Parasites: The Inside Story

An exciting look at the essential roles that parasites play in Earth’s ecosystems

This  book looks at the weird and wonderful world of parasites, the most  abundant form of life on Earth. Parasites come in all forms and sizes  and inhabit every free-living organism. Parasitism is now, and always  has been, a way to survive under changing environmental conditions. From  arctic oceans to tropical forests, Scott Gardner, Judy Diamond, and  Gabor Racz investigate how parasites survive and evolve, and how they  influence and provide stability to ecosystems.

Taking readers to  the open ranges of Mongolia, the Sandhills of north-central Nebraska,  the Andes of Bolivia, and more, the authors examine the impact parasites  have on humans and other animals. Using examples of parasites from  throughout the tree of life, the authors describe parasite-host  relationships as diverse as those between trematodes and snails and  tapeworms and whales. They even consider the strange effects of  thorny-headed worms on their hosts. Parasites offer clues to the  evolutionary history of particular regions, and they can provide  insights into the history of species interactions. Through parasites,  biologists can weave together a global knowledge of the past to predict  the challenges that we will face in the future.

Revealing that  parasites are so much more than creepy-crawlies, this book gives  up-to-date context for these critical members of the biological  diversity of our planet.