Aphid Biodiversity Under Environmental Change

This book presents the results of recent research on aphid population dynamics and ecology relevant to current environmental changes resulting from global wa- ing. It incorporates a selection of the contributions presented at the International Symposium on Aphids in Fremantle, Australia, in October 2005, plus some ad- tional invited chapters. The objective was to incorporate the major issues in the ?eld and simultaneously create a closely interrelated and integrated volume. The ?rst chapter sets the scene. Kindlmann and Dixon present a critical review of existing models of aphid population dynamics, examine the biological assumptions that are incorporated in the models and present one of the latest models of aphid metapopulation dynamics. They conclude that natural enemies are unlikely to affect aphid population dynamics late in a season, but in some years may have an effect very early in the season, when aphid colonies are still small and predators might be able to reduce the numbers of colonies. The question, whether aphids will move to different locations, adapt to the change in conditions in their current habitat or go extinct is discussed by Ameixa. She concludes that the distributions of aphids are most likely to change, with the distribution of each species moving globally as their preferred habitat moves in response to changes in the climate, which may be more dif?cult than in the past because of habitat fragmentation and habitat loss.

This book presents completely novel, yet unpublished findings Unlike the other books concentrates mainly on the effect of environmental change on aphid population dynamics No similar book exist inthe market

Autorentext
Pavel Kindlmann is professor of ecology at the Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic and performs research on various aspects of biodiversity as the Head of the Biodiversity Research Centre, in the CzechGlobe - Global Change Research Centre, Academy of Sciences, in eské Bud jovice, Czech Republic. His main interests include population and metapopulation dynamics and life history strategies with a special emphasis on insect herbivores, their predators, and on the orchid family. He authored or edited several books on population systems, orchids and conservation biology and published about 100 scientific papers in prominent journals.

Klappentext
This book presents completely novel, yet unpublished findings on aphid population dynamics and ecology in the context of recent environmental changes and closely related issues. It can be used as complementary text in any course on population dynamics and ecology of crop pests at undergraduate or graduate levels. The book is intended mainly for graduate students, researchers in crop science, crop protection, agricultural advisors and managers, but it will surely attract attention of many other people interested in insect pests, their biological control and ecology.

Inhalt
Modelling Population Dynamics of Aphids and Their Natural Enemies.- Aphids in a Changing World.- Trends in the Timings of the Start and End of Annual Flight Periods.- Consequences of Climate Change for Aphid-Based Multi-trophic Systems.- Implications of Climate Change for Cereal Aphids on the Great Plains of North America.- Implications of Climate Change for Toxoptera citricida (Kirkaldy), a Disease Vector of Citrus in Florida.- Ecological Factors Influencing Pea Aphid Outbreaks in the US Pacific Northwest.- Temperature, Seasonal Development and Distribution of Insects with Particular Reference to Aphids.- Coccinellids in a Changing World.- Ecological Costs of Alarm Signalling in Aphids.