Species Richness: Patterns in the Diversity of Life by Jonathan Adams
Springer | 2009 | ISBN: 3540742778 | 386 pages | PDF | 69.5 MB
Patterns in the numbers of species have fascinated naturalists for centuries. Understanding the causes of latitudinal gradients in species richness and biodiversity 'hotspots' is often considered to be the holy grail of ecology. Extinctions in the past offer insight into what may occur in the future under climate change and habitat loss. The subject of vegetation-climate interaction is a compelling issue scientifically and is also of importance for land management practices. This book examines the state of current understanding ofspecies richness patterns and their explanations. As well as the present day world it deals with diversification and extinction, in the conservation of species richness, and the difficulties of assessing how many species remain to be discovered.