Geographic Variation in Behavior: Perspectives on Evolutionary Mechanisms
Susan Adlai Foster (Editor), John A. EndlerBooks.org participates in affiliate programs including Bookshop.org and the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission from qualifying purchases made through links on this page, at no additional cost to you.
Overview
Traditional approaches to the study of animal behavior have most often assumed that all members of a species exhibit the same behavior, termed species-typical behavior. The papers in Geographic Variation in Behavior demonstrate the fallacy of this assumption, providing ample evidence of variation across the ranges of a wide variety of taxa. The contributors have pioneered a variety of approaches to using geographically variable behavioral phenotypes for addressing these evolutionary issues. They summarize advances in the field to date, evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches, and give a clear and balanced overview of this area. The volume explores some of the richness in phenomena, interpretations, and problems which can arise in studies on this subject.Synopsis
Studies of animal behavior often assume that all members of a species exhibit the same behavior. Geographic Variation in Behavior shows that, on the contrary, there is substantional variation within species across a wide range of taxa. Including work from pioneers in the field, this volume provides a balanced overview of research on behavioral characteristics that vary geographically. The authors explore the mechanisms by which behavioral differences evolve and examine related methodological issues. Taken together, the work collected here demonstrates that genetically based geographic variation may be far more widespread than previously suspected. The book also shows how variation in behavior can illuminate both behavioral evolution and general evolutionary patterns. Unique among books on behavior in its emphasis on geographic variation, this volume is a valuable new resource for students and researchers in animal behavior and evolutionary biology.