Preface to the Princeton Landmarks in Biology Edition vii Preface xi Symbols Used xiii 1. The Importance of Islands 3 2. Area and Number of Speicies 8 3. Further Explanations of the Area-Diversity Pattern 19 4. The Strategy of Colonization 68 5. Invasibility and the Variable Niche 94 6. Stepping Stones and Biotic Exchange 123 7. Evolutionary Changes Following Colonization 145 8. Prospect 181 Glossary 185 References 193 Index 201

The Theory of Island Biogeography

Definitions of diversity. Measuring species diversity. Choosing an index and interpreting diversity measures. Sampling problems. Structural diversity. Applications of diversity measures. Summary.

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Ecological Diversity and its Measurement

An essential textbook for any student or researcher in biology needing to design experiments, sample programs or analyse the resulting data The text begins with a revision of estimation and hypothesis testing methods, covering both classical and Bayesian philosophies, before advancing to the analysis of linear and generalized linear models Topics covered include linear and logistic regression, simple and complex ANOVA models (for factorial, nested, block, split-plot and repeated measures and covariance designs), and log-linear models Multivariate techniques, including classification and ordination, are then introduced Special emphasis is placed on checking assumptions, exploratory data analysis and presentation of results The main analyses are illustrated with many examples from published papers and there is an extensive reference list to both the statistical and biological literature The book is supported by a website that provides all data sets, questions for each chapter and links to software

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Experimental Design and Data Analysis for Biologists

Humans are altering the composition of biological communities through a variety of activities that increase rates of species invasions and species extinctions, at all scales, from local to global. These changes in components of the Earth's biodiversity cause concern for ethical and aesthetic reasons, but they also have a strong potential to alter ecosystem properties and the goods and services they provide to humanity. Ecological experiments, observations, and theoretical developments show that ecosystem properties depend greatly on biodiversity in terms of the functional characteristics of organisms present in the ecosystem and the distribution and abundance of those organisms over space and time. Species effects act in concert with the effects of climate, resource availability, and disturbance regimes in influencing ecosystem properties. Human activities can modify all of the above factors; here we focus on modification of these biotic controls. The scientific community has come to a broad consensus on many aspects of the re- lationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning, including many points relevant to management of ecosystems. Further progress will require integration of knowledge about biotic and abiotic controls on ecosystem properties, how ecological communities are struc- tured, and the forces driving species extinctions and invasions. To strengthen links to policy and management, we also need to integrate our ecological knowledge with understanding of the social and economic constraints of potential management practices. Understanding this complexity, while taking strong steps to minimize current losses of species, is necessary for responsible management of Earth's ecosystems and the diverse biota they contain.

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Effects of biodiversity on ecosystem functioning: a consensus of current knowledge

Bringing together leaf trait data spanning 2,548 species and 175 sites we describe, for the first time at global scale, a universal spectrum of leaf economics consisting of key chemical, structural and physiological properties. The spectrum runs from quick to slow return on investments of nutrients and dry mass in leaves, and operates largely independently of growth form, plant functional type or biome. Categories along the spectrum would, in general, describe leaf economic variation at the global scale better than plant functional types, because functional types overlap substantially in their leaf traits. Overall, modulation of leaf traits and trait relationships by climate is surprisingly modest, although some striking and significant patterns can be seen. Reliable quantification of the leaf economics spectrum and its interaction with climate will prove valuable for modelling nutrient fluxes and vegetation boundaries under changing land-use and climate.

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The worldwide leaf economics spectrum

Population Biology of Plants

Population Biology of Plants.

A revised and updated edition of this textbook. As before the study of plant and animal ecology is fully integrated and mathematical and laborotory studies are described where necessary. Examples drawn from real ecological systems ilustrate the complexity of this subject and the involvement of diverse areas: descriptive natural history, physiology, behaviour, field experimentation and mathematical modelling. The authors attempt to encourage the reader to combine all the above facets, so that a balanced view emerges. Emphasis is placed on the clear presentation of mathematical aspects and the material aims to be accessible to the undergraduate with little experience and also stimulating to practising ecologists. This new edition contains two new chapters both of which consider areas of applied ecology which are relevant to contemporary global issues. The first considers the control of abundance; on the one hand the limiting of pest and weed populations, on the other, maintaining the biological diversity of endangered species. The second considers large areas as an extension of the discussion of communities. These "ecosystems" in the newest sense of the word are an important field of study when considering some of the important environmental problems facing mankind.

Ecology: Individuals Populations and Communities

Preface.Introduction.Part 1. ORGANISMS .1. Organisms in their environments: the evolutionary backdrop.2. Conditions.3. Resources.4. Life, death and life histories.5. Intraspecific competition.6. Dispersal, dormancy and metapopulations.7. Ecological applications at the level of organisms and single-species populations Part 2. SPECIES INTERACTIONS.8. Interspecific competition.9. The nature of predation.10. The population dynamics of predation.11. Decomposers and detritivores.12. Parasitism and disease.13. Symbiosis and mutualism.14. Abundance.15. Ecological applications at the level of population interactions Part 3. COMMUNITIES AND ECOSYSTEMS .16. The nature of the community.17. The flux of energy through ecosystems.18. The flux of matter through ecosystems.19. The influence of population interactions on community structure.20. Food webs.21. Patterns in species richness.22. Ecological applications at the level of communities and ecosystems.References.Organism Index.Subject Index

John L. Harper

Papers

Population Biology of Plants

Population Biology of Plants.

Ecology: Individuals Populations and Communities

Ecology: From Individuals to Ecosystems

Population Biology of Plants.