Plant-animal interactions have become a focus of ecological research,
with the processes of herbivory being of special interest. This volume
examines the interactions of leaf-cutting ants with the rainforest
vegetation on Barro Colorado Islands in Central America. It is the
synthesis of field research on multiple scales extending over a period
of several years. This work can serve as a model study summarizing and
extending knowledge about herbivorous insect-plant relationships, and
the resulting consequences on structural and functional features of
tropical ecosystems. The text is an invaluable reference for researchers
and land managers working in the fields of plant-animal interactions,
herbivory, community ecology and biodiversity.