Ecophysiology Of Desert Arthropods And Reptiles

Author : John L. Cloudsley-Thompson
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 212 pages
File Size : 51,7 Mb
Release : 2012-12-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783642753374

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Ecophysiology of Desert Arthropods and Reptiles by John L. Cloudsley-Thompson Pdf

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 : Eric Setton,Bernd Girod
Publisher : Springer
Page : 0 pages
File Size : 54,9 Mb
Release : 2008-11-01
Category : Computers
ISBN : 0387520570

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Peer-to-Peer Video Streaming by Eric Setton,Bernd Girod Pdf

Peer-to-Peer Video Streaming describes novel solutions to enhance video quality, increase robustness to errors, and reduce end-to-end latency in video streaming systems. This book will be of use to both academics and professionals as it presents thorough coverage and solutions for current issues with Video Streaming and Peer-to-Peer architectures. The book provides an overview of today’s state-of-the art video streaming technology. It presents adaptive video coding and streaming techniques for performance enhancement of conventional client-server systems and P2P multicast. The detailed appendix incorporates various additional experiments.

Author : Sidney Donald Bradshaw
Publisher : Unknown
Page : 324 pages
File Size : 53,7 Mb
Release : 1986-01-01
Category : Desert animals
ISBN : 0121245764

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Ecophysiology of Desert Reptiles by Sidney Donald Bradshaw Pdf

Author : Allan A. Degen
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 308 pages
File Size : 55,7 Mb
Release : 2012-12-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783642603518

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Ecophysiology of Small Desert Mammals by Allan A. Degen Pdf

Since small mammals have a large surface to mass ratio, one would expect them to quickly dehydrate and perish at high environmental temperatures. Nonetheless, a large number of small mammal species inhabit deserts. This fascinating phenomenon is investigated by Prof. A. Allan Degen in his book. The majority of small desert mammals are rodents, but shrews of several grams and small foxes of 1 kg are also present. Their survival is due mainly to behavioural adaptations and habitat selection, however, physiological adaptations also contribute to the success. Interestingly, many small mammals that live in different deserts of the world show similarities in their adaptive traits although they have different taxonomic affinities.

Author : Sidney Donald Bradshaw
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 220 pages
File Size : 52,8 Mb
Release : 2012-12-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783642603556

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Homeostasis in Desert Reptiles by Sidney Donald Bradshaw Pdf

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 : Fred Punzo
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 248 pages
File Size : 55,9 Mb
Release : 2013-03-14
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783662040904

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Desert Arthropods: Life History Variations by Fred Punzo Pdf

It is difficult for me to recollect a time when I was not fascinated with the very notion of a desert. Walt Disney's film, The Living Desert, which I initially saw when I was 8 years of age, provided me with my first glimpse of this wondrous yet seemingly ho stile environment. The images were hypnotic and captivating. I looked on in amazement at the promenade Cl deux of the male and female scorpions during courtship. Their rhythmic and coordinated movements as they grasped one another made them appear to glide in unis on over the surface of the sand, each individual totally absorbed with its partner. In the next minute the fern ale had suddenly and utterly transformed herself like some Jekyll and Hyde act, into an aggressive predator whose prior gregarious embrace was now a hold of death for the male. The indomitable desert grasshopper mouse, the ever sentient kit fox, the graceful shovel-nosed snake swimming in an endless sea of sand.

Author : Gordon L. Maclean
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 188 pages
File Size : 54,6 Mb
Release : 2013-12-11
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783642609817

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Ecophysiology of Desert Birds by Gordon L. Maclean Pdf

In the Preface to his volume on Ecophysiology of the Camelidae and Desert Ruminants in this series, Trevor Wilson mentions his hesitation at the invitation from John Cloudsley-Thompson to write the book, because he had been out of direct touch with desert biology for some years. My response to John's invitation to write Ecophysiology of Desert Birds was much the same, and for the same reasons. However, with his encouragement and, taking account of the fact that a colleague of mine who is much better suited to do the job had turned it down because of pressure of work, I accepted the challenge and have enjoyed it immensely. It has been my privilege to spend much time in the deserts of North and South America, southern Africa and Australia, some of it with my wife, Cherie, whose editing of the entire text has improved the work immeasurably. Indeed, I believe it would have been proper for her to accept coauthorship, but she graciously declined the offer! I owe her a debt of gratitude which I hope will be repaid in part by her seeing the text finally between covers. The chapters on water regulation (Chap. 5) and thermo regulation (Chap. 6) have benefited from the refereeing of my colleague, Dr. Barry Lovegrove, of the Department of Zoology and Entomology, University of Natal, Pietermaritzburg.

Author : Stanley D. Smith,Russell Monson,Jay E. Anderson
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 287 pages
File Size : 52,9 Mb
Release : 2012-12-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783642592126

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Physiological Ecology of North American Desert Plants by Stanley D. Smith,Russell Monson,Jay E. Anderson Pdf

Following a description of the physical and biological characterization of the four North American deserts together with the primary adaptations of plants to environmental stress, the authors go on to present case studies of key species. They provide an up-to-date and comprehensive review of the major patterns of adaptation in desert plants, with one chapter devoted to several important exotic plants that have invaded these deserts. The whole is rounded off with a synthesis of the resource requirements of desert plants and how they may respond to global climate change.

Author : William Miller III
Publisher : Elsevier
Page : 637 pages
File Size : 42,7 Mb
Release : 2011-10-13
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780080475356

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Trace Fossils by William Miller III Pdf

This book serves as an up-to-date introduction, as well as overview to modern trace fossil research and covers nearly all of the essential aspects of modern ichnology. Divided into three section, Trace Fossils covers the historical background and concepts of ichnology, on-going research problems, and indications about the possible future growth of the discipline and potential connections to other fields. This work is intended for a broad audience of geological and biological scientists. Workers new to the field could get a sense of the main concepts of ichnology and a clear idea of how trace fossil research is conducted. Scientists in related disciplines could find potential uses for trace fossils in their fields. And, established workers could use the book to check on the progress of their particular brand of ichnology. By design, there is something here for novice and veteran, insider and outsider, and for the biologically-oriented workers and for the sedimentary geologists. * Presents a review of the state of ichnology at the beginning of the 21st Century* Summarizes the basic concepts and methods of modern trace fossil research* Discusses crucial background information about the history of trace fossil research, the main concepts of ichnology, examples of current problems and future directions, and the potential connections to other disciplines within both biology and geology

Author : Michael Warburg
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 194 pages
File Size : 42,5 Mb
Release : 2012-12-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783642603570

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Ecophysiology of Amphibians Inhabiting Xeric Environments by Michael Warburg Pdf

A description of the structural and functional adaptations of the key organs such as skin, kidneys, bladder, lungs and ovaries, with special emphasis placed on physiological adaptations: water, electrolyte, nitrogen, and thermal balance and their endocrine control. One whole chapter devoted to ecological aspects covers such exciting topics as development and metamorphosis, larval competition for food resources, and reproductive strategies.

Author : George P. Stamou
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 147 pages
File Size : 55,5 Mb
Release : 2012-12-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783642797521

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Arthropods of Mediterranean-Type Ecosystems by George P. Stamou Pdf

G.P. Stamou describes the adaptive strategies that allow arthropods to cope with the severity of Mediterranean environments. After an introduction to the structure and function of Mediterranean-type ecosystems, ecophysiological adaptations to water stress and varying temperature are considered. Further, activity patterns and life cycle tactics are discussed in relation to the peculiarity of Mediterranean environments. Phenological patterns and population dynamics as well as community structures are also presented. The volume ends with a synthesis of life history tactics.

Author : William H. Karasov,Carlos Martínez del Rio
Publisher : Princeton University Press
Page : 744 pages
File Size : 42,8 Mb
Release : 2020-05-05
Category : Science
ISBN : 9780691213316

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Physiological Ecology by William H. Karasov,Carlos Martínez del Rio Pdf

Unlocking the puzzle of how animals behave and how they interact with their environments is impossible without understanding the physiological processes that determine their use of food resources. But long overdue is a user-friendly introduction to the subject that systematically bridges the gap between physiology and ecology. Ecologists--for whom such knowledge can help clarify the consequences of global climate change, the biodiversity crisis, and pollution--often find themselves wading through an unwieldy, technically top-heavy literature. Here, William Karasov and Carlos Martínez del Rio present the first accessible and authoritative one-volume overview of the physiological and biochemical principles that shape how animals procure energy and nutrients and free themselves of toxins--and how this relates to broader ecological phenomena. After introducing primary concepts, the authors review the chemical ecology of food, and then discuss how animals digest and process food. Their broad view includes symbioses and extends even to ecosystem phenomena such as ecological stochiometry and toxicant biomagnification. They introduce key methods and illustrate principles with wide-ranging vertebrate and invertebrate examples. Uniquely, they also link the physiological mechanisms of resource use with ecological phenomena such as how and why animals choose what they eat and how they participate in the exchange of energy and materials in their biological communities. Thoroughly up-to-date and pointing the way to future research, Physiological Ecology is an essential new source for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students-and an ideal synthesis for professionals. The most accessible introduction to the physiological and biochemical principles that shape how animals use resources Unique in linking the physiological mechanisms of resource use with ecological phenomena An essential resource for upper-level undergraduate and graduate students An ideal overview for researchers

Author : W. Richard J. Dean
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 208 pages
File Size : 41,5 Mb
Release : 2004
Category : Nature
ISBN : 3540403930

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Nomadic Desert Birds by W. Richard J. Dean Pdf

There are two basic strategies for coping with life in the desert. The first involves withstanding the extreme conditions using behavioural or physiological tactics. The second strategy is to be a migrant and to opportunistically or seasonally move to where the necessary resources are. Nomadism, i.e. the opportunistic and irregular movements from resource-poor to resource-rich patches, is a tactic that birds, with their mobility, can use, and it is explored by W.R.J. Dean in this volume. For many bird species, such movements between habitats or across landscapes to find patches of resources are essential for their continued existence. The relationship between climate, habitat and movements in the avifauna of arid and semi-arid regions and the advantages and disadvantages of a seasonally migratory or opportunistically nomadic lifestyle are elucidated.

Author : Yitzchak Gutterman
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 363 pages
File Size : 55,9 Mb
Release : 2012-12-06
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783642559747

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Survival Strategies of Annual Desert Plants by Yitzchak Gutterman Pdf

Annual desert plant species of unrelated taxa in the Negev Desert of Israel have developed complementary sets of adaptations and survival strategies as ecological equivalents with physiological, morphological and anatomical resemblances, in the various stages of their life cycles. After 40 years of research in hot deserts Yitzchak Gutterman provides a comprehensive treatise of such adaptations and strategies. In doing so he covers the following topics: post-maturation primary seed dormancy, which prevents germination of maturing seeds before the summer; seed dispersal mechanisms with escape or protection strategies; cautious or opportunistic germination strategies; seedling drought tolerance. The day-length is an important factor in regulating flowering as well as the phenotypic plasticity of seed germination which is also affected by maternal factors.

Author : Kamal H. Batanouny
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
Page : 195 pages
File Size : 43,6 Mb
Release : 2013-11-11
Category : Science
ISBN : 9783662044803

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Plants in the Deserts of the Middle East by Kamal H. Batanouny Pdf

Usually authors write introductions for their books, although they know that not many readers will read it. Despite this, authors insist on writing an introduction and no publisher will publish a book without one. I would like to inform my dear readers that I have spent almost all of the first quarter of my life in a village in the Nile Delta, 65 km north of Cairo. The everyday scenery there was the beautiful green landscape dissected with canals full of running water. All of these were bordered with the huge sycamore, mulberry and acacia trees. The desert was something unknown to me at that time, except for the very basic information given in geography books, which explained that the desert is a place without water or cultiva tion. Some of my ideas about the desert came to me from the stories in the history of Islam and the desert lands where Islam originated. My real attraction to the desert developed in the last year of my under graduate studies. This was during the field courses in Ecology (Prof. A.M.