Further informationBats play key roles in many ecosystems as insect predators, seed dispersers, and pollinators. They also display astonishing ecological and evolutionary diversity and serve as important models for studies of a wide variety of topics such as food webs, biogeography, and emerging diseases. The first part of the book covers the life history and behavioural ecology of bats, from migration to sperm competition and natural selection. The next section focuses on functional ecology, including ecomorphology, feeding, and physiology. In the third section, contributors explore macroecological issues such as the evolution of ecological diversity, range size, and infectious diseases (including rabies) in bats. A final chapter discusses conservation challenges facing these fascinating flying mammals.A comprehensive state-of-the-field reference for scientists and researchers.Contributors: John D Altringham, Robert M R Barclay, Tneley M Conway, Elizabeth R Dumont, Peggy Eby, Abigail C Entwistle, M Brock Fenton, Theodore H Fleming, Patricia W Freeman, Lawrence D Harder, Gareth Jones, Thomas H Kunz, Linda F Lumsden, Gary F McCracken, Sharon L Messenger, Bruce D Pattterson, Paul A Racey, Jens Rydell, Charles E Rupprecht, Nancy B Simmons, Jean S Smith, John R Speakman, Richard D Stevens, Elizabeth F Stockwell, Sharon M Swartz, donald W Thomas, Otto von Helversen, Gerald S Wilkinson, Michael R Willig, York Winter."Humour lightens the technical style... Just about every bat lover will find something to interest and surprise them, while the more general reader will find a rich vein of information that may be mined with pleasure... This book should help Western society to catch up and at least regard bats as truly admirable creatures" - Rebecca Shapley, New ScientistEdited by Thomas H Kunz and M Brock Fenton
University of Chicago Press 2003
798 pages
Paperback |
