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Parasitoids lay their eggs on or in the bodies of other species of insect, and the parasitoid larvae develop by feeding on the host, causing its eventual death. Known for a long time to applied biologists for their importance in regulating the population densities of economic pests, parasitoids have recently proven to be valuable tools in testing many aspects of evolutionary theory. This book synthesizes the work of both schools of parasitoid biology and asks how a consideration of evolutionary biology can help us understand the behavior, ecology, and diversity of the approximately one to two million species of parasitoid found on earth. After a general introduction to parasitoid natural his...
Malaria is one of most serious infectious diseases today and has afflicted humankind for thousands of years. A significant number of people still die from this mosquito-borne disease, despite the use of various malaria prevention and control methods over hundreds of years and more than a century of coordinated global control efforts using modern tools, together with research into and development of new strategies for prevention, diagnosis, and disease treatment. Genetic approaches that focus on the vector mosquitoes to prevent malaria parasite transmission have been considered for many decades. Genetic control strategies received a significant boost with the successful development of gene drive systems, genetic methods for rapidly spreading beneficial genes and phenotypes through mosquito populations. This book reviews some concepts of gene drive systems and describes pioneering applications to control mosquito populations and prevent parasite transmission.
This novel text provides a concise synthesis of how the interactions between mitochondrial and nuclear genes have played a major role in shaping the ecology and evolution of eukaryotes. The foundation for this new focus on mitonuclear interactions originated from research in biochemistry and cell biology laboratories, although the broader ecological and evolutionary implications have yet to be fully explored. The imperative for mitonuclear coadaptation is proposed to be a major selective force in the evolution of sexual reproduction and two mating types in eukaryotes, in the formation of species, in the evolution of ornaments and sexual selection, in the process of adaptation, and in the evolution of senescence. The book highlights the importance of mitonuclear coadaptation to the evolution of complex life and champions mitonuclear ecology as an important subdiscipline in ecology and evolution.
Provides readers with the concepts and practical tools required to understand the maximum entropy principle, and apply it to an understanding of ecological patterns. The theory developed predicts realistic forms for all metrics of ecology that describe patterns in the distribution, abundance, and energetics of species.
Justice, even divine justice, is concrete. It addresses flesh-and-blood persons and the systems, structures, and conditions under which they live. God's vision of abundant human living is not restricted to the spiritual realm but extends even to our material circumstances. But in today's complex economy, what specific changes to public policies and institutions could lead to a just economy? In The Way of Abundance, economist and minister Edith Rasell examines Old and New Testament teachings on economic justice in the context of the ancient economic systems and circumstances they addressed. Drawing on the biblical narrative and on research from the social sciences, Rasell examines three eras-...
The International Food Policy Research Institute’s IMPACT model is a robust tool for analyzing global and regional challenges in food, agriculture, and natural resources. Continuously updated and refined, IMPACT version 3.6 is the latest update to the model for continuously improving the treatment of complex issues, including climate change, food security, and economic development. IMPACT 3.6 multimarket model integrates climate, crop simulation, and water models into a comprehensive system, providing decision-makers with a flexible platform to assess the potential impacts of various scenarios on biophysical systems, socioeconomic trends, technologies, and policies.
A new generation of food activists has come to believe that "sustainable farming" and "eating local" are the way to solve a host of perceived problems with our modern food supply system. By combining healthy eating and a high standard of environmental stewardship, these locavores think, we can also deliver important economic benefits and increase food security within local economies. But after a thorough review of the evidence, economic geographer Pierre Desrochers and policy analyst Hiroko Shimizu have concluded these claims are mistaken. In The Locavore's Dilemma, they explain the history, science, and economics of food supply to reveal what locavores miss or misunderstand: the real enviro...
Nanotechnology: Advances and Real-Life Applications offers a comprehensive reference text about advanced concepts and applications in the field of nanotechnology. The text – written by researchers practicing in the field – presents a detailed discussion of key concepts including nanomaterials and their synthesis, fabrication and characterization of nanomaterials, carbon-based nanomaterials, nano-bio interface, and nanoelectronics. The applications of nanotechnology in the fields of renewable energy, medicine and agriculture are each covered in a dedicated chapter. The text will be invaluable for senior undergraduate and graduate students in the fields of electrical engineering, electronics engineering, nanotechnology and nanoscience. Dr. Cherry Bhargava is an Associate Professor and Head, VLSI domain, at the School of Electrical and Electronics Engineering of Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, India. Dr. Amit Sachdeva is an Associate Professor at Lovely Professional University, Jalandhar, India.
Recent discussions among scientists and policy-makers have highlighted that knowledge generated by many research and demonstration projects is not reaching policymakers in an efficient way. Conversely, the consideration of research results by the policy making community is not straightforward, and difficulties arise in integrating the latest research developments in legislation. The difficulty is enhanced by the fact that the policy-making community is not defining its role as "client" sufficiently well and the dialogue and communication channels are far from ideal to ensure an efficient flow of information. An increasing number of experts consider that improvements could be achieved through...
Waterborne Pathogens: Detection Methods and Applications, Second Edition, gives an overview of advanced and emerging technologies in the detection of a range of waterborne pathogens. In addition, the book presents existing methodologies, highlights where improvements can be made, includes applications, and touches on the ways in which new technologies can be applied in water management. Finally, the book addresses issues of sample preparation (from sampling, to concentration and enrichment), a key stage in any detection protocol. - Gives an overview of advanced emerging technologies in the detection of a range of waterborne pathogens - Ensures the latest research developments, along with other changes in the sector, e.g., regulations and approaches are current - Provides an overview of the existing approaches and key challenges before discussing sample processing and detection - Presents existing methodologies and highlights where improvements can be made