Download or read book Observation of social organization nesting and ecological interaction of termites in a semi arid ecosystem written by Dancan Mwangi and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2015-03-17 with total page 61 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bachelor Thesis from the year 2015 in the subject Biology - Behaviour, South Eastern Kenya University, Kitui Campus, language: English, abstract: Termites are eusosial organisms that have a profile of destructive and menacing organisms that serve an insignificant role in Earth’s ecology complex system. In the semi arid parts of Kenya, they are thought to be the primary cause of vegetation denudation especially during the dry seasons. Even after several years of Biology advancement its uncouth how most people have failed to appreciate the incredible role this animal perform in their niche for the benefit of humanity, especially in the inhospitable arid and infertile environments. Moisture shortage and the elevated temperatures characterize these regions, which has discouraged the survival of many decomposers in this environment leaving only a few species that have adapted to the conditions to survive, notably several species of termites. Water is life; this truth is not lost on these creatures. Some species of termites have evolved to such a level that they have the abilities to forage over unusual long distances and partially control their own dwelling environments, through the construction of nests structures in such a way that humidity and temperature does not vary all seasons. Termites create ingenious nests (mounds) from their waste materials and soils through tightly packing every particle together, creating waterproof corridors. For this reason, many have termed them as soil engineers. The termites’ ability to digest cellulose gives them advantage over other soil macro decomposers. This is enhanced by their mutualistic coexistence with certain bacteria in their gut that enables them to digest cellulose, which is the main constituent of their diet. Overall, Termites are most active soil macro inverts dominating the decomposition process in arid and semi arid environment during the dry seasons.
Download or read book Termites written by Takuya Abe and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2000 with total page 498 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The book is a new compendium in which leading termite scientists review the advances of the last 30 years in our understanding of phylogeny, fossil records, relationships with cockroaches, social evolution, nesting, behaviour, mutualisms with archaea, protists, bacteria and fungi, nutrition, energy metabolism, population and community ecology, soil conditioning, greenhouse gas production and pest status.
Download or read book Ecological Based Management of Termites in Semi arid Ecosystems written by Swidiq Mugerwa and published by . This book was released on 2011-11 with total page 96 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book On the Ecology and Evolution of Microorganisms Associated with Fungus growing Termites written by Anna Alida Visser and published by . This book was released on 2011 with total page 175 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Ecology of Desert Communities written by Gary A. Polis and published by University of Arizona Press. This book was released on 2023-01-17 with total page 470 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Provides interesting and thought-provoking reading and is highly recommended to anyone interested in desert ecosystems or community ecology. The book . . . should serve as an inspiration to many for future research."—Journal of Biogeography "This book is not just about deserts; it is an update of the contributions that research in desert systems is making to community ecology. . . This book will provide a useful reference for desert ecologists, as well as indicate critical directions where progress needs to be made."—Ecology "This important book fills a significant gap in previous syntheses by presenting a detailed series of reviews of current understanding of community patterns and structure in desert environments. . . . Each chapter is thorough and well written and . . . closes with a discussion of suggested future research. . . . [T]hese ideas will do much to focus interest on the importance of desert systems in understanding community. Thus, this book has interest well beyond desert ecologists alone."—BioScience "Valuable reading and reference for ecology students, teachers and researchers."—Quarterly Review of Biology
Download or read book Biology of Termites a Modern Synthesis written by David Edward Bignell and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-10-20 with total page 580 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Biology of Termites, a Modern Synthesis brings together the major advances in termite biology, phylogenetics, social evolution and biogeography. In this new volume, David Bignell, Yves Roisin and Nathan Lo have brought together leading experts on termite taxonomy, behaviour, genetics, caste differentiation, physiology, microbiology, mound architecture, biogeography and control. Very strong evolutionary and developmental themes run through the individual chapters, fed by new data streams from molecular sequencing, and for the first time it is possible to compare the social organisation of termites with that of the social Hymenoptera, focusing on caste determination, population genetics, cooperative behaviour, nest hygiene and symbioses with microorganisms. New chapters have been added on termite pheromones, termites as pests of agriculture and on destructive invasive species.
Download or read book Insect Sampling in Forest Ecosystems written by Simon R. Leather and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2008-04-15 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Insect Sampling in Forest Ecosystems highlights the problems faced by entomologists working in forest ecosystems. Insects play a major part in all aspects of ecology Brings together the methodology needed to investigate insects through the various strata of the forest canopy Covers techniques associated with various specialised groups of forest insects Each chapter is backed up by a sound approach to experimental design and data analysis Essential reading for advanced students and researchers as well as teachers
Download or read book The Karoo written by W. Richard J. Dean and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1999-06-24 with total page 400 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The succulent and Nama-karoo form part of the arid south-western zone of Africa, a vast region of rugged landscapes and low treeless vegetation. Studies of this unique biome have yielded fascinating insights into the ecology of its flora and fauna. This book, originally published in 1999, is the first to synthesise these studies, presenting information on biogeographic patterns and life processes, form and function of animals and plants, foraging ecology, landscape-level dynamics and anthropogenic influences. Detailed analyses of the factors distinguishing the biota of the Karoo from that of other temperate deserts are given and generalisations about semi-arid ecosystems challenged. The ideas expounded, the ecological principles reviewed, and the results presented are relevant to all those working in the extensive arid and semi-arid regions of the world.
Download or read book Comparative Social Evolution written by Dustin R. Rubenstein and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-03-24 with total page 479 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Darwin famously described special difficulties in explaining social evolution in insects. More than a century later, the evolution of sociality - defined broadly as cooperative group living - remains one of the most intriguing problems in biology. Providing a unique perspective on the study of social evolution, this volume synthesizes the features of animal social life across the principle taxonomic groups in which sociality has evolved. The chapters explore sociality in a range of species, from ants to primates, highlighting key natural and life history data and providing a comparative view across animal societies. In establishing a single framework for a common, trait-based approach towards social synthesis, this volume will enable graduate students and investigators new to the field to systematically compare taxonomic groups and reinvigorate comparative approaches to studying animal social evolution.
Download or read book Insect Ecology written by Timothy D. Schowalter and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2006-02-27 with total page 575 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Dr. Timothy Schowalter has succeeded in creating a unique, updated treatment of insect ecology. This revised and expanded text looks at how insects adapt to environmental conditions while maintaining the ability to substantially alter their environment. It covers a range of topics- from individual insects that respond to local changes in the environment and affect resource distribution, to entire insect communities that have the capacity to modify ecosystem conditions.Insect Ecology, Second Edition, synthesizes the latest research in the field and has been produced in full color throughout. It is ideal for students in both entomology and ecology-focused programs. NEW TO THIS EDITION:* New topics such as elemental defense by plants, chaotic models, molecular methods to measure disperson, food web relationships, and more* Expanded sections on plant defenses, insect learning, evolutionary tradeoffs, conservation biology and more* Includes more than 350 new references* More than 40 new full-color figures
Download or read book Ant Plant Interactions written by Paulo S. Oliveira and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2017-08-17 with total page 461 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first volume devoted to anthropogenic effects on interactions between ants and flowering plants, considered major parts of terrestrial ecosystems.
Download or read book Dryland Ecohydrology written by Paolo D'Odorico and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2006-01-09 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ecohydrology emerges as a new field of research aiming at furthering our understanding of the earth system through the study of the interactions between the water cycle and vegetation. By combining the analysis of biotic and abiotic components of terrestrial ecosystems, this volume provides a synthesis of material on arid and semiarid landscapes, which is currently spread in a number of books and journal articles. The focus on water-limited ecosystems is motivated by their high sensitivity to daily, seasonal, and decadal perturbations in water availability, and by the ecologic, climatic, and economic significance of most of the drylands around the world. Conceived as a tool for scientists working in the area of the earth and environmental sciences, this book presents the basic principles of eco-hydrology as well as a broad spectrum of topics and advances in this research field. The chapters collected in this book have been contributed by authors with different expertise, who work in several arid areas around the World. They describe the various interactions among the biological and physical dynamics in dryland ecosystems, starting from basic processes in the soil-vegetation-climate system, to landscape-scale hydrologic and geomorphic processes, ecohydrologic controls on soil nutrient dynamics, and multiscale analyses of disturbances and patterns.
Download or read book Termites and Sustainable Management written by Md. Aslam Khan and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-02-19 with total page 272 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Volume comprises 12 chapters in an attempt to bring available information on biology, social behavour and economic importance of termites. Chapters in this book dealing with termites identification provide a review on most updated information of their systematics. Ecologically, termites interact with living and non-living surroundings and deliver a wide range of behaviors. In a separate chapter termites ecology is examined and explored. Termites depend on their gut microbes for digestion of complex polysaccharides of wood into simpler molecules. Information provided on termite gut microbiome and lignocellulose degradation constitutes an important contribution. Termite biology and social behaviour have been addressed comprehensively. Trail pheromones are responsible for the orientation and recruitment of nestmates to the food sources. Once arriving at a potential food source, termites assess its quality using a different set of cues. A separate chapter on trail pheromones, cues used during foraging and food assessment, with preferences for foraging sites, contributes a wealth of information. Emphasis has been given on reviewing ecological benefits of termites in other chapters. The information with respect to termite species as an edible insect and the overall role it plays in food and nutrition security in Africa is quite informative. A separate chapter dealing with importance of termites and termitaria in mineral exploration constitutes a significant step in addressing the economic importance of this insect group.
Download or read book Caste Differentiation in Social Insects written by J. A. L. Watson and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2014-04-24 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In more detail than has previously been available, this book comprehensively covers all the various mechanisms of caste differentiation in social insects. For the first time the most recent information regarding mechanisms of caste differentiation in higher termites has been compiled in a well illustrated volume, together with comparative discussion of the whole range of social insects, including bees, ants and wasps.
Download or read book Ecology of Desert Systems written by Walter G. Whitford and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2002-03-25 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Conventional wisdom considers deserts stark, harsh regions that support few living things. Most people also believe that water alone makes the desert bloom. Ecology of Desert Systems challenges these conventional views. This volume explores a broad range of topics of interest to ecosystem, population, community, and physiological ecologists. Climate, weather patterns, geomorphology, and wind and water processes are examined as variables that affect the distribution of biota through fundamental ecosystem processes. Descriptions of morphological, behavioral, and physiological adaptations of desert biota illuminate, through the lens of patch dynamics, principles for understanding observed patterns of primary production, nutrient cycling, and the effects of consumers. Desertification, and the techniques for monitoring and quantifying it, is examined within the framework of desert ecosystem patterns and processes. * Focuses on the interactions of climate, soil, and biota along a spectrum of spatial and temporal scales * Details the role of animals in desert ecosystems and landscape processes * Examines watershed scale processes, the ecology of ephemeral lakes, and the ecological changes identified with desertification * Outlines the fundamental concepts relevant to sustainable development of arid lands
Download or read book Pheromones and Animal Behavior written by Tristram D. Wyatt and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2014-01-23 with total page 425 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book explains how animals use chemical communication, emphasising the evolutionary context and covering fields from ecology to neuroscience and chemistry.
Download or read book Entomology Abstracts written by and published by . This book was released on 1999 with total page 434 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
