Ecological Relationships of Plants and Animals


Book Description

Over the past two decades, numerous field and experimental studies on the ecology and evolution of animal and plant interactions have been reported by botanists, zoologists, and ecologists. This textbook offers a comprehensive summary of this extensive and widely scattered literature, and in so doing presents the subject as a coherent, accessible discipline. The authors describe familiar areas, such as herbivory and pollination, and discuss new information on subjects such as seed dispersal, the genetics of coevolution, structural and chemical plant defenses, and the implications of human use of animal and plant communities. As they explore these issues, the authors raise provocative questions of fundamental importance: How can an earth teeming with plant-eating animals be so green? Do plants really need animals that pollinate their flowers and disperse their seeds? What happens to tropical plant communities when fruit-eating toucans and monkeys are killed by encroaching humans? By drawing together information on many diverse aspects of the subject--and presenting a challenging and insightful look into the complexities of plant and animal inter-relationships--this unique book represents a vital contribution to the ecological literature.




Plant-Animal Interactions


Book Description

This textbook provides the first overview of plant-animal interactions for twenty years focused on the needs of students and professors. It discusses a range of topics from the basic structures of plant-animal interactions to their evolutionary implications in producing and maintaining biodiversity. It also highlights innovative aspects of plant-animal interactions that can represent highly productive research avenues, making it a valuable resource for anyone interested in a future career in ecology. Written by leading experts, and employing a variety of didactic tools, the book is useful for students and teachers involved in advanced undergraduate and graduate courses addressing areas such as herbivory, trophic relationships, plant defense, pollination and biodiversity.




Wildlife-Habitat Relationships


Book Description

Wildlife-Habitat Relationships goes beyond introductory wildlife biology texts to provide wildlife professionals and students with an understanding of the importance of habitat relationships in studying and managing wildlife. The book offers a unique synthesis and critical evaluation of data, methods, and studies, along with specific guidance on how to conduct rigorous studies. Now in its third edition, Wildlife-Habitat Relationships combines basic field zoology and natural history, evolutionary biology, ecological theory, and quantitative tools in explaining ecological processes and their influence on wildlife and habitats. Also included is a glossary of terms that every wildlife professional should know.




Plant-Animal Interactions


Book Description

Novel Aspects of Insect-Plant Interactions Edited by Pedro Barbosa and Deborah K. Letourneau Focusing on three trophic levels, this study widens the current understanding of the ecological interactions between plants, herbivores, and their parasitoids and predators. Emphasized are the mediating effects of plant-derived allelochemicals on those interactions. The text also covers microorganisms as mediators of intertrophic and intratrophic interactions; theory and mechanisms: plant effects via allelochemicals on the third trophic level; and key roles of plant allelochemicals in survival strategies of herbivores. 1988 (0 471-83276-6) 362 pp. Plant Stress-Insect Interactions Edited by E. A. Heinrichs "This is a far-reaching, seminal book that summarizes our understanding of the complexity of real-world ecology." —Choice This first major overview of the various abiotic and biotic stresses on plants outlines in detail what impact their responses have on their suitability as insect hosts. The effects of abiotic stress are catalogued in up-to-date research from leading specialists. The implications of plant stress on global food production in this era of diminishing croplands and rising populations is described, as well as avenues for the development of tolerant crop cultivars. 1988 (0 471-82648-0) 492 pp. Plant Resistance to Insects A Fundamental Approach C. Michael Smith This comprehensive text—developed out of the author’s vast field and academic experience—describes how biological and agricultural scientists identify and develop plant materials resistant to insects. Covers terminology and categories of resistance; investigative techniques for studying plant resistance; and crop management systems that use insect-resistant cultivars. Supplemented with tables detailing types and numbers of insect-resistant plant cultivars in the U.S. and formulae on quantifying plant tolerance of insects. 1989 (0 471-84938-3) 286 pp.




Coevolution of Animals and Plants


Book Description

It has long been recognized that plants and animals profoundly affect one another’s characteristics during the course of evolution. However, the importance of coevolution as a dynamic process involving such diverse factors as chemical communication, population structure and dynamics, energetics, and the evolution, structure, and functioning of ecosystems has been widely recognized for a comparatively short time. Coevolution represents a point of view about the structure of nature that only began to be fully explored in the late twentieth century. The papers presented here herald its emergence as an important and promising field of biological research. Coevolution of Animals and Plants is the first book to focus on the dynamic aspects of animal-plant coevolution. It covers, as broadly as possible, all the ways in which plants interact with animals. Thus, it includes discussions of leaf-feeding animals and their impact on plant evolution as well as of predator-prey relationships involving the seeds of angiosperms. Several papers deal with the most familiar aspect of mutualistic plant-animal interactions—pollination relationships. The interactions of orchids and bees, ants and plants, and butterflies and plants are discussed. One article provides a fascinating example of more indirect relationships centered around the role of carotenoids, which are produced by plants but play a fundamental part in the visual systems of both plants and animals. Coevolution of Animals and Plants provides a general conceptual framework for studies on animal-plant interaction. The papers are written from a theoretical, rather than a speculative, standpoint, stressing patterns that can be applied in a broader sense to relationships within ecosystems. Contributors to the volume include Paul Feeny, Miriam Rothschild, Christopher Smith, Brian Hocking, Lawrence Gilbert, Calaway Dodson, Herbert Baker, Bernd Heinrich, Doyle McKey, and Gordon Frankie.




Ecology and Biomechanics


Book Description

We live in a well-engineered universe. This engineering is present in every system and organism in existence, including in the actions and interactions of plants and animals. In fact, one could say that the function and movement of plants and animals is just as much a part of their makeup as chlorophyll and fiber or bone and blood. Consequently, if




Community Ecology


Book Description

Community ecology has undergone a transformation in recent years, from a discipline largely focused on processes occurring within a local area to a discipline encompassing a much richer domain of study, including the linkages between communities separated in space (metacommunity dynamics), niche and neutral theory, the interplay between ecology and evolution (eco-evolutionary dynamics), and the influence of historical and regional processes in shaping patterns of biodiversity. To fully understand these new developments, however, students continue to need a strong foundation in the study of species interactions and how these interactions are assembled into food webs and other ecological networks. This new edition fulfils the book's original aims, both as a much-needed up-to-date and accessible introduction to modern community ecology, and in identifying the important questions that are yet to be answered. This research-driven textbook introduces state-of-the-art community ecology to a new generation of students, adopting reasoned and balanced perspectives on as-yet-unresolved issues. Community Ecology is suitable for advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers seeking a broad, up-to-date coverage of ecological concepts at the community level.




Behaviour and Ecology of Spiders


Book Description

Within the last few decades, arachnology in the Neotropical region has experienced a great development filling the knowledge gap in one of the most diverse regions of the world. Nevertheless, large geographical areas remain poorly sampled, especially within the Amazon, and new genera and species have been continuously discovered, even in urban areas. In congruence with the recent improvements in research, several aspects of the ecology, behaviour and natural history of spiders, such as interactions with other predators and parasitoids, social interactions, dispersal patterns, habitat requirements, mating behaviors, among others, are being carefully investigated. These recent contributions incorporate substantial information on the preexisting knowledge on these subjects every year. Our main objective with this book is to present a summary on these new researches and on the currently knowledge on the main subjects involved in the general theme, emphasizing the contribution of the rich fauna of the Neotropical region to the research of behaviour and ecology of the spiders.




Plant Animal Interactions


Book Description

Interactions between plants and animals are incredibly diverse and complex and span terrestrial, atmospheric and aquatic environments. The last decade has seen the emergence of a vast quantity of data on the subject and there is now a perceived need among both teachers and undergraduate students for a new textbook that incorporates the numerous recent advances made in the field. The book is intended for use by advanced level undergraduate and beginning graduate students, taking related courses in wider ecology degree programmes. Very few books cover this subject and those that do are out of date.




Concepts of Biology


Book Description

Black & white print. Concepts of Biology is designed for the typical introductory biology course for nonmajors, covering standard scope and sequence requirements. The text includes interesting applications and conveys the major themes of biology, with content that is meaningful and easy to understand. The book is designed to demonstrate biology concepts and to promote scientific literacy.




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