Evolution / Evolutionary biology Books
University of California Press Natural Security
Book SynopsisConsiders how models and ideas from evolutionary biology can improve national security strategies ranging from risk assessment, security analysis, and public policy to long-term strategic goals.Trade Review"Engaging ... A stimulating read. It opens the door to an exciting merger between political science and evolutionary theory." Nature "This book deserves a broad, interdisciplinary readership... It also illustrates how applied knowledge of evolution can promote human well-being." Qtly Review Of BiologyTable of ContentsContributors vii Acknowledgments ix Part One: Introduction 1. The Origins of Natural Security 3 Raphael D. Sagarin 2. Living with Risk 14 Terrence Taylor Part Two: Life History and Security 3. Security, Unpredictability, and Evolution: 25 Policy and the History of Life Geerat J. Vermeij 4. From Bacteria to Belief: Immunity and Security 42 Luis P. Villarreal Part Three: Security Today 5. Corporations and Bureaucracies under a Biological Lens 71 Elizabeth M. Prescott 6. Selection, Security, and Evolutionary International Relations 86 Gregory P. Dietl Part Four: Evolution's Imprint: Psychology and the Roots of Terrorism 7. Militants and Martyrs: Evolutionary Perspectives on 105 Religion and Terrorism Richard Sosis and Candace S. Alcorta 8. Causes of and Solutions of Islamic Fundamentalist 125 Terrorism Bradley A. Thayer 9. The Power of Moral Belief 141 Scott Atran Part Five: Ecology and Security 10. Fourteen Security Lessons from Antipredator Behavior 147 Daniel T. Blumstein 11. Population Models and Counterinsurgency Strategies 159 Dominic D. P. Johnson and Joshua S. Madin 12. The Infectiousness of Terrorist Ideology: 186 Insights from Ecology and Epidemiology Kevin D. Lafferty, Katherine F. Smith, and Elizabeth M. P. Madin Part Six: Synthesis 13. Paradigm Shifts in Security Strategy: 209 Why Does It Take Disasters to Trigger Change? Dominic D. P. Johnson and Elizabeth M. P. Madin 14. Network Analysis Links Parts to the Whole 240 Ferenc Jordan 15. A Holistic View of Natural Security 261 Raphael D. Sagarin Index 279
£56.80
University of California Press The Genial Gene
Book SynopsisAre selfishness and individuality - rather than kindness and cooperation - basic to biological nature? Does a 'selfish gene' create universal sexual conflict? This title intends to reject these and other ideas that have come to dominate the study of animal evolution.Trade Review"The arguments and counterarguments will most certainly generate a good deal of heat, but also, let's hope,... even more light." The American Scholar "Roughgarden's new theory is likely to end up an important extension to existing thought." New Scientist "Succeeds in re-opening issues long thought closed...(Challenging) what we thought we already know." Nature "Argues that... sexual selection as a form of self-seeking improvement on the part of each beast is a myth." New YorkerTable of ContentsAcknowledgments Introduction: Is Nature Selfish? COOPERATION AND TEAMWORK 1. Sexual Selection Defined 2. The Case against Sexual Selection 3. Social Selection Defined THE GENETIC SYSTEM FOR SEX 4. The Gene: Recombination 5. The Cell: Sperm and Egg 6. The Body: Male, Female, and Hermaphrodite THE SOCIAL SYSTEM FOR SEX 7. The Behavioral Tier 8. The Evolutionary Tier 9. Family Harmony and Discord 10. Sharing Offspring with Neighbors Conclusion: Social versus Sexual Selection Index
£32.30
University of California Press Epigenetics
Book SynopsisIlluminating the processes and patterns that link genotype to phenotype, this title seeks to explain features, characters, and developmental mechanisms that can only be understood in terms of interactions that arise above the level of the gene.Trade Review"Eloquent, comprehensive, and insightful." -- Marcelo R. Sanchez-Villagra Evolution & Development "Epigenetics will go a long way towards making the reader re-evaluate any ideas that the evolution of variation is purely due to small genetic change." -- Brian Livingstone Linnean Society Biological Journal "This book is an invaluable contribution for understanding the intricacies of evolutionary processes as well as for devising interventional approaches to enhance healthy life span in humans." -- Diddahally R Govindaraju Evolution: Education and OutreachTable of ContentsEpigenetics: Linking Genotype and Phenotype in Development and Evolution 1. Introduction: Emergent Properties and the Phenotype Hallgrimsson and Hall Historical and Philosophical Foundations 2. Historical Foundations Brian K. Hall 3. Heuristic Reductionism and the Relative Significance of Inheritance James Grisemer Approaches to Epigenetics 4. Genomic imprinting Vett Lloyd 5. Methylation Mapping in Humans Christoph Grunau, Montpellier 6. Asexuality and Epigenetic Variation Root Gorelick, Manfred Laubichler and Rachel Massicotte 7. Preformation and the Humpty Dumpty Problem Ellie Larsen 8. A Principle of Developmental Inertia Allesandro Minelli Epigenetics of Vertebrate Organ Development 9. Nervous System Development Carol Schuurmans 10. Morphogenesis of pigment patterns Lennart Olsson 11. Interactions of the Cardiac Neural Crest Margaret Kirby 12. Bone and Cartilage Development Tamara Franz-Odendaal 13. Muscle-Bone Interactions and the Development of Skeletal Phenotype Sue Herring 14. Apical Ectoderm in the Developing Vertebrate Limb Cooper, L.N, Armfield, B.A., J.G.M. Thewissen 15. Role of Skeletal Muscle in the Shaping of Organs, Tissues and Cell Fate Choices Boris Kablar Epigenetics in Evolution and Disease 16. Integration, Complexity and Evolvability of the Head Dan Lieberman 17. Epigenetic interactions: The developmental route to functional integration Miriam Leah Zelditcha and Donald L. Swiderski 18. Epigenetic Contributions to Adaptive Radiation Susan Foster 19. Learning, Developmental Plasticity, and the Rate of Morphological Evolution Rich Palmer and Chris Neufeld 20. Epigenetics: Adaptation or Contingency Thomas Hansen 21. Dysmorphology Joan Richtsmeier 22. Human Disease Peter Gluckman 23. Epigenetics: The Context of Development Hallgrimsson and Hall
£67.20
University of California Press We Are Amphibians
Book SynopsisTells the story of two brothers who changed the way we think about the future of our species.Trade Review"An interesting, thought-provoking work." -- F. W. Yow CHOICE "Deese has written a splendidly readable and analytically rigorous study of a fascinating topic, and one that is of continuing relevance in today's world of endangered species, climate change and global violence." -- Paul Crook Australian Journal of Politics and HistoryTable of ContentsList of Illustrations Introduction: "The question of questions for mankind" 1. Late Victorians 2. Twilight of Utopias 3. Spiritual Biology 4. Ape and Essence 5. We Are Amphibians Epilogue: The Future of Our Species Acknowledgments Notes Bibliography Index
£999.99
University of California Press Dodging Extinction Power Food Money and the
Book SynopsisWriting from the front lines of extinction research, the author tells the story of geologic and evolutionary history and how it informs the way humans inhabit, exploit, and impact Earth today. Optimistic that we can change this ominous forecast if we act now, he provides clear-cut strategies to guide the planet away from global catastrophe.Trade Review"A superior synthesis of recent research from many scientific disciplines, this eloquent book could serve as a model for how scientists should write for nonspecialists about the critical environmental challenges of our time. An excellent companion to Elizabeth Kolbert's The Sixth Extinction." Library Journal "A pragmatic approach to finding workable solutions to a looming crisis." Kirkus Reviews "Powerful and passionate prose... Time may be short, but this is a message of hope for readers looking for a better future." Publishers Weekly "Beautifully written... A very learned book, but it's very approachable and fun... Anyone who is interested in the future of the planet or loves animals should check this one out ." -Annalee Newitz, The Best Science Books of 2014 Science Friday "A rattling read and punchily packaged. Barnosky's prose is tight and accessible, and it lays the crisis on the line." New Scientist "Well-written and accessible ... Barnosky provides an informed perspective of Earth's past mass extinctions and the lessons that can be learned from them to understand the present crises ... A must read for college students and a well-informed citizenry." -- C. A. McRoberts CHOICE "Barnosky provides a long list of things we need to do to move to more efficient energy use." Word & WorldTable of ContentsPreface 1. The Last Ones Standing 2. It's Not Too Late (Yet) 3. A Perfect Storm 4. Power 5. Food 6. Money 7. Resuscitation 8. Back from the Brink Acknowledgments Notes Index
£22.50
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Thought in a Hostile World
Book SynopsisWINNER OF THE 2004 LAKATOS AWARD! Thought in a Hostile World is an exploration of the evolution of cognition, especially human cognition, by one of today''s foremost philosophers of biology and of mind. Featuresan exploration of the evolution of human cognition. Written by one of today's foremost philosophers of mind and language. Presents a set of analytic tools for thinking about cognition and its evolution. Offers a critique of nativist, modular versions of evolutionary psychology, rejecting the example of language as a model for thinking about human cognitive capacities. Applies to the areas of cognitive science, philosophy of mind, and evolutionary psychology. Trade Review"Written with both clarity and rigor, Thought in a Hostile World is a richly informed and sophisticated account of the evolution of complex cognition. Sterelny's arguments appeal, not so much because they reinforce our preconceptions – on the contrary, we are frequently challenged – but rather because they are informed, well-reasoned, and leave us with plenty to think about. Sterelny's book could aptly be renamed Clear Thought in a Muddled World and evolutionary psychologists, in particular, would benefit from reading it." Kevin N. Laland, University of St. Andrews "This book is a godsend for anyone wanting to understand the evolution of human cognition without buying into the wholesale modularism of recent evolutionary psychology. Densely, but elegantly, written and replete with fascinating empirical detail, this book represents a major advance in the philosophical understanding of human cognitive evolution." Fiona Cowie, California Institute of TechnologyTable of ContentsPreface. Part I: Assembling Intentionality:. 1. Evolutionary Naturalism:. Two Projects Of Evolutionary Naturalism. The Simple Co-Ordination Thesis. 2. Detection Systems:. The Environmental Complexity Hypothesis. Detection Systems. The Power Of Detection Systems. Transparent And Translucent Worlds. Robust Tracking Systems. 3. Fuels For Success:. Decoupled Representation. Response Breadth. Fuels For Success: Space. Fuels For Success: Intervention In The Material World. Reprise. 4. Fuels For Success: The Social Intelligence Hypothesis:. The Cognitive Demands Of Social Life. The Social Intelligence Hypothesis. The Cognitive World Of The Great Apes: Imitation. The Cognitive World Of Great Apes: Tracking Other Minds. 5. The Descent Of Preference:. Internal Environments. The Forager’s Dilemma. Preference Eliminativism?. Preference-Like States. Part II: Not Just Another Species Of Large Mammal:. 6. Reconstructing Hominid Evolution:. Testing Theories Of Human Evolution. From Cognitive Device To Evolutionary History. Making Progress. An Example: Tomasello’s Conjecture. Conclusions. 7. The Co-Operation Explosion:. The Co-Operative Primate. Group Selection And Human Co-Operation. The Ecological Trigger Of Hominid Co-Operation. Coalition And Enforcement. Commitment To Enforcement. Upshot. 8. The Self-Made Species:. Ecological Engineers. Cumulative Niche Construction: The Cognitive Condition. Cumulative Niche Construction: The Social Condition. Hominid Epistemic Engineering. Downstream Epistemic Engineering. 9. Heterogeneous Environments And Variable Response:. Phenotypic Plasticity. Is Plasticity An Adaptation?. Reprise. Part III: The Fate Of The Folk:. 10. The Massive Modularity Hypothesis:. Massive Modularity. Language: Paradigm Or Outlier?. Communicative Intentions. Fodor’s Modules And Their Limits. Inward Bound. Evolution And Encapsulation. The Poverty Of The Stimulus. The Case Of Folk Biology. Modularity And The Frame Problem. 11. Interpreting Other Agents:. A Theory Of Mind Module?. Deconstructing The Folk Psychology Module. Interpretation, Perception And Scaffolded Learning. Truth, Evidence And Success. Co-Ordination And Meaning. Something New Under The Sun?. References. Index
£95.36
John Wiley and Sons Ltd Thought in a Hostile World
Book SynopsisThis is an exploration of the evolution of cognition. The author begins by developing a set of analytic tools for thinking about cognition and its evolution,examining the relationship between folk psychology and an integrated scientific conception of human cognition.Trade Review"Written with both clarity and rigor, Thought in a Hostile World is a richly informed and sophisticated account of the evolution of complex cognition. Sterelny's arguments appeal, not so much because they reinforce our preconceptions – on the contrary, we are frequently challenged – but rather because they are informed, well-reasoned, and leave us with plenty to think about. Sterelny's book could aptly be renamed Clear Thought in a Muddled World and evolutionary psychologists, in particular, would benefit from reading it." Kevin N. Laland, University of St. Andrews "This book is a godsend for anyone wanting to understand the evolution of human cognition without buying into the wholesale modularism of recent evolutionary psychology. Densely, but elegantly, written and replete with fascinating empirical detail, this book represents a major advance in the philosophical understanding of human cognitive evolution." Fiona Cowie, California Institute of TechnologyTable of ContentsPreface. Part I: Assembling Intentionality:. 1. Evolutionary Naturalism:. Two Projects Of Evolutionary Naturalism. The Simple Co-Ordination Thesis. 2. Detection Systems:. The Environmental Complexity Hypothesis. Detection Systems. The Power Of Detection Systems. Transparent And Translucent Worlds. Robust Tracking Systems. 3. Fuels For Success:. Decoupled Representation. Response Breadth. Fuels For Success: Space. Fuels For Success: Intervention In The Material World. Reprise. 4. Fuels For Success: The Social Intelligence Hypothesis:. The Cognitive Demands Of Social Life. The Social Intelligence Hypothesis. The Cognitive World Of The Great Apes: Imitation. The Cognitive World Of Great Apes: Tracking Other Minds. 5. The Descent Of Preference:. Internal Environments. The Forager’s Dilemma. Preference Eliminativism?. Preference-Like States. Part II: Not Just Another Species Of Large Mammal:. 6. Reconstructing Hominid Evolution:. Testing Theories Of Human Evolution. From Cognitive Device To Evolutionary History. Making Progress. An Example: Tomasello’s Conjecture. Conclusions. 7. The Co-Operation Explosion:. The Co-Operative Primate. Group Selection And Human Co-Operation. The Ecological Trigger Of Hominid Co-Operation. Coalition And Enforcement. Commitment To Enforcement. Upshot. 8. The Self-Made Species:. Ecological Engineers. Cumulative Niche Construction: The Cognitive Condition. Cumulative Niche Construction: The Social Condition. Hominid Epistemic Engineering. Downstream Epistemic Engineering. 9. Heterogeneous Environments And Variable Response:. Phenotypic Plasticity. Is Plasticity An Adaptation?. Reprise. Part III: The Fate Of The Folk:. 10. The Massive Modularity Hypothesis:. Massive Modularity. Language: Paradigm Or Outlier?. Communicative Intentions. Fodor’s Modules And Their Limits. Inward Bound. Evolution And Encapsulation. The Poverty Of The Stimulus. The Case Of Folk Biology. Modularity And The Frame Problem. 11. Interpreting Other Agents:. A Theory Of Mind Module?. Deconstructing The Folk Psychology Module. Interpretation, Perception And Scaffolded Learning. Truth, Evidence And Success. Co-Ordination And Meaning. Something New Under The Sun?. References. Index
£35.10
Harvard University Press Gene Sharing and Evolution The Diversity of
Book SynopsisIn Gene Sharing and Evolution Piatigorsky explores the generality and implications of gene sharing throughout evolution and argues that most if not all proteins perform a variety of functions in the same and in different species, and that this is a fundamental necessity for evolution.Trade ReviewEvery textbook of molecular evolution has a section on gene sharing but this is the first book entirely devoted to the topic. Piatigorsky considers almost all aspects of gene sharing, provides numerous examples, and discusses the importance and contribution of gene sharing to evolution. He argues forcefully that gene sharing is widespread in many genomes. His arguments will likely alter the prevailing view of gene sharing as a unique phenomenon to crystallins. -- Jianzhi George Zhang, Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of MichiganThis book introduces, explains and elaborates on the very interesting fact that some genes produce proteins that serve different (and important) functions in the same organism. This is a remarkable story well told and interesting from both evolutionary and functional perspectives. -- Russell D. Fernald, Benjamin Scott Crocker Professor of Biological Sciences at Stanford UniversityIt has been a dogma of evolutionary biology that gene duplication precedes the evolution of new gene and protein function. Joram Piatigorsky stands this scenario on its head by showing that, in the case of lens crystallins and probably other protein families, functional diversity can precede gene duplication. His revolutionary perspective provides unexpected insight into how biological systems evolve. -- Austin Hughes, Professor of Biological Sciences, University of South CarolinaI have not encountered such an interesting, intellectually stimulating and exciting biological monograph in many years. Piatigorsky discusses the phenomenon of gene sharing on all levels, the molecular and cellular, as well as in the context of ìsystem biologyî and finally its ramifications on our views on evolution. He manages to concentrate a tremendous amount of information in this book and whatever he says has experimental backing. His precise and detailed technical descriptions are presented in a very readable style that also projects a sense of wonder and surprise. This is an extraordinary book that I hope will have an important impact on future biological thinking. -- Dr. Alex Keynan, Professor at Hebrew University and Special Adviser to the President of the Israeli National Academy of Sciences[Gene Sharing and Evolution] provides great motivation for evolutionists to continue investigating the origins of new protein function, a topic central to evo-devo biology. The book is a parade of interesting molecular biology with abundant and clear color illustrations. The work is copiously referenced. With over 1100 references in the bibliography, most anyone is certain to find new and interesting literature. As such, I recommend Gene Sharing and Evolution for a graduate seminar, as a reference book on gene multi-functionality with many detailed examples, and for anyone pondering the evolutionary origins of novelty at the molecular level. -- Todd H. Oakley * Evolution & Development *A masterpiece for a broad medical and scientific readership. The text provides a powerful reminder that genes and proteins do not function as isolated entities but are components of a dynamic and elaborate temporal network. With the recent advent of the -omics disciplines, we are witnessing fundamental changes that propel biomedical sciences toward a new level, in which the global perspectives become the fundamental priority. -- Richard A. Stein * Journal of the American Medical Association *Table of ContentsList of Illustrations Preface 1. What Is "Gene Sharing"? New Functions for Old Proteins and the Question of Gene Duplication Origin of the Term "Gene Sharing" Gene Sharing: General Definition and Implications Protein Location and Gene Regulation Why the Term "Gene Sharing"? Mechanisms for Diversifying Gene Functions Posttranslational Modifications Conditions for Initiating Gene Sharing Contrasting Phenotype with Protein Function Take-Home Message 2. Multifunctions and Functional Shifts: Echos from the Past Preadaptation, Prospective Adaptation, and Hopeful Monsters Quirky Functional Shifts and Exaptation Spandrels and Gene Sharing Gene Regulation and Tinkering Take-Home Message 3. The Elusive Concept of a "Gene" The Classical Gene Concept The Mendel-Morgan Chromosomal Theory of the Gene Later Developments: One Gene/One Enzyme/One Polypeptide The Molecular Era of the Gene: So Much Data, So Many Possibilities Quantifying Genes before the Molecular Era Quantifying Genes in the Molecular Era: Fewer than Expected Noncoding Regulatory Genes Protein Diversity The Ambiguous Gene The "Molecular Gene" Concept The "Molecular Process Gene" Concept The "Evolutionary Gene" Concept Two Concepts for One Gene: Gene-P/Gene-D Gene Sharing: A Concept Incorporating an "Open Gene" Take-Home Message 4. Eyes and Lenses: Gene Sharing by Crystallins Eye Diversity: Many Forms to Perform a Function The Lens Crystallins and the Optical Properties of the Lens Diversity and Taxon-Specificity of Lens Crystallins Crystallins Are Borrowed Proteins The bg-Crystallins: A Superfamily with Distant Stress Connections The Enzyme-Crystallins of Vertebrates Crystallins of Invertebrates Crystallin Gene Regulation in Vertebrates: A Similar Cast of Transcription Factors Convergent Evolution of Crystallin Gene Expression Evolutionary Dynamism of shsp/aB-Crystallin Gene Expression Convergent Evolution of Invertebrate and Vertebrate Crystallin Promoters Potential for Lens-Specific Promoter Activity Convergent Evolution and Relaxed Stringency for Crystallins Take-Home Message 5. The Enigmatic "Corneal Crystallins": Putative Cases of Gene Sharing The Cornea Aldehyde Dehydrogenase: A Candidate Corneal Crystallin Other Candidate Corneal Crystallins: Transketolase, Isocitrate Dehydrogenase, and Cyclophilin Adseverin: A Corneal Crystallin in Zebrafish A Signaling Role for Adseverin Corneal Gene Expression The Refracton Hypothesis: Implications for Gene Sharing Take-Home Message 6. Gene Sharing As a Common Event: Many Multifunctional Proteins Glycolytic Enzymes and the Versatile Hexokinases Citrate Synthase: An Enzyme and a Cytoskeletal Structure Lactate Dehydrogenase: An Enzyme for All Seasons Regulation of mRNA Translation by Enzyme Binding Glyceraldehye-3-phosphate Dehydrogenase: Constant Surprises Enolase: Another Versatile Protein Bacterial Surface Enzymes Xanthine Oxidoreductase: Enzyme and Envelope The Thioredoxin/Ribonucleotide Reductase System and Thioredoxin Family Members: From Redox to Morphogenesis Serum Albumin: Transport Protein, Enzymatic Vasodilator and Detoxifier Gelsolin: Roles in Cytoskeletal Structure, Gene Expression, Cell Death, and Signal Transduction Cytochrome c: Roles in Electron Transport, Cell Death, and Light Filtration Take-Home Message 7. Gene Sharing during Gene Expression Complexity of Transcription Nuclear Receptors Metabolic Enzymes and Gene Expression Y-Box Proteins Transcription Factors as Translational Regulators: Bicoid Translation Factors for RNA Export: eIF4 Homeoproteins, Chromosomal Proteins and Actin The Dynamic Flux of Nuclear Proteins Take-Home Message 8. Gene Sharing As a Dynamic Evolutionary Process: Antifreeze Proteins and Hemoglobins Antifreeze Proteins Hemoglobins Take-Home Message 9. Gene Duplication and the Evolution of New Functions Gene Duplication and Retention of Redundant Genes Birth and Death of Duplicated Genes Adaptive Evolution by Positive Selection: New Functions after Gene Duplication Subfunctionalization and Gene Sharing Rapid Subfunctionalization with Slow Neofunctionalization Gene Sharing Is Independent of Gene Duplication Lens Crystallins: Gene Sharing at Different Stages of Duplication Take-Home Message 10. Gene Sharing and Systems Biology: Implications and Speculations Networks Evolvability Selective Pressure Affecting Gene Regulation Functional Switching and the Notion of Functional "Trespassing" Functional Noise Genetic Differences in Levels of Gene Expression The Molecular Clock Gene Knockout Experiments Gene Deletion of b-Catenin Horizontal Gene Transfer Take-Home Message 11. Recapitulations: Ambiguities and Possibilities Ambiguity of Cause and Effect Natural Selection Versus Random Drift Gene Sharing and Robustness: When Is a Mutation Neutral? Inconsistency with Design Naming Is Not Knowing The Question of Tissue Homology Phylogenetic Trees: The Complication of Function Defining and Counting Genes Definition of Polypeptide Function: The Ambiguity of Molecular Mechanism Between Genotype and Phenotype Gene Sharing and the Importance of Research on Diverse Species Medical Implications Glossary References Index
£64.76
Harvard University Press Gods Universe
Book SynopsisGingerich argues that an individual can be both a creative scientist and a believer in divine design—that indeed the motivation for scientific research can derive from a desire to trace God’s handiwork. He carves out “a theistic space” from which to contemplate a universe where God plays an interactive role, unnoticed yet not excluded by science.Trade ReviewGingerich’s God’s Universe is the brief and elegant apologia of an emeritus professor of astronomy and the history of science at Harvard University. As a historian of science, Gingerich is well aware of the complexities involved in producing scientific and religious knowledge. The history of science is one in which progress is made through the ‘persuasive coherency’ of the new picture that is presented, rather than through simple knock-down proofs. It is at this general level of world pictures that Gingerich’s Christian faith generally finds its expression. -- Thomas Dixon * Times Literary Supplement *In his slim and elegant new book, God’s Universe, Gingerich finds that indeed everywhere he looks he can discern the hand of a benevolent Creator—all without compromising his adherence to a rigorous methodological scientific naturalism… Despite the fact that as an atheist I do not see the hand of God in the universe—I found myself cheering for this lucid and poetic little book… In this time of sectarian wars, when theists and atheists are engaged in increasingly hostile incivilities, Gingerich lays out an elegant case for why he finds the universe a source of encouragement for his life both as a scientist and as a Christian. We do not have to agree with his conclusions to be buoyed and enchanted by the journey on which he takes us. -- Margaret Wertheim * Los Angeles Times Book Review *Gingerich pleads for separating physics from metaphysics, efficient causes from final causes, how from why… In the end, he persuaded even a hardened skeptic like me that there might, possibly, be more to the cosmos than is dreamt of in my philosophy. -- George Scialabba * Boston Globe *God’s Universe is less an apology for faith in the age of science than it is a humble meditation given by a leading American astronomer on the possibility that a scientist can be a person of faith and retain intellectual credibility… Gingerich is a theistic evolutionist who is willing to confess God as Creator of the universe. He accepts the scientific datum demonstrating that we are the product of evolution and rejects intelligent design (as defined by Philip Johnson, Michael Behe, and the Discovery Institute) as an alternative scientific explanation for human origins. This rejection of intelligent design as an ideology doesn’t rule out the possibility of what he calls ‘small ‘d’ design.” His is, therefore, a humbler quest, one that looks to theology rather than to scientific theory for a sense of meaning and purpose in the universe. -- Robert Cornwall * Congregations *[An] elegant little book… Attractively and accessibly written. -- Sarah Coakley * Harvard Magazine *Gingerich’s work is a survey of the conflicts—and confluences—between hard science and deep faith; along the way he provides a brief but magisterial history of science that is as astute as it is original. He’s a superb writer too, handling scientific and theological complexities with equal aplomb but enlivening his account throughout with poetry, dramatic anecdote, and snippets of autobiography… Because he is also steeped in science, both as researcher and historian, Mr. Gingerich is aware of how improbable and even fantastic his Christian faith must appear to skeptical colleagues. In slipping so effortlessly into both realms—provable fact and unsearchable mystery—Mr. Gingerich reminds me of some adroit intellectual amphibian, calmly at home in contiguous but incompatible terrains… A sense of wonder animates this book, but it’s never the swooning and manipulative wonder of such showmen as the late Carl Sagan; rather, it’s the verifiable fact in its specificity, abetted by the promise of some final cause beyond all our telescopes, which informs Mr. Gingerich’s awe. -- Eric Ormsby * New York Sun *Astronomer Gingerich believes in a designed universe, though not in intelligent design (ID), the anti-evolution theorizing that some evangelical Christian activists want taught in public-school science courses. His intent isn’t, however, to flay ID as Michael Shermer does in Why Darwin Matters; it is to explore a few topics in science that suggest design and a designer, God. He weighs the Copernican principle that intelligent life isn’t exceptional in the universe against the Darwinian emphasis on the uniqueness of life on earth. He probes the differences between atheist and religious scientists (this is where he dismisses ID along with evolution as a materialist philosophy as ideologies), especially over the big bang and cosmological teleology. Finally, he raises some Questions without Answers to point up the different, irreconcilable concerns of physics as opposed to metaphysics, science as opposed to religion. Utterly lacking scientific or religious triumphalism, demonstrating why both ways of knowing are indispensable, Gingerich’s highly re-readable remarks may well outlast all the brouhaha of the ID–evolution fracas. -- Ray Olson * Booklist *This little book—intelligent, provocative, and respectful of a range of views—shows how a modern scientist can support both evolution and intelligent design and, more generally, offers a meeting place for science and religion. -- Alan LightmanI have always felt the words should be ‘Science and Religion’—not ‘Science or Religion.’ Owen Gingerich offers both intellectual heft and spiritual stamina to back up that claim. This slim volume will pay rich dividends to the seeking mind and the longing soul. -- Tim Johnson, M.D.Writing in a style that is accessible and laced with interesting historical anecdote, Owen Gingerich uses his expertise in astronomy and its history, together with the insights of his Christian faith, to give a well-argued account of humanity’s place in the cosmos. -- The Rev. Dr. John Polkinghorne, KBE, FRSIn God’s Universe Owen Gingerich makes the case that the probability is miraculously minute, first, that a planet hospitable to life could form after the Big Bang and, second, that once it had formed, intelligent life could develop there. Whether one agrees or disagrees, one will learn from this beautifully presented account of the relevant astronomy and physics. But that isn’t all; Gingerich’s reflections (as a liberal Christian) on the theological significance of all this are sensitive and deep. A truly fascinating read. -- Hilary PutnamThis is a timely and important book. In contrast to the shrill dogmatics on both sides of the current intelligent design debate, Gingerich offers a sweeping and authoritative account of our continuing encounter with, and understanding of, the Universe of which we find ourselves a part. Meticulous in its scholarship, humane in its approach, generous in its tone, restrained in its assertions, but audacious in its scope, this little book is a solid and significant contribution to the ongoing debate. -- Frank Rhodes, President Emeritus, Cornell UniversityTable of ContentsForeword Peter J. Gomes Prologue 1. Is Mediocrity a Good Idea? 2. Dare a Scientist Believe in Design? 3. Questions without Answers Epilogue Notes Acknowledgments Index
£41.76
Harvard University Press Concealing Coloration in Animals
Book SynopsisColor can attract mates, intimidate enemies, and distract predators. But it can also conceal animals from detection. It is an adaptation to the visual features of the environment but also to the perceptual and cognitive capabilities of other organisms. Judy Diamond and Alan Bond reveal factors at work in the evolution of concealing coloration.Trade ReviewDiamond and Bond do an excellent job of discussing the evolutionary mechanisms and processes in a simple yet powerful way that should be accessible to nonexperts. They make the subject come alive by telling us not just what we know about camouflage today, but also where the field has come from, and equally importantly the work that has been done to get us here. -- Martin Stevens * Animal Behaviour *If you want to read a scientific thriller then this is your book. Do not expect that, like Hercule Poirot’s cases, you will have a final answer on the last page. You may finish the book with more questions than when you started. That is the fun! This book opens your mind so you will never ‘see’ the world the same way again. -- Roy John * Canadian Field-Naturalist *Reading this book stimulated me to think about aspects of my own work in new ways and I would recommend it to all those interested in animal coloration. There is no book that I am aware of that competes with this one… One aspect of this book that distinguishes it from others is the focus on, and insight into, the role of predator cognition in the evolution of concealing coloration. Alan Bond has no equal in this field. -- Devi Stuart-Fox * Copeia *It is a beautifully written exploration of the extraordinary variety of ways in which animals can make life difficult for the visual systems of their predators and prey in order to gain advantage in a natural world red in tooth and claw… Evolution is interwoven throughout the book. -- Graeme D. Ruxton * Current Biology *I wish that many school, college, and university teachers read this book because it gives a very appealing collection of exciting stories of true scientific process and progress… Diamond and Bond show how hidden creatures made evolution recognizable. -- Johanna Mappes * Ecology *The authors have read, and are on top of, an immense amount of literature, making a student of coloration like myself envious… I am delighted that I have this volume on coloration in my collection. -- Tim Caro * Quarterly Review of Biology *Combining a naturalist’s eye with scientific rigor, the authors report on modern experiments on the mechanisms of the selective process that support these observations. * Kirkus Reviews *This book is a lovely survey, for the general public, of all that is known about concealing coloration, and very nicely weaves the history of the subjects with the facts. -- John A. Endler, Professor of Sensory Ecology and Evolution, Deakin University, Australia
£22.46
Harvard University Press Childhood Evolving
Book SynopsisWhat does this extended period of dependency have to do with human brain growth and social interactions? And why is play a sign of cognitive complexity, and a spur for cultural evolution? This title explores these questions, and topics ranging from bipedal walking to incest taboos.Trade ReviewIt's been a long time coming but it was worth the wait. Mel Konner's wonderful new book shows that you simply must think about our biological past to understand our psychological present. The Evolution of Childhood offers an extraordinary new foundation for all knowledge of human development. -- Michael Ruse, co-editor of Evolution: The First Four Billion YearsEver since his pioneering studies of infancy among Kalahari hunter-gatherers, anthropologist and physician Mel Konner has illuminated anthropology with knowledge from ethnography, sociobiology, neuroscience, and social psychology, in a search for a deep understanding of what it means to be human. This monumental book contains the best description of what play is all about that I have ever read, as well as the most comprehensive guide anywhere taking a reader through different phases of infancy, middle childhood, and adolescence. The book is the culmination of Konner's lifelong quest. It will transform the way that human development is understood and taught. -- Sarah Blaffer Hrdy, author of Mothers and Others: The Evolutionary Origins of Mutual UnderstandingThis monumental book--more than 900 pages long, 30 years in the making, at once grand and intricate, breathtakingly inclusive and painstakingly particular--exhaustively explores the biological evolution of human behavior and specifically the behavior of children. Melvin Konner, an anthropologist and neuroscientist at Emory, weaves a compelling web of theories and studies across a remarkable array of disciplines, from experimental genetics to ethnology...To read this book is to be in the company of a helpful and hopeful teacher who is eager to share what he's found. -- Benjamin Schwarz * The Atlantic *[Konner] covers almost every topic imaginable in anthropology, biology, and psychology that involves child development. Moreover, since the book is on evolution, there's a lot about other animals, from the platypus to the great ape...If you want to know the latest scholarly information on child development, you can buy this book for $40 or get a new scholarly encyclopedia of child development for $1500. Odds are that this one will be more thought-provoking and better written--and probably almost as extensive. -- Mary Ann Hughes * Library Journal *Why do we love watching [babies]? Perhaps because we recognize parts of ourselves in them but still find something mysterious about the behavior of those tiny human beings. The Evolution of Childhood, Melvin Konner's massive and massively researched new book, goes a long way in dispelling a lot of that mystery. Konner gives a detailed and expansive overview of what the fields of anthropology, evolutionary biology, psychology and genetics have taught us about human childhood. The book, in fairly accessible language, explains the evolutionary purpose of everything from babies' expressions (humans, apparently, are the only animal who can pull off the "relaxed friendly smile") to crying, early childhood outbursts and juvenile delinquency. -- Thomas Rogers * Salon *Magisterial. -- Rebecca Mead * New Yorker *Anthropologist-physician Melvin Konner's The Evolution of Childhood is a masterwork of scholarship. Even at over 900 pages, it should entice anyone keen for knowledge about human infancy, childhood, and adolescence and the evolution of these life stages...Konner marries biology and psychology, adds a firm grasp of our primate past, and guides our understanding of children's lives in various social contexts. -- Barbara King * Bookslut *This book is not a weekend read...If you plan to read this book through, take a little each day and savor the delights it bestows. Well worth the read. -- D. Wayne Dworsky * San Francisco Book Review *This book is undeniably a tour de force. Indeed, Konner is perhaps the only scholar who is as comfortable describing cultural change, or evolution in its broad quasi-philosophical outlines, as he is defining the complex biochemical and statistical correlates of behavior. One of his writerly charms is that he is ever seer and scientist. He marvels as he describes. He also renders the boundaries among disciplines porous. He scurries from one to another, insisting on their enmeshment, whether it be ethology, cognitive neuroscience, evolutionary or developmental psychology, endocrinology, or cultural anthropology. He draws on all these fields to address the story of our inordinately long, and, compared to those of other species, "strangely-shaped" childhoods, and to discover how our childhood evolved to make us what we are. -- Michele Pridmore-Brown * Times Literary Supplement *Konner places childhood firmly within an evolutionary framework in his magisterial book...Konner is an excellent tour guide to the sacred lands of childhood. He has produced a scholarly, detailed and beautifully written study...The Evolution of Childhood shows that the pleasures of life are linked to the evolutionary imperatives of reproduction and survival, and that we are starting to understand their underlying neural mechanisms. -- Morten Kringelbach * Nature *The Evolution of Childhood is one of the most remarkable books I have read. Melvin Konner is a neuroscientist and anthropologist who shows how human childhood evolved over the last 200,000 years to make us what we are...Konner re-enchants child's play, for instance, by explaining its molecular and evolutionary backstory. That he is able to do this in a lively, accessible manner is no mean feat. Along the way, he makes a compelling case for how humans came to acquire complex culture. -- Michele Pridmore-Brown * Times Literary Supplement *[Konner's] goal is...ambitious: to synthesize all the literature bearing on the evolutionary emergence of our species, and especially on the ways in which humans came to raise their children. The breadth of vision he displays is extraordinary. Konner summarizes a considerable body of research on human evolution, beginning with paleontological and archaeological work on the emergence of life-forms and continuing through evidence regarding the emergence of mammals, primates, hominids and early humans, until finally Homo sapiens enters the scene. The volume is a singular achievement, not least because it encompasses, and describes accessibly and eloquently, many fields of endeavor and scholarship, ranging from molecular biology and interpretation of the geological record, to the interpretation of bone fragments found in archaeological sites, to observational research on the behavior of contemporary humans in a wide variety of ecological niches. Furthermore, Konner does not limit himself to secondary sources, as many might do when attempting to place their own research in broader context. Instead, he lucidly discusses a vast range of primary sources. The book's 753 pages of text are accompanied by 159 pages of references. The goal may be extraordinarily ambitious, but the exercise must be deemed a remarkable success. Konner achieves a readable and persuasive synthesis more inclusive than anything ever before attempted. His account of human evolution, and especially of the evolution of childhood, is coherent and compelling...This magisterial book is assuredly the most important analysis of the evolution of childhood yet attempted. It summarizes 40 years of observation, analysis and synthesis by one of the most profound thinkers of our generation. Whoever follows intellectually will necessarily build on this magnificently eloquent and integrative edifice. -- Michael E. Lamb * American Scientist *
£32.36
Harvard University Press Evolution
Book SynopsisSpanning evolutionary science from its inception to its latest findings, from discoveries and data to philosophy and history, this book is the most complete, authoritative, and inviting one-volume introduction to evolutionary biology available.Trade ReviewIf ever there were an education in a book, there's one in this massive volume...What is most probably the commemorative par excellence of the Origin of Species sesquicentennial. -- Ray Olson * Booklist (starred review) *Half essay collection, half encyclopedia, it's packed with everything you'll ever want or need to know about the science of evolution. -- Zelda Roland * Wired *Broad, engaging, and useful. -- Gregg Sapp * Library Journal *Evolution, which is slightly less than 1,000 pages long, covers almost every angle of its huge subject, from the perspective of science, religion, philosophy, and history. -- Evan R. Goldstein * Chronicle of Higher Education *Harvard's blockbuster contribution to the Darwin anniversary is a substantial work at almost a thousand pages. * London Review of Books *Evolution: The First Four Billion Years is as equally inviting and particularly timely in this bicentennial year of the birth of Charles Darwin and the ever-bubbling controversy with advocates of a creationist explanation for the mysteries of biology...The 16 explaining essays, followed by the second encyclopedic section offer the reader an easily and enjoyable access to what the fuss is all about and why it is important to get one's own opinions based on reality. Life, after all, is too important. -- James Srodes * Washington Times *More than 100 authors contribute to the rich variety of excellent articles in this highly commendable and scholarly volume. The authors explore in detail evidence supporting the role of natural selection and other forces driving evolutionary change, and consider myriad controversies and unresolved issues in evolutionary science. Illustrative examples are drawn from all levels of life on Earth. The book critically examines distinctions between microevolution--which even religious Fundamentalists generally do not dispute--and the far more contentious macroevolution. Contributors also address the influence of evolution on philosophy, sociology, and religion and provide an excellent discussion of American antievolutionism and the ongoing controversy of teaching evolution versus intelligent design/creationism in schools. -- D. A. Brass * Choice *Table of Contents* Foreword Edward O. Wilson * Introduction Michael Ruse and Joseph Travis * The History of Evolutionary Thought Michael Ruse * The Origin of Life Jeffrey L. Bada and Antonio Lazcano * Paleontology and the History of Life Michael Benton * Adaptation Joseph Travis and David Reznick * Molecular Evolution Francisco J. Ayala * Evolution of the Genome Brian Charlesworth and Deborah Charlesworth * The Pattern and Process of Speciation Margaret B. Ptacek and Shala J. Hankison * Evolution and Development Gregory A. Wray * Social Behavior and Sociobiology Daniel I. Rubenstein * Human Evolution Henry M. McHenry * Evolutionary Biology of Disease Michael F. Antolin and Darwinian Medicine * Beyond the Darwinian Paradigm: Understanding Biological Forms Brian Goodwin * Philosophy of Evolutionary Thought Kim Sterelny * Evolution and Society Manfred D. Laubichler and Jane Maienschein * American Antievolutionism: Retrospect and Prospect Eugenie C. Scott * Alphabetical Guide * Contributors * Index
£33.11
Harvard University Press Bioluminescence
Book SynopsisBioluminescence is everywhere on earthmost of all in the ocean, from angler fish in the depths to flashing dinoflagellates at the surface. Wilson and Hastings explore the natural history, evolution, and biochemistry of the diverse array of organisms that emit light and offer an evolutionary explanation for their sporadic distribution and rarity.Trade ReviewWilson and Hastings provide an exceptional, scholarly, clear treatment of bioluminescence. -- J. N. Muzio * Choice *Wilson and Hastings have given us a masterful biology lesson showing how addressing a seemingly simple question—how do different organisms produce light?—leads to fascinating natural history, intriguing ecology, and exciting biochemistry. They show how the study of bioluminescence has given us new tools, new insights, and new questions that need to be answered. -- Martin Chalfie, winner of the 2008 Nobel Prize in ChemistryWilson and Hastings demonstrate that what appears on the surface to be a biological oddity is actually a marvelous entry port into examining the intricacies of biochemistry as molded by evolution. I found this book absolutely captivating. -- Jim Morin, Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell UniversityThis book is a wonderful introduction to the world of bioluminescent organisms, from bacteria to fungi and animals, through to the technological discoveries and developments for which bioluminescence has been pivotal. Wilson and Hastings are certainly the individuals to bring the whole field together. -- Margaret McFall-Ngai, University of Wisconsin–Madison
£42.46
Harvard University Press Minding the Climate
Book SynopsisThe human brain evolved to prioritize short-term rewards over long-term goals. But while this adaptation served our ancestors well, it is maladaptive in the face of a slow-moving climate crisis. Luckily, brains can adjust. Ann-Christine Duhaime explores how we can reframe what we find rewarding to counteract climate change.Trade ReviewA fascinating book. Dr. Duhaime reveals that the vexed nature of the human brain complicates our response to our greatest crisis. By linking neuroscience and environmental studies, this book offers key insight into how we might leverage our brains to fight climate change. -- Bill McKibben, author of Falter and The End of NatureA unique look at how to meaningfully address catastrophic climate change…Duhaime’s original angle sets her work apart from the pack, and she easily translates complex neurology for nonspecialists. Climate-minded readers will find this full of insight. * Publishers Weekly *Duhaime covers many issues in a thoughtful way, including the gap between people’s stated intentions to perform pro-environmental behaviors and whether they actually do so; the limits of survey-based research about attitudes, beliefs, and behavior versus seldom-done field studies; and all the ways in which reward is pertinent for behavioral change. She succeeds in suggesting that neuroscience is indirectly relevant to understanding our current climate predicament. -- Adam R. Aron * Science *Surprising…Using insights provided by research at the intersection of neuroscience, environmental sciences and a number of other fields, Minding the Climate invites us to think about what a ‘sustainable brain’ might look like and how to achieve it. * New Books Network *Minding the Climate is a groundbreaking work on how we might leverage our brains to fight climate change. -- Sudhirendar Sharma * The Hindu *Original, thoughtful, and inspiring. Dr. Duhaime explains how our brains seek rewards, and if we take the time to understand how and why this affects our behavior, we will be able to live healthier lives—for ourselves and for our environment. -- Peter Sterling, author of What Is Health?Minding the Climate provides key insights on how the physiology of the human brain shapes our capacity to address the existential threat of climate change. This work is essential if we are to have any hope of surviving as a species and preserving a habitable planet for future generations. -- Brad Campbell, President, Conservation Law FoundationFor decades climate science has been ignored, undermined, and denounced. Dr. Duhaime takes us deep into the brain to understand why we fail to do what is in our and the planet’s best interest. This is an important book. -- Rachel Kyte, Dean, Fletcher School, Tufts UniversityWhile our brains are motivated by short-term incentives and immediate satisfaction loops, we can change the ways we think about the threat of global warming and, consequently, spark our collective sense of urgency and action. Minding the Climate presents a groundbreaking look at how to do that. -- John Judge, President and CEO, Trustees of Reservations, and author of The Outdoor CitizenA beautifully written look into why changing behavior in response to the climate crisis is so challenging. Like the great neurosurgeon she is, Dr. Duhaime methodically and carefully unpacks the fascinating evolutionary roots of human decision-making, why that decision-making so often falters in the face of modern threats, and how to use that understanding to guide future action. Highly recommended! -- Howard Frumkin, Senior Vice President, Trust for Public Land
£26.96
Harvard University Press The Ethical Project
Book SynopsisInstead of conceiving ethical commands as divine revelations or as the discoveries of brilliant thinkers, we should see our ethical practices as evolving over tens of thousands of years, as members of our species have worked out how to live together and prosper. Here, Kitcher elaborates his radical vision of this millennia-long ethical project.Trade Review[A] valuable contribution to contemporary theological thought. I recommend [it]. -- James Wood * New Yorker *Though some difficult questions remain, this book is philosophy of science at its most philosophically ambitious, using a broadly scientific worldview to engage big questions as to how we can make sense of moral reality and moral progress against the broad background of things we know about human natural history and human nature. Working through it offers readers an impressive account that is (in its aspirations at least) a refreshing alternative to the recent, seemingly unrelenting linkage of naturalism with varieties of moral skepticism. -- Ron Mallon * Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews *Kitcher elaborates a comprehensive vision of the evolution of human morality… For serious students of ethics, this is the indispensable book. -- H. C. Byerly * Choice *Kitcher has created a wonderfully nuanced picture of how ethical standards arise and what they are like in small, stable communities. Taking the best of biology and philosophy, he points to the ways in which, even on a global scale, humans could generate explicit rules to regulate conduct. This is a brilliant and profoundly humane book. -- Patrick Bateson, University of CambridgeFew philosophers bridge the natural sciences and moral philosophy as easily and elegantly as Kitcher, navigating around both the naturalistic fallacy and the ‘norm’ of normative ethics. His account of how and why humans evolved into a moral species is both refreshing and respectful towards other approaches. -- Frans de Waal, author of The Age of Empathy and Our Inner ApeIn a stunning synthesis of evolutionary biology, ethical philosophy, and contemporary life, and the histories of each of those domains, Kitcher offers not only an account of how we humans came to be ethical animals, but how the past of the ethical project could help guide the future. Every page is insightful and thought-provoking. -- Michael D. Gordin, Princeton UniversityThis magnificent book promises to be a heavyweight contribution to the field of moral philosophy. Kitcher is one of the most elegant writers in the business; his thinking is subtle and profound. -- Richard Joyce, Victoria University of WellingtonMorality challenges us with three tasks: setting out the evolutionary genealogy of morals, developing the metaethics of obligation and value, and providing guidance in moral choice. It has become increasingly clear that answering the genealogical question is indispensable to the other two tasks. But it is not sufficient. Metaethics cannot dodge Hume’s problem, and the most powerful solution to it would be one that gives us an accurate moral compass. In The Ethical Project, Kitcher does all three of these things, bringing together the understanding of the relevant science, the analytical rigor required to refute the skeptic, and the humanity needed to deal with the last and hardest of three tasks. -- Alex Rosenberg, Duke UniversityKitcher offers bold suggestions, with illustrations, for making improvements in the methods we use in moral deliberation and in established morality itself. But, he holds, no final results are possible. We must be falliblists about morality as we are about science. Kitcher’s reading of an evolutionary understanding of morality, far from undercutting it, shows more clearly than any other approach why it has been and remains essential. This is by far the best treatment to date of morality as a product of evolution. -- J. B. Schneewind, Johns Hopkins University and New York UniversityHumans live in a world of norms as well as facts, and most recent attempts to understand why that is so have been deeply skeptical. Kitcher combines a historical, naturalist understanding of the origin and dynamism of norms with the idea that objective improvement of normative thought is possible. Kitcher takes seriously the metaphor that norms are a tool, a collective technology for self-management, and like other technologies, we can have better technologies and worse ones. Whether Kitcher’s ethical project succeeds or not, it is certainly the most challenging, original, and reconstructive attempt of recent years. -- Kim Sterelny, Research School of Social Sciences at Australian National University
£25.16
Harvard University Press Phylogeography
Book SynopsisPhylogeography is a discipline concerned with various relationships between gene genealogiesphylogeneticsand geography. This book captures the conceptual and empirical richness of the field, and also the sense of genuine innovation that phylogeographic perspectives have brought to evolutionary studies.Trade ReviewPhylogeography is a growth area of evolutionary biology. John Avise coined the term ‘phylogeography’ in 1987 and has been the prime mover in promoting the successful development of the field ever since. It is therefore to be welcomed that he has written this book which reviews the history of phylogeography, the fundamental principles of the field, and the current and future value of phylogeography within biogeography and evolutionary biology… I was very impressed by the manner in which Avise communicates the fundamentals of phylogeographic theory. He introduces much of this theory early on but elegantly extends concepts as necessary later in the book. He is exceptionally clear in discussing coalescence, lineage sorting, gene trees, species trees, differing consequences of nuclear vs. mitochondrial markers, etc.… A very good book… It deserves considerable success. -- Jeremy B. Searle * Heredity *Phylogeography is an enjoyable and gap-filling synopsis that introduces an actively developing research area. Given its alleged integrative function, [this] book is clearly set apart from other current treatments on population genetics and phylogenetic biology… For graduate students and professionals, [this book is] a very amenable read and a valuable reference source for further inquiry. -- Hans Peter Comes * Plant Systematics and Evolution *Avise founded the study of phylogeography, and the field has become an extremely active area in evolutionary biology. While most of the studies are of species of animals, there is a substantial number on humans, and some on plants. I doubt that anyone could have created a book on phylogeography that would be as authoritative and insightful. Avise not only compiles the literature for the reader, he summarizes many of the best studies, and then directs future studies by indicating where the field is shallow, and where the field needs to go. His writing style is easy to read, direct and clear. This is a fine book. -- Jeffry B. Mitton, University of Colorado at BoulderPhylogeography is a wonderful work and will be a benchmark contribution. The writing style is simple and direct, the content fabulous and the perspective illuminating. It will be a valuable resource for graduate students and other professionals in the field of population genetics, but it should interest all biologists. -- Stephen Palumbi, Harvard UniversityTable of ContentsPreface I. History and Conceptual Background 1. The History and Purview of Phylogeography 2. Demography-Phylogeny Connections II. Empirical Intraspecific Phylogeography 3. Lessons from Human Analyses 4. Intraspecific Patterns in other Animals III. Genealogical Concordance: Toward Speciation and Beyond 5. Genealogical Concordance 6. Speciation Processes and Extended Genealogy Works Cited Index
£71.36
Harvard University Press Wallace Darwin and the Origin of Species
Book SynopsisDarwin is credited with discovering evolution through natural selection, but Alfred Russel Wallace saw the same process at work in nature and elaborated the same theory. Dispelling misperceptions of Wallace as a secondary figure, James Costa reveals the two naturalists as equals in advancing one of the greatest scientific discoveries of all time.Trade Review[Costa] annotates a facsimile of the 1855 Wallace paper known as the Sarawak law, an important precursor to the essay ‘On the tendency of varieties to depart indefinitely from the original type,’ which Darwin received from Wallace in 1858. That manuscript forced the question of a mechanism for evolution into the open. Costa’s nuanced and well-documented reading of this episode, as well as Wallace’s contributions and his relationship with Darwin, is a gift for any scientist’s bookshelf. -- Kevin Padian * Nature *In this deeply absorbing book, James T. Costa seeks to establish Alfred Russel Wallace as the fully vested co-creator of what he feels we should once again call the ‘Darwin–Wallace Theory’ of evolution by natural selection… Costa [is] the best possible guide to Wallace’s meandering mind. -- Christopher Irmscher * Weekly Standard *[Costa] convincingly navigates potentially treacherous terrain, setting the record straight on Wallace’s great achievement, which independently foreshadowed Darwin’s On the Origin of Species without in any way diminishing Darwin’s ‘insights and accomplishments.’ …An illuminating, nuanced account of the parallel discovery of a theory still deemed controversial by some. * Kirkus Reviews *Alfred Russel Wallace (1823–1913) and Charles Darwin (1809–82) arrived at many of the same ideas about natural selection at almost precisely the same time while in correspondence with each other. Darwin’s publication of his theories made him a legend, but Wallace has been mostly relegated to a footnote in the history books. Here Costa hopes to remedy that imbalance, recounting and analyzing Wallace’s life and work with the ease and familiarity befitting one who edited and prepared the naturalist’s previously unpublished Species Notebook. The author attempts to pin down Wallace’s inner life and thought processes through painstaking textual analysis of his subject’s reading material, correspondence, notebooks, and publications, as well as some of Darwin’s. -- Kate Horowitz * Library Journal *Charles Darwin and Alfred Russel Wallace independently discovered natural selection, a mechanism explaining the diversity of life on Earth, and Costa, professor of biology at Western Carolina University, explores how such a momentous discovery could have arisen from two people at roughly the same time as well as what we can learn from those similarities… He lays to rest the conspiracy theories promoting the belief that Darwin stole Wallace’s idea and took it as his own. Costa also counters those who have claimed that Wallace was a scientific lightweight who stumbled onto one important concept. Indeed, he details the evolutionary thinking and writing of both Wallace and Darwin during the critical period leading up to the joint publication of their theory of natural selection by the Linnean Society of London in 1858… Costa impressively demonstrates the inductive process both scientists utilized and how each made major and lasting contributions to modern science. * Publishers Weekly *This engaging and very accessible book is the most comprehensive, insightful and well-balanced account of the development of Wallace’s early evolutionary thinking ever written. Everyone with an interest in the history of evolutionary biology should read it. Although it does much to raise Wallace’s profile, it does nothing to diminish Darwin’s reputation or achievements. -- George Beccaloni, Curator of Orthopteroid Insects and Director of the A. R. Wallace Correspondence Project, Natural History Museum, LondonA marvelously fresh and clear explanation of the joint announcement of evolution by natural selection and an illuminating comparison of Wallace’s and Darwin’s theories. Throughout, Costa gives Wallace his biological due and more. -- Janet Browne, Aramont Professor of the History of Science and Chair of the Department of the History of Science, Harvard University
£35.66
Harvard University Press The Woman That Never Evolved With a New Preface
Book SynopsisHrdy argues that evolutionary theorists’ emphasis on sexual competition among males for access to females overlooks selection pressures on females themselves. In this account of what female primates themselves do to secure their own reproductive advantage, she demolishes myths about sexually passive, “coy,” compliant, exclusively nurturing females.Trade ReviewThis is a splendid book. It is a scientific treatise on primate sex and status, successfully masquerading as a good read. -- Alison Jolly * American Scientist *The bulk of the book represents an attempt to create a perspective on the evolutionary biology of women by evaluating their female primate heritage. These chapters are original, high quality formulations presenting and explaining the behavior of female primates using a combination of sociobiological and socioecological principles of analysis...The book is written toward a borderline between the scientific and the popular audience--not an easy thing to do--but, by and large, Hrdy does just that. For this reason, the book has a place in both research and teaching. -- Jane B. Lancaster * American Journal of Physical Anthropology *It is an understatement to say that this is a provocative essay. Although the book is written for a general audience, it will compel specialists to reconsider many of their assumptions about the evolution of primate females. Those interested in evolutionary influences upon human social behavior will be stimulated and challenged. Undoubtedly, many of the hypotheses will be controversial, and some may be disturbing. -- Joan B. Silk * Ethnology and Sociology *In its treatment of primate behavior, Hrdy's book has no peers...[It is] a fascinating account of the selective pressures that have shaped the behavior of males and females. -- Dorothy Cheney * Science *[A] breakthrough book...A primatologist by training and feminist by predilection, Hrdy asked the basic and in my mind perfectly sensible question: How do women compare to other female primates? What can we understand about our urges, desires, and fears, our sexuality, our relationships with men and with other women, and the near universality of women's second-class status, by examining the lives and loves of our closest nonhuman kin? Among Hrdy's many bracing conclusions: Far from being coy and sexually tepid, as the stereotype has it, women may well have evolved for a restless sort of promiscuity, the better to confuse issues of paternity and thus heighten their children's chances of survival in the hazardous, half-cocked company of men. -- Natalie Angier * O Magazine *
£24.26
Harvard University Press Ingenious
Book SynopsisThe trouble with innovation is that it can seldom be undone. We invent technologies to modify our environments in immediately beneficial ways, but the long-term consequences can be costly. From obesity to antibiotic resistance, we pay for our successes. Peter Gluckman and Mark Hanson explore what happens when our creations lead nature to bite back.Trade ReviewThis fascinating book offers a panoramic perspective of how social interactions, and our understanding of them, has emerged. The distinguished authors have the expertise to share ideas across a range of subjects, including evolutionary biology, history, and sociology. Their insights deserve wide readership. -- Martin Rees, author of On the FutureIngenious is a magisterial, wonderfully entertaining, superbly written overview of the history of our species, its attempts to escape nature, and the price of our success. -- Randolph Nesse, author of Good Reasons for Bad FeelingsGluckman and Hanson make the compelling argument that creativity and ingenuity are uniquely human traits, ones that shape our course of evolution with potential inadvertent consequences. This is a new and important dimension to our understanding of evolution and its aftermaths. -- Alan I. Leshner, American Association for the Advancement of ScienceA fascinating tour of humanity and its capacity for innovation. Part explanation, part users’ guide, Ingenious combines knowledge from evolutionary theory, genomics, environmental studies, and science and technology policy to produce compelling insights regarding our past, present, and technology-driven future. -- Eric M. Meslin, Council of Canadian AcademiesTogether, the authors have published many highly technical articles that challenge received wisdom about how evolution works. In Ingenious they apply these views to argue not only that technological change is best understood as an evolutionary process but also that traditional understandings of evolution fail to capture the role and rate of technological change in society. -- G. Pascal Zachary * Stanford Social Innovation Review *Usefully critiques the unchecked faith—common in developed nations—in our abilities to create technologies that will save us from any potential harm. -- Steve Elliott * Quarterly Review of Biology *
£24.26
Princeton University Press The Causes of Evolution
Book SynopsisJBS Haldane (1892-1964), one of the founders of the science of population genetics, was also one of the greatest practitioners of the art of explaining science to the layperson. This title provides accessible introduction to the genetical basis of evolution by natural selection.Trade Review"Haldane's work is even better than most modern popularizations in its balance between gentle rhetoric and logical rigor. . . . In addition, working through the arguments in Haldane's Appendices is still likely to produce new ideas in students of the latest topics in sociobiology and evolutionary genetics."—Henry S. Horn, Princeton University
£28.80
Princeton University Press Metacommunity Ecology
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Leibold and Chase have written an authoritative and accessible account of recent research on how spatially organized processes shape patterns of biological diversity over the ecological landscape. This book will be the springboard for future work in this area."—Robert E. Ricklefs, University of Missouri, St. Louis"Current thinking in ecology is a disorganized soup of ideas, from dispersal and spatial heterogeneity to temporal change, species sorting, and evolution. This book impressively pulls these disparate threads into a powerful and coherent framework based on metacommunities. Its next-generation metacommunity framework could well serve as a launching pad for the next decade of ecology."—Brian McGill, University of Maine"In this magisterial book, Leibold and Chase provide a conceptually coherent synthesis of the burgeoning field of metacommunity ecology. In addition to deftly synthesizing a sprawling literature on the role of dispersal limitation, drift, and interactions in metacommunities, they highlight the importance of linking metacommunity processes to evolutionary dynamics and ecosystem function. All ecologists will profit from careful reading of this fine and timely contribution."—Robert Holt, University of Florida"A highly significant contribution. Leibold and Chase provide an encompassing and critical overview of the current state of metacommunity ecology and discuss novel approaches, novel perspectives, and applications that contribute to a much broader framework. I learned a lot from this book."—Luc De Meester, University of Leuven"Interesting and informative. Leibold and Chase have assembled in one volume recent key studies that show how metacommunity ecology is indeed wide-ranging in its scope."—Tadashi Fukami, Stanford University
£51.00
Princeton University Press The Evolution of Animal Communication
Book SynopsisGull chicks beg for food from their parents. Peacocks spread their tails to attract potential mates. Meerkats alert family members of the approach of predators. But are these sometimes dishonest? This book probes such question by reviewing the empirical data and game theory models available, and by asking how well theory matches data.Trade Review"William Searcy and Stephen Nowicki provide a fascinating perspective on the honesty of signals in animal communication systems... [A] comprehensive yet concise review of what we currently know concerning signal reliability in animals, enriched with many in-depth examples."--Katherine E. LeVan and Noah Wilson-Rich, Science "The book is well written and informative... Searcy and Nowicki are well-known experts in the field of animal communication and sexual selection, and they provide a thorough and careful overview of this important, but often under-discussed, topic."--R. Andrew Hayes, Austral Ecology "The book is a fascinating evaluation of the present state of reliability and deception in animal signaling systems. It would make a perfect, albeit somewhat controversial, focus for an honors biology or graduate seminar course on animal communication."--H.Jane Brockmann, BioScienceTable of ContentsFigures, Boxes, and Table ix Acknowledgments xiii Introduction 1 Chapter 1: Definitions 2 Some History 6 Categories of Signal Costs 13 Alternative Explanations for Reliability 16 Deception Redux 17 Evolutionary Interests of Signalers and Receivers 20 Chapter 2: Signaling When Interests Overlap 24 Signaling Between Relatives: Theory 24 Begging 36 Alarms 53 Food Calls 68 Individually Directed Skepticism 73 Conclusions 77 Chapter 3: Signaling When Interests Diverge 78 Mating Signals: Theory 78 Carotenoid Pigmentation 86 Songs in Oscine Birds 97 Tail Length in Birds 123 Conclusions 131 Chapter 4: Signaling When Interests Oppose 134 Signaling in Aggressive Contexts: Theory 134 Postural Displays of Aggression in Birds 141 Badges of Status 147 Weapon Displays in Crustaceans 160 Dominant Frequency in Calls of Frogs and Toads 169 Conclusions 178 Chapter 5: Honesty and Deception in Communication Networks 181 Third-Party Receivers 182 "Eavesdropping" versus "Interception" 183 Eavesdropping in Signaling Interactions 185 Third-Party Receivers and Reliability 203 Conclusions 206 Chapter 6: Conclusions 207 Reliability 208 Alternatives to the Handicap Mechanism 214 Deceit 218 The Balance of Reliability and Deceit 223 References 225 Author Index 257 Subject Index 263
£999.99
Princeton University Press Evolution in Changing Environments
Book Synopsis
£46.75
Princeton University Press Theoretical Studies on Sex Ratio Evolution
Book Synopsis
£59.50
Princeton University Press Evolutionary Community Ecology
Book SynopsisEvolutionary Community Ecology develops a unified framework for understanding the structure of ecological communities and the dynamics of natural selection that shape the evolution of the species inhabiting them. All species engage in interactions with many other species, and these interactions regulate their abundance, define their trajectories ofTrade Review"Uniting the fields of ecology and evolutionary biology, Evolutionary Community Ecology is a landmark book. McPeek synthesizes niche theory and the adaptive landscape, and he integrates topics as disparate as paleontology, biogeography, phylogenetics, speciation, and invasion biology to provide a compelling research agenda for evolutionary ecology in the twenty-first century."—Jonathan Losos, coeditor of How Evolution Shapes Our Lives"In Evolutionary Community Ecology, McPeek's unmistakable message is that the tape of evolution plays out in an ecological theater, entwining both sets of dynamics. He has produced an invaluable roadmap to understanding how these two perspectives feed back on one another to generate and structure the biodiversity around us."—Edmund Brodie III, University of Virginia"One of the most important intellectual tasks in biology today is the fusing of evolutionary and ecological perspectives into a seamless whole. Evolutionary Community Ecology makes a valuable and timely step toward this end. Crafting a synthetic understanding of ecological communities, this book is full of insights and excellent examples. It bridges fundamental community ecology, microevolutionary dynamics, and speciation and macroevolution within a single volume."—Robert D. Holt, University of Florida"I am very impressed with this broad and scholarly book."—Trevor Price, University of Chicago
£49.30
Princeton University Press Sex Allocation
Book SynopsisSynthesizes the literature on sex allocation, providing a conceptual framework and demonstrating how sex-allocation studies can answer broader questions in evolutionary and behavioral biology.Trade Review"Understanding mating strategies and the allocation of resources to male versus female reproduction has long been a major goal of evolutionary studies. In this comprehensive synthesis, West makes several important contributions to the field of evolutionary biology... Because the work primarily focuses on how natural selection shapes sex allocation for given sex determination systems, sex allocation is proven an important phenomenon for studying adaptation. This thorough conceptual perspective, blending theory and data, summarizes sex allocation theory and how different areas are applied to different organisms."--Choice "After reading this book, I now have greater confidence in my understanding of where this field stands and where future research would most profitably be directed. This book will unquestionably benefit students and professional scientists who are seeking either a basic introduction to sex allocation biology or a comprehensive sourcebook that integrates the major issues of the field. Additionally, this book would serve as an excellent resource for specialized graduate-level courses in evolutionary biology. Overall, this is an outstanding and comprehensive book that extends beyond the topic of sex allocation and is an essential tool for anyone with a serious interest in behavioral or evolutionary ecology."--Daniel A. Warner, Integrative and Comparative Biology "[T]his book is worth taking the time to read and think about whether you are new to the field of sex allocation, think you know it all already, or are mainly interested in the evolution of other social and reproductive traits. It might influence the way you think about your own research and if nothing else you will learn some cool facts about the impressive subtleties of sex allocation in the natural world."--Suzanne H. Alonzo, EvolutionTable of ContentsAcknowledgments xi Chapter 1: Sex Allocation 1 1.1 What Is Sex Allocation? 1 1.2 A Potted History 2 1.3 Why Is This Book Needed? 8 1.4 What Is in This Book 8 1.5 What Is Not in This Book 10 1.6 How To Read This Book 11 1.7 Language and Sex Ratios 12 Chapter 2: The Dusing-Fisher Theory of Equal Investment 14 2.1 Introduction 14 2.2 Fisher's Theory of Equal Investment 15 2.3 Darwin to Today 16 2.4 Differential Mortality 19 2.5 Testing Fisher's Theory 20 2.6 Conclusions and Future Directions 31 Chapter 3: Interactions between Relatives I: Cooperation and Competition 33 3.1 Introduction 33 3.2 Basic Theory 34 3.3 Local Resource Enhancement 40 3.4 Local Resource Competition 53 3.5 Conclusions and Future Directions 69 Chapter 4: Interactions between Relatives II: Local Mate Competition 73 4.1 Introduction 73 4.2 Classic Local Mate Competition Theory 74 4.3 Empirical Tests of Local Mate Competition Theory across Populations or Species 83 4.4 Facultative Adjustment of Offspring Sex Ratios by Individuals 93 4.5 Conclusions and Future Directions 107 Chapter 5: Interactions between Relatives III: Extended Local Mate Competition Theory 109 5.1 Introduction 109 5.2 Partial LMC 110 5.3 Variable Clutch Size 116 5.4 Sibmating and Split Sex Ratios in Haplodiploids 131 5.5 Inbreeding Depression 134 5.6 Limited Dispersal and Relatedness between Foundress Females 136 5.7 Haystacks 140 5.8 Asymmetrical Larval Competition 143 5.9 Fertility Insurance 143 5.10 Variance and Precision 151 5.11 Other Population Structures 154 5.12 Stochasticity 155 5.13 Conclusions and Future Directions 156 Chapter 6: Conditional Sex Allocation I: Basic Scenarios 162 6.1 Introduction 162 6.2 Theory 165 6.3 Solitary Parasitoid Wasps and Host Size 167 6.4 Maternal Quality in Ungulates 174 6.5 Maternal Quality and Related Factors in Nonungulates 182 6.6 Mate Attractiveness in Birds and Lizards 187 6.7 Environmental Sex Determination 191 6.8 Sex Change 198 6.9 Conclusions and Future Directions 205 Chapter 7: Conditional Sex Allocation II: Population Consequences and Further Complications 210 7.1 Introduction 210 7.2 Population-Level Patterns 211 7.3 Sex Change Complications 225 7.4 ESD Complications, Especially in Reptiles 243 7.5 Multiple Selective Forces: LMC and Host Size in Parasitoid Wasps 251 7.6 Simultaneous Hermaphrodites 254 7.7 Conclusions and Future Directions 255 Chapter 8: Sex Allocation When Generations Overlap 257 8.1 Introduction 257 8.2 Exceptional Mortality 258 8.3 Exceptional Recruitment 263 8.4 Cyclical Models 265 8.5 Conclusions and Future Directions 273 Chapter 9: Conflict I: Between Individuals 276 9.1 Introduction 276 9.2 Conflict under Fisherian Selection 277 9.3 Conflict under LMC, LRC, and LRE 278 9.4 Sibling Conflict in Haplodiploids and Single-Sex Broods 281 9.5 Polyembryonic Parasitoids 282 9.6 Sex Allocation Conflicts in the Eusocial Hymenoptera 287 9.7 Conclusions and Future Directions 311 Chapter 10: Conflict II: Sex Allocation Distorters 316 10.1 Introduction 316 10.2 Classification of Sex Ratio Distorters 317 10.3 Case Studies 329 10.4 Consequences of Sex Ratio Distorters 344 10.5 Conclusions and Future Directions 351 Chapter 11: General Issues 353 11.1 Introduction 353 11.2 The Success of Sex Allocation 354 11.3 The Use of Sex Allocation 355 11.4 Outstanding Problems 375 References 379 Index 463
£999.99
Princeton University Press Evolutionary Ecology of Parasites Second Edition
Book SynopsisParasites have become a powerful model system for the study of ecology and evolution, with practical applications in disease prevention. This work presents an evolutionary framework for the study of parasite biology, combining theory with empirical examples for a broader understanding of why parasites are as they are and do what they do.Trade Review"What a wonderful book! ... I can heartily recommend this volume for all parasitologists, regardless of their specific research interests, and whether students or teachers. I would also strongly recommend this book for the 'non-parasite' ecologist and evolutionary biologist because it will provide them with a concise picture of how parasites fit into the general scheme of ecology and evolution, something about which they really should know a lot, but many times do not! Poulin does, and explains it well."--Gerald Esch, Journal of ParasitologyTable of ContentsPreface ix Chapter 1 Introduction 1 1.1 The Evolutionary Ecology Approach 2 1.2 Scope and Overview 4 Chapter 2 Origins of Parasitism and Complex Life Cycles 8 2.1 Transitions to Parasitism 8 2.2 Specialization of Parasites 11 2.3 Complex Life Cycles: Historical Contingency or Adaptation? 14 2.3.1 Increases in Life-Cycle Complexity 14 2.3.2 Abbreviation of Complex Life Cycles 21 2.4 Evolutionary Consequences of Complex Life Cycles 25 2.4.1 Transmission and Infection 26 2.4.2 Sexual Reproduction 35 2.5 Conclusion 40 Chapter 3 Host Specificity 41 3.1 Measuring Host Specificity 41 3.2 Host-Parasite Coevolution and Host Specificity 48 3.2.1 Macroevolutionary Patterns 48 3.2.2 Microevolutionary Processes 54 3.3 Determinants of Host Specificity 60 3.4 Observed Patterns of Host Specificity 63 3.5 Conclusion 69 Chapter 4 Evolution of Parasite Life-History Strategies 70 4.1 Phenotypic Plasticity and Adaptation 71 4.2 Parasite Body Size 73 4.2.1 Changes in Size as Adaptations to Parasitism 73 4.2.2 Correlates of Body Size 79 4.2.3 Sexual Size Dimorphism in Parasites 85 4.3 Parasite Age at Maturity 87 4.4 Egg Production in Parasites 88 4.4.1 Correlates of Fecundity 89 4.4.2 Trade-offs and Strategies of Egg Production 90 4.5 Conclusion 95 Chapter 5 Strategies of Host Exploitation 96 5.1 The Evolution of Virulence 97 5.1.1 The Theory 98 5.1.2 Empirical Tests 102 5.2 Parasitic Castration and Host Gigantism 110 5.3 Manipulation of Host Behavior by Parasites 114 5.3.1 Adaptive Manipulation? 115 5.3.2 Evolution of Host Manipulation 121 5.3.3 Host Manipulation in a Multispecies Context 126 5.4 Manipulation of Host Sex Ratio by Parasites 130 5.5 Conclusion 132 Chapter 6 Parasite Aggregation: Causes and Consequences 134 6.1 Measuring Parasite Aggregation 135 6.1.1 Indices of Aggregation 135 6.1.2 Problems with the Measurement of Aggregation 139 6.2 Natural Patterns of Aggregation 141 6.3 Causes of Aggregation 144 6.4 Consequences of Aggregation 150 6.4.1 Effective Population Size and Genetic Diversity 151 6.4.2 Sex Ratio 154 6.4.3 Macroevolutionary Phenomena 158 6.5 Conclusion 159 Chapter 7 Parasite Population Dynamics and Genetics 160 7.1 Models of Parasite Population Dynamics 161 7.2 Density-Dependent Regulation 166 7.3 Selected Examples of Population Studies 172 7.3.1 The Cestode Bothriocephalus acheilognathi 172 7.3.2 The Nematode Cystidicola cristivomeri 173 7.3.3 The Nematode Cystidicoloides tenuissima 174 7.3.4 The Acanthocephalan Acanthocephalus tumescens 175 7.4 Patterns of Parasite Abundance 177 7.5 Genetic Structure of Parasite Populations 179 7.6 Conclusion 186 Chapter 8 Interactions between Species and the Parasite Niche 188 8.1 Numerical Responses to Competition 189 8.2 The Parasite Niche 194 8.3 Functional Responses to Competition 195 8.4 Evolutionary Niche Restriction 203 8.5 Conclusion 207 Chapter 9 Parasite Infracommunity Structure 209 9.1 Species Richness of Infracommunities 210 9.2 Nestedness in Infracommunities 215 9.3 Species Associations among Infracommunities 220 9.4 Species Recruitment and Infracommunity Structure 224 9.5 Species Abundance and Biomass in Infracommunities 227 9.6 Conclusion 231 Chapter 10 Component Communities and Parasite Faunas 233 10.1 Richness and Composition of Component Communities 234 10.2 Evolution of Parasite Faunas 241 10.3 Species Richness of Parasite Faunas 245 10.4 Biogeography of Parasite Diversity 253 10.5 Host Specificity and the Composition of Parasite Faunas 257 10.6 Conclusion 260 Chapter 11 Conclusion 262 11.1 Environmental Changes and Parasite Evolutionary Ecology 263 11.2 Parasite Control and Parasite Evolutionary Ecology 265 11.3 Future Directions 267 References 271 Index 325
£59.50
Princeton University Press The Altruism Equation Seven Scientists Search
Book SynopsisIn a world supposedly governed by ruthless survival of the fittest, why do we see acts of goodness in both animals and humans? This work traces the history of this debate from Darwin. It aims to bring to life the people, the issues, and the passions that have surrounded the altruism debate.Trade Review"If evolution involves a competition for survival, then how can we explain altruism? Biologist Lee Dugatkin splendidly narrates a fast-paced tale of scientific breakthrough, genius and intellectual history as he examines the lives of seven scientists ... whose groundbreaking work attempts to answer this question... This superb tale of scientific discovery is required reading for everyone interested in the nature of human morality."--Publishers Weekly "Exhilerating... [This] is an engaging book with devoted enthusiasm for the ideas of the main protagonist, William Hamilton... Dugatkin's ... account offers much to think about."--Caroline Ash, Science "Dugatkin's biographical sketches ... are entertaining and insightful... [T]here is little doubt that efforts to explain altruism and morality in formal scientific terms are heavily influenced by the cultures and personal histories of their proponents."--David Sloan Wilson, American Scientist "Dugatkin tells the story ... with clear prose and poise. In doing so he celebrates the internal consistencies of science and the beauty of clear thinking. Written for a general audience, this book provides vignettes featuring the lives of key thinkers, which foster an understanding of how the social context of the times influences the advance of scientific understanding."--Choice "The Altruism Equation is very well written and extremely informative. Dugatkin's immense enthusiasm shines through every page... Because the scientific concepts are explained so clearly, concisely and engagingly, newcomers to sociobiology will find The Altruism Equation an enlightening read. At the same time, it will be of interest to connoisseurs of the literature who wish to gain a panoramic view of the altruism debate... The Altruism Equation is a splendid book."--David Livingstone Smith, Evolutionary Psychology "This is a tale not only about the majesty of science, but also about the hubris of scientism. One of the greatest projects of modernity is to explain to the public where science does and does not matter, and altruism is a valuable example."--Oren Harman, The New Republic "The Altruism Equation is a pleasure to read. Dugatkin's explanation of the relevant science is clear and comprehensible. He also blends the scientific views of these seven scientists with their personal and professional lives in a way that enhances our understanding of both."--David L. Hull, Isis "This book could he an especially interesting read for recent generations, who may see themselves as standing on the shoulders of their intellectual predecessors... The material is carefully researched and written, and problematic issues are few."--Daniel J. Kruger, Quarterly Review of Biology "The Altruism Equation is very good popular scientific history. It provides the non-scientist with a digestible overview of a lengthy and sometimes complex development, and offers ample leads to pursue. Most importantly, it brings science to life by showing the personalities of scientists involved as well as the background beliefs which motivated their pursuits. For those interested in jumping into this area of inquiry, there is probably no better book with which to start."--Marc Baer. PhD, Metapsychology Online ReviewsTable of ContentsPreface ix Acknowledgments xi Chapter One: A Special Difficulty That Might Prove Fatal 1 Chapter Two: Darwin's Bulldog versus the Prince of Evolution 12 Chapter Three: The Greatest Word from Science since Darwin 37 Chapter Four: J.B.S.: The Last Man Who Might Know All There Was to Be Known 61 Chapter Five: Hamilton's Rule 86 Chapter Six: The Price of Kinship 107 Chapter Seven: Spreading the Word 115 Chapter Eight: Keepers of the Flame 123 Chapter Nine: Curator of Mathematical Models 142 Notes 151 Index 185
£25.20
Princeton University Press An Introduction to Methods and Models in Ecology
Book SynopsisIntroduces undergraduate students to quantitative models and methods in ecology, behavioral ecology, evolutionary biology, and conservation. This title explores the core concepts shared by these related fields using tools and practical skills such as experimental design, generating phylogenies, basic statistical inference, and grant writing.Trade Review"Braude and Low provide a survey of a wide variety of extended exercises in evolutionary biology, population ecology, population genetics, and statistical analysis. Individual chapters can also serve as useful supplement assignments in many introductory biology courses."--Choice "[This book] is for people like me--faculty members who will buy it and then tinker with, modify, adapt, or steal outright the exercises it contains for use in their own relatively narrowly focused courses. And that is actually a valuable contribution to American biological education!"--Arthur M. Shapiro, Quarterly Review of Biology "I liked An Introduction to Methods and Models in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology, and think it would be a very good text in the classroom. This book is intended to function as a lab book, teaching students topics conceptually, encouraging users to work out expectations by hand and by sketching out expected outcomes."--J. Michael Reed, Ecology "I liked An Introduction to Methods and Models in Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology and think it would be a very good text in the classroom. [The book] presents a nice selection of problems across the broad topics covered."--J. Michael Reed, Ecological Society of America "[A]n excellent source of tools and inspiration and well suited to prepare the undergraduate student for the methodological and numerical approaches used in ecology and evolution."--Yann Clough, Basic and Applied Ecology "The most enjoyable aspect of this book is that it is a true teaching guide. The authors expose students to quantitative methods using a very hands-on approach. This approach ensures students feel more comfortable with data analysis and quantitative methods, while also aiding them to develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills. A wealth of personal experience as a student and teacher has obviously gone into the creation of this book, and I would highly recommend it to educators dealing with components of this text"--.Brad J. Farmilo, Austral EcologyTable of ContentsFigures vii Tables xi Preface xv Acknowledgments xvii Introduction xix Section I: E volutionary Biology Chapter 1: Evolution and Pesticide Resistance: Examining Quantitative Trends Visually by Stanton Braude and John Gaskin 3 Chapter 2: Lizard Ecomorphology: Generating and Testing Hypotheses of Adaptation by Kenneth H. Kozak 12 Chapter 3: Phylogenetic Inference: Examining Morphological and Molecular Datasets by James Beck 22 Chapter 4: Life History Tradeoffs in Avian Clutch Size: Interpreting Life History Data and Evaluating Alternative Hypotheses by Jon Hess 36 Chapter 5: Mimicry: Experimental Design and Scientific Logic by James Robertson 51 Section II: D emography and Population Ecology Chapter 6: Life Table Analysis by Stanton Braude 63 Chapter 7: Lotka-Volterra Competition Modeling by Stanton Braude, Tara Scherer, and Rebecca McGaha 69 Chapter 8: Explosive Population Growth and Invasive Exotic Species by Jon Hess and James Robertson 79 Chapter 9: Island Biogeography: Evaluating Correlational Data and Testing Alternative Hypotheses by James Robertson 91 Section III: Population Genetics Chapter 10: Hardy-Weinberg: Evaluating Disequilibrium Forces by Jason J. Kolbe 107 Chapter 11: Drift, Demographic Stochasticity, and Extinction in Woggles by James Robertson, Anton Weisstein, and Stanton Braude 117 Chapter 12: Conservation of Small Populations: Effective Population Sizes, Inbreeding, and the 50/500 Rule by Luke J. Harmon and Stanton Braude 125 Chapter 13: Dispersal and Metapopulation Structure by James Robertson 139 Section IV: Quantitative Ecological Tools Chapter 14: Understanding Descriptive Statistics by Beth Sparks-Jackson and Emily Silverman 155 Chapter 15: Understanding Statistical Inference by Emily Silverman and Beth Sparks-Jackson 179 Chapter 16: Sampling Wild Populations by Stanton Braude and James Robertson 189 Chapter 17: Quantifying Biodiversity by Cawas Behram Engineer and Stanton Braude 198 Chapter 18: Environmental Predictability and Life History by Bobbi S. Low and Stanton Braude 214 Chapter 19: Modeling Optimal Foraging by Stanton Braude and James Robertson 226 Section V: S ynthetic Exercises and Writing Assignments Chapter 20: Evaluating Competing Hypotheses of Regional Biodiversity by Stanton Braude 235 Chapter 21: Preparing and Evaluating Competitive Grant Proposals for Conservation Funding by Stanton Braude 239 Chapter 22: Tracing the History of Scientific Ideas: From Darwin, Connell, or Soule to the Present by Bobbi S. Low 245 Glossary 251 Contributors 263 Index 265
£45.00
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
£49.30
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 Handbook of Metaanalysis in Ecology and Evolution
Book SynopsisMeta-analysis is a powerful statistical methodology for synthesizing research evidence across independent studies. This is the first comprehensive handbook of meta-analysis written specifically for ecologists and evolutionary biologists, and it provides an invaluable introduction for beginners as well as an up-to-date guide for experienced meta-anaTrade Review"[T]his is a comprehensive and up-to-date compendium of all relevant aspects for meta-analysis conduction in ecology, evolution, and related topics. Scientists from these areas who already have some knowledge on meta-analysis will find valuable guidance."--Daniela Vetter, Quarterly Review of BiologyTable of ContentsPreface xi SECTION I: Introduction & Planning 1.Place of Meta-analysis among Other Methods of Research Synthesis 3 Julia Koricheva & Jessica Gurevitch 2.The Procedure of Meta-analysis in a Nutshell 14 Isabelle M. Cote & Michael D. Jennions SECTION II : Initiating a Meta-analysis 3.First Steps in Beginning a Meta-analysis 27 Gavin B. Stewart, Isabelle M. Cote, Hannah R. Rothstein, & Peter S. Curtis 4.Gathering Data: Searching Literature & Selection Criteria 37 Isabelle M. Cote, Peter S. Curtis, Hannah R. Rothstein, & Gavin B. Stewart 5.Extraction & Critical Appraisal of Data 52 Peter S. Curtis, Kerrie Mengersen, Marc J. Lajeunesse, Hannah R. Rothstein, & Gavin B. Stewart 6.Effect Sizes: Conventional Choices & Calculations 61 Michael S. Rosenberg, Hannah R. Rothstein, & Jessica Gurevitch 7.Using Other Metrics of Effect Size in Meta-analysis 72 Kerrie Mengersen & Jessica Gurevitch SECTION III : Essential Analytic Models & Methods 8.Statistical Models & Approaches to Inference 89 Kerrie Mengersen, Christopher H. Schmid, Michael D. Jennions, & Jessica Gurevitch 9.Moment & Least-Squares Based Approaches to Meta-analytic Inference 108 Michael S. Rosenberg 10.Maximum Likelihood Approaches to Meta-analysis 125 Kerrie Mengersen & Christopher H. Schmid 11.Bayesian Meta-analysis 145 Christopher H. Schmid & Kerrie Mengersen 12.Software for Statistical Meta-analysis 174 Christopher H. Schmid, Gavin B. Stewart, Hannah R. Rothstein, Marc J. Lajeunesse, & Jessica Gurevitch SECTION IV: Statistical Issues & Problems 13.Recovering Missing or Partial Data from Studies: A Survey of Conversions & Imputations for Meta-analysis 195 Marc J. Lajeunesse 14.Publication & Related Biases 207 Michael D. Jennions, Christopher J. Lortie, Michael S. Rosenberg, & Hannah R. Rothstein 15.Temporal Trends in Effect Sizes: Causes, Detection, & Implications 237 Julia Koricheva, Michael D. Jennions, & Joseph Lau 16.Statistical Models for the Meta-analysis of Nonindependent Data 255 Kerrie Mengersen, Michael D. Jennions, & Christopher H. Schmid 17.Phylogenetic Nonindependence & Meta-analysis 284 Marc J. Lajeunesse, Michael S. Rosenberg, & Michael D. Jennions 18.Meta-analysis of Primary Data 300 Kerrie Mengersen, Jessica Gurevitch, & Christopher H. Schmid 19.Meta-analysis of Results from Multisite Studies 313 Jessica Gurevitch SECTION V: Presentation & Interpretation of Results 20.Quality St&ards for Research Syntheses 323 Hannah R. Rothstein, Christopher J. Lortie, Gavin B. Stewart, Julia Koricheva, & Jessica Gurevitch 21.Graphical Presentation of Results 339 Christopher J. Lortie, Joseph Lau, & Marc J. Lajeunesse 22.Power Statistics for Meta-analysis: Tests for Mean Effects & Homogeneity 348 Marc J. Lajeunesse 23.Role of Meta-analysis in Interpreting the Scientific Literature 364 Michael D. Jennions, Christopher J. Lortie, & Julia Koricheva 24.Using Meta-analysis to Test Ecological & Evolutionary Theory 381 Michael D. Jennions, Christopher J. Lortie, & Julia Koricheva SECTION VI: Contributions of Meta-analysis in Ecology & Evolution 25.History & Progress of Meta-analysis 407 Joseph Lau, Hannah R. Rothstein, & Gavin B. Stewart 26.Contributions of Meta-analysis to Conservation & Management 420 Isabelle M. Cote & Gavin B. Stewart 27.Conclusions: Past, Present, & Future of Meta-analysis in Ecology & Evolution 426 Jessica Gurevitch & Julia Koricheva Glossary 433 Frequently Asked Questions 441 References 447 List of Contributors 487 Subject Index 489
£63.75
Princeton University Press Glimpses of Creatures in Their Physical Worlds
Book SynopsisOffers a look into how the characteristics of the physical world drive the designs of animals and plants. This title contains information related to functional biology. Drawing examples from creatures of land, air, and water, it demonstrates the many uses of biological diversity and how physical forces impact biological organisms.Trade Review"If what you desire in a readable science book is food for thought, Glimpses of Creatures in their Physical Worlds provides a feast. Biologists, engineers, and physicists--indeed, anyone with curiosity about the natural world--will revel in this smorgasbord of biomechanical ideas."--Mark Denny, American Scientist "Such a book could be written only by someone with a rich knowledge of biomechanics, and Vogel, an emeritus professor of biology at Duke University, fits the bill. Considered one of the founders of the biomechanics community in the US, his distinguished research career has focused on organism-fluid interactions and such diverse topics as the behavior of leaves in the wind, passive ventilation of prairie-dog burrows, and airflow through the branching antennae of some moths. His breadth of knowledge is clearly reflected in the examples presented and the creative thought embodied in Glimpses of Creatures in Their Physical Worlds. Vogel uses the same approachable, entertaining writing style... [T]his book is sure to serve as an inspiring entry into the field of biomechanics."--Stacey Combes, Physics Today "It is a fine book and emphasizes important relationships too often neglected."--Choice "As ever, Vogel is inspiring and his insights are remarkable."--Henry Bennet-Clark, BioScienceTable of ContentsPreface vii Chapter One: Two Ways to Move Material 1 Chapter Two: The Bioballistics of Small Projectiles 18 Chapter Three: Getting Up to Speed 39 Chapter Four: Moving Heat Around 58 Chapter Five: Maintaining Temperature 80 Chapter Six: Gravity and Life in the Air 95 Chapter Seven: Gravity and Life on the Ground 116 Chapter Eight: Gravity and Life in Water 141 Chapter Nine: Making and Maintaining Liquid Water 164 Chapter Ten: Pumping Fluids through Conduits 184 Chapter Eleven: To Twist or Bend When Stressed 209 Chapter Twelve: Keeping Up Upward and Down Downward 232 List of Symbols 259 References and Index of Citations 263 Index 289
£42.50
Princeton University Press The Balance of Nature Ecologys Enduring Myth
Book SynopsisThe idea of a balance of nature has been a dominant part of Western philosophy since before Aristotle, and it persists in the public imagination and even among some ecologists today. This book demonstrates that nature in fact is not in balance, nor has it ever been at any stage in Earth's history.Trade Review"The author conveys his message in a clear writing style without using highly technical concepts or terminology."--B.R. Shmaefsky, Choice "Kricher's book is of interest to environmental historians and historians of science not only on account of the information it contains, but also because within it there is so little of the scholarship of the history of the environmental sciences with which we, in the humanities and social sciences, are familiar."--Jane Carruthers, Environment and History "With The Balance of Nature, John Kricher has done us the favor of producing the book our non-ecological parents should read. In a scant 200 pages of accessible prose, Kricher weaves together three themes about which any literate citizen should be aware... The Balance of Nature hits its mark. Buy a copy for your parents, your students, and your children today."--Aaron M. Ellison, Ecology "The relationship between science and non-science belief systems especially religious belief system has always been an uneasy one. Even though this book clearly sides with science in disclaiming the notion of the 'balance of nature', it is still relevant to people who hold to the Judeo-Christian creation belief and of other religious backgrounds who are interested in the workings of the natural world."--Richard S. Mbatu, International Journal of Environmental StudiesTable of ContentsPreface ix CHAPTER 1: Why It Matters 1 CHAPTER 2: Of What Purpose Are Mosquitoes? 8 CHAPTER 3: Creating Paradigms 20 CHAPTER 4: Ecology B.C. ("Before Charles") 40 CHAPTER 5: Ecology A.D. ("After Darwin") 53 CHAPTER 6: The Twentieth Century: Ecology Comes of Age 67 CHAPTER 7: A Visit to Bodie: Ecological Space and Time 84 CHAPTER 8: Ecology and Evolution: Process and Paradigm 97 CHAPTER 9: Be Glad to Be an Earthling 113 CHAPTER 10: Life Plays the Lottery 128 CHAPTER 11: Why Global Climate Is Like New England Weather 140 CHAPTER 12: Taking It from the Top--or the Bottom 155 CHAPTER 13: F or the Love of Biodiversity (and Stable Ecosystems?) 170 CHAPTER 14: Facing Marley's Ghost 186 Epilogue 203 Acknowledgments 207 Notes 209 Index 229
£25.20
Princeton University Press Resource Strategies of Wild Plants
Book SynopsisDescribes the five major strategies of growth for terrestrial plants, and details how plants succeed when resources are scarce. This book explains how plants attain available nutrients, withstand the immense stresses of drying soils, and flourish in the race for light.Trade Review"This work would be excellent for a seminar/discussion-style course for undergraduate and especially graduate students."--Choice "Joseph Craine provides an excellent synthesis of current work and a detailed historical perspective... [T]his is a ... very useful resource for anyone interested in the topic... One of the strengths of this book is that ... it also suggests the next crucial steps for fully understanding resource strategies of plants."--Marko Spasojevic, Journal of Vegetation ScienceTable of ContentsPreface xi Acknowledgments xv Abbreviations xvii CHAPTER 1: The Basis for Plant Strategies 1 Assessing Natural Selection 1 From Single Traits to Multitrait Strategies 5 Quantifying Plant Traits and Strategies 8 Ranking Strategies 9 Synthesis 13 CHAPTER 2: The History of Plant Strategies 15 Nutrients and the History of Plant Strategies 15 Grime 19 Chapin 26 Tilman 33 Laying the Foundation of Plant Strategies 41 CHAPTER 3: Stress and Disturbance 45 Defining Stress and Disturbance 45 Major Causes of Stress and Disturbance 48 How Herbivory Works 50 Growth in the Face of Stress and Disturbance 55 Responding after Stress and Disturbance 61 The Links to Resource Availability 62 Summary 62 CHAPTER 4: Resource Limitation 64 The Concept of Single-Resource limitation 65 History of the Nitrogen Cycle Concept 68 Pulses or Slow Bleeds? 75 Primer on the Phosphorus Cycle 79 Co-limitation in a Post-Liebigian World 80 Evaluating Costs in a Co-limited World 84 Trade-offs in Use Efficiency in a Co-limited World 87 Summary 89 CHAPTER 5: Competition for Nutrients and Light 91 Definitions and Types of Competition 92 Competition for Nutrients under Uniform Supplies 94 How Much Root Length? 104 Interference Competition 106 Competition for Nutrients under Heterogeneous Supplies 107 Competition for Light 109 Synthesis 114 CHAPTER 6: Comparing Negative Effects 119 Comparing Negative Effects 120 How to Measure the Importance of Stress and Disturbance in Environments 122 How to Measure the Importance of Stress and Disturbance in the Natural Selection of a Species 130 Importance of Factors at Low Nutrient Supply 132 Importance of Factors at High Nutrient Supply 139 The Relative Importance of Factors 145 Synthesis 146 CHAPTER 7: The Low-Nutrient Strategy 149 Physiological Traits 151 Whole-Plant Traits 169 Effects on Nitrogen Cycling 171 Revising the Low-Nutrient Strategy 173 Significance of Traits in Strategy 187 Synthesis 199 CHAPTER 8: The High-Resource Strategy 202 The Scope of This Chapter 204 Physiological Traits 205 Whole-Plant Traits 212 Effects on Nutrient Cycling 213 Revising the High-Resource Strategy 213 Significance of Traits in Strategy 217 Why the Race Ends 223 Synthesis 224 CHAPTER 9: The Low-Light Strategy 227 Physiological Traits 229 Whole-Plant Traits 233 Effects on Nutrient Cycling 236 Traits under High Light 236 Why These Patterns 239 The End of the Second Stage of Competition 246 Synthesis 248 CHAPTER 10: The Low-Water and Low-CO2 Strategies 251 Water 251 Carbon Dioxide 268 Summary 279 CHAPTER 11: A Synthesis of Plant Strategies 282 Application and the Way Forward 285 Genetics, Pleiotropy, and Plasticity 286 Limitation 287 Competition 289 Defense and Herbivory 290 Mechanisms of Coexistence 292 Biogeographic Patterns and Invasions 293 Global Change 295 Tree of Life 298 Bibliography 301 Index 327
£55.25
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 Evolution and Ethics
Book SynopsisArguing that the human psyche is at war with itself, that humans are alienated in the cosmos, and that moral societies are necessarily in conflict with the natural conditions of their existence, this title states that moral dictates is the key to future human happiness and success.Trade ReviewPraise for Princeton's previous edition: "For Huxley, natural selection is not to be deemed a mixed blessing; rather, it is a damnable mix."--Arthur Falk, Humanist Praise for Princeton's previous edition: "Reading Huxley's text again is a pleasure and a double reminder ... that we're no closer than the Victorians to a comfortable understanding of our place in nature ... [and] that Huxley ... could contextualize [his] thinking ... with respect to a vast array of cultural and intellectual traditions [he] knew and respected. Few today could do that as Huxley does."--Archie Mancato, Nineteenth-Century Contexts Praise for Princeton's previous edition: "Describing the struggle for existence in nature, Darwin tells us that 'we may console ourselves with the full belief ... that the vigorous, the healthy, and the happy survive and multiply.' Thomas Henry Huxley presents a more pessimistic interpretation."--Allan Larson, TREE "[T]he reissuing of Evolution and Ethics serves as a timely reminder of Huxley's important contribution to debates about evolution more broadly and his ongoing relevance to disciplines from biology to philosophy to psychology."--Brett Bowden, European LegacyTable of ContentsIntroduction vii Acknowledgments xxxvii A Note about the Text xxxix Evolution and Ethics Prolegomena to Evolution and Ethics 1 Evolution and Ethics 46 Notes 87 Editor's Notes 117 Further Reading 121 Index 125
£20.90
Princeton University Press The Calculus of Selfishness
Book SynopsisHow does cooperation emerge among selfish individuals? This book looks at social dilemmas where cooperative motivations are subverted and self-interest becomes self-defeating. It analyzes to what extent one key facet of human nature - selfishness - can lead to cooperation.Trade Review"With collaborators from Vienna, Sigmund has pioneered the development of evolutionary game dynamics. This thought-provoking book is a distillation of his many influential contributions to the field. It is a showcase of clever models and elegant mathematics, replete with sometimes counterintuitive insights."--Nature "In The Calculus of Selfishness, Karl Sigmund provides a comprehensive and accessible mathematical exposition of the evolutionary game theory of selfishness. The book should prove accessible to natural and social scientists as its mathematical arguments employ intuition, geometry, and simulation with a minimum of axiomatic formality. The demands on the reader typically involve little more than linear algebra and calculus."--David Krakauer, Science "Sigmund's mathematical exposition is exemplary. He starts with the presumption that the reader has only rudimentary linear algebra and some notion of what a differential equation is, and he builds up from there, introducing more advanced concepts and results as needed. He avoids formal proofs and bookkeeping in favor of careful explanations of key points and illustrative calculations. As he teaches evolutionary game theory, Sigmund is also demonstrating how to write about applied mathematics."--Cosma Shalizi, American Scientist "Sigmund's writing is admirably clear and historically grounded and he wisely restricts his coverage primarily to a subset of situations... [Sigmund] makes fascinating reading for the interested general reader and provides a good background in game theory which should inoculate readers from being fooled by sloppy or completely incorrect references in the popular media."--Sarah Boslaugh, MAA Reviews "Sigmund has ... done an admirable job of motivating the material and making it accessible for the non-expert who is interested in theories to explain the evolution of cooperation."--Ross Cressman, Mathematical ReviewsTable of ContentsPreface vii Chapter 1: Introduction: Social Traps and Simple Games 1 Chapter 2: Game Dynamics and Social Learning 25 Chapter 3: Direct Reciprocity: The Role of Repetition 49 Chapter 4: Indirect Reciprocity: The Role of Reputation 82 Chapter 5: Fairness and Trust: The Power of Incentives 104 Chapter 6: Public Goods and Joint Efforts: Between Freedom and Enforcement 123 Chapter 7: Cooperation in Structured Populations 145 References 155 Index 169
£42.50
Princeton University Press The Expanding Circle
Book SynopsisWhat is ethics? Where do moral standards come from? Are they based on emotions, reason, or some innate sense of right and wrong? This title argues that altruism began as a genetically based drive to protect one's kin and community members but has developed into a consciously chosen ethic with an expanding circle of moral concern.Trade Review"Singer's theory of the expanding circle remains an enormously insightful concept, which reconciles the existence of human nature with political and moral progress. It was also way ahead of its time. . . . It's wonderful to see this insightful book made available to a new generation of readers and scholars."—Steven Pinker, author of The Blank Slate and The Stuff of Thought"The Expanding Circle is a brilliant book whose significance becomes clearer every year. Peter Singer was the first major philosopher to see the importance of the new Darwinian insights into human nature, and in this book he applies them with characteristic power and grace."—Robert Wright, author of The Moral Animal"The Expanding Circle is a great introduction to the whole question of the relationship between evolution and ethics. Looking at it now nearly 30 years after its original publication, I am amazed at how well it has withstood the test of time. This book remains as relevant as ever."—Michael Ruse, editor of Philosophy after Darwin"Since its first publication in 1981, The Expanding Circle has become one of the most widely influential books in ethics. This revised edition could not be more timely. It is vital reading for anyone who has ever wondered about the nature or objectivity of morality—which is to say, for all of us."—Peter Railton, University of MichiganTable of ContentsPreface to the 2011 Edition xi Preface xv 1 The Origins of Altruism 3 2 The Biological Basis of Ethics 23 3 From Evolution to Ethics? 54 4 Reason 87 5 Reason and Genes 125 6 A New Understanding of Ethics 148 Notes on Sources 175 Afterword to the 2011 Edition 187 Index 205
£14.24
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 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 Meeting at Grand Central
Book SynopsisBegins with a look at the ideas of Mancur Olson and George Williams, who shifted the question of why cooperation happens from an emphasis on group benefits to individual costs. This book then explores how these ideas have influenced our thinking about cooperation, coordination, and collective action.Trade Review"The study of cooperation is a multifield behemoth, and Meeting at Grand Central admirably covers considerable ground. Importantly, it does this in an accessible way, by describing select theories and concepts with clear and vivid examples. Seeing the current fragmented state of scholarship on cooperation as a coordination problem, and thus a problem of common knowledge, the authors also devote considerable time to developing a common set of definitions and concepts."--Daniel J. Hruschka, Current Anthropology "Better understanding how cooperation emerges from the behavior of interacting individuals represents a crucial endeavor that can only benefit from a multifaceted approach... I am hence confident that ... readers, independent of their disciplinary background, will not only enjoy the reading, but also find it useful for their work and research."--Giangiacomo Bravo, International Journal of the Commons "[T]he major strength of the book clearly lies in its ability to stimulate curiosity for further research... [R]eaders who like to read scientific content in an easily accessible way and become inspired to read more will not be disappointed."--Julia Schindler, Journal of Artificial Societies and Social Simulation "Cronk and Leech have provided a solid platform for taking the analysis of social cooperation and coordination in a variety of directions."--Richard E. Wagner, Review of Austrian Economics "The sheer breadth of cases addressed in this book makes it an exhilarating read... Cronk and Leech provide a wonderfully comprehensive reference for those interested in co-operation, accessible and engaging enough for an upper-level undergraduate course on the subject. It sets the groundwork to think carefully about how we should model the world, opening the door for future research to develop prescriptive as well as descriptive models, allowing social scientists the ability to rigorously confront this diverse space of problems."--William J. Berger, Journal of Politics "Meeting at Grand Central would make a great text for an advanced undergraduate or graduate course on cooperation in anthropology, economics, sociology, or political science. There is something for everybody in this challenging and enlightening read."--James L. Boone, Journal of Anthropological ResearchTable of ContentsPreface ix Chapter 1 Cooperation, Coordination, and Collective Action 1 * Box 1.1 Experimental Economic Games 15 Chapter 2 Adaptation: A Special and Onerous Concept 18 Chapter 3 The Logic of Logic, and Beyond 47 * Box 3.1 * Types of Groups 49 * Box 3.2 * Types of Goods 53 Chapter 4 Cooperation and the Individual 72 * Box 4.1 * The Reciprocity Bandwagon 75 * Box 4.2 * The Prisoner's Dilemma Game 79 Chapter 5 Cooperation and Organizations 101 Chapter 6 Meeting at Penn Station: Coordination Problems and Cooperation 124 * Box 6.1 * Coordination Games 150 Chapter 7 Cooperation Emergent 151 Chapter 8 Meeting at Grand Central 169 Notes 189 References 207 Index 23
£31.50
Princeton University Press Reflections on the Musical Mind
Book SynopsisWhat's so special about music? We experience it internally, yet at the same time it is highly social. Music engages our cognitive/affective and sensory systems. We use music to communicate with one another--and even with other species--the things that we cannot express through language. Music is both ancient and ever evolving. Without music, our woTrade Review"Complex though the subject is, Schulkin writes with the general reader in mind, balancing and contextualizing scientific particularities with cross-disciplinary discussions of musicology, wider aesthetics and philosophy in an accessible, highly readable style. At 178 pages, it is a compact book, but a wise and welcome one too, on every page a fresh line of enquiry and a reaching towards an understanding of the importance of the brain to our appreciation of music and of music to our sense of ourselves."--Michael Quinn, Classical Music "For neuroscientist Jay Schulkin, music provides an enjoyable but at times testing workout for the brain, much as sport does for the body. Indeed, for him, listening to music is a microcosm of living one's life. In Reflections on the Musical Mind, he reminds us that we live in a world of uncertainty, always needing to predict the future with imprecise, or absent, information. So evolution has honed us to make judgments based on aesthetics, and to find slight deviations from the familiar--especially in music--both interesting and attractive."--New Scientist "This book presents an enormous amount of information about music and biology in a concise, well ordered, and readable manner... [H]e has produced a detailed picture of what functions enable music to have the powerful role it has in our lives both individually and socially. His love of music and the science behind it jumps from the pages and should be read by anyone interested in where the field currently stands."--Jeff Gottlieb, Quarterly Review of BiologyTable of ContentsForeword vii Preface xi Introduction 1 Chapter 1 Music and the Brain An Evolutionary Context 18 Chapter 2 Bird Brains, Social Contact, and Song 37 Chapter 3 Human Song Dopamine, Syntax, and Morphology 62 Chapter 4 Musical Expectations, Probability, and Aesthetics 87 Chapter 5 Musical Expression, Memory, and the Brain 119 Chapter 6 Development, Music, and Social Contact 140 Chapter 7 Music and Dance 156 Conclusion Music and Well-Being 172 Notes 179 References 201 Index 249
£40.80
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 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 Social Evolution and Inclusive Fitness Theory
Book SynopsisSocial behavior has long puzzled evolutionary biologists, since the classical theory of natural selection maintains that individuals should not sacrifice their own fitness to affect that of others. Social Evolution and Inclusive Fitness Theory argues that a theory first presented in 1963 by William D. Hamilton--inclusive fitness theory--provides thTrade Review"Overall, this useful little book provides a superlative introduction to the core mathematics one needs to understand the quantitative basis of sociobiology."--ChoiceTable of ContentsList of Figures xi List of Tables xii Preface xiii Acknowlegments xvii 1 SOCIAL BEHAVIOR AND EVOLUTIONARY THOUGHT 1 1.1 Explanations for Apparent Design 1 1.2 Natural Selection and Social Behavior 3 1.3 Arguments for Group Benefit 7 1.4 Enter Hamilton 11 1.5 Multilevel Selection Theory 13 1.6 The Generality of Inclusive Fitness Theory 14 2 MODELS OF SOCIAL BEHAVIOR 16 2.1 Introduction 16 2.2 The Donation Game 18 2.3 The Nonadditive Donation Game 22 2.4 Other Social Interactions 25 2.5 Public Goods Games 28 2.6 Threshold Public Goods Games 29 2.7 Interactions in Structured Populations 32 2.8 Summary 32 3 THE PRICE EQUATION 34 3.1 A General Description of Selection 34 3.2 Genetic Selection 36 3.3 Illustrative Applications of the Price Equation 39 3.4 Important Caveats 43 3.5 Summary 45 4 INCLUSIVE FITNESS AND HAMILTON'S RULE 46 4.1 Inclusive Fitness Extends Classical Darwinian Fitness 46 4.2 Fitness Effects as Regression on Genes 47 4.3 Deriving Hamilton's Rule in the Simplest Case 51 4.4 Perceived Limitations of Inclusive Fitness Theory 54 4.5 Summary 58 5 NONADDITIVE INTERACTIONS AND HAMILTON'S RULE 59 5.1 Replicator Dynamics for Interactions between Relatives 59 5.2 Extending Hamilton's Rule to Deal with Nonadditivity 65 5.3 The Price Equation and Levels of Causal Analysis 69 5.4 Summary 70 6 CONDITIONAL BEHAVIORS AND INCLUSIVE FITNESS 71 6.1 Implicit and Explicit Conditionality 71 6.2 Modeling Conditional Behavior 73 6.3 Claims That Assortment Is More Fundamental Than Relatedness 76 6.4 Summary 77 7 VARIANTS OF HAMILTON'S RULE AND EVOLUTIONARY EXPLANATIONS 78 7.1 Variants of Hamilton's Rule 78 7.2 Geometric Relatedness Underlies Phenotypic Assortment 83 7.3 Explanations for Greenbeards 86 7.4 Different Viewpoints on Conditional Traits 88 7.5 Summary 89 8 HERITABILITY, MAXIMIZATION, AND EVOLUTIONARY EXPLANATIONS 90 8.1 What Drives Social Evolution? 90 8.2 Selection and Heritability 90 8.3 Do Individuals Act to Maximize Their Inclusive Fitness? 95 8.4 Ultimate Causes and Social Evolution 97 8.5 Summary 103 9 WHAT IS FITNESS? 105 9.1 Introduction 105 9.2 Haldane's Dilemma 105 9.3 Reproductive Value and Class Structure 107 9.4 Fitness, Fecundity, and Payoffs 109 9.5 Summary 114 10 EVIDENCE, OTHER APPROACHES, AND FURTHER TOPICS 115 10.1 Introduction 115 10.2 Empirical Support for Inclusive Fitness Theory 115 10.3 Some Further Topics in Social Evolution Theory 127 10.4 Other Theoretical Approaches 129 10.5 Conclusion 132 Glossary 135 Notes 139 Bibliography 175 Index 187
£37.80
Princeton University Press The Cheating Cell
Book SynopsisTrade Review"Aktipis takes an evolutionary approach to cancer, tracing the ways cells ‘cheat’ natural selection and showing how the human body evolved to outsmart many of those threats. She invites readers to put themselves in the role of a cancer cell and learn about the ways in which the disease and the history of human existence are intertangled."---Erin Blakemore, Washington Post"Darwinian approach to evolution of cancer and cancer-resistance. Brilliant book, up there with Nesse & Williams."---Richard Dawkins on Twitter"The Cheating Cell reads like a deep and personal hypothesis coming from a researcher who has spent over a decade studying the evolutionary foundations of cancer."---David C. S. Filice, Evolution"The Cheating Cell makes for fascinating reading and forces a radical reconsideration of what cancer is and how we should deal with it."---Leon Vlieger, The Inquisitive Biologist
£18.00
Princeton University Press Beyond the Brain
Book SynopsisWhen a chimpanzee stockpiles rocks as weapons or when a frog sends out mating calls, we might easily assume these animals know their own motivations--that they use the same psychological mechanisms that we do. But as Beyond the Brain indicates, this is a dangerous assumption because animals have different evolutionary trajectories, ecological nicheTrade ReviewOne of Choice's Outstanding Academic Titles for 2012 "Beyond the Brain is an astonishingly good book, both substantive and fun to read... Barrett re-centres the field on the study of animal cognition. I think this is an excellent decision, and not just because it allows her to tell some great animal stories. The main advantage is not narrative but substantive: her careful reconstruction of the grounds of natural cognition is simply more convincing and more relevant than even the best discussion of artificial intelligence could ever be... Beyond the Brain is full of ... interesting and heterodox discussions, and is sure to engage, enrage, and inspire in differential measure depending on the reader's theoretical proclivities."--Michael L. Anderson, Journal of Consciousness Studies "[T]his book provides an excellent synthesis of psychology, philosophy, robotics and biology on the topic of animal and human cognition. The prose is accessible and easy to read, and Barrett effectively uses everyday examples to make theoretical and technical points clear... [T]his book ... gave me a lot of new insights. I highly recommend it to scientists and students interested in understanding animal and human minds."--Sabine Tebbich, Animal Behaviour "Barrett's book is a superb and unique bit of thinking, and so eminently readable and enticing that it will appeal to the mainstream... It is so rare to find a richly scientific and philosophical book that the reader will find hard to put down, as if it were a bestselling novel, and I hope this book actually reaches a bestseller list, it is that good, and has that wide an audience, from layman to cognitive scientist. I recommend it to any university under or post-graduate course, as one of the most intriguing and compelling works I have ever read or reviewed. This is not due alone to the startling facts, or her humor, or any other single facet, but owes much to her integration of so many aspects of argument, philosophy, science, anthropology, ecological psychology and others, that it teaches the student, in passing, to think outside of the umwelt. A great contribution."--Roy Sugarman, Metapsychology "Beyond the Brain is indeed an amusing and entertaining read, but one with an extraordinary analytical rigor and eloquence of argument. Very accessible, enticing, and lucidly written, it can be enjoyed both by professional academics and laypeople. Readers--be they novice or seasoned--will certainly find the volume uplifting and inspirational, Barrett's style brisk and delightful and her intellectual playfulness quite solacing... A must read for the next generations of cognitive scientists and for all those who are interested in the study of comparative cognition."--Mirko Farina, Phenomenology and Cognitive Sciences "[W]e can see Barrett's brave new book as a beacon to future generations of scientists who wish to investigate the particularly human niche in cognitive evolution."--Daniel J. Povinelli, Human Ethology Bulletin "[I]f you are new to the area of embodied cognition, read this book. If you're familiar with the literature but want a clear, well-structured presentation of many of the key ideas, then read this book. If you're bored with the same old examples and want some new, perhaps more convincing examples of embodied cognition in action, read this book. And if you have heard some of the arguments but still think behaviour really comes from the computational activity of our complex brains, then, for the love of science, read this book."--Andrew Wilson, Notes from Two Scientific Psychologists "I am jealous of this book, especially of the first half. It is so well written. Barrett picks exactly the right examples and weaves them together in exactly the right ways. It is clear that Barrett has put great care into the construction of Beyond the Brain, and her success should be rewarded by a wide readership."--Eric P. Charles, PsycCRITIQUES "Beyond the Brain explores the emerging field of embedded cognition, in which the mind is seen as more than a product of brain mechanisms... Barrett provides a thorough, well-written introduction to the disparate schools of thought on embedded cognition, starting with a discussion of what human brains really do and the ways in which brainpower is adaptive."--Choice "Drawing on examples from animal behavior, comparative psychology, robotics, artificial life, developmental psychology, and cognitive science, Barrett provides remarkable new insights into how animals and humans depend on their bodies and environment--not just their brains--to behave intelligently."--Daniel J. Povinelli, Leonardo Reviews "Barrett's book contains many bold ideas, expressed in a lively and engaging style; with nice touches of humor, it is both thought provoking and entertaining. Her relational, environment-based, action-oriented perspective is deeply compatible with behavior analysis, and I suspect many behavior analysts will be nodding in agreement with many of the thoughtful and well developed arguments put forth in the book."--Timothy D. Hackenberg, Behaviour AnalystTable of ContentsAcknowledgments ix Chapter 1: Removing Ourselves from the Picture 1 Chapter 2: The Anthropomorphic Animal 20 Chapter 3: Small Brains, Smart Behavior 39 Chapter 4: The Implausible Nature of Portia 57 Chapter 5: When Do You Need a Big Brain? 71 Chapter 6: The Ecology of Psychology 94 Chapter 7: Metaphorical Mind Fields 112 Chapter 8: There Is No Such Thing as a Naked Brain 135 Chapter 9: World in Action 152 Chapter 10: Babies and Bodies 175 Chapter 11: Wider than the Sky 197 Epilogue 223 Notes 225 References 251 Index 269
£19.80
