An Introduction to Behavioural Ecology

About this book

This textbook helped to define the field of Behavioural Ecology. In this fourth edition the text has been completely revised, with new chapters and many new illustrations and colour photographs. The theme, once again, is the influence of natural selection on behaviour--an animal's struggle to survive and reproduce by exploiting and competing for resources, avoiding predators, selecting mates and caring for offspring,--and how animal societies reflect both cooperation and conflict among individuals.

Written in the same engaging and lucid style as the previous editions, the authors explain the latest theoretical ideas using examples from micro-organisms, invertebrates and vertebrates. There are boxed sections for some topics and marginal notes help guide the reader.

Contents

Chapter 1. Natural Selection, Ecology and Behaviour
Chapter 2. Testing Hypotheses in Behavioural Ecology
Chapter 3. Economic Decisions and the Individual
Chapter 4. Predators versus Prey:Evolutionary Arms Races
Chapter 5. Competing for Resources
Chapter 6. Living in Groups
Chapter 7. Sexual Selection, Sperm Competition and Sexual Conflict
Chapter 8. Parental Care and Family Conflicts
Chapter 9. Mating Systems
Chapter 10. Sex allocation
Chapter 11. Social behaviours: altruism to spite
Chapter 12. Cooperation
Chapter 13. Altruism and Conflict in the Social Insects
Chapter 14. Communication and Signals
Chapter 15. Conclusion

References
Index

Customer Reviews

Biography

Nicholas B. Davies FRS is Professor of Behavioural Ecology in the Department of Zoology at the University of Cambridge and a Fellow of Pembroke College.

John R. Krebs FRS is Principal of Jesus College and Professor in the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford, and a member of the House of Lords.

Stuart West is Professor of Evolutionary Biology in the Department of Zoology at the University of Oxford.