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CHOICE Highly Recommended title, 2022!
Forest insects play important roles ecologically and economically. They pollinate plants, decompose dead plant and animal tissue, provide food for vertebrates, regulate pest organisms and shape entire landscapes. Some are considered pests, while others provide usable products. Introduced species may become invasive, while the survival of others is threatened.
Forest Insects in Europe: Diversity, Functions and Importance has been written not only with professional entomologists in mind, but also for nature lovers generally. The descriptions of the various roles insects play in forest ecosystems are intended to be easily comprehensible, but still scientific. The book is richly illustrated with attractive photos and contains 580 fascinating colour images of more than 300 different insect and spider species. The German edition was awarded the Prix Moulines by the Swiss Entomological Society in 2019.
Sommario
Preface. 1 Diversity and functions of insects. PART 1 ECOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS. 2 Insects and plant reproduction. 3 Turnover of green plant biomass. 4 Decomposition of wood. 5 Exploitation of animal waste. 6 Maintaining soil fertility. 7 Food for other organisms. 8 Natural enemies. 9 Antagonists of bark beetles. 10 Ecological significance of wood ants. 11 Transport of organisms. 12 Maintenance of stand vitality. PART 2 IMPACTS ON HUMANS. 14 Economic damage. 15 Medical significance. 16 Usable insect products. 17 Introduced species. 18 Endangered forest insects. Bibliography. Photo credits. Glossary. Species index.
Info autore
Beat Wermelinger, Dr. sc. nat. ETH, biologist, Adliswil. Head of the research group. Forest entomology at the Federal Research Institute for Forests, Snow and Landscape (WSL), Birmensdorf. Research focus: bark beetles and natural enemies, Biodiversity, windthrow succession, climate change and neozoa. Lecturer at the Federal Technical University ETH Zurich and the Swiss Tree Care Federation.
Riassunto
The descriptions of the various roles insects play in forest ecosystems in this book are easily comprehensible, but still scientific, and richly illustrated with 580 colour images of over 300 different insect and spider species.
