UID:
almahu_9948609653102882
Umfang:
1 online resource (vi, 330 pages) :
,
digital, PDF file(s).
Ausgabe:
Second edition.
ISBN:
9781107340893 (ebook)
Inhalt:
Ecology: Principles and Applications is a comprehensive textbook for A-level students and first-year undergraduates taking courses in biology, geography and Earth sciences, who require an introduction to ecology. Studies of human ecology are integrated into the text, and the links to related disciplines are emphasised. The text begins with the ecology of individual organisms and moves on, through communities and ecosystems, to global considerations of biogeography, co-evolution and conservation. Case histories, historical perspectives, controversial theories and extension material are highlighted throughout the book. The second edition has been brought up to date with current syllabuses by the addition of further material on the key issue of conservation, giving excellent coverage of the principles of conservation and using case studies to provide examples of conservation policies in practice. The authors are experienced teachers of ecology at sixth form and undergraduate level.
Anmerkung:
Title from publisher's bibliographic system (viewed on 29 May 2018).
,
Introduction. What is ecology? The nature of ecology. The study of ecology. The individual. Why look at individuals in ecology? Autotrophs and heterotrophs. Heterotrophic nutrition. Metabolic rate. Factors affecting metabolic rate. Size determines more than metabolic rate. Energy budgets. Assimilation efficiency. Production and respiration. Allocation to reproduction. Drawing up a complete energy budget. Distinguishing between growth and reproduction. Autecology. Meaning of autecology. Autecology of bracken. Autecology of the European starling. Population dynamics. Populations and population change. Dispersal of organisms. Dormancy. Study of population. Presentation of demographic data. Evolutionary strategies. Modular organisms. Population regulation. Population growth. Factors which regulate population size. Patterns in population dynamics. Ecological genetics. Importance of genetics to ecology. Reproductive systems. Genetic consequences of different reproductive systems. Patterns of genetic variation. Genetic variation within an organism. Bahavioural ecology. Optimisation theory. Optimal foraging. Growth versus reproduction. Reproducing only once versus reproducing several times. Parental care. Breeding systems in plants. Alternative strategies. Games theory. Constraints on adaptation. Sociobiology. Living in groups. Advantages of group living. Disadvantages of group living. Optimal group size. Evolution of helping behaviour. Unit of selection and social behaviour. Human sociobiology. The environment. Physical environment. Biotic environment. Biotic and abiotic interactions. Habitats and niches. Habitats. Niches. Gause's competitive exclusion principle. Species coexistence. Fundamental and realised niches. Resource partitioning. Character displacement. Interspecific competition in natural communities. Do plants need niches. Community structure of fish on coral reefs. Trophic levels. Autotrophs. Decomposers. Herbivores and carnivores. Omnivores. Food chains. Food webs. Pyramids of numbers. Pyramids of biomass. Energy transfer. Energy and disorder. Primary production in terrestrial communities. Primary production in aquatic communities. Capture of light by plants. Efficiencies in ecology. Energy flow in natural communities. Efficiency of energy transfer in ecosystems. Pyramids of energy. Nutrient cycling and pollution. Pattern of nutrient transfer and its connection with pollution. Carbon cycle. Greenhouse effect. Nitrogen cycle. Phophorus cycle. Interaction between the nutrient cycles. Importance of nutrient availability. Pollution. Eutrophication. Heavy metal toxicity. Alkaline wastes. Acid rain. Pesticides. CFC's and the ozone layer. radioactivity. Communities. Community concept. Structure of communities. Oak woodland communities. Marine rock pools. Mammalian gut communities. Global distribution of terrestrial communities. Patterns of diversity. Ecosystems. Soils. Wetland and aquatic ecosystems. Inter-relationships of ecosystems. Succession. Vegetation changes. Causes of change. Examples of primary seres. Patterns of succession. Human influence on succession. Biomes. How many biomes are there? The world's terrestrial biomes. Tropical rainforest. Elfinwood. Tropical seasonal forest. Tropical broad-leaved woodland. Thornwood. temperate rainforest. Temperate deciduous forest. temperate evergreen forest. Temperate woodland. Temperate shrubland. Boreal forest. Savannah. temperate grassland. Alpine shrubland. Alpine grassland. Tundra. Warm semi-desert scrub. Cool semi-desert. Arctic-alpine semi-desert. Desert. Arctic-alpine desert. Wetland and freshwater biomes. Cool temperature bog. Tropical freshwater swamp forest. Temperate freshwater swamp forest. lakes and ponds. Streams and rivers. Coastal and marine biomes. Marine rocky shore. Marine sandy beach. Marine mud flat. Temperate salt marsh. Mangrove swamp. Coral reef. Marine surface pelagic. Marine deep pelagic. Continental shelf benthos. Deep ocean benthos. Biogeography. Species distribution. Historic effects of plate tectonics. Island biogeography. Co-evolution. Different grades of co-evolution. Pairwise co-evolution. Diffuse co-evolution. Insect pollination. Introduced species. Conservation principles. Biology is not enough. Need for conservation. Philosophical basis for conservation. Conservation of species. Conservation of ecosystems. Conservation of the biosphere. Conservation in practice. Realities of attempting conservation. Conservation of species. Golden lion tamarin. African elephant. Tiger. Northern spotted owl. Spreading avens. Partula snails. Conservation of ecosystems. Conservation of the biosphere. Greenhouse effect. Conserving the seas. What can individuals do?
Weitere Ausg.:
Print version: ISBN 9780521588027
Sprache:
Englisch
URL:
https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781107340893
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