François Renaud - Böcker

For several years there has been a growing interest in understanding the dynamics of parasites in ecosystems, as well as the diversity of ways in which they influence ecosystem functioning through their effects on host populations and communities. Ecologists, epidemiologists, evolutionary biologists, and other scientists are increasingly coming to realise that parasites must be taken into account when studying ecosystems. Parasitism and Ecosystems summarizes current knowledge on this topic, providing a comprehensive overview for researchers and students. It represents the first synthesis of both the roles and the consequences of pathogens in ecosystems, utilising well-documented case-studies to illustrate the main issues as well as identifying prospects for future research.

Is it possible to omit parasites when studying free-living organisms? The answer is clearly no! Parasites have evolved independently in numerous animal lineages, and now make up a considerable proportion of the biodiversity of life. Ecologists, epidemiologists, conservationists and evolutionary biologists are increasingly aware of the universal significance of parasites to the study of ecology and evolution where they have become a powerful model system. This book provides a summary of the issues involved as well as an overview of the possibilities offered by this research topic including the practical applications for disease prevention. It uses well-documented case-studies across a range of scales to illustrate the main trends and prospects in this area, outlining areas for future research. Ecology and Evolution of Parasitism is the first book to provide a broad synthesis of both the roles and consequences of pathogens on the ecology and evolution of free living systems. It focuses on hosts rather than the parasites themselves, integrating those aspects related to the ecology and the evolution of free-living species (sexual selection, behaviour, life history traits, regulation of populations etc.). The book includes examples across a range of scales from individuals to populations, communities and ecosystems.

Plato’s famous and infamous criticism of Homer was the climax of a series of attacks by early thinkers on the first and greatest Greek poet Homer. It triggers an even longer series of responses attempting either to justify further "the old quarrel between philosophy poetry" (Pl. Resp. 607b-c), or, in most cases, to reconcile the two great authors. The so-called Plato-Homer problem is in broad outline twofold, with numberless ramifications and sub-issues. Why does Plato’s Republic repeatedly attack and even exile the greatest cultural authority of the Greeks? And why does he do so while quoting Homer abundantly – more than any other author – and even adapting many artistic features of Homeric poetry? This volume concentrates on the various responses to the controversy among Platonically minded writers, while including a few other reactions from just outside that circle. Strategies of reconciliation are many, including both allegorical and non-allegorical approaches, involving the notions of myth, mimesis, inspiration, wisdom, theology, etc. The volume presents original treatments of major figures, such as Porphyry and Proclus, as well lesser-known authors or texts (e.g. Platonic Spuria), and non-Platonists (Xenophon, Aristotle, scholiasts, etc.) who serve as enlightening comparative figures. While recent literature on these questions usually concentrates on single authors, this book details its reception in the Platonic tradition overall.