Kurt M. Fristrup

1 – A History of Character Concepts in Evolutionary Biology

Biological research is vitally concerned with two issues that have no counterparts in physical and chemical research: functional significance and ancestral relationships. The identification of specific parts, qualities, or actions of individuals provides the logical basis for studying these issues. Individuals are evolutionary transients, and the enduring objects are the parts, qualities, or actions that are heritable. Historically, the terms character and trait were used to refer to these objects, which provided the basis for comparing individuals. As emphasized by Gould and Lewontin (1979), the answer to the question What is a trait? is the crux of different programs for studying adaptation. Characters also formed the axes for comparative studies of historical relationships among organisms. However,

Automatic Animal Tracking Using Matched Filters and Time Difference of Arrival

A method for tracking animals using a terrestrial system similar to GPS is presented. This system enables simultaneous tracking of thousands of animals with transmitters that are lighter, longer lasting, more accurate and cheaper than other automatic positioning tags. The technical details of this system are discussed and the results of a prototype are shown.