Evolutionary Ecology of Parasites : : Second Edition / / Robert Poulin.

• Superior document: Title is part of eBook package: De Gruyter Princeton University Press eBook-Package Backlist 2000-2013
• VerfasserIn: Poulin, Robert,
• Place / Publishing House: Princeton, NJ : : Princeton University Press, , [2011]; ©2007
• Year of Publication: 2011
• Edition: Second
• Language: English
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (360 p.) :; 109 line illus. 2 tables.

Parasites have evolved independently in numerous animal lineages, and they now make up a considerable proportion of the biodiversity of life. Not only do they impact humans and other animals in fundamental ways, but in recent years they have become a powerful model system for the study of ecology and evolution, with practical applications in disease prevention. Here, in a thoroughly revised and updated edition of his influential earlier work, Robert Poulin provides an evolutionary ecologist's view of the biology of parasites. He sets forth a comprehensive synthesis of parasite evolutionary ecology, integrating information across scales from the features of individual parasites to the dynamics of parasite populations and the structuring of parasite communities. Evolutionary Ecology of Parasites presents an evolutionary framework for the study of parasite biology, combining theory with empirical examples for a broader understanding of why parasites are as they are and do what they do. An up-to-date synthesis of the field, the book is an ideal teaching tool for advanced courses on the subject. Pointing toward promising directions and setting a research agenda, it will also be an invaluable reference for researchers who seek to extend our knowledge of parasite ecology and evolution.

Table of Contents

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Preface -- 1 Introduction -- 2 Origins of Parasitism and Complex Life Cycles -- 3 Host Specificity -- 4 Evolution of Parasite Life-History Strategies -- 5 Strategies of Host Exploitation -- 6 Parasite Aggregation: Causes and Consequences -- 7 Parasite Population Dynamics and Genetics -- 8 Interactions between Species and the Parasite Niche -- 9 Parasite Infracommunity Structure -- 10 Component Communities and Parasite Faunas -- 11 Conclusion -- References -- Index