Principles of Animal Behavior, 5th Edition (PDF)

by Lee Alan Dugatkin

Incorporating essential revisions to reflect the latest scientific advancements, a celebrated author and scientist offers a leading textbook on animal behavior.   So much has happened in the field of animal behavior since the last edition of this definitive textbook was published in 2020. In this fifth edition, Lee Alan Dugatkin continues to draw on cutting-edge new research not only to update and expand on the studies presented but also to reinforce the previous editions’ focus on ultimate and proximate causation as well as the book’s unique emphasis on natural selection, learning, and cultural transmission in nonhuman animals. The result is an essential update to the leading textbook on animal behavior that explains underlying concepts accessibly and with scientific rigor.   Completely new features include:

Anthropogenic Connection Boxes. Humans are changing the planet. We are clearing forests, polluting the oceans, irrigating deserts, poisoning the soils, and driving a dramatic increase in global temperatures. All of these changes alter both the habitats where animals live and the species themselves as they evolve in response to our impact on their surroundings. Students will dig deep into how anthropogenic evolution affects animal behavior.
Social Network Connection Boxes. Researchers have discovered that social networks play a critical role in almost every aspect of animal life: what they eat, how they protect themselves, who they mate with, the dynamics of parent-offspring relations, aggression, navigation, communication, play, cooperation, culture, and more. Students will discover how social network studies enrich our understanding of the wondrous complexity of animal behavior.

As Principles of Animal Behavior makes clear, the tapestry of animal behavior is created by weaving all of these components into a beautiful whole. In this lavishly illustrated, comprehensive, and up-to-date edition, we can admire that beauty anew.