More than 40,000 species of mites have been described, and up to 1 million may exist on earth. These tiny arachnids play many ecological roles including acting as vectors of disease, vital players in soil formation, and important agents of biological control. But despite the grand diversity of mites, even trained biologists are often unaware of their significance. Mites: Ecology, Evolution and Behaviour (2nd edition) aims to fill the gaps in our understanding of these intriguing creatures. It surveys life cycles, feeding behaviour, reproductive biology and host-associations of mites without requiring prior knowledge of their morphology or taxonomy. Topics covered include evolution of mites and other arachnids, mites in soil and water, mites on plants and animals, sperm transfer and reproduction, mites and human disease, and mites as models for ecological and evolutionary theories.
Mites: Ecology, Evolution & Behaviour: Life at a Microscale
Preface to the second edition
1. What good are mites?
2. The origin of mites: fossil history and relationships
3. Systematic and morphological survey
4. Life cycles, development and size
5. Sex and celibacy
6. Mites in soil & litter systems
7. Acari underwater, or, why did mites take the plunge?
8. Mites on Plants
9. Animals as habitats
10. Mites that cause and transmit disease
11. Mites & biological diversity
12. Mites as models
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