Molecular Panbiogeography of the Tropics, Volume 4

Molecular studies reveal highly ordered geographic patterns in plant and animal distributions. The tropics illustrate these patterns of community immobilism leading to allopatric differentiation, as well as other patterns of mobilism, range expansion, and overlap of taxa. Integrating Earth history and biogeography, Molecular Panbiogeography of the Tropics is an alternative view of distributional history in which groups are older than suggested by fossils and fossil-calibrated molecular clocks. The author discusses possible causes for the endemism of high-level taxa in tropical America and Madagascar, and overlapping clades in South America, Africa, and Asia. The book concludes with a critique of adaptation by selection, founded on biogeography and recent work in genetics.

"Should be widely read, especially by students and journal editors!"--Systematic Biology

and#8220;[A] marvel. . . . [Headsand#8217;s] writing guides the reader to crisp understanding. . . . It should be widely read.and#8221;

“This book is a very interesting contribution to evolutionary biogeography.” Qtly Review Of Biology

"[An] important book and subject."--Frontiers of Biogeography

“[An] important book and subject.” Brenden S. Holland, Pacific Biosciences Research Center, University of Hawaii

and#8220;This book is a very interesting contribution to evolutionary biogeography.and#8221;

and#8220;[An] important book and subject.and#8221;

"I cannot do better than to sum up Headsand#8217; book with the words Darwin used to praise Wallaceand#8217;s work on geographical distribution in 1876. This is a and#8216;. . . grand and memorable work, which will last for years as the foundation of all future treatisesand#8217;."

"An engaging attempt to simultaneously retain the best of several traditionally different approaches in historical biogeography, incorporating concepts and data from each into a new perspective on Croizatand#8217;s vision of Earth and life evolving together."--Brett R. Riddle, University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Michael Heads is a former Senior Lecturer in Ecology at the University of the South Pacific. He is now an independent scholar living in New Zealand.

Preface

Acknowledgments

Chapter 1. Evolution in Space

Chapter 2. Evolution in Time

Chapter 3. Evolution and Biogeography of Primates: A New Model Based on Molecular Phylogenetics, Vicariance and Plate Tectonics

Chapter 4. Biogeography of New World Monkeys

Chapter 5. Primates in Africa and Asia

Chapter 6. Biogeography of the Central Pacific: Endemism, Vicariance and Plate Tectonics

Chapter 7. Biogeography of the Hawaiian Islands: The Global Context

Chapter 8. Distribution Within the Hawaiian Islands

Chapter 9. Biogeography of Pantropical and Global Groups

Chapter 10. Evolution in Space, Time, and Form: Beyond Centers of Origin, Dispersal, and Adaptation

Glossary

Bibliography