Insects represent over half of the planet's biological
diversity. This popular textbook provides a comprehensive
introduction to this extraordinary diversity, and places entomology
central to the theory and practice of evolutionary and ecological
studies.
Fully revised, this fifth edition opens with a chapter
concerning the popular side of insect studies, including insects in
citizen science, zoos and butterfly houses, and insects as food for
humans and animals. Key features of insect structure, function,
behaviour, ecology and classification are integrated with
appropriate molecular studies, including the latest international
studies. Much of the book is organized around major biological
themes: living on the ground, in water, on plants, in colonies, and
as predators, parasites/parasitoids and prey insects. A strong
evolutionary theme is maintained throughout.
There is major revision to the chapter on systematics and
taxonomy, and a new chapter, Insects in a Changing World, includes
insect responses to, and the consequences of, both climate change
and human-assistedglobal alterations to distributions. Updated
'Taxoboxes' demonstrate topical issues and provide
conciseinformation on all aspects of each of the 28 major groupings
(orders) of insects, plus the three orders of non-insect hexapods.
New boxes describe a worrying increase in insect threats to
landscape and commercial trees (including eucalypts, palms and
coffee) and explain the value of molecular genetic data, including
evolutionary developmental biology and DNA barcoding, in insect
biodiversity studies.The authors maintain the clarity and
conciseness of earlier editions, and extend the profuse
illustrations with new hand-drawn figures. Over 50 colour
photographs, together with the informative text and an accompanying
website with links to video clips, appendices, textboxes and
further reading lists, encourage a deeper scientificstudy of
insects. The book is intended as the principal text for students
studying entomology, as well as a reference text for undergraduate
and graduate courses in fields of ecology, agriculture, fisheries
and forestry, palaeontology, zoology, and medical and veterinary
science.
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