Behavioral Ecology of Insect Parasitoids: From Theoretical Approaches to Field Applications

Written by a team of leading international specialists, Behavioral Ecology of Insect Parasitoids examines the optimal behaviors that parasitoids exhibit in order to maximize long–term offspring production. More efficient selective pest management programs will evolve with a deeper understanding of the link between these behavioral strategies and host mortality.
The book reviews topical issues, such as cutting–edge research on parasitoid decision making and the implications for biological control. It explores applications in other fields, provides information on the latest research methods, and includes helpful case studies and statistical tools.
This book is an essential reference for research scientists and students studying these fascinating insects or for anyone involved in using parasitoids in biological control programs.

Spis treści:
Contributors.
Preface.
Part I: Current Issues in Behavioural Ecology of Insect Parasitoids:.
1. Optimal Foraging Behaviour and Efficient Biological Control Methods: Nick J. Mills (University of California) and Éric Wajnberg (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique).
2. Parasitoid Fitness: From a Simple Idea to an Intricate Concept: Minus van Baalen (Université Pierre et Marie Curie) and Lia Hemerik (Wageningen University).
3. Parasitoid Foraging and Oviposition Behaviour in the Field: George E. Heimpel (University of Minnesota) and Jérôme Casas (University of Tours).
4. Behaviour Influences Whether Intra–guild Predation Disrupts Herbivore Suppression by Parasitoids: William E. Snyder (Washington State University) and Anthony R. Ives (University of Wisconsin – Madison).
5. Chemical and Behavioural Ecology in Insect Parasitoids: How to Behave Optimally in a Complex Odourous Environment?: Monika Hilker (Freie Universität Berlin) and Jeremy McNeil (University of Western Ontario).
6. Parasitoid and Host Nutritional Physiol ogy in Behavioural Ecology: Michael R. Strand (University of Georgia) and Jérôme Casas (University of Tours).
7. Food–searching in Parasitoids: the Dilemma of Choosing Between ‘Immediate’ or Future Fitness Gains: Carlos Bernstein (Université de Lyon) and Mark Jervis (Cardiff University).
8. Information Acquisition, Information Processing, and Patch Time Allocation in Insect Parasitoids: Jacques J.M. van Alphen (Leiden University) and Carlos Bernstein (Université de Lyon).
9. Competition and Asymmetric Wars of Attrition in Insect Parasitoids: Patsy Haccou (Leiden University) and Jacques J.M. van Alphen (Leiden University).
10. Risk Assessment and Host Exploitation Strategies in Insect Parasitoids: Luc–Alain Giraldeau (Université du Québec à Montréal) and Guy Boivin (Agriculture et Agroalimentaire Canada).
Part II: Extension of Behavioural Ecology of Insect Parasitoids to Other Fields:.
11. Multitrophic Interactions and Parasitoid Behavioural Ecology: Louise E. M. Vet (Netherlands Institute of Ecology) and H. Charles J. Godfray (University of Oxford).
12. Parasitoid Sex Ratios and Biological Control: Paul J. Ode (North Dakota State University) and Ian C.W. Hardy (University of Nottingham).
13. Linking Foraging and Dynamics: Michael B. Bonsall (University of Oxford) and Carlos Bernstein (Université de Lyon).
14. Linking Behavioural Ecology to the Study of Host Resistance and Parasitoid Counter–resistance: Alex R. Kraaijeveld (University of Southampton) and H. Charles J. Godfray (University of Oxford).
Part III: Methodological Issues in Behavioural Ecology:.
15. State–dependent Problems for Parasitoids: Case Studies and Solutions: Bernard Roitberg (Simon Fraser University) and Pierre Bernhard (Polytech’Nice Sophia Antipolis).
16. A Bayesian Approach to Optimal Foraging in Parasitoids: Jean–Sébastien Pierre (Institut Nationa l de la Recherche Agronomique) and Richard F. Green (University of Minnesota Duluth).
17. Finding Optimal Behaviours with Genetic Algorithms: Thomas S. Hoffmeister (University of Bremen) and Éric Wajnberg (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique).
18. Statistical Tools for Analyzing Data on Behavioural Ecology of Insect Parasitoids: Éric Wajnberg (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique) and Patsy Haccou (Leiden University).
Index

Nota biograficzna:
Éric Wajnberg is a research scientist on Behavioral Ecology at the Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), Sophia Antipolis, France. He is a population biologist specializing in population genetics, behavioral ecology, and statistical modeling. He is also an expert in biological control, with more than 20 years experience of working with insect parasitoids.
Carlos Bernstein is a research scientist on Behavioral Ecology at the Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Villeurbanne, France. He is a parasitoid behavioral ecologist whose main center of interest is to enquire how individual behavior translates into population processes. He leads a multidisciplinary research group that combines theoretical research and mathematical modeling with field and laboratory experimentation.
Jacques van Alphen is a professor of Animal Ecology at the University of Leiden, The Netherlands. He is an expert in the behavioral ecology and life–history evolution of parasitoids. His current research is conducted on four host–parasitoid systems at the University of Leiden.


Okładka tylna:
Written by a team of leading international specialists, Behavioral Ecology of Insect Parasitoids examines the optimal behaviors that parasitoids exhibit in order to maximize long–term offspring production. More efficient selective pest management programs will evolve with a deeper understanding of the link betwee n these behavioral strategies and host mortality.
The book reviews topical issues, such as cutting–edge research on parasitoid decision making and the implications for biological control. It explores applications in other fields, provides information on the latest research methods, and includes helpful case studies and statistical tools.
This book is an essential reference for research scientists and students studying these fascinating insects or for anyone involved in using parasitoids in biological control programs.