Mutualistic Interactions between Flowering Plants and Animals

About this book

This book provides information about the key aspects of plant-animal interactions, both mutualistic and antagonistic, which are important for the functioning of communities in their natural habitats and play a crucial role in the diversification of plants and animals. It covers the fundamental and applied aspects of these eco-services, including pollination and seed dispersal, and discusses their critical role in sustaining biodiversity. Detailing the basic concepts of these mutualistic interactions, the subject matter of this book also includes:
- Plant-Pollinator-Robber Interaction
- Recent Advances on Biotic Seed Dispersal by Vertebrates
- Pollination Diversity in Orchids
- Pollen-Pistil Interaction and Fertilisation
- Seed Dispersal and Seed Predation

The book will serve as a comprehensive guide for post-graduate students, teachers and researchers in the areas of Biology, Ecology, Botany, Zoology, Agri-horticulture, Forestry, and Conservation Biology.

Contents

Contributors

1. General Introduction
2. Biotic Pollination: Fundamental and Applied Aspects
3. Plant-Pollinator-Robber Interaction
4. Natural History and Behavioural Ecology of Bees
5. Pollination Diversity in Orchids: A review
6. Attractants for Honey Bees
7. Prospects of Honey Bee Attractants in Enhancing Crop Productivity in India
8. Repellents for Honey bees
9. Sub-lethal Effects of Pesticides on Pollinators with Special Reference to Honey Bees
10. Pollen-Pistil Interaction and Fertilization
11. Recent Advances on Biotic Seed Dispersal by Vertebrates
12. Seed Dispersal and Seed Predation: Case studies from Eastern Ghats
13. Wasp-mediated Seed Dispersal, a Rare Phenomenon
14. Ants as Seed Predators and Dispersers of a Non-myrmechorous Tree Lagerstroemia speciosa in Tropical Moist-deciduous Forest
15. Plants Cry for Help upon Insect Attack and Parasitoids Come to Their Rescue!!!
16. The Promise of Genomics in Plant-Animal Interaction Studies
17. A key to the Divisions of Apoidea, Families of Apiformes and Genera of Apidae of India

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Biography

Palatty Allesh Sinu is Assistant Professor in Department of Animal Science at Central University of Kerala, India. His research is focused on plant-animal interactions, and he was selected for Raman Fellowship of UGC for his post-doctoral research in University of Arizona, US, in the year 2016. He has also served as member of President of India's Inspired Teachers' Club.

KR Shivanna is associated as INSA Honorary Scientist at the Ashoka Trust for Research in Ecology and the Environment (ATREE), Bengaluru, India. He retired from Delhi University as Professor and Head, Department of Botany. His research is focused on broad areas of reproductive biology of flowering plants as well as on the reproductive ecology of endemic and endangered plants as an aid for their effective conservation, and pollination efficiency of some economically important plants.