Libros de Estudios generales de biología, página 23 de 126

The idea of a missing link between humanity and our animal ancestors predates evolution and popular science The author takes aim at this misleading notion arguing that it reflects a profound misunderstanding of how evolution works and when applied to the evolution of our own species supports mistaken ideas about our own place in the universe

Marine sediments dominate the global seabed creating the largest ecosystem on earth Seafloor biodiversity is a key mediator of ecosystem functioning yet critical processes are often excluded from global biogeochemical budgets or simplified to black boxes in ecosystem models This accessible textbook provides an ideal point of entry into the field providing basic information on the nature of soft sediment ecosystems examples of how and why we research them the new questions these studies inspire and the applications that ultimately benefit society While focussing on coastal habitats 200m depth to emphasize process based experimental studies it is relevant to the full range of marine sedimentary habitats The authors describe the interactions between marine organisms and their physical and chemical environment demonstrating the need for carefully designed research programs and providing the basic steps required to formulate sound ecological questions before applying them to empirical studies of real world ecosystems The book reveals the connections between different system components and drivers of change examining how we can develop knowledge on the biodiversity and functioning of soft sediments and apply it to a better understanding of ecosystem change

A smart and accessible look at the myriad ways in which evolution doesn t get things nearly as right as we imagine

What if the stories of trees and people are more closely linked than we ever imagined Winner of the World Wildlife Fund s 2020 Jan Wolkers PrizeOne of Science News s Favorite Books of 2020 A New York Times New and Noteworthy BookA 2020 Woodland Book of the YearGold Winner of the 2020 Foreword INDIES Award in Ecology & EnvironmentBronze Winner of the 2021 Independent Publisher Book Award in Environment EcologyPeople across the world know that to tell how old a tree is you count its rings Few people however know that research into tree rings has also made amazing contributions to our understanding of Earth s climate history and its influences on human civilization over the past 2 000 years In her captivating book Tree Story Valerie Trouet reveals how the seemingly simple and relatively familiar concept of counting tree rings has inspired far reaching scientific breakthroughs that illuminate the complex interactions between nature and people Trouet a leading tree ring scientist takes us out into the field from remote African villages to radioactive Russian forests offering readers an insider s look at tree ring research a discipline known as dendrochronology Tracing her own professional journey while exploring dendrochronology s history and applications

A completely revised and updated edition of the leading mammalogy textbook featuring color photographs throughout and a new streamlined structure for enhanced use in courses There are more than 6 400 species in the class Mammalia including the blue whale the largest animal that has ever lived and the pygmy shrew which weighs little more than a dime Such diversity among mammals has allowed them to play critical roles in every ecosystem whether marine freshwater alpine tundra forest or desert Reflecting the expertise and perspective of five leading mammalogists the fifth edition of Mammalogy Adaptation Diversity Ecology significantly updates taxonomy adds a new introductory chapter on the science of mammalogy and highlights several recently described species To enhance its appeal to students textual material has been reduced consolidated and streamlined without sacrificing breadth or depth of coverage The fifth edition includes for the first time stunning color photographs throughout chapters rearranged and grouped to best reflect phylogenetic relationships with updated numbers of genera and species for each family updated mammalian structural and functional adaptations as well as ordinal fossil histories recent advances in mammalian phyloge

All the information researchers students and practitioners need to conducted innovative state of the art research on small mammals Rodents and insectivores constitute the vast majority of mammals on our planet yet we often overlook the importance of this group As seed dispersers prey species and disease regulators these animals are critical to the functioning of our ecological systems While considerable material exists that describes these species there has been no dedicated guide explaining how to effectively research them until now Methods for Ecological Research on Terrestrial Small Mammals is a one stop resource compiling all the information readers need to conduct state of the art research on small terrestrial mammals across the globe The authors cover the full spectrum of issues from capture handling identification reproduction demography and taxonomy to behavior diet evolution diseases movements morphometrics and more They also highlight the latest techniques while carefully explaining the tried and tested methods needed to conduct rigorous scientific inquiries provide step by step examples and case studies demonstrating how the methods discussed can be used in actual research projects compare and contrast methodologies analyt

Since the advent of agriculture approximately 12 000 years ago human activity has created a unique set of ecosystems However the recent development of world markets rapid technological advances and other changes to farming practices have led to hugely increased pressures on farm habitats and organisms Global human populations are rising and diets are becoming ever more complicated leading to unrelenting requirements for increased levels of food production Natural biotopes are becoming increasingly fragmented as agricultural activities expand around them Agroecosystems now occur from the tropics to subarctic environments and comprise systems as varied as annual crops perennial grasslands orchards and agroforestry systems They presently cover almost 40 of the terrestrial land surface and significantly shape landscapes at a global scale This key addition to the OUP Biology of Habitats Series provides a novel perspective on agroecosystems summarising our current understanding of the basic and applied aspects of these important and complex habitats whilst focusing on environmental concerns in the context of global change The Biology of Agroecosystemsis is for both senior undergraduate and graduate students taking courses in agroecology farmland ecology c

El ser humano tiene el privilegio de tener el órgano más complicado que hay en la naturaleza: el cerebro. A pesar de las investigaciones y de las aproximaciones que se han realizado en cuanto a su funcionamiento, sigue siendo un misterio. Los trastornos cerebrales son multiples y variados, pudiendo acontecer en cualquier momento de la vida de una persona. Las observaciones medicas ante ciertos trastornos cerebrales como una demencia ponen de relieve que junto al deterioro cerebral tambien existe una progresiva disolucion del sujeto. Lo mismo puede ocurrir en las enfermedades mentales u otras que tienen repercusiones nefastas.

How do you dig up a 13 000 year old footprint Why do kelp forests need sea otters How do you measure a shrinking glacier from an airplane What is a zombie urchin Heart of the Coast brings these questions to life in a deep exploration of the beauty mystery and biodiversity of the Pacific coast Join Hakai Institute researchers in the field archaeologists oceanographers marine biologists and beyond as they journey from the ice fields of Klinaklini Glacier to the dazzling undersea reefs of a place called Crazy Town British Columbia s Central Coast is a rich landscape called a biologist s dream and the Amazon of the north Since launching its Calvert Island ecological observatory there in 2009 the Hakai Institute has become a renowned centre of science and exploration Collaborations with the Smithsonian Institution the Monterey Bay Aquarium and several First Nations on the BC coast along with a wide array of scientists hailing from other agencies and universities across North America have uncovered new species advanced our knowledge of marine food webs and helped track the effects of climate change on watersheds and coastal ecosystems Stunning photography illuminates the institute s journey of discovery over the past decade This unforgettable book wi

From a leading computer scientist a unifying theory that will revolutionize our understanding of how life evolves and learns How does life prosper in a complex and erratic world While we know that nature follows patterns such as the law of gravity our everyday lives are beyond what known science can predict We nevertheless muddle through even in the absence of theories of how to act But how do we do it In Probably Approximately Correct computer scientist Leslie Valiant presents a masterful synthesis of learning and evolution to show how both individually and collectively we not only survive but prosper in a world as complex as our own The key is probably approximately correct algorithms a concept Valiant developed to explain how effective behaviour can be learned The model shows that pragmatically coping with a problem can provide a satisfactory solution in the absence of any theory of the problem After all finding a mate does not require a theory of mating Valiant s theory reveals the shared computational nature of evolution and learning and sheds light on perennial questions such as nature versus nurture and the limits of artificial intelligence Offering a powerful and elegant model that encompasses life s complexity Probably Approximately Correct h

Las plumas de mar o pennatuláceos, organismos catalogados como Ecosistemas Marinos Vulnerables, constituyen un componente fundamental de las comunidades bentónicas marinas en fondos blandos; se consideran especies bioconstructoras, dado que incrementan la biodiversidad y constituyen la base fundamental de complejos ecosistemas. A pesar de su importante papel ecologico, se sabe muy poco sobre ellos. Esta obra introduce al lector en el mundo submarino de una forma sencilla y didactica, despertando el interes de mentes curiosas, tanto de naturalistas como de neofitos en el estudio de los corales. La obra desarrolla aspectos generales sobre la morfologia, variabilidad, biologia y evolucion de estas especies. Se ofrece una amplia informacion, que va desde los estudios cientificos clasicos hasta los mas recientes, incorporando los resultados de la propia investigacion del autor.