Gastropods on land: phylogeny, diversity and adaptive morphology; Body wall: form and function; Sensory organs and the nervous system; Radular structure and function; Structure and function of the digestive system in Stylommatophora; Food and feeding behaviour; Haemolymph: blood cell morphology and function; Structure and functioning of the reproductive system; Regulation of growth and reproduction; Spermatogenesis and oogenesis; Population and conservation genetics; Life history strategies; Behavioural ecology: on doing the right thing, in the right place at the right time; Soil biology and ecotoxicology.

One of the fastest growing scientific disciplines in recent history is conservation biology. A response of the scientific community to the massive environmental changes taking place on Earth, its goal is to enable society to anticipate, prevent, and reduce ecological damage, and to generate the scientific information from which effective conservation strategies and policies can be designed and implemented.In 1989, the Society for Conservation Biology and Island Press produced Research Priorities for Conservation Biology, a slim volume that set forth the findings of experts who had gathered to outline research needs for the near future, and which served as a guidepost for the field throughout the 1990s. In January 2000, leaders of the Society for Conservation Biology convened a similar group to reach consensus on where the field now stands and to determine the major, compelling research priorities for the next decade. Conservation Biology: Research Priorities for the Next Decade presents the results of that gathering.The book: notes progress or changes in the state of global biodiversity over the past decade and discusses overarching themes that influence all areas of conservation offers ten chapters by leading experts that summarize the status of knowledge in key areas ranging from marine conservation to ecological restoration to conservation medicine sets forth research priorities for each area describes gaps in current knowledge that are impeding the ability of conservation practitioners to carry out their workA final synthesis chapter brings together cross-cutting themes that integrate the diverse topics within the context of global biodiversity loss, and presents a call to action for scientists and others working in the field.Conservation Biology: Research Priorities for the Next Decade represents an indispensable guide to the research that is most urgently needed to support effective conservation, and will be must reading for anyone involved with the field of conservation biology.

Bivalve Molluscs is an extremely comprehensive book coveringall major aspects of this important class of invertebrates. As wellas being an important class biologically and ecologically, many ofthe bivalves are fished and cultured commercially (e.g. mussels,oysters, scallops and clams) in a multi-billion dollar worldwideindustry. Elizabeth Gosling who has a huge wealth of research, teachingand hands on experience working with bivalves, has written alandmark book that will stand for many years as the standard workon the subject. Chapters in Bivalve Molluscs covermorphology, ecology, feeding, reproduction, settlement andrecruitment, growth, physiology, fisheries, aquaculture, genetics,diseases and parasites, and public health issues. A fullunderstanding of many of these aspects is vital for all thoseworking in bivalve fisheries and culture. An essential purchase for anyone concerned with this importantclass of animals, copies of Bivalve Molluscs should be onthe shelves of biologists, ecologists, environmental scientists,fisheries scientists and personnel within the aquaculture industry.Copies of the book should be available in all libraries andresearch establishments where these subjects are studied ortaught. Elizabeth Gosling is based at the Galway-Mayo Instituteof Technology, Galway, Ireland.

This comprehensive book on the biology and ecology of edible marine bivalve molluscs covers the biology of edible marine bivalves; profiles about 18o species, providing information on their habitat, distribution, morphology, food and feeding, reproduction, conservation status, etc.; discusses their nutritional values; examines their pharmaceutic

"Ponder and Lindberg provides a breathtaking overview of the evolutionary history of the Mollusca, effectively melding information from anatomy, ecology, genomics, and paleobiology to explore the depths of molluscan phylogeny. Its outstanding success is due to thoughtful planning, focused complementary contributions from 36 expert authors, and careful editing. This volume is a must for malacologists."—Bruce Runnegar, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles "Our understanding of the phylogeny and evolutionary history of the mollusca has been revolutionized over the past two decades through new molecular data and analysis, and reinvestigation of morphological characters. In this volume Ponder, Lindberg, and their colleagues do a wonderful job of integrating this work to provide new perspectives on the relationships of the major molluscan clades, their evolutionary dynamics, and their history. Particularly timely is the coverage of molluscan evo-devo and genomics."—Douglas H. Erwin, Curator of Paleozoic Invertebrates, National Museum of Natural History

Here is a comprehensive review of the ecology of freshwater bivalves and gastropods worldwide. Robert Dillon discusses the ecology of these species in its broadest sense, including diet, habitat, and reproductive biology to emphasize the tremendous diversity of these freshwater invertebrates. He develops a new life history model that unifies them and reviews their population and community ecology, treating competition, predation, parasitism, and biogeography. Extensively referenced and synthesizing work from the nineteenth century through to the present day, this book includes original analyses that unify previous work into a coherent whole.