Life Underground: The Biology of Subterranean RodentsMany mammals like to dig in the dirt, but few call it home. Those that do, such as mole-rats, zokors, and tuco-tucos, have developed novel adaptations to their subterranean life, including bones and muscles modified for efficient digging and ways to "see" underground without using their eyes. These unusual traits, adopted independently by unrelated groups around the world, also make subterranean rodents fascinating subjects for biologists. Life Underground provides the first comprehensive review of the biology of subterranean rodents. Arranged by topic rather than by taxon to facilitate cross-species comparisons, chapters cover such subjects as morphology, physiology, social behavior, genetic variation, and evolutionary diversification. Two main questions run throughout the book. First, to what extent has subterranean life shaped the biology of these animals, leading to similar adaptations among otherwise dissimilar species? Second, how have the distinct evolutionary histories of these groups led to different solutions to the challenges posed by life underground? |
Contents
Morphology of Subterranean Rodents | 19 |
Ecophysiological Responses of Subterranean Rodents to Underground Habitats | 62 |
Sensory Capabilities and Communication in Subterranean Rodents | 111 |
Reproduction in Subterranean Rodents | 145 |
POPULATION AND COMMUNITY ECOLOGY | 179 |
Population Ecology of Subterranean Rodents | 183 |
Community Ecology of Subterranean Rodents | 227 |
Spatial and Social Systems of Subterranean Rodents | 257 |
Genetic Structure and the Geography of Speciation in Subterranean Rodents Opportunities and Constraints for Evolutionary Diversification | 301 |
Paleontology Phylogenetic Patterns and Macroevolutionary Processes in Subterranean Rodents | 332 |
Coevolution and Subterranean Rodents | 370 |
The Evolution of Subterranean Rodents A Synthesis | 389 |
List of Contributors | 421 |
425 | |
439 | |
EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY | 297 |
Other editions - View all
Life Underground: The Biology of Subterranean Rodents Eileen A. Lacey,James L. Patton,Guy N. Cameron No preview available - 2000 |
Common terms and phrases
adaptations Allozymes animals Arvicolinae bathyergids Bathyergus behavior Bennett and Jarvis biology breeding Buffenstein Burda burrow system bursarius Busch chap chromosomal clades coevolution colony communication Cryptomys hottentotus Ctenomyidae Ctenomys Ctenomys talarum damarensis digging dispersal distribution diversification diversity Ecology edited Ellobius eusocial Evolution of subterranean evolutionary Faulkes females foraging fossorial Francescoli genera genus geomyids Geomys habitats Hafner Heliophobius Heterocephalus glaber Heth incisors individuals interactions J. U. M. Jarvis Jarvis and Bennett Journal of Mammalogy Journal of Zoology Lacey Lessa lineages males mammalian mammals mating metabolic mole morphology Myospalacinae naked mole-rat Nannospalax Octodontidae Oecologia P. W. Sherman parasites patterns Patton phylogenetic phylogenies Physiology population predation Prometheomys rates rats reproductive Rhizomyinae Rodentia seismic signals social soil solitary Spalacinae Spalacopus Spalax Spalax ehrenbergi spatial speciation studies subterra subterranean mammals subterranean rodents subterranean species subterranean taxa surface-dwelling Tachyoryctes talarum talpoides taxa Thomomys bottae tion tunnels underground variation vitamin D volume