Ecology and Evolution of Dung Beetles

Informationen zum Autor Leigh Simmons was born and educated in the UK, and is currantly Professor of Evolutionary Biology at the University of Western Australia. His research interests lie in all aspects of reproductive biology, from the evolution of sperm form and function, to mate searching and courtship behaviour. James Ridsdill-Smith was born and educated in the UK but carried out all his research in Australia working for CSIRO Entomology. He has been developing biological and ecological solutions to various pest problems and 15 years involved in the biological control of dung with scarabaeine dung beetles. Klappentext This book describes the evolutionary and ecological consequences of reproductive competition for scarabaeine dung beetles. As well as giving us insight into the private lives of these fascinating creatures, this book shows how dung beetles can be used as model systems for improving our general understanding of broad evolutionary and ecological processes, and how they generate biological diversity. Over the last few decades we have begun to see further than ever before, with our research efforts yielding new information at all levels of analysis, from whole organism biology to genomics. This book brings together leading researchers who contribute chapters that integrate our current knowledge of phylogenetics and evolution, developmental biology, comparative morphology, physiology, behaviour, and population and community ecology. Dung beetle research is shedding light on the ultimate question of how best to document and conserve the world's biodiversity. The book will be of interest to established researchers, university teachers, research students, conservation biologists, and those wanting to know more about the dung beetle taxon. Zusammenfassung * First comprehensive volume of the ecology and evolution of this model organism since 1991. * Shows how knowledge of dung beetle ecology contributes to general theories of evolutionary ecology, community ecology, functional ecology and population biology. Inhaltsverzeichnis Preface xiii Acknowledgements xv Contributing authors xvii 1 Reproductive competition and its impact on the evolution and ecology of dung beetles 1 Leigh W. Simmons and T. James Ridsdill-Smith 1.1 Introduction 1 1.2 Competition for mates and the evolution of morphological diversity 2 1.3 Competition for resources and the evolution of breeding strategies 9 1.4 Ecological consequences of intraspecific and interspecific competition 14 1.4.1 Niche expansion 15 1.4.2 Regional distribution and seasonal activity 17 1.4.3 Community dynamics 18 1.5 Conservation 19 1.6 Concluding remarks 20 2 The evolutionary history and diversification of dung beetles 21 T. Keith Philips 2.1 Introduction 21 2.2 Scarabaeinae diversity and tribal classification issues 22 2.2.1 Dichotomiini and Coprini 24 2.2.2 Canthonini 25 2.2.3 Eucraniini 25 2.2.4 Phanaeini 25 2.2.5 Phanaeini + Eucraniini 26 2.2.6 Scarabaeini 26 2.2.7 Gymnopleurini 26 2.2.8 Eurysternini 26 2.2.9 Sisyphini 26 2.2.10 Onitini 27 2.2.11 Oniticellini 27 2.2.12 Onthophagini 27 2.3 Scarabaeine dung beetle phylogenies 27 2.4 The sister clade to the Scarabaeinae 31 2.5 The origin of the dung beetles 33 2.6 The oldest lineages and their geographical origin 34 2.7 Evolution of activity period 36 2.8 Evolution of feeding habits 36 2.9 Evolution of derived alternative lifestyles 37 2.10 Evolution of nidification: dung manipulation strategies 40 2.11 Evolution of nidification: nesting behaviour and subsocial care 42 2.12 Conclusions 44 2.13 Future work/gaps in knowledge 45 3 Male contest compe...

List of contents

1 Reproductive competition and its impact on the evolution and ecology of dung beetles (Leigh W Simmons and T James Ridsdill-Smith) 2 The evolutionary history and diversification of dung beetles (T Keith Philips)
 
3 Male contest competition and the evolution of weapons (Robert Knell)
 
4 Sexual selection after mating: the evolutionary consequences of sperm competition and cryptic female choice in onthophagines (Leigh W Simmons) 5 Olfactory ecology (GD Tribe and BV Burger)
 
6 Explaining phenotypic diversity: The conditional strategy and threshold trait expression (Joseph L Tomkins and Wade Hazel) 7 Evolution and development: Onthophagus beetles and the evolutionary development genetics of innovation, allometry , and plasticity (Armin Moczek)
 
8 The evolution of parental care in the onthophagine dung beetles (John Hunt and Clarissa House)
 
9 The visual ecology of dung beetles (Marcus Byrne and Marie Dacke)
 
10 The ecological implications of physiological diversity in dung beetles (Steven L Chown and C Jaco Klok)
 
11 Dung beetle populations: structure and consequences (Tomas Roslin and Heidi Viljanen)
 
12 Biological control: ecosystem functions provided by dung beetles (T James Ridsdill-Smith and Penny B Edwards)
 

13 Dung beetles as a candidate study taxon in applied biodiversity conservation research (Elizabeth S Nichols and Toby A Gardner)

Report

"The result is a complete book, highlighting however that there is still much to learn from these creatures." ( Ethology Ecology & Evolution , 1 May 2013)

"This book clearly demonstrates the value of dung beetles in a multitude of research disciplines and deserves a place on the bookshelf any scientist or natural historian." ( J Insect Conserv , 9 February 2012)

"Whilst this is already an interesting read, my overwhelming feeling is that there is an opportunity to greatly extend work on the ecology of dung beetles, with a real hope that they will provide genuine insight into common ecological problems. Perhaps this feeling is just what the authors hoped would be produced by their work." ( British Ecological Society Bulletin , 1 March 2012)

"I have however no doubt that there will be a second edition in five or so years time. And if any book deserves a second edition (with more in-situ photographs), it truly is this one." (The Amateur Naturalist magazine, 2011)

Product details

• Authors: T. James Ridsdill-Smith, Leigh W. Simmons, Leigh W. (University of Western Australia Simmons, Leigh W. Ridsdill-Smith Simmons, Lw Simmons
• Assisted by: James Ridsdill-Smith (Editor), James Ridsdill-Smith (Editor), T. J. Ridsdill-Smith (Editor), T. James Ridsdill-Smith (Editor), Ridsdill-Smith T. James (Editor), Leigh W. Simmons (Editor), Leig W Simmons (Editor), Leigh W Simmons (Editor)
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 10.03.2011
• EAN: 9781444333152
• ISBN: 978-1-4443-3315-2
• No. of pages: 368
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Medicine > Veterinary medicine; Ökologie, Entomologie, Life Sciences, Biowissenschaften, Mistkäfer, Entomology