Seed Dispersal by Bats in the Neotropics

Seed Dispersal by Bats in the Neotropics PDF Author: Tatyana A. Lobova
Publisher: New York Botanical Garden Press
ISBN:
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 538

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Book Description
This book provides a comprehensive treatment of all known bat-dispersed plants in the New World tropics and covers a total of 549 species in 191 genera from 62 plant families. It places a special emphasis on the flowering plants and bat fauna of the relatively undisturbed forests of central French Guiana. In particular, detailed descriptions of 112 bat-dispersed species from that area are complemented by color photographs that will help other researchers identify fruits and seeds throughout the Neotropics. Going beyond merely describing these species, the authors compare and analyze the diverse traits of plants dispersed by bats to reexamine bat preferences of some fruiting plants over the others, a phenomenon known as the "bat-fruit syndrome." The seed dispersers too are given ample treatment, with descriptions of the foraging ecology and feeding behaviors of the 37 fruit-eating bats found in central French Guiana. The monograph includes complementing appendices that allow the reader to determine all bat species reported to feed on the fruits of a particular plant and all fruiting plants in the diet of a particular bat species. It summarizes decades of research on bat-plant interactions from many parts of the Neotropics, providing a stimulus for further ecological and evolutionary studies--

Seed Dispersal by Bats in the Neotropics

Seed Dispersal by Bats in the Neotropics PDF Author: Tatyana A. Lobova
Publisher: New York Botanical Garden Press
ISBN:
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 538

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Book Description
This book provides a comprehensive treatment of all known bat-dispersed plants in the New World tropics and covers a total of 549 species in 191 genera from 62 plant families. It places a special emphasis on the flowering plants and bat fauna of the relatively undisturbed forests of central French Guiana. In particular, detailed descriptions of 112 bat-dispersed species from that area are complemented by color photographs that will help other researchers identify fruits and seeds throughout the Neotropics. Going beyond merely describing these species, the authors compare and analyze the diverse traits of plants dispersed by bats to reexamine bat preferences of some fruiting plants over the others, a phenomenon known as the "bat-fruit syndrome." The seed dispersers too are given ample treatment, with descriptions of the foraging ecology and feeding behaviors of the 37 fruit-eating bats found in central French Guiana. The monograph includes complementing appendices that allow the reader to determine all bat species reported to feed on the fruits of a particular plant and all fruiting plants in the diet of a particular bat species. It summarizes decades of research on bat-plant interactions from many parts of the Neotropics, providing a stimulus for further ecological and evolutionary studies--

Bats in the Anthropocene: Conservation of Bats in a Changing World

Bats in the Anthropocene: Conservation of Bats in a Changing World PDF Author: Christian C. Voigt
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 3319252208
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 601

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Book Description
This book focuses on central themes related to the conservation of bats. It details their response to land-use change and management practices, intensified urbanization and roost disturbance and loss. Increasing interactions between humans and bats as a result of hunting, disease relationships, occupation of human dwellings, and conflict over fruit crops are explored in depth. Finally, contributors highlight the roles that taxonomy, conservation networks and conservation psychology have to play in conserving this imperilled but vital taxon. With over 1300 species, bats are the second largest order of mammals, yet as the Anthropocene dawns, bat populations around the world are in decline. Greater understanding of the anthropogenic drivers of this decline and exploration of possible mitigation measures are urgently needed if we are to retain global bat diversity in the coming decades. This book brings together teams of international experts to provide a global review of current understanding and recommend directions for future research and mitigation.

Phyllostomid Bats

Phyllostomid Bats PDF Author: Theodore H. Fleming
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 022669612X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 489

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Book Description
With more than two hundred species distributed from California through Texas and across most of mainland Mexico, Central and South America, and islands in the Caribbean Sea, the Phyllostomidae bat family (American leaf-nosed bats) is one of the world’s most diverse mammalian families. From an insectivorous ancestor, species living today, over about 30 million years, have evolved a hyper-diverse range of diets, from blood or small vertebrates, to consuming nectar, pollen, and fruit. Phyllostomid plant-visiting species are responsible for pollinating more than five hundred species of neotropical shrubs, trees, vines, and epiphytes—many of which are economically and ecologically important—and they also disperse the seeds of at least another five hundred plant species. Fruit-eating and seed-dispersing members of this family thus play a crucial role in the regeneration of neotropical forests, and the fruit eaters are among the most abundant mammals in these habitats. Coauthored by leading experts in the field and synthesizing the latest advances in molecular biology and ecological methods, Phyllostomid Bats is the first overview in more than forty years of the evolution of the many morphological, behavioral, physiological, and ecological adaptations in this family. Featuring abundant illustrations as well as details on the current conservation status of phyllostomid species, it is both a comprehensive reference for these ecologically vital creatures and a fascinating exploration of the evolutionary process of adaptive radiation.

Phyllostomid Bats

Phyllostomid Bats PDF Author: Theodore H. Fleming
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 022669626X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 489

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Book Description
With more than two hundred species distributed from California through Texas and across most of mainland Mexico, Central and South America, and islands in the Caribbean Sea, the Phyllostomidae bat family (American leaf-nosed bats) is one of the world’s most diverse mammalian families. From an insectivorous ancestor, species living today, over about 30 million years, have evolved a hyper-diverse range of diets, from blood or small vertebrates, to consuming nectar, pollen, and fruit. Phyllostomid plant-visiting species are responsible for pollinating more than five hundred species of neotropical shrubs, trees, vines, and epiphytes—many of which are economically and ecologically important—and they also disperse the seeds of at least another five hundred plant species. Fruit-eating and seed-dispersing members of this family thus play a crucial role in the regeneration of neotropical forests, and the fruit eaters are among the most abundant mammals in these habitats. Coauthored by leading experts in the field and synthesizing the latest advances in molecular biology and ecological methods, Phyllostomid Bats is the first overview in more than forty years of the evolution of the many morphological, behavioral, physiological, and ecological adaptations in this family. Featuring abundant illustrations as well as details on the current conservation status of phyllostomid species, it is both a comprehensive reference for these ecologically vital creatures and a fascinating exploration of the evolutionary process of adaptive radiation.

Sexual Selection

Sexual Selection PDF Author: Regina H. Macedo
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0123914566
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 479

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Book Description
Sexual Selection: Perspectives and Models from the Neotropics presents new sexual selection research based upon neotropical species. As neotropical regions are destroyed at an alarming rate, with an estimated 140 species of rainforest plants and animals going extinct every day, it is important to bring neotropical research to the fore now. Sexual selection occurs when the male or female of a species is attracted by certain characteristics such as form, color or behavior. When those features lead to a greater probability of successful mating, they become more prominent in the species. Although most theoretical concepts concerning sexual selection and reproductive strategies are based upon North American and European fauna, the Neotropical region encompasses much more biodiversity, with as many as 15,000 plant and animal species in a single acre of rain forest. This book illustrates concepts in sexual selection through themes ranging from female cryptic choice in insects, sexual conflict in fish, interaction between sexual selection and the immune system, nuptial gifts, visual and acoustic sexual signaling, parental investment, to alternative mating strategies, among others. These approaches distinguish Sexual Selection from current publications in sexual selection, mainly because of the latitudinal and taxonomic focus, so that readers will be introduced to systems mostly unknown outside the tropics, several of which bring into question some well-established patterns for temperate regions. - Synthesizes sexual selection research on species from the Neotropics - Combines different perspectives and levels of analysis using a broad taxonomic basis, introducing readers to systems mostly unknown outside the tropics and bringing into question well-established patterns for temperate regions - Includes contributions exploring concepts and theory as well as discussions on a variety of Neotropical vertebrates and invertebrates, such as insects, fish, arthropods and birds

Bats

Bats PDF Author: M. Brock Fenton
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 022606526X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 305

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Book Description
There are more than 1,300 species of bats—or almost a quarter of the world’s mammal species. But before you shrink in fear from these furry “creatures of the night,” consider the bat’s fundamental role in our ecosystem. A single brown bat can eat several thousand insects in a night. Bats also pollinate and disperse the seeds for many of the plants we love, from bananas to mangoes and figs. Bats: A World of Science and Mystery presents these fascinating nocturnal creatures in a new light. Lush, full-color photographs portray bats in flight, feeding, and mating in views that show them in exceptional detail. The photos also take the reader into the roosts of bats, from caves and mines to the tents some bats build out of leaves. A comprehensive guide to what scientists know about the world of bats, the book begins with a look at bats’ origins and evolution. The book goes on to address a host of questions related to flight, diet, habitat, reproduction, and social structure: Why do some bats live alone and others in large colonies? When do bats reproduce and care for their young? How has the ability to fly—unique among mammals—influenced bats’ mating behavior? A chapter on biosonar, or echolocation, takes readers through the system of high-pitched calls bats emit to navigate and catch prey. More than half of the world’s bat species are either in decline or already considered endangered, and the book concludes with suggestions for what we can do to protect these species for future generations to benefit from and enjoy. From the tiny “bumblebee bat”—the world’s smallest mammal—to the Giant Golden-Crowned Flying Fox, whose wingspan exceeds five feet, A Battery of Bats presents a panoramic view of one of the world’s most fascinating yet least-understood species.

Bat Ecology

Bat Ecology PDF Author: Thomas H. Kunz
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 0226462072
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 799

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Book Description
In recent years researchers have discovered that bats play key roles in many ecosystems as insect predators, seed dispersers, and pollinators. Bats also display astonishing ecological and evolutionary diversity and serve as important models for studies of a wide variety of topics, including food webs, biogeography, and emerging diseases. In Bat Ecology, world-renowned bat scholars present an up-to-date, comprehensive, and authoritative review of this ongoing research. The first part of the book covers the life history and behavioral 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. Bat Ecology is the most comprehensive state-of-the-field collection for scientists and researchers. Contributors: John D. Altringham, Robert M. R. Barclay, Tenley M. Conway, Elizabeth R. Dumont, Peggy Eby, Abigail C. Entwistle, Theodore H. Fleming, Patricia W. Freeman, Lawrence D. Harder, Gareth Jones, Linda F. Lumsden, Gary F. McCracken, Sharon L. Messenger, Bruce D. Patterson, 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

The Ornaments of Life

The Ornaments of Life PDF Author: Theodore H. Fleming
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 022602332X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 615

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Book Description
The average kilometer of tropical rainforest is teeming with life; it contains thousands of species of plants and animals. As The Ornaments of Life reveals, many of the most colorful and eye-catching rainforest inhabitants—toucans, monkeys, leaf-nosed bats, and hummingbirds to name a few—are an important component of the infrastructure that supports life in the forest. These fruit-and-nectar eating birds and mammals pollinate the flowers and disperse the seeds of hundreds of tropical plants, and unlike temperate communities, much of this greenery relies exclusively on animals for reproduction. Synthesizing recent research by ecologists and evolutionary biologists, Theodore H. Fleming and W. John Kress demonstrate the tremendous functional and evolutionary importance of these tropical pollinators and frugivores. They shed light on how these mutually symbiotic relationships evolved and lay out the current conservation status of these essential species. In order to illustrate the striking beauty of these “ornaments” of the rainforest, the authors have included a series of breathtaking color plates and full-color graphs and diagrams.

Biotic Interactions in the Tropics

Biotic Interactions in the Tropics PDF Author: David Burslem
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 9780521847070
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 582

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Book Description
To understand how tropical ecosystems function we need to appreciate not only what plants, animals and microbes they contain, but how they interact with each other. This volume synthesizes the current state of knowledge of tropical biotic interaction, with chapters providing reviews or case studies drawn from research conducted in both Old and New World tropics, including interactions among taxa at all levels. An underlying theme of the volume is revealing the importance of the maintenance of high diversity in tropical regions.

Microchiropteran Bats

Microchiropteran Bats PDF Author: Anthony Michael Hutson
Publisher: IUCN
ISBN: 9782831705958
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 274

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Book Description