Roy W. McDiarmid - Böcker

In our own juvenile stage, many of us received our wide-eyed introduction to the wonders of nature by watching the metamorphosis of swimming tadpoles into leaping frogs and toads. The recent declines in amphibian populations worldwide and the suitability of amphibians for use in answering research questions in disciplines as diverse as molecular systematics, animal behaviour and evolutionary biology have focused enormous attention on tadpoles. In this reference, experts on tadpole biology relate what is known about tadpoles and what one might learn from them in the future. The book provides summaries of tadpole morphology, development, behaviour, ecology and environmental physiology; explores the evolutionary consequences of the tadpole stage; synthesizes available information on their biodiversity; and presents a standardized terminology and a literature review of tadpole biology.

From tiny, burrowing lizards to rainforest canopy-dwellers and giant crocodiles, reptile populations everywhere are changing. Yet government and conservation groups are often forced to make important decisions about reptile conservation and management based on inadequate or incomplete data. With contributions from nearly seventy specialists, this volume offers a comprehensive guide to the best methods for carrying out standardized quantitative and qualitative surveys of reptiles, while maximizing comparability of data between sites, across habitats and taxa, and over time. The contributors discuss each method, provide detailed protocols for its implementation, and suggest ways to analyze the data, making this volume an essential resource for monitoring and inventorying reptile abundance, population status, and biodiversity. "Reptile Biodiversity" covers topics including: terrestrial, marine, and aquatic reptiles; equipment recommendations and limitations; ethics of monitoring and inventory activities; statistical procedures; designing sampling programs; and, using PDAs in the field.