Description
The Alcidae, or auks, are one of the most abundant and specialized groups of seabirds in the world. They are also an extremely diverse group, exhibiting a remarkable range of form and ecological adaptations. This volume takes an in-depth and comprehensive look at these fascinating seabirds. New field study findings are incorporated into the coverage of a wide range of aspects, including breeding biology, population ecology, evolution, and conservation. [Original APL blurb] The auks, or Alcidae, are one of the most specialized groups of seabirds. They are also an extremely diverse group, exhibiting a fascinating range of form and ecological adaptations. Moreover, they are the seabirds most vulnerable to man's activities, especially oil pollution, and hence are of great concern to conservationists. The last ten to fifteen years have seen an enormous amount of work on the auks, including a number of long-term field studies. This book summarizes, for the first time, the information gained on breeding biology, population ecology, evolution, and conservation of the group. As well as being interesting in their own right, the auks have proved useful as model species with which to explore the many themes and problems in ecology and evolution. The title of this book pays fitting tribute to Finn Salomonsen, who in 1944 wrote his own Atlantic Alcidae, a largely taxonomic work on the auks. The enormous amount of ecological information added to this by the present volume should enable a full appreciation of the group and of the special conservation problems which they face.
