Ecological Relationships of Plants and Animals / Edition 1

by Henry F. Howe, Lynn C. Westley

Overview

Over the past two decades, numerous field and experimental studies on the ecology and evolution of animal and plant interactions have been reported by botanists, zoologists, and ecologists. This textbook offers a comprehensive summary of this extensive and widely scattered literature, and in so doing presents the subject as a coherent, accessible discipline. The authors describe familiar areas, such as herbivory and pollination, and discuss new information on subjects such as seed dispersal, the genetics of coevolution, structural and chemical plant defenses, and the implications of human use of animal and plant communities. As they explore these issues, the authors raise provocative questions of fundamental importance: How can an earth teeming with plant-eating animals be so green? Do plants really need animals that pollinate their flowers and disperse their seeds? What happens to tropical plant communities when fruit-eating toucans and monkeys are killed by encroaching humans? By drawing together information on many diverse aspects of the subject—and presenting a challenging and insightful look into the complexities of plant and animal inter-relationships—this unique book represents a vital contribution to the ecological literature.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780195063141
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
Publication date:	02/22/1990
Edition description:	Older Edition
Pages:	288
Product dimensions:	9.27(w) x 6.19(h) x 0.57(d)

About the Author

both at the University of Iowa

Table of Contents

PART I: Evolutionary Ecology1. Adaptation and Natural Selection2. Testing Hypotheses in Evolutionary EcologyPART II: A Green Earth and Its Enemies: Herbivory3. Plant Defense and Animal Offense4. Ecology of Herbivory5. Evolution and HerbivoryPART III: Mutualisms: Uneasy Partnerships6. Mechanics of Mutualism7. Ecology of Mutualism8. Natural Selection and MutualismPART IV: Ancient and Modern Communities9. Ancient Communities10. Plants and Animals in Modern Communities