ENY 5566 Tropical Entomology

Description

This course provides the student an overview of the ecology, diversity, and agricultural and veterinary importance of insects in the tropics. Insects are the most diverse multicellular organisms in the tropics. Their roles in nature have diversified into most habitats where they are fungivores, herbivores, necrophages, coprophages, saprophages, parasitoids, parasites, and predators. They provide critical ecosystem services such as decomposition, nutrient recycling, pollination, and biological control. Tropical insects are used as bioindicators of ecosystem health and conservation needs, in butterfly farming, live material in insect zoos, and models in literature, art, and sculpture.

Course Format

Location: Online

Course Goals

1. Basic concepts about the tropics and tropical ecosystems
2. Faunistic richness of insects in the tropics
3. Seasonality and survival in tropical environments
4. Dung beetles in tropical environments
5. Termites in tropical environments
6. Ants in tropical environments
7. Insect conservation
8. Tropical insect-plant interactions
9. Pollination of tropical plants by insects
10. Mimicry in tropical insects
11. Entomophagy in the tropics
12. Economic importance of tropical insects in tropical crops
13. Medical and veterinary importance of tropical insects