Mimicry, Crypsis, Masquerade and other Adaptive Resemblances

Mimicry, Crypsis, Masquerade and other Adaptive Resemblances

Author: Donald L. J. Quicke

Publisher: John Wiley & Sons

Published: 2017-08-02

Total Pages: 579

ISBN-13: 1118931513

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Deals with all aspects of adaptive resemblance Full colour Covers everything from classic examples of Batesian, Mullerian, aggressive and sexual mimicries through to human behavioural and microbial molecular deceptions Highlights areas where additonal work or specific exeprimentation could be fruitful Includes, animals, plants, micro-organisms and humans


Avoiding Attack

Avoiding Attack

Author: Graeme D. Ruxton

Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA

Published: 2004-10-21

Total Pages: 262

ISBN-13: 0198528590

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This book discusses the evolution of the mechanisms by which prey avoid attack by their potential predators and questions how such defences are maintained through natural selection. Topics covered include camouflage, warning signals and mimicry.


Microbial Ecology Research Trends

Microbial Ecology Research Trends

Author: Thijs Van Dijk

Publisher: Nova Publishers

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 294

ISBN-13: 9781604561791

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Microbial ecology is the relationship of microorganisms with one another and with their environment. It concerns the three major domains of life -- Eukaryota, Archaea, and Bacteria -- as well as viruses. Microorganisms, by their omnipresence, impact the entire biosphere. They are present in virtually all of our planet's environments, including some of the most extreme, from acidic lakes to the deepest ocean, and from frozen environments to hydrothermal vents. Microbes, especially bacteria, often engage in symbiotic relationships (either positive or negative) with other organisms, and these relationships affect the ecosystem. One example of these fundamental symbioses are chloroplasts, which allow eukaryotes to conduct photosynthesis. Chloroplasts are considered to be endosymbiotic cyanobacteria, a group of bacteria that are thought to be the origins of aerobic photosynthesis. Some theories state that this invention coincides with a major shift in the early earth's atmosphere, from a reducing atmosphere to an oxygen-rich atmosphere. This book presents new and important research in the field.


Predation in Organisms

Predation in Organisms

Author: Ashraf M.T. Elewa

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2007-01-10

Total Pages: 319

ISBN-13: 3540460462

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Predation is considered one of the distinct phenomena related to the interrelationships between species on the Earth. In general, predation is widespread not only in wildlife but also in marine environments where big fishes eat small fishes and other organisms of the sea. This book considers predation in organisms and is aimed at the prevention of predation in wildlife and marine environments.


Anthocyanins

Anthocyanins

Author: Kevin Gould

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2008-12-19

Total Pages: 345

ISBN-13: 0387773355

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In recent years there has been an unprecedented expansion of knowledge about anthocyanins pigments. Indeed, the molecular genetic control of anthocyanins biosynthesis is now one of the best understood of all secondary metabolic pathways. There have also been substantial improvements in analytical technology that have led to the discovery of novel anthocyanin compounds. Armed with this knowledge and the tools for genetic engineering, plant breeders are now introducing vibrant new colors into horticultural crops. The food industry has also benefited from the resurgence of interest in anthocyanins. A greater understanding of the chemistry of these pigments has led to improved methods for stabilizing the color of anthocyanins extracts, so that they are more useful as food colorings. Methods for the bulk production of anthocyanins from cell cultures have been optimized for this purpose. Possible benefits to human health from the ingestion of anthocyanin-rich foods have also been a major feature of the recent scientific literature. Anthocyanins are remarkably potent antioxidants, and their ingestion has been postulated to stave off the effects of oxidative stress. These pigments, especially in conjunction with other flavonoids, have been associated with reductions in the incidence and severity of many other non-infectious diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain cancers. An industry is developing around anthocyanins as nutritional supplements. Finally, there has been significant progress in our understanding of the benefits of anthocyanins to plants themselves. Originally considered an extravagance without a purpose, anthocyanins are now implicated in multifarious vital functions. These include the attraction of pollinators and frugivores, aposematic defense from herbivores, and protection from environmental stressors such as strong light, UVB, drought, and free radical attacks. Anthocyanins are evidently highly versatile, and enormously useful to plants. This book covers all aspects of the biosynthesis and function of anthocyanins (and related compounds such as proanthocyanidins) in plants, and their applications in agriculture, food products, and human health. Featured areas include their relevance to: * Plant stress * Flower and fruit color * Human health * Wine quality and health attributes * Food colorants and ingredients * Cell culture production systems * The pastoral sector


Insect Evolutionary Ecology

Insect Evolutionary Ecology

Author: Royal Entomological Society of London. Symposium

Publisher: CABI

Published: 2005

Total Pages: 568

ISBN-13: 9781845931407

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Insects provide excellent model systems for understanding evolutionary ecology. They are abundant, small, and relatively easy to rear, and these traits facilitate both field and laboratory experiments. This book has been developed from the Royal Entomological Society's 22nd international symposium, held in Reading in 2003. Topics include speciation and adaptation; life history, phenotype plasticity and genetics; sexual selection and reproductive biology; insect-plant interactions; insect-natural enemy interactions; and social insects.


Plant-Environment Interactions

Plant-Environment Interactions

Author: František Baluška

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2009-03-03

Total Pages: 312

ISBN-13: 3540892303

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Our image of plants is changing dramatically away from passive entities merely subject to environmental forces and organisms that are designed solely for the accumulation of photosynthate. Plants are revealing themselves to be dynamic and highly sensitive organisms that actively and competitively forage for limited resources, both above and below ground, organisms that accurately gauge their circumstances, use sophisticated cost-benefit analysis, and take clear actions to mitigate and control diverse environmental threats. Moreover, plants are also capable of complex recognition of self and non-self and are territorial in behavior. They are as sophisticated in behavior as animals but their potential has been masked because it operates on time scales many orders of magnitude less than those of animals. Plants are sessile organisms. As such, the only alternative to a rapidly changing environment is rapid adaptation. This book will focus on all these new and exciting aspects of plant biology.


Plant-Animal Communication

Plant-Animal Communication

Author: H. Martin Schaefer

Publisher: OUP Oxford

Published: 2011-04-07

Total Pages: 298

ISBN-13: 0191620971

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Communication is an essential factor underpinning the interactions between species and the structure of their communities. Plant-animal interactions are particularly diverse due to the complex nature of their mutualistic and antagonistic relationships. However the evolution of communication and the underlying mechanisms responsible remain poorly understood. Plant-Animal Communication is a timely summary of the latest research and ideas on the ecological and evolutionary foundations of communication between plants and animals, including discussions of fundamental concepts such as deception, reliability, and camouflage. It introduces how the sensory world of animals shapes the various modes of communication employed, laying out the basics of vision, scent, acoustic, and gustatory communication. Subsequent chapters discuss how plants communicate in these sensory modes to attract animals to facilitate seed dispersal, pollination, and carnivory, and how they communicate to defend themselves against herbivores. Potential avenues for productive theoretical and empirical research are clearly identified, and suggestions for novel empirical approaches to the study of communication in general are outlined.


Biodiversity and Evolution

Biodiversity and Evolution

Author: Philippe Grandcolas

Publisher: Elsevier

Published: 2018-04-17

Total Pages: 286

ISBN-13: 008102567X

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Biodiversity and Evolution includes chapters devoted to the evolution and biodiversity of organisms at the molecular level, based on the study of natural collections from the Museum of Natural History. The book starts with an epistemological and historical introduction and ends with a critical overview of the Anthropocene epoch. - Explores the study of natural collections of the Museum of Natural History - Examines evolution and biodiversity at the molecular level - Features an introduction focusing on epistemology and history - Provides a critical overview