Fungal pathogens pose an on-going and serious threat for poikilotherms and homeotherms, and can cause a broad spectrum of diseases ranging from innocuous to life-threatening. In addition, long-term exposure to some mycotoxigenic moulds can lead to mycotoxicoses in human and animals. Given the expanding population of immune compromised hosts, the list of fungal opportunists grows longer every year. Moreover, antifungal resistance, drug-related toxicity and our limited arsenal of antifungals have exacerbated the situation. To address these problems, strategies such as the identification of novel targets, use of the structure-activity relationship in rational drug design, development of new formulations, modification of existing antifungals to combat resistance, and bioavailability enhancement are called for. For the reader's convenience, this book has been divided into three sections. The first six chapters of Section I provide a timely review of mycoses, from endemic to cosmopolitan and from generalized to specific, while both chapters of Section II focus on risks associated with mycotoxins. In closing, the two chapters of Section III describe potential antifungal leads and drug candidates based on phytochemicals and coumarin scaffold.

This authoritative guide enables accurate identification of the common components of the inshore benthic invertebrates of the British Isles and adjacent European coasts, as well as a substantial proportion of fish species. This new edition builds upon the strengths of the earlier work and is thoroughly revised throughout to incorporate advances in both the taxonomy and ecology of the organisms concerned.

It has long been claimed that addressing biodiversity loss and other environmental problems demands a better understanding of the social dimensions of conservation; nevertheless, the active participation of indigenous peoples and local communities (IPLCs) in conservation initiatives is still a challenging and somehow controversial issue. In this context, this book hopes to give voice to other perspectives related to biodiversity conservation beyond the "fortress conservation" model and emphasize one of the pillars of democracy - popular participation. It covers a wide range of environments and issues of special significance to the topic, such as the expansion of culturally constructed niches, protected areas and food security, community-based management, participatory agroforestry, productive restoration and biocultural conservation. The contents also explore the limitations and shortcomings of participatory practices in protected areas, the relationship between the global crisis of democracy and the decline of biocultural diversity, as well as present current discussions on policy frameworks and governance systems for effective participatory biodiversity conservation. In sum, this book provides a comprehensive and realistic perspective on the social dimensions of conservation based on a series of interrelated themes in participatory biodiversity conservation. The connections between biocultural conservation and the current political and economic environment are highlighted through the chapters and the book closes with a debate on ways to reconcile human welfare, environmental justice and biodiversity conservation.

In a world where habitats are constantly changing and the impact of anthropization on the environment is increasingly intense, interactions between human and wildlife are becoming more and more complex. Some species pose problems for human activities while many others need to be helped in order to continue to exist. This book follows the first volume called 'Problematic Wildlife', edited by F.M. Angelici and published by Springer in 2016, which has had considerable success with readers and critics. The volume includes 21 chapters divided into 7 parts devoted specific topics which are approached in a multidisciplinary way. There are both review chapters and specific cases, always bearing in mind the interest for an international audience. The book is useful both for scientists, wildlife specialists, conservationists, zoologists, ecologists, university students, nature managers, and for those who live in contact with wildlife and its problems, such as farmers, shepherds, hunters, urban planners, and staff of parks and nature reserves. Its ultimate goal is to offer scientific and pragmatic approaches to manage each categories of problematic species.

This book highlights classification patterns and underlying ecological drivers structuring the vegetation of selected indigenous subtropical forests in South Africa. It uses original field sampling and advanced numerical data analysis to examine three major types of forest - Albany Coastal Forests, Pondoland Coastal Scarp and Eastern Scarp - all of which are of high conservation value. Offering a unique and systematic assessment of South African ecology in unprecedented detail, the book could serve as a model for future vegetation surveys of forests not only in Africa, but also around the globe.

This book provides in-depth information on Caatinga's geographical boundaries and ecological systems, including plants, insects, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. It also discusses the major threats to the region's socio-ecological systems and includes chapters on climate change and fast and large-scale land-use changes, as well as slow and small-scale changes, also known as chronic human disturbances. Subsequent chapters address sustainable agriculture, conservation systems, and sustainable development. Lastly, the book proposes 10 major actions that could enable the transformation of Caatinga into a place where people and nature can thrive together. "I consider this book an excellent example of how scientists worldwide can mobilize their efforts to propose sound solutions for one of the biggest challenges of modern times, i.e., how to protect the world's natural ecosystems while improving human well-being. I am sure this book will inspire more research and conservation action in the region and perhaps encourage other groups of scientists to produce similar syntheses about their regions." Russell Mittermeier, Ph.D. Executive Vice-Chair, Conservation International

The vegetation addressed in this book is, biologically, one of the most diverse on Earth, with many characteristic taxa offering refuge and food sources for many resident and migratory animals. Yet the forests of Las Yungas remain poorly known from a floristic and vegetation point of view. This book seeks to fill that gap by studying the distribution of forest along an altitudinal but also a bioclimatic gradient. The richness in species demonstrates that these forests are substantially more diverse than other subtropical mountain woodlands. 103 diagnostic (characteristic or indicator) species were selected, of which 29 are dominant, 67 are exclusive, selective, preferential or differential, and 7 are stenoic. In addition, 13 communities were identified and characterized. These forests can be attributed to the Bolivian-Tucuman biogeographical province (South-Andean Region, Neotropical Sub-Kingdom). They are seasonal, semi-deciduous or evergreen micro- and mesowoodlands growing on foothills, hillsides, ravines, gorges and the edges of mountain ranges (terrestrial communities), as well as river terraces and beaches (riparian communities). Thanks to the range of new findings, the content presented here will benefit experts in related fields such as geographers, ecologists and botanists, but also teachers, nature guides, those involved in the management of forest or conservation areas, and policymakers.

By combining the analysis of biotic and abiotic components of terrestrial ecosystems, this book synthesizes material on arid and semiarid landscapes, which was previously scattered among various books and journal articles. It focuses on water-limited ecosystems, which are highly sensitive to fluctuations in hydrologic conditions and, in turn, play an important role in affecting the regional water cycle. Intended as a tool for scientists working in the area of the earth and environmental sciences, this book presents the basic principles of eco-hydrology as well as a broad spectrum of topics and advances in this research field. Written by authors with diverse areas of expertise who work in arid areas around the world, the contributions describe the various interactions between the biological and physical dynamics in dryland ecosystems, ranging from basic processes in the soil-vegetation-climate system, to landscape-scale hydrologic and geomorphic processes, ecohydrologic controls on soil nutrient dynamics, and multiscale analyses of disturbances and patterns

This book addresses how skeletons can inform us about behavior by describing skeletal lesions in the Gombe chimpanzees, relating them to known life histories whenever possible, and analyzing demographic patterns in the sample. This is of particular interest to both primatologists and skeletal analysts who have benefited from published data on a smaller, earlier skeletal sample from Gombe. The Gombe skeletal collection is the largest collection of wild chimpanzees with known life histories in existence, and this work significantly expands the skeletal sample from this long-term research site (49 chimpanzees). The book explores topics of general interest to skeletal analysts such as demographic patterns, which injuries leave signs on the skeleton, and rates of healing, and discusses both qualitative and quantitative analysis of the patterning of lesions. The book presents the data in a narrative style similar to that employed in Dr. Goodall's seminal work The Chimpanzees of Gombe. Readers already familiar with the Gombe chimpanzees are likely to appreciate summaries of life events correlated to observable skeletal features. The book is especially relevant at this time to remind primate conservationists of the importance of the isolated chimpanzee population at Gombe National Park as well as the availability of the skeletons for study, both within the park itself as well as at the University of Minnesota.

This book discusses microbial diversity in various habitats and environments, its role in ecosystem maintenance, and its potential applications (e.g. biofertilizers, biocatalysts, antibiotics, other bioactive compounds, exopolysaccharides etc.). The respective chapters, all contributed by renowned experts, offer cutting-edge information in the fields of microbial ecology and biogeography. The book explains the reasons behind the occurrence of various biogeographies and highlights recent tools (e.g. metagenomics) that can aid in biogeography studies by providing information on nucleic acid sequence data, thereby directly identifying microorganisms in various habitats and environments. In turn, the book describes how human intervention results in depletion of biodiversity, and how numerous hotspots are now losing their endemic biodiversity, resulting in the loss of many ecologically important microorganisms. In closing, the book underscores the importance of microbial diversity for sustainable ecosystems.

Curriculum in Action: Multiculturalism and the Human-Animal Connection introduces future and current K-12 educators to engaging animal themes and fosters the consideration and development of animal-focused lessons. The text illuminates the multifaceted roles animals have played in society, their cultural influences within diverse communities, and how teachers can introduce animal themes in the classroom in an empathetic, ethical, and considerate way. Each chapter is organized according to world locale, revealing cultural perceptions regarding animals on each continent, presenting readers with an overview of current research, and providing lessons and activities with emphasis on the STEAM approach to learning and focus on Next Generation Science Standards. Readers learn about the relationships people have had with animals over time and how those relationships have transformed through environmental changes. The text also examines environment-dependent interactions that humans have with companion animals, as well as how these special interactions can improve our connections with others. Curriculum in Action is an ideal resource for courses and programs with focus on K-12 education. It is also an excellent resource for teachers who are interested in incorporating animal themes into their curriculum.

This book presents the spatial and temporal dynamics of land use and land cover in the central Tibetan Plateau during the last two decades, based on various types of satellite data, long-term field investigation and GIS techniques. Further, it demonstrates how remote sensing can be used to map and characterize land use, land cover and their dynamic processes in mountainous regions, and to monitor and model relevant biophysical parameters. The Tibetan Plateau, the highest and largest plateau on the Earth and well known as "the roof of the world," is a huge mountainous area on the Eurasian continent and covers millions of square kilometers, with an average elevation of over 4000 m. After providing an overview of the background and an introduction to land use and land cover change, the book analyzes the current land use status, dynamic changes and spatial distribution patterns of different land-use types in the study area, using various types of remotely sensed data, digital elevation models and GIS spatial analysis methods to do so. In turn, it discusses the main driving forces, based on the main physical environment variables and socioeconomic data, and provides a future scenario analysis of land use change using a Markov chain model. Given its scope, it provides a valuable reference guide for researchers, scientists and graduate students working on environmental change in mountainous regions around the globe, and for practitioners working at government and non-government agencies.

This volume is a self-contained companion piece to Studying Vibrational Communication, published in 2014 within the same series. The field has expanded considerably since then, and has even acquired a name of its own: biotremology. In this context, the book reports on new concepts in this fascinating discipline, and features chapters on state-of-the art methods for studying behavior tied to substrate-borne vibrations, as well as an entire section on applied biotremology. Also included are a historical contribution by pioneers in the field and several chapters reviewing the advances that have been made regarding specific animal taxa. Other new topics covered are vibrational communication in vertebrates, multimodal communication, and biotremology in the classroom, as well as in art and music. Given its scope, the book will appeal to all those interested in communication and vibrational behavior, but also to those seeking to learn about an ancient mode of communication.

This book aims to assess, evaluate and critically analyze the methods that are currently available for a judicious pest management in durable food. It presents and analyzes a vast amount of methods that are already in use in "real world" industrial applications. After the phase-out of methyl bromide, but also the withdrawal of several insecticides and the continuously updated food safety regulations, there is a significant knowledge gap on the use of risk-reduced, ecologically-compatible control methods that can be used with success against stored-product insect species and related arthropods. The importance of integrated pest management (IPM) is growing, but the concept as practiced for stored products might differ from IPM as historically developed for field crops. This book discusses a wide variety of control strategies used for stored product management and describes some of the IPM components. The editors included chemical and non-chemical methods, as both are essential in IPM. They set the scene for more information regarding emerging issues in stored product protection, such as emerging, alien and invasive species as threats for global food security, as well as the importance of stored-product arthropods for human health. Finally, the analysis of the economics of stored product protection is presented, from theory to practice.

This book provides insight into the instances in which wildlife species can create problems. Some species trigger problems for human activities, but many others need humans to save them and to continue to exist. The text addresses issues faced by economists and politicians dealing with laws involving actions undertaken to resolve the problems of the interaction between humans and wildlife. Here, the words 'problematic species' are used in their broadest sense, as may be appreciated in the short introductions to the various sections. At times, the authors discuss special cases while always extending the discussion into a more general and broad vision. At others, they present real cutting-edge analysis of ecological topics and issues. The book will be of interest to biologists, ecologists and wildlife managers involved in research on wildlife, parks, and environmental management, as well as to government departments and agencies, NGOs and conservation wildlife organizations. Even those in contact with nature, such as hunters, herders, and farmers, will be able to find a great deal of important information. Specific case studies are selected from among the most significant and prevalent cases throughout the world. A total of 26 papers have been selected for this book, written by zoologists, biologists and ecologists. Many have an interdisciplinary approach, with contributions by economists, criminologists, technical specialists, and engineers.

Fish are one of the most important global food sources, supplying a significant share of the world's protein consumption. From stocks of wild Alaskan salmon and North Sea cod to entire fish communities with myriad species, fisheries require careful management to ensure that stocks remain productive, and mathematical models are essential tools for doing so. Fish Ecology, Evolution, and Exploitation is an authoritative introduction to the modern size- and trait-based approach to fish populations and communities. Ken Andersen covers the theoretical foundations, mathematical formulations, and real-world applications of this powerful new modeling method, which is grounded in the latest ecological theory and population biology. He begins with fundamental assumptions on the level of individuals and goes on to cover population demography and fisheries impact assessments. He shows how size- and trait-based models shed new light on familiar fisheries concepts such as maximum sustainable yield and fisheries selectivity-insights that classic age-based theory can't provide-and develops novel evolutionary impacts of fishing. Andersen extends the theory to entire fish communities and uses it to support the ecosystem approach to fisheries management, and forges critical links between trait-based methods and evolutionary ecology. Accessible to ecologists with a basic quantitative background, this incisive book unifies the thinking in ecology and fisheries science and is an indispensable reference for anyone seeking to apply size- and trait-based models to fish demography, fisheries impact assessments, and fish evolutionary ecology.

The basic biology of owls is poorly understood compared to that of other bird species. The Little Owl, Athene noctua, is one of the best models for biological and conservation research. Though widespread across Europe, Asia and North Africa, populations of the Little Owl are now in decline, making studies of its behavior and ecology all the more important. This extensively revised and updated second edition features substantial new long-term data on population dynamics, behavioral observations and breeding biology of the Little Owl. The authors discuss its wide-ranging ecology, genetics, subspecies, and population status by country. In addition, they outline a research strategy and monitoring program. Exceptional illustrations of all fourteen subspecies cover embryonic and chick development, feather growth and moult, including high-quality drawings presenting concrete management suggestions. Whilst being an invaluable resource for academic researchers, its accessible and straightforward style will also appeal to amateur ornithologists and enthusiasts.

Researchers now recognize that above- and belowground communities are indirectly linked to one another, often by plant-mediated mechanisms. To date, however, there has been no single multi-authored edited volume on the subject. This book remedies that gap, and offers state-of-the art insights into basic and applied research on aboveground-belowground interactions and their functional consequences. Drawing on a diverse pool of global expertise, the authors present diverse approaches that span a range of scales and levels of complexity. The respective chapters provide in-depth information on the current state of research, and outline future prospects in the field of aboveground-belowground community ecology. In particular, the book's goal is to expand readers' knowledge of the evolutionary, community and ecosystem consequences of aboveground-belowground interactions, making it essential reading for all biologists, graduate students and advanced undergraduates working in this rapidly expanding field. It touches on multiple research fields including ecology, botany, zoology, entomology, microbiology and the related applied areas of biodiversity management and conservation.

This book covers pot-pollen-the other product, besides honey, stored in cerumen pots by Meliponini. Critical assessment is given of stingless bee and pot-pollen biodiversity in the Americas, Africa, Asia and Oceania. Topics addressed include historical biogeography, cultural knowledge, bee foraging behavior, pollination, ecological interactions, health applications, microbiology, the natural history of bee nests, and chemical, bioactive and individual plant components in stored pollen. Pot-pollen maintains the livelihoods of stingless bees and provides many interesting biological products that are just now beginning to be understood. The Meliponini have developed particular nesting biologies, uses of building materials, and an architecture for pollen storage. Environmental windows provide optimal temperature and availability of pollen sources for success in plant pollination and pollen storage. Palynological composition and pollen taxonomy are used to assess stingless honey bee pollination services. Pollen processing with microorganisms in the nest modifies chemical composition and bioactivity, and confers nutraceutical benefits to the honey and pollen widely relished by native people. Humans have always used stingless bees. Yet, sustainable meliponiculture (stingless bee-keeping) projects have so far lacked a treatise on pot-pollen, which experts provide in this transdisciplinary, groundbreaking volume.

Igapo forests are a common part of the Amazon whose ecosystems are critical to our shared human future. The introduction addresses the structure, function and dynamics of igapo forests in the Amazon basin, focusing on their uniqueness due to their high level of complexity defined as the many ways that different components of igapo forests in the Amazon basin ecosystem interact and also on how those interactions are on a higher-order compared to other tropical forests. The text then breaks down the igapo ecosystem using these sections: (1) Igapo forests over space and time, (2) Water, light and soils, (3) The carbon cycle, (4) Litter, fungi and invertebrates, (5) Vertebrates, (6) Plant population studies, (7) Plant community studies, and (8) Human impacts and management. Experts from around the world serve as chapter authors that review what is known about their specific part of the igapo ecosystem, what research they have done, and also what needs to be done in the future.

This book is a unique cross fertilization of aquatic ecology and aquaculture. It shows how diets structure the digestive tract and its microbiota and, in turn, the microbiota influences life history traits of its host, including behavior. Short-term starvation can have beneficial effects on individuals themselves and succeeding generations which may acquire multiple stress resistances - a mechanism strengthening the persistence of populations. From terrestrial, but not yet from aquatic animals, it is understood that circadian the rhythmicity makes toxins or good food. On the long-term, the dietary basis impacts succeeding generations and can trigger a sympatric speciation by (epi)-genetics. This volume defines gaps in nutritional research and practice of farmed fishes and invertebrates by referring to knowledge from marine and freshwater biology. It also points out that dietary benefits and deficiencies have effects on several succeeding generations, indicating that well designed diets may have the potential to successfully improve broodstock and breeding effort.

The aim of this first book is to introduce the readers of the series to why Cuatro Cienegas Basin (CCB) is so unique, starting with the reason why astrobiologists became interested in this oasis in the first place; namely, the high diversity and abundance of stromatolites and microbial mats in continental waters to be found in the desert oasis. As NASA has long since discovered, the basin may offer the best analog of early Earth. In essence, CCB is a time machine that can take us far back and forth in time. In the respective chapters, the contributing authors explain the extraordinary microbial diversity of Cuatro Cienegas Basin from various perspectives. In order to do so, they explain their journey as well as the different tools used to unravel the basin's mysteries, such as: Why are there so many species in a place without food? How has life there survived the enormity of tectonic shifts through the ages, maintaining its ancient marine heritage?

Professor Linda M. Fedigan, Member of the Order of Canada and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, has made major contributions to our understanding of the behavioural ecology of primates. Furthermore, Linda Fedigan pioneered and continues to advance scholarship on the role of women in science, as well as actively promoting the inclusion of women in the academy. A symposium in honour of her career was held in Banff (Alberta, Canada) in December 2016, during which former and current students and collaborators, as well as scientists with similar research interests, presented and discussed their work and their connections to Linda Fedigan. These presentations and discussions are here presented as chapters in this festschrift. The original works presented in this book are organized around four major research areas that have been greatly advanced and influenced by Linda Fedigan: Primate life histories Sex roles, gender, and science Primate-environment interactions Primate adaptation to changing environments

Based on graph theory studies this book seeks to understand how tropical species interact with each other and how these interactions are affected by perturbations in some of the most species-rich habitats on earth. Due to the great diversity of species and interactions in the tropics, this book addresses a wide range of current and future issues with empirical examples and complete revisions on different types of ecological networks: from mutualisms to antagonisms. The goal of this publication is not to be only for researchers but also for undergraduates in different areas of knowledge, and also to serve as a reference text for graduate-level courses mainly in the life sciences.

Population genomics has revolutionized various disciplines of biology including population, evolutionary, ecological and conservation genetics, plant and animal breeding, human health, medicine and pharmacology by allowing to address novel and long-standing questions with unprecedented power and accuracy. It employs large-scale or genome-wide genetic information and bioinformatics to address various fundamental and applied aspects in biology and related disciplines, and provides a comprehensive genome-wide perspective and new insights that were not possible before. These advances have become possible due to the development of new and low-cost sequencing and genotyping technologies and novel statistical approaches and software, bioinformatics tools, and models. Population genomics is tremendously advancing our understanding the roles of evolutionary processes, such as mutation, genetic drift, gene flow, and natural selection, in shaping up genetic variation at individual loci and across the genome and populations; improving the assessment of population genetic parameters or processes such as adaptive evolution, effective population size, gene flow, admixture, inbreeding and outbreeding depression, demography, and biogeography; resolving evolutionary histories and phylogenetic relationships of extant, ancient and extinct species; understanding the genomic basis of fitness, adaptation, speciation, complex ecological and economically important traits, and disease and insect resistance; facilitating forensics, genetic medicine and pharmacology; delineating conservation genetic units; and understanding the genetic effects of resource management practices, and assisting conservation and sustainable management of genetic resources. This Population Genomics book discusses the concepts, approaches, applications and promises of population genomics in addressing most of the above fundamental and applied crucial aspects in a variety of organisms from microorganisms to humans. The book provides insights into a range of emerging population genomics topics including population epigenomics, landscape genomics, seascape genomics, paleogenomics, ecological and evolutionary genomics, biogeography, demography, speciation, admixture, colonization and invasion, genomic selection, and plant and animal domestication. This book fills a vacuum in the field and is expected to become a primary reference in Population Genomics world-wide.