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Insects and Society

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    Insects and Society Author: Format: Paperback / softback First Published: Published By: Taylor & Francis Ltd
    string(3) "344"
    Pages: 344 Illustrations and other contents: 5 Tables, black and white; 2 Line drawings, color; 17 Line drawings, black and white; 177 Halftones, color; 2 Halftones, black and white; 179 Illustrations, color; 19 Illustrations, black and white Language: English ISBN: 9781041237372 Categories: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

    Insects are all around us, outweighing humanity by 17 times. Many are nuisances; they compete with us for food and carry some of our most devastating diseases. Yet, recent reports suggest dramatic declines in some important groups, such as pollinators and detritivores. Should we care? Yes, we should. Without insect pollinators we’d lose 35% of our global food production; without detritivores, we would be buried in un-decayed refuse. Insects are also critical sources for nutritional, medical and industrial products. So why do insects inspire such fear and loathing? This concise, full-color text will challenge many of your perceptions about insect effects on our lives. Simply put, life as we know it would likely disappear in the absence of insects. Beginning with a summary of insect biology and ecology that affect their interactions with other organisms, the book goes on to describe the various positive and negative ways in which insects and humans interact. The final chapters describe factors that affect insect abundance and approaches to managing insects that balance their impacts. The first textbook specifically focused on how insects and humans interact and to cater directly to those studying Insect and Society or Insect Ecology modules, the new expanded edition includes updated information and additional figures throughout, as well as deeper exploration of ecosystem services as these influence our survival and well-being. A new chapter considers the insect traits that underlie their effects on human lives. As well as being a recommended text for undergraduate students, this book is fascinating reading for amateur entomologists, conservation practitioners, environmentalists, as well as natural resource managers, land use planners and environmental policy makers.

    Weight0.8275932 kg
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    “The book is very comprehensive. It is something of a small encyclopedia! Urban entomology (general and structural), medical, agricultural (crop pests), forest entomology, cultural, pollination, decomposition, biological control, forensic entomology, Pest management, environmental. I don’t know of any book that covers as many subjects in detail that this book covers: this is a real cornucopia of topics with fairly substantial detail.” Professor Richard S. Zack, Department of Entomology, Washington State University, USA "In this well-written, authoritative text, Schowalter explores the many beneficial and harmful effects that insects have on human life." D. A. Brass, independent scholar, Vol 58, No. 6, CHOICE. "Insects are the most species-rich and important organisms on earth, and that’s why there are many university courses dedicated to the topic of Insects and Society. But, surprisingly, this is the first textbook specifically created for those courses. The content in this textbook is not only ideal for introductory courses, but it also is great for K12 instructors, insatiably curious children, and indeed anyone fascinated by insects and their impact on people." Robert K. D. Peterson, Ph.D., Professor of Entomology, Montana State University and Past President, Entomological Society of America "Society is undervaluing the role of insects as pivotal drivers of ecosystem functioning and services. Addressing this deficit is a major merit of this book." Teja Tscharntke, Professor and Head of the Agroecology Research Group at the University of Göttingen, Germany

    Author Biography

    Prof. Timothy Schowalter received his Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Georgia, USA (1979), where he studied insect responses to forest harvest practices. He subsequently trained as a postdoctoral fellow at Texas A&M University, USA, studying bark beetle population dynamics and effects on pine forest ecosystems. He continued to work on insect responses to changing forest conditions and effects on forest ecosystems as a professor at Oregon State University, USA, for 22 years (1981- 2003). Prof. Schowalter moved to Louisiana State University in 2003 as Department Head and Professor of Entomology, serving as Head until 2015. He retired in 2020 as Professor Emeritus. His research advanced our understanding of how insect responses to natural and anthropogenic disturbances affect ecosystem structure, function (including herbivory, decomposition, and biogeochemical fluxes) and services. Much of his research was in conjunction with the US Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network. He developed one of the longest-term databases on arthropod responses to environmental changes, including 29 years of responses to hurricane and drought disturbances at the Luquillo Experimental Forest LTER site in Puerto Rico. He collaborated with Taiwanese colleagues on a binational funded research project to compare arthropod responses to cyclonic storms in the two countries. He has published five books, including Insect Ecology: an Ecosystem Approach, 5th edition (2022), Insects and Society (2020) and Insects and Sustainability of Ecosystem Services (2013), more than 90 peer-reviewed journal papers, including 3 invited reviews, and a large number of additional book chapters, symposia proceedings and other publications. He has served as Program Director for Ecosystem Studies at the National Science Foundation, where he made funding decisions for ecosystem projects across the USA. He has served as elected Vice President for Public Affairs, Ecological Society of America (1999-2002) and Program Chair for the 2018 Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting. He was named a Fellow of the Ecological Society of America in 2012. He served as Southeastern Branch Representative to the Entomological Society of America Governing Board (2013-2018) and as Vice President of the Entomological Society of America (2019-2020).