Chemical ecology Book

Chemical signals among organisms form a vast communicative interplay, fundamental to the fabric of life, in the words of one expert. Chemical ecology is the the discipline that seeks to understand these interactions-to use biology in the search for new substances of potential benefit to humankind. This book highlights selected research areas of medicinal and agricultural importance. Leading experts review the chemistry of: Insect defense and its applications to pest control. Phyletic dominance� the survival success of insects. Social regulation, with ant societies as a model of multicomponent signaling systems. Eavesdropping, alarm, and deceit� the array of strategies used by insects to find and lure prey. Reproduction� from the gamete attraction to courtship nd sexual selection. The chemistry of intracellular immunosuppression. Topics also include the appropriation of dietary factors for defense and communication; the use of chemical signals in the marine environment; the role of the olfactory system in chemical analysis; and the interaction of polydnaviruses, endoparasites, and the immune system of the host.