Insect Habits, Habitats and Interactions
A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Ecology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026
Special Issue Editor
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
As the dominant form of animal life on the planet, insects encompass a startling array of adaptations and relationships with other animals and plants. In this Special Issue, we examine these adaptations through considering their unique life histories, life history traits, and interactions with other organisms. The ecological and evolutionary success of insects is reflected by their occupation of most terrestrial habitats and many highly specialized niches. Similarly, the influence of insect adaptation is further illustrated by the impact of insects on the evolution of other groups, like flowering plants; by coevolutionary relationships; and by the key role insects play in the life histories of many microbes, especially plant and animal pathogens. Two over-arching adaptations, flight and complete metamorphosis, account for much of the success of Insecta as a group, but other more limited traits, like sociality, allow certain insects to become the preeminent predators and herbivores in their habitat. Thus, a focus on insect adaptation, be it morphological, physiological, or behavioral, helps us gain insight into why insects are so dominant.
Dr. Leon G. Higley
Guest Editor
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Keywords
- adaptation
- Insecta
- plant–insect interactions
- life history
- niche
- coevolution
- pollination
- disease transmission
- insect flight
- metamorphosis
- sociality
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