Insect Ecology: An Ecosystem ApproachInsects are the most diverse and dominant group of organisms on Earth. They are highly sensitive to environmental changes and are capable of responding dramatically by engineering further changes in ecosystem structure and function. Their capacity to respond dramatically to environmental gradients often brings them into conflict with our resource management goals. Insects are also potentially useful indicators of impending environmental changes. Insect Ecology integrates the traditional emphasis on insect diversity, life history adaptations, and species interactions with insects roles in ecosystems subject to environmental changes. Key Features * Integrates individual, population, community, and ecosystem levels of ecological resolution * Illustrates the relationship of insect ecology to disturbance dynamics and environmental change * Relates metapopulation dynamics to ecosystem structure and function * Demonstrates the ability of insect functional groups to affect ecosystem and global processes, such as primary production, biogeochemical cycling, and carbon flux * Provides a context for evolution as feedback between community modification of ecosystem conditions and selection of individual attributes that regulate ecosystem conditions |
Contents
Surviving Variable Abiotic Conditions | 32 |
Factors Affecting Dispersal Behavior | 41 |
Resource Allocation | 85 |
Copyright | |
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abiotic abundance adapted affect animals ants aphids aquatic arthropods bark beetles bees behavior biomass biomes canopy carbon Chapter chemical climate colonization community structure competition concentrations Crossley cycling decomposition defenses demes detritivores dispersal distribution disturbance diversity Douglas-fir Ecology ecosys ecosystem processes efficiency energy and nutrient environmental changes environmental conditions example factors feedback feeding fluxes foliage folivores food resources foraging forest fragmentation functional groups fungi genetic gradients grassland habitat herbivores host increase individuals insect populations landscape larvae litter Lowman males mating metapopulation microbial mites mortality mutualistic natality nests nitrogen organisms outbreaks oviposition parasites parasitoid patches patterns pheromones pine beetle plant species pollinators population density population dynamics population growth prey primary production reduce relatively represent reproduction responses result Schowalter Seastedt seed predators soil spatial species richness stability strategies successional suitable survival temperature termites terrestrial tion trees trophic level tropical typically ulation variables vegetation whereas