Mutualisms and Insect Conservation
Documenting and understanding intricate ecological interactions involving insects is a central need in conservation, and the specialised and specific nature of many such associations is displayed in this book. Their importance is exemplified in a br
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Mutualisms and Insect Conservation
Mutualisms and Insect Conservation
Tim R. New
Mutualisms and Insect Conservation
Tim R. New Department of Ecology, Environment & Evolution La Trobe University Melbourne, VIC, Australia
ISBN 978-3-319-58291-7 ISBN 978-3-319-58292-4 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-58292-4 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017940274 © Springer International Publishing AG 2017 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Printed on acid-free paper This Springer imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer International Publishing AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
Preface
The ecology, origin and evolution of ‘mutualisms’, in their broadest sense associations that incorporate cooperative interactions amongst different species, with the general implication that many such associations are regular and common, and many of them obligatory through being both specific and specialised, is perhaps one of the most critical themes in conservation. Ecological interactions, many of them essentially viewed as ‘antagonistic’, whereby one species exploits another that suffers accordingly, are of universal importance. However, the importance of mutualisms is founded in the participants each benefiting from the association, so that the interacting species in a functional interaction each, in some way, attain increased ‘fitness’ and, conversely, are disadvantaged should that association be disrupted. A mutualism has been described as an interaction between species in which the inclusive fitness of each party is increased by the action of its partner. In functional terms, mutualisms are thus entities incorporating and sustaining the wellbeing and functional roles of two or more species, which are often interdependent partnerships and thus fundamental and necessary units for p
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