Parasites

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

Parasites explores 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 a strategy to survive under changing environmental conditions, both now and in the past. From arctic oceans to tropical forests, Scott Gardner, Judy Diamond, and Gabor Rácz examine how parasites survive, evolve, and influence ecosystems, providing stability and insights.

The authors take readers to the open ranges of Mongolia, the Sandhills of north-central Nebraska, the Andes of Bolivia, and more, exploring the impact parasites have on humans and other animals. With examples from throughout the tree of life, they describe diverse parasite-host relationships, from trematodes and snails to tapeworms and whales, even considering the peculiar effects of thorny-headed worms on their hosts.

Parasites offer clues to the evolutionary history of specific regions and insights into the history of species interactions. Through parasites, biologists can weave together a global understanding of the past to predict future challenges.

Revealing that parasites are much more than creepy-crawlies, Parasites provides up-to-date context for these critical members of our planet's biological diversity.