Preface. Chapter 1. Introduction. Chapter 2. Why Should You Know How to Identify Insects? Chapter 3. What Makes Insects So Successful and Omnipresent in Our Lives? Chapter 4. Insect Effects on Human History. Chapter 5. Nuisances. Chapter 6. Structural Pests. Chapter 7. Venomous and Poisonous Arthropods. Chapter 8. Parasites and Disease Transmission. Chapter 9. Crop Pests. Chapter 10. Forest Pests. Chapter 11. Insects as Food. Chapter 12. Medical and Industrial Materials. Chapter 13. Cultural Value and Artistic Expression. Chapter 14. Crop Pollination. Chapter 15. Biological Control. Chapter 16. Decomposition. Chapter 17. Forensic Entomology. Chapter 18. Insects as Indicators of Environmental Change. Chapter 19. Why do Insects Become Pests? Chapter 20. Deciding When and How to Control Insects.
Biography
Prof. Timothy Schowalter received his Ph.D. in Entomology from the University of Georgia, USA (1979), where he studied insect responses to forest harvest practices. He subsequently trained as a postdoctoral fellow at Texas A&M University, USA, studying bark beetle population dynamics and effects on pine forest ecosystems. He continued to work on insect responses to changing forest conditions and effects on forest ecosystems as a professor at Oregon State University, USA, for 22 years (1981- 2003). Prof. Schowalter moved to Louisiana State University in 2003 as Department Head and Professor of Entomology, serving as Head until 2015. He retired in 2020 as Professor Emeritus.
His research advanced our understanding of how insect responses to natural and anthropogenic disturbances affect ecosystem structure, function (including herbivory, decomposition, and biogeochemical fluxes) and services. Much of his research was in conjunction with the US Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) Network. He developed one of the longest-term databases on arthropod responses to environmental changes, including 29 years of responses to hurricane and drought disturbances at the Luquillo Experimental Forest LTER site in Puerto Rico. He collaborated with Taiwanese colleagues on a binational funded research project to compare arthropod responses to cyclonic storms in the two countries. He has published five books, including Insect Ecology: an Ecosystem Approach, 5th edition (2022), Insects and Society (2020) and Insects and Sustainability of Ecosystem Services (2013), more than 90 peer-reviewed journal papers, including 3 invited reviews, and a large number of additional book chapters, symposia proceedings and other publications. He has served as Program Director for Ecosystem Studies at the National Science Foundation, where he made funding decisions for ecosystem projects across the USA. He has served as elected Vice President for Public Affairs, Ecological Society of America (1999-2002) and Program Chair for the 2018 Ecological Society of America Annual Meeting. He was named a Fellow of the Ecological Society of America in 2012. He served as Southeastern Branch Representative to the Entomological Society of America Governing Board (2013-2018) and as Vice President of the Entomological Society of America (2019-2020).
“The book is very comprehensive. It is something of a small encyclopedia! Urban entomology (general and structural), medical, agricultural (crop pests), forest entomology, cultural, pollination, decomposition, biological control, forensic entomology, Pest management, environmental. I don’t know of any book that covers as many subjects in detail that this book covers: this is a real cornucopia of topics with fairly substantial detail.”
Professor Richard S. Zack, Department of Entomology, Washington State University, USA
"In this well-written, authoritative text, Schowalter explores the many beneficial and harmful effects that insects have on human life."
D. A. Brass, independent scholar, Vol 58, No. 6, CHOICE.
"Insects are the most species-rich and important organisms on earth, and that’s why there are many university courses dedicated to the topic of Insects and Society. But, surprisingly, this is the first textbook specifically created for those courses. The content in this textbook is not only ideal for introductory courses, but it also is great for K12 instructors, insatiably curious children, and indeed anyone fascinated by insects and their impact on people."
Robert K. D. Peterson, Ph.D., Professor of Entomology, Montana State University and Past President, Entomological Society of America
"Society is undervaluing the role of insects as pivotal drivers of ecosystem functioning and services. Addressing this deficit is a major merit of this book."
Teja Tscharntke, Professor and Head of the Agroecology Research Group at the University of Göttingen, Germany
