The Evolution of Begging »

Feeling that their volume encompasses the "full range of ideas, natural systems, and research projects" on the evolution of begging among nestling birds, Wright (animal ecology, U. of Wales, UK) and Leonard (biology, Dalhousie U., Canada) present 24 chapters resulting for their request that scientists discuss a topic they found particularly interesting and exciting. The papers build upon recent handicap models for costly honest signals of need and are organized into sections dealing with theoretical approaches, begging as a signal and the issue of costs, nestling physiology, sibling competition, begging and brood parasitism, and statistical approaches. Annotation ©2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR