Trait Mediated Indirect Interactions

This book reviews state-of-the-art research into trait-based effects and their importance in community and ecosystem ecology.

This book reviews state-of-the-art research into trait-based effects and their importance in community and ecosystem ecology.

This book reviews state-of-the-art research into trait-based effects and their importance in community and ecosystem ecology.

"There is increasing evidence that the structure and functioning of ecological communities and ecosystems are strongly influenced by flexible traits of individuals within species. A deep understanding of how trait flexibility alters direct and indirect species interactions is crucial for addressing key issues in basic and applied ecology. This book provides an integrated perspective on the ecological and evolutionary consequences of interactions mediated by flexible species traits across a wide range of systems. It is the first volume synthesizing the rapidly expanding research field of trait-mediated indirect effects and highlights how the conceptual framework of these effects can aid the understanding of evolutionary processes, population dynamics, community structure and stability, and ecosystem function. It not only brings out the importance of this emerging field for basic ecological questions, but also explores the implications of trait-mediated interactions for the conservation of biodiversity and the response of ecosystems to anthropogenic environmental changes."--Publisher Description.

There is increasing evidence that the structure and functioning of ecological communities and ecosystems are strongly influenced by flexible traits of individuals within species. A deep understanding of how trait flexibility alters direct and indirect species interactions is crucial for addressing key issues in basic and applied ecology. This book provides an integrated perspective on the ecological and evolutionary consequences of interactions mediated by flexible species traits across a wide range of systems. It is the first volume synthesizing the rapidly expanding research field of trait-mediated indirect effects and highlights how the conceptual framework of these effects can aid the understanding of evolutionary processes, population dynamics, community structure and stability, and ecosystem function. It not only brings out the importance of this emerging field for basic ecological questions, but also explores the implications of trait-mediated interactions for the conservation of biodiversity and the response of ecosystems to anthropogenic environmental changes.

This text reflects the immense current growth in interest in agroecology and changing approaches to it. While it is acknowledged that the science of ecology should be the basis of agroecological planning, many analysts have out-of-date ideas about contemporary ecology. Ecology has come a long way since the old days of "the balance of nature" and other romantic notions of how ecological systems function. In this context, the new science of complexity has become extremely important in the modern science of ecology. The problem is that it tends to be too mathematical and technical and thus off-putting for the average student of agroecology, especially those new to the subject. Therefore this book seeks to present ideas about ecological complexity with a minimum of formal mathematics. The book’s organization consists of an introductory chapter, and a second chapter providing some of the background to basic ecological topics as they are relevant to agroecosystrems (e.g., soil biology and pest control). The core of the book consists of seven chapters on key intersecting themes of ecological complexity, including issues such as spatial patterns, network theory and tipping points, illustrated by examples from agroecology and agricultural systems from around the world.

This open access book describes the serious threat of invasive species to native ecosystems. Invasive species have caused and will continue to cause enormous ecological and economic damage with ever increasing world trade. This multi-disciplinary book, written by over 100 national experts, presents the latest research on a wide range of natural science and social science fields that explore the ecology, impacts, and practical tools for management of invasive species. It covers species of all taxonomic groups from insects and pathogens, to plants, vertebrates, and aquatic organisms that impact a diversity of habitats in forests, rangelands and grasslands of the United States. It is well-illustrated, provides summaries of the most important invasive species and issues impacting all regions of the country, and includes a comprehensive primary reference list for each topic. This scientific synthesis provides the cultural, economic, scientific and social context for addressing environmental challenges posed by invasive species and will be a valuable resource for scholars, policy makers, natural resource managers and practitioners.

Food webs examine the interactions between organisms to explain ecosystem community structure. This book argues how food webs alone cannot depict a true picture of a community. It shows that examining other indirect interactions between organisms can help us to better understand the structure and organisation of communities and ecosystems.