[PDF] Homeostasis In Desert Reptiles eBook

Author : Sidney Donald Bradshaw
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 220 pages
File Size : 22,31 MB
Release : 2012-12-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 3642603556

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Deserts, whether hot or cold, are considered to be one of the most difficult environments for living systems, lacking the essential free water which ac counts for approximately 60-70% of their body mass and more than 98% of their constituent atoms {Macfarlane 1978}. Amongst vertebrates, reptiles are usually thought of as the animals most adapted or suited to such environments because of their diurnal habit, based on a need for external heat, and their ability to survive far from obvious sources of water. This impression is rein forced when one examines the composition of vertebrate faunae characteristic of deserts and arid zones: reptiles predominate and they are often the only vertebrates to be found in hyper-arid areas, such as some parts of the Sahara {Monod 1973}. I recently had occasion to examine this assumption carefully, however, and was led inexorably to the conclusion that reptiles represent a particularly successful desert group, not because of their evolution of superior adaptations, but because of their possession of a basic suite of behavioural and physiologi cal characteristics that suit them uniquely to this very resource-limited environment {Bradshaw 1986a}. These fundamental reptilian characteristics are: 1. their low rates of metabolism, compared with birds and mammals, which result in extremely low rates of resource utilisation and lead to considerable economy in the handling of water 2.

Author : John L. Cloudsley-Thompson
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 212 pages
File Size : 48,37 MB
Release : 2012-12-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 364275337X

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Ecophysiology of Desert Arthropods and Reptiles starts with a new classification of the world's deserts, based upon the type of precipitation and the effect on their faunas of arthropods and reptiles. This is followed by an account of microclimates and the avoidance of environmental extremes. Whereas thermoregulation is primarily behavioural, responses to water shortage are largely physiological. Seasonal activity and phenology are described, adaptations for burrowing, the avoidance of enemies, and defence, are also outlined. A comparative account of interspecific relationships, feeding specializations, and species diversity in the two taxa is described. The purpose of the book is to provide a new and up-to-date analysis that will stimulate further research along these lines.

Author : Giovanni Costa
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 205 pages
File Size : 45,90 MB
Release : 2012-12-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 3642793568

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After a brief survey of biotopic and vegetational features and an account of the main groups of desert animals, the most unusual patterns of the behaviour of the xerophilous fauna are examined. The importance of the thermohygric regulation and self-protective and locomotor mechanisms to the survival of arid-adapted animals is emphasized and various adaptations in the alimentary, reproductive and social spheres are analyzed. The clear and fluent treatment will awaken the interest of the reading public, from the amateur naturalists to research scientists.

Author : Don Bradshaw
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
Page : 308 pages
File Size : 42,97 MB
Release : 2003-04-24
Category : Medical
ISBN : 9780521521093

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Ecophysiology attempts to clarify the role and importance of physiological processes, such as digestion and respiration, in the ecological relations of species in their natural habitats. The basic principles and methods that are central to any ecophysiological study are outlined and discussed, including animal capture, blood collection, and the measurement of plasma components and hormone levels. Attention is paid to animal welfare and ethical considerations, and the question of stress and how to identify its presence in animals in their natural environment is approached through a series of case studies. Examples are given from a wide range of vertebrates living in deserts, cold climates and oceans, and recent findings on the physiological adaptations of Antarctic birds and mammals are a highlight of the book. This textbook will provide an introduction to the study of ecophysiology for advanced undergraduates and postgraduate students, as well as researchers in ecology, biodiversity and conservation.

Author : John A Matthews
Publisher : SAGE
Page : 1490 pages
File Size : 37,47 MB
Release : 2013-12-13
Category : Nature
ISBN : 1446264882

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Accessibly written by a team of international authors, the Encyclopedia of Environmental Change provides a gateway to the complex facts, concepts, techniques, methodology and philosophy of environmental change. This three-volume set illustrates and examines topics within this dynamic and rapidly changing interdisciplinary field. The encyclopedia includes all of the following aspects of environmental change: Diverse evidence of environmental change, including climate change and changes on land and in the oceans Underlying natural and anthropogenic causes and mechanisms Wide-ranging local, regional and global impacts from the polar regions to the tropics Responses of geo-ecosystems and human-environmental systems in the face of past, present and future environmental change Approaches, methodologies and techniques used for reconstructing, dating, monitoring, modelling, projecting and predicting change Social, economic and political dimensions of environmental issues, environmental conservation and management and environmental policy Over 4,000 entries explore the following key themes and more: Conservation Demographic change Environmental management Environmental policy Environmental security Food security Glaciation Green Revolution Human impact on environment Industrialization Landuse change Military impacts on environment Mining and mining impacts Nuclear energy Pollution Renewable resources Solar energy Sustainability Tourism Trade Water resources Water security Wildlife conservation The comprehensive coverage of terminology includes layers of entries ranging from one-line definitions to short essays, making this an invaluable companion for any student of physical geography, environmental geography or environmental sciences.

Author : Gerald Kuchling
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 229 pages
File Size : 49,38 MB
Release : 2012-12-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 3642804144

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This book presents a comparative view of chelonian reproduction and discusses ecophysiological implications for their captive breeding. Chelonians, with their protective rigid armour, are a phylogenetically antique group of reptiles which radiated to occupy niches from the open waters of the oceans, to rivers, creeks, swamps, forests, savannahs, and deserts. A few North American turtle species have been well studied, but until recently reproductive data on other chelonian species have been scarce. The way in which chelonians adjust their conservative mode of reproduction to the various requirements of their habitats and life styles is the theme of this book; the physiology of reproduction and its interplay with ecological conditions are its central subjects.