Biology

This book provides a synthesis of theoretical and empirical food web research. Whether they are binary systems or weighted networks, food webs are of particular interest to ecologists by providing a macroscopic view of ecosystems. They describe interactions between species and their environment, and subsequent advances in the understanding of their structure, function, and dynamics are of vital importance to ecosystem management and conservation. This book covers issues of structure, function, scaling, complexity, and stability in the contexts of conservation, fisheries, and climate. Although the focus of this volume is upon aquatic food webs (where many of the recent advances have been made), many other issues are addressed.

Coral reefs represent the most spectacular and diverse marine ecosystem on the planet as well as a critical source of protein and income for many millions of people. However, the combined effects of human activities have led to a rapid decline in the health of reefs worldwide, with many now facing complete destruction. This book provides an integrated overview of the function, physiology, ecology, and behaviour of coral reef organisms. Each chapter is enriched with a selection of ‘boxes’ on specific aspects written by internationally recognised experts. The emphasis in this book is on the organisms that dominate this marine environment although pollution, conservation, climate change, and experimental aspects are also included. Indeed, particular emphasis is placed on conservation and management due to the habitat's critically endangered status. A global range of examples is employed which gives the book international relevance.

Mangroves and seagrasses form extensive and highly productive ecosystems that are biologically diverse and economically valuable. This book provides a comprehensive introduction to all aspects of the biology and ecology of mangroves and seagrasses, using a global range of examples. It deals with the adaptations of these plants to their exacting environment; the rich and diverse communities of organisms that depend on mangrove forests and seagrass meadows (including tree-climbing shrimps, synchronously flashing fireflies, and ‘gardening’ seacows); the links between mangrove, seagrass, and other habitats; the evolution, biodiversity, and biogeography of mangroves and seagrasses; and the likely effects of global climate change. The economic value of mangroves and seagrasses is also discussed, including approaches to rational management of these vital resources, and techniques for the restoration of degraded habitats. Particular emphasis is placed on the organisms that dominate these aquatic environments although pollution, conservation, and experimental aspects are also considered.

Temporary waters are found throughout the world, including intermittent streams and ponds, episodic rain puddles, seasonal limestone lakes, and the water-retaining structures of plants, such as bromeliads and pitcher plants. They are populated by a variety of plant, animal, and microscopic communities ranging from the very simple to the highly complex. As such, they represent fascinating and significant arenas to study the properties of species, as the latter deals with the rigours of living in highly variable environments. Obligate temporary water species display a remarkable array of adaptations to the periodic loss of their primary medium that largely sets them apart from the inhabitants of permanent water bodies. The survival of individuals frequently depends upon exceptional physiological tolerance or effective migrational abilities that are timed to appropriate habitat phases. However, apart from their inherent biological interest, temporary waters are now in the limelight from a conservation perspective as these habitats come more and more into conflict with human activities. Traditionally, many temporary waters — be they ponds, pools, streams, or wetlands — have been considered as ‘wasted’ areas of land, potentially convertible to agriculture once drained. In reality, they are natural features of the global landscape representing distinct and unique habitats for many species — some that are found nowhere else, others that reach their maximum abundance there. Temporary waters are also very important from a human health perspective, since they function as breeding places for the vectors of many disease organisms.

Amphibians are the descendants of the first vertebrate class to successfully colonize terrestrial environments. They rely on water more than any other terrestrial group and occupy a unique position between fishes and reptiles. This book provides a synthesis of current research on the ecological and environmental physiology of amphibians, with a particular emphasis on metabolic and water balance strategies associated with the range of habitats, aquatic to terrestrial, that are occupied by extant amphibian species. The topics include the suite of morphological, physiological, and behavioral adaptations associated with specific habitats, and the use of systematics in elucidating patterns of evolutionary change. The book includes over one thousand references on basic physiological principles, ecology, phylogeny, and development.

Understanding of animal social and sexual evolution has seen a renaissance in recent years with discoveries of frequent infidelity in apparently monogamous species, the importance of sperm competition, active female mate choice, and eusocial behavior in animals outside the traditional social insect groups. Each of these findings has raised new questions, and suggested new answers about the evolution of behavioral interactions among animals. This volume synthesizes recent research on the sexual and social biology of the Crustacea, one of the dominant invertebrate groups on earth. Its staggering diversity includes ecologically important inhabitants of nearly every environment from deep-sea trenches, through headwater streams, to desert soils. The wide range of crustacean phenotypes and environments is accompanied by a comparable diversity of behavioral and social systems, including the elaborate courtship and wildly exaggerated morphologies of fiddler crabs, the mysterious queuing behavior of migrating spiny lobsters, and even eusociality in coral-reef shrimps. This diversity makes crustaceans particularly valuable for exploring the comparative evolution of sexual and social systems. Despite exciting recent advances, however, general recognition of the value of Crustacea as models has lagged behind that of the better studied insects and vertebrates. This book synthesizes the state of the field in crustacean behavior and sociobiology, and places it in a conceptually based, comparative framework that will be valuable to active researchers and students in animal behavior, ecology, and evolutionary biology. It brings together a group of experts in fields related to crustacean behavioral ecology, ranging from physiology and functional morphology, through mating and social behavior, to ecology and phylogeny. Each chapter makes connections to other non-crustacean taxa, and the volume closes with a summary section that synthesizes the contributions, discusses anthropogenic impacts, highlights unanswered questions, and provides a vision for profitable future research.

The book summarizes recent developments in the ecology of kelp forests and coral reefs in order to develop an understanding of the general principles of their ecological organization and how they might be managed from an ecosystem perspective. Ecosystem management has recently become a major focus of efforts to sustain and manage natural resources and this primarily depends on an understanding of the state of the environment, component taxa, and their interactions that compose these food webs. Consequently, this book is an effort to make the desired transition toward ecosystem management by summarizing some of the recent and significant advances in our understanding of the Earth's shallow subtidal marine reefs in the last few decades, specifically coral reefs and kelp forests. The book offers a current review of our understanding of shallow benthic marine reefs and associated fisheries, focusing on food webs and how they have and are currently being altered by human influences. Chapters collectively span the globe and bring together the disparate literature into a synthetic and holistic understanding of these ecosystems. The authors introduce the environments and the food webs, how they vary in space and time, and address human influences. Based on the data and information reviewed, the authors present recommendations that would alleviate potential environmental or biodiversity problems. The main findings of the chapters are summarized in a concluding section synthesizing the organization of shallow marine reefs.

Archie Carr, one of the greatest biologists of the 20th century, played a leading part in finding a new and critical role for natural history and systematics in a post-1950s world, which was dominated by the glamorous science of molecular biology. With the rise of molecular biology came a growing popular awareness of species extinction. This biography reveals how Carr championed endangered sea turtles, and the ways in which his work reflected major shifts in the study of ecology, evolution, and conservation. A gifted nature writer, Carr's books and lectures on the natural history of sea turtles and their habitats in Florida, the Caribbean, and Africa entertained and educated a wide audience. Carr's conservation ethic grew from his field work as well as his friendships with the fishermen and other locals who supplied him with many of the stories he retold so engagingly. With Archie Carr as the focus, this book explores the evolution of the naturalist tradition, biology, and conservation during the 20th century.

This book focuses on the influence of climate variability on the marine ecosystems of the North Atlantic. The ecological impact of climate variability on population dynamics is addressed at the full range of trophic levels, from phytoplankton through zooplankton and fish to marine birds. Climate effects on biodiversity and community structure are also examined. The book discusses what is currently known about how climate affects the ecological systems of the North Atlantic, and then places these insights within a broader ecological perspective. Many of the general features of the North Atlantic region are also seen in other marine ecosystems as well as terrestrial and freshwater systems. The final section of the book makes these generalities more explicit, so as to stimulate communication and promote co-operation amongst researchers who may previously have worked in semi-isolation. The book comprises five main sections: background (general introduction, atmospheric and ocean climate of the North Atlantic, and modelling methodology), plankton populations (phytoplankton and zooplankton), fish and seabird populations, community ecology (phytoplankton, benthos and fish), and the final section consisting of six commentaries from scientists working in areas outside the North Atlantic marine sector. In order to enhance integration, a series of introductions link chapters and sections. Throughout the book, numerous examples highlight different aspects of ecology-climate interactions. They document recent progress and illustrate the challenges of trying to understand ecological processes and patterns in the light of climate variations.

Global environmental change, which includes climate change, biodiversity loss, changes in hydrological and biogeochemical cycles, and intensive exploitation of natural resources, is having significant impacts on the world's oceans. This book advances knowledge of the structure and functioning of marine ecosystems, and their past, present, and future responses to physical and anthropogenic forcing. The book illustrates how climate and humans impact marine ecosystems by a comprehensive review of the physical and ecological processes that structure marine ecosystems and the observation, experimentation, and modelling approaches required for their study. Recognizing the interactive roles played by humans in using marine resources and in responding to global changes in marine systems, the book includes chapters on the human dimensions of marine ecosystem changes and on effective management approaches in the era of change. Part IV reviews the state of the art in predicting the responses of marine ecosystems to future global change scenarios. The book provides a synthesis of the work conducted under the auspices of the Global Ocean Ecosystems Dynamics (GLOBEC) project over the last two decades, as the largest, multi-disciplinary, international effort focused on understanding the impacts of external forcing on the structure and dynamics of global marine ecosystems.