Description
Book SynopsisBirds have colonized almost every terrestrial habitat on the planet - from the poles to the tropics, and from deserts to high mountain tops. Ecological and Environmental Physiology of Birds focuses on our current understanding of the unique physiological characteristics of birds that are of particular interest to ornithologists, but also have a wider biological relevance. An introductory chapter covers the basic avian body plan and their still-enigmatic evolutionary history. The focus then shifts to a consideration of the essential components of that most fundamental of avian attributes: the ability to fly. The emphasis here is on feather evolution and development, flight energetics and aerodynamics, migration, and as a counterpoint, the curious secondary evolution of flightlessness that has occurred in several lineages. This sets the stage for subsequent chapters, which present specific physiological topics within a strongly ecological and environmental framework. These include gas ex
Trade ReviewThis book is a comprehensive monograph on all the aspects of the molecular reaction dynamics and is useful for all the specialists in physico-chemical and chemical fields. * Corina Cernatescu, IASI Polytechnic Magazine *
Table of Contents1. Introduction - Blueprint of a Bird (Bauplan/Body plan) ; 2. General Physiological Principles ; 3. Physiological Bases of Fecundity/Longevity Tradeoffs ; 4. Adaptations: Obtaining and Processing Food ; 5. Adaptations: Living in Specific Environments ; 6. Adaptations: Neural and Sensory ; 7. Adaptations: Developmental Physiology ; 8. Approaches and Techniques ; 9. Conclusions and Future Directions ; References ; Index
