Immune defense and reproduction are physiologically and energetically demanding
processes and have been observed to trade off in a diversity of female insects. Increased …

Mounting an immune response is an energy-consuming process. Activating immune
functions requires the synthesis of many new molecules and the undertaking of numerous …

Parasites and infectious diseases are everywhere and represent some of the most potent
forces shaping the natural world. They affect almost every aspect imaginable in the life of …

Ecological immunology and disease ecology are two relatively young disciplines that apply
ecological approaches and principles to traditionally non‐ecological fields. In both cases, an …

Immune function is likely to be a critical determinant of an organism's fitness, yet most
natural animal and plant populations exhibit tremendous genetic variation for immune traits …

An organism's fitness is critically reliant on its immune system to provide protection against
parasites and pathogens. The structure of even simple immune systems is surprisingly …

Defending self against nonself is a major problem in a world in which individuals are under
constant pressure from parasites that gain fitness benefits at a cost to their host. Defences …

Evolutionary conflicts involving mimicry are found throughout nature. Diverse pathogens
produce a range of'mimics' that resemble host components in both form and function. Such …

After parasite infection, invertebrates activate immune system-based defenses such as
encapsulation and the signaling pathways of the innate immune system. However, hosts are …

Innate immune mechanisms are well conserved throughout evolution, and many theoretical
concepts, molecular pathways and gene networks are applicable to invertebrate model …