In the past years, much work has been carried out on either life-history evolu tion or structure and function of food webs. However, most studies dealt with only one of these areas and often touched upon the other only marginally. In this volume, we try to synthesize aspects of both disciplines and will concen trate on how the interactions between organisms depend on their life-history strategies. Since this is a very comprehensive topic, this volume will focus on vertical interactions to remain within a clearly arranged field. We present some scenaria based on life-history variation of resource and consumer, and show how particular patterns of life-history combinations will lead to particular patterns in trophic relationships. We want to deal with the selective forces underlying these patterns: the degree of specificity of the consumers deter mines the dependence on its resource, and its adaptation to the spatial and temporal availability of the resource. In this respect, the spatial structure of the resource and its "quality" may play an important role. The impact of natural enemies is another important selective force which may influence the evolu tion of interactions between species and the structure of communities. Here, the acquirement of an enemy-free space may provide selective adavantages. The importance of the impact of enemies is also expressed by the development of numerous and sometimes very subtle defense strategies. This will be dem onstrated especially for various aspects of chemical ecology.

This book presents new approaches to studying food webs, using practical and policy examples to demonstrate the theory behind ecosystem management decisions.

Plant disease epidemiology is a dynamic science that forms an essential part of the study of plant pathology. This book brings together a team of 35 international experts. Each chapter deals with an essential component of the subject and allows the reader to fully understand how each exerts its influence on the progress of pathogen populations in plant populations over a defined time scale. This edition has new, revised and updated chapters.

This edited volume is the first to address the latest advances in biodiversity-function science using marine examples. It provides an in-depth evaluation of the science before offering a perspective on future research directions for some of the most pressing environmental issues facing society today and in the future.

Most branches of science have what might be termed a 'core area' which is both related to and helps to integrate peripheral topics to form the overall subject area. Without this central link, the subject is simply a collection of disparate, albeit gener ally related topics. What genetics is to plant breeding, epidemiology is to the subject of plant pathology and, no matter what individual topic is considered, it is always possible to recognize the interaction with and relationship to epidemiological factors. Broadly speaking, until the 1950s, plant pathology was considered as the applied side of mycology and, indeed, the British Society of Plant Pathology was spawned from its mentor, the British Mycological Society, with considerable help from The Association of Applied Biology. However, with the exploding world popu lation and the growing demand for food, plant pathologists became increasingly aware of the need for a more considered, measured, precise and even holistic approach to their subject and, particularly, to plant disease management. Looking back over 40 years of teaching and research in plant pathology, it was very clear that the 'core' of the subject was epidemiology and that this 'new' study was developing a very distinct identity which was rapidly being recognized in its own right. The 'shotgun' approach to plant disease 'control' was quickly perceived to be too inexact and almost every aspect of the subject was being reviewed, refined and advanced.

The research presented here provides a sound scientific basis for management and policy decisions regarding the productivity and sustainability of forest ecosystems in the context of a rapidly changing global environment. It is the synthesis of 5 years of field and laboratory research on southern forests conducted by the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service to provide scientific assessments to the US Global Change Research Program, and, as such, is invaluable for policy makers and land use managers.

Although there are some biological processes that are supported by UV radiation, most organisms are stressed by it in various ways, e.g. through DNA damage. Top international experts present an integrated overview of UV radiation and its effects on terrestrial, freshwater and marine Arctic biota. Increased stratospheric ozone depletion and the corresponding increase in ground levels of UV radiation as well as ambient, "natural" UV radiation as a key ecological factor in the Arctic spring and summer are discussed in detail. Additionally, basic information on Arctic ecosystems is given. The volume provides not only an excellent account of present-day knowledge of the subject, but also describes the state of the art on which future research can be built.