The Ants

1990
ISBN: 978-3-540-52092-4
Verlag: Springer Berlin Heidelberg

Buch, Englisch, 732 Seiten, Format (B × H): 215 mm x 285 mm, Gewicht: 2100 g

From the Arctic to South Africa - one finds them everywhere: Ants. Making up nearly 15% of the entire terrestrial animal biomass, ants are impressive not only in quantitative terms, they also fascinate by their highly organized and complex social system. Their caste system, the division of labor, the origin of altruistic behavior and the complex forms of chemical communication makes them the most interesting group of social organisms and the main subject for sociobiologists. Not least is their ecological importance: Ants are the premier soil turners, channelers of energy and dominatrices of the insect fauna.

Zielgruppe

Popular/general

Autoren/Hrsg.

Wilson, Edward O.

Hölldobler, Bert

Fachgebiete

• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Tierkunde / Zoologie Wirbellose (Invertebrata) Insekten (Entomologie)
• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Tierkunde / Zoologie Tierökologie
• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Biowissenschaften Ökologie
• Medizin | Veterinärmedizin Medizin | Public Health | Pharmazie | Zahnmedizin Medizin, Gesundheitswesen Biomedizin, Medizinische Forschung, Klinische Studien
• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Tierkunde / Zoologie Tierethologie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

The Importance of Ants.- Classification and Origins.- The Colony Life Cycle.- Altruism and the Origin of the Worker Caste.- Colony Odor and Kin Recognition.- Queen Numbers and Domination.- Communication.- Caste and Division of Labor.- Social Homeostasis and Flexibility.- Foraging Strategies, Territory, and Population Regulation.- The Organization of Species Communities.- Symbioses among Ant Species.- Symbioses with Other Arthropods.- Symbioses between Ants and Plants.- The Specialized Predators.- The Army Ants.- The Fungus Growers.- The Harvesting Ants.- Weaver Ants.- Collecting, Culturing, Observing.