Biology and conservation of musteloids / edited by David W. Macdonald, Chris Newman, and Lauren A. Harrington, Wildlife Conservation Research Unit, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford.
Includes bibliographical references (pages [557]-672) and index.
Contents:
1. Dramatis personae : an introduction to the wild musteloids / David W. Macdonald, Lauren A. Harrington, and Chris Newman -- 2. The evolutionary history and molecular systematics of the Musteloidea / Klaus-Peter Koepfli, Jerry W. Dragoo, and Xiaoming Wang -- 3. Form and function of the musteloids / Andrew C. Kitchener, Carlo Meloro, and Terrie M. Williams -- 4. The population dynamics of bite-sized predators : prey dependence, territoriality and mobility / Xavier Lambin -- 5. Communication amongst the musteloids : signs, signals, and cues / Christina D. Buesching and Theodore Stankowich -- 6. Musteloid sociology : the grass-roots of society / David W. Macdonald and Chris Newman -- 7. People and wild musteloids / Lauren A. Harrington, Jorgelina Marino, and Carolyn M. King -- 8. Stink or swim : techniques to meet the challenges for the study and conservation of small critters that hide, swim or climb, and may otherwise make themselves unpleasant / Roger A. Powell, Stephen Ellwood, Roland Kays, and Tiit Maran -- 9. Musteloid diseases : implications for conservation and species management / Chris Newman and Andrew W. Bryne -- 10. Small mustelids in New Zealand : invasion ecology in a different world / Carolyn M. King, Grant Norbury, and Andrew J. Veale -- 11. The fisher as a model organism / Roger A. Powell, Aaron N. Facka, Mourad W. Gabriel, Jonathan H. Gilbert, J. Mark Higley, Scott D. LaPoint, Nicholas P. McCann, Wayne Spencer, and Craig M. Thompson -- 12. Quantifying loss and degradation of former American marten habitat due to the impacts of forestry operations and associated road networks in northern Idaho, USA / Samuel A. Cushman and Tzeidle N. Wasserman -- 13. Asian badgers -- the same, only different : how diversity among badger societies informs socio-ecological theory and challenges conservation / Youbing Zhou, Chris Newman, Yayoi Kaneko, Christina D. Buesching, Wenwen Chen, Zhao-Min Zhou, Zongqiang Xie, and David W. Macdonald -- 14. The Bornean carnivore community : lessons from a little-known guild / Joanna Ross, Andrew J. Hearn, and David W. Macdonald -- 15. Evolution, natural history, and conservation of black-footed ferrets / Dean E. Biggins and David A. Eads -- 16. Control of an invasive species : the American mink in Great Britain / Elaine J. Fraser, Lauren A. Harrington, David W. Macdonald, and Xavier Lambin -- 17. European mink : restoration attempts for a species on the brink of extinction / Tiit Maran, Madis PoĢdra, Lauren A. Harrington, and David W. Macdonald -- 18. Social ethology of the wolverine / Jeffrey P. Copeland, Arild Landa, Kimberly Heinemeyer, Keith B. Aubry, Jiska van Dijk, Roel May, Jens Persson, John Squires, and Richard Yates -- 19. Ecotypic variation affects the conservation of North American badgers endangered along their northern range extent / Richard D. Weir, Trevor A. Kinley, Richard W. Klafki, and Clayton D. Apps -- 20. European badgers and the control of bovine tuberculosis in the United Kingdom / Rosie Woodroffe and Christl A. Donnelly -- 21. Meline mastery of meteorological mayhem : the effects of climate changeability on European badger population dynamics / Chris Newman, Christina D. Buesching, and David W. Macdonald -- 22. Giant otters : using knowledge of life history for conservation / Jessica Groenendijk, Frank Hajek, Paul J. Johnson, and David W. Macdonald -- 23. Advances in understanding the physiology, behaviour and ecology of sea otters / James A. Estes, M. Tim Tinker, and Terrie M. Williams -- 24. Competition and coexistence in sympatric skunks / Christine C. Hass and Jerry W. Dragoo -- 25. Range decline and landscape ecology of the eastern spotted skunk / Matthew E. Gompper -- 26. Kinkajou : the tree top specialist / Melody Brooks and Roland Kays -- 27. On the mortality and management of a ubiquitous musteloid : the common racoon / Samuel I. Zeveloff -- 28. Causes and consequences of coati sociality / Ben T. Hirsch and Matthew E. Gompper -- 29. Conservation genetics of red pandas in the wild / Yibo Hu, Dunwu Qi, and Fuwen Wei -- 30. Beneath the umbrella : conservation out of the limelight / David W. Macdonald, Chris Newman, and Lauren A. Harrington.
Summary:
The musteloids are the most diverse super-family among carnivores, ranging from little known, exotic, and highly-endangered species to the popular and familiar, and include a large number of introduced invasives. They feature terrestrial, fossorial, arboreal, and aquatic members, ranging from tenacious predators to frugivorous omnivores, span weights from a 100g weasel to 30kg giant otters, and express a range of social behaviours from the highly gregarious to the fiercely solitary. Musteloids are the subjects of extensive cutting-edge research from phylogenetics to the evolution of sociality and through to the practical implications of disease epidemiology, introduced species management, and climate change. Their diversity and extensive biogeography inform a wide spectrum of ecological theory and conservation practice. The editors of this book have used their combined 90 years of experience working on the behaviour and ecology of wild musteloids to draw together a unique network of the world's most successful and knowledgeable experts. The book begins with nine review chapters covering hot topics in musteloid biology including evolution, disease, social communication, and management. These are followed by twenty extensive case studies providing a range of comprehensive geographic and taxonomic coverage. The final chapter synthesises what has been discussed in the book, and reflects on the different and diverse conservation needs of musteloids and the wealth of conservation lessons they offer. Biology and Conservation of Musteloids provides a conceptual framework for future research and applied conservation management that is suitable for graduate level students as well as professional researchers in musteloid and carnivore ecology and conservation biology. It will also be of relevance and use to conservationists and wildlife managers.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.