David Costantini – författare

This book illustrates the role of cellular oxidative stress as one of the most important physiological cornerstones in the evolution of biodiversity. The first part of the book provides the fundamentals to navigate the field and analyse the cross-talk between oxidative status homeostasis and other fundamental organismal functions, such as immunity and stress physiology. The second part of the book argues that oxidative stress underpins the astonishing diversity of adaptations to the environments and the evolution of life-history strategies, from growth to reproduction. Unravelling the (un)expected ways through which the need of regulating the organismal oxidative status has influenced the evolution of life, this book presents a novel integrative way of thinking about how a cellular mechanism has shaped the evolution of life and death.

This book discusses oxidative stress and hormesis from the perspective of an evolutionary ecologist or physiologist. In the first of ten chapters, general historical information, definitions, and background of research on oxidative stress physiology, hormesis, and life history are provided. Chapters 2-10 highlight the different solutions that organisms have evolved to cope with the oxidative threats posed by their environments and lifestyles. The author illustrates how oxidative stress and hormesis have shaped diversity in organism life-histories, behavioral profiles, morphological phenotypes, and aging mechanisms. The book offers fascinating insights into how organisms work and how they evolve to sustain their physiological functions under a vast array of environmental conditions.