Insects And Plants

One of the world's most insightful writers on the subject brings together an array of important and readable information on the ways in which insects and plants coexist in nature. Interrelationship Between Insects and Plants is a rare and expansive look at the intertwining of these two vastly different species. Its aim is to summarize in a simple and understandable way the basis of food selection among insects, and to review the various sides of their relationships with plants.

The evolution of phytophagous insects; the major determinants of diversity;community patterns through time-the dynamics of colonization and speciation;species interactions in communities-the animals;interactions involving the plants;coevolution.

"Half of all insect species are dependent on living plant tissues, consuming about 10% of plant annual production in natural habitats and an even greater percentage in agricultural systems, despite sophisticated control measures. Plants are generally remarkably well-protected against insect attack, with the result that most insects are highly specialized feeders. The mechanisms underlying plant resistance to invading herbivores on the one side, and insect food specialization on the other, are the main subjects of this book. For insects these include food-plant selection and the complex sensory processes involved, with their implications for learning and nutritional physiology, as well as the endocrinological aspects of life cycle synchronization with host plant phenology. In the case of plants exposed to insect herbivores, they include the activation of defence systems in order to minimize damage, as well as the emission of chemical signals that may attract natural enemies of the invading herbivores and may be exploited by neighbouring plants that mount defences as well." "Insect-Plant Biology discusses the operation of these mechanisms at the molecular and organismal levels, in the context of both ecological interactions and evolutionary relationships. In doing so, it uncovers the highly intricate antagonistic and mutualistic interactions that have evolved between plants and insects. The book concludes with a chapter on the application of our knowledge of insect-plant interactions to agricultural production." "This multidisciplinary approach will appeal to students in agricultural entomology, plant sciences, ecology, and indeed anyone interested in the principles underlying the relationships between the two largest groups of organisms on earth: plants and insects."--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Botanists and zoologists have recognized for centuries the specificity of various insects for plants, and entomolo gists have long been aware that insects defend themselves from predators by emitting repulsive odors. Only recently have chemists and biologists established a joint endeavor for studying the chemical relationships between plants and insects. The present symposium volume of the Phytochemical Society of North America's RECENT ADVANCES IN PHYTOCHEMISTRY consists of eight papers dealing with phytochemical relation ships between plants and their insect herbivores. The fifteenth P.S.N.A. annual symposium and meeting was held in August, 1975, on the campus of The University of South Florida, Tampa. The chemical defenses of apparent and unapparent plants were contrasted by Feeny. Rodreguiz and Levin illustrated parallel defense mechanisms of plants and insects and then Hendry, Kostelc, Hindenlang, Wichmann, Fix and Koreniowski discussed chemical messengers for both plants and insects. Subsequently Beck and Reese reviewed plant contributions to insect nutrition and metabolism. Indepth studies for the monarch butterfly-milkweed interaction were presented by Roeske, Seiber, Brower, and Moffitt and for the cotton boll weevil-cotton plant relationship by Hedin, Thompson, and Gueldner. In the latter portion of the symposium Rhoades and Cates presented a general theory concerning the coevolu tion of insects and plant antiherbivore chemistry.

This book, first published in 2005, addresses food-mediated interactions, focusing on how plants employ foods to recruit arthropod 'bodyguards' as a protection against herbivores.

Introduction; What is entomology?; The practical importance of insects; Insect structure and function; Growth, development, metamorphosis; Reproduction and life cycles; Insect identification and classification; Mites, and other non-insect pests; Insects and plants; Predators, parasites and pathogens; The ecological background to pest control; Pest control principles and practices; The pest management concept; Information required in dealing with a pest problem; Appendix 1-2; Index.

We live in a green world; the organisms that Although they disclaim a complete review, dominate our view are plants. Yet virtually which would be well beyond the scope of any thing other than a series of volumes, they have everywhere that there is a plant there will sampled the full diversity of existing knowl be insects. Though largely unnoticed, they consume on average about 10% of plants' edge - a reflection of their own familiarity resources. The shift of energy from plants to with the subject. In successive chapters they insects rivals in scale mankind's own demands lead logically from the composition of plants, through the coming together of insects and on the photosynthesizing world. Hence in sects most generally come to human notice by plants to the ecology and evolution of these competing with us, by eating our crops. Thus links. In each section the generality of the pattern is revealed, but none of the intricate insect-plant relationships are fundamental to agricultural science and much research in this variation is hidden. area sought, quite simply, to reduce pest The composition of plants is superficially so damage. However, in the last half century similar, but in fact there is endless variation. many biologists have recognized that this Both features have contributed to the patterns subject also provides excellent model systems we see in the physiology and ecology of this for investigating fundamental aspects of relationship.