Plant-Provided Food for Carnivorous Insects: A Protective Mutualism And Its Applications - Softcover

Wäckers, F. L.

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1107414253 ISBN 13: 9781107414259

Publisher: Cambridge University Press, 2013

Synopsis

Within a carnivore's lifecycle, there is often at least one stage that relies on plant-provided food, e.g., nectar. In fact, carnivore omnivory is far more common than first thought. Contributed by an international team of experts, this book suggests, among other ideas, that presence, or lack of, plant-provided foods for carnivores could determine the success or failure of agricultural ecosystems using Integrated Pest Management systems relying on predators as biological control agents.

About this title

Book Description

Within a carnivore's lifecycle there is often at least one stage that relies on plant-provided food e.g. nectar. In fact carnivore omnivory is far more common than first thought. Written by an international team of experts, this book is a topical commentary set to influence thought on plant defence-theory and evolution, and agricultural practice. Amongst other topics it suggests that presence, or lack of, plant-provided foods for carnivores could determine the success or failure of agricultural ecosystems using Integrated Pest Management systems that rely on predators as biological control agents.

About the Author

F. L. Wackers is Senior Researcher at the Centre for Terrestrial Ecology, Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW). He has been working in the field of functional biodiversity and conservation biological control for over 15 years. His research focuses on multitrophic interactions between plants, herbivores and their antagonists. As a central theme, Felix Wackers studies the role of plant-derived food supplements in these interactions. In order to obtain insight into the role of sugars in 'food for protection mutualisms' he takes a twin approach, addressing both characteristics of the plant, as well as the potential consumers (their foraging, gustatory responses, energy metabolism and fitness benefits). He has published over 50 peer-reviewed articles in various ecological, entomological and botanical journals. His publications on functional biodiversity and conservation biological control span a period of 15 years. He has also taught insect ecology, tropical entomology, and field ecology, as well as various international PhD courses. Paul C. J. van Rijn's research focuses on ecological and evolutionary consequences of omnivory and intraguild predation in multitrophic interactions. He uniquely combines mathematical formulation of ecological theories with experimental testing, thereby covering the range from individual physiology and behaviour, via population dynamics, to community ecology. Evolutionary theory is used to narrow down ecological assumptions, and vice versa. In 2002 he took up a post-doctorate position at the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO), Department for Multitrophic Interactions, in Heteren, where he studies (in cooperation with Dr F. L. Wackers) the direct and indirect defense responses of plants to herbivores, and their evolutionary significance. Jan Bruin has a long-time interest in ecological and evolutionary aspects of plant-insect interactions. His active research focuses on interactions between carnivorous mites, phytophagous mites and a variety of host plants. He is co-editor of several books and editor of the journal Experimental and Applied Acarology. Jan Bruin has published over 20 peer-reviewed articles in various ecological and entomological journals.

Edition details

• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1107414253
• ISBN 13: 9781107414259
• Binding: Paperback
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 370