The Extended Organism: The Physiology of Animal-Built StructuresCan the structures that animals build--from the humble burrows of earthworms to towering termite mounds to the Great Barrier Reef--be said to live? However counterintuitive the idea might first seem, physiological ecologist Scott Turner demonstrates in this book that many animals construct and use structures to harness and control the flow of energy from their environment to their own advantage. Building on Richard Dawkins's classic, The Extended Phenotype, Turner shows why drawing the boundary of an organism's physiology at the skin of the animal is arbitrary. Since the structures animals build undoubtedly do physiological work, capturing and channeling chemical and physical energy, Turner argues that such structures are more properly regarded not as frozen behaviors but as external organs of physiology and even extensions of the animal's phenotype. By challenging dearly held assumptions, a fascinating new view of the living world is opened to us, with implications for our understanding of physiology, the environment, and the remarkable structures animals build. |
Contents
1 The Organisms Fuzzy Boundary | 1 |
2 Physiology Beyond the Organism | 9 |
3 Living Architecture | 26 |
4 Broth and Taxis | 40 |
5 Then a Miracle Occurs | 54 |
6 Mud Power | 80 |
7 As the Worm Turns | 99 |
8 Arachnes Aqualungs | 120 |
9 Manipulative Midges and Mites | 142 |
Other editions - View all
The Extended Organism: The Physiology of Animal-built Structures J. Scott Turner No preview available - 2000 |
The Extended Organism: The Physiology of Animal-built Structures J. Scott Turner No preview available - 2000 |
Common terms and phrases
adaptive animals bacteria bees beetle biology blood body boundary bubble build burrow called carbon carry cells chapter chemical colony concentration corals cricket culture difference diffusion drive earthworms electrons energy environment equation example exchange extended organism face fact Figure first flow fluid flux forces frequency function galls genes gill glucose gradient grow growth heat hive homeostasis horn increase insects keep known layer leaf leaves length less light limited living look matric matter means ment metabolic molecules mound move natural nest occurs oxygen partial percent physical physiology plant positive potential potential energy pressure problem production question reaction reason relatively requires result roughly Second seems shape side similar simple social soil solution sound sponges structures surface surface tension temperature things tion turn worm