Insect Ecology. An Ecosystem Approach

Insects are exceptionally diverse and their biomass can sometimes exceed that of more conspicuous animals. Although sensitive to environmental change, insects can control key ecosystem processes, such as primary production, succession, energy flux, and biogeochemical cycling in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Even though insects often interfere with our resource management goals, they are useful indicators of subtle environmental change. Insect Ecology addresses these myriad aspects of insect-environment interactions and reviews multiple levels of ecological hierarchy, from individual insects in local environments to insect communities that have the capacity to modify and perhaps stabilize ecosystem conditions. Certain to be of interest to entomologists and ecologists, Insect Ecology will also appeal to anyone with an interest in ecosystem structure and function. Key Features * Integrates individual, population, community, and ecosystem levels of ecological resolution * Illustrates the relationship of insect ecology to disturbance dynamics and environmental change * Relates metapopulation dynamics to ecosystem structure and function * Demonstrates the ability of insect functional groups to affect ecosystem and global processes, such as primary production, biogeochemical cycling, and carbon flux * Provides a context for evolution as feedback between community modification of ecosystem conditions and selection of individual attributes regulating ecosystem conditions