The view of nature as `red in tooth and claw', as a jungle in which competition and predation are the predominant themes, has long been important in both the scientific and popular literature. However, in the past decade another view has become widespread among ecologists: the idea that mutualisms--mutually beneficial interactions between species--are just as important as competition and predation. This book is one of the first to explore this theme. Ideas and theories applicable to all sorts of mutualisms are presented and, where appropriate, examined in the light of concrete data. Themes explored include: the organisms involved, both animal and plant; how specializations evolved once mutualisms formed; how mutualisms affect population dynamics and community structure; and the role of mutualisms in different environments. The book will be of special interest to ecologists and a wide range of biologists.

This book describes how competition between plant species, and succession in plant ecosystems, operate in grasslands and grazed pastures, both natural and sown. It discusses how competition both affects botanical structure, productivity and persistence of pastures and is itself regulated by biological, environmental and management factors, such as grazing animals. The book also examines the ways in which competition and succession are analyzed, evaluated and measured, and brings to the agricultural arena the considerable progress made in understanding the principles of competition from theoretical and experimental ecology.

Based on a similarly named meeting in December 1999, organized by the British Society for Plant Pathology, this book considers the biology of interactions between host plants and the pathogens that infect them. This important topic has seen some significant advances in the past 10 years, especially through the application of molecular techniques, which are extensively covered in this book.

This book presents edited key papers from the International Symposium on Grassland Ecophysiology and Grazing Ecology held in Curtiba, Brazil in August 1999. It considers how plants within grasslands respond to and are adapted to grazing animals. Contributors are leading authorities from North and South America, Europe and Australasia.

Professional planning is commonly defined as an activity which is concerned with the rational allocation or exploitation of resources for man's maximum short- and long-term benefit. The science of. ecology is the study of the basic components of these resources (soil, water, air etc. ) and their inter relationships with living organisms. Planning and ecology therefore have many common interests and, as such, have long been associated in resource management. This association was, for example, reflected as early as the 19th century in the writings of Patrick Geddes, the progenitor of modern town planning, whose training as a biologist led him to re-interpret the phenomena of urbanization in ecological terms (Geddes, 1886). Since the time of Geddes the place of ecology has declined in planning circles as other professions and considerations, initially public health and engineering, latterly economic and sociological, have become more central. The reasons for this shifting emphasis are three-fold. First, they reflect changing social attitudes and aspirations in the post-war period. Secondly, many other professions and persuasions (agriculturalists, foresters, in dustrialists etc. ) became organized as pressure groups and helped shape public attitudes and governmental actions. Thirdly, and by far the most important reason, is the prevalence of misconceptions about ecology. Too many people, perhaps misled by the debate surrounding the' environmental movement', equate ecology with conservation. In reality, conservation is but one component part of ecology.

The islands of the Pacific and East Indies made an enormous and fateful impact on the minds of Charles Darwin and Alfred Wallace, the fathers of modem evolutionary theory. Since then island floras and faunas have continued to playa central role in the development of evolutionary, and more recently ecological thought. For much ofthis century island ecology was a descriptive science and a wealth of information has been amassed on patterns of species distributions, on the composition of island floras and faunas, on the classification of islands into types such as oceanic and continental, on the taxonomic description of insular species and sub-species and on the adaptations, often bizarre, of island creatures. However, biologists are not satisfied for long with the mere collection of data and the description of patterns, but seek unifying theories. Island ecology was transformed into a predictive science by the publication, in 1967, of MacArthur and Wilson's Theory of Island Biogeography. This, perhaps the most influential book written on island ecology, has been the stimulus for a generation of theoretical ecologists and gifted field workers. The books listed below in the bibliography will indicate to the reader the vast scope of island ecology and the changes in approach that have taken place over the years.

n this book I have tried to bring together ideas from three different Istreams of thought with which I have been closely concerned during the last thirty years or so. The first is faunal history, usually regarded as a purely academic subject, but to some of whose events can be traced a number of the serious dislocations taking place in the world today. The second is ecology, particularly the structure and dynamics of populations. The third is conservation. I first published a few ideas about the signifi cance of invasions in 1943, in a war-time review called Polish Science and Learning, under the title of 'The changing realms of animal life'. Since then I have had the opportunity to think pretty hard about conservation, while taking part in the planning and development of the Nature Con servancy. In March 1957 I gave three broadcasts in the B. B. C. 's Third Programme, under the title of 'Balance and Barrier'. These were sub sequently printed in The Listener (1957, Vol. 57, pp. 514-15,556-7,596-7, and 600). The present book is essentially an expansion of these. I am extremely grateful to Mr James C. Thornton and Dr John Simons for in planning and giving these talks. advice and help In preparing this book I have had invaluable assistance from the staff of the Bureau of Animal Population. Miss C. M. Gibbs typed the fair copy. Miss M."

The dependence of present farming on artificial input of "chemical fertilizers" has caused numerous ecological tribulations associated with global warming and soil contamination. Moreover, there is an essential requirement for realistic agricultural practices on a comprehensive level. Accordingly, biofertilizers including microbes have been recommended as feasible environmentally sound solutions for agricultural practices which not only are natural, and cost-effective but also preserve soil environs and important biota of agricultural land. In addition, it enhances the nutrient quantity of soils organically. Microbial biofertilizers promote plant growth by escalating proficient absorption of nutrients for the plants and by providing an excellent disease-fighting mechanism.Agriculture, the backbone of human sustenance, has been put under tremendous pressure by the ever-increasing human population. Although various modern agro-techniques boosted agricultural production, the excessive use of synthetic fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides have proven extremely detrimental to agriculture as well as to the environment in which it is carried out. Besides this some faulty agricultural practices like monoculture and defective irrigation, further complicate the scenario by eliminating biodiversity, increasing the efflux of nutrients into the water bodies, the formation of algal blooms, eutrophication, damaging the water quality and lowering fish stocks. Biofertilizers are the organic compounds applied to crops for their sustainable growth and the sustainability of the environment as the microbiota associated with biofertilizers interact with the soil, roots and seeds to enhance soil fertility. Application of biofertilizers results in the increased mineral and water uptake, root development, vegetative growth and nitrogen fixation besides liberating growth-promoting substances and minerals that help the maintenance of soil fertility. They further act as antagonists and play a pivotal role in neutralising soil-borne plant pathogens and thus, help in the bio-control of diseases. Application of biofertilizers instead of synthetic fertilizers could be a promising technique to raise agricultural productivity without degrading environmental quality. The present book focuses on the latest research approaches and updates from the microbiota and their applications in the agriculture industry. We believe this book addresses various challenges and shed lights on the possible future of the sustainable agricultural system.

The dazzling variation in plant chemistry is a primary mediator of trophic interactions, including herbivory, predation, parasitism, and disease. At the same time, such interactions feed back to influence spatial and temporal variation in the chemistry of plants. In this book, Mark Hunter provides a novel approach to linking the trophic interactions of organisms with the cycling of nutrients in ecosystems. Hunter introduces the concept of the "phytochemical landscape"--the shifting spatial and temporal mosaic of plant chemistry that serves as the nexus between trophic interactions and nutrient dynamics. He shows how plant chemistry is both a cause and consequence of trophic interactions, and how it also mediates ecosystem processes such as nutrient cycling. Nutrients and organic molecules in plant tissues affect decomposition rates and the fluxes of elements such as carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus. The availability of these same nutrients influences the chemistry of cells and tissues that plants produce. In combination, these feedback routes generate pathways by which trophic interactions influence nutrient dynamics and vice versa, mediated through plant chemistry. Hunter provides evidence from terrestrial and aquatic systems for each of these pathways, and describes how a focus on the phytochemical landscape enables us to better understand and manage the ecosystems in which we live. Essential reading for students and researchers alike, this book offers an integrated approach to population-, community-, and ecosystem-level ecological processes.

Each plant species has its own unique passage that is affected by its gene pool, dispersal ability, interactions with competitors and pests, and the habitats and climactic conditions to which it is exposed. This book will explore plant species as dynamic entities within this passage, following the four stages of plant species life that normally occur. Those four stages can be identified as birth, expansion, differentiation and loss of cohesion, and decline/extinction. Each chapter focuses on part of the speciation process and examines it closely in the light of exploring the species passage from birth to death.

How do plants make a living? Some plants are gamblers, others are swindlers. Some plants are habitual spenders while others are strugglers and miserly savers. Plants have evolved a spectacular array of solutions to the existential problems of survival and reproduction in a world where resources are scarce, disturbances can be deadly, and competition is cut-throat. Few topics have both captured the imagination and furrowed the brows of plant ecologists, yet no topic is more important for understanding the assembly of plant communities, predicting plant responses to global change, and enhancing the restoration of our rapidly degrading biosphere. The vast array of plant strategy models that characterize the discipline now require synthesis. These models tend to emphasize either life history strategies based on demography, or functional strategies based on ecophysiology. Indeed, this disciplinary divide between demography and physiology runs deep and continues to this today. The goal of this accessible book is to articulate a coherent framework that unifies life history theory with comparative functional ecology to advance prediction in plant ecology. Armed with a deeper understanding of the dimensionality of life history and functional traits, we are now equipped to quantitively link phenotypes to population growth rates across gradients of resource availability and disturbance regimes. Predicting how species respond to global change is perhaps the most important challenge of our time. A robust framework for plant strategy theory will advance this research agenda by testing the generality of traits for predicting population dynamics.

Allelopathic studies may be defined in various aspects; weed against weed/crop and vice versa. This book focuses on the ways to utilize the allelopathic potential of weeds or crops for controlling weeds in the agroecosystems. Vigorous use of herbicides is poisoning our environment at an alarming rate; allelopathy can be employed as a useful alternative to control weeds naturally under field conditions. The book contains chapters on the history of allelopathy; allelopathic potential of several important crops (rice, wheat, sorghum, maize, mustard, sunflower) and weeds (members of Solanaceae, Convolvulaceae, Asteraceae, Verbenaceae). Moreover, it highlights how the allelopathic potential of these weeds and crops can be employed effectively to suppress weeds under field conditions. The book also discusses topics on the role of allelochemicals in agroecosystems; impact on local flora; biotic stress induced by allelochemicals; mechanism of action of allelochemicals and future prospective of allelopathy. Prepared with basic concepts and importance of allelopathy, this book is intended for the agricultural community, botanists, students and researchers.

While a good grasp of the many separate aspects of agriculture is important, it is equally essential for all those involved in agriculture to understand the functioning of the farming system as a whole and how it can be best managed. It is necessary to re-assess and understand rain-fed farming systems around the world and to find ways to improve the selection, design and operation of such systems for long term productivity, profitability and sustainability. The components of the system must operate together efficiently; yet many of the relationships and interactions are not clearly understood. Appreciation of these matters and how they are affected by external influences or inputs are important for decision making and for achieving desirable outcomes for the farm as a whole. This book analyses common rain-fed farming systems and defines the principles and practices important to their effective functioning and management."

The third edition of The Ecology and Silviculture of Oaks is an updated and expanded edition that explores oak forests as responsive ecosystems. New chapters emphasize the importance of fire in sustaining and managing oak forests, the effects of a changing climate, and advanced artificial regeneration techniques. This new edition expands on silvicultural methods for restoring and sustaining oak woodlands and savannahs, and on management of ecosystem services, including wildlife habitat. It also incorporates new material on evaluating landscape-scale, and cumulative effects of management action compared with inaction. Nine of the fifteen chapters cover updated information on the geographic distribution of US oaks, oak regeneration dynamics, site productivity, stocking and stand development, even- and uneven-aged silvicultural methods, and growth and yield. This edition includes a new section with colour illustrations for improved visualization of complex relationships. This book is intended for forest and wildlife managers, ecologists, silviculturists, environmentalists, and students of those fields.

The Princeton Guide to Ecology is a concise, authoritative one-volume reference to the field's major subjects and key concepts. Edited by eminent ecologist Simon Levin, with contributions from an international team of leading ecologists, the book contains more than ninety clear, accurate, and up-to-date articles on the most important topics within seven major areas: autecology, population ecology, communities and ecosystems, landscapes and the biosphere, conservation biology, ecosystem services, and biosphere management. Complete with more than 200 illustrations (including sixteen pages in color), a glossary of key terms, a chronology of milestones in the field, suggestions for further reading on each topic, and an index, this is an essential volume for undergraduate and graduate students, research ecologists, scientists in related fields, policymakers, and anyone else with a serious interest in ecology. * Explains key topics in one concise and authoritative volume * Features more than ninety articles written by an international team of leading ecologists * Contains more than 200 illustrations, including sixteen pages in color * Includes glossary, chronology, suggestions for further reading, and index * Covers autecology, population ecology, communities and ecosystems, landscapes and the biosphere, conservation biology, ecosystem services, and biosphere management

This field guide includes all the flora and fauna you're most likely to see in the forests of eastern North America. With 53 full-color plates and 80 color photos illustrating trees, birds, mammals, wildflowers, mushrooms, reptiles, amphibians, butterflies, moths, beetles, and other insects.

The species-area relationship (SAR) describes a range of related phenomena that are fundamental to the study of biogeography, macroecology and community ecology. While the subject of ongoing debate for a century, surprisingly, no previous book has focused specifically on the SAR. This volume addresses this shortfall by providing a synthesis of the development of SAR typologies and theory, as well as empirical research and application to biodiversity conservation problems. It also includes a compilation of recent advances in SAR research, comprising novel SAR-related theories and findings from the leading authors in the field. The chapters feature specific knowledge relating to terrestrial, marine and freshwater realms, ensuring a comprehensive volume relevant to a wide range of fields, with a mix of review and novel material and with clear recommendations for further research and application.

The understanding and management of land resources used by grazing animals are of major importance to ecologists and agricultural and environmental scientists. This book fills a major gap in the market by synthesising a range of perspectives on grazing systems, drawn from plant science, animal science and ecology. It outlines the principles of herbage growth and competition, of animal nutrition and grazing behaviour, and of the interactions of plant and animal factors that are central to an understanding of grazing systems. Chapters on the management of grazing systems cover both intensive and extensive systems (including rangelands) from all major agroecological zones of the world. The book is written by leading authorities from the USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Israel and France. It represents a major contribution to the literature for advanced students and research workers concerned with plant science (especially grasslands), animal science (especially ruminants), and natural and agricultural ecosystems.

There is a need for documentation and awareness of how necessary and delicate the interplay is among the biological and physical forces of ocean, land, and the atmosphere. Dr. Alongi, an outstanding marine scientist known worldwide for his work on tropical marine systems, presents research on coastal ecosystem processes from both the temperate and tropical perspectives. Coastal Ecosystem Processes includes the information on tropical marine and estuarine habitat problems such as pesticides, pollution, mining, declining fisheries yields, changes in the sea level, atmospheric CO2, and aquaculture. The importance of conserving fragile ecosystems such as mangroves and coral reefs is discussed.

Plant-parasitic nematodes are one of multiple causes of soil-related sub-optimal crop performance. This book integrates soil health and sustainable agriculture with nematode ecology and suppressive services provided by the soil food web to provide holistic solutions. Biological control is an important component of all nematode management programmes, and with a particular focus on integrated soil biology management, this book describes tools available to farmers to enhance the activity of natural enemies, and utilize soil biological processes to reduce losses from nematodes.

The first edition of Cladistic Biogeography was published in 1986. It was a concise exposition of the history, methods, applications of, and prospects for cladistic biogeography, or the study of the historical and evolutionary relationships between species based on their distribution patterns. Well reviewed, and widely used in teaching, Cladistic Biogeography is still in demand, despite having been out of print for some time. This new edition has been updated throughout, with several chapters being rewritten and expanded to incorporate the latest research findings and theoretical and methodological advances in this dynamic field.

Since the publication of the first edition of this book in 2003, the status of many important invasive plants around the world has changed dramatically. Species have extended their ranges, new literature has been accumulated, and control methods have been improved. Research on some plant invaders has also focused on the species' ecology and impacts, confirming that invasive plants continue to pose serious threats to species and ecosystems. Given their range expansions and introduction via international trade, these problems will only become more serious in the future. Providing the latest information on the most important invasive plants, this new edition: - Contains 50 new species, chosen for their impacts on ecosystems and native species - Reviews the most significant new publications on ecology and species management - Updates introduced, invasive and native ranges, providing an easy-reference, full-colour map for each species - Provides new and improved control methods Including colour images of each species, this up-to-date reference guide on the most important plant invaders is an invaluable tool for both researchers and policy makers.