Beetles, the most diverse group of insects, are often abundant in terrestrial and freshwater ecosystems. Many species are under threat from human changes to natural environments, and some are valuable tools in conservation, because they respond rapidly to changes that occur. Knowledge of these responses, of both abundance and composition of assemblages, enable use of some beetles to monitor environmental changes. Beetles impinge on humanity on many ways: as cultural objects, desirable collectables, major pests and competitors for resources need by people, as beneficial consumers of other pests, and by ensuring the continuity of vital ecological processes. This book is the first major global overview of the importance of conservation of beetles, and brings together much hitherto scattered information to demonstrate the needs for conservation, and how it may be approached. It is a source of value to students, research workers, conservation biologists and ecosystem managers as an introduction to the richness and importance of this predominant component of invertebrate life.

This issue of Journal of Insect Conservation is the first to be dedicated entirely to beetles. It contains a number of papers to demonstrate the variety and scope of problems and conservation concerns that surround these insects. A short introductory perspective is followed by eight original contributions, in which beetles from many parts of the world are considered, and in which some major threats to their wellbeing are evaluated.

This authoritative reference provides an engaging look at these magnificent yet poorly understood creatures and highlights the essential role beetles play in the dynamics of nearly every terrestrial ecosystem on Earth. Color photos.

The first comprehensive book in more than a century to reveal the diversity and natural history of diving beetles. Among the hundreds of thousands of species of beetles, there is one family, containing some 4,300 species, that stands out as one of the most diverse and important groups of aquatic predatory insects. This is the Dytiscidae, whose species are commonly known as diving beetles. No comprehensive treatment of this group has been compiled in over 130 years, a period during which a great many changes in classification and a near quadrupling of known species has occurred. In Diving Beetles of the World, Kelly B. Miller and Johannes Bergsten provide the only full treatments of all 188 Dytiscid genera ever assembled. Entomologists, systematists, limnologists, ecologists, and others with an interest in aquatic systems or insect diversity will find these extensively illustrated keys and taxon accounts immensely helpful. The keys make it possible to identify all taxa from subfamily to genera, and each key and taxon treatment is accompanied by both photographs and detailed pen-and-ink drawings of diagnostic features. Every genus account covers body length, diagnostic characters, classification, species diversity, a review of known natural history, and world distribution. Each account is also accompanied by a range map and at least one high-resolution habitus image of a specimen. Diving beetles are fast becoming important models for aquatic ecology, world biogeography, population ecology, and animal sexual evolution and, with this book, the diversity of the group is finally accessible.

This book, dedicated to Konjev Desender and Jean-Pierre Maelfait, is made up of a collection of 30 papers presented at the XIV European Carabidologists? Meeting in Westerbork, the Netherlands (September, 2009). Seventy-five specialists from 20 countries of Europe and Asia attended the meeting. Traditionally, the proceedings volumes of the European Carabidologists Meeting have become important milestones outlining the latest trends and achievements in carabidology.ÿThe aim of the organisers was to invite specialists from different countries and scientific schools to present both traditional and innovative approaches and methods in studying ground beetles. This volume includes a wide range of topics, from the description of new species, taxonomy, a summary of the activities of carabidologists during the last 40 years, biogeographical issues, methodology, behaviour, indicators, environmental issues and conservation. The book will be of use to carabidologists, specialists in traditional and molecular systematics, general and applied ecology, conservation biology, bioindication, urban ecology and biogeography.

It is now widely agreed that the climate is changing, global resources are diminishing and biodiversity is suffering. These changes pose huge challenges on nations, organizations, businesses, communities and ultimately individuals. Developing countries, many of them considered by the World Tourism Organization to be Top Emerging Tourism Destinations (UNWTO, 2009), are already suffering the full frontal effect of environmental degradation with the UN recently reporting the existence of nearly half a million climate refugees in Africa and Asia in addition to huge swathes of the world's farming land and oceans becoming infertile. The challenge for developing countries is a triple-edged sword, how can economic prosperity be achieved without the perpetual depletion of nature's reserves, the destruction of rural habitat and the dislocation of traditional societies? Many emerging nations are looking increasingly to the tourism industry as the motor for economic development with hospitality businesses at the forefront. In line with this increasing economic necessity is the growth of concern in the West for environmental and societal stewardship. Expectations are high, Western consumers want classy lodgings and unspoilt landscapes in the knowledge that the room maid has enough money to feed and educate her family. This book is designed to give students and practitioners a guide for best practices of sustainable hospitality operations in developing countries. Based on case studies, it provides a road map of how to achieve the goals of sustainability giving benchmark examples. The book not only taps in a contemporary business subject but provides readers with a better understanding on how sustainable theories can be operationalized in hospitality and tourism business practices in developing countries. Provides an enhanced view on sustainability beyond the borders of developed countries Case studies include hands-on activities, creative business practices and applied sustainable development strategies Includes case study questions, advanced reading list and online resource features

Our understanding of the ecological history of European forests has been transformed in the last twenty years. Bringing together key findings from across the continent, this book provides a comprehensive account of the relevance of historical studies to current conservation and management of forests. It combines theory with a series of regional case studies to show how different aspects of forestry play out according to the landscape and historical context of the local area.