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Biogeography, the study of the distribution of life on Earth, has undergone more conceptual changes, revolutions and turf wars than any other scientific field. Australasian biogeographers are responsible for several of these great upheavals, including debates on cladistics, panbiogeography and the drowning of New Zealand, some of which have significantly shaped present-day studies. Australasian biogeography has been caught in a cycle of reinvention that has lasted for over 150 years. The biogeographic research making headlines today is merely a shadow of past practices, having barely advanced scientifically. Fundamental biogeographic questions raised by naturalists a century ago remain unanswered, yet are as relevant today as they were then. Scientists still do not know whether Australia and New Zealand are natural biotic areas or if they are in fact artificial amalgamations of areas. The same question goes for all biotic areas in Australasia: are they real? Australasian biogeographers need to break this 150-year cycle, learn from their errors and build upon new ideas. Reinvention of Australasian Biogeography tells the story of the history of Australasian biogeography, enabling understanding of the cycle of reinvention and the means by which to break it, and paves the way for future biogeographical research. The book will be a valuable resource for biological and geographical scientists, especially those working in biogeography, biodiversity, ecology and conservation. It will also be of interest to historians of science.
The story of the evolution of biogeographical practice in Australasia
The story of the evolution of biogeographical practice in Australasia.
This detailed exposition gives background and context to how modern biogeography has got to where it is now. For biogeographers and other researchers interested in biodiversity and the evolution of life on islands, Biogeology: Evolution in a Changing Landscape provides an overview of a large swathe of the globe encompassing Wallacea and the western Pacific. The book contains the full text of the original article explored in each chapter, presented as it appeared on publication. Key features: Holistic treatment, collecting together a series of important biogeographical papers into a single volume Authored by an expert who has spent nearly three decades actively involved in biogeography Describes and interprets a region of exceptional biodiversity and extreme endemism The only book to provide an integrated treatment of Wallacea, Melanesia, New Zealand, the New Zealand Subantarctic Islands and Antarctica Offers a critique of fashionable neo-dispersalist arguments, showing how these still suffer from the same weaknesses of the original Darwinian formulation. The chapters also include analysis of many major theoretical and philosophical issues of modern biogeographic theory, so that those interested in a more philosophical approach will find the book stimulating and thought-provoking.
This new edition of a foundational text presents a contemporary review of cladistics, as applied to biological classification. It provides a comprehensive account of the past fifty years of discussion on the relationship between classification, phylogeny and evolution. It covers cladistics in the era of molecular data, detailing new advances and ideas that have emerged over the last twenty-five years. Written in an accessible style by internationally renowned authors in the field, readers are straightforwardly guided through fundamental principles and terminology. Simple worked examples and easy-to-understand diagrams also help readers navigate complex problems that have perplexed scientists for centuries. This practical guide is an essential addition for advanced undergraduates, postgraduates and researchers in taxonomy, systematics, comparative biology, evolutionary biology and molecular biology.
Relating the story of a tiny town pitted against a strong corporation, this account strives to voice the concerns of local communities when they come into conflict with corporate profits. With the help of Erin Brockovich, the small town of Yarloop in Western Australia is fighting its powerful neighbor, Alcoa World Alumina. Their struggle is over social, health, and environmental concerns surrounding Alcoa's Wagerup alumina refinery. The stories told here are shared by communities around the world amidst ongoing industrialization and resultant collisions between social and economic interests. Depicting life under corporate influence, this study explicitly illustrates that profits matter—but not more than people and place.
Collection of papers presented at Torres Strait Symposium, Canb., 1971; Contents; 1) H.F. Doutch The paleogeography of northern Australia and New Guinea and its relevance to the Torres Strait area; 2) R.W. Galloway and E. Loffler - Aspects of geomorphology and soils in the Torres Strait region; 3) J.N. Jennings - Some attributes of Torres Strait; 4) P.J. Webster and N.A. Streten - Aspects of late quaternary climate in tropical Australasia; 5) H.A. Nix and J.D. Kalma - Climate as a dominant control in the biogeography of northern Australia and New Guinea; 6) J.N. Jennings - Discussion on the physical environment around Torres Strait and its history; 7) L.J. Webb and J.G. Tracey - An ecological comparison of vegetation communities on each side of Torres Strait; 8) R.D. Hoogland Plant distribution patterns across the Torres Strait; 9) S.G.M. Carr - Problems of the geography of the tropical eucalypts; 10) B.A. Barlow - The significance of Torres Strait in the distribution of Australasian loranthaceae; 14) R. Schodde and J.H. Calaby - The biogeography of the Australo-Papuan bird and mammal faunas in relation to Torres Strait; 15) W.D.L. Ride - Discussion on the zoogeography of Torres Strait; 16) J.R. Backett - The Torres Strait Islanders; 17) D.R. Moore - Cape York Aborigines and Islanders of the western Torres Strait; 19) R.L. Kirk - Torres Strait - channel or barrier to human gene flow; 20) J. Golson - Land connections, sea barriers and the relationship of Australian and New Guinea prehistory.
Under Corporate Skies is about what happens to communities when they stand in the way of corporate profits. It is the story of a tiny town pitted against a strong corporate neighbour. With the help of international campaigner, Erin Brockovich, the small town of Yarloop in Western Australia is preparing a civil class action against Alcoa World Al...