Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Sub-tropics

Download Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Sub-tropics PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 981101518X
Total Pages : 443 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (11 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Sub-tropics by : Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy

Download or read book Arthropod Diversity and Conservation in the Tropics and Sub-tropics written by Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-11-23 with total page 443 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Arthropods are invertebrates that constitute over 90% of the animal kingdom, and their bio-ecology is closely linked with global functioning and survival. Arthropods play an important role in maintaining the health of ecosystems, provide livelihoods and nutrition to human communities, and are important indicators of environmental change. Yet the population trends of several arthropods species show them to be in decline. Arthropods constitute a dominant group with 1.2 million species influencing earth’s biodiversity. Among arthropods, insects are predominant, with ca. 1 million species and having evolved some 350 million years ago. Arthropods are closely associated with living and non-living entities alike, making the ecosystem services they provide crucially important. In order to be effective, plans for the conservation of arthropods and ecosystems should include a mixture of strategies like protecting key habitats and genomic studies to formulate relevant policies for in situ and ex situ conservation. This two-volume book focuses on capturing the essentials of arthropod inventories, biology, and conservation.Further, it seeks to identify the mechanisms by which arthropod populations can be sustained in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and by means of which certain problematic species be managed without producing harmful environmental side-effects. This edited compilation includes chapters contributed by over 80 biologists on a wide range of topics embracing the diversity, distribution, utility and conservation of arthropods and select groups of insect taxa. More importantly, it describes in detail the mechanisms of sustaining arthropod ecosystems, services and populations. It addresses the contribution of modern biological tools such as molecular and genetic techniques regulating gene expression, as well as conventional, indigenous practices in arthropod conservation. The contributors reiterate the importance of documenting and understanding the biology of arthropods from a holistic perspective before addressing conservation issues at large. This book offers a valuable resource for all zoologists, entomologists, ecologists, conservation biologists, policy makers, teachers and students interested in the conservation of biological resources.

Arthropod Diversity and Conservation

Download Arthropod Diversity and Conservation PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer Science & Business Media
ISBN 13 : 1402052049
Total Pages : 517 pages
Book Rating : 4.4/5 (2 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Arthropod Diversity and Conservation by : David L. Hawksworth

Download or read book Arthropod Diversity and Conservation written by David L. Hawksworth and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2007-01-25 with total page 517 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This collection of more than 30 peer-reviewed papers focuses on the diversity and conservation of arthropods, whose species inhabit virtually every recess and plane – and feature in virtually every food web – on the planet. Highlighting issues ranging from large-scale disturbance to local management, from spatial heterogeneity to temporal patterns, these papers reflect exciting new research – and take the reader to some of the most biodiverse corners of the planet.

Economic and Ecological Significance of Arthropods in Diversified Ecosystems

Download Economic and Ecological Significance of Arthropods in Diversified Ecosystems PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 9811015244
Total Pages : 431 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (11 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Economic and Ecological Significance of Arthropods in Diversified Ecosystems by : Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy

Download or read book Economic and Ecological Significance of Arthropods in Diversified Ecosystems written by Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-10-20 with total page 431 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Arthropods are invertebrates that constitute over 90% of the animal kingdom, and their bio-ecology is closely linked with global functioning and survival. Arthropods play an important role in maintaining the health of ecosystems, provide livelihoods and nutrition to human communities, and are important indicators of environmental change. Yet the population trends of several arthropods species show them to be in decline. Arthropods constitute a dominant group with 1.2 million species influencing earth’s biodiversity. Among arthropods, insects are predominant, with ca. 1 million species and having evolved some 350 million years ago. Arthropods are closely associated with living and non-living entities alike, making the ecosystem services they provide crucially important. In order to be effective, plans for the conservation of arthropods and ecosystems should include a mixture of strategies like protecting key habitats and genomic studies to formulate relevant policies for in situ and ex situ conservation. This two-volume book focuses on capturing the essentials of arthropod inventories, biology, and conservation. Further, it seeks to identify the mechanisms by which arthropod populations can be sustained in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, and by means of which certain problematic species be managed without producing harmful environmental side-effects. This edited compilation includes chapters contributed by over 80 biologists on a wide range of topics embracing the diversity, distribution, utility and conservation of arthropods and select groups of insect taxa. More importantly, it describes in detail the mechanisms of sustaining arthropod ecosystems, services and populations. It addresses the contribution of modern biological tools such as molecular and genetic techniques regulating gene expression, as well as conventional, indigenous practices in arthropod conservation. The contributors reiterate the importance of documenting and understanding the biology of arthropods from a holistic perspective before addressing conservation issues at large. This book offers a valuable resource for all zoologists, entomologists, ecologists, conservation biologists, policy makers, teachers and students interested in the conservation of biological resources.

Agroclimatology

Download Agroclimatology PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 0891183574
Total Pages : 656 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (911 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Agroclimatology by : Jerry L. Hatfield

Download or read book Agroclimatology written by Jerry L. Hatfield and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2020-01-22 with total page 656 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Can we unlock resilience to climate stress by better understanding linkages between the environment and biological systems? Agroclimatology allows us to explore how different processes determine plant response to climate and how climate drives the distribution of crops and their productivity. Editors Jerry L. Hatfield, Mannava V.K. Sivakumar, and John H. Prueger have taken a comprehensive view of agroclimatology to assist and challenge researchers in this important area of study. Major themes include: principles of energy exchange and climatology, understanding climate change and agriculture, linkages of specific biological systems to climatology, the context of pests and diseases, methods of agroclimatology, and the application of agroclimatic principles to problem-solving in agriculture.

Insects and Other Arthropods of Tropical America

Download Insects and Other Arthropods of Tropical America PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Cornell University Press
ISBN 13 : 150170429X
Total Pages : 384 pages
Book Rating : 4.5/5 (17 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Insects and Other Arthropods of Tropical America by : Paul E. Hanson

Download or read book Insects and Other Arthropods of Tropical America written by Paul E. Hanson and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2016-06-15 with total page 384 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Visitors to tropical forests generally come to see the birds, mammals, and plants. Aside from butterflies, however, insects usually do not make it on the list of things to see. This is a shame. Insects are everywhere, they are often as beautiful as the showiest of birds, and they have a fascinating natural history. With their beautifully illustrated guide to insects and other arthropods, Paul E. Hanson and Kenji Nishida put the focus on readily observable insects that one encounters while strolling through a tropical forest in the Americas. It is a general belief that insects in the tropics are larger and more colorful than insects in temperate regions, but this simply reflects a greater diversity of nearly all types of insects in the tropics. On a single rainforest tree, for example, you will find more species of ant than in all of England.Though written for those who have no prior knowledge of insects, this book should also prove useful to those who study them. In addition to descriptions of the principal insect families, the reader will find a wealth of biological information that serves as an introduction to the natural history of insects and related classes. Sidebars on insect behavior and ecological factors enhance the descriptive accounts. Kenji Nishida's stunning photographs—many of which show insects in action in their natural settings—add appeal to every page. A final chapter provides a glimpse into the intriguing world of spiders, scorpions, crabs, and other arthropods.

Parasitoids in Pest Management

Download Parasitoids in Pest Management PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1000840549
Total Pages : 437 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (8 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Parasitoids in Pest Management by : Omkar

Download or read book Parasitoids in Pest Management written by Omkar and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2023-03-13 with total page 437 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Pests cause economic damage to crops and stored products, while vectors are responsible for the transmission of disease-causing agents in human beings and livestock. Although the application of synthetic pesticides in agriculture has given immediate relief, it has also caused well-known side effects, leading to a general consensus among entomologists and agriculturists to shift towards other ecofriendly pest management. Insect natural enemies consisting of predators, parasitoids, and pathogens have attracted the attention of scientists across the globe. These natural enemies exist in agroecosystems and suppress the populations of pests. Parasitoids are farmers’ friends and the most successful group of natural enemies. Highly specialised in their host choice, the female parasitoid searches for a suitable host to lay eggs and larvae in, on or near the hosts. Exploiting this potency of parasitoids may yield successful results in controlling notorious pests in an ecofriendly way. This book covers information on the important biocontrol agents effective in pest suppression. It starts with insect parasitic groups followed by specific groups of parasitoids. It is hoped that the book presents a comprehensive account of beneficial parasitoirds, and will be useful to undergraduate and postgraduate students of Entomology, Biological Control, Plant Protection, Agricultural Zoology, and Zoology, besides those involved in competitive examinations and policy planning. Features: Each chapter has been written by very experienced specialists Every chapter includes Learning Objectives and Points to Remember This book offers comprehensive knowledge of parasitoids and their application in pest management in a rational way

Experimental Techniques in Host-Plant Resistance

Download Experimental Techniques in Host-Plant Resistance PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 9811326525
Total Pages : 292 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (113 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Experimental Techniques in Host-Plant Resistance by : Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy

Download or read book Experimental Techniques in Host-Plant Resistance written by Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy and published by Springer. This book was released on 2019-04-24 with total page 292 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The earliest land-plants evolved around 450 million years ago from aquatic plants devoid of vascular systems. The diversification of flowering plants (angiosperms) during the Cretaceous period is associated with speciation in insects. Early insect herbivores were mandibulate, but the evolution of vascular plants led to the co-evolution of other forms of herbivory, such as leaf feeding, sap-sucking, leaf mining, tissue borer, gall forming and nectar-feeding. Plant defense against biotic stress is an adaptive evolution by plants to increase their fitness. Plants use a variety of strategies to defend against damage caused by herbivores. Plant defense mechanisms are either inbuilt or induced. Inbuilt mechanisms are always present within the plant, while induced defenses are produced or mobilized to the site where a plant is injured. Induced defense mechanisms include morphological, physiological changes and production of secondary metabolites. Host plant resistance (HPR) is one of the eco-friendly methods of pest management. It protects the crop by making it less suitable or tolerant to the pest. While books on theoretical aspects of HPR are available, an exclusive book on the practical aspects is lacking. There is a wide gap between the theory and the experimental procedures required for conducting studies on plant resistance for the post graduate students and young researchers. A dire need for a book on practical aspects was strongly felt. Initially a practical manual was prepared which eventually evolved into the present book. We hope this book provides information on major aspects of screening crop germplasm, sampling techniques, genetic and biochemical basis of HPR, behavioural studies on pheromone and plant volatiles, and some of the recent approaches in HPR. Further, the references provide the scientific articles and books as additional information to readers and workers alike.

Tropical Rain Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation

Download Tropical Rain Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 019928587X
Total Pages : 534 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (992 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Tropical Rain Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation by : Jaboury Ghazoul

Download or read book Tropical Rain Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation written by Jaboury Ghazoul and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2010-05-20 with total page 534 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a comprehensive, attractive, and readable introduction to tropical rain forest ecology, biogeography, and management. It tackles the subject at local, regional, and global scales, and is both up-to-date and fully integrated across disciplines.

Biotic Interactions in the Tropics

Download Biotic Interactions in the Tropics PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780521847070
Total Pages : 582 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (47 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Biotic Interactions in the Tropics by : David Burslem

Download or read book Biotic Interactions in the Tropics written by David Burslem and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2005-09-08 with total page 582 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: To understand how tropical ecosystems function we need to appreciate not only what plants, animals and microbes they contain, but how they interact with each other. This volume synthesizes the current state of knowledge of tropical biotic interaction, with chapters providing reviews or case studies drawn from research conducted in both Old and New World tropics, including interactions among taxa at all levels. An underlying theme of the volume is revealing the importance of the maintenance of high diversity in tropical regions.

The Black spotted, Yellow Borer, Conogethes punctiferalis Guenée and Allied Species

Download The Black spotted, Yellow Borer, Conogethes punctiferalis Guenée and Allied Species PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer
ISBN 13 : 9811303908
Total Pages : 357 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (113 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis The Black spotted, Yellow Borer, Conogethes punctiferalis Guenée and Allied Species by : Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy

Download or read book The Black spotted, Yellow Borer, Conogethes punctiferalis Guenée and Allied Species written by Akshay Kumar Chakravarthy and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-09-17 with total page 357 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Conogethes is a group of moths distributed in Austral-Asian region from India to New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Australia.The moths are also found in Hawaii and Great Britain. Conogethes is mostly known for the economic impact of its larvae on agricultural crops. Substantial research has been undertaken in order to understand the biology of these harmful insects and to develop strategies to confine their impact. Research on chemical communication between males and females via sex pheromones is in progress.Recent research has also focused on the acoustic communication of Conogethes. The moths can feed on more than 200 plants in diversified habitats. The borer moths have become major pest on Horticultural , Agricultural,Avenue trees and forest trees. Its a pest of Quarantine importance as it has been found in Exportable commodities. The book contains 22 chapters from a dozen countries. The authors are from China, Vietnam, Australia, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Norway etc. This is the first book on the pest globally where interesting insights are provided. This is one of the book of its kind on single pest dealing with almost all aspects of its biology and management on cultivated crops.

Mangroves in a Changing World: Adaptation and Resilience

Download Mangroves in a Changing World: Adaptation and Resilience PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 3031676912
Total Pages : 209 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 (316 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Mangroves in a Changing World: Adaptation and Resilience by : Vidya Padmakumar

Download or read book Mangroves in a Changing World: Adaptation and Resilience written by Vidya Padmakumar and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on with total page 209 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Advances in Pest Management in Commercial Flowers

Download Advances in Pest Management in Commercial Flowers PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : CRC Press
ISBN 13 : 1000008223
Total Pages : 308 pages
Book Rating : 4.0/5 ( download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Advances in Pest Management in Commercial Flowers by : Suprakash Pal

Download or read book Advances in Pest Management in Commercial Flowers written by Suprakash Pal and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2020-02-04 with total page 308 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Floricultural crops all over the world are challenged by a number of insect and mite pests. The pest scenario is changing, and with climate change the instances of new pest incidences have become a more common problem. Like other crops, the intensive cultivation of commercial flowers has accentuated pest problems, as farmers tend to use more agricultural chemicals, which, in turn, increase the problems of pesticide resistance, pest resurgence, and residues leading to health hazards. This volume, Advances in Pest Management in Commercial Flowers, looks at the major challenges and improvements in this growing area today. It first provides an informative overview of worldwide pests of important commercial flowers. It explores a number of important issues in this area, such as the role of climate change on insect pests of commercial flowers and the synthetic chemicals and their possible harmful effects on the environment.

Invertebrate Medicine

Download Invertebrate Medicine PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : John Wiley & Sons
ISBN 13 : 1119569435
Total Pages : 757 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (195 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Invertebrate Medicine by : Gregory A. Lewbart

Download or read book Invertebrate Medicine written by Gregory A. Lewbart and published by John Wiley & Sons. This book was released on 2022-04-19 with total page 757 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presented in full color for the first time, Invertebrate Medicine is the definitive resource on husbandry and veterinary medicine in invertebrate species. Presenting authoritative information applicable to both in-human care and wild invertebrates, this comprehensive volume addresses the medical care and clinical condition of most important invertebrate species—providing biological data for sponges, jellyfish, anemones, snails, sea hares, corals, cuttlefish, squid, octopuses, clams, oysters, crabs, crayfish, lobsters, shrimp, hermit crabs, spiders, scorpions, horseshoe crabs, honey bees, butterflies, beetles, sea stars, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, various worms, and many other invertebrate groups. The extensively revised third edition contains new information and knowledge throughout, offering timely coverage of significant advances in invertebrate anesthesia, analgesia, diagnostic imaging, surgery, and welfare. New and updated chapters incorporate recent publications on species including crustaceans, jellyfishes, corals, honeybees, and a state-of-the-science formulary. In this edition, the authors also discuss a range of topics relevant to invertebrate caretaking including conservation, laws and regulations, euthanasia, diagnostic techniques, and sample handling. Edited by a leading veterinarian and expert in the field, Invertebrate Medicine, Third Edition: Provides a comprehensive reference to all aspects of invertebrate medicine Offers approximately 200 new pages of expanded content Features more than 400 full color images and new contributions from leading veterinarians and specialists for each taxon Includes updated chapters of reportable diseases, neoplasia, sources of invertebrates and supplies, and a comprehensive formulary The standard reference text in the field, Invertebrate Medicine, Third Edition is essential reading for practicing veterinarians, veterinary students, advanced hobbyists, aquarists and aquaculturists, and professional animal caretakers in zoo animal, exotic animal, and laboratory animal medicine.

Tropical Rain Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation

Download Tropical Rain Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Oxford University Press
ISBN 13 : 0198897065
Total Pages : 534 pages
Book Rating : 4.1/5 (988 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Tropical Rain Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation by : Jaboury Ghazoul

Download or read book Tropical Rain Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation written by Jaboury Ghazoul and published by Oxford University Press. This book was released on 2023-04-10 with total page 534 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rain forests represent the world's richest repository of terrestrial biodiversity, and play a major role in regulating the global climate. They support the livelihoods of a substantial proportion of the world's population and are the source of many internationally traded commodities. They remain (despite decades of conservation attention) increasingly vulnerable to degradation and clearance, with profound though often uncertain future costs to global society. Understanding the ecology of these diverse biomes, and peoples' dependencies on them, is fundamental to their future management and conservation. Tropical Rain Forest Ecology, Diversity, and Conservation introduces and explores what rain forests are, how they arose, what they contain, how they function, and how humans use and impact them. The book starts by introducing the variety of rain forest plants, fungi, microorganisms, and animals, emphasising the spectacular diversity that is the motivation for their conservation. The central chapters describe the origins of rain forest communities, the variety of rain forest formations, and their ecology and dynamics. The challenge of explaining the species richness of rain forest communities lies at the heart of ecological theory, and forms a common theme throughout. The book's final section considers historical and current interactions of humans and rain forests. It explores biodiversity conservation as well as livelihood security for the many communities that are dependent on rain forests - inextricable issues that represent urgent priorities for scientists, conservationists, and policy makers.

Genetic Methods and Tools for Managing Crop Pests

Download Genetic Methods and Tools for Managing Crop Pests PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Springer Nature
ISBN 13 : 981190264X
Total Pages : 668 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (119 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Genetic Methods and Tools for Managing Crop Pests by : A. K. Chakravarthy

Download or read book Genetic Methods and Tools for Managing Crop Pests written by A. K. Chakravarthy and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2022-08-21 with total page 668 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This contributed volume aims at bringing together all the genetic engineering tools for managing various types of crop pests. The main focus of this book is to explore the application of these tools in pest management. Major pest groups covered in this book are insects, mites and nematodes.The first section covers all major genetic tools and molecular approaches. The second section deals with genetic tools for of beneficial containing three chapters involving honey bees, silkworms and natural enemies. Next section deals with genetic interactions against pests in diverse geographical regions with special focus on Africa, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. Sections four and five addresses diverse aspects as management of pests, genetic behavior, gene expression, plasticity, pathways and interactions and options for mitigation of pests.It serves as a useful resource for professionals in the fields of entomology, agronomy, horticulture, ecology, and environmental sciences, as well as to agricultural producers and plant biotechnologists.

Arthropods of Tropical Forests

Download Arthropods of Tropical Forests PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Cambridge University Press
ISBN 13 : 9780521820004
Total Pages : 500 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (2 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Arthropods of Tropical Forests by : Yves Basset

Download or read book Arthropods of Tropical Forests written by Yves Basset and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2003-01-23 with total page 500 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Arthropods are the most diverse group of organisms on our planet and the tropical rainforests represent the most biologically diverse of all ecosystems. This book, written by 79 authors contributing to 35 chapters, aims to provide an overview of data collected during recent studies in Australia, Africa, Asia, and South America. The book focuses on the distribution of arthropods and their use of resources in the rainforest canopies, providing a basis for comparison between the forest ecosystems of the main biogeographical regions. Topics covered include the distribution of arthropods along vertical gradients and the relationship between the soil/litter habitat and the forest canopy. The temporal dynamics of arthropod communities, habitats and food selection are examined within and among tropical tree crowns, as are the effects of forest disturbance. This important book is a valuable addition to the literature used by community ecologists, conservation biologists entomologists, botanists and forestry experts.

Tropical Biodiversity: Why Should We Care?

Download Tropical Biodiversity: Why Should We Care? PDF Online Free

Author :
Publisher : Frontiers Media SA
ISBN 13 : 2889458784
Total Pages : 85 pages
Book Rating : 4.8/5 (894 download)

DOWNLOAD NOW!


Book Synopsis Tropical Biodiversity: Why Should We Care? by : Ana Maria Rocha de Almeida

Download or read book Tropical Biodiversity: Why Should We Care? written by Ana Maria Rocha de Almeida and published by Frontiers Media SA. This book was released on 2019-06-07 with total page 85 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When we look at our planet’s species distribution, we observe a very interesting pattern: as we move from the Poles to the Equator, the number of species drastically increases. This is what has been called ‘latitudinal gradient of species diversity’. In short, it means that tropical areas, which are located between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, harbor a greater number of species than temperate areas. We still don’t know exactly what causes (or have caused) this phenomenon, but we know that it resulted in high endism, that is, a large number of animals and plants unique to these areas. The tropical areas of the globe are an intricate patchwork of various ecosystems. Tropical ecosystems can vary from rainforests to deserts; from savannahs to mangroves, and we have a lot to learn from them. However, in recent years we have witnessed an increase in rates of habitat destruction, particularly in the tropics. Currently, many tropical ecosystems are under threat, as vast areas are devastated to give space to cities, agriculture, and cattle farms. As tropical areas vanish, so do species previously unknown to us, as well as ecological processed specific to these environments. Moreover, due to its global importance, devastation of tropical areas has potential impacts on other non-tropical ecosystems, and may exacerbate climate change, as well as influence the spread of tropical diseases. On the other side of this battle, there are many scientists that dedicated themselves to the study of the fascinating tropical biodiversity. This collection of articles aims at highlighting their contributions to our understanding of tropical patterns and processed leading to this incredible biodiversity. It focuses on the wonders of the tropical areas of the globe, by asking, amongst others, the following questions: Which species of plants and animals are found in tropical areas? What can we learn about tropical ecology and how can this knowledge help us conserve these ecosystems for future generations?