Download or read book Biology of Chrysomelidae written by P. Jolivet and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 624 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: As in most groups of insects, scientific research on the Chrysomelidae began in Europe in 1758, with the description of a few genera and species by the Scandinavian entomologists C. von Linne, I.C. Fabricius, and others. As the 19th century dawned, many systematic entomologists took up the study of chrysomelid beetles, together with other groups of beetles, and many new species and genera were described from all parts of the world. This trend has, of course, continued down to the present time. However, researches on the Chrysomelidae did not remain restricted to systematics, and many new lines of study have been followed, especially in the present century, by workers who have benefitted from the advances made in related fields of pure and applied entomology. Much has been achieved in the study of the Chrysomelidae, as elsewhere, and it is the aim of the present book to provide a summary and guide to these achievements. It is also to be expected that this book will provide a stimulus for further studies on the Chrysomelidae, so that we can anticipate continuing progress in our knowledge and understanding of this group through the endeavours of an ever-increasing number of scientists. I offer my congratulations to all concerned in the preparation of this book and my best wishes for its success.

Download or read book Phytochemical Diversity and Redundancy in Ecological Interactions written by John T. Romeo and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-11-11 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Diversity within and among living organisms is both a biological impera tive and a biological conundrum. Phenotypic and genotypic diversity is the critical currency ofecological interactions and the evolution of life. Thus, it is not unexpected to find vast phytochemical diversity among plants. However, among the most compelling questions which arise among those interested in ecological phytochemistry is the extent, nature, and reasons for the diversity of chemieals in plants. The idea that natural products (secondary metabolites) are accidents of metabolism and have no biological function is an old one which has resurfaced recently under a new term "redundancy. " Redundancy in the broader sense can be viewed as duplication of effort. The co-occurrence of several classes of phytochemieals in a given plant may be redundancy. Is there unnecessary duplication of chemical defense systems and ifso, why? What selective forces have produced this result? On the other hand, why does the same compound often have multiple functions? At a symposium of the Phytochemical Society of North America held in August 1995, in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, Canada, the topic "Phytochernical Redundancy in Ecological Interactions" was discussed. The chapters in this volume are based on that symposium. They both stimulate thought and provide some working hypotheses for future research. It is being increasingly recognized that functional diversity and multiplicity of function of natural products is the norm rather than the exception.

Download or read book Pharmacology and Applications of Naturally Occurring Iridoids written by Biswanath Dinda and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-03-26 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In this book, the author provides expert analysis on naturally occurring iridoids, their chemistry and their distribution in plants and insects. Particular attention is given to the pharmacology of iridoids and their prospective applications in pharmaceutical and agricultural industries. Iridoids are found in a wide variety of plants and some insects, and they are structurally derived from monoterpenoid natural products. In the first two chapters of this book, the author describes the iridoids classification, occurrence and distribution in plants and insects. The following chapters cover different chromatographic and spectroscopic techniques that can be used to identify and quantify iridoids in herbal formulations, and also the biosynthesis of iridoids, in which the reader will discover a metabolomics and transcriptomics analysis to identify the genes involved in the biosynthesis. The final chapters provide insights on several pharmacological activities of iridoids, their physiological role in insects, pharmacokinetics in mammals, insects and microorganisms, and their applications in medicine and agriculture. This book will engage students and researchers interested in the chemistry of natural products, and it will also appeal to medicinal chemists and practitioners working in the design of new herbal drugs with bioactive pure iridoids.

Download or read book Herbivores Their Interactions with Secondary Plant Metabolites written by and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2012-12-02 with total page 506 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume presents the latest research on herbivores, aquatic and terrestrial mammals and insects. The Second Edition, written almost entirely by new authors, effectively complements the initial work. It includes advances in molecular biology and microbiology, ecology, and evolutionary theory that have been achieved since the first edition was published in 1979. The book also incorporates relatively new methodologies in the area of molecular biology, like protein purification and gene cloning. Volume II, Ecological and Evolutionary Processes, also opens up entirely new subjects: The discussions of interactions have expanded to include phenomena at higher trophic levels, such as predation and microbial processing and other environmental influences. Both this and Volume I, The Chemical Participants, will be of interest to chemists, biochemists, plant and insect ecologists, evolutionary biologists, physiologists, entomologists, and agroecologists interested in both crop and animal science. - Presents coevolution of herbivores and host plants - Examines resource availability and its effects on secondary metabolism and herbivores - Studies physiology and biochemistry of adaptation to hosts - Includes tri-trophic interactions involving predators and microbes

Download or read book Biotechnology of Isoprenoids written by Jens Schrader and published by Springer. This book was released on 2015-05-19 with total page 470 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book review series presents current trends in modern biotechnology. The aim is to cover all aspects of this interdisciplinary technology where knowledge, methods and expertise are required from chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, genetics, chemical engineering and computer science. Volumes are organized topically and provide a comprehensive discussion of developments in the respective field over the past 3-5 years. The series also discusses new discoveries and applications. Special volumes are dedicated to selected topics which focus on new biotechnological products and new processes for their synthesis and purification. In general, special volumes are edited by well-known guest editors. The series editor and publisher will however always be pleased to receive suggestions and supplementary information. Manuscripts are accepted in English.

Download or read book The Ecology of Plant Secondary Metabolites written by Glenn R. Iason and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2012-04-19 with total page 361 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Plant secondary metabolites (PSMs) such as terpenes and phenolic compounds are known to have numerous ecological roles, notably in defence against herbivores, pathogens and abiotic stresses and in interactions with competitors and mutualists. This book reviews recent developments in the field to provide a synthesis of the function, ecology and evolution of PSMs, revealing our increased awareness of their integrative role in connecting natural systems. It emphasises the multiple roles of secondary metabolites in mediating the interactions between organisms and their environment at a range of scales of ecological organisation, demonstrating how genes encoding for PSM biosynthetic enzymes can have effects from the cellular scale within individual plants all the way to global environmental processes. A range of recent methodological advances, including molecular, transgenic and metabolomic techniques, are illustrated and promising directions for future studies are identified, making this a valuable reference for researchers and graduate students in the field.

Download or read book Induced Plant Resistance to Herbivory written by Andreas Schaller and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2008-03-27 with total page 450 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This timely book provides an overview of the anatomical, chemical, and developmental features contributing to plant defense, with an emphasis on plant responses that are induced by wounding or herbivore attack. The book first introduces general concepts of direct and indirect defenses, followed by a focused review of the different resistance traits. Finally, signal perception and transduction mechanism for the activation of plant defense responses are discussed.

Download or read book Chemoecology of Insect Eggs and Egg Deposition written by Monika Hilker and published by . This book was released on 2002 with total page 420 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Plant Litter written by Björn Berg and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2013-11-19 with total page 324 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the publication of the 2nd edition, there have been substantial developments in the field of litter decomposition. This fully revised and updated 3rd edition of Plant Litter reflects and discusses new findings and re-evaluates earlier ones in light of recent research and with regard to current areas of investigation. The availability of several long-term studies allows a more in-depth approach to decomposition patterns and to the later stages of decomposition, as well as to humus formation and accumulation. The latest information focuses on three fields: - the effects of manganese on decomposition and possibly on carbon sequestration, - new findings on decomposition dynamics, and - the new analytical technique using 13C-NMR.

Download or read book Ecology and Behaviour of the Ladybird Beetles Coccinellidae written by Ivo Hodek and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2012-04-19 with total page 605 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ladybirds are probably the best known predators of aphids and coccids in the world, though this greatly underestimates the diversity of their biology. Maximising their impact on their prey is an important element in modern conservation biological control of indigenous natural enemies in contrast to the classical approach of releasing alien species. Ivo Hodek is one of the most internationally respected experts on coccinellids who has researched these insects for his entire career. He has now brought together 14 scientists of international standing to author 12 chapters, making this book the definitive treatment of coccinellid biology and ecology. This volume covers the rapid scientific developments of recent years in the understanding of coccinellid phylogeny, the semiochemicals influencing their behaviour and of molecular genetics. Recent insights in relation to intraguild predation and the assessment of the predatory impact of coccinellids are also covered. Other special features of the volume are the extensive references covering the literature from both East and West and a taxonomic glossary of the up-to-date nomenclature for species of coccinellids as well as of other organisms mentioned in the text. While aimed at researchers, university teachers and agricultural entomologists, the book is readable and appropriate for others who just have a liking for these interesting and attractive insects.

Download or read book Specialization Speciation and Radiation written by Kelley Jean Tilmon and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2008 with total page 360 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This volume captures the state-of-the-art in the study of insect-plant interactions, and marks the transformation of the field into evolutionary biology. The contributors present integrative reviews of uniformly high quality that will inform and inspire generations of academic and applied biologists. Their presentation together provides an invaluable synthesis of perspectives that is rare in any discipline."--Brian D. Farrell, Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University "Tilmon has assembled a truly wonderful and rich volume, with contributions from the lion's share of fine minds in evolution and ecology of herbivorous insects. The topics comprise a fascinating and deep coverage of what has been discovered in the prolific recent decades of research with insects on plants. Fascinating chapters provide deep analyses of some of the most interesting research on these interactions. From insect plant chemistry, behavior, and host shifting to phylogenetics, co-evolution, life-history evolution, and invasive plant-insect interaction, one is hard pressed to name a substantial topic not included. This volume will launch a hundred graduate seminars and find itself on the shelf of everyone who is anyone working in this rich landscape of disciplines."--Donald R. Strong, Professor of Evolution and Ecology, University of California, Davis "Seldom have so many excellent authors been brought together to write so many good chapters on so many important topics in organismic evolutionary biology. Tom Wood, always unassuming and inspired by living nature, would have been amazed and pleased by this tribute."--Mary Jane West-Eberhard, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute

Download or read book Insect Biodiversity written by Robert G. Foottit and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2018-04-11 with total page 1635 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Volume Two of the new guide to the study of biodiversity in insects Volume Two of Insect Biodiversity: Science and Society presents an entirely new, companion volume of a comprehensive resource for the most current research on the influence insects have on humankind and on our endangered environment. With contributions from leading researchers and scholars on the topic, the text explores relevant topics including biodiversity in different habitats and regions, taxonomic groups, and perspectives. Volume Two offers coverage of insect biodiversity in regional settings, such as the Arctic and Asia, and in particular habitats including crops, caves, and islands. The authors also include information on historical, cultural, technical, and climatic perspectives of insect biodiversity. This book explores the wide variety of insect species and their evolutionary relationships. Case studies offer assessments on how insect biodiversity can help meet the needs of a rapidly expanding human population, and examine the consequences that an increased loss of insect species will have on the world. This important text: Offers the most up-to-date information on the important topic of insect biodiversity Explores vital topics such as the impact on insect biodiversity through habitat loss and degradation and climate change With its companion Volume I, presents current information on the biodiversity of all insect orders Contains reviews of insect biodiversity in culture and art, in the fossil record, and in agricultural systems Includes scientific approaches and methods for the study of insect biodiversity The book offers scientists, academics, professionals, and students a guide for a better understanding of the biology and ecology of insects, highlighting the need to sustainably manage ecosystems in an ever-changing global environment.

Download or read book Growth Control in Woody Plants written by Theodore T. Kozlowski and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 1997-01-21 with total page 658 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The processes and mechanisms that control the growth of woody plants are of crucial importance for both economic and biological reasons. The comprehensive coverage of Growth Control in Woody Plants includes discussion of the growth controlling factors in both reproductive structures (flowers, fruit, seeds, pollen, etc.) and vegetative organs (stems, branches, leaves, and roots). Other major topics covered include seed germination, seedling growth, physiological and environmental regulation of growth, cultural practices, and biotechnology.This comprehensive treatment of the many factors that control the growth of woody plants can serve both as a valuable text and as a frequently used reference.* Includes comprehensive representation of a broad subject* Provides thorough bibliographic coverage * Well illustrated* Serves as a vital companion to Physiology of Woody Plants, Second Edition

Download or read book The Biology of the Coleoptera written by R. A. Crowson and published by Academic Press. This book was released on 2013-09-03 with total page 817 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Biology of the Coleoptera covers the branches of modern biology of Coleoptera. The book discusses the biological study of beetles; some skeletal peculiarities and the internal structures of the adults. The text also describes some structural features of larvae and pupae; food, digestion and the alimentary canal; and blood, osmoregulation, reserves, excretion and endocrine organs. The locomotion, respiration and energetics; the senses; and the cuticular properties, appearance, color and luminosity are also considered. The book further tackles the adult and larval behavior; the development and life-cycles; and the cytology and genetics. The text also looks into water beetles; special habitats; predation and defence; and symbiotic and parasitic relations. The ecological triangle: beetles, fungi and trees; and herbivorous beetles are also looked into. The book also discusses the role of beetles as ecological indicators; and the evolutionary history of beetles. Entomologists, ecologists, and biologists will find the book useful.

Download or read book Invasive Stink Bugs and Related Species Pentatomoidea written by J.E. McPherson and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2018-01-17 with total page 864 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Key features: Presents a brief history of past classifications, a summary of present classification, and speculation on how the classification may evolve in the future Includes keys for the identification of families and subfamilies of the Pentatomoidea and for the tribes in the Pentatomidae Explains transmission of plant pathogens and concepts of pathology and heteropteran feeding for the non-specialist Provides an extensive literature review of transmission by stink bugs of viral, bacterial, fungal, and protozoan organisms that cause diseases of plants Discusses the diversity of microbial symbionts in the Pentatomidae and related species, showing how microorganisms underpin the evolution of this insect group Reviews semiochemicals (pheromones, kairomones, allomones) of the Pentatomoidea and their vital role in the life histories of pest and beneficial species and their exploitation by natural enemies of true bugs Covers past, current, and future control options for insects, with a focus on stink bugs and related heteropterans The Superfamily Pentatomoidea (stink bugs and their relatives) is comprised of 18 families with over 8,000 species, the largest of which is the family Pentatomidae (about 5,000 species). These species primarily are phytophagous, and many cause tremendous economic damage to crops worldwide. Within this superfamily are six invasive species, two that occur worldwide and four that are recent invaders in North America. Once established in new geographic regions, these species have increased their numbers and geographic distributions dramatically, causing economic damage totaling billions of dollars. Invasive Stink Bugs and Related Species (Pentatomoidea): Biology, Higher Systematics, Semiochemistry, and Management is the first book that presents comprehensive coverage of the biology of invasive pentatomoids and related true bug species and addresses issues of rapidly growing economic and environmental concerns. Containing the contributions of more than 60 stink bug specialists from 15 countries, this book provides a better understanding of the biology and economic importance of these invasive species, why they became invasive, and how their continued geographical expansion is likely to affect numerous agricultural systems and natural environments. Including over 3,500 references, this authoritative work serves as an access point to the primary literature on their life histories, higher systematics, diapause and seasonal cycles, pathogens, symbionts, semiochemistry, and pest management control strategies for pentatomoid bugs.

Download or read book Clays and Clay Minerals written by Liam R. Wesley and published by Nova Science Publishers. This book was released on 2014 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The peculiar characteristics of clays provide it with very interesting adsorption qualities, especially for polar or ionisable molecules. Some of these characteristics include the silicates' sheet structure that makes a large surface area accessible for adsorption; the usually significant surface charge that can be responsible for strong electrostatic interactions; and clays' swelling properties and presence of exchangeable surface cations that facilitate ion-exchange mechanisms. Added to their wide availability and associated low cost, these characteristics have motivated in recent years an increasing interest in utilising natural, processed or chemically-modified clays for the removal of organic contaminants from aqueous solutions. This book discusses the application of clay materials for the removal of organic compounds from contaminated waters. It also discusses several other topics that include time and temperature related behaviour of clays; mechanical treatment of clay minerals; the workability of natural clays and clays in the ceramics industry; recent advances in hydraulic performance of clay liners; and the genesis, properties and industrial applications of bauxitic lithomargic clay.

Download or read book Toxic Plant Proteins written by J. Michael Lord and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2010-07-20 with total page 275 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Many plants produce enzymes collectively known as ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs). RIPs catalyze the removal of an adenine residue from a conserved loop in the large ribosomal RNA. The adenine residue removed by this depurination is crucial for the binding of elongation factors. Ribosomes modified in this way are no longer able to carry out protein synthesis. Most RIPs exist as single polypeptides (Type 1 RIPs) which are largely non-toxic to mammalian cells because they are unable to enter them and thus cannot reach their ribosomal substrate. In some instances, however, the RIP forms part of a heterodimer where its partner polypeptide is a lectin (Type 2 RIPs). These heterodimeric RIPs are able to bind to and enter mammalian cells. Their ability to reach and modify ribosomes in target cells means these proteins are some of the most potently cytotoxic poisons found in nature, and are widely assumed to play a protective role as part of the host plant’s defenses. RIPs are able to further damage target cells by inducing apoptosis. In addition, certain plants produce lectins lacking an RIP component but which are also cytotoxic. This book focuses on the structure/function and some potential applications of these toxic plant proteins.