This collection features three peer-reviewed literature reviews on pesticide residues in agriculture. The first chapter outlines the ways in which pesticide use can lead to increased pest problems, such as pest resurgence and replacement, and the development of pesticide resistance. The chapter examines current strategies for mitigating the impacts of pesticides and refers to a detailed case study on the diamondback moth (DBM) to demonstrate the practical application of these strategies. The second chapter explores the threat of pesticide poisoning to human health, either via deliberate self-poisoning or via occupational exposure. It discusses how best to monitor exposure to pesticides, as well as how to minimize the human health risks that may arise as a result of their use/exposure. The authors refer to a case study on smallholder cotton farmers in the Republic of Benin to emphasise the global pesticide poisoning crisis. The final chapter reviews the environmental impacts of pesticide use in agriculture, focussing on their contribution to global human and ecological health issues. It provides an overview of how pesticides are currently addressed in emission inventory and impact assessment, and discusses the relevance of spatiotemporal variability in modelling emissions and the toxicity and ecotoxicity impacts of pesticides.

Interest in the way in which symbiotic bacteria can manipulate reproduction in their invertebrate hosts has risen rapidly in recent years. Discoveries have ranged from bacteria that can determine the likelihood of their fruitfly hosts finding a partner to mate with to bacteria infecting woodlice that can cause sex changes in offspring. This unique book is the first comprehensive and systematic review of the 'reproductive parasites'. Written by leading experts in the field, it explores not only the intriguing theoretical questions raised by the relationships between symbiotic bacteria and their hosts, but also discusses a number of exciting practical applications, such as potential for controlling the reproduction of disease transmitting insects. Chapters on sex reversal, sex-ratio distortion, and evolution are also included. This timely and up-to-date volume will be important reading for researchers and students in the fields of entomology, evolution, ecology, genetics, and microbiology.

Most natural populations intermittently experience extremely stressful conditions. This book discusses how such conditions can cause periods of intense selection, increasing both phenotypic and genetic variation, and allowing organisms with novel characteristics to be first generated and then established in the population. The authors argue that stressful conditions can have a major impact on the environment, backing up their arguments with evidence from the fossil record. They suggest further that, as a consequence, periods of stress must be taken into consideration when long term conservation strategies are planned, particularly as stressful conditions are becoming increasingly prevalent as a result of human activities. This broad overview will be of great interest to students and researchers in the field of evolutionary biology, genetics, ecology, palaeontology and conservation biology.

Most natural populations experience extremely stressful conditions. This book discusses how such conditions can cause periods of intense selection that increase both phenotypic and genetic variation, and allow organisms with novel characteristics to be first generated and then established in the population. Using evidence from the fossil record, the authors argue that stressful conditions can have a major impact on the environments. They also suggest that as a consequence, periods of stress must be taken into consideration when long term conservation strategies are planned, particularly as stressful conditions emerge as a result of human activities. This broad overview will be of great interest to students and researchers in the field of evolutionary biology, genetics, ecology, paleontology and conservation biology.