Seed Dispersal by Ants in a Deciduous Forest Ecosystem

Seed Dispersal by Ants in a Deciduous Forest Ecosystem PDF Author: Elena Gorb
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9401701733
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 246

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Book Description
Countless ants transport and deposit seeds and thereby influence the survival, death, and evolution of many plant species. In higher plants, seed dispersal by ants (myrmecochory) has appeared many times independently in different lineages. More than 3000 plant species are known to utilize ant assistance to be planted. Myrmecochory is a very interesting and rather enigmatic form of mutualistic ant-plant associations. This phenomenon is extremely complex, because there are hundreds of ant species connected with hundreds of plant species. This book effectively combines a thorough approach to investigating morphological and physiological adaptations of plants with elegant field experiments on the behaviour of ants. This monograph is a first attempt at collecting information about morphology, ecology and phenology of ants and plants from one ecosystem. The book gives readers a panoramic view of the hidden, poorly-known interrelations not only between pairs of ants and plant species, but also between species communities in the ecosystem. The authors have considered not just one aspect of animal-plant relationships, but have tried to show them in all their complexity. Some aspects of the ant-plant interactions described in the book may be of interest to botanists, others to zoologists or ecologists, but the entire work is an excellent example of the marriage of these biological disciplines.

Seed Dispersal by Ants in a Deciduous Forest Ecosystem

Seed Dispersal by Ants in a Deciduous Forest Ecosystem PDF Author: Elena Gorb
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN: 9401701733
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 246

Get Book Here

Book Description
Countless ants transport and deposit seeds and thereby influence the survival, death, and evolution of many plant species. In higher plants, seed dispersal by ants (myrmecochory) has appeared many times independently in different lineages. More than 3000 plant species are known to utilize ant assistance to be planted. Myrmecochory is a very interesting and rather enigmatic form of mutualistic ant-plant associations. This phenomenon is extremely complex, because there are hundreds of ant species connected with hundreds of plant species. This book effectively combines a thorough approach to investigating morphological and physiological adaptations of plants with elegant field experiments on the behaviour of ants. This monograph is a first attempt at collecting information about morphology, ecology and phenology of ants and plants from one ecosystem. The book gives readers a panoramic view of the hidden, poorly-known interrelations not only between pairs of ants and plant species, but also between species communities in the ecosystem. The authors have considered not just one aspect of animal-plant relationships, but have tried to show them in all their complexity. Some aspects of the ant-plant interactions described in the book may be of interest to botanists, others to zoologists or ecologists, but the entire work is an excellent example of the marriage of these biological disciplines.

Correlated Evolution of Ant Seed Dispersal and Flowering Phenology in the Herbaceous Flora of the Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome

Correlated Evolution of Ant Seed Dispersal and Flowering Phenology in the Herbaceous Flora of the Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome PDF Author: Lois I. Bangiolo
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Ants
Languages : en
Pages : 58

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Book Description


Combined Discrete and Continual Approaches in Biological Modelling

Combined Discrete and Continual Approaches in Biological Modelling PDF Author: Alexander E. Filippov
Publisher: Springer Nature
ISBN: 3030415287
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 327

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Book Description
Basic laws of nature are rather simple, but observed biological structures and their dynamic behaviors are unbelievably complicated. This book is devoted to a study of this “strange” relationship by applying mathematical modeling to various structures and phenomena in biology, such as surface patterns, bioadhesion, locomotion, predator-prey behavior, seed dispersal, etc. and revealing a kind of self-organization in these phenomena. In spite of diversity of biological systems considered, two main questions are (1) what does self-organization in biology mean mathematically and (2) how one can apply this knowledge to generate new knowledge about behavior of particular biological system? We believe that this kind of “biomimetics” in computer will lead to better understanding of biological phenomena and possibly towards development of technical implications based on our modeling.

Caatinga

Caatinga PDF Author: José Maria Cardoso da Silva
Publisher: Springer
ISBN: 331968339X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 487

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Book Description
This book provides in-depth information on Caatinga’s geographical boundaries and ecological systems, including plants, insects, fishes, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. It also discusses the major threats to the region’s socio-ecological systems and includes chapters on climate change and fast and large-scale land-use changes, as well as slow and small-scale changes, also known as chronic human disturbances. Subsequent chapters address sustainable agriculture, conservation systems, and sustainable development. Lastly, the book proposes 10 major actions that could enable the transformation of Caatinga into a place where people and nature can thrive together. “I consider this book an excellent example of how scientists worldwide can mobilize their efforts to propose sound solutions for one of the biggest challenges of modern times, i.e., how to protect the world’s natural ecosystems while improving human well-being. I am sure this book will inspire more research and conservation action in the region and perhaps encourage other groups of scientists to produce similar syntheses about their regions.” Russell Mittermeier, Ph.D. Executive Vice-Chair, Conservation International

Ant-Plant Interactions

Ant-Plant Interactions PDF Author: Paulo S. Oliveira
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
ISBN: 1108298788
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 461

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Book Description
Ants are probably the most dominant insect family on earth, and flowering plants have been the dominant plant group on land for more than 100 million years. In recent decades, human activities have degraded natural environments with unparalleled speed and scale, making it increasingly apparent that interspecific interactions vary not only under different ecological conditions and across habitats, but also according to anthropogenic global change. This is the first volume entirely devoted to the anthropogenic effects on the interactions between these two major components of terrestrial ecosystems. A first-rate team of contributors report their research from a variety of temperate and tropical ecosystems worldwide, including South, Central and North America, Africa, Japan, Polynesia, Indonesia and Australia. It provides an in-depth summary of the current understanding for researchers already acquainted with insect-plant interactions, yet is written at a level to offer a window into the ecology of ant-plant interactions for the mostly uninitiated international scientific community.

Ant Ecology

Ant Ecology PDF Author: Lori Lach
Publisher: Oxford University Press
ISBN: 0199544638
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 429

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Book Description
The incredible global diversity of ants, and their important ecological roles, mean that we cannot ignore the significance of ants in ecological systems. Ant Ecology takes the reader on a journey of discovery from the beginnings of ants many hundreds of thousands of years ago, through to the makings of present day distributions.

Insect Ecology

Insect Ecology PDF Author: Timothy D. Schowalter
Publisher: Academic Press
ISBN: 0128030372
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 776

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Book Description
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. Provides the most advanced synthesis of insect ecology, with updated material throughout and new chapters Presents the roles of insects in delivery of ecosystem services and applications to pest management and conservation Features full coverage of ecosystem structure and function balanced with essential background on evolutionary aspects Includes case studies highlighting practical and theoretical applications for topics covered in each chapter

Bees, Wasps, and Ants

Bees, Wasps, and Ants PDF Author: Eric Grissell
Publisher: Timber Press
ISBN: 0881929883
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 337

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Book Description
Explores the biology, importance of, and methods of encouragement of bees, wasps, and ants found in a garden.

The Ecology and Evolution of Ant-Plant Interactions

The Ecology and Evolution of Ant-Plant Interactions PDF Author: Victor Rico-Gray
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 0226713547
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 347

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Book Description
Ants are probably the most dominant insect group on Earth, representing ten to fifteen percent of animal biomass in terrestrial ecosystems. Flowering plants, meanwhile, owe their evolutionary success to an array of interspecific interactions—such as pollination, seed dispersal, and herbivory—that have helped to shape their great diversity. The Ecology and Evolution of Ant-Plant Interactions brings together findings from the scientific literature on the coevolution of ants and plants to provide a better understanding of the unparalleled success of these two remarkable groups, of interspecific interactions in general, and ultimately of terrestrial biological communities. The Ecology and Evolution of Ant-Plant Interactions synthesizes the dynamics of ant-plant interactions, including the sources of variation in their outcomes. Victor Rico-Gray and Paulo S. Oliveira capture both the emerging appreciation of the importance of these interactions within ecosystems and the developing approaches that place studies of these interactions into a broader ecological and evolutionary context. The collaboration of two internationally renowned scientists, The Ecology and Evolution of Ant-Plant Interactions will become a standard reference for understanding the complex interactions between these two taxa.

Seed Dispersal and Frugivory

Seed Dispersal and Frugivory PDF Author: Douglas John Levey
Publisher: CABI
ISBN: 085199525X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 530

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Book Description
This book provides information on the historical and theoretical perspectives of biodiversity and ecology in tropical forests, plant and animal behaviour towards seed dispersal and plant-animal interactions within forest communities, consequences of seed dispersal, and conservation, biodiversity and management.