United States
£ GBP
Animals often exhibit intriguing and captivating patterns of behaviour, from migration and homing, to communication. But how is this behaviour controlled? Behavioral Neurobiology introduces undergraduate students and other readers to the fascinating field of neuroethology – the study of the neurobiological processes underlying animal behaviour. Written in a lively, easy to read style, it examines the key concepts and ideas which underpin this intricate and elegant subject, and describes many of the ground-breaking discoveries that have helped us to unravel the mechanisms behind the behaviours we can observe.
Beginning with a look at the history of the study of behaviour, from Aristotle to recent breakthroughs and predictions for the future, Behavioral Neurobiology then reviews the ethological and neurobiological concepts that constitute the essential tools of behavioural neurobiology, before moving on to the field of neuroethology itself. In each chapter, the text not only describes the major findings in each area, but also the methods used to obtain these results.
New to this Edition:
- A new chapter on Active Orientation and Localization.
- The chapter on Communication has been significantly expanded by covering recent research in the neurobiology of cricket phonotaxis.
- The chapter on Cellular Mechanisms of Learning and Memory has been significantly expanded by adding information particularly on place cells and the role of adult neurogenesis in learning and memory formation.
- New learning features have been added: a 'Key Concepts' list at the start of each chapter, 'The Bigger Picture' section at the end of each chapter linking the chapter's content to the wider field of research and application, and new short-answer questions at the end of each chapter.
- Additional online resources: multiple choice questions and Journal Club material are now available for each chapter.
1: Introduction
2: Fundamentals of neurobiology
3: The study of animal behavior and its neural basis: a brief history
4: Orienting movements
5: Active orientation and localization
6: Neuronal control of motor output
7: Neuronal processing of sensory information
8: Sensorimotor integration
9: Neuromodulation: the accommodation of motivational changes in behavior
10: Circadian rhythms and biological clocks
11: Large-scale navigation: migration and homing
12: Communication
13: Cellular mechanisms of learning and memory
Over the last 30 years, Günther Zupanc has acquired intensive research and teaching experience in the following four academic systems: the American system through his graduate study and postdoctoral training at the University of California, San Diego (1987-1992), and numerous research visits; the Canadian system through many research visits and a Visiting Professorship at the University of Ottawa (1994-1997); the German system through his studies in biology and physics at the University of Regensburg (1979-1987), as well as his work as a Research Group Leader at the Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology in Tubingen (1992-1997); and the British system, as a Senior Lecturer in Zoology at the University of Manchester from 1997 to 2002. Günther K.H. Zupanc is Professor and Chair, Department of Biology of Northeastern University in Boston, Massachusetts.
Reviews of previous editions:
"Zupanc's integrative approach towards the neural basis of behavior is not only engagingly written and thus suitably fascinating to an interdisciplinary readership, but also represents a well-structured text particularly appropriate for teaching courses at the undergraduate and/or graduate level. In the context of learning-tools, many novel features supplementing each chapter are appealing, such as sectional outlines, marginal notes highlighting important points, key concepts tackled in text boxes, summaries, a list of questions, and key references. Biographical inserts of leading scientists contribute to the liveliness of the treatment of the corresponding scientific case studies."
– Prof. em. Dr. Jörg-Peter Ewert, Integrative and Comparative Biology
"If you are looking for a different way to introduce neuroscience, this book about the mechanisms of animal behavior across many taxa will be a useful addition to your bookshelf. Zupancs book can be used alone or as a supplement just to provide the fun examples of how the nervous system regulates behavior."
– Janine M. Wotton, The Journal of Undergraduate Neuroscience Education, 4(1)
"In this text, Zupanc has followed the lead [...] in creating a platform from which students can be introduced to the fascinating field of neuroethology. The text is well organized [...] and is well written; the enthusiasm Zupanc has for the subject is readily apparent and helps to keep the reader's attention [...] This book successfully fills the demand for a current neuroethology text [...] in combination with the material on the supplemental web site, will prove invaluable to instructors teaching this emerging field."
– Shaun D. Cain The Journal of Experimental Biology
