A Theory of Global Biodiversity (eBook)

Boris Worm, Derek P. Tittensor (Autoren)

eBook Download: EPUB

2018
232 Seiten
Princeton University Press (Verlag)
978-1-4008-9023-1 (ISBN)

Infos

The number of species found at a given point on the planet varies by orders of magnitude, yet large-scale gradients in biodiversity appear to follow some very general patterns. Little mechanistic theory has been formulated to explain the emergence of observed gradients of biodiversity both on land and in the oceans. Based on a comprehensive empirical synthesis of global patterns of species diversity and their drivers, A Theory of Global Biodiversity develops and applies a new theory that can predict such patterns from few underlying processes. The authors show that global patterns of biodiversity fall into four consistent categories, according to where species live: on land or in coastal, pelagic, and deep ocean habitats. The fact that most species groups, from bacteria to whales, appear to follow similar biogeographic patterns of richness within these habitats points toward some underlying structuring principles. Based on empirical analyses of environmental correlates across these habitats, the authors combine aspects of neutral, metabolic, and niche theory into one unifying framework. Applying it to model terrestrial and marine realms, the authors demonstrate that a relatively simple theory that incorporates temperature and community size as driving variables is able to explain divergent patterns of species richness at a global scale. Integrating ecological and evolutionary perspectives, A Theory of Global Biodiversity yields surprising insights into the fundamental mechanisms that shape the distribution of life on our planet.

Autor

Boris Worm is Killam Professor of Biology at Dalhousie University. Derek P. Tittensor is adjunct professor of biology at Dalhousie University and senior marine biodiversity scientist at the United Nations Environment Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre.

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 12.6.2018
• Reihe/Serie: Monographs in Population Biology
• Reihe/Serie: Monographs in Population Biology
• Zusatzinfo: 51 b/w illus., 9 tables
• Verlagsort: Princeton
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Naturwissenschaften
• Schlagworte: Ambient Energy • ambient temperature • Amphibian • Bacteria • biodiversity • biodiversity drivers • Biodiversity gradient • biodiversity hotspot • Biodiversity hotspots • Biodiversity Loss • biodiversity patterns • Biodiversity Research • biogeographic patterns • biogeography • Biological interaction • Biology • Biomass (ecology) • Biome • Bivalvia • Cephalopod • Cetacea • climate change • coast • Coastal Biodiversity • coastal fish • coastal habitat • Coevolution • community size • community structure • conservation biology • coral reef • coral reef fish • crustacean • Dalhousie University • Deep sea • deep-sea biodiversity • deep-sea habitat • Ecological theory • Ecology • ecosystem • Ectotherm • Emergence • Empirical data • Endotherm • environmental factor • Environmental gradient • Evolution • evolutionary dynamics • foraminifera • Free parameter • Freshwater fish • fungus • global biodiversity • Global distribution • global patterns • Global Theory • global warming • Habitat • Indian Ocean • Indo-Pacific • Invertebrate • Krill • macroecological patterns • Macroecology • Mammal • Mangrove • Marine biodiversity • Marine Biology • Marine mammal • marine pelagic biodiversity • Meta-analysis • metabolic theory • Metabolic theory of ecology • Metabolism • metacommunity • metacommunity model • Microorganism • Molecular Evolution • Moore neighborhood • mutation rate • Neutral theory • Niche theory • nutrient • Ocean Biogeographic Information System • organism • Osteichthyes • pelagic habitat • Pelagic zone • PET • Phylogenetic diversity • Phytoplankton • pinniped • Plankton • Point mutation • population dynamics • Population Size • Potential Evapotranspiration • predation • predictive power • Primary production • Probability • Procellariiformes • Ransom A. Myers • Rapoport's rule • reproductive isolation • Salinity • Scientist • seagrass • seasonality • Sea Surface Temperature • Sensitivity Analysis • spatial ecology • spatial metacommunity model • spatial scale • Speciation • species complex • Species distribution • species diversity • Species richness • Taxon • Taxonomy (biology) • temperate climate • Temperature • Temperature Gradient • Terrestrial animal • terrestrial biodiversity • terrestrial habitat • thermal energy • Thermoregulation • Trophic level • unimodal pattern • Vascular plant • Vertebrate • year • Zooplankton
• ISBN-10: 1-4008-9023-3 / 1400890233
• ISBN-13: 978-1-4008-9023-1 / 9781400890231