Despite their rich fossil history, there are only four surviving species of sirenians or sea cows, the only fully aquatic herbivorous mammals. The three species of manatees and the dugong live in the coastal waters rivers and lakes of more than 80 tropical and subtropical countries and are all on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. This book examines sirenian conservation biology through the lens of their behavioral ecology and ethology. Sirenian feeding, diving, movement, social and reproductive behaviors are reviewed by an international team of scientists from eight countries, with an emphasis on data gathered in the past 15 years.

Autorentext

Helene Marsh is a marine conservation biologist with some 40 years' experience in research into species conservation, management and policy with particular reference to tropical coastal and riverine megafauna, especially marine mammals. She is a fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering and her research has been recognised by awards from the Pew Foundation, the Society for Conservation Biology, the American Society of Mammalogists, the Society for Marine Mammalogy and the Australian Marine Sciences Association. The policy outcomes of her research include significant contributions to the science base of the conservation of dugongs in Australia and internationally at a global scale (IUCN, UNEP, Convention for Migratory Species) and by providing advice to the governments of some 14 countries. Helene is past President of the Society for Marine Mammalogy, Co-chair of the IUCN Sirenia Specialist Group, Chair of the Australian Threatened Species Scientific Committee and is on the editorial boards of Conservation Biology, Endangered Species Research and Oecologia. Helene is very proud of the accomplishments of the 60 PhD candidates that she has supervised to graduation and enjoys learning from them.

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Table of Contents

Preface to the series (Bernd Würsig, Series Ed.)

Preface to this volume (Helene Marsh)

Ch. 1: What can we infer about the behavior of extinct sirenians? Daryl Domning, Howard University, Washington DC, USA. Ch. 2: Sensory and morphological adaptation for an aquatic lifestyle. Chris Marshall Texas A&M University, USA; Galveston, Roger Reep, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA; Diana Sarko, Southern Illinois University, USA. Ch. 3. Diving and foraging behaviors. Lucy Keith-Diagne, African Aquatic Conservation Fund, , Mbour, Senegal, West Africa; Margie Barlas, Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission, Florida City, Florida, USA; Amanda Hodgson, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia; Helene Marsh, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia; Jim Reid, USGS, Gainesville, Florida, USA;.

Ch. 4: Social and reproductive behaviors. Tom O'Shea, Scientist Emeritus at the USGS Fort Collins Science Center, Colarado, USA; Cathy Beck, USGS, Gainesville, Florida, USA; Lucy Keith-Diagne, African Aquatic Conservation Fund, Mbour, Senegal, West Africa; Amanda Hodgson, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia; Miriam Marmontel, Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Líder do GP Mamíferos Aquáticos Amazônicos do IDSM, Brazil.

Ch. 5: Movement behaviors. Chip Deutsch, Associate Research Scientist, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Gainesville, Florida, USA; Christophe Cleguer, Murdoch University, Perth, Australia; Nataly Castelblanco-Martínez, Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, Chetumal, Quintana Roo, Mexico.

Ch. 6: Historical and current interactions with humans from the perspective of sirenian ethology and behavioral ecology. Louisa Ponnampalam, Chairperson & Co-Founder, The MareCet Research Organization, Research Associate, IBEC, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak; Lucy Keith-Diagne, African Aquatic Conservation Fund, Mbour, Senegal, West Africa; Miriam Marmontel, Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Líder do GP Mamíferos Aquáticos Amazônicos do IDSM, Brazil; Helene Marsh , James Cook University, Townsville, Australia; Tony Mignucci, Centro de Conservación de Manatíes de Puerto Rico Universidad Interamericana, Puerto Rico; James Powell, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, Florida, USA.

Ch. 7: Likely impacts of climate change on sirenian behavior. Helene Marsh, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia; Eduardo Moraes Arraut, Instituto Tecnologico de Aeronautica, São José dos Campos, São Paulo, Brazil ; Himansu Sekhar Das, Unit Head - Marine Threatened Species and Habitats, Terrestrial & Marine Biodiversity PO Box:45553, Al Mamoura Building, Murour Road, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates; Lucy Keith-Diagne, African Aquatic Conservation Fund, Mbour, Senegal, West Africa; Holly Edwards, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Florida City, Florida, USA .

Ch. 8: Implications of sirenian behavior for conservation and management.

Helene Marsh, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia; Bob Bonde, USGS, Gainesville, Florida, USA; Benjamin Morales, Investigador Titular, El Colegio de la Frontera Sur, México; Miriam Marmontel, Instituto de Desenvolvimento Sustentável Mamirauá, Líder do GP Mamíferos Aquáticos Amazônicos do IDSM, Brazil; Louisa Ponnampalam, Chairperson & Co-Founder, The MareCet Research Organization, Research Associate, IBEC, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak.

Index to this volume (Springer to be checked by HM)