Berger, Joel and Cunningham, Carol. 1999. Bison, mating and conservation in small populations. In Pearl, Mary C. (ed.) Methods and Cases in Conservation Science. Columbia University Press, New York, NY. 330+ p.

Abstract

This book examines life and mating in small populations by using the North American Bison as a case study. Berger and Cunningham's research reveals insights on the past and present behavior and ecology of the continent's largest terrestrial animal. The authors employ historical data and new findings, collected over a five year period, to resolve such complex questions as: How does nondispersal affect population? What happens when only a small proportion of the males mate? To what extent does a lack of predators affect behavior? Why do animals in particular area experience morphological malformations? and How much genetic diversity has been lost since the nineteenth century? The authors also discuss the consequences of mating failures, lineage differences in growth and morphological anonmalies, and mechanisms that facilitate birth synchrony.