Parasitoid Community Ecology

The study of parasitoid communities has direct relevance to general ecological theory and to the applied practice of biological control. Yet, despite the existence of a large and active international research community involved in the study of parasitoids, until now no books devoted to the theme of parasitoid community ecology have been available. Here, with a healthy mix of general discussions and specific examples such as tortricids and weevils, the authors constructively review and evaluate our understanding of these often very complex systems. The book emphasizes basic science, linking the discussion to wider areas such as population dynamics, food webs, competition, and community structure. The more applied end of the subject is covered in a section exclusively devoted to biological control. This book, the first to deal entirely with ecological aspects of parasitoid biology, offers summaries of the state of the field by leading researchers and identifies critical areas in need of further investigation. Students, researchers, and teachers in the field of ecology, animal behavior, entomology, forestry, and agriculture will all want to have a copy of the book on their shelves.

Determinants of species richness and composition in egg parasitoid assemblages of Lepidoptera; Parasitoid guilds: a comparative analysis of the parasitoid communities of tortricids and weevils; The diversity of fruit fly (Diptera: Tephritidade) parasitoids; Parasitoid community structure: effects of host abundance, phylogeny, and ecology; Parasitoid host ranges; Life history characteristics of Tachinidae (Dipetera) and their effect on polyphagy; Mutualistic viruses and the evolution of host ranges in endoparasitoid Hymenoptera;; Parasitoids of leaf-mining Lepidoptera: what determines their host ranges; Effects of intraspecific plant variation on parasitoid communities; The window of parasitoid complex structure; Induced plant responses: effects on parasitoids and other natural enemies of phytophagous insects; Is the evolution of herbivore resistence influenced by parasitoids; The taste of enemy-free space: parasitoids and nasty hosts; The use and construction of parasitoids webs; Parasitoids communities associated with west African seed-feeding beetles; Africab fig wasp parasitoid communities; Population dynamics of host-parasitoid interaction; The structure and complexity of parasitoid communities in relation to biological control; Parasitoid communities, parasitoid guilds, and biological control; Building parasitoid communities: the complementary role of two introduced parasitoid species in a case of successful biological control; The implications of population dynamics theory to parasitoid diversity and biological control; Evolution of parasitoid communities; Parasitoids as model communities in ecological theory.

Interactions between competitors, predators and their prey have traditionally been viewed as the foundation of community structure. Parasites – long ignored in community ecology – are now recognized as playing an important part in influencing species interactions and consequently affecting ecosystem function. Parasitism can interact with other ecological drivers, resulting in both detrimental and beneficial effects on biodiversity and ecosystem health. Species interactions involving parasites are also key to understanding many biological invasions and emerging infectious diseases. This book bridges the gap between community ecology and epidemiology to create a wide-ranging examination of how parasites and pathogens affect all aspects of ecological communities, enabling the new generation of ecologists to include parasites as a key consideration in their studies. This comprehensive guide to a newly emerging field is of relevance to academics, practitioners and graduates in biodiversity, conservation and population management, and animal and human health.

Parasitoids lay their eggs on or in the bodies of other species of insect, and the parasitoid larvae develop by feeding on the host, causing its eventual death. Known for a long time to applied biologists for their importance in regulating the population densities of economic pests, parasitoids have recently proven to be valuable tools in testing many aspects of evolutionary theory. This book synthesizes the work of both schools of parasitoid biology and asks how a consideration of evolutionary biology can help us understand the behavior, ecology, and diversity of the approximately one to two million species of parasitoid found on earth. After a general introduction to parasitoid natural history and taxonomy, the first part of the book treats the different components of the reproductive strategy of parasitoids: searching for a host, host selection, clutch size, and the sex ratio. Subsequent chapters discuss pathogens and non-Mendelian genetic elements that affect sexual reproduction; evolutionary aspects of the physiological interactions between parasitoid and host; mating strategies; life history theory and community ecology. A special effort is made to discuss the theoretical background to the subject, but without the use of mathematics.

"Ecologists, epidemiologists, evolutionary biologists, and other scientists are increasingly coming to realize that parasites must be taken into account when studying ecosystems. 'Parasitism and Ecosystems' summarizes current knowledge on this topic. It represents the synthesis of both the roles and the consequences of pathogens in ecosystems" --Provided by publisher.

One of the themes of the 20th International Congress of Entomology held in Florence in August 1996 was Ecology and Population Dynamics, with papers presented on single species dynamics, population interactions, and community ecology. This book contains a selection of the papers that were presented, and gives a late-1990s picture of the latest research in this fast developing area.

One of the themes of the 20th International Congress of Entomology held in Florence in August 1996 was Ecology and Population Dynamics, with papers presented on single species dynamics, population interactions, and community ecology. This book contains a selection of the papers that were presented, and gives a late-1990s picture of the latest research in this fast developing area.