Ecological Parasitology

Ecological Parasitology
Author: Gerald W. Esch
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
Total Pages: 196
Release: 2015-12-21
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1118874676

Professor Gerald Esch has already published two books in what is becoming an informal series of essays exploring the way that discoveries about the biology of parasites have influenced ecological and evolutionary theories over a career that has spanned nearly 50 years. This book will be the third set of essays and will focus on key moments of discovery and explore how these achievements were due to collaboration, mentoring, and community building within the field of ecological parasitology. The book will not only describe case studies, pure science and biology but also act as a career guide for early-career ecologists emphasizing the importance of collaboration in the advancement of science.

Parasites in Ecological Communities

Parasites in Ecological Communities
Author: Melanie J. Hatcher
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 463
Release: 2011-06-16
Genre: Science
ISBN: 1139496980

Interactions between competitors, predators and their prey have traditionally been viewed as the foundation of community structure. Parasites – long ignored in community ecology – are now recognized as playing an important part in influencing species interactions and consequently affecting ecosystem function. Parasitism can interact with other ecological drivers, resulting in both detrimental and beneficial effects on biodiversity and ecosystem health. Species interactions involving parasites are also key to understanding many biological invasions and emerging infectious diseases. This book bridges the gap between community ecology and epidemiology to create a wide-ranging examination of how parasites and pathogens affect all aspects of ecological communities, enabling the new generation of ecologists to include parasites as a key consideration in their studies. This comprehensive guide to a newly emerging field is of relevance to academics, practitioners and graduates in biodiversity, conservation and population management, and animal and human health.

Parasitism

Parasitism
Author: Albert O. Bush
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 580
Release: 2001-03-22
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 9780521664479

Explains parasite biology as a branch of ecology - essential reading for zoology and ecology students.

Encyclopedia of Parasitology: A-M

Encyclopedia of Parasitology: A-M
Author: Heinz Mehlhorn
Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media
Total Pages: 1577
Release: 2007-11-28
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 3540489940

Knowledge in the field of parasitology must be kept at a high level and up to date in order to fight a parasitosis as quickly and effectively as possible. The third edition of this, one of Springer’s renowned and authoritative Major Reference Works, contributes to these goals in several ways. First, the number of entries has been increased by about 30%. Secondly the content has been improved even more by adding additional tables and figures. Thirdly, the extensive linking between definitions and essays facilitates information within a minimum of time. More than 40 international contributors, who are well known specialists in their fields, give a comprehensive review of all parasites and therapeutic strategies in veterinarian and human parasitology.

Functional and Evolutionary Ecology of Fleas

Functional and Evolutionary Ecology of Fleas
Author: Boris R. Krasnov
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 608
Release: 2012-10-25
Genre: Science
ISBN: 9781107411258

Fleas are one of the most interesting and fascinating taxa of ectoparasites. All species in this relatively small order are obligatory haematophagous (blood-feeding) parasites of higher vertebrates. This book examines how functional, ecological and evolutionary patterns and processes of host-parasite relationships are realized in this particular system. As such it provides an in-depth case study of a host-parasite system, demonstrating how fleas can be used as a model taxon for testing ecological and evolutionary hypotheses. The book moves from basic descriptive aspects, to functional issues and finally to evolutionary explanations. It extracts several general principles that apply equally well to other host-parasite systems, so it appeals not only to flea biologists but also to 'mainstream' parasitologists and ecologists.

Parasites and the Behavior of Animals

Parasites and the Behavior of Animals
Author: Janice Moore
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 329
Release: 2002-01-31
Genre: Science
ISBN: 019534913X

When a parasite invades an ant, does the ant behave like other ants? Maybe not-and if it doesn't, who, if anyone, benefits from the altered behaviors? The parasite? The ant? Parasites and the Behavior of Animals shows that parasite-induced behavioral alterations are more common than we might realize, and it places these alterations in an evolutionary and ecological context. Emphasizing eukaryotic parasites, the book examines the adaptive nature of behavioral changes associated with parasitism, exploring the effects of these changes on parasite transmission, parasite avoidance, and the fitness of both host and parasite. The behavioral changes and their effects are not always straightforward. To the extent that virulence, for instance, is linked to parasite transmission, the evolutionary interests of parasite and host will diverge, and the current winner of the contest to maximize reproductive rates may not be clear, or, for that matter, inevitable. Nonetheless, by affecting susceptibility, host/parasite lifespan and fecundity, and transmission itself, host behavior influences parameters that are basic to our comprehension of how parasites invade host populations, and fundamentally, how parasites evolve. Such an understanding is important for a wide range of scientists, from ecologists and parasitologists to evolutionary, conservation and behavioral biologists: The behavioral alterations that parasites induce can subtly and profoundly affect the distribution and abundance of animals.

Parasitism

Parasitism
Author: Timothy M. Goater
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 515
Release: 2014
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0521190282

Synthesizes the latest developments in the ecology and evolution of animal parasites for a new generation of parasitologists.

Parasite Diversity and Diversification

Parasite Diversity and Diversification
Author: Serge Morand
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Total Pages: 503
Release: 2015-02-26
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 1107037654

By joining phylogenetics and evolutionary ecology, this book explores the patterns of parasite diversity while revealing diversification processes.

Evolutionary Parasitology

Evolutionary Parasitology
Author: Paul Schmid-Hempel
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 572
Release: 2021-07-15
Genre: Medical
ISBN: 0192568159

Parasites and infectious diseases are everywhere and represent some of the most potent forces shaping the natural world. They affect almost every aspect imaginable in the life of their hosts, even as far as the structure of entire ecosystems. Hosts, in turn, have evolved complex defences, with immune systems being among the most sophisticated processes known in nature. In response, parasites have again found ways to manipulate and exploit their hosts. Ever since life began, hosts and parasites have taken part in this relentless co-evolutionary struggle with far-reaching consequences for us all. Today, concepts borrowed from evolution, ecology, parasitology, and immunology have formed a new synthesis for the study of host-parasite interactions. Evolutionary parasitology builds on these established fields of scientific enquiry but also includes some of the most successful inter-disciplinary areas of modern biology such as evolutionary epidemiology and ecological immunology. The first edition of this innovative text quickly became the standard reference text for this new discipline. Since then, the field has progressed rapidly and an update is now required. This new edition has been thoroughly revised to provide a state-of-the-art overview, from the molecular bases to adaptive strategies and their ecological and evolutionary consequences. It includes completely new material on topics such as microbiota, evolutionary genomics, phylodynamics, within-host evolution, epidemiology, disease spaces, and emergent diseases. Evolutionary Parasitology is suitable for advanced undergraduates, graduate level students, and interdisciplinary researchers from a variety of fields including immunology, genetics, sexual selection, population ecology, behavioural ecology, epidemiology, and evolutionary biology. Those studying and working in adjacent fields such as conservation biology, virology, medicine, and public health will also find it an invaluable resource for connecting to the bases of their science.

Host Manipulation by Parasites

Host Manipulation by Parasites
Author: David P. Hughes
Publisher: Oxford University Press
Total Pages: 247
Release: 2012-06-07
Genre: Science
ISBN: 0199642230

Parasites that manipulate the behaviour of their hosts represent striking examples of adaptation by natural selection. This text provides an authoritative review of host manipulation by parasites that assesses developments in the field and lays out a framework for future research.