Natural Enemies
The Population Biology of Predators, Parasites and Diseases

Michael J. Crawley (Author)

9780632026982, Wiley

Paperback / softback, published 14 August 1992

592 pages
25 x 10 x 1.5 cm, 0.936 kg

This book is about disease and death. It is an ecologist's view of Darwin's vivid evocation of Nature, red in tooth and claw. An international team of authors examines broad patterns in the population biology of natural enemies, and addresses general questions about the role of natural enemies in the population dynamics and evolution of their prey. For instance, how do large natural enemies like wolves differ from small natural enemies like bacterial diseases in their effects on prey abundance? Is it better to chase after prey, or sit and wait for it to come to you? How should prey behave in order to minimize the risk of being eaten? The answers are all in this fascinating senior undergraduate/postgraduate text.

Part 1: Background
Evolution of exploiter - victim relationships
Correlates of carnivory: approaches and answers
Population dynamics of natural enemies and their prey
Foraging theory
Part 2: Population biology of natural enemies
Large carnivores
Birds of prey
Insectivorous mammals
Marine mammals
Marine invertebrates
Predatory arthropods
Bloodsucking arthropods
Spiders as representative sit-and-wait predators
Macroparasites: worms and others
Macroparasites: viruses and bacteria
Part 3: Synthesis
Predator psychology and the evolution of prey coloration
Natural enemies and community dynamics
Biological control
The dynamics of predator-prey and resource-harvester systems
Prey defence and predator foraging
Overview
References
Index

Subject Areas: Biology, life sciences [PS]