Point of View

The book is generally presented in the 3rd person point of view prevalent in scientific writing; for example "The life cycle of homopterans, which Zwtzlfer and others have documented thoroughly, crucially affects the success of the trophobiosis" (Chapter 13, p. 524). However, individual sections presenting original research or theory of the authors are often presented in 1st person plural; for example "We have concluded ... that impoverished faunas promote dominant species rather than other way around" (Chapter 11, p. 423).

Language and Meaning

The authors report science in the most straightforward language possible; nevertheless because of the specialized and scientific nature of the book, a large number of specialized terminologies are used. Presented mainly through editorial summarization of existing scientific literature, the book is an interesting and exhaustive work.

The book is written as a traditional biology monograph in a scholarly style, targeted at a college-level reader. The text is very...