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Neotropical Birds of Prey: Biology and Ecology of a Forest Raptor Community
by David F Whitacre J. Peter JennyUntil recently, surprisingly little has been known about the biology and behavior of tropical forest raptors, including such basic aspects as diets, breeding biology, habitat requirements, and population ecology, information critical to the development of conservation efforts. The Peregrine Fund conducted a significant eight-year-long research program on the raptor species, including owls, in Tikal National Park in Guatemala to learn more about Neotropical birds of prey. Impressive and unprecedented in scale, this pioneering research also involved the development of new methods for detecting, enumerating, and studying these magnificent but often elusive birds in their forest home. Beautifully illustrated with photographs of previously little-known species, the resulting book is the most important single source for information on the lowland tropical forest raptor species found in Central America.Neotropical Birds of Prey covers twenty specific species in depth, including the Ornate Hawk-Eagle, the Barred Forest-Falcon, the Bat Falcon, and the Mexican Wood Owl, offering thorough synopses of all current knowledge regarding breeding biology and behavior, diet, habitat use, and spatial needs. Contributors to this landmark work also show how the populations fit together as a community with overlapping habitat and prey needs that can put them in competition with reptiles and mammalian carnivores as well, yet differ from one another in their nesting or feeding behaviors and population dynamics. The work's substantive original data offer interesting comparisons between tropical and temperate zone species, and provide a basis for establishing conservation measures based on firsthand research. Making available for the first time new data on the biology, ecology, behavior, and conservation of the majestic owls and raptors of the New World tropics, this book will appeal to a wide ornithological readership, especially the many raptor enthusiasts around the world.
A Neotropical Companion: An Introduction to the Animals, Plants, and Ecosystems of the New World Tropics (2nd Edition, Revised and Expanded)
by John KricherA Neotropical Companion is an extraordinarily readable introduction to the American tropics, the lands of Central and South America, their remarkable rainforests and other ecosystems, and the creatures that live there. It is the most comprehensive one-volume guide to the Neotropics available today. Widely praised in its first edition, it remains a book of unparalleled value to tourists, students, and scientists alike. This second edition has been substantially revised and expanded to incorporate the abundance of new scientific information that has been produced since it was first published in 1989. Major additions have been made to every chapter, and new chapters have been added on Neotropical ecosystems, human ecology, and the effects of deforestation. Biodiversity and its preservation are discussed throughout the book, and Neotropical evolution is described in detail. This new edition offers all new drawings and photographs, many of them in color. As enthusiastic readers of the first edition will attest, this is a charming book. Wearing his learning lightly and writing with ease and humor, John Kricher presents the complexities of tropical ecology as accessible and nonintimidating. Kricher is so thoroughly knowledgeable and the book is so complete in its coverage that general readers and ecotourists will not need any other book to help them identify and understand the plants and animals, from birds to bugs, that they will encounter in their travels to the New World tropics. At the same time, it will fascinate armchair travelers and students who may get no closer to the Neotropics than this engagingly written book.
Neotropical Diversification: Patterns and Processes (Fascinating Life Sciences)
by Valentí Rull Ana Carolina CarnavalThis book provides a comprehensive overview of the patterns of biodiversity in various neotropical ecosystems, as well as a discussion on their historical biogeographies and underlying diversification processes. All chapters were written by prominent researchers in the fields of tropical biology, molecular ecology, climatology, paleoecology, and geography, producing an outstanding collection of essays, synthetic analyses, and novel investigations that describe and improve our understanding of the biodiversity of this unique region. With chapters on the Amazon and Caribbean forests, the Atlantic rainforests, the Andes, the Cerrado savannahs, the Caatinga drylands, the Chaco, and Mesoamerica – along with broad taxonomic coverage – this book summarizes a wide range of hypotheses, views, and methods concerning the processes and mechanisms of neotropical diversification. The range of perspectives presented makes the book a truly comprehensive, state-of-the-art publication on the topic, which will fascinate both scientists and general readers alike.
Neotropical Endophytic Fungi: Diversity, Ecology, and Biotechnological Applications
by Luiz Henrique RosaThis pioneering book focuses on Neotropical endophytic fungi, providing a comprehensive overview of their diversity, ecology, and biotechnological applications in medicine, agriculture, and industry. Despite their rich diversity, the endophytic fungi associated with plants of Central and South American biomes remain largely unknown. The book addresses that knowledge gap by offering insights into Neotropic endophytic fungal community.
Neotropical Ethnoprimatology: Indigenous Peoples’ Perceptions of and Interactions with Nonhuman Primates (Ethnobiology)
by Bernardo Urbani Manuel LizarraldeEthnoprimatology is situated at the intersection between the biological and cultural subfields of anthropology. Research on the interface between human and nonhuman primates has been steadily increasing since 1997, when the term ethnoprimatology was first coined. Although there have been studies on human–nonhuman primate interactions in the tropical Americas, no single comprehensive volume has been published that integrates this information to fully understand it in this region. Eighteen novel chapters written by outstanding scholars with various backgrounds are included in this edited volume. They refer to the complex interconnections between different indigenous peoples with New World monkeys that sympatrically share their ancestral territories. Geographically, the range covers all of the Neotropics, from southern Mexico through northern Argentina. This work includes topics such as primates as prey and food, ethnozoology/ethnoecology, cosmology, narratives about monkeys, uses of primates, monkeys as pets, and ethnoclassification. Multiple views as well as diverse theoretical and methodological approaches are found within the pages. In sum, this is a compendium of ethnoprimatological research that will be prized by anthropologists, ethnobiologists, primatologists, conservationists, and zoologists alike.“This book… provides a historical benchmark for all subsequent research in ethnoprimatology in the Neotropics and beyond.” — Leslie E. Sponsel, University of Hawai´i at Mānoa.
Neotropical Gradients and Their Analysis
by Randall W. MysterThe importance of the Neotropics to the world's climate, biogeochemical cycling and biodiversity cannot be questioned. This book suggests that gradients are key to understanding both these issues and Neotropical ecosystem structure, function and dynamics in general. Those gradients are either spatial, temporal or spatio-temporal, where many temporal and spatio-temporal gradients are initiated by disturbances (e.g., tree-fall, landslide, cultivation). And in particular for the Neotropics, three large spatial gradients - latitude, longitude, altitude (elevation) - are of critical importance. The editor has over 30 years of experience investigating Neotropical gradients in Costa Rica, Puerto Rico, Peru and Ecuador, and has published 5 previous books on different aspects of the Neotropics. Once again he has assembled top-shelf Neotropical scientists and researchers, here to focus on gradients: their nature, interactions and how they structure ecosystems.
Neotropical Hard Ticks (Acari (Acari (Acari (Acari: Ixodida: Ixodidae): A Critical Analysis of Their Taxonomy, Distribution, and Host Relationships
by Alberto A. Guglielmone Santiago Nava Richard G. RobbinsOf the 758 species of hard ticks (family Ixodidae) currently known to science, 137 (18%) are found in the Neotropical Zoogeographic Region, an area that extends from the eastern and western flanks of the Mexican Plateau southward to southern Argentina and Chile and that also includes the Greater and Lesser Antilles and the Galápagos Islands. This vast and biotically rich region has long attracted natural scientists, with the result that the literature on Neotropical ticks, which are second only to mosquitoes as vectors of human disease and are of paramount veterinary importance, is enormous, diffuse, and often inaccessible to non-specialists. In this book, three leading authorities on the Ixodidae have combined their talents to produce a summary of essential information for every Neotropical tick species. Under each species name, readers will find an account of the original taxonomic description and subsequent redescriptions, followed by an overview of its geographic distribution and host relationships, including a discussion of human parasitism. Additional sections provide detailed analyses of tick distribution by country and zoogeographic subregion (the Caribbean, southern Mexico and Central America, South America, and the Galápagos Islands), together with a review of the phenomenon of invasive tick species and examination of the many valid and invalid names that have appeared in the Neotropical tick literature. The text concludes with an unprecedented tabulation of all known hosts of Neotropical Ixodidae, including the tick life history stages collected from each host. This book is an invaluable reference for biologists and biomedical personnel seeking to familiarize themselves with the Neotropical tick fauna.
Neotropical Insect Galls
by Geraldo Wilson Fernandes Jean Carlos SantosThe book brings to light the most recent findings on the biogeography, biodiversity, host plant induction and natural history of gall inducing insects in the Neotropical region We attempt to summarize the work done so far in the region, promote several syntheses on many aspects such as host induction, host specialization, distribution among the several vegetation types and zones, the origin of super hosts and the mechanisms leading to geographical patterns in their distribution Furthermore, the book constructs new perspectives for deeper understanding of galling insect evolutionary ecology and biogeopgraphy in the region.
Neotropical Mammals: Hierarchical Analysis of Occupancy and Abundance
by Salvador Mandujano Eduardo J. Naranjo Gabriel P. Andrade PonceThis book reviews and synthesizes studies on local and regional occupancy and abundance of Neotropical mammals from central Mexico to South America. The book focuses primarily on addressing issues of a wide array of mammalian species from a population level in different habitats and ecosystems across the Neotropical region. Occupancy and abundance analyzed through hierarchical approaches with a variety of statistical tools are the central ecological parameters treated in the chapters of this volume. This book will be an updated reference for researchers, professionals, students, wildlife managers, and people interested in mammal ecology and conservation in tropical and subtropical regions.
Neotropical Owls
by Paula L. EnriquezThis book presents a comprehensive biological and ecological information about owls in the neotropic area. In addition the book covers topics such as threats and conservation strategies for these nocturnal birds of prey from 18 Neotropical countries. Owls are a good example of diversification processes and have developed evolutionary characteristics themselves. These species are found almost everywhere in the world but most of them are distributed in tropical areas and about a third of them live in the Neotropics. This biogeographic region has a high biodiversity and even share lineages of species from other continents because at some point all were part of Pangea. Although we still have much to know and understand about this diverse, scarcely studied and threatened group this work aims to be a precedent for future and further research on the subject.
Neotropical Savannas and Seasonally Dry Forests: Plant Diversity, Biogeography, and Conservation
by R. Toby Pennington James A. RatterMore often than not, when people think of a neotropical forest, what comes to mind is a rain forest, rather than a dry forest. Just as typically, when they imagine a savanna, they visualize the African plains, rather than those dry woodlands and grasslands found in the Neotropics. These same preconceptions can be found among scientists, as these ne
Neotropical Social Wasps: Basic and applied aspects
by Fabio Prezoto Fabio Santos Nascimento Bruno Corrêa Barbosa Alexandre SomavillaThis book provides updated information on this intriguing and exciting group of insects: Neotropical Social Wasps. These insects have a particular biology and their colonies are formed by a few cooperative females living in either small or massive, structured nests where stinging individuals organize their activities and defend their offspring. Topics include evolutionary aspects, biogeography, post-embryonic development, community behavior and ecology, economic importance, and research methods.
NEPA in the Courts: A Legal Analysis of the National Environmental Policy Act (RFF Policy and Governance Set)
by Frederick R. AndersonThis book examines the courts' interpretation of NEPA in its first three years, defeats and successes of citizens' actions in key cases, and implication of court rulings for the act's future effectiveness. Originally published in 1973
Neptune: A True Book
by Larry Dane BrimnerDescribes the eighth planet from the Sun, Neptune, and its orbit, rotation, gassy surface, rings, moons, and the visit by the Voyager 2 probe.
Neptune
by Melanie ChrismerBriefly describes the discovery of Neptune and its physical characteristics.
Neptune (Planets in Our Solar System)
by Steve FoxeFar off Neptune holds many mysteries! Its great distance from the sun makes it the coldest planet in the solar system. Discover the secrets of this chilly, blue ice giant that was named after the sea.
Neptune: Essays on the 200th Anniversary of the Birth of John Couch Adams (Historical & Cultural Astronomy)
by William Sheehan Trudy E. Bell Carolyn Kennett Robert W. SmithThe 1846 discovery of Neptune is one of the most remarkable stories in the history of science and astronomy. John Couch Adams and U.J. Le Verrier both investigated anomalies in the motion of Uranus and independently predicted the existence and location of this new planet. However, interpretations of the events surrounding this discovery have long been mired in controversy. Who first predicted the new planet? Was the discovery just a lucky fluke? The ensuing storm engaged astronomers across Europe and the United States. Written by an international group of authors, this pathbreaking volume explores in unprecedented depth the contentious history of Neptune’s discovery, drawing on newly discovered documents and re-examining the historical record. In so doing, we gain new understanding of the actions of key individuals and sharper insights into the pressures acting on them. The discovery of Neptune was a captivating mathematical moment and was widely regarded at the time as the greatest triumph of Newton’s theory of universal gravitation. The book therefore begins with Newton’s development of his ideas of gravity. It examines too the mathematical calculations related to the discovery of Neptune, using new theories and tools provided by advances in celestial mechanics over the past twenty years. Through this process, the book analyzes why the mathematical approach that proved so potent in the discovery of Neptune, grand as it was, could not help produce similar discoveries despite several valiant attempts. In the final chapters, we see how the discovery of Neptune marked the end of one quest—to explain the wayward motions of Uranus—and the beginning of another quest to fill in the map and understand the nature of the outer Solar System, whose icy precincts Neptune, as the outermost of the giant planets, bounds.
Neptune and the Distant Dwarf Planets (World Book's Solar System and Space Exploration Library)
by Robert N. Knight"Introduction to Neptune and the distant dwarf planets, providing to primary and intermediate grade students information on their features and exploration. Includes fun facts, glossary, resource list and index"--Provided by publisher.
Neptune’s Laboratory: Fantasy, Fear, and Science at Sea
by Antony AdlerWe have long been fascinated with the oceans and sought “to pierce the profundity” of their depths. But the history of marine science also tells us a lot about ourselves. Antony Adler explores the ways in which scientists, politicians, and the public have invoked ocean environments in imagining the fate of humanity and of the planet.
Nerdy Babies: Dinosaurs (Nerdy Babies)
by Emmy KastnerNerdy Babies is a series that will ignite curiosity in even the youngest readers and encourage them to ask questions and explore the world around them.In Nerdy Babies: Dinosaurs, follow our intrepid babies into the Mesozoic Era. Experience the different shapes, sizes, and colors of the reptiles that roamed the Earth before us. Plus, learn about how dinosaurs evolved over millions of years until becoming extinct in this simple text written in question-and-answer format.With bright artwork by Emmy Kastner, Nerdy Babies is a series that the very littlest nerds will want to return to again and again.Stay curious. There’s more to learn about everything!
Nerdy Babies: Space (Nerdy Babies #2)
by Emmy KastnerNerdy Babies is a new series that will ignite curiosity in even the youngest readers and encourage them to ask questions and explore the world around them.In Nerdy Babies: Space, follow our intrepid infants into the great unknown. Check out the moon and the sun and all the planets in our solar system. Plus, learn about gravity and orbits in this simple text written in question and answer format. With bright artwork by Emmy Kastner, this will be a book that the very littlest nerds will want to return to again and again. Stay curious. There’s more to learn about everything!
Nerdy Babies: Transportation (Nerdy Babies)
by Emmy KastnerNerdy Babies is a series that will ignite curiosity in even the youngest readers and encourage them to ask questions and explore the world around them.In Nerdy Babies: Transportation, follow our intrepid babies when they’re on the go. Experience skating on rollerblades, flying on air balloons, exploring underwater in a submarine, and riding cross-country on a car. Plus, learn about how different air, land, and sea travel can be in this simple text written in question-and-answer format.With bright artwork by Emmy Kastner, Nerdy Babies is a series that the very littlest nerds will want to return to again and again.Stay curious. There’s more to learn about everything!
Neritic Carbonate Sediments in a Temperate Realm
by Noel P. James Yvonne BoneThis book is the first comprehensive documentation and interpretation of modern neritic carbonate sediments on the southern Australian continental margin, the largest cool-water carbonate depositional system on the globe. The approach is classical but the information is new. A brief chapter of introduction is followed by a section that describes the setting of the continental margin in terms of the regional geology, its evolution through time, the climate, and the complex oceanography. The setting is further explored in chapter 3 that outlines the Pleistocene history of sedimentation in this region. This is particularly important since many of the surficial sediments have a partial older history. The following section on the carbonate factory describes in detail the nature of the animals and plants that determine the nature of the sediments and the environmental conditions that control their distribution. The shelf itself cannot be discussed in isolation and thus a short chapter on the marginal marine environment is presented. The core of the book comprises two chapters that document the suite of depositional facies and their composition and then the suite of depositional environments where these sediments are found. The variety of deposits in this vast area is such that three chapters are devoted to the character of the materials on the southwestern shelf the south Australian sea and the southeastern shelf. The diagenesis that affects these sediments is tackled in a chapter after all the attributes are documented because they are intimately linked to different controls. The book finishes with a summary chapter that also addresses the various controls on sedimentation and models the effects to be expected when these are changed outside those present in the current realm. Audience: The book is an invaluable source of information about this vast region and will be a critical reference for researchers, graduate students, and professionals engaged in marine and environmental research. It will be of particular importance for geologists interpreting the ancient rock record.
Nerve Cells and Animal Behaviour
by David Young Peter SimmonsAn extensively revised third edition of this introduction to neuroethology - the neuronal basis of animal behaviour - for zoology, biology and psychology undergraduate students. The book focuses on the roles of individual nerve cells in behaviour, from simple startle responses to complex behaviours such as route learning by rats and singing by crickets and birds. It begins by examining the relationship between brains and behaviour, and showing how study of specialised behaviours reveals neuronal mechanisms that control behaviour. Information processing by nerve cells is introduced using specific examples, and the establishing roles of neurons in behaviour is described for a predator-prey interaction, toads versus cockroaches. New material includes: vision by insects, which describes sensory filtering; hunting by owls and bats, which describes sensory maps; and rhythmical movements including swimming and flying, which describes how sequences of movements are generated. Includes stunning photographs which capture the detail of the behaviour.
Nerve-Muscle Cell Trophic Communication (Routledge Revivals)
by Hugo L. FernandezFirst Published in 1988, this book offers a full, comprehensive guide to the relationship between nerve endings and muscles and the ways in which they communicate. Carefully compiled and filled with a vast repertoire of notes, diagrams, and references this book serves as a useful reference for students of medicine, and other practitioners in their respective fields.