Why are some kinds of organism species-rich and others species-poor? How do new species arise and why do some go extinct? Why do organisms grow and behave the way they do? This book provides an introduction to evolutionary ecology, the science that brings ecology and evolution together to help understand biological diversity. In a concise, readable format, Peter Mayhew covers the entire breadth of the subject, from life histories and the evolution of sex, to speciation and macroecology. Many emerging fields are also introduced, such as metabolic ecology, the evolution of population dynamics, and the evolution of global ecology. Discovering Evolutionary Ecology highlights the connections between these different subject areas, and for the first time paints a picture of a truly integrated field. It illustrates the research tools utilized, and demonstrates how advances in one area can spur on developments elsewhere when scientists combine evolutionary and ecological knowledge. To maximize accessibility, the book assumes only a basic knowledge of biology, includes a comprehensive glossary, and contains almost no maths. Each chapter provides suggestions for further reading, and there is also an extensive reference list. Ideal as an introduction to evolutionary ecology for undergraduates, this book will also interest established researchers, providing a broad and up-to-date context for their work.

About the Author
Peter Mayhew read Zoology at Oxford, and did his Ph.D. at Imperial College, London, studying reproductive behaviour in insects. He spent two years as a researcher at Leiden in the Netherlands, before becoming a Lecturer in Ecology at the University of York. His research combines many aspects of ecology and evolution, and includes life histories, behaviour, macroevolution, macroecology and conservation biology. He is married to Emese and has two daughters, Alice and Lara.

Reviews
This book is a well-documented overview of evolutionary biology for both students and researchers. * Michel Cuisin MAMMALIA *
'This is a book useful for a broad audience, from the undergraduate student to the professional scientist, and its simple, clear and very pleasant style makes it accessible and appealing to the non-biologist reader.' Vie et Milieu, 57 (3)
...readable and well-illustrated with relevant and easy-to-understand graphs, line drawings and tables. Undergraduates will love it. * Keith Day and Brian Rushton The Times Higher Education Supplement *
The touch is light and friendly, in many ways following in the tradition of all good books of natural history. * Keith Day and Brian Rushton, THES *
'This is a super textbook, which had me gripped from the opening sentences of the Preface...I suspect many lecturers looking for a new textbook in evolutionary ecology will be tempted to recommend this one.' * Des Thompson, Bulletin of the British Ecological Society 37:3 *
'It is very rare to find an author who can convey the excitement of ecological research in a text book, but Peter Mayhew succeeds....It is a book that should prove an inspiration to thoughtful students at both undergraduate and postgraduate level.' * Peter Moore, Bulletin of the British Ecological Society 37:2 *


Awards
Winner of Nominated for THES Young Author of the Year Award 2006.



Book Information
ISBN 9780198525288
Author Peter J. Mayhew
Format Paperback
Page Count 228
Imprint Oxford University Press
Publisher Oxford University Press
Weight(grams) 436g
Dimensions(mm) 240mm * 168mm * 12mm