Resource Selection by Animals

Resource Selection by Animals
Author: B.F. Manly
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 233
Release: 2007-05-08
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0306481510

We have written this book as a guide to the design and analysis of field studies of resource selection, concentrating primarily on statistical aspects of the comparison of the use and availability of resources of different types. Our intended audience is field ecologists in general and, in particular, wildlife and fisheries biologists who are attempting to measure the extent to which real animal populations are selective in their choice of food and habitat. As such, we have made no attempt to address those aspects of theoretical ecology that are concerned with how animals might choose their resources if they acted in an optimal manner. The book is based on the concept of a resource selection function (RSF), where this is a function of characteristics measured on resourceunits such that its value for a unit is proportional to the probability of that unit being used. We argue that this concept leads to a unified theory for the analysis and interpretation of data on resource selection and can replace many ad hoc statistical methods that have been used in the past.

Resource Selection by Animals

Resource Selection by Animals
Author: B.B. Manly
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 188
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9401115583

We have written this book as a guide to the design and analysis of field studies of resource selection, concentrating primarily on statistical aspects of the comparison of the use and availability of resources of different types. Our in tended audience is field ecologists in general and wildlife biologists in particular who are attempting to measure the extent to which real animal populations are selective in their choice of food and habitat. As such, we have made no attempt to address those aspects of theoretical ecology that are concerned with how animals might choose their resources if they acted in an optimal manner. The book is based on the concept of a resource selection function, where this is a function of characteristics measured on resource units such that its value for a unit is proportional to the probability of that unit being used. We argue that this concept leads to a unified theory for the analysis and interpretation of data on resource selection and can replace many ad hoc statistical methods that have been used in the past.

Radio Tracking and Animal Populations

Radio Tracking and Animal Populations
Author: Joshua Millspaugh
Publisher: Academic Press
Total Pages: 493
Release: 2001-08-14
Genre: Technology & Engineering
ISBN: 0080540228

Radio Tracking and Animal Populations is a succinct synthesis of emerging technologies and their applications to the empirical and theoretical problems of population assessment. The book is divided into sections designed to encompass the various aspects of animal ecology that may be evaluated using radiotelemetry technology - experimental design, equipment and technology, animal movement, resource selection, and demographics. Wildlife biologists at the leading edge of new developments in the technology and its application have joined forces.

Genomic Selection in Animals

Genomic Selection in Animals
Author: Joel Weller
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 189
Release: 2016-03-07
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0470960078

The field of whole genome selection has quickly developed into the breeding methodology of the future. As efforts to map a wide variety of animal genomes have matured and full animal genomes are now available for many animal scientists and breeders are looking to apply these techniques to livestock production. Providing a comprehensive, forward-looking review of animal genomics, Genomic Selection in Animals provides coverage of genomic selection in a variety of economically important species including cattle, swine, and poultry. The historical foundations of genomic selection are followed by chapters that review and assess current techniques. The final chapter looks toward the future and what lies ahead for field as application of genomic selection becomes more widespread. A concise, useful summary of the field by one of the world’s leading researchers, Genomic Selection in Animals fills an important gap in the literature of animal breeding and genomics.

Resource Allocation Theory Applied to Farm Animal Production

Resource Allocation Theory Applied to Farm Animal Production
Author: Wendy M. Rauw
Publisher: CABI
Total Pages: 343
Release: 2009
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 184593394X

This book is about resource allocation matters with the aim to further development thoughts and models on resource allocation applied to livestock production. It contains 18 chapters divided into 4 parts which discuss resources and resource allocation patterns, trade-offs, metabolic constraints to resource allocation and the process of homeorhesis with a special emphasis to homeorhesis during heat stress; the relationship between food intake and resources allocated to body maintenance, growth, reproduction and the immune response; the consequences of high production efficiency in pigs, poultry and dairy cattle and the consequences of improved production by means of biological engineering and options to include resource allocation matters in the breeding objective, animal welfare and in resource allocation modelling.

Animal Behavior and Wildlife Conservation

Animal Behavior and Wildlife Conservation
Author: Marco Festa-Bianchet
Publisher: Island Press
Total Pages: 393
Release: 2013-04-09
Genre: Nature
ISBN: 1597268372

Efforts to conserve wildlife populations and preserve biological diversity are often hampered by an inadequate understanding of animal behavior. How do animals react to gaps in forested lands, or to sport hunters? Do individual differences—in age, sex, size, past experience—affect how an animal reacts to a given situation? Differences in individual behavior may determine the success or failure of a conservation initiative, yet they are rarely considered when strategies and policies are developed. Animal Behavior and Wildlife Conservation explores how knowledge of animal behavior may help increase the effectiveness of conservation programs. The book brings together conservation biologists, wildlife managers, and academics from around the world to examine the importance of general principles, the role played by specific characteristics of different species, and the importance of considering the behavior of individuals and the strategies they adopt to maximize fitness. Each chapter begins by looking at the theoretical foundations of a topic, and follows with an exploration of its practical implications. A concluding chapter considers possible future contributions of research in animal behavior to wildlife conservation.

Adaptation and Fitness in Animal Populations

Adaptation and Fitness in Animal Populations
Author: Julius van der Werf
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2008-10-17
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1402090056

Fitness and adaptation are fundamental characteristics of plant and animal species, enabling them to survive in their environment and to adapt to the inevitable changes in this environment. This is true for both the genetic resources of natural ecosystems as well as those used in agricultural production. Extensive genetic variation exists between varieties/breeds in a species and amongst individuals within breeds. This variation has developed over very long periods of time. A major ongoing challenge is how to best utilize this variation to meet short-term demands whilst also conserving it for longer-term possible use. Many animal breeding programs have led to increased performance for production traits but this has often been accompanied by reduced fitness. In addition, the global use of genetic resources prompts the question whether introduced genotypes are adapted to local production systems. Understanding the genetic nature of fitness and adaptation will enable us to better manage genetic resources allowing us to make efficient and sustainable decisions for the improvement or breeding of these resources. This book had an ambitious goal in bringing together a sample of the world’s leading scientists in animal breeding and evolutionary genetics to exchange knowledge to advance our understanding of these vital issues.

Searching Behaviour

Searching Behaviour
Author: W.J. Bell
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 353
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9401130981

This is a book about proximate mechanisms. Although some theoreti cal structure is used to introduce the subject, the intent is to offer a comprehensive view of the mechanistic side of searching (or foraging) so as to balance the current emphasis of books on mathematical and functional models. It seems to me that the pendulum needs to swing back to studies of how animals behave, and that maybe in so doing models will become valuable again in driving experimentation. I have probably included too many examples in this book, and some are even presented in great detail. Hopefully, they provide a complete picture of the kind of animals used, the experimental setup, the kinds of data yielded, and how the data were analysed. I have done this in response to frustrating experiences of reading chapters in behavioural ecobgy books that provide insufficient information with which to evaluate an author's conclusion.