Herbivory of Leaf-Cutting Ants - A Case Study on Atta colombica in the Tropical Rainforest of Panama

Hardcover  XVI, 230 pp, 114 illus, 16 in color  ISBN 3540438963      £69.00

Plantanimal interactions have become a focus of ecological research, with the processes of herbivory being of special interest. This volume examines the interactions of leafcutting ants with the rainforest vegetation on Barro Colorado Islands in Central America. It is the synthesis of field research on multiple scales extending over a period of several years. This work can serve as a model study summarizing and extending knowledge about herbivorous insectplant relationships, and the resulting consequences on structural and functional features of tropical ecosystems. The text is an invaluable reference for researchers and land managers working in the fields of plantanimal interactions, herbivory, community ecology and biodiversity.