Ecodynamics of Insect Communities

Contents: Preface. 1. Ecological diversity and biotic interactions: an introduction. 2. Insect communities and nature of species interactions: an analysis. 3. Microhabitats: community diversity and mutualistic interactions. 4. Insect communities in forests and agroecosystems. 5. Biological and ecological inputs in relation to insect sociality. 6. Cecidogenous insects: diversity, biological and ecological interactions. 7. Invasive insects. 8. Ecology of weed infesting insect communities and impact on crops. 9. Insect guilds: structure and function. 10. Insect and climate change. 11. Overview. Selected references.

From the Preface: “This book aims at an understanding of diverse mutualistic interactions, with all individuals tending to display their own adaptational ranges. In view of different species using different kinds of microhabitats, the diversity of assemblages goes a long way towards a better appreciation of the adaptive trends of the species involved therein. Insect assemblages and communities are shaped by the compositional, structural and trophic interactions which hold together ecological communities.

This book comprises 11 chapters, the first three of which being essentially introduction, with aspects such as ecological diversity and biotic interactions; species aggregations and communities and nature of biotic interactions and the impact of habitat loss and fragmentation on insect communities. With the establishment of these three basic inputs, it becomes easier to appreciate the nature of microhabitats, their diversity, ecological and functional interactions as well as the ecology of mutualistic interactions, involving reciprocal benefits at individual/population levels, highlighting the diversity of such mutualistic associations such as that of ants-aphids, ants-coccids, ants-whiteflies and ants-membracids. Chapter IV deals with insect communities in natural and plantation forests and in agroecosystems. Emphasis is made on the wide range of responses among myriad species in natural forests to changes in forest quality. Similarly agroecosystems being ecological and socio-economic systems, the implications of such large populations of insect pest species are assessed. Chapter V deals with biological and ecological inputs in relation to insect sociality, involving ants, bees, wasps and termites. Chapter VI discusses the adaptive dynamics of insect-induced galling systems. Chapter VII deals with the ecology invasive insects. Chapter VIII outlines the diversity of interactions involved in insects infesting weeds. Chapter IX briefly outlines the functional aspects of insect guilds. The last chapter X deals with the climatic influence on insects communities. This is followed by a short overview, followed by references.”