Oceanic islands offer biologists unparalleled opportunities to study evolutionary processes and ecological phenomena. However, human activity threatens to alter or destroy many of these fragile ecosystems, with recent estimates suggesting that nearly half of the world's insular endemics are threatened with extinction. Bringing together researchers from around the world, this book illustrates how modern research methods and new concepts have challenged accepted theories and changed our understanding of island flora. Particular attention is given to the impact of molecular studies and the insights that they provide into topics such as colonisation, radiation, diversification and hybridisation. Examples are drawn from around the world, including the Hawaiian archipelago, Galapagos Islands, Madagascar and the Macronesian region. Conservation issues are also highlighted, with coverage of alien species and the role of ex situ conservation providing valuable information that will aid the formulation of management strategies and genetic rescue programmes.
Author: David Bramwell Publisher: Cambridge University Press Published: 07/21/2011 Pages: 536 Binding Type: Hardcover Weight: 2.65lbs Size: 9.70h x 6.90w x 1.10d ISBN: 9780521118088
About the Author Bramwell, David: - David Bramwell is Director of the Jardín Botánico Canario 'Viera y Clavijo'- Unidad Asociada CSIC. His current research interests include the monitoring and mapping of wild populations of threatened species, the preparation of a Flora of the Macaronesia, mapping species decline worldwide, molecular studies of genetic diversity in small populations and the effects of climate change on island plants.Caujapé-Castells, Juli: - Juli Caujapé-Castells is Head of the Department of Molecular Biodiversity and DNA bank at the Jardín Botánico Canario 'Viera y Clavijo'- Unidad Asociada CSIC. His research uses molecular data to investigate problems related to the origins, taxonomic identification, microevolution and conservation of terrestrial vascular plants endemic to, or occurring in, Macaronesia.
