More than seventy percent of the earth's surface is covered by the ocean which is home to a staggering and sometimes overwhelming diversity of organisms, the majority of which reside in pelagic form. Marine invertebrate larvae are an integral component of this pelagic diversity and have stimulated the curiosity of researchers for centuries. This accessible, upper-level text provides an important and timely update on the topic of larval evolution and ecology, representing the first major synthesis of this interdisciplinary field for more than 20 years. The content is structured around four major areas: evolutionary origins and transitions in developmental mode; functional morphology and ecology of larval forms; larval transport, settlement, and metamorphosis; larval ecology in extreme and changing environments. This book synthesis integrates traditional larval ecology with life history theory, evolutionary developmental biology, and modern genomics research to provide a research and teaching tool for decades to come. Evolutionary Ecology of Marine Invertebrate Larvae is suitable for graduate students as well as professional researchers in larval ecology, marine invertebrate biology, developmental biology, and oceanography. It will also be of relevance and use to a broader audience of integrative, mechanistic, and evolutionary biologists.
