Parasitism
Subtitle: The Diversity and Ecology of Animal Parasites
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: April 9, 2001
Language: eng
Format: Hardcover
Number of pages: 576
ISBN-13: 9780521662789
Subjects: Animal ecology; Parasitology; Science/Mathematics; Life Sciences - Zoology - General; Animal Parasitology; Science; Parasites; Life Sciences - Biology - General; Life Sciences - Ecology; Science / Life Sciences / Zoology / Invertebrates; Parasitism
First sentence: To most people, the word 'parasite' conjures up an image of disease and pathology, blood and guts, gross disfigurement, or even death.
Description: Nearly all living organisms are exploited by some sort of parasite. But what are parasites? How many different types are there? What exactly is parasitism? In this undergraduate textbook parasitism is described as an ecological relationship. Ecology implies the study of the interaction between organisms and their environments and the fact that parasites' hosts are alive makes this concept even more exciting, combining traditionally disparate disciplines such as immunology and physiology with ecology and epidemiology! All the major groups of animal parasites are described, who they are, how they live, their biogeography, evolution, the influence they exert on their hosts' populations, their immunological, pathological, and biochemical implications. - Publisher.