The Process of Animal Domestication

(Hardback)

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The first modern scholarly synthesis of animal domestication

Across the globe and at different times in the past millennia, the evolutionary history of domesticated animals has been greatly affected by the myriad, complex, and diverse interactions humans have had with the animals closest to them. The Process of Animal Domestication presents a broad synthesis of this subject, from the rich biology behind the initial stages of domestication to how the creation of breeds reflects cultural and societal transformations that have impacted the biosphere.

Marcelo Snchez-Villagra draws from a wide range of fields, including evolutionary biology, zooarchaeology, ethnology, genetics, developmental biology, and evolutionary morphology to provide a fresh perspective to this classic topic. Relying on various conceptual and technical tools, he examines the natural history of phenotypes and their developmental origins. He presents case studies involving mammals, birds, fish, and insect species, and he highlights the importance of domestication for the comprehension of evolution, anatomy, ontogeny, and dozens of fundamental biological processes.

Bringing together the most current developments, The Process of Animal Domestication will interest a wide range of readers, from evolutionary biologists, developmental biologists, and geneticists to anthropologists and archaeologists.

Reviews

"The Process of Animal Domestication is a fascinating book that comes highly recommended. Its synthesis of a large body of research makes it incredibly valuable to evolutionary and developmental biologists, geneticists, anthropologists, and (zoo)archaeologists. However, the writing is accessible enough that (under)graduate students wanting to read up on animal domestication can safely turn to this book as well."---Leon Vlieger, Inquisitive Biologist
"This well-referenced, scholarly publication will be valuable primarily for those geneticists, embryologists, comparative anatomists, and evolutionary biologists chiefly interested in the multifaceted issues and history associated with animal domestication."---D.A. Brass, CHOICE
"[This book] covers all of the major topics in domestication and really does give an excellent overview of the subject . . . . I would absolutely recommend this book to those with a passing interest in the field, as well as a more specialised readership."---Dominic Wright, Trends in Ecology & Evolution
"[The Process of Animal Domestication] will be the go-to publication on animal domestication for years to come. I salute what I believe is a superb jobhighly recommended!"---Frank E. Zachos, Mammalian Biology

Author Bio

Marcelo R. Snchez-Villagra is professor of paleobiology and director of the Palaeontological Institute and Museum at the University of Zurich. He is the author of Embryos in Deep Time.