Introduction

This text focuses on the principles and methods of using growth layers formed in teeth and bones of mammals to make a judgement on essential traits of the animal's life history.

In nearly all mammalian species, including man, the age of individuals can be determined from the number of growth layers and, at least in some of them, it is possible to estimate the season of an animal's birth and death, age of sexual maturation, periodicity of reproduction, certain feeding habits and other aspects of the individual's biology.

It is also possible, from tooth-enamel analysis, to assess doses of radiation accumulated by animals and human beings during their lifetime.

Intended Audience

This book is intended for zoologists, wild-game biologists and zoo archaeologists, but some of the sections could also be of interest for anthropologists, radioecologists and conservation biologists.