Marine Disease Ecology


Book Description

Global research on marine disease ecology has expanded at an accelerating rate, due to increases in disease emergence across many taxa but also a broader realization that the parasites responsible are themselves important members of marine communities. Courses are now starting to emerge and this first textbook is ideally placed to serve them.




Marine Parasitology


Book Description

This comprehensive, authoritative and up-to-date work provides the definitive overview of marine parasites worldwide. It is an invaluable reference for students and researchers in parasitology and marine biology and will also be of interest to ecologists, aquaculturists and invertebrate biologists. Initial chapters review the diversity and basic biology of the different groups of marine parasites, discussing their morphology, life cycles, infection mechanisms and effects on hosts. The ecology and importance of marine parasites are discussed in the second part of the book, where contributions investigate behavioural and ecological aspects of parasitism and discuss the evolution and zoogeography of marine parasites. In addition, the economic, environmental and medical significance of these organisms is outlined, particularly their importance in aquaculture and their effects on marine mammals and birds. Written by an international team of contributors, the emphasis is on a thorough grounding in marine parasitology combined with reviews of novel concepts and cutting-edge research.




Parasites of Marine Fish and Cephalopods


Book Description

This textbook provides a comprehensive, reliable and practical guide to the dissection and parasitological examination of marine fish and cephalopods. The first part provides a general introduction, presenting basic information on: parasitology, ecology of the marine environment, history and methods of fisheries and aquaculture, as well as the ecology of marine fish and cephalopods and the impact of parasites on hosts. In turn, the second part provides general information on the morphology and anatomy of marine fish and cephalopods using the example of abundant morphotypes (including e.g. habitus photos of the body cavity and internal organs). The third part covers the relevant parasitic groups, their ecology (e.g. lifecycles, transmission), related diseases, and detection. The fourth part, a comprehensive methods section, provides essential protocols and applications of common dissection methods (for roundfish, flatfish and cephalopods) and stomach content analyses, as well as parasite preservation, preparation and molecular identification. Basic calculations of the most common infection and ecological parameters are also introduced. The book’s fifth and final part provides information on health risks associated with fish and cephalopod consumption, as well as the prevention of human infection through the correct handling and processing of fish samples. The appendix provides e.g. blank sheets for recording fish dissections and parasitological examinations.




Parasite Biodiversity


Book Description

This comprehensive, groundbreaking book on the biodiversity of parasites offers a clear and accessible explanation of how parasite biodiversity provides insight into the history and biogeography of other organisms, the structure of ecosystems, and the processes that lead to the diversification of life.




Parasite Diversity and Diversification


Book Description

By joining phylogenetics and evolutionary ecology, this book explores the patterns of parasite diversity while revealing diversification processes.




Indicators for Waterborne Pathogens


Book Description

Recent and forecasted advances in microbiology, molecular biology, and analytical chemistry have made it timely to reassess the current paradigm of relying predominantly or exclusively on traditional bacterial indicators for all types of waterborne pathogens. Nonetheless, indicator approaches will still be required for the foreseeable future because it is not practical or feasible to monitor for the complete spectrum of microorganisms that may occur in water, and many known pathogens are difficult to detect directly and reliably in water samples. This comprehensive report recommends the development and use of a "tool box" approach by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency and others for assessing microbial water quality in which available indicator organisms (and/or pathogens in some cases) and detection method(s) are matched to the requirements of a particular application. The report further recommends the use of a phased, three-level monitoring framework to support the selection of indicators and indicator approaches.Â




Parasitism


Book Description

Explains parasite biology as a branch of ecology - essential reading for zoology and ecology students.




Parasites and the Behavior of Animals


Book Description

When a parasite invades an ant, does the ant behave like other ants? Maybe not-and if it doesn't, who, if anyone, benefits from the altered behaviors? The parasite? The ant? Parasites and the Behavior of Animals shows that parasite-induced behavioral alterations are more common than we might realize, and it places these alterations in an evolutionary and ecological context. Emphasizing eukaryotic parasites, the book examines the adaptive nature of behavioral changes associated with parasitism, exploring the effects of these changes on parasite transmission, parasite avoidance, and the fitness of both host and parasite. The behavioral changes and their effects are not always straightforward. To the extent that virulence, for instance, is linked to parasite transmission, the evolutionary interests of parasite and host will diverge, and the current winner of the contest to maximize reproductive rates may not be clear, or, for that matter, inevitable. Nonetheless, by affecting susceptibility, host/parasite lifespan and fecundity, and transmission itself, host behavior influences parameters that are basic to our comprehension of how parasites invade host populations, and fundamentally, how parasites evolve. Such an understanding is important for a wide range of scientists, from ecologists and parasitologists to evolutionary, conservation and behavioral biologists: The behavioral alterations that parasites induce can subtly and profoundly affect the distribution and abundance of animals.




Parasitism


Book Description

In Parasitism, Claude Combes explores the fascinating adaptations parasites have developed through their intimate interactions with their hosts. He begins with the biology of parasites—their life cycles, habitats, and different types of associations with their hosts. Next he discusses genetic interactions between hosts and parasites, and he ends with a section on the community ecology of parasites and their role in the evolution of their hosts. Throughout the book Combes enlivens his discussion with a wealth of concrete examples of host-parasite interactions.




Evolutionary Ecology of Parasites


Book Description

Parasites have evolved independently in numerous animal lineages, and they now make up a considerable proportion of the biodiversity of life. Not only do they impact humans and other animals in fundamental ways, but in recent years they have become a powerful model system for the study of ecology and evolution, with practical applications in disease prevention. Here, in a thoroughly revised and updated edition of his influential earlier work, Robert Poulin provides an evolutionary ecologist's view of the biology of parasites. He sets forth a comprehensive synthesis of parasite evolutionary ecology, integrating information across scales from the features of individual parasites to the dynamics of parasite populations and the structuring of parasite communities. Evolutionary Ecology of Parasites presents an evolutionary framework for the study of parasite biology, combining theory with empirical examples for a broader understanding of why parasites are as they are and do what they do. An up-to-date synthesis of the field, the book is an ideal teaching tool for advanced courses on the subject. Pointing toward promising directions and setting a research agenda, it will also be an invaluable reference for researchers who seek to extend our knowledge of parasite ecology and evolution.