Despite the global importance of New Zealand’s invertebrates, relatively little is known about them and their relationships with plants and plant communities in native habitats. Invertebrate diversity was examined by beating randomly chosen shrubs of the species Olearia bullata (Asteraceae) and Coprosma propinqua (Rubiaceae). Invertebrate taxon richness was assessed initially using morphospecie...

We reviewed literature on the invertebrate groups associated with coarse woody debris in forests, streams, and wetlands, and contrasted patterns of invertebrate community development and wood decomposition among these ecosystems.

The importance of voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels in cellular function is illustrated by the many distinct types of Ca(2+) currents found in vertebrate tissues, a variety that is generated in part by numerous genes encoding Ca(2+) channel subunits. The degree to which this genetic diversity is shared by invertebrates has only recently become apparent. Cloning of Ca(2+) channel subunits from vario...