This 20-chapter, edited volume synthesizes much of the research that has been conducted on dragonflies and damselflies. Divided into two sections (one on ecological studies, the other on evolutionary/life-history studies), this book has chapters written by prominent researchers in the field of odonatology. It provides concise reviews of topics such as odonates as indicators, conservation, life-history tradeoffs, and sexual selection.



The book's target audience is for other odonatologists, and it would be extremely valuable for students just getting started in that field. However, its steep price (rather remarkably so, given the lack of color photographs and slim size) may make it prohibitively expensive for students on a budget. I anticipate that my copy will be borrowed frequently!