In species across virtually every vertebrate taxonomic division, vocal signals play key roles in predator avoidance, reproduction, competition, and mediating social interactions. Understanding signaling systems, and the various selection factors relating to their evolution and maintenance, therefore provides unique insight into species' behavior, social dynamics, and evolution. Decades of research has greatly improved knowledge of animal signals and how they are used, yet understanding of the mechanisms by which entire communication systems operate and evolve remains incomplete. The research presented in this dissertation examined the vocal repertoire of adult male blue monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis stuhlmanni). Specifically, I examined three elements of vocal signals - acoustic structure, signal content, and adaptive function - across the entire male repertoire, and used results to infer mechanisms of selection on signal usage and divergence. During 12 months of fieldwork in the Kakamega Forest, Kenya, assisted by a team of trained research assistants, I used a combination of natural observation, playback experiments, and digital audio recordings to examine vocal behavior of 32 adult males and responses to their calls by males and 62 adult females from 12 social groups and the surrounding area. Analyses of digital recordings identified six distinct call types used by adult males: ant, boom, ka, katrain, nasal scream, and pyow. The repertoire is best described as discrete, though some gradation occurs between pyows and ants. To identify signal content - attributes of signalers reliably indicated by features of signals - I investigated each call types' relationship to callers' identity, social status, body size, and attention to external variables (e.g. predators). Results showed that at least three call types (boom, katrain, pyow) were reliable indicators of identity, and features of at least one call type (pyow) were correlated with body size. Resident males used all call types whereas "bachelors" used only nasal screams, indicating social status is content in all calls except nasal screams. Two calls (ka, katrain) were strongly associated with and essentially exclusive to aerial predators, and ants had a similar relationship to terrestrial predators. The pyow and boom were each associated with multiple external variables, demonstrating that these two calls do not include any specific external stimulus in content. Lastly, the content of nasal screams, used exclusively during aggression with other males, included presence of another male. I tested four separate, non-exclusive functional hypotheses for each call type, using predictions relating to receiver response to hearing calls, as well as variation in temporal, demographic, and contextual patterns of usage. The ka, katrain, and ant each clearly functions in predator avoidance, with the first two relating specifically to aerial predators and the latter specifically to terrestrial threats such as snakes and dogs. Notably, the katrain also caused rival males to move away from callers, consistent with a mate defense function. The pyow, best described as a general alerting signal, demonstrated a clear role in repelling rival males, yet also functioned in facilitating within-group cohesion. The boom showed a clear role in affiliative interactions between callers and females in their groups, possibly functioning as a signal of benign intent, and was the only call type associated with proceptive interactions and an increase in number of estrous females, indicating a function in mating. Like pyows and katrains, booms also have a secondary function of repelling rival males.

This study offers a theory in which nationalism is not only conducive to war -which is the conventional wisdom-, but also brings peace to entire groupings of states under a specific set of conditions. After the theory is laid out, a plausibility probe of 19th century Europe offers good justification for a continued research program of nationalism-as-technology and its effects. The theory's insight comes from seeing nationalism not as an ideology, but as a form of military technology. For such technologies, their effect on war depends on how widely all countries employ them. When everyone has the same technology (i.e. when all countries are similarly endowed with nationalism), peace is cemented because countries mutually deter each other from launching wars of conquest. They do this by building mass armies to offset that of their neighbors, and threaten would-be conquerors with costly guerrilla wars and insurgencies. (Conversely, if only a few states possess the technology, the temptation to abuse it in conflict does rise.) The theoretical section of this study first justifies this analytical possibility of seeing nationalism as a technology. Among other things, the absence of definitional stumbling blocks is discussed. That is, given how technology is broadly defined by leading technologists, there is nothing inherent in the concept of nationalism that prevents its consideration as a technology. The study then proceeds to derive a series of hypotheses about the curvilinear effects of nationalism on war across a given region. As mentioned, the primary case study is 19th century Europe (1815-1914), which lends itself to a plausibility probe. The results are corroborating. Napoleonic France first "discovered" nationalism as a technology with military applications - it formed the first mass armies and attempted continental conquest. Later on, other "early-adopters" also employed nationalism to take land from their neighbors. Sardinia, for instance, used Italian nationalism to build volunteer armies and fight Austria for control of northern Italy in 1859. But the early adopters were then followed by most other European countries, which took reins of their own nationalisms to build mass-armies and boost their defenses. In line with the theory, the widespread adoption of nationalism preceded two whole generations of European peace, from 1871 to 1914. (So rare was this long peace that it would not be equaled until after World War II.) In sum, the history of the 1800s seems to fit broadly with the theory, and gives good reason for continued research into the pacifying role of nationalism.

Thesis (M.S.)--Florida State University, 2003. / Advisor: Thomas A. Houpt, Florida State University, College of Arts and Sciences, Department of Biological Science. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed Apr. 7, 2004). Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (doctoral)--University of Southampton, 1993. / BLDSC reference no.: DX177923.

Six young and six aged Squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) made unimanual food reaches from a posturally stable, solid base platform, a posturally unstable fenced ceiling and an extremely posturally unstable chain link tightrope. Although population level right hand biases were present in the solid base and tightrope testing conditions, the monkeys were best described as consisting of two subpopulations; 9 strongly, consistently dextral subjects and 3 strongly, consistently sinistral subjects. The strength of lateral hand preferences, which were weakly expressed in the solid base condition, intensified during the posturally unstable ceiling and tightrope testing conditions. Right or left turning after a manual response was not affected by handedness of the monkeys or directly affected by manual task type. However, young monkeys turn and hand bias directions increased in congruence as manual task stability decreased. Aged subjects showed weak turn and hand bias direction congruence in the posturally stable task and this congruence decreased in the posturally unstable conditions. All monkeys expressed a right turn preference during free movement and this preference was positively correlated to strength of hand biases. Each subject also expressed a left hindlimb preference for mounting and dismounting a chain link fence. However, strongly right handed monkeys showed weakest left hindlimb biases and strongly left handed monkeys showed strongest left hindlimb biases.

No description available.

No description available.

In order to describe the ontogeny of solid food consumption by pigs and determine its influence on weight gain, before and after an abrupt weaning at 4 weeks of age, individual feed consumption was measured using a technique that combined load cells and video images. Feed consumption varied greatly both between and within litters. Within litters, consumption was positively correlated with birth weight, and with early weight gains. This suggests that greater feed intake was typical of larger and more mature pigs rather than reflecting compensation for poor milk intake by smaller litter-mates. Within-litter differences in weight gain during the two weeks after weaning were positively correlated with birth weight but not correlated with pre-weaning creep feed intake. Creep feed intake appeared to contribute to pre-weaning gains and these were correlated with post-weaning gains; however a more direct affect on post-weaning gain could not be detected.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 1977. / Bibliography: leaves [210]-217. / Microfiche. / xvii, 217 leaves ill

Thesis (MS)--Montana State University--Bozeman, 2008. / Typescript. Chairperson, Graduate Committee: Rodney W. Kott Includes bibliographical references.