Evolutionary Ecology across Three Trophic Levels

Product Description

In a work that will interest researchers in ecology, genetics, botany, entomology, and parasitology, Warren Abrahamson and Arthur Weis present the results of more than twenty-five years of studying plant-insect interactions. Their study centers on the ecology and evolution of interactions among a host plant, the parasitic insect that attacks it, and the suite of insects and birds that are the natural enemies of the parasite. Because this system provides a model that can be subjected to experimental manipulations, it has allowed the authors to address specific theories and concepts that have guided biological research for more than two decades and to engage general problems in evolutionary biology. The specific subjects of research are the host plant goldenrod (Solidago), the parasitic insect Eurosta solidaginis (Diptera: Tephritidae) that induces a gall on the plant stem, and a number of natural enemies of the gallfly. By presenting their detailed empirical studies of the Solidago-Eurosta natural enemy system, the authors demonstrate the complexities of specialized enemy-victim interactions and, thereby, the complex interactive relationships among species more broadly. By utilizing a diverse array of field, laboratory, behavioral, genetic, chemical, and statistical techniques, Abrahamson and Weis present the most thorough study to date of a single system of interacting species. Their interest in the evolutionary ecology of plant-insect interactions leads them to insights on the evolution of species interactions in general. This major work will interest anyone involved in studying the ways in which interdependent species interact.

Review

“In a writing style both consistent and fluid, Abrahamson and Weis weave a story that includes the ecology, evolution, systematics, physiology, behavior, molecular and developmental biology, and genetics of their system. Throughout, the excellent illustrations and detailed citations help to draw parallels with other studies, and place their research within current theories of insect-plant interactions. This is a ‘must-read’ for serious students of evolutionary biology and the scientific method.”,
Ecoscience

Review

“An unparalleled, creative, and diversified assault on a single set of related questions which sets a new, higher standard for comparable ‘field’ studies in the future. Most importantly, while this is a solid book for those who are interested in the biology of gall-formers, it is also a fertile source of ideas for a much larger audience. It should be appreciated by many biologists interested in the evolution and dynamics of interacting species.”
―David Tonkyn, Clemson University

From the Inside Flap

“An unparalleled, creative, and diversified assault on a single set of related questions which sets a new, higher standard for comparable ‘field’ studies in the future. Most importantly, while this is a solid book for those who are interested in the biology of gall-formers, it is also a fertile source of ideas for a much larger audience. It should be appreciated by many biologists interested in the evolution and dynamics of interacting species.”–David Tonkyn, Clemson University

From the Back Cover

“An unparalleled, creative, and diversified assault on a single set of related questions which sets a new, higher standard for comparable ‘field’ studies in the future. Most importantly, while this is a solid book for those who are interested in the biology of gall-formers, it is also a fertile source of ideas for a much larger audience. It should be appreciated by many biologists interested in the evolution and dynamics of interacting species.”–David Tonkyn, Clemson University

About the Author

Warren G. Abrahamson is David Burpee Professor of Plant Genetics at Bucknell University.
Arthur E. Weis is Associate Professor of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of California, Irvine.