This is the third edition of this popular text which reviews all aspects of earthworm biology and ecology. The book has been updated throughout and extensive additions made. These include a greatly expanded treatment of earthworm community ecology, interactions between earthworms and microorganisms, and the importance of earthworms in environmental management and their use in organic waste management. A straightforward and integrative approach has been taken to reviewing the literature of this important area (over 1400 references are cited). An extensive appendix has also been added summarizing the toxicity to earthworms of a wide range of chemicals. This book will continue to be an invaluable text for students of agriculture, soil science, ecology and invertebrate zoology.

During the past decade, the study of the chemical structures used by insects has advanced from a subject that could be reviewed in a single volume to a vastly more advanced level. This important new volume brings together a focused group of reviews that offer perspective on the most interesting advances in insect chemical ecology. Chemical Ecology of Insects 2 brings together an internationally respected group of experts covering such topics as chemoreception and integration, orientation mechanisms, plant-insect interactions and insect-insect interactions. An important benefit of these reviews lies in the identification of the boundaries of our current knowledge and the most profitable areas in which we should expect these areas to develop. This important work will appeal to entomologists and ecologists working directly with insects. In addition, plant scientists interested in the interaction of plants and insects will find much valuable information. The book is intended to benefit both field and laboratory researchers as well as advanced students.

Insects engage in intimate associations with microbial symbionts that colonize their digestive systems or internal cells and tissues. The stability and near ubiquity of many of these "symbioses" implies their importance, a prediction supported through experimentation. With the advancing power of experimental methodologies and the growing accessibility of genomic techniques, insect science has reached a powerful new stage enabling the study of previously recalcitrant symbioses, including several with medical and agricultural significance. In this volume we publish a collection of chapters focused on the physiology of insect-microbe symbioses, emphasizing their mechanistic underpinnings, and the ecological and evolutionary causes and consequences of these interactions. Resident microbes modulate insect digestion, nutrition, detoxification, reproduction, interspecies signaling, and host-parasite interactions, and these chapters synthesize impactful, state-of-the art research on insect-microbe symbioses. Through discussions of the mechanisms that both stabilize and regulate these symbioses, these chapters yield further insight into the physiological integration between many insects and their influential microbial partners.

Biologists since Darwin have been intrigued and confounded by the complex issues involved in the evolution and ecology of the social behavior of insects. The self-sacrifice of sterile workers in ant colonies has been particularly difficult for evolutionary biologists to explain. In this important new book, Andrew Bourke and Nigel Franks not only present a detailed overview of the current state of scientific knowledge about social evolution in ants, but also show how studies on ants have contributed to an understanding of many fundamental topics in behavioral ecology and evolutionary biology.

One of the substantial contributions of "Social Evolution in Ants" is its clear explanation of kin selection theory and sex ratio theory and their applications to social evolution in insects. Working to dispel lingering skepticism about the validity of kin selection and, more broadly, of "selfish gene" theory, Bourke and Franks show how these ideas underpin the evolution of both cooperation and conflict within ant societies. In addition, using simple algebra, they provide detailed explanations of key mathematical models. Finally, the authors discuss two relatively little-known topics in ant social biology: life history strategy and mating systems.

This comprehensive, up-to-date, and well-referenced work will appeal to all researchers in social insect biology and to scholars and students in the fields of entomology, behavioral ecology, and evolution.

Designed as an introduction to the intriguing world of insect biology, this book examines familiar entomological topics in nontraditional ways. Author David B. Rivers gives important concepts relatable context through a pop culture lens, and he covers subjects that are not typical for entomology textbooks, including the impact of insects on the human condition, the sex lives of insects, why insects are phat but not fat, forensic entomology, and the threats that some insects pose to humanity. Each chapter presents clear and concise key concepts, chapter reviews, review questions following Bloom's taxonomy of learning, web links to videos and other resources, and breakout boxes (called Fly Spots) that capture student interest with unique and entertaining facts related to entomology. Focusing on both traditional and cutting-edge aspects of insect biology and packed with extensive learning resources, Insects covers a wide range of topics suitable for life science majors, as well as non-science students, including: * the positive and negative influences of insects on everyday human life* insect abundance* insect classification (here presented in the context of social media)* insect feeding, communication, defense, and sex* how insects are responding to climate change* forensic entomology* how insects can be used as weapons of war* how insects relate to national security* why insects have wings* how to read pesticide labels

Thorp and Covich's Freshwater Invertebrates, Fourth Edition: Keys to Neotropical Hexapoda, Volume Three, provides a guide for identifying and evaluating a key subphylum, hexapoda, for Central America, South America and the Antarctic. This book is essential for anyone working in water quality management, conservation, ecology or related fields in this region, and is developed to be the most modern and consistent set of taxonomic keys available. It is part of a series that is designed to provide a highly comprehensive, current set of keys for a given bioregion, with all keys written in a consistent style. This series can be used for a full spectrum of interested readers, from students, to university professors and government agencies.

Key features: Presents a brief history of past classifications, a summary of present classification, and speculation on how the classification may evolve in the future Includes keys for the identification of families and subfamilies of the Pentatomoidea and for the tribes in the Pentatomidae Explains transmission of plant pathogens and concepts of pathology and heteropteran feeding for the non-specialist Provides an extensive literature review of transmission by stink bugs of viral, bacterial, fungal, and protozoan organisms that cause diseases of plants Discusses the diversity of microbial symbionts in the Pentatomidae and related species, showing how microorganisms underpin the evolution of this insect group Reviews semiochemicals (pheromones, kairomones, allomones) of the Pentatomoidea and their vital role in the life histories of pest and beneficial species and their exploitation by natural enemies of true bugs Covers past, current, and future control options for insects, with a focus on stink bugs and related heteropterans The Superfamily Pentatomoidea (stink bugs and their relatives) is comprised of 18 families with over 8,000 species, the largest of which is the family Pentatomidae (about 5,000 species). These species primarily are phytophagous, and many cause tremendous economic damage to crops worldwide. Within this superfamily are six invasive species, two that occur worldwide and four that are recent invaders in North America. Once established in new geographic regions, these species have increased their numbers and geographic distributions dramatically, causing economic damage totaling billions of dollars. Invasive Stink Bugs and Related Species (Pentatomoidea): Biology, Higher Systematics, Semiochemistry, and Management is the first book that presents comprehensive coverage of the biology of invasive pentatomoids and related true bug species and addresses issues of rapidly growing economic and environmental concerns. Containing the contributions of more than 60 stink bug specialists from 15 countries, this book provides a better understanding of the biology and economic importance of these invasive species, why they became invasive, and how their continued geographical expansion is likely to affect numerous agricultural systems and natural environments. Including over 3,500 references, this authoritative work serves as an access point to the primary literature on their life histories, higher systematics, diapause and seasonal cycles, pathogens, symbionts, semiochemistry, and pest management control strategies for pentatomoid bugs.

For more than 20 years insect/plant relations have been a focus for studies in ecology and evolution. The importance of insects as crop pests, and the great potential of insects for the biological control of weeds, have provided further impetus for work in this area. All this attention has resulted in books on various aspects of the topic, and reviews and research papers are abundant. So why write another book? It seems to us that, in the midst of all this activity, behavior has been neglected. We do not mean to suggest that there have not been admirable papers on behavior. The fact that we can write this book attests to that. But we feel that, too often, behavior is relegated to a back seat. In comparison to the major ecological and evolutionary questions, it may seem trivial. Yet the whole process of host-plant selection and host-plant specificity amongst insects depends on behavior, and selection for behavioral differences must be a prime factor in the evolution of host-plant specificity. In writing this book, we hope to draw attention to this central role of behavior and, hopefully, encourage a few students to attack some of the very difficult questions that remain unanswered.

Leaf beetles are one of the largest groups of beetles, with tens of thousands of species worldwide and around 280 in Britain. They belong mainly to the family Chrysomelidae, but also to two small closely related families, the Megalopodidae and Orsodacnidae. This book provides a comprehensive overview with detailed and accessible coverage of the natural history, ecology and biology of leaf beetles. Topics cover the life history of leaf beetles, biology, their environment, natural enemies and interactions with humans. There is a thorough discussion about identification of British species, including detail on the juvenile stages (eggs, larvae, pupae) and a concise key to adults. A chapter is dedicated to study techniques and materials. The book is illustrated throughout with colour photographs and line drawings. Leaf beetles is a vital resource for entomology students and educators, naturalists, nature conservationists, those involved in agriculture, horticulture and the management of stored produce.

A zoonosis disease can be transmitted to humans from animals. The ecological relationships found to exist between tick vectors and pathogens in their zootic cycle can profoundly influence these patterns of transmission and disease. This book examines the ecological parameters affecting the conservation and regulation of tick-borne zoonoses as well as the geographic and seasonal distributions of those infections. Topics covered include population ecology of tick vectors, vector-host pathogen relationships, geographic dissemination and dynamics and management of tick-borne zoonoses, together with the dynamic associations which affect domestic and animal health.

About 100 years ago, it was dicovered that insects transmit grave, mainly tropical diseases - very much to the astonishment of the physicians of that time, who saw this as a new, possibly easy, way of eradicating the diseases by exterminating the vectors. For some years, DDT and other then new insecticides achieved great improvements, but subsequently serious setbacks emerged: insecticide-resistance and anxiety about toxicity to man and animals. In the past twenty years, serious efforts have been made tofind alternatives, with varying degrees of success.

Insects are among the most diverse and adaptable organisms on Earth. They have long been our chief competitors for food and are responsible for spreading devastating afflictions such as malaria and encephalitis. The insects' ability to thrive is due in large part to their well-developed sensory systems, which present a host of novel physiological, biochemical, and behavioral attributes that underlie their remarkable feats of sensory performance. Methods in Insect Neuroscience is the first text to showcase the tremendous variety of methods that are available to study the sensory capabilities of insects. It covers the complete spectrum of sensory modalities in insects, from vision and audition, to chemoreception and multimodal processing. The book is designed to serve as a how to guide for putting into practice a wide range of techniques, including behavioral observation, brain imaging, single- and multi-unit electrophysiology, computer modeling/signal processing, and robotics to address innumerable questions. A truly multidisciplinary synthesis of neurobiological, behavioral, and computational approaches to sensory-information processing is most likely to yield our richest understanding of the mechanisms that underlie sensation and perception. In that spirit, this book contains chapters by leading neuroethologists, comparative biologists, neuroscientists, computational biologists, geneticists, and bioengineers who have adopted insects as their models. Their hard work and dedication is evident in the quality of detail contained in every chapter. This book is intended for seasoned neuroscientists looking for state-of-the-art information, as well as discussions on the open-ended questions facing sensory neuroscience today. It is also intended as a primer for newcomers utilizing insects to embark on a study of sensory mechanisms.The opening section provides background information and references about the basic organization of the insect brain a

The acridoid grasshoppers in general and the various species of swarm-forming locusts in particular have been among the most favoured subjects of insect physi ology, behaviour and ecology for many years. Several factors contribute to this popularity: their abundance in nature and their ease of culture in the laboratory, their relatively large size, and most of all, perhaps, their agricultural importance and the consequent intermittent availability of funds for their study. These factors together have inspired a large amount of experimental work, and this in tum has produced a new and often over-riding reason for working on acridoids -the huge body of available background information and know-how that has built up about these insects. This state of affairs is well seen in insect neurobiology. Only a restricted number of insect types are commonly used in this discipline, and originally most of them were selected for reasons of convenience and availability: grasshoppers, cock roaches, crickets, flies, bees and moths are the most important. Each of these in sects is the subject of the attentions of one or more major groups of neurobiolo gists, but neurobiological articles on acridoids probably exceed in number those on all other insects combined, at least if articles on the molecular biology of the nervous system of Drosophila are excluded.

The Biological Sciences are in the midst of a scientific rev olution. During the past decade under the rubric of molecu lar biology, chemistry and physics have assumed an integral role in biological research. This is especially true in ge netics, where the cloning of genes and the manipulation of genomic DNA have become in many organisms routine laboratory procedures. These noteworthy advances, it must be empha sized, especially in molecular genetics, are not autonomous. Rather, they have been accomplished with those organisms whose formal genetics has been documented in great detail. For the beginning student or the established investigator who is interested in pursuing eukaryote molecular genetic re search, Drosophila melanogaster, with its rich body of formal genetic information is one organism of choice. The book "Drosophila Genetics. A Practical Course" is an indispens able source of information for the beginner in the biology and formal genetics of Drosophila melanogaster. The scope of this guide, a revision and enlargement of the original German language version, is broad and instructive. The information included ranges from the simple, but necessary, details on how to culture and manipulate Drosophila flies to a series of more sophisticated genetic experiments. After completing the experiments detailed in the text, all students - neophyte or experienced - will be richly rewarded by having acquired a broad base of classical genetics information relevant for the biologist in its own right and prerequisite to Drosophila genetics research - formal and/or molecular. Davis, California, Melvin M."

Darwin first raised the question of sex ratio evolution, and saw it as both important and enigmatic. He was, however, unable to make much headway with the problem and declared it a puzzle for the future. This particular future arrived about 60 years later, when R. A. Fisher (1930) pointed out that under autosomal inheritance half of the genes passed to zygotes in any generation come from males and half come from females. Fisher noted that this one-mother/one-father symmetry generates frequency dependent natural selection on sex ratio, resulting in an evolutionary equi librium in which half of the reproductive resources are devoted to daughters and half to sons. Although widespread interest in sex ratio as a phenotypic trait did not occur for another 30 years, it is difficult for us to overestimate the impor tance of Fisher's brief and characteristically cryptic remarks. Almost all of the innovations in thinking about sex ratio can be viewed as alterations of one or more implicit assumptions in Fisher's scheme. The present book on insect sex ratios is testimony to the fruitfulness of his original ideas and of their descendants."

The increasing use of integrated crop management, often requiring a reduction in the reliance upon chemical control, means that the need to rapidly identify pest nematodes has never been greater. This second edition of this standard reference work familiar to all plant nematologists is therefore even more useful than its predecessor published in 1986. The in-depth description of the life histories of the genera of the Tylenchida have been retained and brought up-to-date through the inclusion of all the research carried out between the publication of the last edition and this new edition. This expanded edition includes detailed diagnoses of well over 200 genera and familial and ordinal groups and the book is heavily illustrated with drawings of type or representative species. These, together with comprehensive lists of species and genera and their synonymies provide the foundation for the status and validation of each taxon within the Tylenchida. A considerable amount of information is provided regarding the biology, ecology and pathogenicity of these parasites. This book is the only comprehensive reference work on this important group of nematodes.

In this book, Ito presents data on tropical wasps which suggest that kin-selection has been overemphasized as an evolutionary explanation of sociality. He concentrates on the Vespidae (paper wasps and hornets), a group much discussed by evolutionary biologists because it exhibits all stages of social evolution: subsociality, primitive eusociality, and advanced eusociality. The author reports field observations by himself and others in Central America, Asia, and Australia, showing that multiple egg-layers in a nest are not uncommon. Because coexistence of many 'queens' leads to lower relatedness among colony members than in single-queen colonies, he suggests that kin-selection may not be the most powerful force determining observed social patterns. Instead, subsocial wasps may first have aggregated for defense purposes in habitats with a high risk of predation, with mutualistic associations among many queens. Through parental manipulation and then kin selection, differentiation into within-generation castes may have followed. Of interest to all students of ecology, evolution, and behavior, this book beautifully demonstrates the author's ability to combine wide-ranging data with thoughtful questions.

This book presents the whole picture of the ecological and evolutionary study on the ground beetle group, the subgenus Ohomopterus of the genus Carabus, endemic to Japan. This flightless beetle group consists of many geographic races. They show divergence in key traits for reproductive isolation-body size and genital morphology, which leads to coexistence of two or more species. This beetle group provides an important material to study how a lineage of organisms diversify and form multi-species assemblage, and thereby multiply their species richness. The book introduces novel genomic approaches to resolve questions about evolution of Ohomopterus. The readers will find that this story of evolution in Carabus beetles revealed by recent approaches is much different from what was told in previous literature. Exploring different cases across a wide range of lineages is important in constructing a synthetic theory of species radiation and richness, including speciation and species coexistence. This study on Ohomopterus beetles contributes to the ongoing discussion to understand how and why species multiply and how species richness increases in one area of our planet.

Despite their potentially adverse effects on nontarget species and the environment, insecticides remain a necessity in crop protection as well as in the reduction of insect-borne diseases. The Toxicology and Biochemistry of Insecticides provides essential insecticide knowledge required for the effective management of insect pests. Continuing as the sole book in more than two decades to address this multifaceted field, the Second Edition of this highly praised review on insecticide toxicology has been greatly expanded and updated to present the most current information on: Systemic classification of insecticides How insecticides function at the molecular level and newly discovered modes of action Insecticide resistance, molecular mechanisms, fitness costs, reversion, and management of resistance Various bioassay methods including the interpretation of probit analysis Molecular mechanisms of insecticide selectivity Major biochemical mechanisms involved in the transformation of insecticides Fate of insecticides in the environment and the sublethal effects of insecticides on wildlife Newly developed insecticides, including the addition of more microbial insecticides in keeping with current integrated pest management (IPM) approaches Incorporating extensive reference lists for further reading, The Toxicology and Biochemistry of Insecticides, Second Edition is an ideal textbook for students of entomology, plant medicine, insecticide toxicology, and related agricultural disciplines. It is also a valuable resource for those involved in insecticide research, environmental toxicology, and crop protection.

Insect Chemical Ecology provides a comprehensive view of how natural selection acts upon interacting organisms and how particular physical and biological properties of chemical compounds act as constraints upon which natural selection may act. Individual chapters raise specific questions as to the nature of these interactions. The first part contains reviews on antagonistic and mutualistic chemical interactions, the raw materials' of chemical evolution, the economics of offensive and defensive chemicals, and neurobiology. The second part discusses particular problems such as the evolution of resistance, insect pollination, learning, pheromones, sequestration of semiochemicals, the role of microorganisms, sex attractants, the evolution of host races and biotypes, and the role of semiochemicals and the evolution of sociality of insects. The last chapter discusses the role of chemical-based pest management programs in an ecological and evolutionary framework.

In August 1988. the Sixth International Coral Reef Symposium was held in Townsville resulting in an influx of most of the world's coral reef sCientists to the city. We seized this opportunity at the Australian Institute of Marine Science to run a small workshop immediately before the symposium on the outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish. Aeanthaster planei. We invited that small band of mathematicians who had been modelling the phenomenon, (and who may not have normally attended an international meeting so thoroughly dedicated to natural science) to meet with those SCientists who had been been actively working on the phenomenon in the field. John Casti notes in his delightful new book Alternate Realities (Wiley, 1989): 'If the natural role of the experimenter is to generate new observables by which we know the processes of Nature, and the natural role of the mathematician is to generate new formal structures by which we can represent these processes. then the system SCientist finds his niche by serving as a broker between the two. ' I think our book shows the fruits of that brokerage through the wide range of models explored within its pages. the high level of collaboration and interaction across disciplines evident in the individual papers, and in the emerging synthesis that reflects a far deeper understanding of this complex phenomenon than was possible even a few years ago.

Insect pest control continues to be a challenge for agricultural producers and researchers. Insect resistance to commonly used pesticides and the removal of toxic pesticides from the market have taken their toll on the ability of agricultural producers to produce high quality, pest-free crops within economical means. In addition to this, they must not endanger their workers or the environment. We depend on agriculture for food, feed, and fiber, making it an essential part of our economy. Many people take agriculture for granted while voicing concern over adverse effects of agricultural production practices on the environment. Insect Pest Management presents a balanced overview of environmentally safe and ecologically sound practices for managing insects. This book covers specific ecological measures, environmentally acceptable physical control measures, use of chemical pesticides, and a detailed account of agronomic and other cultural practices. It also includes a chapter on state-of-the-art integrated pest management based, a section on biological control, and lastly a section devoted to legal and legislative issues. Insect Pest Management approaches its subject in a systematic and comprehensive manner. It serves as a useful resource for professionals in the fields of entomology, agronomy, horticulture, ecology, and environmental sciences, as well as to agricultural producers, industrial chemists, and people concerned with regulatory and legislative issues.

This summary of the results of chromosomal analysis of various groups of parasitic wasps will be essential reading for those working in the field. It is the second edition of a monograph that was first published in Russian, and has been substantially updated with new data, conclusions and references.

The goal of this ground-breaking work is to document the author's study of the karyotype structure and chromosomal evolution of parasitic Hymenoptera. It also interprets the results obtained, from both routine and differential chromosome staining, for systematic and phylogenetic purposes.

Despite the huge importance of parasitic wasps, many problems of their taxonomy remain insufficiently studied. This is a situation that needs rectifying, as Hymenoptera are one of the largest and most taxonomically complicated groups of insects and they play a very important role in food chains as parasitoids of the overwhelming majority of insects and other arthropods. Parasitic wasps attack many pests of agriculture and forestry as well as certain beneficial insects. In addition, some secondarily phytophagous Hymenoptera damage certain cultivated plants.

The renowned entomologist and author of this volume, Vladimir Gokhman, has himself developed a particular technique for obtaining chromosomal preparations from adult parasitic wasps. This allowed the inclusion of a wide range of those insects into the study.

The karyotypic features of the majority of superfamilies and families as well as many lower taxa of parasitic Hymenoptera are listed, while the plesiomorphic and apomorphic character states of chromosome sets of parasitic wasps are revealed.

The structural features of karyotypes used for identifying and discriminating sibling species and similar forms are shown, as are the data on chromosome sets of about 400 species of parasitic Hymenoptera (including more than 200 micrographs). Also included is a comprehensive phylogenetic and taxonomic analysis of karyotypic information.

This book is unique because it demonstrates a range of karyotypic data for an insect group that seemed unattainable in this respect not so long ago. Rich in new facts, techniques and ideas, it will be of use to all those interested in karyology and Hymenoptera.

Honey Bees: Estimating the Environmental Impact of Chemicals is an updated account of the different strategies for assessing the ecotoxicity of xenobiotics against these social insects, which play a key role in both ecology and agriculture. In addition to the classical acute laboratory test, semi-field cage tests and full field funnel tests, new tests based mainly on behavioral responses are for the first time clearly described. Information on the direct and indirect effects on honey bees of radionuclides, heavy metals, pesticides, semi-volatile organic compounds and genetically modified plants is also presented.