Although biologists recognize evolutionary ecology by name, many only have a limited understanding of its conceptual roots and historical development. Conceptual Breakthroughs in Evolutionary Ecology fills that knowledge gap in a thought-provoking and readable format. Written by a world-renowned evolutionary ecologist, this book embodies a unique blend of expertise in combining theory and experiment, population genetics and ecology. Following an easily-accessible structure, this book encapsulates and chronologizes the history behind evolutionary ecology. It also focuses on the integration of age-structure and density-dependent selection into an understanding of life-history evolution. - Covers over 60 seminal breakthroughs and paradigm shifts in the field of evolutionary biology and ecology - Modular format permits ready access to each described subject - Historical overview of a field whose concepts are central to all of biology and relevant to a broad audience of biologists, science historians, and philosophers of science

Amphibians are the oldest tetrapod group and show an astonishing diversity in lifestyles, many of them being unique. However, globally, they are on a decline. Hence, their study is fundamental to understanding the evolution of diversity and conserving them. This book, authored by experts from around the world, summarizes the current knowledge on the evolutionary ecology of amphibians. The book treats biological concepts related to the evolution, ecology, physiology, immunology, behaviour, and morphology of amphibians in their different states. This book constitutes an actualized work indispensable for evolutionary ecologists and herpetologists.

Evolutionary Ecology simultaneously unifies conceptual and empirical advances in evolutionary ecology and provides a volume that can be used as either a primary textbook or a supplemental reading in an advanced undergraduate or graduate course. The focus of the book is on current concepts in evolutionary ecology, and the empirical study of these concepts. The editors have assembled a group of prominent biologists who have made significant contributions to this field. They both synthesize the current state of knowledge and identity areas for future investigation. Evolutionary Ecology will be of general interest to researchers and students in both ecology and evolutionary biology. Researchers in evolutionary ecology that want an overview of the current state of the field, and graduate students that want an introduction the field, will find this book very valuable. This volume can also be used as a primary textbook or supplemental reading in both upper division and graduate courses/seminars in Evolutionary Ecology.

In Waterton Lakes National Park, located in southwest Alberta, Canada, under-road crossing structures were installed in 2008 to protect a population of long-toed salamander (Ambystoma macrodactylum) at Linnet Lake from mortality during breeding migrations that intersected with the park's entrance road. This compilation first investigates orientation and movement patterns of marked individuals at Linnet Lake in 2013 and 2014, and at a smaller, shallower wetland Stable Pond in 2014 to document in detail how long-toed salamanders used the terrestrial landscape around breeding sites during adult migration and juvenile dispersal. Following this, the authors use generalized linear models to model salamander occurrence and abundance in the Beaver Hills region of north-central Alberta as a function of land cover type and pocket gopher density. The authors go on to address whether any ecological barriers exist in the distribution range of the two newt species N. strauchii and N. crocatus. According to the findings of this study, an identity test was found to be significantly different from the null distribution, whereas a background test was not significantly different from the null distribution. The concluding chapter summarizes the processes by which light is converted into neural signals by rods and cones and then transmitted to downstream neurons in the retina, with a focus on salamander photoreceptors. The different types of photoreceptor cells and other light-sensitive cells in salamanders and their role in vision are also discussed.

The Trinidadian guppy represents a uniguely tractable vertebrate system, which has raised key questions in evolutionary ecology and supplied many of the answers. This work discusses this study and incorporates significant new findings and insights.

Nearly thirty years after the publication of the last detailed book on the newts and salamanders of Europe, this book at last provides a much needed, modern coverage of the ecology, behaviour, evolution and conservation of these fascinating amphibians. It shows how the diversity of newt and salamander life-styles underlines how this relatively small group of animals has managed to survive in such diverse habitats as underground caves, mountain tops, tropical forests and the Siberian tundra. The species accounts are accompanied by notes and maps on distribution, habitat requirements and behaviour, as well as colour photographs of every species. Features: * Presents the first synthesis of research for nearly 30 years * Reviews current conservation issues * Provides up-to-date species accounts and color photos * Includes a user-friendly guide to the relationships between different species and subspecies