Understanding Animal Behaviour

All students and researchers of behaviour – from those observing freely-behaving animals in the field to those conducting more controlled laboratory studies – face the problem of deciding what exactly to measure. Without a scientific framework on which to base them, however, such decisions are often unsystematic and inconsistent. Providing a clear and defined starting point for any behavioural study, this is the first book to make available a set of principles for how to study the organisation of behaviour and, in turn, for how to use those insights to select what to measure. The authors provide enough theory to allow the reader to understand the derivation of the principles, and draw on numerous examples to demonstrate clearly how the principles can be applied. By providing a systematic framework for selecting what behaviour to measure, the book lays the foundations for a more scientific approach for the study of behaviour.

How animals behave is crucial to their survival and reproduction. The application of new molecular tools such as DNA fingerprinting and genomics is causing a revolution in the study of animal behaviour, while developments in computing and image analysis allow us to investigate behaviour in ways never previously possible. By combining these with the traditional methods of observation and experiments, we are now learning more about animal behaviour than ever before. In this Very Short Introduction Tristram D. Wyatt discusses how animal behaviour has evolved, how behaviours develop in each individual (considering the interplay of genes, epigenetics, and experience), how we can understand animal societies, and how we can explain collective behaviour such as swirling flocks of starlings. Using lab and field studies from across the whole animal kingdom, he looks at mammals, butterflies, honeybees, fish, and birds, analysing what drives behaviour, and exploring instinct, learning, and culture. Looking more widely at behavioural ecology, he also considers some aspects of human behaviour. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

How can we make better sense of animal behavior by using what we know about the brain? This is the first book that attempts to answer this important question by applying neural network theory. Scientists create Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) to make models of the brain. These networks mimic the architecture of a nervous system by connecting elementary neuron-like units into networks in which they stimulate or inhibit each other's activity in much the same way neurons do. This book shows how scientists can employ ANNs to analyze animal behavior, explore the general principles of the nervous systems, and test potential generalizations among species. The authors focus on simple neural networks to show how ANNs can be investigated by math and by computers. They demonstrate intuitive concepts that make the operation of neural networks more accessible to nonspecialists. The first chapter introduces various approaches to animal behavior and provides an informal introduction to neural networks, their history, and their potential advantages. The second chapter reviews artificial neural networks, including biological foundations, techniques, and applications. The following three chapters apply neural networks to such topics as learning and development, classical instrumental condition, and the role of genes in building brain networks. The book concludes by comparing neural networks to other approaches. It will appeal to students of animal behavior in many disciplines. It will also interest neurobiologists, cognitive scientists, and those from other fields who wish to learn more about animal behavior.

Completely updated and revised, and synthesizing the recent explosion in animal welfare literature, the sixth edition of this best-selling textbook continues to provide a thorough overview of behaviour and welfare of companion and farm animals, including fish. The introductory section has been completely revised, with all following chapters updated, redesigned and improved to reflect our changing understanding. Written by a world-leading expert and key opinion leader in animal behaviour and welfare, this text provides a highly accessible guide to the subject. It is an essential foundation for any veterinary, animal science, animal behaviour or welfare-focused undergraduate or graduate course.

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.

Readable introduction to animal behaviour for beginning students in biology and psychology.

The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors has been established for over twenty years and their experience and understanding of this new, and developing, science of ethology is the basis of the book. Experienced animal behaviour counsellors provide the most up-to-date account of the science of animal psychology for all pet owners, while providing a practical approach for all veterinarians who treat small animals. Dogs, cats and rabbits are the animals most commonly treated for behavioural problems and the book focuses on the problems that affect these companion animals. Exploring the psychology of a pet's relationship with its owner, and with each other, leading writers from Sarah Heath and Anne McBride to Inga MacKellar identify the problems all vets will be asked about and provide practical solutions to them. Bringing together a variety of expert opinions and the most up-to-date research The APBC Book of Companion Animal Behaviour will help resolve a cat's anti-social behaviour and explain why a dog acts like its wild wolf ancestors. Groundbreaking essays on problem behaviour look at how learning and emotions governs animal behaviour while outlining the best way to understand: The foundations of canine behaviour How pets and children interact Behaviour problems in domestic rabbits Rage Syndrome in dogs Problems specific to ageing pets. This guide compiles the insights and experience of authors at the forefront of this expanding science to provide expert and professional perspectives that will enhance the relationship between a pet and its owner. Pet behavior, whether dogs, cats or rabbits, is affected by their ethology (the science of animal behavior) while it is also important to understand how learning and emotional response can govern their actions. Animal experts propose solutions to problem behavior in ground-breaking essays, as well as providing guidance on the relationship between pets and children (including the arrival of a new baby), "rage" syndrome in dogs, how to rehabilitate rescue dogs and cats, plus advice on legal and welfare issues. The Association of Pet Behaviour Counsellors has been established for almost thirty years to study why pets act as they do. The APBC's experience and understanding of this new, and developing, science of ethology is the basis for this book. Experienced animal behaviour counsellors provide the most up-to-date account of the science of animal psychology in the relationship between a pet and its owner, while providing a practical approach for veterinarians who treat small animals. Dogs, cats and rabbits are the animals most commonly treated for behavioural problems and the book focuses on the problems that affect these companion animals. Exploring the psychology of a pet's relationship with its owner, and with each other, leading writers from Julie Bedford and Anne McBride to Inga MacKellar identify the problems all vets will be asked about and provide practical solutions to them. Groundbreaking essays on problem behaviour look at how learning and emotional response governs animal behaviour while outlining the best way to understand: The foundations of canine behaviour, How pets and children interact, How to rehabilitate rescue dogs and cats, Rage Syndrome in dogs Bringing together a variety of expert opinions and the most up-to-date research The APBC Book of Companion Animal Behaviour will help resolve a cat's anti-social behaviour and explain why a dog acts like its wild wolf ancestors.

This is the first and only book, so far, to deal with the causal basis of evolution from an epigenetic view. By revealing the epigenetic "user" of the "genetic toolkit", this book demonstrates the primacy of epigenetic mechanisms and epigenetic information in generating evolutionary novelties. The author convincingly supports his theory with a host of examples from the most varied fields of biology, by emphasizing changes in developmental pathways as the basic source of evolutionary change in metazoans. Original and thought provoking--a radically new theory that overcomes the present difficulties of the theory of evolution Is the first and only theory that uses epigenetic mechanisms and principles for explaining evolution of metazoans Takes an integrative approach and shows a wide range of learning

Conceptual Breakthroughs in Ethology and Animal Behavior highlights, through concise summaries, the most important discoveries and scientific revolutions in animal behavior. These are assessed for their relative impact on the field and their significance to the forward motion of the science of animal behavior. Eighty short essays capture the moment when a new concept emerged or a publication signaled a paradigm shift. How the new understanding came about is explained, and any continuing controversy or scientific conversation on the issue is highlighted. Behavior is a rich and varied field, drawing on genetics, evolution, physiology, and ecology to inform its principles, and this book embraces the wealth of knowledge that comes from the unification of these fields around the study of animals in motion. The chronological organization of the essays makes this an excellent overview of the history of animal behavior, ethology, and behavioral ecology. The work includes such topics as Darwin’s role in shaping the study of animal behavior, the logic of animal contests, cognition, empathy in animals, and animal personalities. Succinct accounts of new revelations about behavior through scientific investigation and scrutiny reveal the fascinating story of this field. Similar to Dr. John Avise’s Contemporary Breakthroughs in Evolutionary Genetics, the work is structured into vignettes that describe the conceptual revolution and assess the impact of the conceptual change, with a score, which ranges from 1-10, providing an assessment of the impact of the new findings on contemporary science. Features a lively, brisk writing style and brief entries to enable easy, enjoyable access to this essential information Includes topics that cover the range of behavioral biology from mechanism to behavioral ecology Can also be used as supplemental material for an undergraduate animal behavior course, or as the foundational text for an upper level or graduate discussion course in advanced animal behavior

Domestic Animal Behavior for Veterinarians and Animal Scientists, Sixth Edition is a fully updated revision of this popular, classic text offering a thorough understanding of the normal behavior of domestic animals. Provides a complete understanding of the normal behavior of domestic animals Covers dogs, cats, horses, pigs, sheep, cattle, and goats Describes all key aspects of animal behavior, with images to support the concepts Revised and updated to cover the latest thinking, with enhanced coverage of behavioral genetics, animal cognition, and learning Includes access to a companion website with review questions and answers and the figures from the book in PowerPoint