Parasitism and Ecosystems
by Frederic Thomas (Editor), Francois Renaud (Editor), Jean-Francois Guegan (Editor)
Product Details
* Paperback: 232 pages
* Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA (March 3, 2005)
* Language: English
* ISBN-10: 0198529872
Book Description
For several years there has been a growing interest in understanding the dynamics of parasites in ecosystems, as well as the diversity of ways in which they influence ecosystem functioning through their effects on host populations and communities. Ecologists, epidemiologists, evolutionary
biologists, and other scientists are increasingly coming to realise that parasites must be taken into account when studying ecosystems. Parasitism and Ecosystems summarizes current knowledge on this topic, providing a comprehensive overview for researchers and students. It represents the first
synthesis of both the roles and the consequences of pathogens in ecosystems, utilizing well-documented case-studies to illustrate the main issues as well as identifying prospects for future research.
Contents
Contributors ix
Introduction—Parasites, diversity, and the ecosystem 1
Peter Hudson
1 Linking ecosystem and parasite ecology 13
Michel Loreau, Jacques Roy, and David Tilman
2 Are there general laws in parasite community
ecology? The emergence of spatial parasitology
and epidemiology 22
J.-F. Guégan, S. Morand, and R. Poulin
3 Parasitism and the regulation of host populations 43
Anders Pape Mّller
4 Food web patterns and the parasite’s perspective 54
Michael V.K. Sukhdeo and Alexander D. Hernandez
5 Ecosystems and parasitism: the spatial dimension 68
Robert Holt and Thierry Boulinier
6 Parasitism and hostile environments 85
Richard C. Tinsley
7 Parasitism and environmental disturbances 113
Kevin D. Lafferty and Armand M. Kuris
8 Parasitism, biodiversity, and conservation 124
Frédéric Thomas, Michael B. Bonsall, and Andy P. Dobson
9 Subverting hosts and diverting ecosystems: an
evolutionary modelling perspective 140
Sam P. Brown, Jean-Baptiste André, Jean-Baptiste
Ferdy, and Bernard Godelle
10 Parasitism in man-made ecosystems 155
François Renaud, Thierry De Meeüs, and Andrew F. Read
Conclusion—Parasites, communities, and ecosystems:
conclusions and perspectives 171
Gary G. Mittelbach
References 177
Index 217
