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Elsevier

Books in Insect ecology and behaviour

  • Threats to Pollinator Abundance and Diversity

    • 1st Edition
    • Scott A. Elias
    • English
    Threats to Pollinator Abundance and Diversity, the first release in the Pollinators in Peril series, covers the latest research on insect pollinators, the threats to their survival, declining populations, and what conservation actions should be taken. The book demonstrates that most threats to pollinators are either directly or indirectly human-caused, such as chemicals, land alteration, and habitat loss due to agricultural practices, as well as climate change and its many ripple effects. Covering everything from honeybee pathogens to butterfly range changes, this book covers concepts that are both crucial for researchers in entomology, upper-level students, governmental and non-governmental organizations, and adjacent fields.Pollinating insects are among the most crucial species groups on earth. Without them, much of the earth’s vegetation would not survive and the elaborate ecosystems they sustain would collapse. Today, pollinator declines have reached critical levels in most regions of the world.

  • Non-Native Species

    Understanding the Impacts on Ecosystems and Societies
    • 1st Edition
    • Andrei Alyokhin
    • English
    Presently, virtually no areas on Earth remain sheltered from the arrival and establishment of non-native plants, insects, and animals, in large part due to human activities. Failure to address this issue may have dire consequences, including disruption of vital ecological processes, loss of agricultural, forestry, and fishery resources, and even serious disease epidemics within human populations. At the same time, most non-native species are not invasive, and attempts to eradicate them may themselves result in environmental, economic, and even social damage. Non-Native Species: Understanding the Impacts on Ecosystems and Societies provides a comprehensive introduction to the issues surrounding invasion biology, which is a prominent, but sometimes controversial, area of applied biology. It will cover the mechanisms of natural and human-mediated biological invasions, their consequences from ecological, economic, political, and ethical perspectives, and discuss management options available for prevention and/or mitigation of the negative impacts of invasive species.Written by an entomologist who studies invasive insects and plants and has spent over 20 years teaching a course on biological invasions, Non-Native Species: Understanding the Impacts on Ecosystems and Societies offers anecdotes, insights, and case studies from the author’s own work and research. This book is an ideal reference for early career researchers with an interest in invasion ecology, or an ideal course companion for students at the undergraduate and graduate levels enrolled in courses on invasive species, non-native species, or biological invasions, particularly those who plan to major, minor, or concentrate in entomology.

  • Behavior of Insect Natural Enemies

    Ecology and Applications in Biological Control
    • 1st Edition
    • Omkar + 1 more
    • English
    Behavior of Insect Natural Enemies: Ecology and Applications in Biological Control provides a comprehensive guide to the mating, oviposition, predation, parasitism, competition, and foraging behavior of insect and mite natural enemies. With contributions from leading experts, the book is an essential resource for anyone with an interest in the fascinating world of insect behavior. Researchers in academia and industry can build upon the knowledge in this resource to investigate and develop novel biocontrol methods. Students, particularly graduate and postgraduate students, as well as lecturers in the fields of entomology, parasitology, zoology, and plant protection will also benefit from its fascinating information.Natural enemies of insects, consisting of predators, parasitoids, and pathogens, have attracted the attention of scientists and industry experts across the globe. Their unusual behaviors, from parasitism to cannibalism, exemplify a variety of biological behaviors and processes occurring within a balanced, yet complex ecosystem. They are ecofriendly and safe alternatives to pesticides yet still act as effective checks to pest populations.

  • Ant Behavior

    • 1st Edition
    • Abraham Hefetz
    • English
    Ant Behavior utilizes evolution as a framework for comprehending the social structure and conduct of ants. This book delves into the intricate workings of ant colonies, illustrating how they function not just as societies, but as cohesive "superorganisms." The text covers vital aspects such as colony structure, nest architecture, and the division of labor, emphasizing how ants collectively achieve their societal goals. In addition to exploring the colony dynamics, this comprehensive guide sheds light on reproductive competition, communication, and intra-colonial conflict. It explains the complex caste systems and details how ants engage in collective behavior to protect their colonies.Drawing on the latest research, it provides readers with a deep understanding of ant sociality and evolutionary biology. The book is an essential resource for students and researchers in entomology and zoology, particularly those with an interest in social insects and evolutionary studies.

  • Braconidae of the Middle East (Hymenoptera)

    Taxonomy, Distribution, Biology, and Biocontrol Benefits of Parasitoid Wasps
    • 1st Edition
    • Neveen S. Gadallah + 2 more
    • English
    Braconidae of the Middle East (Hymenoptera): Taxonomy, Distribution, Biology, and Biocontrol Benefits of Parasitoid Wasps provides the latest and most comprehensive knowledge of parasitoid wasp species. The highest concentration of these species is native to, or found in, the Middle East. This book covers the distribution of these species across the Palearctic region and their widespread global benefits as natural biocontrol agents. Each chapter covers a braconid subfamily, providing introductory information on its biology and phylogeny, total number of species, global distribution, and how they can be used to control pests and invasive insect species. In addition, this book discusses the importance of integrated pest management, specifically how Braconidae can be used for one-time or repeated introduction to natural enemies in suppressing pest populations. Finally, each chapter offers an illustrative key for readers to visualize and identify each species.

  • Insect Ecology

    An Ecosystem Approach
    • 5th Edition
    • Timothy D. Schowalter
    • English
    Insect Ecology: An Ecosystem Approach, Fifth Edition provides the most updated and comprehensive knowledge of the diversity of insect responses to environmental changes and their effects on ecosystem properties and services. Written by an expert in the field, this book addresses ways in which insect morphology, physiology and behavior tailor their adaptation to particular environmental conditions, how those adaptations affect their responses to environmental changes, and how their responses affect ecosystem properties and the ecosystem services on which humans depend for survival. This edition also addresses recent reports of global declines in insect abundance and how these declines could affect human interests. Insect Ecology: An Ecosystem Approach, Fifth Edition is an important resource for researchers, entomologists, ecologists, pest managers and conservationists who want to understand insect ecology and to manage insects in ways that sustain the delivery of ecosystem services. Graduate and advanced undergraduate students may also find this as a useful resource for entomology and specifically insect ecology courses.

  • Advances in Arthropod Repellents

    • 1st Edition
    • Joel Coats + 2 more
    • English
    Advances in Arthropod Repellents offers the most current knowledge on arthropod repellents. This area of study is quickly evolving as mosquito- and tick-borne diseases become more prevalent worldwide. Written by global arthropod repellent experts, this book begins by delving into molecule discovery and assay development that is followed by the latest research and investigations of repellent developments and effects. The book then offers readers a look into the global field, semi-field, and laboratory trials using various insect repellents, ranging from Africa, Australia, Europe, South America and the United States. Lastly, it examines the future of spatial repellents and expert insight. This book is a valuable resource for entomologists and vector control researchers and practitioners. Public health officials and developers in private pest control companies, as well as readers in academia will find this a useful resource to learn the latest information available on controlling the spread of arthropod-borne diseases with repellents.

  • Insect-Borne Diseases in the 21st Century

    • 1st Edition
    • Marcello Nicoletti
    • English
    Insect-Borne Diseases in the 21st Century provides a comprehensive look at the most notorious diseases carried by insects. It offers an assessment of current and potential insect-vectored diseases as they relate to human health and agricultural and livestock production. Written by a leading expert in insect-borne diseases, it examines the history of insect-borne diseases, beginning with those that have been well-known to scientists for decades, also including recent outbreaks like Zika. The book takes into consideration environmental conditions and climate change and explores the bionetworks and system biology of potential new superorganisms, offering preventative and protective solutions. This is a must-have resource for entomology researchers and students who seek the most up-to-date information on disease-causing pathogens transmitted by insects. This book will also serve as a resource for ordinary people whose lives may be affected by such diseases.

  • Insect Ecology

    An Ecosystem Approach
    • 4th Edition
    • Timothy D. Schowalter
    • English
    Insect Ecology: An Ecosystem Approach, Fourth Edition, follows a hierarchical organization that begins with relatively easy-to-understand chapters on adaptive responses of insect populations to various environmental changes, disturbances, and anthropogenic activities, how insects find food and habitat resources, and how insects allocate available energy and nutrients. Chapters build on fundamental information to show how insect populations respond to changing environmental conditions, including spatial and temporal distribution of food and habitat. The next section integrates populations of interacting species within communities and how these interactions determine structure of communities over time and space. Other works in insect ecology stop there, essentially limiting presentation of insect ecology to evolutionary responses of insects to their environment, including the activities of other species. The unique aspect of this book is its four chapters on ecosystem structure and function, and how herbivores, pollinators, seed predators, and detritivores drive ecosystem dynamics and contribute to ecosystem stability.

  • Insect Colonization and Mass Production

    • 1st Edition
    • Carroll Smith
    • English
    Insect Colonization and Mass Production reviews the great strides that have been made in the colonization and mass production of insects, including the methods used in rearing representative species and the general principles of nutrition and management that can be applied to the colonization of other species. The book highlights some of the notable successes in mass production and some examples of groups in which the difficulties inherent in laboratory rearing have not yet been overcome. Organized into five sections encompassing 39 chapters, this book begins with an overview of research in entomology that is facilitated by the availability of thriving insect colonies, along with the possibility of controlling insects directly by utilizing the insects, themselves, or by utilizing products derived from insects. Each chapter contains some historical background, as well as a description of the most efficient methods of production. Some chapters are concerned with only a single species, serving as an example of its taxonomic group, and to a lesser extent of other insects with similar nutritional and environmental requirements. Other chapters discuss rearing methods for entire groups of species that share common requirements. Insects covered by the book range from lice and ticks to fleas, flies, moths, yellow fever mosquitoes, and different species of worms. This book will be of interest to entomologists as well as students involved in insect physiology, behavior, and genetics.

  • Trap Responses of Flying Insects

    The Influence of Trap Design on Capture Efficiency
    • 1st Edition
    • R. C. Muirhead-Thompson
    • English
    Insect trapping is a basic field research tool for many biologists, whether they are studying insect pests, disease vectors or insect ecology for its own sake. Any field entomologist contemplating a new insect trapping program or looking to improve or develop an existing scheme will benefit from this broad review of flying insect traps, in which the author draws on a wide variety of methods used by different research projects from all over the world. Over the years a great many traps have been developed and endlessly modified to suit particular species, habitats, and research requirements. In virtually every case the design of the trap interacts with the specific behavior of the insects involved to bias trap efficiency. In addition, the limited dialogue between workers in different subject disciplines and habitats has caused a shortage of new information available to field entomologists as a whole.

  • Spider Physiology and Behaviour

    Behaviour
    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 41
    • English
    This latest volume in this series contains articles on Arachnid Physiology and Behaviour.The papers in this special issue give rise to key themes for the future.

  • A Systematic Catalogue of Eight Scale Insect Families (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) of the World

    Aclerdidae, Asterolecaniidae, Beesoniidae, Carayonemidae, Conchaspididae, Dactylopiidae, Kerriidae and Lecanodiaspididae
    • 1st Edition
    • Yair Ben-Dov
    • English
    A Systematic Catalogue of Soft-Scale Insects is a synthesis and catalogue of all the information published on eight families of scale insects (Hemiptera: Coccoidea) worldwide from 1758 to the present. Data is provided on their correct scientific names, common names, synonyms, taxonomy, host plants, distribution, natural enemies, biology, and economic importance. This book will be a valuable compendium of biological and systematic information for zoologists, entomologists, crop protection specialists, quarantine officers, students studying entomology and related disciplines, and others who require information about scale insects for research and control projects.

  • Insect Ecology

    An Ecosystem Approach
    • 3rd Edition
    • Timothy D. Schowalter
    • English
    The third edition of Insect Ecology: An Ecosystem Approach provides a modern perspective of insect ecology that integrates two approaches traditionally used to study insect ecology: evolutionary and ecosystem. This integration substantially broadens the scope of insect ecology and contributes to prediction and resolution of the effects of current environmental changes, as these affect and are affected by insects. The third edition includes an updated and expanded synthesis of feedback and interactions between insects and their environment. This updated material and a new chapter on applications of insect ecology to social and environmental issues effectively demonstrates how evolutionary and ecosystem approaches complement each other, with the intent of stimulating further integration of these approaches in experiments that address insect roles in ecosystems. Effective management of ecosystem resources depends on evaluation of the complex, often complementary, effects of insects on ecosystem conditions, as well as insect responses to changing conditions.

  • Insect Hormones

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 73
    • Gerald Litwack
    • English
    Insect biochemistry and molecular genetics have become enormously important sciences. Molecular genetics of drosophila has paced mammalian genetics and has facilitated many advances in mammalian genetics. Moreover, many life-threatening diseases for man are now carried chiefly by insects and our increasing knowledge of the basic science of insects may help to control these diseases. There is no more important facet of insect science than insect hormones, the agents that allow for communication between cells and tissues. This volume updates important areas of this subject, namely: hormonal control of ecdysis; ecdysone receptors in agriculture and medicine; molecular structure of the receptor ligand binding site of ecdysone; a molecular genetic approach to the biosynthesis of the molting hormone; non-steroidal ecdysone agonists; molecular actions of juvenile hormone in drosophila, and insect neuropeptide receptors.

  • Biology of Disease Vectors

    • 2nd Edition
    • William H. Marquardt
    • English
    Biology of Disease Vectors presents a comprehensive and advanced discussion of disease vectors and what the future may hold for their control. This edition examines the control of disease vectors through topics such as general biological requirements of vectors, epidemiology, physiology and molecular biology, genetics, principles of control and insecticide resistance. Methods of maintaining vectors in the laboratory are also described in detail.No other single volume includes both basic information on vectors, as well as chapters on cutting-edge topics, authored by the leading experts in the field. The first edition of Biology of Disease Vectors was a landmark text, and this edition promises to have even more impact as a reference for current thought and techniques in vector biology.

  • Plant Virus Vector Interactions

    • 1st Edition
    • Volume 36
    • English
    Most viruses that infect plants need an intermediary (vector) for their spread between plants. This book describes, for the main vector groups, the current state of knowledge of what happens to viruses in their passage through their vectors and what interactions within the vector determine whether or not they are passed on to new plants. This volume of Advances in Botanical Research brings together current research on virus-vector interactions, with chapters on aphids, fungi, whitefly, beetles, nematodes, thrips, leafhoppers, treehoppers, and planthoppers, and other vectors. Advances in Botanical Research is a multi-volume publication that brings together reviews by recognized experts on subjects of importance to those involved in botanical research. First published in 1963, Advances in Botanical Research has earned a reputation for excellence in the field for more than thirty years. In 1995, Advances in Botanical Research was merged with Advances in Plant Pathology to provide one comprehensive resource for the plant science community, with equal coverage of plant pathology and botany in both thematic and mixed volumes. Now edited by J.A. Callow (University of Birmingham, UK), supported by an international Editorial Board, Advances in Botanical Research publishes in-depth and up-to-date reviews on a wide range of topics which will appeal to post-graduates and researchers in plant sciences including botany, plant biochemistry, plant pathology and plant physiology. Eclectic volumes in the serial are supplemented by thematic volumes on such topics as Plant Protein Kinases, and Plant Trichomes. In 1999, the Institute for Scientific Information released figures showing that Advances in Botanical Research has an Impact Factor of 4.378, placing it 8th in the highly competitive category of Plant Sciences.

  • Insect Timing

    Circadian Rhythmicity to Seasonality
    • 1st Edition
    • D.L. Denlinger + 2 more
    • English
    Leading experts in the field bring together diverse aspects of insect timing mechanisms. This work combines three topics that are central to the understanding of biological timing in insects: circadian rhythms, photoperiodism, and diapause. The common theme underlining each of the contributions to this book is an understanding of the timing of events in the insect life cycle. Most daily activities (emergence, feeding, mating, egg laying, etc.) undertaken by insects occur at precise times each day. Likewise, seasonal events such as the entry into or termination from an overwintering dormancy (diapause) occur at distinct times of the year. This book documents such events and provides an up-to-date interpretation of the molecular and physiological events undergirding these activities.The study of circadian rhythms has undergone a flowering in recent years with the molecular dissection of the components of the circadian clock. Now that many of the clock genes have been identified it is possible to track daily patterns of clock-related mRNAs and proteins to link the entraining light cycles with molecular oscillations within the cell. Insect experiments have led the way in demonstrating that the concept of a "master clock" can no longer be used to explain the temporal organization within an animal. Insects have a multitude of cellular clocks that can function independently and retain their function under organ culture conditions, and they thus offer a premier system for studying how the hierarchical organization of clocks results in the overall temporal organization of the animal. Photoperiodism, and its most obvious manifestation, diapause, does not yet have the molecular underpinning that has been established for circadian rhythms, but recent studies are beginning to identify genes that appear to be involved in the regulation of diapause. Overall, the book presents the rich diversity of challenges and opportunities provided by insects for the study of timing mechanisms.