Biological Diversity The Coexistence of Species on Changing Landscapes

About this book

The author sets out to provide a logical framework for the existing theories and information about biodiversity. He discusses the effects of scale on the processes affecting biodiversity, emphasizes spatial and temporal dynamics, and develops mechanistic explanations for diversity patterns at various structural levels. Case studies are also given, and he ends with a discussion of the economics of preserving biodiversity.

Contents

1. Introduction; Part I. Raw Materials and Tools: 2. General patterns of species diversity; 3. The assessment of species diversity; Part II. Theories of Species Diversity: Equilibrium and Non-Equilibrium: 4. Equilibrium processes and the maintenance of landscape-scale species diversity; 5. Non-equilibrium processes and the maintenance of local species diversity; Part III. Mechanisms that Regulate Biological Diversity at Various Spatial and Temporal Scales: 6. Diversity within populations; 7. Individual properties and the structure of communities and ecosystems; 8. Landscape patterns: disturbance and diversity; 9. Landscape patterns: succession and temporal change; 10. Landscape patterns: gradients and zonation; Part IV. Case Studies: Patterns and Hypotheses: 11. Case studies: endemism and invasions; 12. Case studies: species diversity in marine ecosystems; 13. Case studies: species diversity in fire-influenced ecosystems; 14. Case studies: species diversity in tropical rain forests; 15. Concluding comments: the economics of biological diversity.

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