The relationship between social behaviour and ecological processes - socioecology or behavioural ecology - has been an area of keen interest within the biological sciences in recent years, with a rapid expansion in both theoretical approaches and field studies. The social strategies of animals display marked flexibility and complexity, and yet are understandable in terms of the constraints and opportunities provided by the environments in which they live. The recognition that animal behaviour is both variable and extremely responsive to local conditions has led to renewed interest in comparisons between humans and other animals. This book brings together a range of studies on the socioecology of humans and other mammals, examining in a comparative perspective the problems that all species face in living socially. Topics covered include the causes of sociality, the influence of resources on social organization, reproductive strategies in demographic and life history contexts, strategies for offspring survival, and the problems of applying general socioecological principles to humans.