Introduction to Population BiologyHow do plant and animal populations change genetically to evolve and adapt to their local environments? How do populations grow and interact with one another through competition and predation? How does behaviour influence ecology and evolution? This second edition of Dick Neal's unique textbook on population biology addresses these questions and offers a comprehensive analysis of evolutionary theory in the areas of ecology, population genetics, and behaviour. Taking a quantitative and Darwinian perspective, Neal uses mathematical models to develop the basic theory of population processes. Key features in this edition include new chapters on inbreeding and species interactions and community structure, a modified structure in Part II, more recent empirical examples to illustrate the application of theoretical models to the world around us, and end-of-chapter problems to help students with self-assessment. A series of spreadsheet simulations have also been conveniently located online, for students to further improve their understanding of such models. |
Contents
Evolution by Natural Selection | 1 |
DarwinTs Evolutionary Theories | 15 |
Understanding Natural Selection | 27 |
Population Growth Models | 43 |
3 | 52 |
Logistic Growth | 56 |
Life Tables | 69 |
7 | 82 |
Haploid and Zygotic Selection | 202 |
Applying Zygotic Selection Models to Natural Systems | 218 |
Polygenic Inheritance and Quantitative Genetics | 239 |
Summary and Synthesis | 256 |
Interactions between Species | 269 |
3 | 289 |
PredatorPrey Interactions | 297 |
Species Interactions and Community Structure | 325 |
Evolution of Life Histories | 100 |
Population Genetics and Evolution | 123 |
Mutation and the Genetic Variation of Populations | 139 |
Genetic Drift and Effective Population Size | 156 |
Inbreeding | 173 |
13 | 183 |
Animal Behaviour Altruism | 345 |
Sexual Selection and Mating Systems | 367 |
43 | 378 |
Epilogue | 386 |
Common terms and phrases
adult age class age-specific allelic frequencies animals approximately average behaviour birds birth breeding calculated carbonaria carrying capacity cell cent change in allelic Chapter coefficient of relatedness colour consider Darwin decline dominant effects eggs environment epigenetic equation estimate evolution evolutionary example feeding females Figure flowers gametes gene flow gene loci genetic diversity genetic drift genetic variation genotypic frequencies growth rate hawk herbivory heritability heterozygotes heterozygous homozygous increase individuals insects interactions interspecific competition island iteroparous logistic growth Lotka–Volterra males mating matrix migration mortality rates moths mutation rate natural selection niche observed occurs offspring payoff phenotypic plants population density population growth predator predicted prey density random recessive reduced relative fitness reproductive value resource result sample seeds selection coefficient semelparous senescence sexual selection showed Simulations website species subpopulations survival Table theory traits typica Uinta ground squirrel variance zero isoclines