The book "An Introduction to Behavioural Ecology" by J.R. Krebs and N.B. Davies provides a comprehensive overview of the field, covering various aspects of animal behavior from an ecological perspective. The content is divided into several chapters, each focusing on different themes: 1. **The Economics of Prey Choice**: Discusses the economic principles guiding prey selection, including the risk of starvation and the variability in searching or handling time. 2. **Predators versus Prey: Evolutionary Arms Races**: Explores the evolutionary arms races between predators and prey, including the advantages of crypsis and warning coloration. 3. **Competing for Resources**: Examines competition for resources, including the ideal free distribution and resource defense strategies. 4. **Living in Groups**: Analyzes the benefits and costs of living in groups, such as increased vigilance and group defense. 5. **Fighting and Assessment**: Investigates the dynamics of fighting and assessment, including the war of attrition and the evolution of conventional fighting. 6. **Sexual Conflict and Sexual Selection**: Discusses the role of sexual selection and conflict, including the sex ratio, mate choice, and the evolution of elaborate ornaments. 7. **Parental Care and Mating Systems**: Explores the constraints and strategies of parental care, mating systems, and the evolution of polygyny and monogamy. 8. **Alternative Breeding Strategies**: Examines the occurrence of alternative breeding strategies within species, such as sex change and sneaking. 9. **On Selfishness and Altruism**: Reviews the concepts of kin selection, mutualism, manipulation, and reciprocity. 10. **Co-operation and Helping in Birds, Mammals and Fish**: Discusses the genetic and ecological factors influencing helping behavior in various species. 11. **Altruism in the Social Insects**: Focuses on the evolution of altruism in social insects, including the role of haplodiploidy and conflict between workers and queens. 12. **The Design of Signals: Ecology and Evolution**: Explores the ecological and evolutionary aspects of signal design, including the origins and modifications of signals. 13. **Conclusion**: Provides a final reflection on the main premises and conclusions of the book. The book is richly illustrated and includes detailed discussions, further reading, and topics for further exploration, making it a valuable resource for students and researchers in behavioral ecology.The book "An Introduction to Behavioural Ecology" by J.R. Krebs and N.B. Davies provides a comprehensive overview of the field, covering various aspects of animal behavior from an ecological perspective. The content is divided into several chapters, each focusing on different themes: 1. **The Economics of Prey Choice**: Discusses the economic principles guiding prey selection, including the risk of starvation and the variability in searching or handling time. 2. **Predators versus Prey: Evolutionary Arms Races**: Explores the evolutionary arms races between predators and prey, including the advantages of crypsis and warning coloration. 3. **Competing for Resources**: Examines competition for resources, including the ideal free distribution and resource defense strategies. 4. **Living in Groups**: Analyzes the benefits and costs of living in groups, such as increased vigilance and group defense. 5. **Fighting and Assessment**: Investigates the dynamics of fighting and assessment, including the war of attrition and the evolution of conventional fighting. 6. **Sexual Conflict and Sexual Selection**: Discusses the role of sexual selection and conflict, including the sex ratio, mate choice, and the evolution of elaborate ornaments. 7. **Parental Care and Mating Systems**: Explores the constraints and strategies of parental care, mating systems, and the evolution of polygyny and monogamy. 8. **Alternative Breeding Strategies**: Examines the occurrence of alternative breeding strategies within species, such as sex change and sneaking. 9. **On Selfishness and Altruism**: Reviews the concepts of kin selection, mutualism, manipulation, and reciprocity. 10. **Co-operation and Helping in Birds, Mammals and Fish**: Discusses the genetic and ecological factors influencing helping behavior in various species. 11. **Altruism in the Social Insects**: Focuses on the evolution of altruism in social insects, including the role of haplodiploidy and conflict between workers and queens. 12. **The Design of Signals: Ecology and Evolution**: Explores the ecological and evolutionary aspects of signal design, including the origins and modifications of signals. 13. **Conclusion**: Provides a final reflection on the main premises and conclusions of the book. The book is richly illustrated and includes detailed discussions, further reading, and topics for further exploration, making it a valuable resource for students and researchers in behavioral ecology.