Why are most animal signals reliable? This is the central problem for evolutionary biologists interested in signals. A number of theoretical answers have been proposed and empirical studies made, but a considerable amount of confusion still remains. The authors, one a theoretician the other a fieldworker, introduce a sense of order to this chaos. They disentangle the complex and often confusing terminology that characterises the subject, and then challenge the widely held assumption that there is only one correct explanation for signal reliability. The authors argue that the reliability of signals is maintained in several ways, relevant in different circumstances, and that biologists must learn to distinguish between them. In this book they explain the different theories, give examples of signalling systems to which one or another theory applies, and point to the many areas where further work, both theoretical and empirical, is required.
| ISBN | 0198526857 | | Pages | 176 | | ISBN13 | 9780198526858
(What's this?) | | Volumes | 1 | | Publisher | Oxford University Press | | Weight (grammes) | 309 | | Imprint | Oxford University Press | | Published in | Oxford | | Format | Paperback | | Series title | Oxford Series in Ecology & Evolution | | Publication date | 06 Nov 2003 | | Height (mm) | 234 | | Library of Congress | QL776 | | Width (mm) | 158 | | DEWEY | 591.59 | | Spine width (mm) | 9 | | DEWEY edition | DC21 | | Academic level | Professional / Scholarly |
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1. Introduction - what are signals?; 2. The theory of costly signalling; 3. Strategic signals and minimal cost signals; 4. Indices of quality; 5. The evolution of signal form; 6. Signals during contests; 7. Signals in primates and other social animals; GLOSSARY OF SCIENTIFIC NAMES; REFERENCES; AUTHOR INDEX; SUBJECT INDEX
This book is essential reading for anyone studying animal signals ... the book is well laid out, and its emphasis on clear definition and logic is without parallel in books on animal communication ... We think this book marks a significant contribution by Maynard Smith and Harper, a keystone in the communication literature, and a fitting legacy for John as it will speak discussions long after his death. ISBE Newsletter [The Late] Maynard Smith has inspired generations of biologists with his writing, and he certainly will continue to do so with this work with Harper. Through their admirable assessment of the current status of the field of animal signal evolution, the authors have developed a platform for consensus ... Their fascinating and intriguing empirical examples and natural histories are excellently suited to illustrate the theoretical problems they address. Science Reading the book is a great pleasure, and anyone interested in animal communication will find it both useful and inspiring. Science It is an ideal text for the undergraduate new to the field. Part of the problem is the lack of a basic set of agreed concepts and definitions (signals?!) for workers in the field. This makes it an ideal starting place for ecological discussions where school students can try out different ideas as they try to understand ecology. There's even a case to be made for this as a way of doing fieldwork. Overall, worth reading for the insights it gives us. TEG News
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