[PDF] Carnivore Behavior Ecology And Evolution eBook

Author : John L. Gittleman
Publisher : Cornell University Press
Page : 639 pages
File Size : 40,26 MB
Release : 2019-05-15
Category : Science
ISBN : 1501745816

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The mammalian order Carnivora is characterized by an incredible range of morphological, ecological, and behavioral variation. Carnivores can be as small as the 100-gram least weasel or as large as the 800-kilogram polar bear. Their reproductive rate can vary from one offspring every five years, as with some black bears, to three litters a year, as with the dwarf mongoose. Group sizes can be traced along a wide continuum, from the solitary ermine to the monogamous golden jackal to the large extended packs of as many as 80 spotted hyenas. Until recently the general habits of most wild carnivore species were inadequately understood. In the last decade, however, improved technologies, including the use of radiotelemetry and night-vision scopes, have led to many important discoveries. This book is at once a critical summary and an evaluation of current research on carnivores. A worthy successor to R.F. Ewer's monumental volume, The Carnivores (Cornell University Press), it is the work of 30 leading carnivore biologists, who here assemble comparative data on the basic anatomical, behavioral, ecological, physiological, reproductive, and evolutionary characteristics of this group. After a general introduction to the Carnivora, the volume is divided in three parts, each of which begins with a brief introduction outlining its main themes. Part I, Behavior, covers acoustic and olfactory communication, behavioral development, behavioral ecology of canids and hyaenids, modes of solitary living, and group living. In Part II, Ecology, topics include feeding ecology of the giant panda and Asiatic black bear, adatpations for aquatic living, ecological constraints on predation in felids, consequences of small size in mustelids, rate of basal metabolism and food habits, and reproductive output. Part III, Evolution, deals with the morphological approaches to phylogeny, and the fossil record. An appendix presents a complete classification of the Carnivora, including topics of continuing controversy. Highlighting recent developments in the study of the Carnivora and areas for further research, this broad synthesis will be of great value of students and researchers in animal behavior, behavioral ecology, wildlife ecology, mammalogy, paleontology, systematics, and evolution theory. It will also encourage realistic conservation programs to manage rapidly diminishing populations and will elucidate particular features of the carnivores for nonspecialist readers.

Author : John L. Gittleman
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 632 pages
File Size : 33,22 MB
Release : 2013-03-09
Category : Science
ISBN : 1475747160

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Carnivores have always fascinated us, even though they make up only 10% of all mammalian genera and only about 2% of all mammalian biomass. In Greek mythology most of the gods adorned their robes and helmets with depictions of carnivores, and the great hero Hercules' most famous feat was killing the "invulnerable" lion with his bare hands. Part· of our fascination with carnivores stems from fright and intrigue, and sometimes even hatred because of our direct competition with them. Cases of "man-eating" lions, bears, and wolves, as well as carnivores' reputation as killers of livestock and game, provoke communities and governrpents to adopt sweeping policies to exterminate them. Even President Theodore Roosevelt, proclaimer of a new wildlife protectionism, described the wolf as "the beast of waste and desolation. " The sheer presence and power of carnivores is daunt ing: they can move quickly yet silently through forests, attaining rapid bursts of speed when necessary; their massive muscles are aligned to deliver powerful attacks, their large canines and strong jaws rip open carcasses, and their scis sor-like carnassials slice meat. Partly because of our fear of these attributes, trophy hunting of carnivores has been, and to a certain extent still is, a sign of bravery and skill. Among some Alaskan Inuit, for example, a man is not eligible for marriage until he has killed a succession of animals of increasing size and dangerousness, culminating with the most menacing, the polar bear.

Author : John L. Gittleman
Publisher : Cornell University Press
Page : 659 pages
File Size : 33,97 MB
Release : 2019-05-15
Category : Science
ISBN : 1501745824

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Because carnivores are at the top of the food chain, their status is an important indicator of the health of the world ecosystem. They are intensely interesting to zoologists and uniquely intriguing to the general public. Devoted primarily to terrestrial carnivores, this volume focuses on such themes as carnivore reintroduction programs and the ethics of studying carnivores, drawing examples from a variety of species. The need to evaluate new conceptual ideas and empirical data inspired this volume of Carnivore Behavior, Ecology, and Evolution, a complement to the original book. In the eight years since publication of the first volume, conservation has emerged as a thematic imperative. The study of carnivores has become even more important in raising and resolving crucial biological problems. Differential rates of mortality in the giant panda and other endangered carnivores are now known to influence dispersal and life history patterns basic to these species' survival. Reintroduction efforts of the black-footed ferret and the red wolf are establishing essential guidelines for preservation and management of endangered species. Studies of the African lion and the dwarf mongoose illustrate the power of new genetic techniques of DNA fingerprinting for understanding the evolution of social behavior.

Author : Luigi Boitani
Publisher : OUP Oxford
Page : 525 pages
File Size : 14,59 MB
Release : 2012-01-12
Category : Science
ISBN : 0191625345

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Animals that must hunt and kill for at least part of their living are inherently interesting to many people and the role that carnivores play in biological communities attract interest from ecologists and conservation biologists. Conflicts with human activities stimulate continual debates about the management of carnivore populations, and throughout the world people seek workable solutions for human/carnivore coexistence. This concise yet authoritative handbook describes research methods and techniques for the study and conservation of all terrestrial carnivore species. Particular attention is paid to techniques for managing the human/carnivore interface. Descriptions of the latest methodologies are supported by references to case studies, whilst dedicated boxes are used to illustrate how a technique is applied to a specific land cover type, species, or particular socio-economic context. The book describes the most recent advances in modelling the patterns of animal distributions, movements, and use of land cover types, as well as including the most efficient methods to trap, handle, and mark carnivores. Carnivores are biogeographically diverse and whilst extensive scientific research has investigated many aspects of carnivore biology, not all species have been equally covered. This book is unique in its intention to provide practical guidance for carrying out research and conservation of carnivores across all species and areas of the world.

Author : Emmanuel Do Linh San
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
Page : 592 pages
File Size : 48,3 MB
Release : 2022-07-13
Category : Science
ISBN : 1118943260

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Small Carnivores: Evolution, Ecology, Behaviour, and Conservation This book focuses on the 232 species of the mammalian Order Carnivora with an average body mass 21.5 kg. Small carnivores inhabit virtually all of the Earth's ecosystems, adopting terrestrial, semi-fossorial, (semi-)arboreal or (semi-)aquatic lifestyles. They occupy multiple trophic levels and therefore play important roles in the regulation of ecosystems, such as natural pest control, seed dispersal and nutrient cycling. In areas where humans have extirpated large carnivores, small carnivores may become the dominant predators, which may increase their abundance ("mesopredator release") to the point that they can sometimes destabilize communities, drive local extirpations and reduce overall biodiversity. On the other hand, one third of the world's small carnivores are threatened or near threatened with extinction. This results from regionally burgeoning human populations' industrial and agricultural activities, causing habitat reduction, destruction, fragmentation and pollution. Overexploitation, persecution and the impacts of introduced predators, competitors, and pathogens have also negatively affected many small carnivore species. Although small carnivores have been intensively studied over the past decades, bibliometric studies showed that they have not received the same attention given to large carnivores. Furthermore, there is huge disparity in how research efforts on small carnivores have been distributed, with some species intensively studied and others superficially or not at all. This book aims at filling a gap in the scientific literature by elucidating the important roles of, and documenting the latest knowledge on, the world's small carnivores. p"This is a book that has been needed for decades. It is the first compendium of recent research on a group of mammals which has received almost no attention before the early 1970s. This book covers a wide range of subdisciplines and techniques and should be considered a solid baseline for further research on this little-known group of highly interesting mammals. As our knowledge regarding how ecosystems function increases, then the valuable role of small carnivores and the necessity for their conservation should be regarded as of paramount importance. The topics covered in this book should therefore be of great interest not only to academics and wildlife researchers, but also to the interested layman."

Author : John L. Gittleman
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 696 pages
File Size : 27,55 MB
Release : 2001-06-28
Category : Nature
ISBN : 9780521665377

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Carnivores are the focus of intense attention and resources in conservation biology. It is often argued that, because carnivores are at the top of the food chain, if they are protected, then other taxa will also be afforded adequate protection. Carnivores are also charismatic and compete with humans for dwindling space and environmental resources. In the past 10 years, theoretical and empirical studies on carnivores have developed very quickly. This volume reviews and summarises the current state of the field, describes limitations and opportunities for carnivore conservation, and offers a conceptual framework for future research and applied management. As such it will be of interest to students and researchers of conservation biology, mammalogy, animal behaviour, ecology and evolution.