored Hawk 159 Northern Goshawk 162 Crane Hawk 165 Plumbeous Hawk 167 Savannah Hawk 169 Common Black Hawk 172 Great Black Hawk 176 Solitary Eagle 180 Barred Hawk 183 Roadside Hawk 186 Harris's Hawk 190 White-tailed Hawk 193 White Hawk 197 Semiplumbeous Hawk 199 Gray Hawk 201 Gray-lined Hawk 204 Red-shouldered Hawk 207 Broad-winged Hawk 211 Short-tailed Hawk 214 Swainson's Hawk 218 Zone-tailed Hawk 222 Red-tailed Hawk 225 Harlan's Hawk 231 Ferruginous Hawk 234 Rough-legged Hawk 237 Crested Eagle 240 Harpy Eagle 242 Golden Eagle 245 Black Hawk-Eagle 248 Ornate Hawk-Eagle 250 Black and White Eagle 253 FALCONIDS: Falconidae Laughing Falcon 257 Barred Forest-Falcon 259 Slaty-backed Forest-Falcon 262 Collared Forest-Falcon 264 Red-throated Caracara 267 Crested Caracara 269 Yellow-headed Caracara 273 American Kestrel 276 Merlin 280 Aplomado Falcon 284 Bat Falcon 288 Orange-breasted Falcon 291 Peregrine Falcon 294 Prairie Falcon 298 References 301 Index 303
£35.00
Princeton University Press Birds of Prey of the East
Book SynopsisBirds of Prey of the East and its companion volume, Birds of Prey of the West, are the most comprehensive and authoritative field guides to North American birds of prey ever published. Written and lavishly illustrated with stunning, lifelike paintings by leading field-guide illustrator, photographer, and author Brian Wheeler, the guides depict an eTrade Review"One of American Birding Podcast's Best Bird Books of 2018 (Donna Schulman & Nate Swick)""[T]he art of the classic field guide is not lost but alive and well in these two volumes from Brian K. Wheeler. . . . These are mighty books for raptor enthusiasts who take their birds of prey seriously. They represent a new standard for bird field guides. They go beyond the definition of a guide and reach into the realms of dissertation, systematic study and detailed exploration. . . . Both are ‘must-haves’ for the serious raptor aficionado."---Phil Slade, Another Bird Blog"These guides are a must-have for all raptorphiles!"---Ian Paulsen, Birdbooker Report"Thirteen years in the making, this is an opus of the highest order, with a mass of information and detail, unrivalled by any other work presently available."---David Gascoigne, Travels With Birds
£19.80
Princeton University Press Birds of Prey of the West A Field Guide
Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of American Birding Podcast's Best Bird Books of 2018 (Donna Schulman & Nate Swick)""[T]he art of the classic field guide is not lost but alive and well in these two volumes from Brian K. Wheeler. . . . These are mighty books for raptor enthusiasts who take their birds of prey seriously. They represent a new standard for bird field guides. They go beyond the definition of a guide and reach into the realms of dissertation, systematic study and detailed exploration. . . . Both are ‘must-haves’ for the serious raptor aficionado."---Phil Slade, Another Bird Blog"These guides are a must-have for all raptorphiles!"---Ian Paulsen, Birdbooker Report"Thirteen years in the making, this is an opus of the highest order, with a mass of information and detail, unrivalled by any other work presently available."---David Gascoigne, Travels With Birds
£999.99
Princeton University Press Hawks from Every Angle
Book SynopsisOffers a different approach that looks at the birds from various angles, compares and contrasts similar species, and provides the pictures (and words) needed for identification in the field. This book pinpoints identification traits for each species from the various angles that they are seen.Trade Review"Hawks from Every Angle is a major advance in our knowledge of identifying raptors in flight and as such needs to be in the library (and field pack) of every serious raptor biologist, hawk watcher, and birder going afield in North America."--Donald S. Heintzelman,International Hawkwatcher "Perhaps no one knows the intricacies of raptor identification better than Jerry Liguori... There is no doubt that this book will advance the identification of raptors, and that every hawkwatcher will want to own this great new book."--Dan R. Kunkle, Wildlife Activist "This book does a splendid job of educating its readers as to the specific characteristics the experts use to make their identifications... [T]he book's strength is its numerous crisp diagnostic photographs that, if diligently studied, should make readers competent to correctly identify virtually any hawk species. This book is a fine example of the sophistication of field identification in the study of birds."--Choice "I was a bit skeptical about the value of a photo guide, but Liguori, a raptor conservation biologist and excellent photographer, sweeps any doubts away. The book's 371 images, nearly all in color, of hawks from the front, side, below, and above, provide a new perspective on the 19 most common North American species. Read this handy guide and you'll never again have to say, 'All I know is it was a buteo.' This book definitely lives up to its title."--Val Cunningham, Birding Business News "Hawks from Every Angle takes advantage of recent developments in digital photography and computer enhancement to offer a fresh approach to identifying raptors--as the titles promises--from every angle: head on, above, below, sideways, and from the rear...The guide's succinct but flowing text includes introductory material on light conditions, molt aberrant plumages, migration sites, weather, optics for hawk watching, and photography...As good as the text is, the guide's 339 color photographs are even better. Showing the birds as they actually appear in the field, the photos are its hear and soul."--Keith L. Bildstein, Birder's WorldTable of Contents*Frontmatter, pg. i*Contents, pg. vii*Foreword, pg. ix*Preface, pg. xi*Introduction, pg. 1*Accipiters, pg. 15*Northern Harrier (Circus Cyaneus), pg. 31*Buteos, pg. 41*Falcons, pg. 85*Vultures, Osprey, Eagles, pg. 107*Bibliography, pg. 131*Index, pg. 132
£17.09
Princeton University Press Models for Ecological Data
Book SynopsisFacing ecological data sets of unprecedented size and complexity, environmental scientists are struggling to understand and exploit powerful statistical tools for making sense of ecological processes. This work introduces them to these methods in modeling and computation. It also describes how complexity can motivate a shift to Bayesian methods.Trade Review"In summary, Models for Ecological Data is an important text for those interested in ecological problems, which require computationally intensive methods. The level of the text is such that the reader should have a strong quantitative background (masters degree or higher in a quantitative discipline). The accompanying lab manual is a must for those who have this text and want to put the material to practice. The text and accompanying lab manual would serve as a good textbook for a graduate course in quantitative ecology provided that the students have the necessary mathematical background."--Timothy J. Robinson, Journal of the American Statistical AssociationTable of ContentsPreface ix Part I. Introduction 1 Chapter 1: Models in Context 3 1.1 Complexity and Obscurity in Nature and in Models 3 1.2 Making the Connections: Data, Inference, and Decision 5 1.3 Two Elements of Models: Known and Unknown 13 1.4 Learning with Models: Hypotheses and Quantification 19 1.5 Estimation versus Forward Simulation 23 1.6 Statistical Pragmatism 24 Chapter 2: Model Elements: Application to Population Growth 27 2.1 A Model and Data Example 27 2.2 Model State and Time 30 2.3 Stochasticity for the Unknown 42 2.4 Additional Background on Process Models 44 Part II. Elements of Inference 45 Chapter 3: Point Estimation: Maximum Likelihood and the Method of Moments 3.1 Introduction 47 3.2 Likelihood 47 3.3 A Binomial Model 53 3.4 Combining the Binomial and Exponential 54 3.5 Maximum Likelihood Estimates for the Normal Distribution 56 3.6 Population Growth 57 3.7 Application: Fecundity 60 3.8 Survival Analysis Using Maximum Likelihood 62 3.9 Design Matrixes 68 3.10 Numerical Methods for MLE 71 3.11 Moment Matching 71 3.12 Common Sampling Distributions and Dispersion 74 3.13 Assumptions and Next Steps 76 Chapter 4: Elements of the Bayesian Approach 77 4.1 The Bayesian Approach 78 4.2 The Normal Distribution 84 4.3 Subjective Probability and the Role of the Prior 91 Chapter 5: Confidence Envelopes and Prediction Intervals 93 5.1 Classical Interval Estimation 95 5.2 Bayesian Credible Intervals 115 5.3 Likelihood Profile for Multiple Parameters 120 5.4 Confidence Intervals for Several Parameters: Linear Regression 122 5.5 Which Confidence Envelope to Use 130 5.6 Predictive Intervals 133 5.7 Uncertainty and Variability 141 5.8 When Is It Bayesian? 142 Chapter 6: Model Assessment and Selection 143 6.1 Using Statistics to Evaluate Models 143 6.2 The Role of Hypothesis Tests 144 6.3 Nested Models 144 6.4 Additional Considerations for Classical Model Selection 151 6.5 Bayesian Model Assessment 154 6.6 Additional Thoughts on Bayesian Model Assessment 159 Part III. Larger Models 161 Chapter 7: Computational Bayes: Introduction to Tools Simulation 163 7.1 Simulation to Obtain the Posterior 163 7.2 Some Basic Simulation Techniques 164 7.3 Markov Chain Monte Carlo Simulation 173 7.4 Application: Bayesian Analysis for Regression 189 7.5 Using MCMC 202 7.6 Computation for Bayesian Model Selection 205 7.7 Priors on the Response 209 7.8 The Basics Are Now Behind Us 212 Chapter 8: A Closer Look at Hierarchical Structures 213 8.1 Hierarchical Models for Context 213 8.2 Mixed and Generalized Linear Models 216 8.3 Application: Growth Responses to CO2 230 8.4 Thinking Conditionally 235 8.5 Two Applications to Trees 241 8.6 Noninformative Priors in Hierarchical Settings 249 8.7 From Simple Models to Graphs 249 Part IV. More Advance Methods 251 Chapter 9: Time 9.1 Why Is Time Important? 253 9.2 Time Series Terminology 254 9.3 Descriptive Elements of Time Series Models 255 9.4 The Frequency Domain 264 9.5 Application: Detecting Density Dependence in Population Time Series 264 9.6 Bayesian State Space Models 272 9.7 Application: Black Noddy on Heron Island 282 9.8 Nonlinear State Space Models 289 9.9 Lags 297 9.10 Regime Change 298 9.11 Constraints on Time Series Data 300 9.12 Additional Sources of Variablity 301 9.13 Alternatives to the Gibbs Sampler 302 9.14 More on Longitudinal Data Structures 302 9.15 Intervention and Treatment Effects 309 9.16 Capture-Recapture Studies 318 9.17 Structured Models as Matrixes 329 9.18 Structure as Systems of Difference Equations 336 9.19 Time Series, Population Regulation, and Stochasticity 347 Chapter 10: Space-Time 353 10.1 A Deterministic Model for a Stochastic Spatial Process 354 10.2 Classical Inference on Population Movement 359 10.3 Island Biogeography and Metapopulations 378 10.4 Estimation of Passive Dispersal 388 10.5 A Bayesian Framework 397 10.6 Models for Explicit Space 401 10.7 Point-Referenced Data 403 10.8 Block-Referenced Data and Misalignment 412 10.9 Hierarchical Treatment of Space 415 10.10 Application: A Spatio-Temporal Model of Population Spread 424 10.11 How to Handle Space 432 Chapter 11: Some Concluding Perspectives 435 11.1 Models, Data, and Decision 435 11.2 The Promise of Graphical Models, Improved Algorithms, and Faster Computers 437 11.3 Predictions and What to Do with Them 444 11.4 Some Remarks on Software 456 Appendix A Taylor Series 457 Appendix B Some Notes on Differential and Difference Equations 464 Appendix C Basic Matrix Algebra 486 Appendix D Probability Models 502 Appendix E Basic Life History Calculations 541 Appendix F Common Distributions 573 Appendix G Common Conjugate Likelihood-Prior Pairs 583 References 585 Index 615
£80.00
Princeton University Press Statistical Computation for Environmental Scienc
Book SynopsisIntroduces ecologists to modern methods in modeling and computation. This book covers both classical statistical approaches and computational tools and describes how complexity can motivate a shift from classical to Bayesian methods. It introduces readers to the practical work of data modeling and computation in the language R.Trade Review"In summary, Models for Ecological Data is an important text for those interested in ecological problems, which require computationally intensive methods. The level of the text is such that the reader should have a strong quantitative background (masters degree or higher in a quantitative discipline). The accompanying lab manual is a must for those who have this text and want to put the material to practice. The text and accompanying lab manual would serve as a good textbook for a graduate course in quantitative ecology provided that the students have the necessary mathematical background."--Timothy J. Robinson, Journal of the American Statistical AssociationTable of ContentsPreface ix Part I. Introduction 1 Chapter 1: Models in Context 3 1.1 Complexity and Obscurity in Nature and in Models 3 1.2 Making the Connections: Data, Inference, and Decision 5 1.3 Two Elements of Models: Known and Unknown 13 1.4 Learning with Models: Hypotheses and Quantification 19 1.5 Estimation versus Forward Simulation 23 1.6 Statistical Pragmatism 24 Chapter 2: Model Elements: Application to Population Growth 27 2.1 A Model and Data Example 27 2.2 Model State and Time 30 2.3 Stochasticity for the Unknown 42 2.4 Additional Background on Process Models 44 Part II. Elements of Inference 45 Chapter 3: Point Estimation: Maximum Likelihood and the Method of Moments 3.1 Introduction 47 3.2 Likelihood 47 3.3 A Binomial Model 53 3.4 Combining the Binomial and Exponential 54 3.5 Maximum Likelihood Estimates for the Normal Distribution 56 3.6 Population Growth 57 3.7 Application: Fecundity 60 3.8 Survival Analysis Using Maximum Likelihood 62 3.9 Design Matrixes 68 3.10 Numerical Methods for MLE 71 3.11 Moment Matching 71 3.12 Common Sampling Distributions and Dispersion 74 3.13 Assumptions and Next Steps 76 Chapter 4: Elements of the Bayesian Approach 77 4.1 The Bayesian Approach 78 4.2 The Normal Distribution 84 4.3 Subjective Probability and the Role of the Prior 91 Chapter 5: Confidence Envelopes and Prediction Intervals 93 5.1 Classical Interval Estimation 95 5.2 Bayesian Credible Intervals 115 5.3 Likelihood Profile for Multiple Parameters 120 5.4 Confidence Intervals for Several Parameters: Linear Regression 122 5.5 Which Confidence Envelope to Use 130 5.6 Predictive Intervals 133 5.7 Uncertainty and Variability 141 5.8 When Is It Bayesian? 142 Chapter 6: Model Assessment and Selection 143 6.1 Using Statistics to Evaluate Models 143 6.2 The Role of Hypothesis Tests 144 6.3 Nested Models 144 6.4 Additional Considerations for Classical Model Selection 151 6.5 Bayesian Model Assessment 154 6.6 Additional Thoughts on Bayesian Model Assessment 159 Part III. Larger Models 161 Chapter 7: Computational Bayes: Introduction to Tools Simulation 163 7.1 Simulation to Obtain the Posterior 163 7.2 Some Basic Simulation Techniques 164 7.3 Markov Chain Monte Carlo Simulation 173 7.4 Application: Bayesian Analysis for Regression 189 7.5 Using MCMC 202 7.6 Computation for Bayesian Model Selection 205 7.7 Priors on the Response 209 7.8 The Basics Are Now Behind Us 212 Chapter 8: A Closer Look at Hierarchical Structures 213 8.1 Hierarchical Models for Context 213 8.2 Mixed and Generalized Linear Models 216 8.3 Application: Growth Responses to CO2 230 8.4 Thinking Conditionally 235 8.5 Two Applications to Trees 241 8.6 Noninformative Priors in Hierarchical Settings 249 8.7 From Simple Models to Graphs 249 Part IV. More Advance Methods 251 Chapter 9: Time 9.1 Why Is Time Important? 253 9.2 Time Series Terminology 254 9.3 Descriptive Elements of Time Series Models 255 9.4 The Frequency Domain 264 9.5 Application: Detecting Density Dependence in Population Time Series 264 9.6 Bayesian State Space Models 272 9.7 Application: Black Noddy on Heron Island 282 9.8 Nonlinear State Space Models 289 9.9 Lags 297 9.10 Regime Change 298 9.11 Constraints on Time Series Data 300 9.12 Additional Sources of Variablity 301 9.13 Alternatives to the Gibbs Sampler 302 9.14 More on Longitudinal Data Structures 302 9.15 Intervention and Treatment Effects 309 9.16 Capture-Recapture Studies 318 9.17 Structured Models as Matrixes 329 9.18 Structure as Systems of Difference Equations 336 9.19 Time Series, Population Regulation, and Stochasticity 347 Chapter 10: Space-Time 353 10.1 A Deterministic Model for a Stochastic Spatial Process 354 10.2 Classical Inference on Population Movement 359 10.3 Island Biogeography and Metapopulations 378 10.4 Estimation of Passive Dispersal 388 10.5 A Bayesian Framework 397 10.6 Models for Explicit Space 401 10.7 Point-Referenced Data 403 10.8 Block-Referenced Data and Misalignment 412 10.9 Hierarchical Treatment of Space 415 10.10 Application: A Spatio-Temporal Model of Population Spread 424 10.11 How to Handle Space 432 Chapter 11: Some Concluding Perspectives 435 11.1 Models, Data, and Decision 435 11.2 The Promise of Graphical Models, Improved Algorithms, and Faster Computers 437 11.3 Predictions and What to Do with Them 444 11.4 Some Remarks on Software 456 Appendix A Taylor Series 457 Appendix B Some Notes on Differential and Difference Equations 464 Appendix C Basic Matrix Algebra 486 Appendix D Probability Models 502 Appendix E Basic Life History Calculations 541 Appendix F Common Distributions 573 Appendix G Common Conjugate Likelihood-Prior Pairs 583 References 585 Index 615
£28.80
Princeton University Press Bugs Rule
Book SynopsisProvides an introduction to the biology and natural history of insects and their noninsect cousins, such as spiders, scorpions, and centipedes. This book features more than 830 color photos, a concise overview of the basics of entomology, and numerous sidebars that highlight and explain key points.Trade ReviewOne of the New Scientist's Best Science Books of 2013 "This is an interesting, well-written introduction to entomology, providing a broad overview of the biology and natural history of insects and related arhropods. Cranshaw and Redak emphasize life histories, select adaptations, ecological importance, and aspects of economic and public health concern. More than 800 full-color photographs and a variety of black-and-white line drawings accompany the text... Having developed out of a specific need to create an entomology text for nonscience majors, this book is readily accessible to a wide range of readers and will appeal to anyone interested in learning about insects and their kin... Nonscience majors or readers unfamiliar with insect biology will appreciate this discussion of the fascinating diversity of insect life."--Choice "I can't praise this book enough. Bugs Rule! is ... worth every cent for the wealth of information and fascinating reading that it provides."--Marlene A. Condon, Roanoke Star Online "This book should enable students to identify insects they encounter and it will undoubtedly remove much of the stigma that insects suffer. It cannot help but change students' attitudes that bugs are uninteresting or scary. The volume, supplemented by lectures, will likely become a popular entomology textbook for nonscience majors."--Albert D. Carlson, Quarterly Review of Biology "[T]his is a highly readable and entertaining book on bugs, with lots of superb colour photos and is highly recommended to anyone who wishes to learn more about insect orders they are unfamiliar with."--John Badmin, Journal of the British Entomology and Natural History Society "Written to appeal to non-science students, this book offers a light, informal approach with an easy to read style. It brims with fascinating facts and eye-catching images. It should do exactly what the authors intended, making entomology easily accessible to a wide range of students outside of mainstream science courses."--Peter Smithers, Antennae "Reading it is delightful, and it is likely to ignite further interest for the world of insects."--Marco Ferrante, Bulletin of InsectologyTable of ContentsPREFACE ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS xi 1Introduction to the Arthropods 1 2What One Sees on the Outside--External Features of Insects 14 3The Internal Organization 39 4Growth and Metamorphosis 58 5The Arachnids--Spiders, Scorpions, Mites, and Other Eight-Legged Wonders 75 6The "Other" Arthropods 119 7Oldies but Goodies 136 8Insects Fly! 144 9Jumpers and Strollers--Grasshoppers, Crickets, and Walkingsticks 155 10Variety Is the Spice of Life--Some Minor, but Interesting, Insect Orders 171 11Roach Cities and Assassin Cousins 182 12Lousy Nitpickers 202 13Life on an All-Fluid Diet 212 14Insect Bruisers and Their Lacewinged Cousins 252 15City Builders That Rule 296 16Scale-Winged Beauties and Custom Homebuilders 339 17"Gift" Bearers of Plague--or a Plump Insect Wedding Present 377 18Marvels of the Air--Two-Winged Wonders 387 APPENDIX I: STATE INSECTS 425 APPENDIX II: LARGEST ARTHROPODS 431 APPENDIX III: SUMMARY OF FEATURES OF THE HEXAPOD ORDERS 435 GLOSSARY 459 INDEX 475
£52.20
Princeton University Press Dynamic Models in Biology
Book SynopsisFrom controlling disease outbreaks to predicting heart attacks, dynamic models are increasingly crucial for understanding biological processes. Many universities are starting undergraduate programs in computational biology to introduce students to this rapidly growing field. In Dynamic Models in Biology, the first text on dynamic models specifically written for undergraduate students in the biological sciences, ecologist Stephen Ellner and mathematician John Guckenheimer teach students how to understand, build, and use dynamic models in biology. Developed from a course taught by Ellner and Guckenheimer at Cornell University, the book is organized around biological applications, with mathematics and computing developed through case studies at the molecular, cellular, and population levels. The authors cover both simple analytic models--the sort usually found in mathematical biology texts--and the complex computational models now used by both biologists and mathematicians. Linked to a Web site with computer-lab materials and exercises, Dynamic Models in Biology is a major new introduction to dynamic models for students in the biological sciences, mathematics, and engineering.Trade Review"What is remarkable about Dynamic Models in Biology is that it truly speaks to students of biological sciences. It puts biology first, and then tries to explain how mathematical tools can explain biological phenomena. Nothing else I've seen does this anywhere near as well. The authors have combined their experience to produce and excellent textbook."--Bill Satzer, MAA Reviews "This is a great book and I expect that it will play an important role in the teaching of mathematical biology and the development of the next generation of mathematical biologists for many years to come."--Marc Mangel, SIAM Review "Dynamic Models in Biology stands apart from existing textbooks in mathematical biology largely because of its interdisciplinary approach and its hands-on, project-oriented case studies and computer laboratories. In an effort to explore biology in more detail, the authors bravely chose a style that differs from the classical biomath texts ... whose focus is more on formal mathematics."--Lewi Stone, BioScience "The book begins with a stellar overview of the purpose of modeling, contrasting statistical with dynamical models, and theoretical with practical models both clearly and even-handedly...[E]ngaging the full breadth and depth of this book could be an education for both instructors and students alike."--Frederick R. Adler, Mathematical Biosciences "[S]tudents from both biology and mathematics can gain much from this book. Dynamic Models in Biology would be appropriate for use in a semester or two-quarter course; however, with judicious selection of topics, it can be used in a quarter. My students included undergraduates in biology with knowledge only of calculus, undergraduates in mathematics, and graduate students and academic staff in biology, all enrolled on a ten-week course... Overall, Dynamic Models in Biology fills an important niche in the biological modeling canon. It occupies a place on my shelf next to Edelstein-Keshet (1988) and Murray (1989), and like them, will become a well-thumbed reference."--Carole L. Hom, Environmental ConservationTable of ContentsList of Figures ix List of Tables xiv Preface xvi Chapter 1: What Are Dynamic Models? 1 1.1 Descriptive versus Mechanistic Models 2 1.2 Chinook Salmon 4 1.3 Bathtub Models 6 1.4 Many Bathtubs: Compartment Models 7 1.4.1 Enzyme Kinetics 8 1.4.2 The Modeling Process 11 1.4.3 Pharmacokinetic Models 13 1.5 Physics Models: Running and Hopping 16 1.6 Optimization Models 20 1.7 Why Bother? 21 1.8 Theoretical versus Practical Models 24 1.9 What's Next? 26 1.10 References 28 Chapter 2: Matrix Models and Structured Population Dynamics 31 2.1 The Population Balance Law 32 2.2 Age-Structured Models 33 2.2.1 The Leslie Matrix 34 2.2.2 Warning: Prebreeding versus Postbreeding Models 37 2.3 Matrix Models Based on Stage Classes 38 2.4 Matrices and Matrix Operations 42 2.4.1 Review of Matrix Operations 43 2.4.2 Solution of the Matrix Model 44 2.5 Eigenvalues and a Second Solution of the Model 44 2.5.1 Left Eigenvectors 48 2.6 Some Applications of Matrix Models 49 2.6.1 Why Do We Age? 49 2.6.2 Elasticity Analysis and Conservation Biology 52 2.6.3 How Much Should We Trust These Models? 58 2.7 Generalizing the Matrix Model 59 2.7.1 Stochastic Matrix Models 59 2.7.2 Density-Dependent Matrix Models 61 2.7.3 Continuous Size Distributions 63 2.8 Summary and Conclusions 66 2.9 Appendix 67 2.9.1 Existence and Number of Eigenvalues 67 2.9.2 Reproductive Value 67 2.10 References 68 Chapter 3: Membrane Channels and Action Potentials 71 3.1 Membrane Currents 72 3.1.1 Channel Gating and Conformational States 74 3.2 Markov Chains 77 3.2.1 Coin Tossing 78 3.2.2 Markov Chains 82 3.2.3 The Neuromuscular Junction 86 3.3 Voltage-Gated Channels 90 3.4 Membranes as Electrical Circuits 92 3.4.1 Reversal Potential 94 3.4.2 Action Potentials 95 3.5 Summary 103 3.6 Appendix: The Central Limit Theorem 104 3.7 References 106 Chapter 4: Cellular Dynamics: Pathways of Gene Expression 107 4.1 Biological Background 108 4.2 A Gene Network That Acts as a Clock 110 4.2.1 Formulating a Model 111 4.2.2 Model Predictions 113 4.3 Networks That Act as a Switch 119 4.4 Systems Biology 125 4.4.1 Complex versus Simple Models 129 4.5 Summary 131 4.6 References 132 Chapter 5: Dynamical Systems 135 5.1 Geometry of a Single Differential Equation 136 5.2 Mathematical Foundations: A Fundamental Theorem 138 5.3 Linearization and Linear Systems 141 5.3.1 Equilibrium Points 141 5.3.2 Linearization at Equilibria 142 5.3.3 Solving Linear Systems of Differential Equations 144 5.3.4 Invariant Manifolds 149 5.3.5 Periodic Orbits 150 5.4 Phase Planes 151 5.5 An Example: The Morris-Lecar Model 154 5.6 Bifurcations 160 5.7 Numerical Methods 175 5.8 Summary 181 5.9 References 181 Chapter 6: Differential Equation Models for Infectious Disease 183 6.1 Sir Ronald Ross and the Epidemic Curve 183 6.2 Rescaling the Model 187 6.3 Endemic Diseases and Oscillations 191 6.3.1 Analysis of the SIR Model with Births 193 6.3.2 Summing Up 197 6.4 Gonorrhea Dynamics and Control 200 6.4.1 A Simple Model and a Paradox 200 6.4.2 The Core Group 201 6.4.3 Implications for Control 203 6.5 Drug Resistance 206 6.6 Within-Host Dynamics of HIV 209 6.7 Conclusions 213 6.8 References 214 Chapter 7: Spatial Patterns in Biology 217 7.1 Reaction-Diffusion Models 218 7.2 The Turing Mechanism 223 7.3 Pattern Selection: Steady Patterns 226 7.4 Moving Patterns: Chemical Waves and Heartbeats 232 7.5 References 241 Chapter 8: Agent-Based and Other Computational Models for Complex Systems 243 8.1 Individual-Based Models in Ecology 245 8.1.1 Size-Dependent Predation 245 8.1.2 Swarm 247 8.1.3 Individual-Based Modeling of Extinction Risk 248 8.2 Artificial Life 252 8.2.1 Tierra 253 8.2.2 Microbes in Tierra 255 8.2.3 Avida 257 8.3 The Immune System and the Flu 259 8.4 What Can We Learn from Agent-Based Models? 260 8.5 Sensitivity Analysis 261 8.5.1 Correlation Methods 264 8.5.2 Variance Decomposition 266 8.6 Simplifying Computational Models 269 8.6.1 Separation of Time Scales 269 8.6.2 Simplifying Spatial Models 272 8.6.3 Improving the Mean Field Approximation 276 8.7 Conclusions 277 8.8 Appendix: Derivation of Pair Approximation 278 8.9 References 279 Chapter 9: Building Dynamic Models 283 9.1 Setting the Objective 284 9.2 Building an Initial Model 285 9.2.1 Conceptual Model and Diagram 286 9.3 Developing Equations for Process Rates 291 9.3.1 Linear Rates: When and Why? 291 9.3.2 Nonlinear Rates from "First Principles" 293 9.3.3 Nonlinear Rates from Data: Fitting Parametric Models 294 9.3.4 Nonlinear Rates from Data: Selecting a Parametric Model 298 9.4 Nonlinear Rates from Data: Nonparametric Models 302 9.4.1 Multivariate Rate Equations 304 9.5 Stochastic Models 306 9.5.1 Individual-Level Stochasticity 306 9.5.2 Parameter Drift and Exogenous Shocks 309 9.6 Fitting Rate Equations by Calibration 311 9.7 Three Commandments for Modelers 314 9.8 Evaluating a Model 315 9.8.1 Comparing Models 317 9.9 References 320 Index 323
£999.99
Princeton University Press Principles of Animal Locomotion
Book SynopsisProvides an overview of how animals run, walk, jump, crawl, swim, soar, hover, and fly. This book introduces energetics and optimality as basic principles. It tackles each of the major modes by which animals move on land, in water, and through air. It explains the mechanisms involved and the physical and biological forces shaping those mechanisms.Trade Review"A valuable reference book written by a leader in the field."--Stephen Gatesy, Nature "A remarkable volume that simply must be read by anyone contemplating any kind of work on, or in imitation of, muscle-driven motion. This is no ordinary summing up but rather a synthesis, an explication of principles--the title needs no disclaimer... [O]ne should read it in short bouts separated by intervals of contemplation."--Steven Vogel, American Scientist "This is an important work that will be appreciated by anyone interested in animal biomechanics... Alexander is gifted in his ability to choose or create models that are sufficiently simple as to be understandable and tractable, but not so simple that they stray far from biological reality."--Robert Josephson, The Quarterly Review of Biology "The book will be a godsend for any lecturer looking for a course book about animal locomotion, and many a naturalist will find that it sheds a flood of light on the reasons behind the endlessly surprising things that animals do... [A] 'must have' for anyone who thinks in terms of physics about the way animals work."--C. J. Pennycuick, Trends in Ecology and EvolutionTable of ContentsPREFACE ix Chapter 1: The Best Way to Travel 1 1.1. Fitness 1 1.2. Speed 2 1.3. Acceleration and Maneuverability 2 1.4. Endurance 4 1.5. Economy of Energy 7 1.6. Stability 8 1.7. Compromises 9 1.8. Constraints 9 1.9. Optimization Theory 10 1.10. Gaits 12 Chapter 2: Muscle, the Motor 15 2.1. How Muscles Exert Force 15 2.2. Shortening and Lengthening Muscle 22 2.3. Power Output of Muscles 26 2.4. Pennation Patterns and Moment Arms 28 2.5. Power Consumption 31 2.6. Some Other Types of Muscle 34 Chapter 3: Energy Requirements for Locomotion 38 3.1. Kinetic Energy 38 3.2. Gravitational Potential Energy 39 3.3. Elastic Strain Energy 40 3.4. Work That Does Not Increase the Body's Mechanical Energy 42 3.5. Work Requirements 46 3.6. Oscillatory Movements 48 Chapter 4: Consequences of Size Differences 53 4.1. Geometric Similarity, Allometry, and the Pace of Life 53 4.2. Dynamic Similarity 58 4.3. Elastic Similarity and Stress Similarity 60 Chapter 5: Methods for the Study of Locomotion 68 5.1. Cinematography and Video Recording 68 5.2. Stationary Locomotion 70 5.3. Measurement of Energy Consumption 73 5.4. Observing Flow 74 5.5. Forces and Pressures 76 5.6. Recording Muscle Action 80 5.7. Recording Movement at a Distance 83 5.8. Properties of Materials 84 Chapter 6: Alternative Techniques for Locomotion on Land 86 6.1. Two-Anchor Crawling 86 6.2. Crawling by Peristalsis 88 6.3. Serpentine Crawling 90 6.4. Froglike Hopping 91 6.5. An Inelastic Kangaroo 93 6.6. A Minimal Model of Walking 95 6.7. The Synthetic Wheel 97 6.8. Walkers with Heavy Legs 98 6.9. Spring-Mass Models of Running 99 6.10. Comparisons 100 Chapter 7: Walking, Running, and Hopping 103 7.1. Speed 103 7.2. Gaits 109 7.3. Forces and Energy 114 7.4. Energy-Saving Springs 122 7.5. Internal Kinetic Energy 125 7.6. Metabolic Cost of Transport 128 7.7. Prediction of Optimal Gaits 133 7.8. Soft Ground, Hills, and Loads 136 7.9. Stability 139 7.10. Maneuverability 143 Chapter 8: Climbing and Jumping 146 8.1. Standing Jumps 146 8.2. Leg Design and Jumping Technique 150 8.3. Size and Jumping 153 8.4. Jumping from Branches 155 8.5. Climbing Vertical Surfaces and Walking on the Ceiling 159 Chapter 9: Crawling and Burrowing 166 9.1. Worms 166 9.2. Insect Larvae 170 9.3. Molluscs 171 9.4. Reptiles 176 9.5. Mammals 179 Chapter 10: Gliding and Soaring 181 10.1. Drag 181 10.2. Lift 183 10.3. Drag on Aerofoils 187 10.4. Gliding Performance 192 10.5. Stability 200 10.6. Soaring 201 Chapter 11: Hovering 209 11.1. Airflow around Hovering Animals 209 11.2. Lift Generation 213 11.3. Power for Hovering 221 Chapter 12: Powered Forward Flight 224 12.1. Aerodynamics of Flapping Flight 224 12.2. Power Requirements for Flight 228 12.3. Optimization of Flight 236 Chapter 13: Moving on the Surface of Water 240 13.1. Fisher Spiders 240 13.2. Basilisk Lizards 244 13.3. Surface Swimmers 246 Chapter 14: Swimming with Oars and Hydrofoils 249 14.1. Froude Efficiency 249 14.2. Drag-Powered Swimming 250 14.3. Swimming Powered by Lift on Limbs or Paired Fins 255 14.4. Swimming with Hydrofoil Tails 261 14.5. Porpoising 264 Chapter 15: Swimming by Undulation 266 15.1. Undulating Fishes 266 15.2. Muscle Activity in Undulating Fishes 277 15.3. Fins, Tails, and Gaits 282 15.4. Undulating Worms 284 Chapter 16: Swimming by Jet Propulsion 288 16.1. Efficiency of Jet Propulsion 288 16.2. Elastic Mechanisms in Jet Propulsion 296 Chapter 17: Buoyancy 301 17.1. Buoyancy Organs 301 17.2. Swimming by Dense Animals 303 17.3. Energetics of Buoyancy 307 17.4. Buoyancy and Lifestyle 311 Chapter 18: Aids to Human Locomotion 316 18.1. Shoes 316 18.2. Bicycles 318 18.3. Scuba 321 18.4. Boats 322 18.5. Aircraft without Engines 324 Chapter 19: Epilogue 327 19.1. Metabolic Cost of Transport 327 19.2. Speeds 328 19.3. Gaits 330 19.4. Elastic Mechanisms 331 19.5. Priorities for Further Research 331 REFERENCES 333 INDEX 367
£70.20
Princeton University Press Kazantzakis Volume 2 Politics of the Spirit
Book SynopsisPutting Greek writer Nikos Kazantzakis's (1883-1957) vast output into the context of his lifelong spiritual quest and the turbulent politics of twentieth-century Greece, this title argues that Kazantzakis was a deeply flawed genius. It covers his life after 1938, the period in which he wrote "Zorba the Greek" and "The Last Temptation of Christ".Trade Review"Although others have tried to account for Kanzantzakis's life and literary art, no other book so comprehensively and insightfully captures it like Politics of the Spirit. Readers will marvel at Bien's tirelessly attentive approach to historical detail and acclaim his adroit description of Kazantzakis's ironic soul. A sympathetic though not uncritical account of a flawed genius, this book is a towering achievement. Every reader of modern literature can learn from it."--Darren J. N. Middleton, Modernimsm/modernity "The sequel to Bien's very successful Kazantzakis: Politics of the Spirit consolidates our impressions of the first volume, creates an elaborate, almost complete picture of the Cretan author, and spreads the interest in Kazantzakis to a far greater audience."--Lena Arampatzidou, Hellenic Review "Bien is fair and balanced, and he avoids black-and-white simplifications. In a masterly manner, he sorts out the good from the bad, sensing what Kazantzakis was trying to achieve and seeing where he went wrong and where he got it right. Bien brilliantly shows how Kazantzakis progressed from his concern with politics, sensuality and ethics to a love of art."--Peter Mackridge, Journal of Hellenic StudiesTable of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xvii Technical Notes xix CHAPTER ONE: KAZANTZAKIS'S ATTRACTION TO FASCISM AND NAZISM IN THE 1930s 1 CHAPTER TWO: TRAVEL WRITING 16 CHAPTER THREE: SPAIN 22 CHAPTER FOUR: JOURNEY TO THE MOREA 33 CHAPTER FIVE: GREEK POLITICS, 1922-1936; METAXAS 43 CHAPTER SIX: WRITINGS CA. 1935-1939: JARDIN DES ROCHERS 60 CHAPTER SEVEN: WRITINGS CA. 1935-1939: OTHELLO RETURNS 81 CHAPTER EIGHT: WRITINGS CA. 1935-1939: MELISSA 86 CHAPTER NINE: WRITINGS CA. 1935-1939: JULIAN THE APOSTATE 100 CHAPTER TEN: PERIOD 1940-1944: THE ALBANIAN CAMPAIGN AND AXIS OCCUPATION 111 CHAPTER ELEVEN: BUDDHA 134 CHAPTER TWELVE: ALEXIS ZORBAS: A PHILOSOPHICAL INTERPRETATION 144 CHAPTER THIRTEEN: ALEXIS ZORBAS: A POLITICAL INTERPRETATION 157 CHAPTER FOURTEEN: PROMETHEUS TRILOGY AND GREEKNESS 165 CHAPTER FIFTEEN: KAPODISTRIAS 197 CHAPTER SIXTEEN: CONSTANTINE PALAIOLOGOS 224 CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: ATHENS, OCTOBER 1944-JUNE 1946 237 CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: LONDON AND PARIS, 2 JUNE 1946-2 JUNE 1948 273 CHAPTER NINETEEN: SODOM AND GOMORRAH 279 CHAPTER TWENTY: THE POLITICAL COMPREHENSIVENESS OF CHRIST RECRUCIFIED 292 CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: THE FRATRICIDES 328 CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: KOUROS 356 CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS: KAZANTZAKIS'S FINAL PLAY 363 CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: O KAPETAN MIHALIS: AN EPIC MANQUE 372 CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: KAZANTZAKIS'S LONG APPRENTICESHIP TO CHRISTIAN THEMES 394 CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: THE LAST TEMPTATION AS A RELIGIOUS NOVEL 428 CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: IS THE LAST TEMPTATION A RELIGIOUS NOVEL OR A POLITICAL NOVEL? 442 CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: KAZANTZAKIS'S META-CHRISTIAN SAINT FRANCIS AS A MODEL OF SOUL-FORCE CREATING HIS OWN FATE 453 CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: REPORT TO GRECO 524 APPENDIX. KAZANTZAKIS AND WOMEN 547 Notes 551 Bibliography 583 Index 603
£76.50
Princeton University Press Pollination and Floral Ecology
Book SynopsisCovers various aspects of pollination biology. This book describes how flowers use colors, shapes, and scents to advertise themselves; how they offer pollen and nectar as rewards; and, how they share complex interactions with beetles, birds, bats, bees, and other creatures. It also covers the ecology of these interactions.Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2011 "In this accessibly written reference, Willmer provides a thorough, up-to-date review of floral biology and pollination... This book is comprehensive and well written, combining informative text and many helpful in-text figures and tables with 39 beautiful color plates. Additionally, the book contains a complete reference section and a useful glossary, which increases the utility of this resource for students or practitioners of pollination ecology."--Choice "[Pollination and Floral Ecology] is a big book that I unhesitatingly consider a 'must-have' reference for anyone working in this field or thinking about entering it... For now, there is nothing like it."--James D. Thomson, Quarterly Review of Biology "[T]he book should largely be used as a reference book, which, again, can be used by those with any level of experience. It is inexpensive relative to the amount of material covered. I commend Willmer for the presumably massive undertaking of the compiling of this vast subject into this relatively small volume. Like other reference books, the material will not become obsolete for many years, and it should be the companion of any pollination ecologist entering the field."--Plant Science Bulletin "Pollination and Floral Ecology is the most comprehensive single-volume reference to all aspects of pollination biology and the first fully up-to-date resource of its kind to appear in decades."--World Book Industry "In Pollination and Floral Ecology Wilmer has certainly achieved her aim, and has provided us with a comprehensive, easy to read summary of the subject, providing somewhat of a one-stop shop for background information on pollination ecology. This book should be recommended as essential reading for any postgraduate or undergraduate working anywhere within the realm of pollination ecology, and will also be an indispensable reference tool for established pollination researchers and ecosystem managers around the world."--Tobias Smith, Austral EcologyTable of ContentsPreface vii Acknowledgments ix Part I: Essentials of Flower Design and Function Chapter 1 Why Pollination Is Interesting 3 Chapter 2 Floral Design and Function 11 Chapter 3 Pollination, Mating, and Reproduction in Plants 55 Chapter 4 Evolution of Flowers, Pollination, and Plant Diversity 88 Part II Floral Advertisements and Floral Rewards Chapter 5 Advertisements 1: Visual Signals and Floral Color 105 Chapter 6 Advertisements 2: Olfactory Signals 134 Chapter 7 Rewards 1: The Biology of Pollen 154 Chapter 8 Rewards 2: The Biology of Nectar 190 Chapter 9 Other Floral Rewards 221 Chapter 10 Rewards and Costs: The Environmental Economics of Pollination 234 Part III Pollination Syndromes? Chapter 11 Types of Flower Visitors: Syndromes, Constancy, and Effectiveness 261 Chapter 12 Generalist Flowers and Generalist Visitors 288 Chapter 13 Pollination by Flies 304 Chapter 14 Pollination by Butterflies and Moths 322 Chapter 15 Pollination by Birds 337 Chapter 16 Pollination by Bats 356 Chapter 17 Pollination by Nonflying Vertebrates and Other Oddities 370 Chapter 18 Pollination by Bees 378 Chapter 19 Wind and Water: Abiotic Pollination 418 Chapter 20 Syndromes and Webs: Specialists and Generalists 434 Part IV Floral Ecology Chapter 21 The Timing and Patterning of Flowering 483 Chapter 22 Living with Other Flowers: Competition and Pollination Ecology 503 Chapter 23 Cheating by Flowers: Cheating the Visitors and Cheating Other Flowers 524 Chapter 24 Flower Visitors as Cheats and the Plants' Responses 542 Chapter 25 The Interactions of Pollination and Herbivory 554 Chapter 26 Pollination Using Florivores: From Brood Site Mutualism to Active Pollination 565 Chapter 27 Pollination in Different Habitats 575 Chapter 28 The Pollination of Crops 605 Chapter 29 The Global Pollination Crisis 620 Appendix 639 Glossary 643 References 663 Subject Index 751 Index of Animal Genera 768 Index of Plant Genera 771
£98.10
Princeton University Press Kazantzakis Volume 1 Politics of the Spirit
Book SynopsisA biography of Nikos Kazantzakis. It describes his struggle with political questions that were in reality aspects of a fervent religious search. It features his experiments with communism in turbulent Greece, his visits to Soviet Russia, and the publication of his epic "Odyssey" in 1938.Trade Review"Bien is arguably the best, and beyond a doubt most learned, exponent of modern Greek literature writing in English today."--Peter Green, New Republic "Splendidly produced, properly documented, with a rich international bibliography and an index of names and titles plus a detailed chronology, Kazantzakis: Politics of the Spirit vindicates the claim made in its title and impresses scholars and admirers of the phenomenon called Nikos Kazantzakis."--M. Byron Raizis, World Literature TodayTable of Contents*Frontmatter, pg. i*Contents, pg. v*Preface to the paperback edition, pg. vii*Preface, pg. ix*A note on documentation and transliteration, pg. xiii*List of works, pg. xv*Chronology, pg. xix*Chapter One. Why Kazantzakis is not a political writer, pg. 1*Chapter Two. Philosophical studies in Paris, pg. 23*Chapter Three. Development of Kazantzakis's (meta-)communism, pg. 55*Chapter Four. The Iraklion incident and the Odyssey's first draft, pg. 79*Chapter Five. Russia, pg. 99*Chapter Six. Toda-Raba and the waning of Kazantzakis's communism, pg. 157*Chapter Seven. Aesthetic freedom, pg. 185*Chapter Eight. Odyssey, pg. 191*Notes, pg. 241*References, pg. 287*Index, pg. 311
£33.25
Princeton University Press Adaptive Diversification
Book SynopsisInvestigates adaptive diversification using the mathematical framework of adaptive dynamics. Showing that frequency-dependent interactions are an important driver of biological diversity, this book provides a comprehensive theoretical treatment of adaptive diversification.Trade Review"[T]his is a timely, useful study that should inspire and equip young theoreticians to indentify and explore the important unanswered questions in adaptive diversification."--Graeme Ruxton, Quarterly Review of BiologyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments xi Chapter 1. Introduction 1 Chapter 2. Evolutionary Branching in a Classical Model for Sympatric Speciation 9 Chapter 3. Adaptive Diversification Due to Resource Competition in Asexual Models 38 3.1 Adaptive dynamics with symmetric competition kernels 50 3.2 Adaptive dynamics with asymmetric competition kernels 64 Chapter 4. Adaptive Diversification Due to Resource Competition in Sexual Models 74 4.1 Evolutionary branching in sexual populations when assortative mating is based on the ecological trait (one-allele models) 82 4.2 Evolution of assortative mating 90 4.3 Evolutionary branching in sexual populations when assortative mating is not based on the ecological trait (two-allele models) 100 4.4 A footnote on adaptive speciation due to sexual selection 110 Chapter 5. Adaptive Diversification Due to Predator-Prey Interactions 113 5.1 Adaptive diversification in classical predator-prey models 114 5.2 An example of evolutionary branching in host-pathogen models 132 Chapter 6. Adaptive Diversification Due to Cooperative Interactions 139 6.1 Diversification in models for intraspecific cooperation 139 6.2 Diversification in coevolutionary models of cooperation 148 Chapter 7. More Examples: Adaptive Diversification in Dispersal Rates, the Evolution of Anisogamy, and the Evolution of Trophic Preference 163 7.1 Diversification in dispersal rates 163 7.2 Diversification in gamete size: evolution of anisogamy 180 7.3 Diversification in trophic preference: evolution of complexity in ecosystems 189 Chapter 8. Cultural Evolution: Adaptive Diversification in Language and Religion 195 8.1 Diversification of languages 197 8.2 Diversification of religions 200 Chapter 9. Adaptive Diversification and Speciation as Pattern Formation in Partial Differential Equation Models 217 9.1 Partial differential equation models for adaptive diversification due to resource competition 218 9.2 Partial differential equation models for predator-prey interactions 236 9.3 Partial differential equation models for adaptive diversification in spatially structured populations 242 9.4 A general theory of diversification in partial differential equation models 258 Chapter 10. Experimental Evolution of Adaptive Diversification in Microbes 262 Appendix: Basic Concepts in Adaptive Dynamics 279 Bibliography 306 Index 323
£52.20
Princeton University Press Biodemography
Book SynopsisTrade Review"An accessible and practical overview of the demographic approaches that may offer insights into a range of important biological questions."---Marlène Gamelon and Hannah Froy, Trends in Ecology & Evolution"In their new book, [James R. Carey & Deborah A. Roach] provide an excellent introduction to the concepts and methods that form the foundation of biodemography."---Marlène Gamelon and Hannah Froy, Trends in Ecology & Evolution"Biodemography deserves to prove itself a useful resource for both those taking their first steps in biodemography as well as for more experienced researchers seeking to broaden their horizons or reference a single resource. . . . The success of the book is in relating those equations to modern life and, in doing so, describing how we might better understand the risks, challenges and opportunities of the ways in which populations change through time."---Thomas H. G. Ezard, Biometrical Journal"[An] excellent resource for demographers, population biologists, epidemiologists, and other professionals who study population-level outcomes."---K.R. Thompson, CHOICE
£55.25
Princeton University Press Better Birding
Book SynopsisBetter Birding reveals the techniques expert birders use to identify a wide array of bird species in the field--quickly and easily. Featuring hundreds of stunning photos and composite plates throughout, this book simplifies identification by organizing the birds you see into groupings and offering strategies specifically tailored to each group. SkiTrade ReviewOne of Audubon's 12 Best Bird Books of 2015 One of The London Free Press' "Great flock of birding books 2015" "[A] serious, immensely informative book... The book is like an expertly guided tour--one that visits wetlands, open country, waterways, forests, shores, and other habitats from Alaska and the Pacific coast to Florida's Dry Tortugas and the Gulf Stream waters off Cape Hatteras, making clear, along the way, what members of each group have in common and how they differ, and, indeed, why each bird is."--BirdWatching Magazine "This book, written by George Armistead and Brian Sullivan, is a refreshed approach to species identification. While most field guides focus primarily on plumage, this approach is 'wide angled' and more holistic with habitat, behavior, and other contextual elements coming into play."--London Free Press "The book covers some water birds and hawks, wrens, flycatchers, swifts and more, but wisely confines itself to groups of birds involving relatively few species. Each section includes numerous photographs and in some cases composite photo illustrations for comparisons. The accounts also include distribution maps."--Tom Palmer, Lakeland Ledger "It comes as no surprise that Better Birding is unashamedly directed towards a North American audience. Yet because the book is devoted to better ID techniques of bird families shared across the Northern Hemisphere or vagrant species which show up on either side of the Atlantic Ocean, many of the chapters contain pages of undoubted interest to a UK audience... The authors should be congratulated in sticking to their chosen parameters and not falling into the trap of producing yet another full field guide to North American birds but instead focusing on/singling out a number of bird groups worthy of special mention."--Another Bird Blog "The first 27 pages of Better Birding should be required reading for students of Birding 101... The writing is clear, concise, and witty when it needs to be. The photographs couldn't be any better. In short, I can't think of a good reason not to have this book."--Kirby Adams, National Parks Traveler "An excellent book... Sullivan and Armistead are two of the best birders in the country, each advancing the ways we understand and enjoy birds... The introductory material ... is particularly strong... The book is richly illustrated with stunning photographs accompanied by concise and informative captions."--Christopher Wood, Program Leader for ebird at Cornell Lab of Ornithology "The writing is ... accessible but full of new observations about birds whose identification I haven't thought about thoroughly or critically enough in many cases... This latest addition to the arsenal combines not just the finer points of identification (many of these original or obscure) but also a fresh way to look at some really wonderful sets of birds... The approach is a holistic one, a very fresh and modern one, and it's the closest book I've seen that hints at how hardcore birders approach a day's birding in terms of hopes and expectations as well as identifications. In the end, it's the sharp photography that sells this book. Mouthwatering images."--Edward S. Brinkley, author of National Wildlife Federation Guide to Birds of North America "This book is extremely well conceptualized. As you read the text it becomes obvious it is written by two experts in the field, and the plates showing side-by-side comparisons of similar-looking species are brilliantly laid out. Since I am a raptor enthusiast, I read the accipiter section first, and was impressed with the level of detail geared towards field ID written in an easy to understand way!"--Jerry Liguori, author of Hawks from Every Angle and Hawks at a Distance "Better Birding ... fills a niche, presenting detailed discussions of bird groups that are not 'sexy' enough to have their own guides, often falling through the cracks of avian publishing, but which pose identification puzzles in the field for even the most experienced birders... The writing style is friendly, expansive, scientifically informed, and draws distinctive pictures of each species."--Donna Schulman, 10,000 Birds blog "Want to be a real birder but don't know how to sharpen your skills? This book will teach you how to identify birds with ease and speed. George Armistead and Brian Sullivan share expert techniques for ID-ing different groups of birds. The book also shows how habitat and behavior can be used as crucial tools for birding."--Emily Silber, Audubon.com "I'm hoping there's a sequel... The writing is clear, concise, and witty when it needs to be. The photographs couldn't be any better. In short, I can't think of a good reason not to have this book."--Kirby Adams, National Parks Traveler "The very readable text is dense and replete with species information and advice on what one can see by taking a wider perspective while birding... [T]his is a well-produced reference for the novice and expert birder alike."--Booklist "So will Better Birding actually help you to be a better birder? Yes, it certainly can. Intermediate birders, especially, will find it extremely useful. And anyone, experts included, should get it if it covers a group you'd like help with."--Birders Library blog "Crisp photography, with side-by-side composite comparisons of similar species accompany detailed, easy-to-read text. The hundreds of photos are nearly worth the price of the book on their own. Above all, Better Birding was a fun read. Engaging, text hits the mark of being specific, but not overly technical. Photos bring birds to life, and show salient identification points described in the text."--Carolina Bird Club Newsletter "Better Birding provides readers with the ability to confidently identify what they are see. Through clear descriptions and by presenting each bird with a history, learning about them through their life story makes the study enjoyable. Better Birding inspires us to make sound identification through the clarity of its descriptions and compelling profiles. This book makes keeping my resolution to be a better birder something I know I can do in the year ahead."--Constantly Explore blog "Providing a foundation to improve readers' birdwatching abilities, the authors furthermore explain why birding is cool. Recommended for all readers who wish to become better birders."--Library Journal "Before I go any further let me mention the gorgeous photographs in this book (e.g. check out the breeding plumage Pacific Loon on page 28. Wow!). As a person who loves to look at beautiful birds, I enjoy this element of the book greatly. If you do nothing else but read the Introduction to tile book, you will learn things to help you identify more birds."--William Saur, The Passionate Birder Blog "Aimed at advanced birders, the book offers new ways to think about identifying selected groups of species... This is a lovely book; it is profusely illustrated with color photographs, a number of which show various views of similar bird species in flight on two-page spreads."--Choice "The authors have written a book that provides a new avenue of exploration for the fine-tuning of our birding skills... A valuable addition to the library of the birder, ornithologist, and natural history student."--Howard O. Clark, Jr., Western North American Naturalist "I have read the volume with an appetite I can't quite satisfy. Tips and techniques to becoming a better birder abound as photos and text combine to paint clear pictures of what it takes to improve your birding skills. A great read full of great info!"--North Durham Nature Newsletter "This richly illustrated volume provides numerous insights into enhancing one's experience of birding... Any library with readers interested in birds and birding should certainly acquire this volume, priced incredibly low for a work full of color photography. Academic libraries supporting programs in zoology or ornithology should also consider it."--Mark Schumacher, ARBATable of ContentsAcknowledgments 8 Introduction 10 Wide-Angle Birding: Be the Bird, See the Bird 11 Becoming a "Good Birder": Understanding the Basics 12 Birding Mentors 26 Why Birding Is Cool 26 Waterbirds Loons 29 Swans 45 Mallard and Monochromatic "Mallards" 57 White Herons 69 Coastal Birds Eiders 83 Brachyramphus Murrelets 93 Pacific Cormorants 103 Seabirds Sulids: Northern Gannet and Boobies 115 Tropical Terns 129 Atlantic Gadflies 137 Large Shorebirds Curlews 149 Godwits 161 Skulkers Marsh Sparrows 175 Small Wrens (Troglodytes and Cistothorus) 187 Birds of Forest and Edge Accipiters 199 American Rosefinches 211 Aerial Insectivores Swifts 221 Night Birds Screech-Owls: An "Otus" and the Megascops 231 Nighthawks 241 Open-Country Birds Yellow-bellied Kingbirds 253 Black Corvids: Crows and Ravens 265 Pipits 281 Longspurs 293 Cowbirds 303 Index 312
£25.20
Princeton University Press Mutualistic Networks
Book SynopsisMutualistic interactions among plants and animals have played a paramount role in shaping biodiversity. Making a case for why we should care about mutualisms and their complex networks, this book offers a perspective on the study and synthesis of this growing area for ecologists and evolutionary biologists.Trade ReviewWinner of the 2016 BES Marsh Christian Trust Book Award, British Ecological Association "[A]ll ecologists will benefit from reading [Mutualistic Networks], giving this audience a better understanding of the network perspective on mutualism."--Choice "Making a case for why we should care about mutualisms and their complex networks, this book offers a new perspective on the study and synthesis of this growing area for ecologists and evolutionary biologists. It will serve as the standard reference for any future work on mutualistic interactions in biological communities."--Biotechnology, Agronomy, Society and Environment "Mutualistic Networks is a book that presents a highly dynamic field in its entire breadth and historic development. [A]nyone interested in a passionate layout of a multifaceted and ecologically exciting research area will want to read it."--Carsten F. Dormann, Basic and Applied Ecology "[T]his excellent and unique book provides novel insights into ecological and coevolutionary dynamics of interacting species."--Wesley Dattilo, Journal of Complex Networks "Bascompte and Jordano ... logically and thoroughly guide the reader through the theories and tools used to understand, and the importance of understanding, the complexity of mutualistic networks."--Luke S. O'Loughlin, Austral EcologyTable of ContentsPreface xi Chapter 1. Biodiversity and Plant-Animal Coevolution 1 Historical Overview 1 A Bit of Natural History 6 Coevolution in Multispecific Mutualisms 12 Summary 14 Chapter 2. An Introduction to Complex Networks 15 A Network Approach to Complex Systems 17 Measures of Network Structure 21 Models of Network Buildup 31 Ecological Networks 32 Summary 41 Chapter 3. The Structure of Plant-Animal Mutualistic Networks 42 Degree Distribution 42 Nestedness 44 Small World 48 Modularity 50 Weighted Networks 54 Comparisons with other Ecological Networks 60 Summary 62 Chapter 4. Ecological and Evolutionary Mechanisms 64 Single Ecological Traits 67 Phylogenetic Effects 77 Summary 85 Chapter 5. Mutualistic Networks in Time and Space 87 Network Dynamics 88 Spatial Mosaics 98 Sampling and Robustness 102 Summary 106 Chapter 6. Consequences of Network Structure 107 Coextinction Cascades 108 Dynamic Stability 113 Global Change and Mutualistic Networks 120 Coevolutionary Implications 126 Implications for Nonbiological Systems 132 Summary 134 Chapter 7. Epilogue 136 Appendix A. Indices Used in Mutualistic Network Analyses 139 Appendix B. Fitting Degree Distributions 143 Appendix C. Measures of Nestedness 147 Appendix D. Measures of Modularity 150 Appendix E. Phylogenetic Methods and Network Analysis 154 Appendix F. Null Models for Assessing Network Structure 160 Appendix G. An Analytical Theory of Mutualistic Networks 167 Fixed Points and Local Stability 167 Effects of Network Structure on Competition and Biodiversity 169 Appendix H. Software for the Analysis of Complex Networks 175 Bibliography 179 Index 201
£40.50
Princeton University Press A Photographic Guide to Seashore Life in the
Book SynopsisThe tides of the North Atlantic are the world's highest, and they reveal a world of amazing seashore life - from jellies and sea anemones, to clams and crabs, to seaweeds and lichens. With some 300 color photographs and descriptions, this guide helps to identify Atlantic seashore life from Canada to Cape Cod.Trade Review"Biologist, writer, and photographer Sept has authored an excellent book that details various organisms inhabiting the northeastern coast of North America. The introduction, written in an easy-to-understand language, describes tides and their formation, various intertidal habitats including sand beaches, mud flats, rocky shores, intertidal zones, and microhabitats... Excellent black-and-white illustrations of common animals for identification add to the allure. This book will serve as a valuable guide to any person visiting a beach or students and scientists in the field looking to identify common organisms on the beach."--A.K. Volety, Choice "This is an elegantly simple and very nicely produced book that will be widely appreciated and used by shoreline ecologists and serious beach-combers interested in the fauna and flora of the Northern Atlantic coastline from Cape Cod to the Canadian Maritimes... This is a publication that all North Atlantic beachcombers will want to own."--Mark Bertness, Quarterly Review of Biology "For $20 this book is a great buy. Useful and useable, it will be an asset to any naturalist who wants to understand shore life in full."--Roy John, Canadian Field-NaturalistTable of ContentsINTRODUCTION 10 Understanding Tides 11 Understanding Intertidal Habitats 15 Sand Beaches 16 Mud Flats 16 Rocky Shores 16 Intertidal Zones 17 Micro-habitats 19 Harvesting Shellfish 19 Protecting Our Marine Resources 21 Observing Intertidal Life 21 A Note of Caution 21 The Scientific Classification of Living Things 22 Getting the Most out of This Guide 24 INTERTIDAL CREATURES KINGDOM Animalia Sponges PHYLUM Porifera 26 Sea Anemones, Jellies, and Allies PHYLUM Cnidaria 30 Comb Jellies PHYLUM Ctenophora 40 Marine Worms PHYLA Platyhelminthes, Nemertea, Annelida, and Echiura 43 Moss Animals PHYLUM Bryozoa 57 Molluscs PHYLUM Mollusca 60 Arthropods PHYLUM Arthropoda 110 Spiny-skinned Animals PHYLUM Echinodermata 128 Tunicates (Non-vertebrate Cordates) PHYLUM Chordata 138 Fishes (Vertebrate Cordates) PHYLUM Chordata 142 INTERTIDAL PLANTS & FUNGI KINGDOMS Plantae & Fungi Green Algae PHYLUM Chlorophyta 147 Brown Algae PHYLUM Ochrophyta 153 Red Algae PHYLUM Rhodophyta 163 Flowering Plants PHYLUM Anthophyta 173 Lichens PHYLUM Ascomycotina 177 SELECTED SITES FOR EXPLORATION 181 Map of the Atlantic Northeast 182 Nova Scotia 183 Prince Edward Island 186 New Brunswick 187 Newfoundland, and Labrador 190 Maine 191 New Hampshire 195 Massachusetts 196 SELECTED REFERENCES 200 GLOSSARY 202 ILLLUSTRATIONS FOR IDENTIFICATION 205 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 213 INDEX 214
£15.29
Princeton University Press Food Webs
Book SynopsisArguing that various classical food web theories can be looked at collectively and in a consistent and testable way, this book synthesizes modern and classical perspectives into a general unified theory. It brings together outcomes from population, community, and ecosystem-level approaches under the common currency of energy or material fluxes.Trade Review"This is a must-read for ecologists interested in ecosystem dynamics."--Choice "This is potentially an indispensable book for ecologists and paleoecologists alike, synthesizing food-web theory and outcomes from population-level up to whole-ecosystem-level approaches. McCann offers clear explanations of the dynamics of food webs using a mathematical approach, and while the book will be of particular use to graduate students, it may also be of substantial use to undergraduate students as an advanced but very thorough introduction to the subject."--Jo Hellawell, Priscum "Food Webs is an imaginative but very concise book in terms of methodology and selection of concepts. It is extremely coherent, though some may think extremely selective in the models and concepts used. But to build a food web theory across different scales of organization, from single populations to real multispecies interaction networks, this selectivity is needed, and the unifying concept of stability makes it fascinating."--Jose M. Montoya, Ecology "[T]his is a very exciting book that communicates theoretical concepts to a broad ecological audience. In addition, the overview over the countless seminal studies by McCann and co-workers make this book unique and a highly recommended read for all ecologists."--Ulrich Brose, Basic & Applied EcologyTable of ContentsPreface xi Part 1: THE PROBLEM AND THE APPROACH Chapter 1. The Balance of Nature: What Is It and Why Care? 3 1.1 Balancing a Noisy System 3 1.2 Ecosystem Stability and Sustainability 6 1.3 Of Food Webs, Stability, and Function 9 1.4 Ecological Instability and Collapse 10 1.5 A Theory for Food Webs 17 Chapter 2. A Primer for Dynamical Systems 20 2.1 Qualitative Approaches to Complex Problems 20 2.2 Dynamical Systems 22 2.3 Case Study: Hopf Bifurcation in an Aquatic Microcosm 42 2.4 Summary of Key Points 45 Chapter 3. Of Modules, Motifs, and Whole Webs 47 Part 2: FOOD WEB MODULES: FROM POPULATIONS TO SMALL FOOD WEBS Chapter 4. Excitable and Nonexcitable Population Dynamics 53 4.1 Continuous Resource Dynamics 53 4.2 From Nonexcitable to Excitable Population Dynamics 56 4.3 Stage-Structured Resource Dynamics 61 4.4 Empirical Evidence for Excitable Dynamics 63 4.5 Summary: The Dual Nature of Population Growth Rates 65 Chapter 5. Consumer-Resource Dynamics: Building Consumptive Food Webs 67 5.1 Interaction Strength 67 5.2 Consumer-Resource Interactions: Two Qualitative Responses to Changes in a Parameter 71 5.3 Summary 79 5.4 Further Assumptions about the C-R Model 80 5.5 Some Nonequilibrium Thoughts 83 5.6 C-R Dynamics in Nature 84 5.7 Summary 88 Chapter 6. Lagged Consumer-Resource Dynamics 89 6.1 Discrete Consumer-Resource Interactions 90 6.2 Stage-Structured Consumer-Resource Dynamics 94 6.3 Stage-Structured Interactions and Alternative States 97 6.4 Empirical Results 100 6.5 Summary 101 Chapter 7. Food Chains and Omnivory 103 7.1 A Familiar Modular Example: Food Chains 105 7.2 Omnivory 110 7.3 Stage Structure and Food Chain Stability 116 7.4 Empirical Results 118 7.5 Summary 121 Chapter 8. More Modules 123 8.1 Generalists and Food Web Dynamics 123 8.2 The Diamond and the Intraguild Predator 132 8.3 Empirical Results 137 8.4 Summary 140 Part 3: TOWARD WHOLE SYSTEMS Chapter 9. Coupling Modules in Space: A Landscape Theory 145 9.1 Variability, Space, and Food Webs 145 9.2 Individual Traits and a Landscape-Scale Module 147 9.3 Mobile Adaptive Consumers 151 9.4 Food Webs in Space 155 9.5 Asymmetric Flux Rates through Food Webs 160 9.6 Dynamical Implications on the Landscape 162 9.7 Empirical Evidence 164 9.8 Summary 169 Chapter 10. Classic Food Web Theory 170 10.1 The Classic Approach 170 10.2 Matrices and Local Stability 172 10.3 Gershgorin Discs for Community Matrices: An Intuitive Approach to Eigenvalues 172 10.4 A Controlled Approach to Food Web Matrices 175 10.5 Some Classic Whole-Matrix Results 178 10.6 Recent Whole Community Approaches 184 10.7 Summary 188 Chapter 11. Adding the Ecosystem 189 11.1 Grazing Food Webs and Whole Ecosystems 189 11.2 The N-R-D Module 192 11.3 Detritus and C-R Interactions 194 11.4 Nonequilibrium Dynamics and Detritus as a Distributor 197 11.5 Discussion 199 11.6 Summary 199 Chapter 12. Food Webs as Complex Adaptive Systems 201 12.1 Searching for Empirical Signatures 201 12.2 Adaptive Behavior, Changing Food Web Topology, and Ecosystem Size 202 12.3 Empirical Results for Canadian Shield Lake Ecosystems 206 12.4 Subsidies, Opportunists, and Homogenization 213 12.5 Humans in the Food Web 215 Bibliography 219 Index 235
£49.50
Princeton University Press Conus of the Southeastern United States and
Book SynopsisConus is the largest genus of animals in the sea, occurring throughout the world's tropical and subtropical oceans and contributing significantly to marine biodiversity. This title identifies 53 valid species of the southeastern United States and the Caribbean, a region that supports a diverse but taxonomically challenging group of Conus.Trade Review"The comprehensive and clearly written species accounts, ranging from two to seven pages in length, occupy the bulk of the book. The volume is lavishly illustrated with 2,000-plus photos, presenting multiple images showing the variation of shapes and colors within each species. A valuable resource for anyone interested in cone shells in general and the mollusks of the tropical western Atlantic Ocean."--Choice "Conus is for the serious naturalist and a must for the hard-core beachcomber. Kohn, a foremost authority on cone snails, displays his scholarship on every page, with 2,100 mesmerizing color shell photographs of these fascinating gastropods."--Bill Cannon, Scientist's Bookshelf "This is a beautifully written and illustrated book that details the taxonomy and phylogenetic relationships of western Atlantic Conus... The author, Alan J. Kohn, is widely recognized as the world's premier scientific authority on the Conidae. Here, he has poured his deep passion for his subject into a scientific and technical masterpiece."--Steven Tettelbach, East Coast Shellfish Growers AssociationTable of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xi Introduction 1 Abbreviations Used in the Text 7 1 Setting the Stage: Approaches 9 2 Setting the Stage: The Geological Theater and the Evolutionary Play 18 3 This Book and How to Use it 32 4 Behind the Scenes: Technical Aids to the Species Accounts 44 5 Species Accounts 56 Conus granulatus Linnaeus 56 Conus glenni Petuch 62 Conus ritae Petuch 64 Conus jaspideus Gmelin 67 Conus pealii Green 74 Conus stearnsii Conrad 80 Conus pusio Hwass in Bruguiere 84 Conus mindanus Hwass in Bruguiere 89 Conus bahamensis Vink and Rockel 95 Conus puncticulatus Hwass in Bruguiere 97 Conus mazei Deshayes 106 Conus rainesae McGinty 114 Conus janowskyae (Tucker and Tenorio) 117 Conus armiger Crosse 120 Conus sauros Garcia 126 Conus lenhilli Cargile 129 Conus delessertii Recluz 130 Conus centurio Born 137 Conus cedonulli Linnaeus 146 Conus pseudaurantius Vink and von Cosel 156 Conus aurantius Hwass in Bruguiere 160 Conus mappa [Lightfoot] 164 Conus curassaviensis Bruguiere 174 Conus regius Gmelin 178 Conus cardinalis Hwass in Bruguiere 188 Conus arangoi Sarasua 204 Conus explorator Vink 206 Conus hieroglyphus Duclos 209 Conus ziczac Megerle von Muhlfeld 212 Conus sahlbergi da Motta and Harland 217 Conus daucus Hwass in Bruguiere 226 Conus amphiurgus Dall 239 Conus sanderi Wils and Moolenbeek 250 Conus eversoni Petuch 255 C. ceruttii Cargile 257 Conus ignotus Cargile 260 Conus cancellatus Hwass in Bruguiere 264 Conus stimpsoni Dall 274 Conus villepinii Fischer and Bernardi 281 Conus attenuatus Reeve 288 Conus flavescens Sowerby I 296 Conus cingulatus Lamarck 302 Conus largillierti Kiener 306 Conus anabathrum Crosse 312 Conus gibsonsmithorum Petuch 324 Conus garciai da Motta 329 Conus harlandi Petuch 334 Conus sunderlandi Petuch 340 Conus spurius Gmelin 345 Conus mus Hwass in Bruguiere 358 Conus patae Abbott 363 Conus ermineus Born 367 Conus lightbourni Petuch 379 Nomina dubia 382 6 Synthesis and Conclusions 395 Appendix 1. Molecular Phylogeny of Conus 419 Appendix 2. Morphology-Based Phylogeny of Conus 422 General Glossary 425 Bibliography 431 Index of Species-group Names 449 General Index 453
£92.65
Princeton University Press Forms of Becoming
Book SynopsisWhat comes first, form or function? Trumpeted as the future of biological science, evolutionary developmental biology (or 'evo-devo') answers this question by showing how evolution controls the development of organisms. This book looks at the history and key issues of evo-devo. It focuses on the ways animal organisms evolve through competition.Trade Review"Minelli provides his distinctive perspective of the field of evolutionary developmental biology. Whether or not readers agree with himon specific points, he raisesmany interesting questions that might well be fuel for long discussions on a summer evening. Overall, this book is stimulating reading and will provide much food for thought."--Christian Peter Klingenberg, Trends in Ecology and Evolution "I enjoyed reading Forms of Becoming. It added depth to my knowledge of the historical background of comparative morphological studies, and it regrounded my appreciation of the diversity of evolutionary modifications in development across animals. I recommend this book as entry-level reading for non-'evo-devo' folks as well as the many developmental and evolutionary biologists whose research involves phenotype. I also recommend this thought-provoking book to graduate students... In summary, Minelli promotes an integrative view that is timely and immensely valuable."--Paula Mabee, BioScience "This book is a fascinating reading. It will appeal to anyone that has an interest in animal form and development, and also in genetics."--Evelyne Bremond-Hoslet, MammaliaTable of ContentsPreface ix Part One: Forms and Numbers Chapter 1: Unity in Diversity 3 Two Skeletons 3 Clashes at the Museum 5 Squid and Vertebrate 7 Topsy-turvy 9 Chapter 2: Archetypes 11 The Primeval Plant 11 A Skeleton for Everyone 14 An Exemplary Crayfi sh 16 Chapter 3: Easy Numbers, Forbidden Numbers 18 The Scolopendra's Legs 18 The Nonexistent Variant 22 The Leech's Segments 23 Unexpected Arithmetic 24 The Giraffe's Neck 28 Indirect Effects 29 On the Fingers of One Hand 32 Number and Position 35 Chapter 4: Privileged Genes 38 Unity of Body Plan 38 The Universal Appendage 42 The Zootype 45 Position and Structure 48 "Master Control Genes" 50 Networks 53 Part Two: Constructing Form Chapter 5: Evolution and Development 59 Genes and Determinism 59 Possible Butterfl ies, Real Butterflies 63 Evo-devo 65 Chapter 6: The Logic of Development 68 From Mechanics to Molecules 68 The Lawfulness of "Monsters" 70 A Worm Enters the Scene 72 A Mosaic, or Perhaps Not 75 One Model, Several Models 76 The Adult's Questionable Uniqueness 77 Boxed Generations 78 According to Program 80 Cuticle, Cuticles 81 Cilia and Mitosis 86 Taking Development Seriously 89 Ontogeny and Phylogeny 90 Chapter 7: Paradigm Shifts 94 Science and Language 94 Gene, Genes 95 Busillis 97 Tissues 99 More on Segments 101 Origin, Form, and Function 103 Parallel Worksites 105 What Do We Start From? 107 Which Adult? 109 Siamese Twins and Corals 111 Spare Parts 113 Chapter 8: Comparisons 117 Horns and Antlers 117 Homology 119 One Gene, Several Effects 121 Ars Combinatoria 123 The Limits of Hierarchies 125 Organs, Only When All Is Done 127 Structures, Processes, and Developmental Stages 129 Chapter 9: The Body's Syntax 132 From Tip to Toe 132 The Dual Animal 134 The Sea Urchin 136 The Tapeworm 137 Part Three: Origins Chapter 10: Competition or Cooperation? 145 Apologues and Metaphors 145 The Species: From Inside and from Outside 146 Butterfl ies and Sea Urchins 148 Parasitoids 150 Throw-Away Larvae 150 Competition between Equals, or Not Quite 154 Germ and Soma 158 Authorized Competition among Equals 161 A Virtual Mouth 163 Embryonic Leafl ets 165 Who Is Winning? 167 One Egg, Several Embryos 169 Two Twins, or Rather One 170 Identical Twins, or Maybe Not 171 The Pupa's Balance Sheet 175 Competition and Cooperation: Two Sides of the Same Coin 177 Everything Small 178 Development in Stages 180 Chapter 11: Making and Remaking 183 Many and All Equal, or Few and Different 183 A Product of Factors 186 Calculations without Error 189 Broken Chains 194 Co-option 196 Buds and Appendages 197 Chapter 12: Innovations without Plans 201 Regularity without a Program 201 Inexpensive Symmetry 201 Breaks in Symmetry 204 The Origin of Evolutionary Novelties 205 Modules 208 A Glance at the Clock 209 Epilogue 211 Recommended Readings 215 Index 221
£31.50
Princeton University Press Physiological Adaptations for Breeding in Birds
Book SynopsisOffers comprehensive account of research on avian reproduction. This book investigates the physiological, metabolic, energetic, and hormonal mechanisms that underpin individual variation in the key female-specific reproductive traits and the trade-offs between these traits that determine variation in fitness.Trade Review"This important book comes from one of the leaders in the field of reproductive physiology. It will be of value to anyone interested in the physiology of birds from an evolutionary perspective."--Joseph B. Williams, Ohio State University "With exceptional writing, this timely and well-researched book thoroughly synthesizes what is known about the reproduction of birds. It will be required reading for students of the field for a long time to come."--Ignacio Moore, Virginia Tech "The book is clearly written, if highly technical, and is extremely detailed and painstakingly referenced. Those interested in reproductive biology will find it an invaluable resource."--Choice "[T]his book provides an engaging and wide-ranging discussion of physiological mechanisms of life-history traits, all the more invaluable in that no other work covers this subject in such detail."--Sacha Haywood, Ibis "I am considering buying six copies of Physiological Adaptations for Breeding in Birds--one for each of my graduate students and one for my post-doc--for their forthcoming birthdays. That way they will all have their copies for next fall's discussion class, 'Topics in physiology,' when we will read and discuss Tony Williams' excellent contribution to the field."--Stephan J. Schoech, EcologyTable of ContentsIllustrations ix Abbreviations xv Acknowledgments xvii Chapter 1. Introduction 1 1.1. Structure of the chapters 1 1.2. A primer on reproduction in female birds 3 1.3. Individual variation 4 1.4. What is not in this book? 5 1.5. Avian reproduction in a changing world 6 Chapter 2. The Hormonal and Physiological Control of Egg Production 8 2.1. Overview of the female reproductive system 9 2.1.1. Pre-vitellogenic follicle development 11 2.1.2. Rapid follicle growth (RFG) or rapid yolk development (RYD) 14 2.1.3. Vitellogenesis and lipoprotein metabolism 18 2.1.4. Mechanisms of receptor-mediated yolk uptake 23 2.2. Oviduct structure and function 25 2.3. Regulation of the timing of egg-laying (oviposition) 28 2.3.1. Follicle atresia and laying skips 32 2.4. Hormonal control of ovarian and oviduct function 33 2.4.1. The ovary 34 2.4.2. The oviduct 39 2.5. Hypothalamic and pituitary regulation of gonadal function 40 2.6. Hormonal integration of environmental information 43 2.6.1. Photoperiodic control of gonadal function 44 2.6.2. Supplemental, non-photoperiodic cues and ovarian function 48 2.7. Future research questions 50 Chapter 3. Timing of Breeding 52 3.1. Early-season events are critical in determining timing of breeding 54 3.2. Fitness consequences of timing decisions 56 3.3. Selection on timing of breeding 60 3.4. Constraint, individual optimization, and the search for mechanism 64 3.5. Sex-specific response mechanisms for timing of breeding 66 3.6. Physiological mechanisms associated with photoperiod (day length) as a proximate factor 71 3.6.1. Individual variation in photoperiodic response 72 3.6.2. Where would sex-specific photoperiodic response mechanisms reside? 76 3.7. Physiological mechanisms associated with temperature as a proximate factor 78 3.7.1. Temperature as a long-term "information" cue 78 3.7.2. Correlates of temperature as information cues 82 3.7.3. Possible "direct" effects of temperature on timing 83 3.7.4. Where would temperature response mechanisms reside? 87 3.8. Physiological mechanisms associated with food availability as a "proximate" factor 88 3.8.1. Argument 1: Food availability is a constraint because supplemental food advances the timing of laying 89 3.8.2. Argument 2: Food availability must be a constraint because egg production is energetically expensive 90 3.8.3. Argument 3: Food availability is a constraint because pre-breeding "body condition" determines laying date 91 3.8.4. Where would food (resource) response mechanisms reside? 92 3.9. Conclusion 97 3.10. Future research questions 99 Chapter 4. Egg Size and Egg Quality 100 4.1. Individual variation in egg size 100 4.2. Fitness consequences of variation in egg size 106 4.2.1. Egg-size-clutch- size trade-offs and fecundity costs of large egg size 113 4.3. Selection on egg size 117 4.4. Variation in egg composition or egg quality 118 4.4.1. Egg macronutrient composition 118 4.4.2. Yolk hormones 121 4.4.3. Egg immunoglobulins and antimicrobial proteins 127 4.4.4. Egg antioxidants 130 4.5. Physiological mechanisms underlying individual variation in egg size and egg quality 133 4.5.1. Mechanisms regulating egg size and egg-size- dependent egg quality 133 4.5.2. Mechanisms underlying egg-size-independent variation in egg quality 143 4.6. Variation in the primary sex ratio and sex-specific follicle development 146 4.7. Extreme flexibility in reproductive investment: The house finch 150 4.8. Conclusions 151 4.9. Future research questions 153 Chapter 5. Clutch Size 155 5.1. Individual variation in clutch size and clutch number 155 5.2. Why does clutch size vary among individuals? 160 5.2.1. Chick-rearing ability and individual optimization of clutch size 161 5.2.2. Nest predation and clutch size 165 5.2.3. Embryo viability, incubation capacity, and clutch size 167 5.2.4. Constraints on egg production 170 5.3. Selection on clutch size 172 5.4. Physiological mechanisms of clutch-size determination 175 5.4.1. Determinate versus indeterminate laying 176 5.4.2. A general mechanistic model for control of clutch size in birds 177 5.4.3. Potential mechanisms for individual and date-independent variation in clutch size 185 5.4.5. Proximate constraints on clutch size: food availability and nutrient reserves 187 5.5. Conclusion 194 5.6. Future research questions 196 Chapter 6. Parental Care: Incubation and Chick-Rearing 198 6.1. Comparative aspects of variation in parental care 198 6.2. Individual variation in parental care 201 6.2.1. Incubation 201 6.2.2. Chick-rearing 204 6.3. Fitness consequences of individual variation in parental care 207 6.3.1. Incubation effort, constancy, and duration 208 6.3.2. Short-term effects of incubation effort 209 6.3.3. Long-term effects of incubation effort 210 6.3.4. Chick-rearing, provisioning effort, and nestling productivity 212 6.3.5. Short-term effects of variation in chick-rearing effort 213 6.3.6. Long-term effects of variation in chick-rearing effort 214 6.4. Physiological mechanisms underlying individual variation in parental care 217 6.4.1. Energetic costs of incubation 220 6.4.2. Energetic demands of chick-rearing 224 6.4.3. Nutritional demands of incubation and chick-rearing 224 6.4.4. Are there resource-allocation trade-offs during parental care? 228 6.5. Hormonal mechanisms underlying individual variation in parental care 231 6.5.1. Prolactin and parental care 232 6.5.2. Prolactin and individual variation in parental care 235 6.5.3. Corticosterone and breeding failure 237 6.5.4. Corticosterone and individual variation in parental care 238 6.6. Conclusions 243 6.7. Future research questions 245 Chapter 7. Trade-Offs and Carry-Over Effects 247 7.1. Carry-over effects between winter, the pre-breeding period, and reproduction 249 7.2. Costs of reproduction 251 7.3. Carry-over effects between reproduction and post-breeding life stages 254 7.3.1. Post-fledging parental care 254 7.3.2. Breeding-molt overlap 255 7.4. Physiological mechanisms underlying trade-offs and carry-over effects 260 7.5. Resources and resource-allocation mechanisms 263 7.6. Mechanisms arising from direct physiological or hormonal "conflict" between overlapping functions 268 7.7. "Integrated" physiological mechanisms and individual quality 273 7.7.1. Stress, allostasis, and reactive scope 274 7.7.2. Oxidative stress 277 7.7.3. Oxygen-transport systems, hematology, and anemia 281 7.8. Conclusion 290 7.9. Future research questions 291 Chapter 8. Conclusions 293 Bibliography 299 Index 361
£73.80
Princeton University Press Philosophy of Biology
Book SynopsisPresents an introduction to the philosophy of biology. Geared to philosophers, biologists, and students of both, this book provides sophisticated and coverage of the central topics and many of the developments in the field.Trade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2014 "Tracing the history of the great debates and ideas that punctuated this specialty, Peter Godfrey-Smith offers a clear and accessible introduction, which extends to the review of its current key issues. This book will interest course philosophers and biologists, but also sociologists and psychologists, as the issues come from classic biology and philosophy."--Romaric Jannel, Liens Socio "Peter Godfrey-Smith's Philosophy of Biology ... [is] a great way to get up to speed on all the issues that working biologists love to debate amongst themselves... [N]on-specialists should not be put off. Godfrey-Smith's style is engaging, almost conversational."--John Farrell, Forbes.com "Here, Godfrey-Smith, a prominent and prolific scholar working in the field, delivers an elegant and stimulating analysis of key areas in the life sciences where conceptual questions arise regularly... Godfrey-Smith provides an exemplar of expositional clarity and philosophical insight for those who would imitate his approach in these domains."--Choice "[O]ne of the very best textbooks in its field."--Brian Garvey, Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews "[A]lthough it is too brief to be the only text for any course, it would be a perfect addition to or foundation for the reading list for many. And no practicing biologist who reads it is likely to think her time was wasted."--W. Ford Doolittle, Current Biology "Philosophy of Biology can be recommended mainly as an excellent resource for teachers. They will find an up to date overview of important topics and can rely on the further reading sections to supplement this volume with additional material."--Christina Behme, Metapsychology "Philosophy of Biology is a valuable addition to the introductions already out there, and one that stands out in many ways."--Joeri Witteveen, History and Philosophy of Life SciencesTable of ContentsPreface ix CHAPTER ONE Philosophy and Biology 1 CHAPTER TWO Laws, Mechanisms, and Models 11 CHAPTER THREE Evolution and Natural Selection 28 CHAPTER FOUR Adaptation, Construction, Function 50 CHAPTER FIVE Individuals 66 CHAPTER SIX Genes 81 CHAPTER SEVEN Species and the Tree of Life 100 CHAPTER EIGHT Evolution and Social Behavior 120 CHAPTER NINE Information 144 References 159 Index 179
£28.50
Princeton University Press Natures Compass
Book SynopsisWe know that animals cross miles of water, land, and sky with pinpoint precision on a daily basis. But scientists have learned how these astounding feats of navigation are actually accomplished. This book explores the methods by which animals find their way both near home and around the globe.Trade ReviewLonglisted for the 2013 Society of Biology Book Awards in General Biology "Though animals are the book's stars, animal-navigation scientists come a close second. The innovation and sometimes pure cheek of experiments contrived to learn about nature's compasses are fun to read about."--Barbara J. King, Times Literary Supplement "What the Goulds have written is both an absorbing tale of biological discovery and a tantalizing scientific cliffhanger."--Laurence A. Marschall, Natural History "Nature's Compass provides a wonderful account of efforts to unravel the mysteries of animal migration. Effectively drawing on their own experiences and the extensive scientific literature in the field, the Goulds explain what we currently know about how animals locate their positions. Their survey also offers an accessible starting point for those who might wish to improve our understanding of the topic."--Homare Yamahachi, Science "James L. Gould and science writer Carol Gould explain the amazing ways in which animals orient themselves and make their way through the world. Scientist James details biology experiments that reveal how animals measure time, locate landmarks, and direct themselves across the globe, while writer Carol eloquently shows readers the beauty of the monarch butterfly's trip across the United States and into Mexico, the complex dance of honey bees, and homing pigeons' internal GPS system. Throughout the book, the authors combine their strengths to demonstrate both the scientific wonder and beauty of the internal compasses in animals. With an eye toward larger issues, the Goulds also examine the ways in which global warming and habitat destruction affect and endanger these magnificent and complex animals... Recommended."--Susan E. Brazer, Library Journal "Nature's Compass: The Mystery of Animal Navigation is an excellent resource for interested arm-chair ecologists and also undergraduate students who wish to understand the scientific history of analysis of how animal navigation occurs. At the same time, Nature's Compass: The Mystery of Animal Navigation is also an excellent book describing how sometimes it is difficult for Home sapiens to accept the cognitive intelligence and capacity of others who reside in our animal kingdom even when we are presented with the bare facts supporting these obvious assertions."--Gabriel Thoumi, MongaBay.com "Research on animal navigation sits at the interface of physics, biology, and many different cultures, and has seen many heated debates, past and present. Nature's Compass is an excellent introduction to the field and hopefully will serve as inspiration for new research... I found it enjoyable and would recommended it to anyone interested in the subject."--Anders Hedenstrom, Times Higher Education "This scholarly and engaging book is the first in more than twenty years to summarize for the layman the latest research on the wonders of animal navigation... Comprehensive and fascinating, the book cites extensive research, including a significant amount conducted by the authors themselves. While illuminating, the book also raises many questions that it cannot yet answer. We have much to learn from these wondrous creatures but, as this book makes clear, much of their mystery remains."--Kristen Rabe, Foreword Reviews "Nature's Compass is as much about navigation as it is about animals' abilities to navigate. Biologist James Gould and science writer Carol Gould fully describe the information needed for navigation, accurately pointing out that this applies equally to a diversity of organisms ranging from butterflies to humans. Their description serves the work well since readers gain an appreciation of the challenges and mysteries surrounding animal navigation... Overall, this is a fascinating treatment of animal navigation. Readers will gain insight into how animals manage to navigate in three dimensions, including a profound appreciation of their ability to 'solve' complex problems."--Choice "While this is certainly a book for birders, beekeepers, and lovers of the natural world, it's also a book for sailors, pilots, and anyone who has ever had trouble finding their car in the parking lot."--Susan Meadows, Santa Fe New Mexican "I found this to be an enjoyable and informative read. I would recommend it to any biologist interested in animal navigation and I would make it part of any curious student's reading list."--Verner P. Bingman, Quarterly Review of BiologyTable of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xiii 1 Navigating Problems and Strategies 1 2 When and Where 19 3 A Matter of Time 35 4 Insect Compasses 69 5 Vertebrate Compasses 117 6 Piloting and Inertial Navigation 155 7 The Map Sense 185 8 Migration and the Future: Conservation and Extinction 227 Bibliography 245 Illustration Credits 281 Index 289
£22.50
Princeton University Press Game Theory Evolving
Book SynopsisFocusing on evolutionary game theory, this textbook shows students how to apply game theory to model human behavior in ways that reflect the special nature of sociality and individuality. It also includes solutions to the problems presented and information related to agent-based modeling.Trade Review"Gintis has wholeheartedly embraced the evolutionary approach to games... The author is an accomplished economist raised in the classical mold, and his background shows in many aspects of the book ... [He] has important things to say."--Karl Sigmund, Science "Game Theory Evolving is an exceptionally well-written and constructed introduction to the field. And with Gintis' outline of agent-based modeling and his tips for programming, many readers may be motivated to take up his invitation and experiment with a problem in evolutionary dynamics of their own."--Jennifer M. Wilson, Mathematical ReviewsTable of ContentsPreface xv Chapter 1: Probability Theory 1 1.1 Basic Set Theory and Mathematical Notation 1 1.2 Probability Spaces 2 1.3 De Morgan's Laws 3 1.4 Interocitors 3 1.5 The Direct Evaluation of Probabilities 3 1.6 Probability as Frequency 4 1.7 Craps 5 1.8 A Marksman Contest 5 1.9 Sampling 5 1.10 Aces Up 6 1.11 Permutations 6 1.12 Combinations and Sampling 7 1.13 Mechanical Defects 7 1.14 Mass Defection 7 1.15 House Rules 7 1.16 The Addition Rule for Probabilities 8 1.17 A Guessing Game 8 1.18 North Island, South Island 8 1.19 Conditional Probability 9 1.20 Bayes' Rule 9 1.21 Extrasensory Perception 10 1.22 Les Cinq Tiroirs 10 1.23 Drug Testing 10 1.24 Color Blindness 11 1.25 Urns 11 1.26 The Monty Hall Game 11 1.27 The Logic of Murder and Abuse 11 1.28 The Principle of Insufficient Reason 12 1.29 The Greens and the Blacks 12 1.30 The Brain and Kidney Problem 12 1.31 The Value of Eyewitness Testimony 13 1.32 When Weakness Is Strength 13 1.33 The Uniform Distribution 16 1.34 Laplace's Law of Succession 17 1.35 From Uniform to Exponential 17 Chapter 2: Bayesian Decision Theory 18 2.1 The Rational Actor Model 18 2.2 Time Consistency and Exponential Discounting 20 2.3 The Expected Utility Principle 22 2.4 Risk and the Shape of the Utility Function 26 2.5 The Scientific Status of the Rational Actor Model 30 Chapter 3: Game Theory: Basic Concepts 32 3.1 Big John and Little John 32 3.2 The Extensive Form 38 3.3 The Normal Form 41 3.4 Mixed Strategies 42 3.5 Nash Equilibrium 43 3.6 The Fundamental Theorem of Game Theory 44 3.7 Solving for Mixed-Strategy Nash Equilibria 44 3.8 Throwing Fingers 46 3.9 Battle of the Sexes 46 3.10 The Hawk-Dove Game 48 3.11 The Prisoner's Dilemma 50 Chapter 4: Eliminating Dominated Strategies 52 4.1 Dominated Strategies 52 4.2 Backward Induction 54 4.3 Exercises in Eliminating Dominated Strategies 55 4.4 Subgame Perfection 57 4.5 Stackelberg Leadership 59 4.6 The Second-Price Auction 59 4.7 The Mystery of Kidnapping 60 4.8 The Eviction Notice 62 4.9 Hagar's Battles 62 4.10 Military Strategy 63 4.11 The Dr. Strangelove Game 64 4.12 Strategic Voting 64 4.13 Nuisance Suits 65 4.14 An Armaments Game 67 4.15 Football Strategy 67 4.16 Poker with Bluffing 68 4.17 The Little Miss Muffet Game 69 4.18 Cooperation with Overlapping Generations 70 4.19 Dominance-Solvable Games 71 4.20 Agent-based Modeling 72 4.21 Why Play a Nash Equilibrium? 75 4.22 Modeling the Finitely-Repeated Prisoner's Dilemma 77 4.23 Review of Basic Concepts 79 Chapter 5: Pure-Strategy Nash Equilibria 80 5.1 Price Matching as Tacit Collusion 80 5.2 Competition on Main Street 81 5.3 Markets as Disciplining Devices: Allied Widgets 81 5.4 The Tobacco Market 87 5.5 The Klingons and the Snarks 87 5.6 Chess: The Trivial Pastime 88 5.7 No-Draw, High-Low Poker 89 5.8 An Agent-based Model of No-Draw, High-Low Poker 91 5.9 The Truth Game 92 5.10 The Rubinstein Bargaining Model 94 5.11 Bargaining with Heterogeneous Impatience 96 5.12 Bargaining with One Outside Option 97 5.13 Bargaining with Dual Outside Options 98 5.14 Huey, Dewey, and Louie Split a Dollar 102 5.15 Twin Sisters 104 5.16 The Samaritan's Dilemma 104 5.17 The Rotten Kid Theorem 106 5.18 The Shopper and the Fish Merchant 107 5.19 Pure Coordination Games 109 5.20 Pick Any Number 109 5.21 Pure Coordination Games: Experimental Evidence 110 5.22 Introductory Offers 111 5.23 Web Sites (for Spiders) 112 Chapter 6: Mixed-Strategy Nash Equilibria 116 6.1 The Algebra of Mixed Strategies 116 6.2 Lions and Antelope 117 6.3 A Patent Race 118 6.4 Tennis Strategy 119 6.5 Preservation of Ecology Game 119 6.6 Hard Love 120 6.7 Advertising Game 120 6.8 Robin Hood and Little John 122 6.9 The Motorist's Dilemma 122 6.10 Family Politics 123 6.11 Frankie and Johnny 123 6.12 A Card Game 124 6.13 Cheater-Inspector 126 6.14 The Vindication of the Hawk 126 6.15 Characterizing 2 x 2 Normal Form Games I 127 6.16 Big John and Little John Revisited 128 6.17 Dominance Revisited 128 6.18 Competition on Main Street Revisited 128 6.19 Twin Sisters Revisited 129 6.20 Twin Sisters: An Agent-Based Model 129 6.21 One-Card, Two-Round Poker with Bluffing 131 6.22 An Agent-Based Model of Poker with Bluffing 132 6.23 Trust in Networks 133 6.24 El Farol 134 6.25 Decorated Lizards 135 6.26 Sex Ratios as Nash Equilibria 137 6.27 A Mating Game 140 6.28 Coordination Failure 141 6.29 Colonel Blotto Game 141 6.30 Number Guessing Game 142 6.31 Target Selection 142 6.32 A Reconnaissance Game 142 6.33 Attack on Hidden Object 143 6.34 Two-Person, Zero-Sum Games 143 6.35 Mutual Monitoring in a Partnership 145 6.36 Mutual Monitoring in Teams 145 6.37 Altruism(?) in Bird Flocks 146 6.38 The Groucho Marx Game 147 6.39 Games of Perfect Information 151 6.40 Correlated Equilibria 151 6.41 Territoriality as a Correlated Equilibrium 153 6.42 Haggling at the Bazaar 154 6.43 Poker with Bluffing Revisited 156 6.44 Algorithms for Finding Nash Equilibria 157 6.45 Why Play Mixed Strategies? 160 6.46 Reviewing of Basic Concepts 161 Chapter 7: Principal-AgentModels 162 7.1 Gift Exchange 162 7.2 Contract Monitoring 163 7.3 Profit Signaling 164 7.4 Properties of the Employment Relationship 168 7.5 Peasant and Landlord 169 7.6 Bob's Car Insurance 173 7.7 A Generic Principal-Agent Model 174 Chapter 8: Signaling Games 179 8.1 Signaling as a Coevolutionary Process 179 8.2 A Generic Signaling Game 180 8.3 Sex and Piety: The Darwin-Fisher Model 182 8.4 Biological Signals as Handicaps 187 8.5 The ShepherdsWho Never Cry Wolf 189 8.6 My Brother's Keeper 190 8.7 Honest Signaling among Partial Altruists 193 8.8 Educational Signaling 195 8.9 Education as a Screening Device 197 8.10 Capital as a Signaling Device 199 Chapter 9: Repeated Games 201 9.1 Death and Discount Rates in Repeated Games 202 9.2 Big Fish and Little Fish 202 9.3 Alice and Bob Cooperate 204 9.4 The Strategy of an Oil Cartel 205 9.5 Reputational Equilibrium 205 9.6 Tacit Collusion 206 9.7 The One-Stage Deviation Principle 208 9.8 Tit for Tat 209 9.9 I'd Rather Switch Than Fight 210 9.10 The Folk Theorem 213 9.11 The Folk Theorem and the Nature of Signaling 216 9.12 The Folk Theorem Fails in Large Groups 217 9.13 Contingent Renewal Markets Do Not Clear 219 9.14 Short-Side Power in Contingent Renewal Markets 222 9.15 Money Confers Power in Contingent Renewal Markets 223 9.16 The Economy Is Controlled by the Wealthy 223 9.17 Contingent Renewal Labor Markets 224 Chapter 10: Evolutionarily Stable Strategies 229 10.1 Evolutionarily Stable Strategies: Definition 230 10.2 Properties of Evolutionarily Stable Strategies 232 10.3 Characterizing Evolutionarily Stable Strategies 233 10.4 A Symmetric Coordination Game 236 10.5 A Dynamic Battle of the Sexes 236 10.6 Symmetrical Throwing Fingers 237 10.7 Hawks, Doves, and Bourgeois 238 10.8 Trust in Networks II 238 10.9 Cooperative Fishing 238 10.10 Evolutionarily Stable Strategies Are Not Unbeatable 240 10.11 A Nash Equilibrium That Is Not an EES 240 10.12 Rock, Paper, and Scissors Has No ESS 241 10.13 Invasion of the Pure-Strategy Mutants 241 10.14 Multiple Evolutionarily Stable Strategies 242 10.15 Evolutionarily Stable Strategies in Finite Populations 242 10.16 Evolutionarily Stable Strategies in Asymmetric Games 244 Chapter 11: Dynamical Systems 247 11.1 Dynamical Systems: Definition 247 11.2 Population Growth 248 11.3 Population Growth with Limited Carrying Capacity 249 11.4 The Lotka-Volterra Predator-Prey Model 251 11.5 Dynamical Systems Theory 255 11.6 Existence and Uniqueness 256 11.7 The Linearization Theorem 257 11.8 Dynamical Systems in One Dimension 258 11.9 Dynamical Systems in Two Dimensions 260 11.10 Exercises in Two-Dimensional Linear Systems 264 11.11 Lotka-Volterra with Limited Carrying Capacity 266 11.12 Take No Prisoners 266 11.13 The Hartman-Grobman Theorem 267 11.14 Features of Two-Dimensional Dynamical Systems 268 Chapter 12: Evolutionary Dynamics 270 12.1 The Origins of Evolutionary Dynamics 271 12.2 Strategies as Replicators 272 12.3 A Dynamic Hawk-Dove Game 274 12.4 Sexual Reproduction and the Replicator Dynamic 276 12.5 Properties of the Replicator System 278 12.6 The Replicator Dynamic in Two Dimensions 279 12.7 Dominated Strategies and the Replicator Dynamic 280 12.8 Equilibrium and Stability with a Replicator Dynamic 282 12.9 Evolutionary Stability and Asymptotically Stability 284 12.10 Trust in Networks III 284 12.11 Characterizing 2 x 2 Normal Form Games II 285 12.12 Invasion of the Pure-Strategy Nash Mutants II 286 12.13 A Generalization of Rock, Paper, and Scissors 287 12.14 Uta stansburiana in Motion 287 12.15 The Dynamics of Rock, Paper, and Scissors 288 12.16 The Lotka-VolterraModel and Biodiversity 288 12.17 Asymmetric Evolutionary Games 290 12.18 Asymmetric Evolutionary Games II 295 12.19 The Evolution of Trust and Honesty 295 Chapter 13: Markov Economies and Stochastic Dynamical Systems 297 13.1 Markov Chains 297 13.2 The Ergodic Theorem for Markov Chains 305 13.3 The Infinite Random Walk 307 13.4 The Sisyphean Markov Chain 308 13.5 Andrei Andreyevich's Two-Urn Problem 309 13.6 Solving Linear Recursion Equations 310 13.7 Good Vibrations 311 13.8 Adaptive Learning 312 13.9 The Steady State of a Markov Chain 314 13.10 Adaptive Learning II 315 13.11 Adaptive Learning with Errors 316 13.12 Stochastic Stability 317 Chapter 14: Table of Symbols 319 Chapter 15: Answers 321 Sources for Problems 373 References 375
£49.50
Princeton University Press Whats Eating You People and Parasites
Book SynopsisRecounts the true and harrowing tales of the author's adventures with parasites, and in the process introduces readers to the intimately interwoven lives of host and parasite. This title leads readers on a journey into the bizarre yet oddly beautiful world of parasites.Trade Review"Dip into Kaplan for a rich dose of disgust."--Anne Hardy, Times Literary Supplement "Engrossingly gross: A paean to parasites ... Kaplan is a master raconteur. What's more, he has an almost comical knack of contracting every parasitic infection going, which serves to bring his stories to life all the more vividly. This is gonzo parasitology writing at its finest."--Clint Witchalls, New Scientist "[What's Eating You?] takes the prize for most eww-inducing book title of the week. Ever want to know about hirudin, the anticoagulant in leech saliva? This is the book for you."--San Francisco Chronicle "[This] book has its squirmy pleasures... [Kaplan's] approach is often lurid, sometimes humorous vignettes on different parasites, each story culminating in a page of scientific drawings that illustrate the intersecting paths of parasites and hosts."--Nina Ayoub, Chronicle Review "[Kaplan] simply conveys a vast amount of information painlessly... He has a lively sense of story."--Michael Sims, Washington Post "You can't go wrong with a book about the disgusting, utterly gross organisms that set up shop in and on the human body. Think tapeworms, flukes and leeches. Seriously high yuck factor. Still, these alien invaders are so bizarre they're fascinating. In his riveting, if often revolting, book Eugene H. Kaplan regales with tales from his life as a parasite taxonomist... Lurid and charming in equal measure."--Leigh Dayton, The Australian "In two decades I have not had the pleasure of appraising such a repulsive volume as What's Eating You? I heartily commend it... The thirty chapters of Professor Eugene H. Kaplan's study all read like punchy little fables about different aspects of parasitology."--David Profumo, Literary Review "Over many years of teaching parasitology, Eugene Kaplan found a way to keep students awake: lurid stories. Now the retired biology professor and researcher from Hofstra University on Long Island, New York, has a new book, What's Eating You?, that tucks in the science about both rare and common parasites along with the tales."--Nancy White, Toronto Star "Kaplan's gory stories, fun though they are, are simply gateways into a fascinating aspect of biology: symbiosis... Kaplan dazzles with a wealth of knowledge about worms, live, and bed bugs. His colourful descriptions of their biology and life cycle are bolstered by evolutionary explanations... Kaplan is a good writer, but it is his brilliantly uninhibited sense of humour that really makes the prose zing with life."--Priya Shetty, The Lancet "Not for the queasy or faint of heart. But if you're the least bit curious about the creatures that can inhabit humans, I promise you'll be fascinated."--Scott Shalaway, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "Take a rousing romp through the zoo of beasties that make a living invading our bodies. Kaplan, a professor of parasitology and himself a victim of amebic dysentery and 8-inch roundworms, gives a raucous crash course that blends surprising biology with macabre stories."--Discover Magazine "[A] real cracker of a page-turner... [O]ne of the books of the season that will appeal to professionals or anyone who's ever doubted whether it's a good idea to wash your hands or cook food properly."--Paul O'Doherty, Life Science Review "The greatest strength of this book lies in its personal touch... Through all manner of disgusting and even frightening details, Kaplan makes attractive and easy to follow what is usually soporific in other books."--Frederic Thomas,PLOS Biology "What we don't know hurts us most, and thus Dr. Eugene Kaplan's well-illustrated mini-encyclopedia of parasites, their modes of entry into our bodies, and the damage they do is a must-read for all adventurous and scientifically curious travelers... What's Eating You is totally readable and rich in historical asides and social notes."--Foreword Magazine "People who enjoy travel adventures in near and far exotic places may want to read this clearly written, beautifully illustrated book about parasites... Kaplan describes the bizarre, frightening, and even disgusting ways of parasites in entertaining language. For each story, he explains the biology of the interwoven lives of host and parasite along with the social consequences resulting from parasitic diseases."--Choice "Although this book serves up what can basically be described as 'Parasitology 101' for the masses, it is quite a feast with an incredible variety on the menu! It's 'full' (30 chapters) of parasites, from microscopic protistans to 12-m-long tapeworms. You're going to want to wash your hands before you eat (although you should already) and really do your homework before schlepping off overseas to try the local fare."--Charles K. Blend, Journal of ParasitologyTable of ContentsPreface: Personal Parasites ix Acknowledgments xi Apologia xiii On the Sacredness of Life xv Introduction. The Saline Solution--An Inner Sea 1 Chapter 1: Land of Smiles 6 Chapter 2: An Encounter with Jordan Rose 15 Chapter 3: I Had a Farm in Africa 25 Chapter 4: Death of a Mouse 33 Chapter 5: Intimate Relationships 40 Chapter 6: A Peek into the Anus of--My Child 48 Chapter 7: The Well-Hung Dog 58 Chapter 8: Fiery Serpent 69 Chapter 9: It Hardly Ever Happens 75 Chapter 10: The Anti-Semitic Tapeworm 82 Chapter 11: Mother Always Wanted Me to Be a Real Doctor 91 Chapter 12: Missus Murphy's Baby 98 Chapter 13: The Day I Flunked the Macho Test 109 Chapter 14: The Biblical Plagues 117 Chapter 15: Alley Cats and Seagulls 127 Chapter 16: A Better Mousetrap 137 Chapter 17: Scandals and Ghosts 144 Chapter 18: Spiny-Headed Monsters 155 Chapter 19: Bloodsucking Beasts 165 Chapter 20: Ode to a Cockroach 174 Chapter 21: Bats, Bugs, and Bloody Bites 184 Chapter 22: Little Fleas Have Littler Fleas 195 Chapter 23: How to Get Rid of Crabs 203 Chapter 24: Wild Virgins 211 Inexplicable Behavior: Some Relationships Are More Intimate Than Others 221 Chapter 25: Topsy-Turvy Worlds 224 Chapter 26: A Day in the Caribbean 235 Chapter 27: Tit, Tit, Tittie--Cuckoo 245 Chapter 28: The Game of Life: Name That Category 251 Chapter 29: Paean of Praise 257 Chapter 30: Tips for Travelers 268 Epilogue 277 Glossary 281 Selected References 293 Illustration Sources 295 Index 297
£19.80
Princeton University Press How to Be a Better Birder
Book SynopsisOffers a more effective way to go about identification - he calls it the "Whole Bird and More" approach - that will enable you to identify more birds, more quickly. The author shows how to use geography and an understanding of habitats, ecology, and even the weather to enrich your birding experience and help you find something out of the ordinary.Trade Review"Becoming a better birder requires practice, but Lovitch provides the tools for those willing to put in the work to be the best they can be."--Michele Berger, Audubon magazine "The goal of birding, of any hobby, is expertise gratia sua, and the only reason we do it is to do it better. This slender new volume by Derek Lovitch will help almost any birder do just that... Lovitch is at his very best in the book's central chapters, where he offers detailed instruction in reading weather forecasts for finding birds ... the skills we're taught in this book will make it even more fun--and make us all better birders."--Rick Wright, American Birding Association blog "This book will be most useful for intermediate level birders. The section on NEXRAD radar will be useful to all birders."--Ian Paulsen, Birdbooker Report "Birders of all backgrounds and skill levels are almost certain to learn something useful in Derek Lovitch's book How to Be a Better Birder. Can you become a better birder? This book offers a resounding 'yes' to that question. Refreshingly, this book is not filled with diagnostic plates and diagrams to study, but a 'whole bird and more' holistic approach to ID, and to the overall pastime of birding as well. As you will discover, the author offers a lot of ways on becoming a better birder that go beyond being able to correctly identify birds in the field."--Mike McDowell, Digiscoper Blog "How to Be a Better Birder is for birders who have moved from the beginner stages and want to hone their skills... If you can identify most birds in your neighbourhood and want to learn more so that you can really enjoy the fun of birding wherever you go, then Derek Lovitch's book will be a useful guide to hours of enjoyment in watching our wild birds."--Rob Butler, Vancouver Sun "Birders at any experience level will find something of interest in this slender volume."--Penny Miller, A Charm of Finches blog "Derek Lovitch has written a book which is useful for birders at any level of proficiency from the beginner to the obsessive lister."--Dorothy Borders, Nature of Things blog "[How to Be a Better Birder] is written in a chatty, enthusiastic and accessible style which works well. Lovitch is a great communicator and it is hard not to be enthused by the examples provided of how to generate your own 'great days in the field.' ... For those with a little less experience, this book provides a fabulous store of information and encouragement which will certainly make your birding more purposeful, productive and enjoyable."--Andy Stoddart's blog "Birdwatchers bent on self-improvement will want to turn to Derek Lovitch's How to Be a Better Birder... Writing in the accessible, breezy prose of a blog, Lovitch provides a rich compendium of tools, techniques, and resources useful to anyone who's mastered elementary bird watching. Among the tools discussed are botany, maps, meteorology, and NEXRAD; a list of print and web resources for further study is included in each discussion. The amount of information packed into this brief handbook is formidable. Interspersed among the technical details--and perhaps equally informative--are the author's personal stories of birding adventures and misadventures told with self-effacing humor."--Fannie Peczenik, Pittsburgh Bird Watching Examiner "How to Be a Better Birder is a very different kind of birding book, and, once you think about it, the perfect book to be written at this particular moment in the birding universe... Strategic has become an overused word in some areas, but that is really what Derek Lovitch is presenting in this slim volume, a way to maximize our time in the field, to see the most and the best birds possible using field experience and technology. Do you want to be a better birder, a strategic birder? I think there is something in this book that will help birders at every level."--Donna Schulman, 10,000 Birds blog "While there is no trick or fast-track to being a great birder, this book provides a lot of easy to follow and easy to practice methods to increase your birding skills and your enjoyment of birding... The tone and flow of the book allow you to gradually learn new methods to be a better birder. You're bound to find several nuggets of information that you can use today, tomorrow, and always in the search for more birds."--Eddie Callaway, Birdfreak.com "A birding book that should fly off the shelves... To become proficient at any activity, we all know the mantra: practice, practice, practice. Lovitch urges us to really study all the birds we see, including the most common birds around us. He also suggests that a more holistic approach to bird identification may be a more fruitful way to go about the process of identifying a bird."--Herb Wilson, Portland Press Herald "A new take on a well-rehearsed subject... It breaks new ground in its discussions of how, where and when to find vagrants, rarities and large numbers of migrating birds."--Towheeblog "Derek Lovitch uses his years of experience birding in Maine and around the world to describe the field skills of top-notch birders. He explains how to use habitat, geography, and weather to find more birds and to anticipate vagrants. And he argues that if we care about the future of birds, we must bird with a purpose, joining citizen-science projects and submitting sightings to eBird."--Bird Watching Magazine "This is an easy read that, even for a serious birder, can serve to shine a light on how old-fashioned field skills can be brought into play more quickly and more often through the use of technology, to determine where the birds are most likely to be found, when they're most likely to be there, and why. When that special life-list vagrant from across the country happens to show up, you'll know right away how to find it before the rest of the crowd. Even top-notch birders can sharpen their skills in an evening spent with this book."--Birding Business Magazine "Full of enthusiasm and some humor, this book stresses (more than most other birding titles) the importance of understanding weather and the possibilities of nighttime birding, especially when enhanced by easy-to-use radars. In this way, it is as successfully specific as it is well rounded. With engaging anecdotes and autobiographical experiences mixed in, this title achieves the perfect balance of detail and brevity."--Henry Armistead, Library Journal "Lovitch provides a good resource for birders who want to go beyond the basics. Calling his approach the 'Whole Bird and More,' the author presents his system in clear language and with examples mostly drawn from his experiences in the field."--Nancy Bent, Booklist "[I]t is written in a chatty, enthusiastic and accessible style which works well. Lovitch is a great communicator and it is hard not to be enthused by the examples provided of how to generate your own 'great days in the field'... [T]his book provides a fabulous store of information and encouragement which will certainly make your birding more purposeful, productive and enjoyable."--Andy Stoddart, North Norfolk Birds "We've come a long way in our quest to put a name to everything that flies, but the biggest tricks in a birder's arsenal aren't necessarily employed to differentiate subadult gulls and silent Empids. Turns out there's a reason certain birders are particularly adept at sniffing out rarities and tracking down vagrants. And Derek Lovitch's new book from Princeton University Press, seductively titled How to Be a Better Birder, seeks to spill all their secrets."--Nate Swick, Drinking Bird "[T]he book will no doubt inspire many birdwatchers to take their birding skills to the next level."--Bryan Bland, Birding World "This is a good book for experienced birders. It will cause you to think through your current birding habits and challenge you to expand your knowledge and skills... Chance does favor the prepared mind. I will buy this book."--Robert E. Hoopes, Wildlife Activist "This book, however, is unexpectedly exciting, intriguing and inspiring--It makes me want to get out there, learn what the heck I'm doing, do it better, and actually strive to become, just like the title says, a better birder."--Cathy Taibbi, Wildlife Conservation Examiner "A lovely, well written and pretty well illustrated guide that focuses, in my view, mainly on one thing you can do to improve your birding: Pay attention to and exploit your knowledge of context."--Greg Laden's Blog "How To Be A Better Birder is a quick read and an important addition to a birder's education... The tips and methods discussed at length in the book take out much of the guesswork in finding a variety of birds on the landscape, including rarities and vagrants. The best part however, is getting out and having fun. Birding is not about getting birds on a list; it is about enjoying birds and seeing them in the wild. Use Lovitch's book as a launching pad to get out and bird with a purpose."--Howard O. Clark, Jr., Candian Field Naturalist "How to Be a Better Birder will undoubtedly encourage other birders to become more active in the field, and is recommended to anyone interested in improving their birding knowledge and skills in many different ways."--Christopher J. Butler, Ibis "This small book will help birders have better chances at seeing birds."--Valerie Cunningham, Cardinal newsletter "This is a fun book and one that holds promise to boost the reader's birding skills."--Val Cunningham, Minneapolis Star Tribune "I recommend this excellent book to anyone looking to significantly improve their birding skills by expanding their birding 'toolbox.'"--Rob Warnock, Blue Jay "How to Be a Better Birder offers a surprising range of innovative tips for improving birding for such a slim book."--Melissa Mayntz, About.com Birding/Wild BirdsTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Introduction 1 Chapter 1: Advanced Field Identification 5 Chapter 2: Birding by Habitat 31 Chapter 3: Birding with Geography 53 Chapter 4: Birding and Weather 75 Chapter : Birding at Night 101 Chapter 6: Birding with a Purpose 123 Chapter 7: Vagrants 134 Chapter 8: A New Jersey Case Study 155 Chapter 9: Patch Listing 172 References and Additional Reading 181 Index 187
£15.29
Princeton University Press Collective Animal Behavior
Book SynopsisFish travel in schools, birds migrate in flocks, honeybees swarm, and ants build trails. How and why do these collective behaviors occur? Exploring how coordinated group patterns emerge from individual interactions, this work reveals why animals produce group behaviors and examines their evolution across a range of species.Trade Review"By exploring the way in which certain animal groups coordinate among themselves, Collective Animal Behavior offers a great deal of insight for managers seeking to better understand how collective behavior takes shape within a company. Using concrete examples, Sumpter ... offers a clear account whose scope extends well beyond the natural sciences."--Business Digest "Collective Animal Behavior provides an excellent synthesis of mathematical modeling and biology with experimental and theoretical studies... [T]his volume does come with a homepage (www.collective-behavior.com/Site/Home.html), and the author has generously made many of the models he constructed available to those who want to run their own simulations. If the author keeps this portal up to date and his blog active, I am confident that readers interested in collective behavior, modeling, artificial intelligence, behavioral ecology, and evolution will enjoy not just the book but the complete interactive package."--Istvan Karsai, BioScience "[T]his book is very important not only for biologists but also for decision makers... [I]t is time that decision makers learn the principles of collective animal behavior for the benefits of humans. I thank the author for a very useful book."--E. Ahmed, Zentralblatt MATH "I enjoyed reading Collective Animal Behavior, sharing it with students working on undergraduate summer research, and finding a few nicely covered topics relevant to my own research... Collective Animal Behavior stands out for several reasons. At a technical level, it provides wide coverage of both mechanistic modeling, which is used to connect individual rules with group behavior, and functional analysis, which explains why some behaviors might confer advantages over others. Stylistically, Sumpter synthesizes perspectives, comparisons, critiques, and examples of human and animal behavior into his book. He expresses his opinions directly and presents provocative case studies."--Leah Edelstein-Keshet, Physics Today "Collective Animal Behavior is a fascinating and inspiring book... I very much enjoyed reading this book and would certainly recommend it to anyone willing to approach the fascinating subject of collective animal behaviour. A ... remarkable feature of this work is the way the author pools ideas, concepts and models from theoretical biology, physics, game theory and microeconomics."--Irene Giardina, ScienceDirectTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Chapter 1: Introduction 1 Chapter 2: Coming Together 14 Chapter 3: Information Transfer 44 Chapter 4: Making Decisions 77 Chapter 5: Moving Together 101 Chapter 6: Synchronization 130 Chapter 7: Structures 151 Chapter 8: Regulation 173 Chapter 9: Complicated Interactions 198 Chapter 10: The Evolution of Co-operation 223 Chapter 11: Conclusions 253 References 259 Index 293
£49.50
Princeton University Press Beyond UFOs
Book SynopsisDescribes the discoveries being made in the very real science of astrobiology, an intriguing field that blends astronomy, biology, and geology to explore the possibility of life on other planets. This book explains how the search for extraterrestrial life can help bridge the divide that sometimes exists between science and religion.Trade ReviewWinner of the 2010 US Review of Books's Eric Hoffer Book Award in Culture Winner of the 2009 Silver Nautilus Book Awards in Cosmology/New Science Finalist for the 2008 Eugene M. Emme Astronautical Literature Award, American Astronautical Society "In cogent and entertaining language, astrophysicist and popular writer Bennett explains that the determining factor in whether we can locate intelligent life elsewhere in the universe is whether such a civilization--and our own--can continue long enough to develop the highly sophisticated technology needed for interstellar travel...Bennett does a wonderful job of explaining the conditions necessary for simple life, how we might discern its existence and where we should be looking. He then does the same thing for intelligent life. While he is fair to those who believe life is incredibly rare, he makes a compelling case that life is likely to be abundant."--Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) "The old adage 'don't judge a book by its cover' (or, in this case, its title) certainly applies here. While one might expect a book of science fiction, Bennett presents this awe-inspiring topic in a scientifically accurate but personal way. I would recommend it to anyone interested in reading a creative summary of the status of the search for life elsewhere in the universe and would hope that it might provide a starting point to inspire the next generation of astronomers and astrobiologists."--Lisa Jardine-Wright, Times Higher Education "[Jeffrey Bennett] has taken a break from the treadmill of updating his textbook and has written a popular book instead, bringing the rest of us up to date on our extraordinary new and expanded universe--and on who else might live in it ... Beyond UFOs is crammed with neat analogies, startling imagery and mind-blowing illustrations of astronomical concepts. If you want to understand the universe and our place in it, you will not find a better primer. The first diagram alone--which shows how Earth's 10,000-kilometre span of real estate fits into a supercluster of galaxies a billion trillion kilometers across--bear a good 10 minutes of study. This truth is astonishing, and humbling--and Beyond UFOs is a great place to find it."--Michael Brooks, New Scientist "Planet by planet, moon by moon, [Beyond UFOs] explores the possibility of life elsewhere in this solar system. It then speculates about other solar systems in our galaxy where, according to the prevailing scientific view, simple life almost surely exists and intelligent life is plausible. For the most part, Bennett's search for extraterrestrial life adds up to a very satisfying package... At its core, this book delivers a combination that is hard to beat: solid yet highly speculative science plus accessible prose that add up to an out-of-this-world reading experience."--Fred Bortz, Seattle Times "Bennett walks us through the daunting calculations that lead to the conclusion that the existence of life elsewhere is not only possible, but highly likely. But as we wonder where else life exists and what forms it might take, scientists are forced back to more fundamental questions. What is the nature of life itself? Will we know it if we see it?...Bennett offers a host of lessons here not only about global warming and environmental degradation, but our place in the universe as well."--Matthew Battles, The Boston Globe "This exploration of potential alien life is a timely work, just as the steadily increasing discoveries of extra-solar planets makes the possibility of finding alien life more plausible... [Beyond UFOs] is a fully rounded examination of the subject, accessible to all. I guarantee that after reading this book you will be watching space probe results that much more closely. And maybe, you will be watching the skies too!"--Steve Ringwood, Astronomy Now "This is a highly readable and enjoyable book that centers on astrobiology--a discipline that melds astronomy, biology, geology--and a little bit of luck--to explore the prospect of life on other worlds... Bennett is an excellent writer, taking the reader on an exploration quest to find alien life, and how difficult solar system sleuthing can be, such as on Mars, Jupiter's Europa, or on Saturn's Titan. You'll also find an excellent treatment on current activities surrounding the on-going search for extraterrestrial intelligence."--The Coalition for Space Exploration "Particularly enjoyable is the down-to-earth writing; Bennett, an astrophysicist, author, and educator, tells the reader exactly how he feels about various topics (even the role of God in the scheme of things). Readers may not agree with everything he says, but he does offer food for thought."--B.R. Parker, Choice "Beyond UFOs gives a good impression from the moment you first take it into your hands. It is attractively produced, well written, and very thoroughly proofread. It's an interesting and challenging complement to focused research, and will be particularly enjoyed by anyone who has an appetite for broad science tinged with morals."--Elizabeth Griffin, The Observatory "Beyond UFOs is a rich, slow, and rewarding read. Rich because it is full of some of the most interesting current interdisciplinary science regarding planets and life that you can find, blending astronomy, geology, history, and astrobiology in a single narrative. Slow because each page is so full of interesting content that you don't want to skim. Rewarding because Bennett is simply a fantastic writer and presenter, making the read thoroughly enjoyable. No science expertise required."--Jennifer Wiseman, Books & CultureTable of ContentsPreface Alien Dreams xi Acknowledgments xv Chapter 1: Worlds beyond Imagination 1 Chapter 2: What Makes It Science? 22 Chapter 3: What I Know about Aliens 41 Chapter 4: What Is Life? 62 Chapter 5: Getting Life Started 87 Chapter 6: The Makings of a Truly Great Planet 111 Chapter 7: Life in the Solar System 137 Chapter 8: Life among the Stars 161 Chapter 9: The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence 184 Chapter 10: Where Is Everybody? 197 To Learn More 207 Afterword 209 Index 221
£20.90
Princeton University Press Respect for Nature
Book SynopsisWhat rational justification is there for conceiving of all living things as possessing inherent worth? This title draws on biology, moral philosophy, and environmental science to defend a biocentric environmental ethic in which all life has value.Trade ReviewFrom the previous edition: "Taylor's environmental ethic is a substantial and significant one which, among other things, requires that there be harmony between human civilisation and living nature. -- Australasian Journal of Philosophy From the previous edition: "This is a useful book that raises important questions. -- Ethics
£28.80
Princeton University Press Social Learning
Book SynopsisMany animals, including humans, acquire valuable skills and knowledge by copying others. Scientists refer to this as social learning. It is one of the most exciting and rapidly developing areas of behavioral research and sits at the interface of many academic disciplines, including biology, experimental psychology, economics, and cognitive neurosciTrade Review"The pragmatic approach makes the book a great starting point for researchers who wish to plan a study or to look for ways to analyze data. Students will find it accessible, and the analytical tools can be used by anyone having a basic understanding of statistical methods... Hoppitt and Laland's accessible writing and the book's clear graphics support its effectiveness. We predict a long and useful life for this welcome volume."--Dorothy Fragaszy and Yonat Eshchar, Science "This excellent volume provides a thorough introduction to research and issues in this field, and also serves as a handbook of methods and techniques for studying social learning... Detailed tables and figures throughout add to the volume's usefulness. A valuable introductory resource for students and an essential handbook for investigators."--Choice "[R]eaders will find food for thought in this book especially in the ninth chapter, Modeling Social Learning and Culture, which begins by operationalizing culture and establishing parallels between biological and cultural evolution. A complete theoretical approach to social learning and culture is then introduced and the modeling methods are described. I highly recommended this chapter to researchers ... and I also encourage them to take a look at the whole textbook."--Francesc S. Beltran, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation "Social Learning provides the first compelling synthesis of the social-learning literature and is of value not only to newcomers seeking an introduction to a complex, multidisciplinary field, but also to established researchers looking for challenging views on familiar topics. A copy should not only be on the bookshelf of but also read by anyone interested in the study of social learning."--Bennett G. Galef, Quarterly Review of Biology "The field of social learning challenges animal behaviorists to define and distinguish concepts that have been colloquially applied for centuries. Hoppitt and Laland have substantially advanced this field by providing a concise but broadly readable guide for those interested in investigating questions about social learning. Researchers would be wise to recognize the many potential applications of the theoretical and empirical techniques presented therein... Rather than reading about social learning all by oneself though we suggest you and several close colleagues all buy Hoppitt and Laland's fine book, so that together you can socially learn about social learning."--Mark E. Laidre & Thomas S. Kraft, International Journal of PrimatologyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix 1Introduction 1 What Is Social Learning? 3 Social transmission 5 Imitation 9 Innovation 9 Why Study Social Learning? 11 Summary of the Book 14 2A Brief History of Social Learning Research 16 The Evolution of Mind 17 Social Learning Mechanisms 20 Animal "Culture" 24 The Diffusion of Innovations 27 Child Development 28 Cultural Evolution 30 Conclusions 31 3Methods for Studying Social Learning in the Laboratory 33 Traditional Social Learning Studies 35 Alternative Experimental Approaches 38 Transmission chain studies 40 Diffusion studies 47 Innovation 50 The Biological Bases of Social Learning 52 Neuroendocrinological studies 53 Social learning of fear 54 Neural mechanisms of observational learning 56 Conclusions 61 4Social Learning Mechanisms 62 A Classification of Social Learning Mechanisms 63 Stimulus enhancement 65 Local enhancement 65 Observational conditioning 68 Response facilitation 69 Social facilitation 70 Imitation 70 Observational R-S learning 77 Emulation 77 Opportunity providing 78 (Inadvertent) coaching 79 Distinguishing Social Learning Mechanisms 80 Stimulus enhancement 80 Local enhancement 81 Observational conditioning 83 Response facilitation 85 Contextual imitation 87 Production imitation 89 Observational R-S learning 92 Emulation 93 Opportunity providing 94 (Inadvertent) coaching 96 A Pragmatic Approach to Characterizing Mechanisms of Social Transmission 96 Teaching 98 Summary 104 5Statistical Methods for Diffusion Data 105 Diffusion Curve Analysis 106 Network-Based Diffusion Analysis (NBDA) 108 Inclusion of individual-level variables 112 Model selection and inference 114 Modeling multiple diffusions 115 Choosing a social network 120 "Untransmitted" social effects 121 Related methods 122 Is NBDA realistic? 123 Examples 125 Spatial Spread of a Behavioral Trait 125 Wave of advance models 125 Other approaches for spatial data 127 Summary 128 6Repertoire-Based Methods for Detecting and Quantifying Social Transmission 129 The Group-Contrasts Approach 130 The Method of Exclusion 133 Basic and advanced methods of exclusion 133 Methods for assessing the genetic hypothesis 134 Methods for assessing the ecological hypothesis 143 Further problems with the method of exclusion 149 A Model-Fitting Approach 150 A matrix regression approach 150 Examples 151 A return to group comparisons 154 A Causal Modeling Framework 155 Relationship to the matrix regression approach 164 Ruling out homophily 164 Ruling out unknown ecological variables 167 Relationship to the method of exclusion 168 Conclusions 168 7Developmental Methods for Studying Social Learning 172 Observational Data 173 Describing the developmental process 173 Modeling probability of acquisition 177 Modeling time of acquisition 179 Modeling proficiency of trait performance 184 Modeling option choice 185 Limitations of observational data 188 Experimental Manipulations 188 Diffusion experiments 189 Manipulation of social experience 191 Translocation studies 193 Conclusions 195 8Social Learning Strategies 196 Why Social Learning Is Strategic 196 "When" Strategies 203 Copy when established behavior is unproductive 203 Copy when asocial learning is costly 205 Copy when uncertain 210 Copy when prior information is outdated 212 Copy when dissatisfied 213 Is copying a first or last resort? 214 "Who" Strategies 215 Frequency-dependent biases 216 Success biases 221 Kin and age biases 225 "What" Strategies 226 Random Copying 227 Statistical Methods for Detecting Social Learning Strategies 229 Meta-strategies, Best Strategies, and Hierarchical Control 232 9Modeling Social Learning and Culture 235 Introduction 235 Why model? 235 Operationalizing the culture concept 237 Parallels between biological and cultural evolution 238 Theoretical Approaches to Social Learning and Cultural Evolution 239 Population-genetic style models of cultural evolution 239 Population-genetic style models of gene-culture coevolution 241 Neutral models and random copying 246 Social foraging theory 250 Spatially explicit models 251 Reaction-diffusion models 253 Agent-based models 254 Phylogenetic models 255 Conclusions 258 10Conclusions 260 References 265 Index 301
£46.75
Princeton University Press Mathematics for the Life Sciences
Book SynopsisThe life sciences deal with a vast array of problems at different spatial, temporal, and organizational scales. The mathematics necessary to describe, model, and analyze these problems is similarly diverse, incorporating quantitative techniques that are rarely taught in standard undergraduate courses. This textbook provides an accessible introductiTrade Review"Textbooks are not always fun, but this one is... The engaging, colourful and sharp style of Mathematics for the Life Sciences makes it a refreshing new entry into the world of bioscience textbooks."--George Pryn Ford, The Biologist
£67.20
Princeton University Press The Origin Then and Now
Book SynopsisCharles Darwin's "Origin of Species" is one of the most widely cited books in modern science. This guide to Darwin's masterwork examines "Origin" within the historical context in which it was written, and modern examples are used to reveal how this work remains a relevant and living document for today.Trade Review"Reznick ... succeeds where others have failed--instead of annotating the dense, Victorian prose of the Origin or recasting it as a popular narrative, he paraphrases each chapter of the book, adding fascinating elaborations on why Darwin chose a certain phrase, where he turned out to be wrong, and how the intervening 150 years have changed our theories. His account is a welcome tool for those who'd like to hear evolution from Darwin himself but find the master impenetrable."--SEED Magazine "Books to Read Now" "During the past decade, a number of writers have hoped to rectify this situation with books that summarize, modernize, or otherwise elucidate this seminal work of evolutionary biology. Within this growing corpus of 'guides' and 'companions,' this new book by Reznick (Univ. of California, Riverside) occupies a place somewhere between the easygoing narrative of Darwin's Ghost by Steve Jones ... and the scholarly analysis of The Cambridge Companion to the Origin of Species, edited by Michael Ruse and Robert J. Richards... Major post-Darwinian concepts are discussed as needed to explain the modem repercussions of the Origin. Overall, this is a very readable and insightful guide that will provide readers with both the understanding and the motivation to tackle the original. Summing Up: Highly recommended. All levels of academic, public, and professional libraries."--Choice "David Reznick succeeds in producing a highly engaging and informative 'interpretive guide' to the original On the Origin of Species with an approach that will prove quite useful in different ways to different groups of readers. Those who have read Darwin but perhaps lack knowledge of contemporary evolutionary biology will find the case studies, examples, and discussion of modern context highly instructive; modern biologists will gain much insight into the state of evolutionary thinking at its genesis, a la Darwin... I join Resnick in hoping that his interpretive guide will inspire readers to pick up the Origin and enjoy Darwin with a whole new level of comprehension and appreciation."--James T. Costa, BioScience "Reznick attempts to recast Origin in a more contemporary and useful form, integrating both new ideas and new data. He accomplishes this goal in an admirable fashion... The Origin Then and Now is a significant book of value to many diverse audiences... We can hope that Reznick's admirable volume will convince his lay audience that not only is Darwin's theory one of the central concepts of science but that it must be included in any worthwhile science curriculum."--George E. Webb, Evolution Education & Outreach Journal "There is clearly a need for the general public to understand what Darwin did or did not say, and Reznick's interpretive guide is a great place to begin... Then and Now is an excellent book. Reznick offers insightful analysis and compelling present-day examples, and is wonderfully readable in the process."--Piers J. Hale, Reports of the National Center for Science Education "Reznick's metatext [has] intrigue and appeal and provides value-add. Last but not least, worthwhile future research projects include in-depth explorations and comparisons of Reznick's metatext to other recent commentaries (and metatexts) by giants of the Darwin Industry."--Rasmus Gronfeldt Winther, Metascience "Rzsnick's book is useful in giving lay readers a clear view of the main lines of modern evolutionary biology."--George Levine, Victorian StudiesTable of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xv Introduction: Charles Darwin and the Origin of Species 3 Michael Ruse Part One: Natural Selection Chapter 1: Preamble to Natural Selection 29 Chapter 2: Variation under Domestication 38 Chapter 3: Variation under Nature I 56 Chapter 4: The Struggle for Existence 66 Chapter 5: Natural Selection I 77 Chapter 6: Laws of Variation 102 Chapter 7: E volution Today: A Modern Perspective on Natural Selection 119 Part Two: Speciation Chapter 8: Preamble to Speciation 137 Chapter 9: Variation under Nature II 152 Chapter 10: Natural Selection II 164 Chapter 11: Hybridism 190 Chapter 12: E volution Today: The Mosquitoes of the London Underground 205 Part Three: Theory Chapter 13: Preamble: What Is a Theory? 219 Chapter 14: Difficulties on Theory 227 Chapter 15: Instinct 250 Chapter 16: Geology I: Background 264 Chapter 17: Geology II: On the Imperfection of the Geological Record 275 Chapter 18: Geology III: On the Geological Succession of Organic Beings 288 Chapter 19: Geology IV: Evolution Today 301 Chapter 20: Geographical Distribution 314 Chapter 21: Geographical Distribution, Continued 331 Chapter 22: Mutual Affinities of Organic Beings: Morphology: Embryology: Rudimentary Organs 346 Chapter 23: Recapitulation and Conclusion 381 Chapter 24: E volution Today: The Witness Has Been Found, Again and Again 401 Illustration Credits 417 Index 419
£25.20
Princeton University Press A Mathematical Nature Walk
Book SynopsisHow heavy is that cloud? Why can you see farther in rain than in fog? Why are the droplets on that spider web spaced apart so evenly? This book presents ninety-six questions about many common natural phenomena - and a few uncommon ones - and then shows how to answer them using mostly basic mathematics.Trade Review"[A] snappy guide to the mathematics of the outdoors... A sharp eye and an ingenious mind are at work on every page... Read this book with pencil and paper in hand. Then go forth, enjoy the view, and impress your friends."--Laurence A. Marschall, Natural History "Mathematics professor John Adam has come up with a novel combination. This book will provide anyone with a solid grounding in mathematics with enough conversation starters to keep fellow walkers' brains working as hard as their legs."--Dominic Lenton, Engineering & Technology "A catalogue of playful inquiries and their mathematical solutions."--Conservation Magazine "Adam has written a terrific book that takes his earlier work a step further... [T]his is a well written guide not only to seeing our world with simplified and useful models and mathematics, but to asking good questions of what we see and then answering those questions on our own. I found the book delightful, engaging, and interesting. It's written for anyone with a calculus background, and that's all one needs. If you're looking for a fun book with a touch of complexity, this is a good one."--David S. Mazel, MAA Reviews "For teachers who are interested in seeing how what they teach might be used or for students or parents who might be interested in seeing how mathematics might be used, this is an intriguing book."--Mathematics Teacher "[A]dam's love of both nature and mathematics is obvious, and his chatty style and sense of humour--look out for the question about spontaneously combusting haystacks--enliven a book that will get readers thinking as well as itching for a pleasant stroll."--Physics World "Indeed, Adam has deliberately reworked topics treated in Mathematics in Nature to make them accessible to a larger audience. Beyond insights into specific questions about nature, the general reader will find here a remarkably lucid explanation of how mathematicians create a formulaic model that mimics the key features of some natural phenomenon. Adam particularly highlights the importance in this process of solving inverse problems. Ordinary math becomes adventure."--Booklist "If you are a walker, as I am, your daypack probably contains sunscreen, a poncho, a floppy hat, and a pair of binoculars. After reading this snappy guide to the mathematics of the outdoors, by John Adam, a professor of mathematics at Old Dominion University in Virginia, you might consider tossing in a programmable calculator... A sharp eye and an ingenious mind are at work on every page... Read this book with pencil and paper in hand. Then go forth, enjoy the view, and impress your friends."--Natural History "There are now few (if any) areas of science where mathematics does not play a role and, by extension, many of the sights and sounds of nature can be studied using mathematics. This is the motivation behind A Mathematical Nature Walk by John Adam, which considers some of the natural phenomena that might be encountered on a walk in the countryside (or even just a wander around one's own garden)."--Sarah Shepherd, iSquared "[S]urprising and entertaining... Adam's book is lucidly written, making it suitable for people of all ages."--Good Book Guide "The dedicated reader stands a lot to gain from delving into the text and thinking hard about the problems posed. As the saying goes, 'mathematics is not a spectator sport,' so if this book is read with pencil and paper at hand, to scribble along and confirm understanding of the mathematical trains of thought--all the better."--Philip McIntosh, Suite101.comTable of ContentsPreface xv Acknowledgments xix Introduction 1 AT THE BEGINNING ... 11 (General questions to challenge our powers of observation, estimation, and physical intuition) Q.1-Q.6: Rainbows 11 Q.7: Shadows 11 Q.8-9: Clouds and cloud droplets 12 Q.10: Light 12 Q.11: Sound 12 Q.12-13: The rotation of the Earth 12 Q.14: The horizon 12 Q.15: The appearance of distant hills 12 IN THE "PLAYGROUND" 13 (just to get our feet wet...) Q.16: Loch Ness--how long to empty it? 13 Q.17: The Grand Canyon--how long to fill it with sand? 14 Q.18: Just how large an area is a million acres? 15 Q.19: Twenty-five billion hamburgers--how many have you eaten? 16 Q.20: How many head of cattle would be required to satisfy the (1978) daily demand for meat in the United States? 16 Q.21: Why could King Kong never exist? 17 Q.22: Why do small bugs dislike taking showers? 18 Q.23: How fast is that raindrop falling? 18 Q.24: Why can haystacks explode if they're too big? 20 In the garden 24 Q.25: Why can I see the "whole universe" in my garden globe? 24 Q.26: How long is that bee going to collect nectar? 25 Q.27: Why are those drops on the spider's web so evenly spaced? 27 Q.28: What is the Fibonacci sequence? 31 Q.29: So what is the "golden angle"? 35 Q.30: Why are the angles between leaves "just so"? 36 IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD 43 Q.31: Can you infer fencepost (or bridge) "shapes" just by walking past them? 43 Q.32: Can you weigh a pumpkin just by carefully looking at it? 48 Q.33: Can you determine the paths of low-flying ducks? 53 IN THE SHADOWS 58 Q.34: How high is that tree? (An estimate using elliptical light patches) 58 Q.35: Does my shadow accelerate? 59 Q.36: How long is the Earth's shadow? 61 Q.37: And Jupiter's? And Neptune's? 63 Q.38: How wide is the Moon's shadow? 63 IN THE SKY 64 Q.39: How far away is the horizon (neglecting refraction)? 64 Q.40: How far away is that cloud? 66 Q.41: How well is starlight reflected from a calm body of water? 67 Q.42: How heavy is that cloud? 71 Q.43: Why can we see farther in rain than in fog? 72 Q.44: How far away does that "road puddle" mirage appear to be? 73 Q.45: Why is the sky blue? 77 Q.46: So how much more is violet light scattered than red? 79 Q.47: What causes variation in colors of butterfly wings, bird plumage, and oil slicks? 80 Q.48: What causes the metallic colors in that cloud? 84 Q.49: How do rainbows form? And what are those fringes underneath the primary bow? 85 Q.50: What about the secondary rainbow? 92 Q.51: Are there higher-order rainbows? 93 Q.52: So what is that triple rainbow? 95 Q.53: Is there a "zeroth"-order rainbow? 98 Q.54: Can bubbles produce "rainbows"? 99 Q.55: What would "diamondbows" look like? 100 Q.56: What causes that ring around the Sun? 101 Q.57: What is that shaft of light above the setting Sun? 109 Q.58: What is that colored splotch of light beside the Sun? 111 Q.59: What's that "smiley face" in the sky? 113 Q.60: What are those colored rings around the shadow of my plane? 116 Q.61: Why does geometrical optics imply infinite intensity at the rainbow angle? 118 IN THE NEST 122 Q.62: How can you model the shape of birds' eggs? 122 Q.63: What is the sphericity index? 123 Q.64: Can the shape of an egg be modeled trigonometrically? 124 Q.65: Can the shape of an egg be modeled algebraically? 127 Q.66: Can the shape of an egg be modeled using calculus? 130 Q.67: Can the shape of an egg be modeled geometrically? 134 IN (OR ON) THE WATER 137 Q.68: What causes a glitter path? 137 Q.69: What is the path of wave intersections? 140 Q.70: How fast do waves move on the surface of water? 141 Q.71: How do moving ships produce that wave pattern? 148 Q.72: How do rocks in a flowing stream produce different patterns? 152 Q.73: Can waves be stopped by opposing streams? 154 Q.74: How far away is the storm? 157 Q.75: How fast is the calm region of that "puddle wave" expanding? 158 Q.76: How much energy do ocean waves have? 160 Q.77: Does a wave raise the average depth of the water? 162 Q.78: How can ship wakes prove the Earth is "round"? 164 In the forest 168 Q.79: How high can trees grow? 168 Q.80: How much shade does a layer of leaves provide for the layer below? 172 Q.81: What is the "murmur of the forest"? 174 Q.82: How opaque is a wood or forest? 176 Q.83: Why do some trees have "tumors"? 179 IN THE NATIONAL PARK 183 Q.84: What shapes are river meanders? 183 Q.85: Why are mountain shadows triangular? 189 Q.86: Why does Zion Arch appear circular? 191 IN THE NIGHT SKY 194 Q.87: How are star magnitudes measured? 194 Q.88: How can I stargaze with a flashlight? 196 Q.89: How can you model a star? 197 Q.90: How long would it take the Sun to collapse? 205 Q.91: What are those small rings around the Moon? 207 Q.92: How can you model an eclipse of the Sun? 210 AT THE END ... 217 Q.93: How can you model walking? 217 Q.94: How "long" is that tree? 221 Q.95: What are those "rays" I sometimes see at or after sunset? 224 Q.96: How can twilight help determine the height of the atmosphere? 228 Appendix 1: A very short glossary of mathematical terms and functions 231 Appendix 2: Answers to questions 1-15 234 Appendix 3: Newton's law of cooling 238 Appendix 4: More mathematical patterns in nature 240 References 243 Index 247
£19.00
Princeton University Press The Population Biology of Tuberculosis
Book SynopsisDespite decades of developments in immunization and drug therapy, tuberculosis remains among the leading causes of human mortality, and no country has successfully eradicated the disease. Reenvisioning tuberculosis from the perspective of population biology, this book examines why the disease is so persistent and what must be done to fight it. TreaTrade Review"This is an important book by one of the world's leading experts on tuberculosis. Christopher Dye breaks new ground and uses a novel approach to study how tuberculosis cases and fatalities could be decreased. He demonstrates how certain interventions, energetically pursued, offer the hope that tuberculosis can ultimately be eradicated."—Robert May, University of Oxford"With formal and persuasive analysis, Dye shows how HIV/AIDS has caused massive increases in the burden of tuberculosis in Africa since the 1980s. But Dye's ultimate message is a hopeful one: current methods of prevention and treatment could, if rigorously implemented, substantially cut mortality rates for both diseases, even within a few years."—Peter Piot, director of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine"A major cause of death throughout history, tuberculosis still kills more than a million people every year. This book argues that successful tuberculosis control will depend on a comprehensive strategy combining the most effective technological, policy, and social interventions available. Rooted in quantitative analysis, the book explores factors driving the epidemic in different populations, and offers a novel and comprehensive approach that will help set future priorities."—Mario Raviglione, director of the Global TB Programme, World Health Organization"Dye's book is essential reading for anyone concerned about how tuberculosis can be eliminated as a major public health problem. A master of modeling, Dye considers the entire range of complexities that influence the dynamics of the disease in multiple countries. He helps us to understand the numerous interventions and 'what ifs' that would make the critical and profound difference in controlling this ancient scourge of mankind."—Barry R. Bloom, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health"This book is a brilliant rethink of tuberculosis within the context of a rapidly evolving global environment. Dye examines the multifaceted factors of the disease and lays the foundation for a novel approach to tackling it. He challenges the global health community to address TB as a social disease as well as a medical one, and makes the case for a comprehensive and holistic response."—Ariel Pablos-Méndez, U.S. Agency for International Development"At once informative and captivating, this book is without question the most comprehensive text on the ecology and evolution of tuberculosis, and represents a landmark contribution to the field by one of its most authoritative figures. Painting the most up-to-date picture of tuberculosis from diverse perspectives, Dye lays bare the key intellectual concepts and, in a wonderfully elegant and compelling manner, examines their conclusions. A pleasure to read."—Pejman Rohani, University of Michigan"This is a hugely impressive record of Dye's extensive knowledge of the epidemiology and control of human tuberculosis amassed over many years of research and analysis. His book deserves to rank alongside a handful of other seminal tuberculosis studies from the past fifty years. With its global reach and close attention to a wealth of data, this is an authoritative, timely, and valuable contribution to the public health literature."—Mark Woolhouse, University of EdinburghTable of ContentsPreface vii Chapter 1 Tuberculosis Undefeated 1 Chapter 2 Concepts and Models 26 Chapter 3 Risk and Variation 64 Chapter 4 Interventions and Control 100 Chapter 5 Strains and Drug Resistance 138 Chapter 6 TB and HIV/AIDS 162 Chapter 7 Elimination and Eradication 190 Chapter 8 Populations and Social Diseases 207 Appendix 1 Derivation of the Basic Case Reproduction Number and Epidemic Doubling Time 219 Appendix 2 Formal Description of the Standard Model 222 References 227 Index 271
£999.99
Princeton University Press A Theory of Global Biodiversity
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Overall, the book succeeds in its goal of providing a mechanistic interpretation for the distribution of species richness around the globe based on a first-principles approach which utilizes raw empirical data and a process-based simulation model."---Alexis D. Synodinos, Basic and Applied Ecology"This accessible volume should be essential reading for conservation policymakers as well as academics working in this field."---Dr Alexander Waller, The Biologist
£40.50
Princeton University Press Comparative Biomechanics
Book SynopsisWhy do you switch from walking to running at a specific speed? Why do tall trees rarely blow over in high winds? And why does a spore ejected into air at seventy miles per hour travel only a fraction of an inch? Comparative Biomechanics is the first and only textbook that takes a comprehensive look at the mechanical aspects of life--covering animalTrade Review"[T]his is a fantastic book! ... [T]here can be no doubt, this is a science book of the highest and finest quality. Students in biology and physics, including (mechanical) engineers, will find in this book a sound guideline for an alternative view of their respective disciplines. It is a source of inspiration, also for the interested layman, for further reflection on the realm of physics in the biological world."--Harold Heatwole, Integrative and Comparative BiologyTable of ContentsPreface vii PART ONE Life's Physical Context 1 1 Preambulations 3 2 Setting the Stage 11 3 More Tools 29 PART TWO Fluids 51 4 Gases and Liquids: Fluids at Rest 53 5 Gases Meet Liquids: The Interface 71 6 Viscosity and the Patterns of Flow 87 7 The Forces of Flow 111 8 Fluid Events Near Surfaces 141 9 Where Flows Are Inside 163 10 More about Circulatory Systems 183 11 Flows in Small Worlds 207 12 About Lift 225 13 Thrust for Flying and Swimming 251 14 Motion at the Air-Water Interface 271 PART THREE Solids and Structures 285 15 A Matter of Materials 287 16 Biological Materials: Tuning Properties Properly 313 17 Biological Materials: Cracks and Composites 329 18 More about Complex Materials: Viscoelasticity 347 19 Simple Structures: Beams, Columns, Shells 363 20 Less Simple Structural Matters 389 21 Hydrostatic Structures, Hydraulic Devices 407 22 Structural Systems 425 23 Motility and Mobility 449 24 Using Muscle: Tuning and Transmissions 473 25 Getting Around on Land 491 PART FOUR The Contexts of Biomechanics 513 26 Loose Ends and Perspectives 515 APPENDICES 1 Quantification: Rules of the Road 537 2 Motion and Direction 547 3 Size and Scaling 553 List of Symbols 565 References and Index of Citations 567 Subject Index 601
£80.00
Princeton University Press The Worlds Rarest Birds
Book SynopsisIllustrates the most endangered birds in the world and provides the advanced information on the threats each species faces and the measures being taken to save them. This title features introductory chapters that explain the threats to birds, the ways threat categories are applied, and the distinction between threat and rarity.Trade ReviewFourth Place for the 2013 BB/BTO Best Bird Book of the Year, British Birds and the British Trust for Ornithology One of Library Journal's Best Sci-Tech Books for 2013 "It is a sobering thought that, without heroic conservation efforts, many of these birds may soon exist only on the pages of books like this."--Natural History "Dense, richly informative... Offers a showcase of struggling birds globally--but each shot through a lens that celebrates their diversity, vibrance, elegance, and enthusiastic displays."--Audubon Magazine "A must have for those with an interest in bird conservation."--Ian Paulsen, Birdbooker Report "A coffee table treasure or a rainy day home birding experience. I highly recommend The World's Rarest Birds as a valuable addition to the libraries of conservationists and birders alike."--Brad Sylvester, Examiner.com, Birdwatching "The book is educational, promotes conservation, looks nice, but at the same time is a reference source for those rare birds... The World's Rarest Birds is like that stuff you put in your gas tank to add oomph to your engine, but with birdbooks. A regional library of references will suddenly have high octane information on some of the least known species."--Greg Laden, Science Blogs "The content makes for disturbing reading, packed as it is with evidence and insight into how man is slowly but surely eliminating many of Planet Earth's 10,000 bird species... As the publishers quite rightly say with their accompanying literature, 'this is a book that we all wish wasn't necessary' (my emphasis). This is a sentiment that will resonate to most reading this blog but the book needs to find a wider audience rather than simply reach the already converted. The World's Rarest Birds deserves that wider audience and I sincerely hope it reaches them; otherwise we may need to produce another and more desperate volume in a short number of years. Let's hope not. This is a great book, and I have a suggestion. Buy two and send one copy to your elected representative at the highest level possible."--Phil Slade, Another Bird Blog "Absolutely fascinating from start to finish... A must have for all bird lovers!"--Rob Ripma, Nutty Birder "This fine book is simultaneously fascinating and saddening."--Herb Wilson, Portland Press Herald "Gorgeous... The details and facts listed are astounding."--Dave Lewis, Birds from Behind blog "Outstanding... A great read and a[n] exceptional contribution to the global Ornithological community."--Dan Murray, Birding New Jersey "Bring[s] to life what might otherwise be an abstract idea devoid of the impetus of emotion--the glory and wonder of nature, and the truly, dazzlingly, urgent need to protect what's left of it."--Cathy Taibbi, Wildlife Conservation Examiner "If you're a world birder or an armchair birder this is a fascinating if sobering book."--Harry Fuller, Towhee Blog "Beautiful... The book is intended to educate and mobilize birders, naturalists and the general public to take action to save threatened birds and to raise awareness for the BirdLife Preventing Extinctions Programme."--Penny Miller, A Charm of Finches "Filled with beautiful pictures and drawings, and a wealth of information on endangered bird species, this book is an absolute must-have for anyone interested in bird conservation, and a delight for people everywhere who love birds and enjoy learning about them."--Bill Saur, Passionate Birder "I loved this book; I would include it as one of the top books of the year."--Wildlife Extra "An extraordinary bird book... If you support conservation, and wish to protect the Earth's rarest birds, you need to read The World's Rarest Birds."--Gabriel Thoumi, Mongabay.com "A monumental effort to elevate the visibility of bird conservation efforts worldwide."--Beth Buczynski, Care2.com "As well as being well-researched, authoritative and up to date, this is also an impressive product. It is large-format, heavy and substantial with a 'quality feel' and is liberally illustrated throughout. Unfortunately, it is not a particularly joyful read for it is disturbing to find not only Velvet Scoter but also such species as Egyptian Vulture within its pages. Reading this book is therefore something of a bitter-sweet experience. It is a beautiful production and the birds are alluring indeed but their possibly brief tenure on this planet provides ample cause for despair."--Andy Stoddart, Rare Bird Alert "Extraordinary images and design, along with authoritative text, make The World's Rarest Birds the best book on rare birds of the world that I've seen. I'm very glad to have it, but at the same time saddened that it has to exist at all. But since there are birds in trouble we need a book like this to tell their stories. It belongs on the table--not the shelf--of anyone who cares about birds."--Grant McCreary, Birder's Library "This lovely, coffee-table sized book is a wonder... The take away lesson in this book is obvious: The species described in the book are in peril; conservation actions for each are necessary, and time is of the essence."--Birding Community e-Bulletin "[A] splendid book... Those who read the book will be like the blind men and the elephant. Photographers will see a photography book. Birdwatchers will see a field guide to rare birds. Conservationists will see extinction. And dilettantes will see a coffee-table book. All will be in some measure correct."--Matt Young, Panda's Thumb "[A] remarkable book... The 'coffee table' format belies the extraordinary amount of research and the sheer volume of information presented. The authors have produced a reference book of outstanding quality. But this is no ordinary reference book to be occasionally picked off the shelf, dusted down and browsed rather it is a treasure chest of stories of discovery, loss and re-discovery. I found each visit to these beautifully presented pages unearthed more gems and yet more extraordinary insights into our most threatened birdlife."--Keith Clarkson, Birding Frontiers "[A] handsome volume... Most people will never see an Australian night parrot, a Floreana mockingbird, or a Jamaican pauraque. This book is an inexpensive way for birders and general readers to travel the world to see the rare and endangered. Perhaps it can motivate more people to manage habitats for all species."--Linda Scarth, Booklist "This guide, filled with photos and descriptions of conservation efforts, illustrates the perils faced by rare and endangered avian species."--Science News "It can only be hoped that this beautiful book succeeds, however modestly, in its aim of increasing awareness of these threatened species--and of birds like the great knot that may well become endangered in the near future given the unsustainable path that we seem to be following."--David Diskin, South China Morning Post "An essential and timely study of conservationism and natural history."--Guy de Federicis, Blogcritics.org "Gorgeous photography, cool maps, graphs and tables, all will entice you to learn more about these birds and to care."--Robert Mortensen, Birding is Fun "A beautifully illustrated book vividly depicting the most endangered birds on our once beautiful planet, elaborating on the threats confronting these species, and the measures needed to protect them from dying out."--Wan Lixin, Shanghai Daily "A vivid portrait of animals under threat."--Maggie Fazeli Fard, Washington Post "This gorgeous oversized hardcover is a roll-call of the world's endangered birds, listed by region... [A]nyone who loves birds will learn a lot from this sobering reference that documents the variety of endangered birds and the tragic thoroughness and destructive reach of man'kind.'"--Devorah Bennu, GrrlScientist, The Guardian "This is a coffee-table volume scrapes the glossy veneer from rarity, places a marker firmly in the ground in a measured manner and unflinchingly highlights the endangered and vulnerable along with the challenges that face us to make them less so. If it succeeds in raising awareness for even some of the species it highlights it will be a major achievement. Buy a copy and give it to your MP or MEP with a personal message to do more; it's the least we can do."--Alan Tilmouth, Birdguides "If you do any sort of world birding, or even just dream about it, this is nothing short of scripture."--Eric Salzman, ABA Blog "It is sad to think that many of the birds depicted in this book may become extinct within our lifetime as a result of human impact and this book deserves a place on many a coffee table as a stark reminder of our influence on this planet."--BTO Online "An authoritative volume that's also a delight to hold, even if it's frequently disturbing to read."--Bradley Winterton, Taipei Times "This is an excellent book; packed with information, well-designed, full of excellent photographs and with lots of well-written and interesting text. The photographs are marvellous. And the illustrations of those birds for which no decent photographs exist, by Tomasz Cofta, are excellent too... It is a book that is a joy to have--but a shame that it needs to exist."--Mark Avery blog "Far from being just a list of rare birds and pretty pictures then, [The World's Rarest Birds] is a well-written, superbly-illustrated reference book that should be valid for years to come."--Charlie Moores, Talking Naturally "Everyone who has an interest in our wonderful amazing weird and surprising birds should have a copy of The World's Rarest Birds. Its 350 pages are packed with stunning images and loaded with facts to inspire us all to do more to protect our wild birds and the wild places they live... We highly recommend this book to all."--Biggest Twitch "This book is packed with information and, for its price, it provides an impressive amount of material. In total, 650 species are featured and the volume harnessed the work of 321 photographers from around the world. It represents a truly impressive feat and I challenge any travelling birder not to be obsessed with it! How sad, though, that such a work of beauty details a story that can only be described as the tragic failure of mankind."--Birding World "This has clearly been a labor of love for the team who produced the book. The result is a testament to the efforts and design skills of the authors, the generosity of the photographers who donated their images, and the expertise of the many other contributors. Stunning images emphasize the beauty and irreplaceability of these species, while the range maps--many merely a small dot on a regional map--are a stark reminder of how close we are to losing so much. The book is very modestly priced and is likely to become a convenient and standard source of information for birders, students, conservationists and professional ornithologists."--Paul Dolman, Ibis "This substantial volume, with the motto 'Let the birds speak for themselves', gives visual and textual confirmation to the threats faced by a substantial fraction of the birds of the world. Hirschfeld, Swash, and Still provide images and conservation information for 650 avian species worldwide, focusing the reader's attention on the varieties of problems avifauna face... This valuable work deserves a place in every library ornithology collection."--Choice "The World's Rarest Birds, though hefty, is so valuable: It offers short informative profiles of 591 of the most at-risk species, the birds classified as Endangered, Critically Endangered, or Extinct in the Wild. Instead of numbers on a chart, it allows us to see Cuba's Zapata Wren, Kenya's Taita Thrush, South America's Yellow Cardinal, and other species as birds worth caring about. A photo or a painting depicts each one--an astonishing accomplishment."--Joel Greenberg, Bird Watching "Essential for birders, both armchair and actual, and readers in ecology and conservation. The scope, depth and organization are exemplary."--Sally Bickley, Library Journal "A landmark volume of unparalleled coverage... An exemplary volume of long-term value, teaching us never to take for granted the presence of birds in our lives."--Library Journal Best Sci-Tech Books of 2013 "This fascinating table-sized book contains a wealth of data on the world's rarest birds. It is loaded with nice photos, tables and maps."--FHB, Wildlife Activist "This landmark book features stunning photographs of 500 of these species--the results of a prestigious international photographic competition organized specifically for this book... [O]ne-of-a-kind."--World Book Industry "This book is one of the most important bird publications ever."--Bill Harvey, BirdingASIA "This reference book would be ideal for any library with an interest in ornithology and conservation alongside bird watchers across the globe. The research that has gone into producing this book must have been immense... Hopefully the book will at least increase awareness of all these threatened species. It has been a bitter-sweet read."--Helen Ashton, Reference reviews "As a quick reference and an authoritative and up-to-date conservation resource, this book belongs not only on the shelves of professionals, but will equally appeal to birders, nature enthusiasts, and anyone who feels concern for the loss of biodiversity."--Susan B. McRae, Quarterly Review of BiologyTable of ContentsThe World's Rarest initiative 7 Introduction to the world's birds 8* Diversity and distribution 8 * Endemic Bird Areas 8 * Important Bird Areas 9 * Birds and humans 10 The world's rarest birds 11* The IUCN/BirdLife species category assignment process 12 * Going or gone? 16 * The known unknowns 20 * The distribution of threatened birds 22 * Last chances to save 24 The threats birds face 25* Agriculture and aquaculture 28 * Logging/plant harvesting 30 * Invasive and other problematic species 32 * Hunting and trapping 34 * Residential and commercial development 36 * Fire and fire management 38 * Climate change and severe weather 39 * Geological events 40 * Human disturbance 41 * Pollution 42 * Transport and other infrastructure 44 * Energy production and mining 45 * Dams and water abstraction 46 * Fishing 47 The need for conservation 48 Threats without borders 50 The Regional Directories (see overleaf for full listing) 54* Structure of the regional sections 54 * Glossary of terms 56 Acknowledgements 332 Appendix 1 - Extinct Species 336 Appendix 2 - The bird families with globally threatened species 339 Index 347 The Regional Directories Europe and the Middle East 58* The conservation challenges 62 * Regional Directory 64 Africa and Madagascar 68* Africa and Madagascar - the conservation challenges 72 * Threatened bird hotspot - Madagascar 74 * Threatened bird hotspot - Angola 76 * Conservation challenge - Grassland Management 78 * Regional Directory 80 Asia 100* Asia - the conservation challenges 104 * Threatened bird hotspot - The Philippines 106 * Threatened bird hotspot - Indonesia 108 * Conservation challenge - Vultures 110 * Conservation challenge - Bustards 112 * Conservation challenge - Hornbills 114 * Conservation challenge - The world's most threatened flyway 116 * Regional Directory 118 Australasia 150* Australasia - the conservation challenges 154 * Threatened bird hotspot - Australia 156 * Threatened bird hotspot - New Zealand 158 * Threatened bird hotspot - Australasian Islands 160 * Threatened bird hotspot - New Caledonia 162 * Regional Directory 164 Oceanic Islands 180* Oceanic islands - the conservation challenges 186 * Threatened bird hotspot - Hawaii 190 * Threatened bird hotspot - Polynesia & Micronesia 194 * Threatened bird hotspot - Galapagos 196 * Threatened bird hotspot - Indian Ocean Islands 198 * Threatened bird hotspot - Atlantic Ocean Islands 200 * Conservation challenge - The albatross conundrum 202 * Regional Directory 206 The Caribbean, North and Central America 236* The threatened birds - an overview 240 * Threatened bird hotspot - The Caribbean 242 * Threatened bird hotspot - North America 244 * Threatened bird hotspot - Central America 246 * Regional Directory 248 South America 264* South America - the bird continent 268 * Threatened bird hotspot - Choco (Colombia and Ecuador) 270 * Threatened bird hotspot - Peru 272 * Threatened bird hotspot - The Amazon Basin 274 * Threatened bird hotspot - The Atlantic Forest 276 * Conservation challenge - Hunting and trapping 278 * Regional Directory 280 Data Deficient Species 322
£34.20
Princeton University Press Gulls Simplified
Book SynopsisTrade Review"One of American Birding Podcast's Best Bird Books of 2018 (Nate Swick)""One of British Birds' Best Bird Books of 2019""This is probably the closest thing to a Gulling for Dummies there is."---Jennie Erin Smith, Wall Street Journal"Gulls Simplified is an accessible, informative, and even humorous guide to identifying these wide-ranging, wily birds."---The Editors, Audubon"This clearly-written and beautifully-illustrated book is a must-have for all birders, presenting a simplified method for identifying all those confusing gull species of North America." * GrrlScientist *"In a birding world that celebrates identification, there are surprisingly few articles and books on gull identification. So, we need to lift a glass to 2018, a year that has given us Gulls of the World: A Photographic Field Guide by Klaus Malling Olsen and Gulls Simplified: A Comparative Approach to Identification by Pete Dunne and Kevin T. Karlson. . . . [T]he bar here is high, there are expectations of excellent writing, high-quality photographs, a friendly yet educational approach, and a high level of expertise. . . . And, yes, they succeed on all points."---Donna Schulman, 10,000 Birds Book Review"These images teamed with the friendly style of writing make you want to read and study everycorner of this book, every paragraph, every caption and to top off the enjoyment – a quiz! Oh yes,this book has a photographic quiz at the back, and it is great fun – really!"---Sarah Harris, British Trust for Ornithology"The overall design of the book is excellent and the photographs are the best collection I’ve seen. . . . The combination of simple approach, brilliant photos and the readable style encourages all birders to dip their toes into the wonderful world of gulls!"---Dawn Balmer, British Birds"[This book may] finally [get] you into gulls."---John Miles, Birdwatching Magazine
£19.00
Princeton University Press Randomness in Evolution
Book SynopsisJohn Tyler Bonner, one of our most distinguished and insightful biologists, here challenges a central tenet of evolutionary biology. In this concise, elegantly written book, he makes the bold and provocative claim that some biological diversity may be explained by something other than natural selection. With his customary wit and accessible style,Trade Review"[I]ncredibly useful ... refreshingly honest ... witty and engaging."--Tiffany Taylor, Times Higher Education "[F]orthright, informal, and humorous. His reminder that not every trait has a biologically adaptive function is a welcome lesson, as is his self-deprecating description of his ideas as just another 'just-so' story... [A] call to the biologists who take over from him to do more research to confirm or to refute the often surprising ideas here."--Rob Hardy, Commercial Dispatch "[Bonner] provides a well-written, well-documented collection of evidence suggesting randomness as a primary engine behind natural selection... This is an excellent essay, valuable to a wide audience. Evolution is an important, timely topic, making Bonner's work a worthy contribution."--Choice "[T]he book provides a careful analysis of the relationship between randomness and size in evolution and makes a good case for neutral morphologies."--James Bradley, Quarterly Review of Biology "The main strength of this provocative book is that it undoubtedly provides a successful argument against the widespread tendency to give an adaptive explanation for any biological trait, and, above all, it opens the door to a fruitful way to reconsider the traditional view of evolution as mainly driven by natural selection."--Francesca Merlin, Biol TheoryTable of ContentsIllustrations vii Preface ix 1 Life and the Riddle of Randomness 1 2 Time, Size, and Complexity 17 3 Small Organisms and Neutral Morphologies 40 4 The Evolution of the Decrease of Randomness 63 5 An Exception: Where Small Organisms Suppress Randomness 93 6 The Division of Labor: Two Cases of the Return of Randomness in Higher Forms 101 7 Envoi 118 Acknowledgments 121 Bibliography 125 Index 131
£28.50
Princeton University Press Degenerate Diffusion Operators Arising in
Book SynopsisThis book provides the mathematical foundations for the analysis of a class of degenerate elliptic operators defined on manifolds with corners, which arise in a variety of applications such as population genetics, mathematical finance, and economics. The results discussed in this book prove the uniqueness of the solution to the Martingale problem aTable of ContentsPreface xi 1 Introduction 1*1.1 Generalized Kimura Diffusions 3 *1.2 Model Problems 5 *1.3 Perturbation Theory 9 *1.4 Main Results 10 *1.5 Applications in Probability Theory 13 *1.6 Alternate Approaches 14 *1.7 Outline of Text 16 *1.8 Notational Conventions 20 I Wright-Fisher Geometry and the Maximum Principle 23 2 Wright-Fisher Geometry 25*2.1 Polyhedra and Manifolds with Corners 25 *2.2 Normal Forms and Wright-Fisher Geometry 29 3 Maximum Principles and Uniqueness Theorems 34*3.1 Model Problems 34 *3.2 Kimura Diffusion Operators on Manifolds with Corners 35 *3.3 Maximum Principles for theHeat Equation 45 II Analysis of Model Problems 49 4 The Model Solution Operators 51*4.1 The Model Problemin 1-dimension 51 *4.2 The Model Problem in Higher Dimensions 54 *4.3 Holomorphic Extension 59 *4.4 First Steps Toward Perturbation Theory 62 5 Degenerate Holder Spaces 64*5.1 Standard Holder Spaces 65 *5.2 WF-Holder Spaces in 1-dimension 66 6 Holder Estimates for the 1-dimensional Model Problems 78*6.1 Kernel Estimates for Degenerate Model Problems 80 *6.2 Holder Estimates for the 1-dimensional Model Problems 89 *6.3 Propertiesof the Resolvent Operator 103 7 Holder Estimates for Higher Dimensional CornerModels 107*7.1 The Cauchy Problem 109 *7.2 The Inhomogeneous Case 122 *7.3 The Resolvent Operator 135 8 Holder Estimates for Euclidean Models 137*8.1 Holder Estimates for Solutions in the Euclidean Case 137 *8.2 1-dimensional Kernel Estimates 139 9 Holder Estimates for General Models 143*9.1 The Cauchy Problem 145 *9.2 The Inhomogeneous Problem 149 *9.3 Off-diagonal and Long-time Behavior 166 *9.4 The Resolvent Operator 169 III Analysis of Generalized Kimura Diffusions 179 10 Existence of Solutions 181*10.1 WF-Holder Spaces on a Manifold with Corners 182 *10.2 Overview of the Proof 187 *10.3 The Induction Argument 191 *10.4 The Boundary Parametrix Construction 194 *10.5 Solution of the Homogeneous Problem 205 *10.6 Proof of the Doubling Theorem 208 *10.7 The Resolvent Operator and C0-Semi-group 209 *10.8 Higher Order Regularity 211 11 The Resolvent Operator 218*11.1 Construction of the Resolvent 220 *11.2 Holomorphic Semi-groups 229 *11.3 DiffusionsWhere All Coefficients Have the Same Leading Homogeneity 230 12 The Semi-group on C0(P) 235*12.1 The Domain of the Adjoint 237 *12.2 The Null-space of L 240 *12.3 Long Time Asymptotics 243 *12.4 Irregular Solutions of the Inhomogeneous Equation 247 A Proofs of Estimates for the Degenerate 1-d Model 251* A.1 Basic Kernel Estimates 252 * A.2 First Derivative Estimates 272 * A.3 Second Derivative Estimates 278 * A.4 Off-diagonal and Large-t Behavior 291 Bibliography 301 Index 305
£72.00
Princeton University Press Phylogenies in Ecology
Book SynopsisPhylogenies in Ecology is the first book to critically review the application of phylogenetic methods in ecology, and it serves as a primer to working ecologists and students of ecology wishing to understand these methods. This book demonstrates how phylogenetic information is transforming ecology by offering fresh ways to estimate the similaritiesTrade Review"Ecophylogenetics overlays knowledge of the origin of species with contemporary patterns found in the study of biological communities. To enhance understanding of this new synthesis, the authors provide not only data, but also the programming code (in the R language) so readers can test their comprehension... With 101 figures, 285 snippets of R language programming code, and a 43-entry glossary, this book is as much a how to guide as it is an introduction to this new approach."--ChoiceTable of ContentsPreface ix CHAPTER 1 An Entangled Bank: Evolutionary Relationships and Ecological Patterns 1 1.1. Systematics and the Diversity of Life 2 1.2. The Origins 3 1.3. "Correcting" Ecological Comparisons 6 1.4. The Emergence of Ecophylogenetics 7 1.5. The Goal of This Book 8 CHAPTER 2 Building and Using Phylogenies 10 2.1. Handling Phylogenies in R 11 2.2. Building Trees 19 2.3. Finding and Adapting Available Trees 31 2.4. Tree Scaling and Rate Smoothing 33 2.5. Conclusion 40 CHAPTER 3 Phylogenetic Patterns within Communities: Inferring Mechanisms of Ecological Assembly Using Phylogenetic Distances 41 3.1. Phylogenetic Distances and Community Assembly 44 3.2. Calculating Community Diversity Metrics 55 3.3. A Note about Phylodiversity Measures-Moving from the Causes to the Consequences of Diversity 65 3.4. Conclusion 66 CHAPTER 4 Randomizations, Null Distributions, and Hypothesis Testing 67 4.1. A Brief History of Randomization Tests in Ecology (or the Simberloffian Shift in Ecology) 72 4.2. How to Build Null Communities 76 4.3. Randomizing Phylogenetic Data 83 4.4. Taking the Pool Seriously 96 4.5. Conclusion 99 CHAPTER 5 Detecting Patterns of Trait Evolution 100 5.1. Phylogenetic Signal 101 5.2. Alternative Models of Trait Evolution 108 5.3. Reconstructing Ancestral States 115 5.4. Conclusion 120 CHAPTER 6 The Geography of Speciation and Character Displacement 121 6.1. Character Divergence and Geographic Overlap 122 6.2. Community-Wide Trait Dispersion 133 6.3. Conclusion 141 CHAPTER 7 Phylogenetic Diversity across Space and Time 143 7.1. Phylobetadiversity: Measuring Phylogenetic Turnover 145 7.2. The Influence of Spatial Scale on Phylogenetic Patterns 161 7.3. Conclusion 170 CHAPTER 8 Speciation, Extinction, and the Distribution of Phylogenetic Diversity 172 8.1. Conservation of the Tree of Life 172 8.2. Macroevolution: Diversification 181 8.3. Conclusion 194 CHAPTER 9 Using Phylogenetic Information to Make Better Conservation Decisions 196 9.1. Why Preserve Evolutionary History? 197 9.2. Quantifying Evolutionary History 201 9.3. Prioritizing Species Based on Evolutionary Distinctiveness 204 9.4. Prioritizing Hotspots of Evolutionary Distinctiveness 207 9.5. Applying Conservation Metrics 208 CHAPTER 10 Conclusion: Where To From Here? 209 10.1. Predicting Ecology from Evolutionary Patterns 210 10.2. Combining Trait and Phylogenetic Information 212 10.3. Phylogenetic Insights into a Changing World 213 10.4. Where To Go from Here? 216 10.5. Heralding the Ecology-Evolution Synthesis? 221 Glossary 223 References 225 Index 249
£46.75
Princeton University Press The Phytochemical Landscape
Book SynopsisTrade Review"[Phytochemical Landscape] is written well, carefully documented, and adequately illustrated."--ChoiceTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix 1. Introduction 1 1.1 A Matter of Perspective 3 1.2 The Nature of Feedback 4 1.3 Which Autotrophs and Which Traits? 6 1.4 Trait Variation and Trait Diversity 7 1.5 Which Trophic Interactions? 9 1.6 Which Ecosystem Processes? 10 1.7 Webs of Green and Brown 11 2. The Phytochemical Landscape 13 2.1 Defining the Phytochemical Landscape 13 2.2 Variation on the Phytochemical Landscape 17 3. The Variable Chemistry of Primary Production 24 3.1 The Challenging Chemistry of Autotrophs 24 3.2 Origins of Variation in Autotroph Chemistry on the Phytochemical Landscape 25 3.3 Microbial Symbionts and Variation in Autotroph Chemistry: Whose Phenotype Is It Anyway? 30 3.4 Summary and Conclusions 38 4. Effects of Primary Producer Chemistry on Trophic Interactions 39 4.1 Herbivores and Herbivory: The Interactive Effects of Autotroph Chemistry and Natural Enemies 39 4.2 Effects of the Phytochemical Landscape on Natural Enemies 91 5. Effects of Trophic Interactions on the Chemistry of Primary Producers 109 5.1 Background 109 5.2 Effects of Herbivores and Predators on Autotroph Community Structure 111 5.3 Consumer Effects on Succession-Temporal Change on the Phytochemical Landscape 121 5.4 Phytochemical Induction-A Multiplier of Variation in Autotroph Chemistry on the Phytochemical Landscape 124 6. Effects of Autotroph Chemistry on Nutrient Dynamics 138 6.1 The Elements of Life 138 6.2 Recalcitrant Organic Chemistry 142 6.3 Nutrients, Stoichiometry, and the Decomposition of Autotroph Residues 148 6.4 Effects of Autotroph Identity and Diversity on Nutrient Dynamics 153 6.5 Effects of Phytoplankton Residue Chemistry on Nutrient Dynamics in Aquatic Ecosystems 160 6.6 Effects of Phytoplankton Stoichiometry on Nutrient Dynamics in Aquatic Ecosystems 168 7. Effects of Nutrient Availability on the Chemistry of Primary Producers 173 7.1 Introduction 173 7.2 Effects of Nutrient Dynamics on the Chemical Phenotype of Individual Autotrophs 175 7.3 Effects of Nutrient Availability on Primary Producer Diversity 185 7.4 Evolutionary Effects of Nutrient Availability on Autotroph Chemistry 192 7.5 Conclusions 195 8. Linking Trophic Interactions with Ecosystem Nutrient Dynamics on the Phytochemical Landscape 198 8.1 Putting It All Together: Linking Cycles and Generating Feedback 198 8.2 From Trophic Interactions to Ecosystem Processes 199 8.3 Effects of Herbivory on Nutrient Dynamics 200 8.4 Effects of Predators on Nutrient Dynamics 227 8.5 Effects of Nutrient Dynamics on Trophic Interactions 236 8.6 Final Thoughts on Feedback Loops 247 9. Synthesis and Prospects for Future Work 252 9.1 Introduction 252 9.2 Priority 1: Let's Make Some Maps 253 9.3 Priority 2: Assess the Frequency and Strength of Spatial Correlation 254 9.4 Priority 3: Understanding Time Lags and the Temporal Scale of Spatial Correlation on the Phytochemical Landscape 255 9.5 Priority 4: Exploring Variation in the Strength of Feedback between Trophic Interactions and Nutrient Dynamics on the Phytochemical Landscape 262 9.6 Priority 5: Comparing the Role of the Phytochemical Landscape in Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecosystems 272 9.7 Concluding Remarks 274 References Cited 277 Index 347
£55.80
Princeton University Press Viruses as Complex Adaptive Systems
Book SynopsisTrade Review“This book demonstrates how viruses, besides being fascinating organisms, can provide experimental tests and case studies for many of the evolutionary processes that are important to biologists.”—Lin Chao, University of California, San Diego “This stimulating and timely book addresses questions central to virus population dynamics from the conceptual framework of complex systems theory. Clearly structured and easy to read, it fills a gap and will appeal to scientists in a diversity of fields, from virology to mathematical biology.”—Fernando García-Arenal, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid“Viruses as Complex Adaptive Systems covers the evolution, diversity, and behavior of viruses from a mathematical perspective, providing a broad range of vignettes on the subject that are clear and engagingly written. The book also serves as a useful introduction to some aspects of theoretical biology.”—Oliver Pybus, University of Oxford“Solé and Elena bring together in one place a variety of different concepts and approaches that are normally treated separately, offering detailed discussions of the rapid contemporary variation of some viruses along with the medium and long-term evolution of others. I know of no other book like this one.”—Colin R. Parrish, Cornell University
£28.80
Princeton University Press The Amazing World of Flyingfish
Book SynopsisIf you travel the open ocean anywhere in the tropics, you are very likely to see flyingfish. These beautifully colored "ocean butterflies" shoot out of the water and sail on majestic, winglike pectoral fins to escape from predators such as dolphins, swordfish, and tuna. This book presents flyingfish.Trade Review"Ornithologist Steve Howell's engrossing natural history is embellished with 90 superb colour photographs of the ornate goldwing and other beauties among these 'ocean butterflies'."--Nature "A mesmerizing natural history."--Scott Shalaway, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette "Beautiful... Informative as Howell's book is, the best thing about it are the photographs. The pictures of the different varieties of flyingfish captured in flight are truly spectacular."--Asbury Park Press "Charming... [A] great book for any fan of natural history and anyone who still remembers they day they discovered some fish can fly!"--Gabriel Thoumi, Mongabay.com "Watching flyingfish is one of my favorite things about pelagic trips. If you'd like to find out more about these strange fish, this tiny, but attractive, book is for you."--Grant McCreary, Birder's Library "This slim book is filled with fascinating facts, interesting anecdotes and lovely photographs about a widespread family of fishes that are almost completely unknown. Fishkeepers, fishermen, globetrotters and nature lovers--whether an adult or a young person--will enjoy this book. Hopefully, it will help inspire both research and conservation efforts focused upon these essential animals."--Devorah Bennu, GrrlScientist, Guardian "Delightful... Answers many questions about these interesting fish."--Gerry Rising, Buffalo News "The Amazing World of Flyingfish ... is amazing. Once I opened it I did not put it down... I now have a strong urge to be back on the bow, looking at the deep blue water, waiting for that mysterious explosion of gossamer and silver. Fish enthusiasts, travelers, naturalists and photographers will love this book, so buy it for friends and family. Most of all buy a copy for yourself."--Roy John, Canadian Field-Naturalist "I highly recommend this wonderful book to anyone interested in the diversity of life and/or sea creatures."--DRK, Wildlife Activist "It is a beautiful little book."--DOB, Flying Fish "This book is the kind of fare that, when consumed at a young age, can instill a lifelong fascination and concern for all things marine--perfect propaganda for seabird biologists to pass along to the nestlings on their gift list. It could easily be a book for children or adults. But make sure you take a look at it before you give it away--you may want to buy another copy!"--Robert Pitman, Marine OrnithologyTable of ContentsPreface ix WHAT IS A FLYINGFISH? 1 WHERE DO FLYINGFISH LIVE? 5 HOW MANY KINDS ARE THERE? 7 HOW BIG ARE THEY? 10 HOW DO THEY FLY? 12 WHY DO THEY FLY? 19 WHAT COLORS ARE THEY? 27 HOW CAN I IDENTIFY THEM? 34 A Note on the Photos 39 Acknowledgments 41 References 43 Index 45
£10.44
Princeton University Press Population Ecology
Book SynopsisEcology is capturing the popular imagination like never before, with issues such as climate change, species extinctions, and habitat destruction becoming ever more prominent. This title provides an accessible mathematical foundation for the advances in ecology. It introduces students to the key literature in the field.Trade ReviewPraise for first edition:"Superbly crafted."--Choice Praise for first edition:"Vandermeer and Goldberg do an admirable job of explaining the ecological meaning and assumptions behind all of the mathematical results presented. They include many figures that illustrate their points clearly and these are accompanied with detailed verbal explanations."--Helen M. Regan, Ecology "As population ecology continues to grow and develop as a discipline, this book will serve as a useful text for undergraduate courses in population ecology or quantitative techniques, and will also serve as a handy resource for professionals."--Tyler M. Harms, Journal of Wildlife ManagementTable of ContentsList of Figures xi List of Tables xvii Preface xix ONE Elementary Population Dynamics 1 Density Independence: The Exponential Equation 2 Density Dependence 9 The Logistic Equation 13 The Yield-Density Relationship 17 Density Dependence and Mortality: Thinning Laws 22 Density Dependence in Discrete Time Models 28 TWO Projection Matrices: Structured Models 30 Elementary Age-Structured Population Projection Matrices 30 Non-Age Structure: Stage Projection Matrices 39 Eigenvectors, Reproductive Value, Sensitivity, and Elasticity 45 Density Dependence in Structured Populations 48 Density Dependence in a Simple Age-Structured Model 48 Density Dependence in Size-Distributed Populations 50 Density Dependence in a Stage-Structured Model 56 Appendix: Basic Matrix Manipulations 57 Matrix Multiplication 57 Matrix Addition and Subtraction 58 The Identity Matrix 59 The Determinant of a Matrix 59 THREE Applications of Simple Population Models 62 Life History Analysis 63 Investment in Survivorship versus Reproduction: The r-K Continuum 64 The Cost of Reproduction 66 Optimal Reproductive Schedules 67 Applications of Population Projection Matrices 73 The Dall's Mountain Sheep: A Static Life Table 73 Palo de Mayo: A Dynamic Life Table 74 Population Viability Analysis 76 Demography of Invasive and Native Plant Populations 78 FOUR A Closer Look at the "Dynamics" in Population Dynamics 81 Intuitive Ideas of Equilibrium and Stability 83 Eigenvalues: A Key Concept in Dynamic Analysis 92 Basic Concepts of Equilibrium and Stability in One-Dimensional Maps 97 The One-Dimensional Map 98 Stability and Equilibrium in the Logistic Map 106 Basins of Attraction in the Logistic Map 108 Structural Stability 110 Bifurcation Diagrams 116 Concluding Remarks 122 FIVE Patterns and Dynamics in Space 126 The Poisson Distribution 129 Point Pattern Analysis and the Question of Scale 134 Mechanisms of Spatial Pattern Formation: Principles of Reaction/Diffusion 137 Mechanisms of Spatial Pattern Formation: Biological Causes 141 Metapopulations 142 Assumptions of Metapopulation Models 146 The Rescue Effect and Propagule Rain 148 Appendix: Data for Exercises 5.2, 5.3, and 5.4 150 SIX Predator-Prey (Consumer-Resource) Interactions 152 Predator-Prey Interactions: First Principles 153 Density Dependence 158 Functional Response 161 Functional Response and Density Dependence Together 166 Paradoxes in Applications of Predator-Prey Theory 168 Predator-Prey Dynamics: A Graphical Approach 170 Predator-Prey Interactions in Discrete Time 176 SEVEN Disease Ecology 187 Direct Disease Transmission 188 Indirect Transmission 194 EIGHT Competition 198 Competition: First Principles 199 Isocline Analysis of the Lotka-Volterra Competition Equations 203 Niches and Competitive Coexistence and Exclusion 209 The Competitive Production Principle: Applications of Competition Theory to Agriculture 211 Resource Competition 212 NINE Facilitation and Mutualism 225 TEN What This Book Was About 239 Glossary 243 References 247 Index 255
£66.30
Princeton University Press 40 Years of Evolution
Book SynopsisOffers an evolutionary history of Darwin's finches since their origin almost 3 million years ago. By continuously tracking finch populations over a period of four decades, this title uncovers the causes and consequences of significant events leading to evolutionary changes in species.Trade ReviewHonorable Mention for the 2015 PROSE Award in Biological Sciences, Association of American Publishers One of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2014 "For the Grants, Daphne Major has been a magic well. With their four decades of work on the island, they've made it a magnificent microcosm, a model of life on Earth."--Jonathan Weiner, New York Times "For the Grants, evolution isn't a theoretical abstraction. It's gritty and real and immediate and stunningly fast... Most of all, the book is an affirmation of the importance of long-term fieldwork as a way of capturing the true dynamism of evolution."--Joel Achenbach, Princeton Alumni Weekly "The study described here is truly exceptional. Peter and Rosemary Grant ... have devoted their careers to the study of the group of birds known as Darwin's finches on the Galapagos archipelago, one of the most isolated and inhospitable places on Earth. But the payoff is that their research furnishes some of the most compelling evidence for natural selection and the origin of species... The Grants' achievement is monumental."--Tim Birkhead, Times Higher Education "[O]ne of the most intriguing books I have ever read... Read it for yourself. You'll be glad you did!"--Allan Archer, BTO News "This volume not only provides detailed evidence of the evolution of a specific group of animals, but also offers an overall perspective on how and in what ways bird species have changed in this rather isolated locality."--Choice "Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder and 'best' is often a subjective term. In the case of the Grant's work on Galapagos finches, I think it is possible to argue objectively that it really is the best by some measures because of its design, sustained execution, and continual incorporation of new methods and ideas. This book contributes to the status of their research program because it makes this body of work readily accessible to a much larger audience."--David Reznick, Ecology "40 Years of Evolution offers readers numerous opportunities for inspiration at how the study of ecology, evolution, and natural history of finches on a small island reflects the forces at work in the Galapagos and throughout life."--Frederick R. Davis, Quarterly Review of Biology "This book uses hard won data ... to draw insightful conclusions about the messy, dynamic, and creative processes of evolutionary change and lineage divergence. It would make an excellent ... textbook for a college-level course in evolution because it has it all: natural selection, sexual selection, heritability, competition, character displacement, speciation, and extinction... This book is a tribute to the authors themselves."--Michael S. Webster, EvolutionTable of Contents*Frontmatter, pg. i*Contents, pg. ix*Illustrations, pg. xvii*Tables, pg. xxiii*Boxes, pg. xxv*Preface, pg. xxvii*1. Speciation, Adaptive Radiation, And Evolution, pg. 3*2. Daphne Finches: A Question of Size, pg. 17*3. Heritable Variation, pg. 41*4. Natural Selection And Evolution, pg. 55*5. Breeding Ecology And Fitness, pg. 77*6. A Potential Competitor Arrives on Daphne, pg. 103*7. Competition and Character Displacement, pg. 122*8. Hybridization, pg. 138*9. Variation and Introgression, pg. 166*10. Long-Term Trends in Hybridization, pg. 183*11. Long-Term Trends in Natural Selection, pg. 205*12. Speciation, pg. 229*13. Speciation by Introgressive Hybridization, pg. 245*14. The Future of Finches on Daphne, pg. 271*15. Themes and Issues, pg. 287*16. Generalization, pg. 300*17. Epilogue, pg. 310*Coda, pg. 319*Appendixes, pg. 321*Abbreviations, pg. 341*Glossary, pg. 343*References, pg. 353*Subject Index, pg. 389
£45.00
Princeton University Press Ecological Forecasting
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Shortlisted for the 2018 TWS Wildlife Publication Awards, The Wildlife Society""This book is unique in its scope, and it will be for many years, until ecologists embrace its message: to understand how nature works, we have to propose mechanistic models and test them. Their uncertainties reveal what we do not know, and where prediction error can be minimised by future work. . . . [This book] will give any reader a wider view of the data-model tandem, and dense information on how to step up to the next level of ecological forecasting."---Carsten F. Dormann, Basic and Applied Ecology"[Dietze] does a great job of clearly explaining complex statistical procedures . . . . ecological modelers will find this book invaluable, and students who want to deepen their understanding of these topics will find it worthwhile." * Conservation Biology *Table of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xi 1. Introduction 1 1.1 Why Forecast? 1 1.2 The Informatics Challenge in Forecasting 3 1.3 The Model-Data Loop 4 1.4 Why Bayes? 6 1.5 Models as Scaffolds 7 1.6 Case Studies and Decision Support 8 1.7 Key Concepts 10 1.8 Hands-on Activities 10 2. From Models to Forecasts 11 2.1 The Traditional Modeler's Toolbox 11 2.2 Example: The Logistic Growth Model 12 2.3 Adding Sources of Uncertainty 14 2.4 Thinking Probabilistically 23 2.5 Predictability 25 2.6 Key Concepts 33 2.7 Hands-on Activities 33 3. Data, Large and Small 34 3.1 The Data Cycle and Best Practices 34 3.2 Data Standards and Metadata 38 3.3 Handling Big Data 40 3.4 Key Concepts 43 3.5 Hands-on Activities 43 4. Scientific Workflows and the Informatics of Model-Data Fusion 44 4.1 Transparency, Accountability, and Repeatability 44 4.2 Workflows and Automation 45 4.3 Best Practices for Scientific Computing 48 4.4 Key Concepts 51 4.5 Hands-on Activities 52 5. Introduction to Bayes 53 5.1 Confronting Models with Data 53 5.2 Probability 101 54 5.3 The Likelihood 56 5.4 Bayes' Theorem 61 5.5 Prior Information 65 5.6 Numerical Methods for Bayes 68 5.7 Evaluating MCMC Output 71 5.8 Key Concepts 74 5.9 Hands-on Activities 75 6. Characterizing Uncertainty 76 6.1 Non-Gaussian Error 76 6.2 Heteroskedasticity 82 6.3 Observation Error 83 6.4 Missing Data and Inverse Modeling 87 6.5 Hierarchical Models and Process Error 90 6.6 Autocorrelation 94 6.7 Key Concepts 96 6.8 Hands-on Activities 97 7. Case Study: Biodiversity, Populations, and Endangered Species 98 7.1 Endangered Species 98 7.2 Biodiversity 104 7.3 Key Concepts 106 7.4 Hands-on Activities 107 8. Latent Variables and State-Space Models 108 8.1 Latent Variables 108 8.2 State Space 110 8.3 Hidden Markov Time-Series Model 111 8.4 Beyond Time 114 8.5 Key Concepts 116 8.6 Hands-on Activities 117 9. Fusing Data Sources 118 9.1 Meta-analysis 120 9.2 Combining Data: Practice, Pitfalls, and Opportunities 123 9.3 Combining Data and Models across Space and Time 127 9.4 Key Concepts 130 9.5 Hands-on Activities 130 10. Case Study: Natural Resources 131 10.1 Fisheries 131 10.2 Case Study: Baltic Salmon 133 10.3 Key Concepts 137 11. Propagating, Analyzing, and Reducing Uncertainty 138 11.1 Sensitivity Analysis 138 11.2 Uncertainty Propagation 145 11.3 Uncertainty Analysis 155 11.4 Tools for Model-Data Feedbacks 158 11.5 Key Concepts 162 11.6 Hands-on Activities 163 Appendix A Properties of Means and Variances 163 Appendix B Common Variance Approximations 164 12. Case Study: Carbon Cycle 165 12.1 Carbon Cycle Uncertainties 165 12.2 State of the Science 166 12.3 Case Study: Model-Data Feedbacks 171 12.4 Key Concepts 174 12.5 Hands-on Activities 174 13. Data Assimilation 1: Analytical Methods 175 13.1 The Forecast Cycle 175 13.2 Kalman Filter 178 13.3 Extended Kalman Filter 183 13.4 Key Concepts 185 13.5 Hands-on Activities 186 14. Data Assimilation 2: Monte Carlo Methods 187 14.1 Ensemble Filters 187 14.2 Particle Filter 190 14.3 Model Averaging and Reversible Jump MCMC 194 14.4 Generalizing the Forecast Cycle 195 14.5 Key Concepts 197 14.6 Hands-on Activities 198 15. Epidemiology 199 15.1 Theory 200 15.2 Ecological Forecasting 201 15.3 Examples of Epidemiological Forecasting 202 15.4 Case Study: Influenza 205 15.5 Key Concepts 207 16. Assessing Model Performance 208 16.1 Visualization 208 16.2 Basic Model Diagnostics 211 16.3 Model Benchmarks 215 16.4 Data Mining the Residuals 217 16.5 Comparing Model Performance to Simple Statistics 217 16.6 Key Concepts 219 16.7 Hands-on Activities 219 17. Projection and Decision Support 221 17.1 Projections, Predictions, and Forecasting 222 17.2 Decision Support 223 17.3 Key Concepts 235 17.4 Hands-on Activities 236 18. Final Thoughts 237 18.1 Lessons Learned 237 18.2 Future Directions 240 References 245 Index 261
£55.80
Princeton University Press How Men Age What Evolution Reveals about Male
Book SynopsisWhile the health of aging men has been a focus of biomedical research for years, evolutionary biology has not been part of the conversation--until now. How Men Age is the first book to explore how natural selection has shaped male aging, how evolutionary theory can inform our understanding of male health and well-being, and how older men may have cTrade Review"[T]he best short summation I've seen of a massive body of research."--Michael Shermer, Wall Street Journal "Bribiescas draws on the latest findings in anthropology, endocrinology, and genetics to help us understand the male-aging process... How Men Age is wry, sly, informative, and provocative."--Glenn Altschuler, Psychology Today "Bribiescas makes a wonderful case for considering evolutionary ideas in human health, and provides a great introduction for anyone wishing to join the conversation."--Emily Gregg, Lateral magazine "An enjoyable and humane look at what could have been a bleak subject, spiced with just the right amounts of humour, anecdote, and quirky personal perspective."--David Bainbridge, Literary Review "[T]he lens through which Bribiescas views [male aging], evolutionary biology, offers a nuanced explanation of why, during almost every phase of human life, men die at a higher rate than women."--Brian Bethune, Maclean's "[Richard Bribiescas] applies anthropological and evolutionary biological lenses to a sweeping, succinct review of the phenomenon [of male aging], and does so with good humor."--Harvard Magazine "Do not buy or borrow some book on aging written by a web site, a fake MD, or some other charlatan. Read a book on aging (in men) that first appeared many times in the peer reviewed literature, written by Harvard Trained Yale Expert Richard Bribiescas... You will enjoy this book, especially if you are a man of a certain age."--Greg Laden "Biological anthropologist Richard Bribiescas covers some interesting uncharted territory... Testosterone peaks in early adulthood, so that men are past their physical prime by the age of 30. It's tempting to see it as all downhill from there. But with wit and insight, Bribiescas shows convincingly that's not the case."--Kate Douglas, New Scientist "[How Men Age] certainly enriches our understanding of male health and well-being."--Wan Lixin, Shanghai DailyTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Chapter 1 A Gray Evolutionary Lens 1 Chapter 2 Dead Man's Curve 17 Chapter 3 Getting a Handle on Love Handles 45 Chapter 4 Older Fathers, Longer Lives 70 Chapter 5 Dear Old Dad 88 Chapter 6 Darwinian Health and Other Contradictions 106 Chapter 7 Older Men and the Future of Human Evolution 133 Notes 145 Index 169
£18.00