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Small mammals are among the most ubiquitous and important components of terrestrial ecosystems. They have coevolved, and now coexist, with a diverse array of parasites, such that not only are all aspects of their biology influenced by parasitism but they also play key roles in the transmission and maintenance of parasitic diseases. This book provides a comprehensive survey of the diversity and biology of metazoan parasites affecting small mammals, of their impact on host individuals and populations, and of the management implications of these parasites for conservation biology and human welfare. Designed for a broad, multidisciplinary audience, it will be an essential resource for researchers, students, and practitioners alike in the fields of parasitology, evolutionary ecology, wildlife management, and conservation biology.
List of contents
and definitions.- Micromammals and macroparasites: Who is who and how do they interact?.- Major taxa parasitic on micromammals.- Digenean trematodes.- Cestodes of small mammals: Taxonomy and life cycles.- Nematodes.- Acanthocephalans.- Taxonomy, host associations, life cycles and vectorial importance of ticks parasitizing small mammals.- Mesostigmatid mites as parasites of small mammals: Systematics, ecology, and the evolution of parasitic associations.- Taxonomy, life cycles and the origin of parasitism in trombiculid mites.- Blood-sucking lice (Anoplura) of small mammals: True parasites.- Fleas: Permanent satellites of small mammals.- Bat flies: Obligate ectoparasites of bats.- Patterns.- Patterns of macroparasite diversity in small mammals.- Patterns of host specificity in parasites exploiting small mammals.- Coevolution of macroparasites and their small mammalian hosts: Cophylogeny and coadaptation.- Comparative phylogeography: The use of parasites for insights into host history.- Insularity and micromammal-macroparasite relationships.- Processes.- Models for host-macroparasite interactions in micromammals.- Transmission ecology and the structure of parasite communities in small mammals.- Effect of macroparasites on the energy budget of small mammals.- Immunogenetics of micromammalmacroparasite interactions.- Interactions among immune, endocrine, and behavioural response to infection.- Behaviour, life history strategies and parasite infection in rodents.- Management and Case Studies.- Nematode zoonoses.- Rodents as definitive hosts of Schistosoma, with special reference to S. mansoni transmission.- Towards understanding the impacts of environmental variation on Echinococcus multilocularis transmission.- Parasites and pest population management.- Biological conservation and parasitism.- Conclusion.- Global changes and the future of micromammal-macroparasite interactions.
Summary
Small mammals are among the most ubiquitous and important components of terrestrial ecosystems. They have coevolved, and now coexist, with a diverse array of parasites, such that not only are all aspects of their biology influenced by parasitism but they also play key roles in the transmission and maintenance of parasitic diseases. This book provides a comprehensive survey of the diversity and biology of metazoan parasites affecting small mammals, of their impact on host individuals and populations, and of the management implications of these parasites for conservation biology and human welfare. Designed for a broad, multidisciplinary audience, it will be an essential resource for researchers, students, and practitioners alike in the fields of parasitology, evolutionary ecology, wildlife management, and conservation biology.
Additional text
From the reviews:
"In this welcome reference for practitioners in the fields of parasitology, ecology, wildlife biology, and evolution, 52 contributors from 15 nations have compiled 28 chapters summarizing up-to-date research results in logical sequence. … Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates and above." (H. N. Cunningham, CHOICE, Vol. 44 (9), May, 2007)
"Parasitic infections of small mammals are extremely common, and it is the goal of Micromammals and Macroparasites. … this volume offers an excellent starting place for future research. … Students and senior researchers … can greatly benefit from having a copy of Micromammals and Macroparasites on their bookshelf: it is a vital reference for anyone interested in studying ecological and evolutionary interactions between mammals and their parasites." (Jessica E. Light, Journal of Mammal evolution, Vol. 16, 2009)
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From the reviews:
"In this welcome reference for practitioners in the fields of parasitology, ecology, wildlife biology, and evolution, 52 contributors from 15 nations have compiled 28 chapters summarizing up-to-date research results in logical sequence. ... Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-level undergraduates and above." (H. N. Cunningham, CHOICE, Vol. 44 (9), May, 2007)
"Parasitic infections of small mammals are extremely common, and it is the goal of Micromammals and Macroparasites. ... this volume offers an excellent starting place for future research. ... Students and senior researchers ... can greatly benefit from having a copy of Micromammals and Macroparasites on their bookshelf: it is a vital reference for anyone interested in studying ecological and evolutionary interactions between mammals and their parasites." (Jessica E. Light, Journal of Mammal evolution, Vol. 16, 2009)
