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Books > Science & Mathematics > Biology, life sciences > Zoology & animal sciences > Invertebrates
This book is about the inner workings of one of nature’s most complex animal societies: the honey bee colony. It describes and illustrates the results of more than fifteen years of elegant experimental studies conducted by the author. In his investigations, Thomas Seeley has sought the answer to the question of how a colony of bees is organized to gather its resources. The results of his research—including studies of the shaking signal, tremble dance, and waggle dance, and other, more subtle means by which information is exchanged among bees—offer the clearest, most detailed picture available of how a highly integrated animal society works. By showing how several thousand bees function together as an integrated whole to collect the nectar, pollen, and water that sustain the life of the hive, Seeley sheds light on one of the central puzzles of biology: how units at one level of organization can work together to form a higher-level entity. In explaining why a hive is organized the way it is, Seeley draws on the literature of molecular biology, cell biology, animal and human sociology, economics, and operations research. He compares the honey bee colony to other functionally organized groups: multicellular organisms, colonies of marine invertebrates, and human societies. All highly cooperative groups share basic problems: of allocating their members among tasks so that more urgent needs are met before less urgent ones, and of coordinating individual actions into a coherent whole. By comparing such systems in different species, Seeley argues, we can deepen our understanding of the mechanisms that make close cooperation a reality.
This fully updated new edition of the "Reference Reviews" Top Ten Print Reference Source 2004 is a comprehensive, fully cross-referenced collection of terms, names and phrases used in entomology, incorporating an estimated 43,000 definitions. It is the only listing which covers insect anatomy, behavior, biology, ecology, histology, molecular biology, morphology, pest management, taxonomy and systematics. The origin, etymology, part of speech and definition of each term and phrase are all provided, including the language, meaning or root of each term and constituent parts.The common names of insects, their scientific binomen and taxonomic classification are provided, with diagnoses of pest species in many cases. All insect order, suborder, superfamily, family and subfamily names are given, together with the diagnostic features of orders and families. With new and updated terms, particularly in molecular biology, phylogeny and spatial technology, this is an essential reference for researchers and students of entomology and related disciplines.
The common fruit fly, "Drosophila, " has long been one of the most
productive of all laboratory animals. From 1910 to 1940, the center
of "Drosophila" culture in America was the school of Thomas Hunt
Morgan and his students Alfred Sturtevant and Calvin Bridges. They
first created "standard" flies through inbreeding and by organizing
a network for exchanging stocks of flies that spread their
practices around the world.
This beautiful and comprehensive guide, many years in the making,
is a manual for identifying the butterflies of Iowa as well as 90
percent of the butterflies in the Plains states.
This latest volume in Wiley Blackwell's prestigious Annual Plant Reviews brings together articles that describe the biochemical, genetic, and ecological aspects of plant interactions with insect herbivores.. The biochemistry section of this outstanding volume includes reviews highlighting significant findings in the area of plant signalling cascades, recognition of herbivore-associated molecular patterns, sequestration of plant defensive metabolites and perception of plant semiochemicals by insects. Chapters in the genetics section are focused on genetic mapping of herbivore resistance traits and the analysis of transcriptional responses in both plants and insects. The ecology section includes chapters that describe plant-insect interactions at a higher level, including multitrophic interactions, investigations of the cost-benefit paradigm and the altitudinal niche-breadth hypothesis, and a re-evaluation of co-evolution in the light of recent molecular research. Written by many of the world's leading researchers in these subjects, and edited by Claudia Voelckel and Georg Jander, this volume is designed for students and researchers with some background in plant molecular biology or ecology, who would like to learn more about recent advances or obtain a more in-depth understanding of this field. This volume will also be of great use and interest to a wide range of plant scientists and entomologists and is an essential purchase for universities and research establishments where biological sciences are studied and taught. To view details of volumes in Annual Plant Reviews, visit: www.wiley.com/go/apr Also available from Wiley: Plant DefenseDale Walters9781405175890 Herbicides and Plant Physiology, 2nd EdnAndrew Cobb & John Reade9781405129350
Oar Feet and Opal Teeth is about free-living copepods and the copepodologists who study them. Copepods are a subclass of the arthropod class Crustacea. They act as dominant herbivores and small predators in the planktonic ecosystems of oceans, estuaries, and lakes. Copepods are likely the largest assemblage of complex animals on earth. These strikingly beautiful small crustaceans are of wide ecological significance and as complex and precisely adapted as insects. Yet few biologists and others interested in animals are familiar with them. In Oar Feet and Opal Teeth, Charles B. Miller introduces these small crustaceans and the scientists devoting their careers to revealing their biology. In twenty-one chapters, Miller details the defining features and general biology of copepods. They typically have four or five pairs of oar-like feet to drive escape jumps. Teeth on mandible extensions are formed with siliceous minerals akin to opal. The first two chapters of the book closely examine the oar feet and mouth parts. Subsequent chapters describe internal anatomy, taxonomy, and many aspects of copepod natural history. Recent evolutionary insights about them are reviewed; those are based on molecular genetics and reach back to the Cambrian explosion. Oar Feet and Opal Teeth includes over twenty biographical sketches of copepodologists from the mid-twentieth century to the present. Among them, Russell Hopcroft, a premier photographer of plankton, has full-color copepod images featured throughout the book. Jeannette Yen learned how Euchaeta marina detects prey and studies how ready-for-mating copepods find each other. Shinichi Uye of Hiroshima University studied the production by copepods of resting eggs and their delayed development. Grace Wyngaard is studying the special embryonic cell-divisions of some lake copepods for eliminating "junk DNA." Miller based most of the profiles featured in the book on personal interviews he conducted.
The crustaceans are ecologically and economically important organisms. They constitute one of the dominant invertebrate groups on earth, particularly within the aquatic realm. Crustaceans include some of the preferred scientific model organism, profitable aquaculture specimen, but also invasive nuisance species threatening native animal communities throughout the world. Chemoreception is the most important sensory modality of crustaceans, acquiring important information about their environment and picking up the chemical signals that mediate communication with conspecifics. Significant advances have been made in our understanding of crustacean chemical communication during the past decade. This includes knowledge about the identity, production, transfer, reception and behavioral function of chemical signals in selected crustacean groups. While it is well known that chemical communication is an integral part of the behavioral ecology of most living organisms, the intricate ways in which organisms allocate chemicals in communication remains enigmatic. How does the environment influence the evolution of chemical communication? What are the environmental cues that induce production or release of chemicals? How do individuals economize production and utilization of chemicals? What is the importance of molecule specificity or mix of a molecule cocktail in chemical communication? What is the role of chemical cues in multimodal communication? How does the ontogenetic stage, the sex or the physiological status of an individual affect its reaction to chemical cues? Many of these questions still represent important challenges to biologists.
The second book in the BATTLE OF THE BEETLES series - perfect for fans of Roald Dahl! 'Truly great storytelling.' MICHAEL MORPURGO on BEETLE BOY 'I predict Beetle-mania' THE TIMES on BEETLE BOY 'Roald Dahl meets 101 Dalmatians in a rollicking ride, full of adventure with vivid characters' EXPRESS on BEETLE BOY Cruel beetle fashionista, Lucretia Cutter, is at large with her yellow ladybird spies. When Darkus, Virginia and Bertolt discover further evidence of her evil, they're determined to stop her. But the three friends are in trouble. Darkus' dad has forbidden them to investigate any further - and disgusting crooks Humphrey and Pickering are out of prison. Hope rests on Novak, Lucretia's daughter and a Hollywood actress, but the beetle diva is always one scuttle ahead ... The second book in MG Leonard's acclaimed trilogy, followed by Battle of the Beetles! Featuring exotic beetles, a daring quest, a mixture of bold male and female characters and a truly venomous villain The story follows Darkus, Bertolt and Virginia - and their beetle pals - as they investigate the wicked 'Beetle Queen' Lucretia From the author of the Adventure on Trains series, co-written with Sam Sedgman
'Read this book, then look and wonder' Sunday Times We have to learn to live as part of nature, not apart from it. And the first step is to start looking after the insects, the little creatures that make our shared world go round. Insects are essential for life as we know it - without them, our world would look vastly different. Drawing on the latest ground-breaking research and a lifetime's study, Dave Goulson reveals the long decline of insect populations that has taken place in recent decades and its potential consequences. Eye-opening and inspiring, Silent Earth asks for profound change at every level and a passionate argument or us to love, respect and care for our six-legged friends. 'Compelling - Silent Earth is a wake-up call' Isabella Tree, author of Wilding 'Enlightening, urgent and funny, Goulson's book is a timely call for action' New Statesman
Many international forums have identified the need for comprehensive, scientific methods for the pre-release testing and post-release monitoring of transgenic plants to ensure their environmental safety and sustainable use. In response to this requirement, a GMO Guidelines Project was established under the aegis of the International Organization for Biological Control, to develop biosafety testing guidelines for transgenic plants. This second volume focuses on transgenic cotton in Brazil and addresses both environmental and agricultural impacts. It draws out some general risk assessment guidelines and demonstrates the need for case-by-case analysis.
Many infectious diseases of recent concern, including malaria, cholera, plague, and Lyme disease, have emerged from complex ecological communities, involving multiple hosts and their associated parasites. Several of these diseases appear to be influenced by human impacts on the environment, such as intensive agriculture, clear-cut forestry, and habitat loss and fragmentation; such environmental impacts may affect many species that occur at trophic levels below or above the hostcommunity. These observations suggest that the prevalence of both human and wildlife diseases may be altered in unanticipated ways by changes in the structure and composition of ecological communities. Predicting the epidemiological ramifications of such alteration in community composition will require strengthening the current union between community ecology and epidemiology.
How the nature illustrations of a Renaissance polymath reflect his turbulent age This pathbreaking and stunningly illustrated book recovers the intersections between natural history, politics, art, and philosophy in the late sixteenth-century Low Countries. Insect Artifice explores the moment when the seismic forces of the Dutch Revolt wreaked havoc on the region's creative and intellectual community, compelling its members to seek solace in intimate exchanges of art and knowledge. At its center is a neglected treasure of the late Renaissance: the Four Elements manuscripts of Joris Hoefnagel (1542-1600), a learned Netherlandish merchant, miniaturist, and itinerant draftsman who turned to the study of nature in this era of political and spiritual upheaval. Presented here for the first time are more than eighty pages in color facsimile of Hoefnagel's encyclopedic masterwork, which showcase both the splendor and eccentricity of its meticulously painted animals, insects, and botanical specimens. Marisa Anne Bass unfolds the circumstances that drove the creation of the Four Elements by delving into Hoefnagel's writings and larger oeuvre, the works of his friends, and the rich world of classical learning and empirical inquiry in which he participated. Bass reveals how Hoefnagel and his colleagues engaged with natural philosophy as a means to reflect on their experiences of war and exile, and found refuge from the threats of iconoclasm and inquisition in the manuscript medium itself. This is a book about how destruction and violence can lead to cultural renewal, and about the transformation of Netherlandish identity on the eve of the Dutch Golden Age.
This book is the only account of what honeybees actually see. Bees detect some visual features such as edges and colours, but there is no sign that they reconstruct patterns or put together features to form objects. Bees detect motion but have no perception of what it is that moves, and certainly they do not recognize "things" by their shapes. Yet they clearly see well enough to fly and find food with a minute brain. Bee vision is therefore relevant to the construction of simple artificial visual systems, for example for mobile robots. The surprising conclusion is that bee vision is adapted to the recognition of places, not things. In this volume, Adrian Horridge also sets out the curious and contentious history of how bee vision came to be understood, with an account of a century of neglect of old experimental results, errors of interpretation, sharp disagreements, and failures of the scientific method. The design of the experiments and the methods of making inferences from observations are also critically examined, with the conclusion that scientists are often hesitant, imperfect and misleading, ignore the work of others, and fail to consider alternative explanations. The erratic path to understanding makes interesting reading for anyone with an interest in the workings of science but particularly those researching insect vision and invertebrate sensory systems.
Migration is a key process in the population dynamics of many insects, including some of the most damaging pests. Multidisciplinary research into the importance of migration, in recent decades, has produced many new insights. This book reviews current understanding of the ecological, behavioural, physiological and genetic bases of insect migration. The first part describes migration systems in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, and America, with an emphasis on the role of regional weather and climate. The second part considers insects adaptation to migration; it covers: aerodynamics and energetics; the integration of migration in insect life cycles; environmental and genetic regulation of migratory potential; and the evolutionary implications of habitat heterogeneity and variability. The book then addresses the application of this knowledge to operational pest forecasting.
Mosquitoes are important as transmitters of widespread major diseases and as nuisance insects. They are also one of the most studied and well-known group of insects, both in the laboratory and in the field. The first volume in "The Biology of Mosquitoes" series is a key reference work and has received excellent reviews. This second title in the three volume series focuses on the functioning of the mosquito sense organs that provide them with information about the environment and that enable the adult females to find and attack their vertebrate hosts. It also reviews knowledge of the circadian rhythms and other internal mechanisms that regulate the onset and timing of different behaviors. This integrated review of the sensory mechanisms and behavior of mosquitoes provides a unique insight into their biology. The contents, which are fully up-to-date, include much important work from the past which is often overlooked.
Insect Symbiosis is a collection of chapters written by world authorities on the microbes that can be called symbionts that are associated with insects and mites. Whether bacteria, fungi or spiroplasmids, and whether endosymbionts or casual gut symbionts, the authors describe some of the latest work in a field that has grown rapidly since the development of the newer molecular methods, which allowed for the identification of even minute samples of microbes without the need for culturing.
A number of species of Thysanoptera (thrips) are increasingly important crop pests in many parts of the world, as well as in some cases being vectors of plant disease. Communicating the known information about a species of organism is dependent on our ability to recognize or identify it accurately. This book is a completely revised and rewritten edition of the standard, widely used manual on these minute flying insects written by J.M. Palmer, L.A. Mound and G.J. du Heaume and published in 1989 as "CIE Guides to Insects of Importance to Man 2. Thysanoptera," which provides a practical identification guide on a worldwide scale. The previous version posed problems for students in terms of fluency in English & knowledge of dichotomous keys. However, this thoroughly updated edition incorporates a new set of pictorial keys, which have been developed and used very successfully for training courses at the International Institute of Entomology and which will greatly enhance the ability of the non-specialist to identify thrips to species. Individuals of these insects can usually be identified only by examination under a microscope, often at high power. Within each species, individuals can vary in size, colour and shape and their appearance can be altered by techniques used in preparation. This booklet describes techniques used in the preparation of thrip specimens onto slides for identification and the means of identifying slide-mounted specimens most commonly encountered. It also introduces students to the biological diversity that is found amongst the Thysanoptera, their economic importance in terms of both damaging and beneficial effects, new identification techniques, additional information and taxa, glossary of technical terms, notes on each genus (described alphabetically within their families and subfamilies). Supplementary keys to species are also given within four genera that include several pest species (Caliothrips, Frankliniella, Scirtothrips and Thrips) along with new distribution records which have occurred since the publication of the first edition. It is an essential tool for applied entomologists and crop protection specialists involved in the control of crop pest thrips, and thrip taxonomists.
"A ground-breaking identification guide ... the perfect marriage of artistic excellence, deep knowledge and, dare I say it, of scientists' genuine affection." BRETT WESTWOOD This brand new illustrated field guide covers all 47 species of ladybird occurring in the British Isles in a handy and easy-to-use format. Twenty-seven species are colourful and conspicuous and easily recognised as ladybirds; the remaining species are more challenging, but the clear illustrations and up-to-date text in this guide will help to break down the identification barriers. A useful introduction provides an overview of ladybird ecology, tips on studying and recording, and suggested sites for finding ladybirds. The main part of the book comprises detailed species texts, covering field characters, food, habitats, suggested survey methods, ranges, conservation statuses and distribution trends. An illustrated at-a-glance identification guide and helpful pointers for differentiating similar-looking species are also included. With 102 colour photographs and 47 distribution maps, combined with Richard Lewington's peerless artwork, this is the definitive guide to one of our most cherished and charismatic insect groups.
As sequel to Aquatic Animal Nutrition - A Mechanistic Perspective from Individuals to Generations, the present treatise on organic macro- and micronutrients continues the unique cross fertilization of aquatic ecology/ecophysiology and aquaculture. This treatise considers proteins and their constituents, carbohydrates from mono- to polysaccharides, fatty acids from free acids to fat, and waxes. It becomes obvious that these organic nutrients are more than only simple fuel for the metabolism of animals; rather, their constituents have messenger and controlling function for the actual consuming individual and even for succeeding generations. This aspect will become particularly clear by putting the organisms under consideration back into their ecosystem with their interrelationships and interdependencies. Furthermore, micronutrients, such as vitamins and nucleotides as well as exogenous enzymes, are in the focus of this volume with known and still-to-be-discovered controlling physiological and biomolecular functions. Aquatic Animal Nutrition - Organic Macro and Micro Nutrients addresses se veral gaps in nutritional research and practice. One major gap is the lack of com mon research standards and protocols for nutritional studies so that virtually incomparable approaches have to be compared. This applies also to the studied animals, since most approaches disregard intraspecific variabilities and the existence of epimutations in farmed individuals. Furthermore, recalling the Mechanistic Perspective from Individuals to Generations, dietary benefits and deficiencies have effects on succeeding generations. In most studies, this long-term and sustainable aspect is overruled by pure short-term production aspects. By comparing nutritional behavior and success of fishes and invertebrates, Aqua tic Animal Nutrition points out different metabolic pathways in these animal groups and discusses how, for instance, fishes would benefit when having some successful metabolic pathway of invertebrates. Application of novel ge ne tic techniques will help turn this vision into reality. However, a widely missing link in the current nutritional research is epigenetics regarding transgenerational heritages of acquired morphological and physiological properties. To in crease public acceptance, nutritional optimization of farmed animals based on this mechanism, rather than genetical engineering, appears promising.
The Royal Entomological Society (RES) and Wiley-Blackwell are proud to present this landmark publication, celebrating the wonderful diversity of the insects of the British Isles, and the work of the RES (founded 1833). This book is the only modern systematic account of all 558 families of British insects, covering not just the large and familiar groups that are included in popular books, but even the smallest and least known. It is beautifully illustrated throughout in full colour with photographs by experienced wildlife photographers to show the range of diversity, both morphological and behavioural, among the 24,000 species. All of the 6,000 genera of British insects are listed and indexed, along with all the family names and higher groups. There is a summary of the classification, biology and economic importance of each family together with further references for detailed identification. All species currently subject to legal protection in the United Kingdom are also listed. The Royal Entomological Society is one of the oldest and most prestigious of its kind in the world. It is the leading organisation for professional entomologists and its main aim has always been the promotion of knowledge about insects. The RES began its famous "Handbooks for the Identification of British Insects" in 1949, and new works in that series continue to be published. "The Royal Entomological Society Book of British Insects" has been produced to demonstrate the on-going commitment of the RES to educate and encourage each generation to study these fascinating creatures. This is a key reference work for serious students of entomology and amateur entomologists, as well as for professionals who need a comprehensive source of information about the insect groups of the British Isles they may be less familiar with.
Caenorhabditis elegans has been a popular model organism for biological research for over thirty years with a dramatic increase in interest since the publication of the entire genome sequence in 1998. It is currently the only multicellular animal to have its entire genome sequenced. This Practical Approach book provides all the essential background information required for use of C. elegans as a model system and includes information on how to use the genome sequence information.
This book describes and illustrates 300 species of free-living marine nematodes from the East China Sea and includes eighteen new species. Free-living marine nematode is the most dominant and diverse meiofaunal group in marine benthic habitats. It has strong adaptability and wide distribution, and plays a very important role in the material circulation and energy flow of benthic ecosystem. Up to now, about 7,000 species of free-living marine forms (attached to 2 Class, 8 Order, 86 Family, 662 genera) have been recorded around the world. Some 500 species have so far been reported from the sea areas of China. Among them, more than 300 species were identified from the East China Sea. The book will provide basic data and information of free-living marine nematodes for ecosystem management, protection and utilization of marine biological resources in the East China Sea.
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.
Echinoderms have evolved diverse and disparate morphologies throughout the Phanerozoic. Among them, blastozoans, an extinct group of echinoderms that were an important component of Paleozoic marine ecosystems, are primarily subdivided into groups based on the morphology of respiratory structures. However, systematic and phylogenetic research from the past few decades have shown that respiratory structures in blastozoans are not group-defining and they have re-evolved throughout echinoderm evolution. This Element provides a review of the research involving blastozoan respiratory structures, along with research concerning the morphology, paleoecology, and ontogeny of each of the major groupings of blastozoans as it relates to their corresponding respiratory structures. Areas of future research in these groups are also highlighted. |
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