"The long-awaited new edition of this classic book is here, offering new directions in thinking and addressing pressing questions. Incorporating many elements from advancements made in other fields such as sensory physiology, genetics, and evolutionary theory, it marks the emergence of behavioral ecology as a fully developed scientific discipline... It is a remarkable book, written in a clear style. Essential reading for scientists in the field, it also serves as an endless source of knowledge for those interested in evolution and behavior."
Manfred Milinski, Nature
This handbook has helped define the field of Behavioral Ecology. In this fourth edition, the text has been fully revised... Additionally, new chapters and numerous new images and color photographs have been added.
The subject, once again, is the impact of natural selection on behavior - the struggle of an animal to survive and reproduce by exploiting resources and competing for them, avoiding predators, choosing mates, and caring for their offspring - and how animal societies reflect both cooperation and conflict among individuals.
In a clear style, as in previous editions, the authors explain the most contemporary theoretical ideas using examples from microorganisms, invertebrates, and vertebrates. There are sections within frames for specific topics, while margin notes guide the reader. The book will be a fundamental reading for students of behavioral ecology, animal behavior, and evolutionary biology."