Evolution in Isolation

Erscheinungsjahr 2019
ISBN: 978-1-108-42201-7
Verlag: Cambridge University Press

Buch, Englisch, 236 Seiten, Format (B × H): 157 mm x 235 mm, Gewicht: 504 g

Oceanic islands are storehouses for unique creatures. Zoologists have long been fascinated by island animals because they break all the rules. Speedy, nervous, little birds repeatedly evolve to become plump, tame and flightless on islands. Equally strange and wonderful plants have evolved on islands. However, plants are very poorly understood relatives to animals. Do plants repeatedly evolve similar patterns in dispersal ability, size and defence on islands? This volume answers this question for the first time using a modern quantitative approach. It not only reviews the literature on differences in defence, loss of dispersal, changes in size, alterations to breeding systems and the loss of fire adaptations, but also brings new data into focus to fill gaps in current understanding. By firmly establishing what is currently known about repeated patterns in the evolution of island plants, this book provides a roadmap for future research.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Burns, Kevin C.

Fachgebiete

• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Biowissenschaften Evolutionsbiologie
• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Botanik Pflanzenphysiologie, Photosynthese
• Geowissenschaften Umweltwissenschaften Angewandte Ökologie
• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Tierkunde / Zoologie Tierökologie
• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Botanik Pflanzenökologie
• Naturwissenschaften Biowissenschaften Botanik Pflanzenreproduktion, Verbreitung, Genetik
• Geowissenschaften Geographie | Raumplanung Biogeographie

Inhaltsverzeichnis

1. Emblematic island animals; 2. Differences in defence; 3. Reduced dispersibility; 4. Gender and out-crossing; 5. Size changes; 6. Loss of fire adapted traits; 7. Emblematic island plants.

Über Autor(innen)

Burns, Kevin C.
Kevin C. Burns is Professor at Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. He has been a practicing researcher for fifteen years and has published over 100 papers in scientific journals including Ecology, Ecology Letters, and Science. Burns is fascinated by how organisms evolve on islands and has worked on archipelagos across the globe, including New Caledonia, New Zealand, Chatham Islands, California Islands and Lord Howe Island.