With hundreds of articles published each year, the ambrosia research community is rapidly expanding its range of tools and perspectives. This textbook is designed for students and researchers new to the field who seek a methodological springboard for their own research, grounded in contemporary understanding of ambrosia beetles and fungi. Ambrosia symbioses are notorious for their impacts on ecosystem health, forest industries, and international biosecurity. Currently virtually unmanageable, these pest/pathogen systems present an increasing challenge to agencies and growers worldwide, who are calling on researchers to deliver management tools. Beyond applied research, however, the symbiosis also deserves to be studied as a unique evolutionary radiation with over 7,000 beetle species and an unknown number of species of fungi. For an evolutionary biologist, this system offers a major advantage compared to other insect-fungus mutualisms: the relationship has originated many times independently, presenting an unparalleled opportunity for hypothesis-testing. At the same time, documenting the stunning diversity of these symbioses has become more urgent than ever, as many of these beetles are disappearing with the destruction of the natural forests they call home. The 10 authors and one illustrator of these nine chapters describe methods that have been successfully used in the field and encourage a disciplined, data-centric approach to answering important questions. The textbook departs from the field’s traditional bias towards insects and instead balances entomology with expertise in mycology, ecology, molecular biology, genetics, and the process of knowledge generation.

Chapter 2 "Current Perspectives on Ambrosia Symbiosis" (Authors: Jiri Hulcr, Miranda Barnes) is available open access under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License via link.springer.com.​

Jiri Hulcr is a professor of forest entomology at the University of Florida. His UF Forest Entomology Lab studies the interactions between forest insects, fungi, trees, and ultimately people. With a focus on invasive species, molecular biology, science education and insect conservation, the team maintains the world’s largest collection of cryo-preserved bark and ambrosia beetles, and systematically advances the digitization of knowledge and data bark and ambrosia beetles.

Miranda Barnes is a microbiologist and entomologist studying the molecular interface between insects and their microbial mutualists. She received her B.S. in Microbiology and Entomology at Rutgers University and her M.S. in Forest Resources and Conservation at the University of Florida. As part of the UF Forest Entomology Lab, she focuses on transcriptomics of ambrosia beetle mycangia. She works to bridge the gap between organismal observations from the field and interpretation of molecular data.