Animal Behavior
By - Alcock, John, 1942-; Alcock, John, 1942-CALL NO: 591.5 ALC 2005
Eighth edition
This new edition of Animal Behavior maintains the organizational structure of previous editions, but has been completely rewritten with coverage of much recent work in animal behaviour, resulting in a thoroughly up-to-date text. Notable is the inclusion, for the first time, of discussion questions embedded in the text itself, rather than appended to the end of each chapter. This format is designed to encourage students to reflect on the material they have just digested while also making it easier for instructors to promote a problem-solving approach to the subject. Like previous editions, the book shows how evolutionary biologists analyze all aspects of behaviour. It is distinguished by its balanced treatment of both the underlying mechanisms and evolutionary causes of behaviour, and stresses the utility of evolutionary theory in unifying the different behavioural disciplines. The writing style is clear and engaging: beginning students have no difficulty following the material, despite the strong conceptual orientation of the text. Indeed, instructors consistently report a high level of enthusiasm for the book on the part of their students.