| Reviews |
| - 'Janet Sprent, Bulletin of the British Ecological Society 2006, 37:1, p62-63' -
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| Description | | - Illustrates the link between population differentiation and species divergence
- Explores evolutionary processes in the context of regional history
- Emphasises the link between ecology and genetics
- Discusses the role of human activities as an ecological factor and their impact on plant evolution
- Gives attention to many papers and unpublished PhD work in French
| Plant Evolution in the Mediterranean
integrates a diverse and scattered literature to produce a synthetic account of plant evolutionary ecology. The central theme is differentiation, both among and within species in the contemporary flora of the Mediterranean basin. This approach is developed by attempting to link population processes to species evolution, and by examining the variation
and evolution of ecological function in the context of spatial habitat variation and regional history. The Mediterranean is a region with a complex geological and climatic history and a highly heterogeneous landscape in which human activities have greatly modified local conditions and the spatial configuration of habitats. This book explores the evolutionary processes which have shaped plant
evolution in the context of these major influences on vegetation.
The book is structured around two central topics in evolutionary ecology: diversity and adaptation. The Mediterranean region is a hotspot of plant biodiversity, a key ingredient of which is its richness in endemic species. A primary question motivating the first section of this book concerns the role of historical factors and
spatial environmental variation in the evolution of such endemism. The Mediterranean landscape is also characterised by dramatic variations in ecological conditions, often over short distances. A second focus is on the ecological and historical factors which mediate dispersal, reproduction, and adaptive trait variation in the Mediterranean mosaic.
This accessible text is aimed at students and
researchers in plant evolutionary biology, ecology, biogeography, population biology, and systematics. It will also be of interest to plant scientists and botanical societies worldwide.
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Readership: Undergraduate and graduate students in ecology and evolution, botany. Researchers in plant ecology and evolution. Researchers and members based at botanical and horticultural societies and gardens.
| Contents |
Preface
Introduction: Themes, objectives, and structure
1.
The historical context of differentiation and diversity
2.
The biogeography and ecology of endemism
3.
The evolution of endemism : from population differentiation to species divergence
4.
Trait variation, adaptation, and dispersal in the Mediterranean mosaic
5.
Variation and evolution of reproductive traits in the Mediterranean mosaic
6.
Ecology and evolution of domesticated and invasive species
Conclusions: Endemism, adaptation, and conservation
References
Species list and nomenclature
Index
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| Authors, editors,
and contributors |
John D. Thompson, Director of Research, C.N.R.S., Centre d'Ecologie Fonctionnelle et Evolutive
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The specification in this catalogue, including without
limitation price, format, extent, number of illustrations,
and month of publication, was as accurate as
possible at the time the catalogue was compiled.
Occasionally, due to the nature of some contractual restrictions, we
are unable to ship a specific product to a particular territory.
Jacket images are provisional and liable to change before publication.
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