Synopses & Reviews
Biogeography, the study of the distribution of organisms over the surface of the earth, plays a central role in our understanding of virtually all aspects of the biology of primates and other animals, including systematics, mechanisms of speciation, population genetics and demography. The distribution of primates relative to aspects of climate and habitat, including altitude, forest type, and food availability, forms the basis for our understanding of ecological and behavioral adaptations. The biogeography of primates in the past is a major component of our understanding of their evolutionary history and is an essential component of conservation biology. This volume, which brings together these papers on the biogeography of primates, past and present, provides an introduction to Primate Biogeography as a discipline, illustrates the many factors that may influence the distribution of primates, and demonstrates the wide range of methodological approaches that are available to understanding the distribution of this order.
Review
From the reviews: "The biology of the tropics is severely understudied by comparison to that of temperate regions. ... Primatology has a huge amount of amazingly detailed data on its focal taxon. Our field therefore provides a large, clear window into tropical biology. This book should be read by all biogeographers, not just primate biogeographers. ... All chapters are clearly written, with quantitative analysis of high quality, stimulating discussion, an abundance of raw data that will provide much fuel for future research, and excellent summaries." (A. H. Harcourt, International Journal of Primatology, Vol. 28, 2007) "This book is a collection of studies that fall into one of two general categories: ecological biogeography, the study of a taxon's distribution patterns based on its interactions with the physical and biotic environment, or historical biogeography, the investigation of events that led to the origin and dispersal of a taxon. ... Primate Biogeography is designed as a broad survey of the field ... is a great success. This book will undoubtedly serve as a valuable introduction to the field for several years to come." (Anthony J. Tosi, Journal of Mammalian Evolution, Vol. 14, 2007)
Synopsis
Biogeography is a vital component in many aspects of Primatology, including studies of evolution, speciation systematics, population genetics, and community ecology. Despite its integral position in studies of primate evolution and ecology and the broad representation of research on this subject in journals, field guides, and edited volumes on different regions of the world, Primate Biogeography is a subject that is rarely addressed as a discipline in its own right.
This comprehensive source introduces the reader to Primate Biogeography as a discipline, highlights the many factors that may influence the distribution of primates, and reveals the wide range of approaches that are available to understanding the distribution of this order.
Synopsis
Primate Biogeography is a subject rarely addressed as a discipline in its own right. This comprehensive source introduces the reader to Primate Biogeography as a discipline. It highlights the many factors that may influence the distribution of primates, and reveals the wide range of approaches that are available to understanding the distribution of this order. The biogeography of primates in the past is a major component of our understanding of their evolutionary history and is an essential component of conservation biology. This book will appeal to primatologists, physical anthropologists, zoologists, and undergraduates in these areas.
Synopsis
This comprehensive source introduces the reader to Primate Biogeography as a discipline. It is a subject rarely addressed as a discipline in its own right. This book highlights the many factors that may influence the distribution of primates.
Table of Contents
Biogeography and Primates: A Review.- Nested Distribution Patterns and the Historical Biogeography of the Primates of Guyana.- Genetic Evidence on the Historical Biogeography of Central American Howler Monkeys.- Ecological Biogeography of Primates in Guyana.- Contrasting Phylogeographic Histories of Chimpanzees in Nigeria and Cameroon: A Multi-Locus Genetic Analyisis.- Geographic Variation in Savanna Baboon Ecology and its Taxonomic Implications.- Biogeography and Evolution of the Cercocebus-Mandrillus Clade: Evidence from the Face.- Lemur Biogeography.- Mouse Lemur Phylogeography Revises a Model of Ecogeographic Constraint in Madagascar.- Biotic and Abiotic Factors as Predictors of Species Richness in Madagascar.- The Geography of Mammals and Rivers in Mainland South-East Asia.- Primate Biogeography and Ecology on the Sunda Shelf Islands: A Paleontological and Zooarchaeological Perspective.- Primate Biogeography and the Fossil Record.- Biogeographic Origins of Primate Higher Taxa.- Mammalian Biogeography and Anthropoid Origins.- Continental Paleobiogeography as Phylogenetic Evidence.- Index.