Download Free Grasshoppers And Grassland Health Book in PDF and EPUB Free Download. You can read online Grasshoppers And Grassland Health and write the review.

Acridids (grasshoppers and locusts) can range from being rare curiosities to abundant menaces. Some are threatened with extinction and become subjects of intensive conservation efforts, while others are devastating pests and become the objects of massive control programmes. Even within a species, there are times when the animal is so abundant that its crushed masses cause the wheels of trains to skid (the Rocky Mountain grasshopper, Melanoplus spretus Walsh in western North America in the 1860s and I 870s), while at other times the animal is alarmingly scarce (the Rocky Mountain grasshopper went extinct in the early 1900s). Why are there these extremes in one insect family, and even in a single species? The NATO workshop examined this paradox and its implications for Environmental Security, which must address both the elements of land use (agricultural production and pest management) and conservation of biodiversity. The reconciliation of these objectives clearly demands a critical assessment of current knowledge and policies, identification of future research, and close working relationships among scientists. Insects can present two clear faces, as well as the intervening gradation. These extremes require us to respond in two ways: conservation of scarce species and suppression of abundant (harmful) species. But perhaps most important, these opposite poles also provide the opportunity for an exchange of information and insight.
Novel Aspects of Insect-Plant Interactions Edited by Pedro Barbosa and Deborah Letourneau This volume represents the forefront of two rapidly advancing areas of ecology: three-trophic-level interactions and the interdisciplinary field of chemical ecology The book focuses on the role of microorganisms as mediators of interactions between insects and plants, providing critical appraisal of studies and suggesting ways to integrate competing hypotheses of insect-plant dynamics. 1988 (0 471-83276-6) 362 pp. Arthropod Biological Control Agents and Pesticides Brian A. Croft Examining the effects of pesticides on predators and parasites and exploring methods for reducing negative impacts of pesticide use, this book focuses on the interaction of pesticides with entomophagous arthropods. It surveys the history of research in the field and discusses susceptibility assessment, lethal, sublethal, and ecological effects of pesticides, and selectivity, resistance, and resistance management. 1990 (0 471-81975-1) 723 pp. Lepidopteran Anatomy, John Eaton This single-source treatment on the anatomy of Lepidoptera provides a detailed exposition of its anatomy plus all its life stages, including the larva and adult forms of the exoskeleton, musculature, organ systems, and specialized structures. As the only thorough examination of the morphology of this insect group, it is an essential acquisition for entomologists, morphologists, and insect physiologists. 1988 (1-05862-9) 257 pp. Integrated Pest Management Systems and Cotton Production Edited by Ray Frisbie, Kamal El-Zik, and L. Ted Wilson The most complete and authoritative work available on the subject, this book brings together information on integrated pest management strategies that are applicable to cotton. It addresses economic, agronomic, and biological factors of pest management and focuses on plant resistance to pests and the genetic rationale for improving plant health. 1989 (0 471-81782-1) 437 pp.
Throughout the nineteenth century, swarms of locusts regularly swept across the continent, turning noon into dusk, demolishing farm communities, and bringing trains to a halt as the crushed bodies of insects greased the rails. In 1876, the U.S. Congress declared the locust "the single greatest impediment to the settlement of the country." From the Dakotas to Texas, from California to Iowa, the swarms pushed thousands of settlers to the brink of starvation, prompting the federal government to enlist some of the greatest scientific minds of the day and thereby jumpstarting the fledgling science of entomology. Over the next few decades, the Rocky Mountain locust suddenly -- and mysteriously -- vanished. A century later, Jeffrey Lockwood set out to discover why. Unconvinced by the reigning theories, he searched for new evidence in musty books, crumbling maps, and crevassed glaciers, eventually piecing together the elusive answer: A group of early settlers unwittingly destroyed the locust's sanctuaries just as the insect was experiencing a natural population crash. Drawing on historical accounts and modern science, Locust brings to life the cultural, economic, and political forces at work in America in the late-nineteenth century, even as it solves one of the greatest ecological mysteries of our time.
Annotation. Biological control has made a major contribution to integrated pest management (IPM) in Africa, but its documentation has been scattered and often under-reported. This book provides a review of the most important studies, including not only successes, but also on-going challenges. The focus is on arthropod pests and weeds, but diseases are also covered where significant. In 24 chapters, case studies and promising research results are presented that cover biocontrol by naturally occurring agents, by exotic agents or by seasonal manipulation. This book provides a valuable resource for scientists worldwide. It is particularly useful for pest control professionals working in Africa.