David M. Wilkinson

Thomas N. Sherratt

This book provides an introduction to a range of fundamental questions that have taxed evolutionary biologists and ecologists for decades. All of the questions posed have at least a partial solution, all have seen exciting breakthroughs in recent years, yet many of the explanations have been hotly debated.

Big Questions in Ecology and Evolution

Why do we age? Why cooperate? Why do so many species engage in sex? Why do the tropics have so many species? When did humans start to affect world climate? This book provides an introduction to a range of fundamental questions that have taxed evolutionary biologists and ecologists for decades. Some of the phenomena discussed are, on first reflection, simply puzzling to understand from an evolutionary perspective, whilst others have direct implications for the future of the planet. All of the questions posed have at least a partial solution, all have seen exciting breakthroughs in recent years, yet many of the explanations continue to be hotly debated. Big Questions in Ecology and Evolution is a curiosity-driven book, written in an accessible way so as to appeal to a broad audience. It is very deliberately not a formal text book, but something designed to transmit the excitement and breadth of the field by discussing a number of major questions in ecology and evolution and how they have been answered. This is a book aimed at informing and inspiring anybody with an interest in ecology and evolution. It reveals to the reader the immense scope of the field, its fundamental importance, and the exciting breakthroughs that have been made in recent years.

Joanne Fallowfield

David A. Wilkinson

Addresses the physiological demands of middle and long-distancerunning presenting contemporary research on running and sportingperformance which will be invaluable for athletes, coaches andsports science students. Rather than laying down another trainingdoctrine for athletes and coaches to follow rigidly, it aims toprovide prescriptive, sports-specific advice as far as is presentlypossible to enable all athletes to optimise their sportingperformance. It addresses the physiological demands of middle andlong distance running, presenting contemporary research on running.It also covers the limitations to running performance; theapplication of this knowledge to training and preparation forperformance; methods by which the runner, coach and sportsscientist can assess and monitor running performance; and specialconsiderations for optimising performance including nutritional andenvironmental issues. This is the first book in the 'Improving Sports Performance'series. It draws on the expertise of applied exercise physiologistswho have direct experience of working with elite performers andcoaches. The book is aimed at three groups of people. First, sportsparticipants aspiring to improve their personal performance througha more complete understanding of the application of science.Second, coaches of such athletes who wish to complement the art ofcoaching by basing their training programmes upon rationalscientific principles. Third, sports science and physical educationstudents with an interest in implementing the theoreticalbackground of their course in an applied sporting context.

David M. Wilkinson

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