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| View Larger Image | The Ecology and Behavior of Amphibians
by Kentwood D. Wells
| | List Price: | $75.00 | | Price: | $59.24 | | You Save: | $15.76 (21%) |  | | Available: | Usually ships in 24 hours | | | | | Sales Rank: | 337887 | | Studio: | University Of Chicago Press | | | Binding: | Hardcover | | Number Of Pages: | 1400 | | Publication Date: | November 15, 2007 | | Publisher: | University Of Chicago Press |
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EDITORIAL REVIEWS |
Product Description
Consisting of more than six thousand species, amphibians are more diverse than mammals and are found on every continent save Antarctica. Despite the abundance and diversity of these animals, many aspects of the biology of amphibians remain unstudied or misunderstood. The Ecology and Behavior of Amphibians aims to fill this gap in the literature on this remarkable taxon. It is a celebration of the diversity of amphibian life and the ecological and behavioral adaptations that have made it a successful component of terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.
Synthesizing seventy years of research on amphibian biology, Kentwood D. Wells addresses all major areas of inquiry, including phylogeny, classification, and morphology; aspects of physiological ecology such as water and temperature relations, respiration, metabolism, and energetics; movements and orientation; communication and social behavior; reproduction and parental care; ecology and behavior of amphibian larvae and ecological aspects of metamorphosis; ecological impact of predation on amphibian populations and antipredator defenses; and aspects of amphibian community ecology. With an eye towards modern concerns, The Ecology and Behavior of Amphibians concludes with a chapter devoted to amphibian conservation.
An unprecedented scholarly contribution to amphibian biology, this book is eagerly anticipated among specialists. |
CUSTOMER REVIEWS (Average Customer Rating: 4.0 based on 4 reviews)
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the ecology and behavior of amphibians 
chegou 15 dias antecipado ao dia marcado. bem embalado e com o conteudo esperado. fiquei muitooooooooo satisfeita. parabens!!!
October 08, 2008 | |
Exhaustive coverage, a little on the technical side 
The book is divided into chapters on various topics about amphibians such as their classification, feeding and reproductive behavior, conservation issues, and so on, and does a very good job of compiling all of the latest scientific findings in each of these areas. There are quite a few illustrations and pictures, but I was rather disappointed by the lack of color photos of the animals and their habitats. Many of these animals are actually quite colorful, and therefore some color pictures might have given the book a little added visual appeal and done more to draw the attention of the average reader to these fascinating creatures, many of which are threatened by various environmental problems, not all of which have yet been clearly identified. The section of the book addressing these problems is compelling reading to anyone interested in these animals, but leaves the reader realizing that there is still a lot to be learned about how to solve them.
March 30, 2008 | |
A definitive treatment of amphibian ecology 
At a moment when amphibians are undergoing declines and disappearances and being held up as indicators of environmental health, the appearance of this book could not be more timely. While there are a number of textbooks that capably treat the biology of amphibians, their coverage of behavior and ecology is usually brief and superficial.
Neither adjective fits this well organized book. I am sure some will end up using it in support of graduate and upper level undergraduate courses, however I would hesitate to call it a textbook. Instead it reads much more like a literature review, or really a set of literature reviews. Each is enormously comprehensive and all are written accessibly given their subject matter. In the areas I know best, the author has gone to great lengths to be both thorough and balanced in his presentation of competing evidence and shows shrewd judgment in his conclusions. The frequent use of figures and other graphics from primary literature is also effective.
It is increasingly uncommon for an academic to dedicate this degree of effort to a single publication. The scholarship is extraordinarily thorough and the writing invites the reader to plunge ahead. Even specialists will find it amazing how much work is being done on amphibians and in such a wide array of topics. That one person could master all of this literature is staggering. For the rest of us that have not, this book is a tremendous bootstrap to amphibian literacy.
If you are interested in the ecology and behavior of amphibians this is the book.
January 22, 2008 | |
Spectacular!
Have you ever thought about why the bullfrogs in your garden pond croak all summer long but the wood frogs in the vernal pool down the road are only noisy for a week? Ever spot a salamander walking around on the bottom of an ice-covered pond and wonder how he could possibly do that? Such is the depth of the information you will find in this book. From the global scale to the details of physiology, Kentwood Wells has covered it all. With a smooth and easy-to-read writing style, excellent use of photographs to highlight and clarify concepts and clear interpretations of scientific research this book should appeal to the layperson just as much as it will appeal to academics. Truly a work that should be on the shelves of every life science academic, naturalist or backyard nature-watcher.
November 29, 2007 | |
SIMILAR PRODUCTS |
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