BEHAVIOURAL ECOLOGY

Why are some species monogamous while others are polygamous? Why are males usually more ornamented than females? What makes one organism the hunter and another the hunted? Why do some creatures stick together in groups while others prefer to go it alone? Can we talk of animal culture? Behavioural Ecology provides a fascinating insight into the evolutionary and ecological processes that underpin animal behaviour. Opening with an overview of the evolutionary and methodological framework of behavioural ecology, the book goes on to explore behaviours in terms of the selective pressures involved in their design. It addresses natural selection, sexual selection, and gene selection, before closing with an investigation of the human impact on behavioural ecology. Featuring chapters written by university teachers, each with research expertise in their respective fields, Behavioural Ecology has been moulded by Danchin, Giraldeau, and Cezilly to give a uniform voice throughout: it is a text with all the qualities of a multi-author book, but without the potential drawbacks. Behavioural Ecology offers a fresh, contemporary account of a field re-invigorated by advances in the last decade, making it the ideal teaching and learning text. Online Resource Centre: For registered adopters of the book: -Figures from the book available to download, to facilitate lecture preparation For students: -Library of web links, giving ready access to additional resources------------Este libro da una fresca, contemporánea descripción de los procesos evolutivos y ecológicos que sustentan el comportamiento de los animales. Comprende discusiones profundas y elaboradas sobre la selección natural, la selección sexual, y la selección genética, cerrando con una investigación del impacto del hombre en la ecología del comportamiento. Cada capítulo está elaborado por un investigador especialista en la materia, pero gracias a un gran trabajo de edición, los textos tienen un aspecto muy uniforme sin que se perciban diferencias por los diferentes estilos o enfoques empleados por cada uno de los participantes.